# Intrawest: CI Owner - Add'l Points



## jimboli (Oct 18, 2009)

I have searched and not found an answer for the following:

We currently have 160 points from CI.  Bought from developer with average cost of $129 (so not terrible).

We would like to increase our points.  We have rarely used EE - we go once a year to Mexico and would like to go skiing again in Canada.

If we purchase additional points online, it looks like we can get points for about $90/pt.  I know that if we buy for less than $150/pt, we cannot get EE for those points.  I think that was the only potential downside.  It also appears that you have to have EE in order to see reservations online - although I have not been able to confirm.

That being said, if we purchase additional points, would we be stuck with two different pools of points - or could we combine so we have one pool of points to use.  That being said, if they combine, do we loose EE on our existing points?

Thanks for your help.

-Jim


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## Bill4728 (Oct 19, 2009)

If you buy points resale, you must buy at least 120 pts.  BUT I think if you look around you may find you can buy them for as little as $70/pt. A significant savings over the CI price. Also, if you wanted only 30-70 more pts, you could buy 150 then sell 120 to get a net of 30. BUT CI requires all resale purchases to be a minimum of 120.

As far as how CI will treat your new points I just don't have a clue. They may say since you are all ready a CI member, all your pts must be considered the same.  OR they could make you have two pools of points as you suggested. I'd guess that they will treat all your pts them same but I'm not sure.

Please be sure to post how it turns out.


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## jimboli (Nov 17, 2009)

I spoke with them today.  They have no issue with members buying points from third parties.

Need to pay $150/pt to get EEE.

However, they all go into one pool.  They track the EE and non-EE points.  If you make a club reservation, they pull from the non-EE points first.

It does not inhibit your ability to book reservations online nor the ability to bank point.

All in all, not a bad way to get extra points if needed.


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## tashamen (Nov 18, 2009)

I recently got the EE free for a year by responding to an e-mail from CI asking why I had let it lapse several years ago.  I was honest and said I use II to exchange, and they gave me EE free until next October.  I doubt I'll use it, but it is interesting seeing what else is available through that - mainly some of the European villas.

You don't have to have EE to do CI reservations online - I've been doing them since they came online.  The only thing the website would not let me do before now was book HGVC or other locations.


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## badbeatjackpot (Feb 1, 2010)

*Club Intrawest Member looking to get EE or II or RCI?*

Hi guys, long story here.

Our family has been with Intrawest since the mid 90s.  We own 150 points. 
My father passed away in 1997 where the title was then passed to my mother.  We've always used it for family trips until recently.
My mom's getting older and I've been paying the yearly dues for the past few years and am the primary user.  Not being the owner of the account has been fine as I have only used CI locations in the past 15 years in which anyone can go to the club.  

We had EE which previously expired 2003.  We didn not make use of it and so we never bothered to re-enroll.  CI recently ran a promo where they were waiving the re-enrollment fee as well as a 1 year EE fee of $149.  There was nothing to lose so we are now re-enrolled in EE

This has opened a whole new can of worms and I am very happy to have found TUG as it is an excellent wealth of knowledge.   I am now looking into maximizing my membership (my mom's) and use it for trading purposes in our vacations.  

Firstly, because I am the prime user of CI, should I bother changing the title from my mother to me? (My mother doesn't mind)

Also, what is the best option for exchanges as a CI member?  EE, II or RCI?

RCI is included in the EE membership but there is a resort exchange fee of $20/25 per night (NA or Interntational)

Will this make our CI membership a "resale" which occurs in 2010 so that I would not be able to use EE or II?

Also, if I take over the membership, would I be able to sign up on II?


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## badbeatjackpot (Feb 1, 2010)

tashamen said:


> I recently got the EE free for a year by responding to an e-mail from CI asking why I had let it lapse several years ago.  I was honest and said I use II to exchange, and they gave me EE free until next October.  I doubt I'll use it, but it is interesting seeing what else is available through that - mainly some of the European villas.
> 
> You don't have to have EE to do CI reservations online - I've been doing them since they came online.  The only thing the website would not let me do before now was book HGVC or other locations.



