# Help with using SFX weeks.



## Ann-Marie (Apr 13, 2008)

OK, so I am still trying to figure out where I can travel, using my SFX banked weeks. It will have to be President's week of 2009 since the weeks expire in June. Can anyone suggest where there would be a lot of availability with SFX, and an area that also has fairly reasonable airfares to get to?


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## falmouth3 (Apr 13, 2008)

I can't say where there will be availability, but if I were you, I'd put in your requests now for every place you'd be willing to go to.  I'm a platinum member so I can put in my requests 18 months in advance, and I've got a whole list of requested places in for 2009.

Sue


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## Ann-Marie (Apr 13, 2008)

I think your right.  I guess I will have to just put in for a bunch of places.  I am so frustrated with SFX.


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## falmouth3 (Apr 13, 2008)

I've found them to be very helpful on the phone.  You could call and ask where the highest likelihood is.  I know they are reluctant to tell you that in case something doesn't come in.  But when I had a question about 2 different areas, I was told that one was highly unlikely and the other was very likely.  In fact, the next week, they called me with a choice of dates and resorts for Big Island.  And that was just about a year in advance.

Sue


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## Liz Wolf-Spada (Apr 13, 2008)

I believe as a platinum member, or maybe it has to do with when you deposit a week, they will let you extend an expiring deposit for one year.  Also, if you log in regularly and check their sell off lists, if you see something you like and can use, you can call them and use that as your week for exchange.
Liz


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## philemer (Apr 13, 2008)

Ann-Marie said:


> OK, so I am still trying to figure out where I can travel, using my SFX banked weeks. It will have to be President's week of 2009 since the weeks expire in June. Can anyone suggest where there would be a lot of availability with SFX, and an area that also has fairly reasonable airfares to get to?



A lot of their inventory seems to be in the West, Mexico & Hawaii. Since you are from NY, and want reasonable airfare, you might consider a different exchange co. in the future (RCI and II have a lot of inventory in the East & the Caribbean).

Phil


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## Ann-Marie (Apr 13, 2008)

Phil, after I use the weeks I have banked (providing I manage to do that), I am totally done with SFX.  The last several exchanges I have gotten have been with RCI, including Hawaii and Oregan.


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## GrayFal (Apr 13, 2008)

For Presidents week, I would try for one of the Grand Mayan's - or another member has gotten London for that week - but now prices there are crazy.

How about FL/Orlando or So California/Palm Springs/Phoeni, AZ area - LOTS of TSs in all those locations?

As u know, it is a crap shoot!


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## barndweller (Apr 13, 2008)

Ann-Marie
Probably, your best availability for a *prime holiday *week would be Mexico.  Like all exchange companies, trying to get holiday times is tough. From my experience, Cancun or Puerta Vallarta would be the easiest for Presidents week (Mayan Palace), Big Island Hawaii would be next (probably Kona Hawaiian Resort or Mauna Loa Village) and maybe Palm Springs or San Fransisco third. I say this only because I was able to get February in Mexico easily for 2 consecutive weeks. February in SF is very low season so they may have some deposits. SFX seems to have a relationship with some of the non-Marriott Palm Springs & Hawaii resorts. So as long as you don't require those name brand places, you should be able to get something in February.


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## falmouth3 (Apr 13, 2008)

Come to think of it, I got a San Fran week for a friend for Thanksgiving.   It was a request that I put in only about 2 weeks before and SFX came through for me and I used a bonus week.  As Barndweller said, that may be a good option for you.


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## Kola (Apr 13, 2008)

Ann-Marie said:


> Phil, after I use the weeks I have banked (providing I manage to do that), I am totally done with SFX.  .



No surprise. Welcome to the Grand Frustration Club !:annoyed:  If you are looking for the President's week don't hold your breath. And don't expect any meaningful action for any other holiday. Unless you let SFX select a resort for you, your frustration level will continue rising well into the next spring. Good luck.
K.


