# Is my ongoing search with RCI still good?



## PeelBoy (Jun 26, 2013)

I have a quick question and hope someone have an answer.

In February, I placed an ongoing search with RCI for hotel/resorts in Japan for March/April 2014.  I had to pay an exchange fee for this, which is fine with me.

This week, I found a very tempting summer week in Northern New York State, so I booked it with another deposit.  When I confirmed my reservation, the system automatically used the fee above for this reservation, which is fine with me.

My question is now my ongoing search does not have a fee to back up.  Will it jeopardize my ongoing search?  The ongoing search still looks good in my Account.   If it does not affect my ongoing search, this is the way to avoid paying the reservation fee at request of ongoing search.


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## beejaybeeohio (Jun 27, 2013)

*Same for Me!*

Placed an ongoing search with RCI for specific UK resorts this May for May 2015 (so far nada).  Then found a desirable resort for New Year's in FL, used leftover points for that trade, and RCI used the $$ I'd put down for the ongoing search to pay the exchange fee for the FL trade.

Same as for you, the ongoing search appears to still be in place for me when I go to the "My Account" page on RCI's website.  Fingers X'd that I'll be matched soon!!

When (not if) trading fees are raised again by RCI, they get to charge us the new higher amount if a match is made via the ongoing after the rate hike.


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## bellesgirl (Jun 27, 2013)

It should be fine.  I have a zero balance and 4 ongoing searches.  Every once in a while I get a match.  So far, nothing that has worked, but the searches remain.


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## MichaelColey (Jun 27, 2013)

Yes, everything should be fine.  You only need the deposit on file when you initially set up on the ongoing search.  If it's not there when you get the match (because you used it for something else), you'll have to pay it (again) then.

This actually works to your advantage if you're setting up multiple ongoing searches or are getting ready to do an exchange.  Consider this sequence of events:

1) Set up ongoing search 1.  You pay the $199 deposit for the search.
2) Set up ongoing search 2.  You already have $199 on your account, so no additional payment needed.
3) Set up ongoing search 3.  You already have $199 on your account, so no additional payment needed.
4) Set up ongoing search 4.  You already have $199 on your account, so no additional payment needed.
5) Confirm an exchange.  It uses your $199 balance, so you don't have to pay anything at this time.

So if you're getting ready to do an exchange, consider what ongoing searches you want to set up (essentially for free) and do them right before you make your exchange.  You'll have to pay later for any ongoing searches that match, but you don't have to tie up your money in the meantime.


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## bellesgirl (Jun 28, 2013)

MichaelColey said:


> 1) Set up ongoing search 1.  You pay the $199 deposit for the search.
> 2) Set up ongoing search 2.  You already have $199 on your account, so no additional payment needed.
> 3) Set up ongoing search 3.  You already have $199 on your account, so no additional payment needed.
> 4) Set up ongoing search 4.  You already have $199 on your account, so no additional payment needed.
> ...


My strategy exactly.   Also, since RCI supposedly matches to searches based on how old they are (I am not convinced this is true, however) set up a search even if you don't have a plan.  I use a 2br in London - it will never match but it will start my search aging for when I do know where I want to go.


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## Lisa P (Jun 28, 2013)

bellesgirl said:


> since RCI supposedly matches to searches based on how old they are (I am not convinced this is true, however) set up a search even if you don't have a plan.


It's only one example, but... I had multiple ongoing searches running for the same resorts because I needed multiple units in an area for extended family traveling together.  The first automated match was confirmed against the search which had been started the earliest.  At least for that particular situation, it worked as expected.


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## gnipgnop (Jun 28, 2013)

BUT......don't you need TPU's in order to place all these searches??  If you only have 40 TPU's and place 4 different searches at once how can you get a match (for example) if the first match resort costs 32 TPU's?  What covers the other 3 searches?


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## bellesgirl (Jun 28, 2013)

gnipgnop said:


> BUT......don't you need TPU's in order to place all these searches??  If you only have 40 TPU's and place 4 different searches at once how can you get a match (for example) if the first match resort costs 32 TPU's?  What covers the other 3 searches?



To place 4 searches, you need 4 deposits.  And you can only match up to the maximum TPUs of each individual deposit.


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## bellesgirl (Jun 28, 2013)

Lisa P said:


> It's only one example, but... I had multiple ongoing searches running for the same resorts because I needed multiple units in an area for extended family traveling together.  The first automated match was confirmed against the search which had been started the earliest.  At least for that particular situation, it worked as expected.


It would be nice if that were the case.  That is the way they advertise it.  Do you happen to remember if the deposit that matched also had the most TPUs associated with it or were they equal?


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## PeelBoy (Jun 28, 2013)

bellesgirl said:


> My strategy exactly.   Also, since RCI supposedly matches to searches based on how old they are (I am not convinced this is true, however) set up a search even if you don't have a plan.  I use a 2br in London - it will never match but it will start my search aging for when I do know where I want to go.







Iam not sure if I understand your strategy.  You put in an ongoing search for London, which will never be matched.  Because you have put in the request early enough, say 18 months ago, you can edit your request to say grab a week in Hawaii.  Your ongoing search will be matched first before other people.  Is that what you mean?  If so, you are smart.