Hi Tasha.  What is the benefit of using II over EE?
I am in the same boat as you.  I let my EE expires in 2003 and have recently signed up again because they waived all the fees.


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## Bill4728 (Feb 1, 2010)

badbeatjackpot said:


> Hi Tasha.  What is the benefit of using II over EE?
> I am in the same boat as you.  I let my EE expires in 2003 and have recently signed up again because they waived all the fees.



The biggest benefit of using II is that you can reserve a low season studio for just 35 pts and get lots of great trades as long as you don't do peak season. 

We recently traded our 35 pt studio for a 2 bed in SoCal at the marriott TS in Newport for Oct   If we had done the same thing in EE/RCI it would have cost us 150 CI pts. 

35 pts vs 150 pts that is a no brainer!


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## badbeatjackpot (Feb 1, 2010)

Bill4728 said:


> The biggest benefit of using II is that you can reserve a low season studio for just 35 pts and get lots of great trades as long as you don't do peak season.
> 
> We recently traded our 35 pt studio for a 2 bed in SoCal at the marriott TS in Newport for Oct   If we had done the same thing in EE/RCI it would have cost us 150 CI pts.
> 
> 35 pts vs 150 pts that is a no brainer!



Wow, That is a good deal.

So you're saying that it costs 35 CI points for a 2 bedroom in SoCal during mid-season.

What kind of value do you get during peak season?

Also, with II, do you pay a nightly echange fee like EE?
its 20 per night in North America and 25 per night International

So, a Studio in Mexico would cost 40 points plus $175


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## Bill4728 (Feb 1, 2010)

> So you're saying that it costs 35 CI points for a 2 bedroom in SoCal during mid-season.


NO  That not what I meant.  I reserved a studio at Whistler during Oct of 2009 which cost me 35 CI pts. Then deposited that studio into II.  From that point forward the total cost in CI pts is the 35 pts I used to reserve the studio. 

I then looked to see what I could get with an instant exchange. (these are weeks that are just sitting in the II inventory). If you can "see" the week with your deposit (in my case the whistler studio) I can exchange for it.  So there is no nightly fee, all exchanges are for 7 days. With the fee being ~$140 within your country or ~$170 if in an other country.

So if you can "see" a week in Mexico (studio, 1 bd or 2 bd ) with your Whistler studio deposit, you can grab it for the single $170 international exchange fee. 

Hope that helps

PS an Oct whistler 1 bd week (costing about 65pts) seems to be good enough to trade for most all weeks in the II inventory.  So with 130 CI pts ( {2} one bd weeks at Whistler in Oct) you would likely be able to get most any two trades you'd want thru II.


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## tashamen (Feb 1, 2010)

badbeatjackpot said:


> Hi Tasha.  What is the benefit of using II over EE?
> I am in the same boat as you.  I let my EE expires in 2003 and have recently signed up again because they waived all the fees.



There are tons of benefits, IMO.  The II account is a personal one that I control, rather than the CI corporate account for RCI that you get with EE.  So I can choose which week I deposit into II.  Until this year I was also getting an AC with each deposit, but II seems to be more sparing with those now.  I can search online in II before I deposit.  I can request first, or deposit first.  Also, as Bill mentioned, you can often pull larger units with studios or 1BRs.  I've been very happy with my II trades.

There is a regular II exchange fee for the week, based on whether it's a domestic (including Canada) or foreign exchange.  Now there is also a new Short Stay exchange option allowing for 2 exchanges of between 2 and 6 nights each for one week deposit.  (That will incur two of those exchange fees.)

However, having said that, there have been threads here that it can be difficult to get an II membership if you don't already have one - Bill persevered and got one set up, but be prepared to be vocal about it.  Ci now has some restrictions about which exchange companies you can use.

For me, the EE is not worth it - I'm not even going to use it when it's free!