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## Ann-Marie (Apr 13, 2008)

The only thing with Mexico, is the airfare.  I also put in for parts of AZ.  In the comments section, I said that I would consider almost anything.  I have tried calling SFX in the past to ask them where I should consider.  They told me that they have no inventory to look at because it is all assigned as soon as it comes in.  I highly doubt that.  They were not helpful on the phone at all.  I just can't wait for my membership to expire.


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## Bourne (Apr 13, 2008)

> They told me that they have no inventory to look at because it is all assigned as soon as it comes in.  I highly doubt that.



That statement is true. The only inventory SFX holds in it's hand for more than a few weeks is the Sell-off list. 

My name for them is the lean mean exchanging machine.


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## Judy (May 5, 2008)

Bourne said:


> That statement is true. The only inventory SFX holds in it's hand for more than a few weeks is the Sell-off list.



How do you know? (no insult intended; just curious)

What does SFX do with deposits for which they have no requests?


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## Cathyb (May 5, 2008)

San Francisco -- SFX used to have arrangements with several timeshare companies and had pretty good capability of getting the city.  They also used to have a working arrangement with Antigua in the Carribean at St. James Resort, we went there and its beautiful.  Good luck -- we too are 'disappointed' in SFX's latest success record.


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## DeniseM (May 5, 2008)

Judy said:


> How do you know? (no insult intended; just curious)
> 
> What does SFX do with deposits for which they have no requests?



They put them on the sell-off list...


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## Keitht (May 5, 2008)

Ann-Marie said:


> OK, so I am still trying to figure out where I can travel, using my SFX banked weeks. It will have to be President's week of 2009 since the weeks expire in June. Can anyone suggest where there would be a lot of availability with SFX, and an area that also has fairly reasonable airfares to get to?



If you can only accept an exchange for 1 specific week, and that week is a high demand week, then the possibility of being disappointed is greatly increased.  That would be true with any exchange company not just SFX.


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## Kola (May 5, 2008)

Keitht said:


> If you can only accept an exchange for 1 specific week, and that week is a high demand week, then the possibility of being disappointed is greatly increased.  That would be true with any exchange company not just SFX.



Very true indeed, except for one important factor: *annual exchange volume.* In the absence of accurate annual exchange data for each exchange company it is impossible to quantify the odds but I would venture to guess that the annual exchange volume by SFX is less than 5% of that by II and less than 3% that of RCI. If someone wants to question my 'guesstimates' as being too optimistic, please feel free to do so. It follows that your chances of being offered that one 'specific holiday week' are so much better with II or RCI compared to SFX. It would also depend, of course, on which 'specific holiday week' is at stake and the desired location.

K.


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## Polly Metallic (May 5, 2008)

I would write directly to Mark at accounts@sfx-resorts.com

Give him your name and account number, politely tell him your problem, and give him the list of places you are willing to travel to. If asked in a private email, he will give you a candid opinion of your odds for the various locations. It might also help to say that you would consider resorts/areas not in their directory if he has access to any other inventory through alliances with  other small independent exchange companies. 

I hope it works out for you. Holiday weeks are hard to get with any exchange company, but you have fairly good lead time, so it seems you should be able to pull something as long as you are flexible in locations.


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## BarCol (May 5, 2008)

Count me as another frustrated platinum member...Not sure that SFX will get any more weeks since we have 2 weeks looking for trades right now, requested well in advance and no hope on the horizon.   I'm thinking that their sell-off list is probably the most useful for me.


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## Liz Wolf-Spada (May 5, 2008)

Anything on the sell off list can also be chosen for an exchange week.
Liz


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## jerseygirl (May 5, 2008)

I had a VERY broad request for a specific non-holiday, but "limited" spring break week (spring break yes -- but late, very late, compared to most spring break periods).  When I finally got a confirmation, I noticed that the "date verified" (printed on the confirmation) was approximately 6 weeks prior to the date they gave me the exchange.  That tells me that (a) I was very low on the their totem pool, and (b) the premise that they don't hang onto inventory is false.  Yes, I realize they could have offered it to someone else , who accepted and then cancelled, but I was still very skeptical.  I won't use them anymore because I like to search (and, again, I don't buy the premise that all inventory is matched as soon as it comes in).  I suspect even their reps have a hard time searching!!