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## bellesgirl (Jun 29, 2013)

PeelBoy said:


> Iam not sure if I understand your strategy.  You put in an ongoing search for London, which will never be matched.  Because you have put in the request early enough, say 18 months ago, you can edit your request to say grab a week in Hawaii.  Your ongoing search will be matched first before other people.  Is that what you mean?  If so, you are smart.



You understand it perfectly.  That is the theory.  I have been pretty fortunate with getting things that I want but I cannot tell you for sure that this is the reason.  All I can say is - it can't hurt.  And if I do get a match on London - I am going!


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## bellesgirl (Jul 3, 2013)

bellesgirl said:


> You understand it perfectly.  That is the theory.  I have been pretty fortunate with getting things that I want but I cannot tell you for sure that this is the reason.  All I can say is - it can't hurt.  And if I do get a match on London - I am going!


Peelboy,
You will be pleased to know that ongoing searches definitely continue even if you have a zero balance.  I got a match today for a 2BR in LONDON and I can't go that week.  Unbelievable!


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## GrayFal (Jul 3, 2013)

bellesgirl said:


> Peelboy,
> You will be pleased to know that ongoing searches definitely continue even if you have a zero balance.  I got a match today for a 2BR in LONDON and I can't go that week.  Unbelievable!



Wow! Talk about lucky! So sorry u can not go....


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## lilpooh108 (Jul 3, 2013)

bellesgirl said:


> Peelboy,
> You will be pleased to know that ongoing searches definitely continue even if you have a zero balance.  I got a match today for a 2BR in LONDON and I can't go that week.  Unbelievable!



Wow, how cool!  I'm curious.  What resort and when is it for?  I'm not interested in it or anything but just wanted to know if I ever want to request it...how far out I should expect.  Thanks!


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## lilpooh108 (Jul 3, 2013)

bellesgirl said:


> To place 4 searches, you need 4 deposits.  And you can only match up to the maximum TPUs of each individual deposit.



I'm sort of new at this and now I'm confused.  If you put in four deposits but only pay one fee and have 4 ongoing searches happening based on the one fee, what happens to these ongoing searches when you actually book a week with that fee.  Doesn't that cancel those searches?  Or do you simply keep that first fee on file and pay a separate fee when you actually book.  Hope that makes sense.


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## bellesgirl (Jul 3, 2013)

lilpooh108 said:


> I'm sort of new at this and now I'm confused.  If you put in four deposits but only pay one fee and have 4 ongoing searches happening based on the one fee, what happens to these ongoing searches when you actually book a week with that fee.  Doesn't that cancel those searches?  Or do you simply keep that first fee on file and pay a separate fee when you actually book.  Hope that makes sense.


You have to pay a fee when you book.  The amount you paid for the search is a credit on your account and you can use that to pay for the first actual exchange that you book.  Any subsequent exchanges from those searches would require an additional exchange fee.  But the searches keep going, even if you use up the credit - the only one that is cancelled is the one that matched.  The example assumes 4 different searches with 4 different deposits - not 1 search with 4 different options.  I hope that clarifies it.


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## bellesgirl (Jul 3, 2013)

lilpooh108 said:


> Wow, how cool!  I'm curious.  What resort and when is it for?  I'm not interested in it or anything but just wanted to know if I ever want to request it...how far out I should expect.  Thanks!



It was Odessa Wharf for Nov. 2013.  The search has been in place since last December.  I still want to go to London, but that date does not work for me anymore - so I updated the search with dates that will work.  We will see what happens.


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## lilpooh108 (Jul 3, 2013)

bellesgirl said:


> You have to pay a fee when you book.  The amount you paid for the search is a credit on your account and you can use that to pay for the first actual exchange that you book.  Any subsequent exchanges from those searches would require an additional exchange fee.  But the searches keep going, even if you use up the credit - the only one that is cancelled is the one that matched.  The example assumes 4 different searches with 4 different deposits - not 1 search with 4 different options.  I hope that clarifies it.



That helps.  I see what I'm doing wrong.  I put in one search, with like 4 different options.  So whenever I've gotten a match my search goes away.  So basically you're saying to do 4 separate searches, and even if one of them matches and books the others will keep going?  But I need 4 separate deposits, right?  Think I got it...



bellesgirl said:


> It was Odessa Wharf for Nov. 2013.  The search has been in place since last December.  I still want to go to London, but that date does not work for me anymore - so I updated the search with dates that will work.  We will see what happens.



Thanks.  Very cool.  Hope you get it!


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## ptlohmysoul (Jul 3, 2013)

Does this work with the RCI portals, such as Bluegreen, also?


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## Lisa P (Jul 3, 2013)

Lisa P said:


> multiple ongoing searches running for the same resorts ... The first automated match was confirmed against the search which had been started the earliest.





bellesgirl said:


> Do you happen to remember if the deposit that matched also had the most TPUs associated with it or were they equal?


Actually, I have Wyndham points so when I set up an ongoing search, I don't associate it with a specific number of points.  The searches were all just associated with the one points account on the portal - so I guess you could say they were "equal" other than the different dates on which I started them.


ptlohmysoul said:


> Does this work with the RCI portals, such as Bluegreen, also?


Yes, see above.


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## FlaKmunKy (Sep 10, 2013)

It does not affect your ongoing search.


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