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## badbeatjackpot (Feb 1, 2010)

awesome.
thanks for your help everyone

My situation is that my mother actually owns the resort points. Our family bought 150 points from Intrawest during the mid 90s.  My father passed away in 97 and my mom became the member.  I have been paying her resort dues for many years now and I'm sort of the one who controls and makes decisions on everything.

I know she wont have a problem getting a II membership as we bought from the developer before 2001.

I am also thinking of buying 120 points on resale and just putting it into her name.

Does that mean we'll have 270 points as trading power on II or will it be seperated as 150 (developer purchased) and 120 (resale)

Also with me doing most of the transactions, should I just have the title changed from my mother to myself?

If Ichange the title from my mom to me, does that count as a resale disqualifying me from a II membership?


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## Bill4728 (Feb 1, 2010)

tashamen said:


> For me, the EE is not worth it - I'm not even going to use it when it's free!



The only part about EE that I might find useful is the ability to book rooms at the HGVC resorts online myself with my pts.  BUT unlike a CI reservation, once you book, you are locked in like any other exchange.

Also, the only thing I don't like about II is that it is very difficult to get an II trade into Whistler.


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## Bill4728 (Feb 1, 2010)

badbeatjackpot said:


> awesome.
> thanks for your help everyone
> 
> My situation is that my mother actually owns the resort points. Our family bought 150 points from Intrawest during the mid 90s.  My father passed away in 97 and my mom became the member.  I have been paying her resort dues for many years now and I'm sort of the one who controls and makes decisions on everything.
> ...


I'd have your mom add you to the account so you're both owners. BUT even if you change from your mom to just you, you'd still be direct. Since your not buying it but getting it given to you by your mom. 

If you bought 120 more pts resale the only thing you'd lose is EE for those extra 120 pts,  but since we're all saying "use II instead of EE"  that wouldn't matter either. 

Remember there is no title, this is a membership in a club. So adding your name to your mom's membership should be easy.



> Does that mean we'll have 270 points as trading power on II or will it be seperated as 150 (developer purchased) and 120 (resale)


With II there are no "points" for trading power. You can do two things:
- Reserve and deposit a week at Whistler using your CI points, you then have a week to use to find exchanges you want. 
-OR  just play around with fake CI reservations in the II system. Trying to find the CI reservation in the II system  that will get you a trade you want for the least number of CI points. (example when you look for a trade in II with a 150 pt 2 bd at whistler you see a week in Mexico that you'd like, then see if you can still see that week if you use only a 100 pt 1 bd week, then a 60 pt studio week, then a 35 pt studio week ect.) only after you determine what the least costly week at CI will still let you make your trade, then reserve that week at CI and make the trade.


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## badbeatjackpot (Feb 1, 2010)

I can see me being addicted to this site.  Since I found this site on Sat, all I've been doing is purusing the different threads here.

So much knowledge...lol

Ok so my name going on the membership has no bearing on the status as it's still direct.  and once I buy the resale points, I am able to use all of the points combined to book rooms as CI which I can use for exchanges on II which is much better than EE.

I wish I found this forum sooner.  I've only gone to CI locations for the past 15 years (which was great) but now I can explore everything!

Thank you all for your help


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## badbeatjackpot (Feb 1, 2010)

Bill4728 said:


> With II there are no "points" for trading power. You can do two things:
> - Reserve and deposit a week at Whistler using your CI points, you then have a week to use to find exchanges you want.
> -OR  just play around with fake CI reservations in the II system. Trying to find the CI reservation in the II system  that will get you a trade you want for the least number of CI points. (example when you look for a trade in II with a 150 pt 2 bd at whistler you see a week in Mexico that you'd like, then see if you can still see that week if you use only a 100 pt 1 bd week, then a 60 pt studio week, then a 35 pt studio week ect.) only after you determine what the least costly week at CI will still let you make your trade, then reserve that week at CI and make the trade.