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## pammex (May 5, 2008)

I'm pretty frustrated too.  I have limited flexibility in traveling and well when I email them all I hear about is correctly placed request meaning lots of flexibility, not prime time I guess, etc. etc.  I have put 4 or 5 request in for one exchange week way in advance so far no luck but they say have to be patient and frankly there are lots ahead of you, which does not make a customer feel very assurred LOL.  I am looking at Mexico so it is supposed to be area they specialize in.  I am still learning SFX, so could be me, as seems when I add a place or comment or such they consider that changing totally the request....maybe it is me, but I have had better luck with other exchange companies thus far...hoping they come thru in the end and prove me wrong, we shall see.  I also note when I email them they seem well bothered maybe....I just happen to be type who plans way ahead but has limited flexibility in dates as am usually backing up with owned timeshare weeks etc...

I like to search too...and well if another company offers me ahead of them sometimes ya just gotta do what ya gotta do.  I was really hoping SFX would be the new and greatest exchange company, guess that was silly....

Anyway being patient and will see what occurs....hopefully they fill something. they were able to fill my bonus week right away though and I was so impressed haha!!

Wish me and all of you luck!


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## Ann-Marie (May 6, 2008)

Once my membership expires, I am done with them.  I much prefer RCI, where I can see whats available if I am willing to take what I can find, I will.  With SFX, they are not willing, or so they say, to just look for availability.  Once something comes in, SFX says it goes right out.  I find that hard to believe.


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## Polly Metallic (May 6, 2008)

For what it's worth, I was just offered a three bedroom Marriott Ocean Pointe unit for Aug 2 - 9 and turned it down. That was not on my list of summer exchange requests, but I asked what they had on hand at the moment on the east coast, and that was available. We got into this discussion while confirming a Maui exchange for Feb '09. Meanwhile, Mark is actively pursuing a summer week for us in Myrtle Beach and I should know something by tomorrow. If I get it, the week will be a non-5 Star/Gold Crown resort but a reasonably decent place. I had told SFX that I was open to resorts/locations that might not be in their typical inventory, but that fit into a North-East/Mid-Atlantic states exchange for this summer. 

For those of you who are having trouble confirming *anything* with SFX I would recommend contacting Mark, or the rep that handles the region you are hoping to exchange into, and give them some alternate suggestions. I do get the impression from recent comments that ther are so few North East resorts that are high-quality that summer North East trades are pretty unlikely. With this in mind, those of us who trade primarily in the NE may need to use other exchange companies for some of our exchanges.


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## Liz Wolf-Spada (May 7, 2008)

I think if you modify a request the date goes to when you modified it, something I find very unfair, but you may be able to add new requests on to a previous one and still have the original date for the previous request. I would call SFX on that question.
There are a lot of things on the sell off list right now, including Maui, but our summer plans are pretty fixed.
Liz


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## Tacoma (May 7, 2008)

I too have  a week in SFX that I am very concerned will expire as I can only travel on school holidays. Sae a week on the sell off list today I could use and called right away. Too late.  Very frustrating.


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## Polly Metallic (May 7, 2008)

It is correct that modifying an exchange request "changes your place in line."  Add a new request if you are now considering additional weeks or locations. Do not alter the original request unless those dates and locations no longer are acceptable.


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## wackymother (May 7, 2008)

I think a lot of people have realized that the sell-off list is their last best hope of using up an expiring week. It used to be that things would sit on the list for a day or two--now you really have to move fast if you see something you can use!


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## Polly Metallic (May 7, 2008)

If the sell-off list contains weeks that are acceptable for many of the people who have nearly given up hope of getting an exchange, wouldn't that indicate that the SFX member should have added more locations or dates to his vacation request list? In which case, he would have been confirmed to one of these weeks before it hit the sell-off list. It seems that as time passes the person would be expanding their range of acceptable weeks and locations to make sure they get an exchange before their week expires. I personally wouldn't want to start out asking for a wide range of locations if there were only a few places I was interested in, but as time goes by if I'm not getting my first choices, I would start adding dates and locations that are second choice alternatives.


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## ptprism (May 7, 2008)

I have expanded my request list to virtually everywhere in the US and have also said I would take almost anything during the first three weeks of June. They haven't come up with a thing. So my "three for one" exchange will most likely expire with me getting nothing. Like others have said, this will be my last time depositing property with them. You are totally helpless once they have your property. I have NO restictions--can travel midweek or virtually any week during the year. I try to AVOID all holiday weeks or times when school is out. And I am very flexible about where we are willing to go. Still I have watched two "bonus weeks" expire and now my actual week is about six weeks from expiration and they have nothing to offer me.  A sell off list with 10-12 properties is hardly worthwhile. 

I want to know what is available the week of June 14. Tell me what you have and I will make a choice. I don't understand why that is so hard for them to understand? And why is it necessary to talk to a "counselor"? I have been making trades for over 10 years without ever talking to anyone at RCI, II or DAE. :annoyed: I do just fine and have travelled all over the world--and many of these trades were made --in fact some of the best--because the place came up as "available" not becuase I was searching for a particular place or date.


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## Judy (May 7, 2008)

Polly Metallic said:


> If the sell-off list contains weeks that are acceptable for many of the people who have nearly given up hope of getting an exchange, wouldn't that indicate that the SFX member should have added more locations or dates to his vacation request list? In which case, he would have been confirmed to one of these weeks before it hit the sell-off list.


Yes, but first she has to guess which locations or dates she'd like that SFX might be able to confirm.  Without any transparency, it would be a shot in the dark.


> It seems that as time passes the person would be expanding their range of acceptable weeks and locations to make sure they get an exchange before their week expires. I personally wouldn't want to start out asking for a wide range of locations if there were only a few places I was interested in, but as time goes by if I'm not getting my first choices, I would start adding dates and locations that are second choice alternatives.


That's certainly logical.  But for people like me, plans tend to firm up as travel  dates get closer, restricting alternatives.  I find that instead of being able to expand my choices, I have to restrict them


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## Liz Wolf-Spada (May 7, 2008)

There are a lot of Mexico units on the sell off list right now. I see a lot of things I would be interested in if we didn't have to limit our available time to vacation so much and hadn't already booked what we were doing. We did a bonus use at Easter week form SFX for San Francisco. This summer our exchanges are through Shell Explorer program (Paniolo Green) and II, Fairmount Mountainside in BC. Now it looks like VRI may also be a competing option, too.
Liz


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## Judy (May 8, 2008)

I got a confirmation from SFX yesterday for a two bedroom at the Grand Timber Lodge in Breckenridge during the upcoming ski season. 

This could be a developer week. So if anyone wants to go to Breckenridge, now might be the time to put in your request.


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## Polly Metallic (May 8, 2008)

Judy, I am so glad that you got a confirmation from SFX, and it sounds like a really great exchange. It's nice that you didn't have to settle on something you weren't keen on, just to keep from wasting the week. 

As for me, I have been emailing back and forth with Mark for the last two or three days. As I have not been able to land a summer exchange so far, he is working very hard to come up with an exchange around Myrtle Beach that is not on in their directory but is reasonably high quality. I would never get this kind of service from II or RCI, I can tell you that. I still like the fact that I can search online with II and grab a week spur of the moment if I find something that appeals to me, but SFX has just raised themselves several notches in my estimation this week.