That advice is GOLD
haha

which club locations for CI usually garners the most interest?
I'm guessing Whistler and Zih?


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## tashamen (Feb 1, 2010)

badbeatjackpot said:


> which club locations for CI usually garners the most interest?
> I'm guessing Whistler and Zih?



I think this varies greatly by where CI owners live and what their travel preferences are at any given time.  We have never been to Whistler (at least not at the CI) and probably will never go there, though I have been to CI Vancouver where I would go to again.  Since we live on the east coast, we used to go to Tremblant twice a year - once in winter and once in summer, though lately have not been in a few years.  I've been to Palm Desert twice (loved it) and Sandestin once (did not like it as it's not on the beach and so may not go back.)  Haven't been to Zihua yet because the points required are so high, though we may go in two years.

Here on TUG I've been approached for direct exchanges by other TUGGERS, and most requests have been for Zihua, and one for Sandestin.


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## Bill4728 (Feb 1, 2010)

badbeatjackpot said:


> This has opened a whole new can I am now looking into maximizing my membership (my mom's) and use it for trading purposes in our vacations.
> 
> Firstly, because I am the prime user of CI, should I bother changing the title from my mother to me? (My mother doesn't mind)
> 
> ...



Bad Beat,

If you plan to join II, I'd add your name and not take your mom's name off the account. If after a while, you drop your mom's name fine, but wait till after you've joined II.


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## badbeatjackpot (Feb 1, 2010)

Bill4728 said:


> Bad Beat,
> 
> If you plan to join II, I'd add your name and not take your mom's name off the account. If after a while, you drop your mom's name fine, but wait till after you've joined II.



I've hit a bit of a snag here guys.

I've called CI and found out that to be added as a joint member, you must be a spouse.
This is a silly rule as my father has passed away and I'm the one that controls our family's finances.  

Not sure what to do from here...


Here's the documentation they sent me.  Moreover, I don't know if I will have an even bigger problem as I don't know whether my mom has a membership or resorts points certificate.




Q: How do I add or remove my spouse as a Joint Member?

A: Please submit a signed and notarized Transfer Form along with your fee to Club Intrawest, Attn: Membership Changes, 326 – 375 Water Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 5C6. New documentation and cards will be issued as applicable. The Transfer Form is located on the back of your Membership and Resort Points Certificate(s). This form will only appear on your certificate if your Membership is paid off in full. If your Membership is not yet paid in full, please contact Member Services. Member Services can request a Transfer Form on your behalf. 

Fees (payable to Intrawest Resort Club Group): 

Add or Remove a Spouse (no financing attached to Membership): $190 USD 

Add or Remove a Spouse (with financing attached to Membership): $290 USD 

In the case of the death of a Member, the surviving Joint Member may have the Membership Certificate re-issued in their name only by submitting a request in writing along with a copy of the Death Certificate. There is no fee for this service. 

Additional documentation and a fee is charged for the transfer of a Membership upon death of a Member to a Beneficiary or third party. Please contact Member Services at members@clubintrawest.com for more information.


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## Bill4728 (Feb 1, 2010)

Boy, That doesn't sound right at all. 

Without  telling them that you are a current owner, I wonder what they say if you just asked "can my mother & I share a membership?"


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## badbeatjackpot (Feb 1, 2010)

Ok, so I called again and got some good news
My mom and I can't have a joint membership.  Only spouses can have a joint membership.
However, my mother can transfer the account to my name.  She would no longer be the member but I would.
We need to sign some forms, etc but the good thing is, because it is a direct transfer to a family member and not a resale, I would retain the same member benefits that she would have and so, I can sign up for II!

I've asked them to email me all the forms.  
I will keep you guys updated on how it goes!


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## sjuhawk_jd (Feb 9, 2010)

*Help - Should I buy 80 Cl Points for free!*

I am experienced in timesharing but completely new to Club Intrawest. I have an offer to buy 80 CI points (Whistler) for free, just pay closing and transfer fees. I heard that resale purchases have to be atleast 120 points. 