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## Kola (May 8, 2008)

Polly Metallic said:


> As for me, I have been emailing back and forth with Mark for the last two or three days. As I have not been able to land a summer exchange so far, he is working very hard to come up with an exchange around Myrtle Beach that is not on in their directory but is reasonably high quality. I would never get this kind of service from II or RCI, I can tell you that. .



Hmm...I wish you luck with a summer week at Myrtle Beach from SFX at this point in time. Please let us know if all this talk about 'service' turns out to be just *talk* for which this chap is quite well known. To paraphrase a well known politician: "*All hat, but no cattle"* :whoopie: 

K.


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## Polly Metallic (May 8, 2008)

Kola said:


> Hmm...I wish you luck with a summer week at Myrtle Beach from SFX at this point in time. Please let us know if all this talk about 'service' turns out to be just *talk* for which this chap is quite well known. To paraphrase a well known politician: "*All hat, but no cattle"* :whoopie:
> 
> K.



Mark gave me two choices today which he thought he could secure. I chose one but said that the other would be acceptable if things did not work out.  At the close of the day he wrote back that had secured a one bedroom (which is the size I am trading) but he will know tomorrow if he can get me a two bedroom there. I am a Platinum member so I get a one size upgrade at no charge, and some reviews had said that the one bedroom units at this resort could be very small, so I'd really like to get the two bedroom if possible. 

It sounds like the cattle have been rounded up in this instance. :whoopie:


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## Ann-Marie (May 8, 2008)

I am very happy for the poster who will possibly be getting an exchange with Mark's help.  But why does one have to have Mark intervene for an exchange?  What magic is Mark performing that should be used on every paid Platinum member, not just the ones that speak up?  I tried speaking up OY, and he was so rude to me.  I'm not sue if I would rather suck it up and deal with Mark, or just loose my 2 banked weeks with SFX, and chalk it up to stupidity on my part.


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## Polly Metallic (May 8, 2008)

Ann-Marie said:


> I am very happy for the poster who will possibly be getting an exchange with Mark's help.  But why does one have to have Mark intervene for an exchange?  What magic is Mark performing that should be used on every paid Platinum member, not just the ones that speak up?  I tried speaking up OY, and he was so rude to me.  I'm not sue if I would rather suck it up and deal with Mark, or just loose my 2 banked weeks with SFX, and chalk it up to stupidity on my part.



I think this level of service is above and beyond the call of duty, and I don't expect it on a regular basis. As I recall, you said you needed a specific week, President's Week. That will be tough. I had a multi-week range, from mid July through August. Still, I think you have a shot if you have a wide range of acceptable locations. It wouldn't hurt to communicate with whatever rep is handling the area you are trying to exchange into, and let them know whether you are open to accepting a resort that is outside their directory. That's the only way I am getting a summer week at this late date. I made it clear that I would be agreeable to either an area they don't normally include (within the North East/Mid Atlantic) or a resort that was nice but non-5 star/gold crown. Probably a lot of exchangers wouldn't want to accept something along these lines, and I wouldn't want to either most of the time, but in this instance I'm OK with it.


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## Judy (May 9, 2008)

Ann-Marie said:


> why does one have to have Mark intervene for an exchange?  What magic is Mark performing that should be used on every paid Platinum member, not just the ones that speak up?


I didn't have to have Mark intervene for my exchange (see my post #34) and I'm only a Gold member.  Although I had to limit my request to one specific week, I gave SFX several different locations that would be acceptable to me.  I was careful to include one location where I knew that SFX had confirmed exchanges in the past.  That's the one that came through.


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## Ann-Marie (May 10, 2008)

I am looking for an exchange for February break 2009.  I have included California, Arizona, Texas, all of the east coast including anywhere in Florida, and a different week for NYC.  I do not think I can afford to fly to Mexico.  Where else can I request.  We do not ski.  Been to LV, and do not care to return.


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## Polly Metallic (May 10, 2008)

Ann-Marie said:


> I am looking for an exchange for February break 2009.  I have included California, Arizona, Texas, all of the east coast including anywhere in Florida, and a different week for NYC.  I do not think I can afford to fly to Mexico.  Where else can I request.  We do not ski.  Been to LV, and do not care to return.



Those choices ought to be adequate. I hope it works out for you. It certainly seems like it should.


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## Ann-Marie (May 15, 2008)

Well, I'm happy to announce that SFX has come through.  However, I called them, they did not call me.  When I called some time ago and spoke to a rep. I was told that they never have inventory to look at because it is assigned as soon as it comes in.  I called, and spoke to Elena.  She was very nice, and looked for me, and came up with a resort in Palm Springs.  I told her I would put it on hold so I could  see how much it would cost me to fly there.  She actually looked at Kayak for me while we were on the phone, and since the airfare sounded reasonable, I took the unit.  Now I am down to one unit left with them.


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## Twinkstarr (May 15, 2008)

Ann-Marie said:


> Well, I'm happy to announce that SFX has come through.  However, I called them, they did not call me.  When I called some time ago and spoke to a rep. I was told that they never have inventory to look at because it is assigned as soon as it comes in.  I called, and spoke to Elena.  She was very nice, and looked for me, and came up with a resort in Palm Springs.  I told her I would put it on hold so I could  see how much it would cost me to fly there.  She actually looked at Kayak for me while we were on the phone, and since the airfare sounded reasonable, I took the unit.  Now I am down to one unit left with them.



Glad you found something, I've been following along as I decided to try them with my 2009 week.


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## "Roger" (May 15, 2008)

Ann-Marie said:


> .... I was told that they never have inventory to look at because it is assigned as soon as it comes in...


Someone just didn't want to help you.  I am glad that you finally got hold of someone who would.


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## Polly Metallic (May 15, 2008)

Ann-Marie said:


> Well, I'm happy to announce that SFX has come through.  However, I called them, they did not call me.  When I called some time ago and spoke to a rep. I was told that they never have inventory to look at because it is assigned as soon as it comes in.  I called, and spoke to Elena.  She was very nice, and looked for me, and came up with a resort in Palm Springs.  I told her I would put it on hold so I could  see how much it would cost me to fly there.  She actually looked at Kayak for me while we were on the phone, and since the airfare sounded reasonable, I took the unit.  Now I am down to one unit left with them.



I am so happy! You got a great exchange! February at Palm Springs is going to be fantastic. Now lets hope that the rest of our banked weeks land great exchanges. I have talked to both Elena and Scarlet and both have been very cheerful and helpful. Mark has bent over backward for me. I am speechless over the time he expended to get me an acceptable trade.


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## SteveH (May 17, 2008)

It seems to be an all or nothing proposition with SFX.  My first deposit got me a lovely 2BR in Scotland - the next day after requesting.  My second deposit will expire in two weeks after several very broad requests for different parts of NA and Canada.
I deposited another week to extend the week which is about to expire.  I think I would only deposit again if I knew I wanted the US West Coast, Hawaii or Mexico. 
Has anyone had any success with requesting British Columbia?
Steve


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## eal (May 17, 2008)

SFX seems to have fairly easy access to Fairmont resorts in BC's Columbia Valley.


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## Kola (May 17, 2008)

eal said:


> SFX seems to have fairly easy access to Fairmont resorts in BC's Columbia Valley.



No surprise. Overbuilt Fairmont resorts (@Hillside, @Muntainside,@ Riverside) seem to be readily available from II almost anytime both as an exchange and at discounted Getaway prices. When visiting the area a couple of years ago I found some of these resort units rather dated. Granted I haven't seen them all. I don't know when the units are due to be upgraded and/or refurbished. Also. the resort location is certainly beyond the most attractive parts of the Banf National Park. I suppose it all depends what one is interested in.

K.


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