Should I buy this? Is there a CI points chart (usage) available for non-members? MFs are around $550, annual. 

Would I be able to buy additional points in resale and combine with this account? 

If I buy some points later on directly from CI (developer), would I be able to combine both accounts.


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## Bill4728 (Feb 10, 2010)

sjuhawk_jd said:


> I am experienced in timesharing but completely new to Club Intrawest. I have an offer to buy 80 CI points (Whistler) for free, just pay closing and transfer fees. I heard that resale purchases have to be atleast 120 points. Should I buy this?


My understanding is that CI will not allow you to transfer a membership that is not at least 120 pts. SO I'm not sure how or why your asking if  you should buy a membership that is only 80 pts. 


> Is there a CI points chart (usage) available for non-members? MFs are around $550, annual.
> 
> Would I be able to buy additional points in resale and combine with this account?
> 
> If I buy some points later on directly from CI (developer), would I be able to combine both accounts.


If you buy multiple membership packages for CI, *yes, you can combine the memberships*


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## sjuhawk_jd (Feb 10, 2010)

I spoke with somebody at the CI customer service. This is what they told me:

If a person had 200 points in his/her account, that person can not sell 80 points to somebody, has to sell minimum of 120. 

But, if someone only has 80 points in the account, then that account can be sold and the 80 points will transfer to new owner (in resale).


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## Bill4728 (Feb 10, 2010)

sjuhawk_jd said:


> I spoke with somebody at the CI customer service. This is what they told me:
> 
> If a person had 200 points in his/her account, that person can not sell 80 points to somebody, has to sell minimum of 120.
> 
> But, if someone only has 80 points in the account, then that account can be sold and the 80 points will transfer to new owner (in resale).



Boy that isn't what I've been told.  BUT it does make sense.  



> If a person had 200 points in his/her account, that person can not sell 80 points to somebody, has to sell minimum of 120.


My only problem is I didn't think CI would allow you to sell 120 of 200 pts and leave you just 80 pts in your account. I thought the minimum account size they will allow is 120. 

One last thing, the current resale price for CI points is just less than $50/pt  so 80 pts would be worth a little less than $4000. That is some gift?!!


PS there is no closing with CI. It is a membership. So the only cost is the ~$600 CI charges to transfer the membership from the current owner to the buyer. And since the current owner isn't getting any money, there would be no need for escrow.


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## badbeatjackpot (Feb 11, 2010)

According to Intrawest, they have the first right of refusal for resale of points. As a result, what they are telling me is that the points purchased at $50/point don't go through because the club just buys it back.
I have seen some ebay sales that are below 50 per point.  Is what CI is saying true?  Do these bidders just put the money into escrow only to find out that CI decided to excercise their option and buy back the points?


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## elleryjean (Feb 11, 2010)

On another note, I was told that resales of CI points dropped in price because the new owner of resale points can not belong to EE RCI or II and can only use their points at club locations. This makes it almost impossible to re-sell without those benefits!   Does anyone know if this is true?


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## badbeatjackpot (Feb 11, 2010)

elleryjean said:


> On another note, I was told that resales of CI points dropped in price because the new owner of resale points can not belong to EE RCI or II and can only use their points at club locations. This makes it almost impossible to re-sell without those benefits!   Does anyone know if this is true?



Yes, apparently, you're repurchase price needs to be at least 160/point to be eligible for EE.  As for II, I think you needed to have been a member before 2002 or 2003.

I dont think there is a block for RCI however.  I could be wrong


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## elleryjean (Feb 11, 2010)

I thought you had to go through EE to use RCI as it's included in your EE package.  So, if I have more then 160 points to sell, the new owner could buy into EE?  I was told they could not, I guess I need to call to find for sure, thanks for the information.


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## Bill4728 (Feb 15, 2010)

Currently,  if you buy CI resale and don't qualify to join EE, then CI allows you to join RCI and trade thru them.


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