# TPU Values for 2015



## silentg (Jul 6, 2014)

Hi Tuggers,
I have noticed the trade power on all of my 2015 weeks has gone down. What is going on? I always pay my maintenance fees in January and then start searches for trades. Is RCI doing this purposely so we have to combine weeks to get a decent trade? The fees for exchanges keep going up and then have to add additional fee to combine and that is after paying Maintenence fee. Any comments on this besides mine?
TerryC


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## rickandcindy23 (Jul 6, 2014)

Trading power has gone down for all of my weeks as well.  RCI decided it was overvaluing some weeks, and mine were hit hard.  One of my weeks, a lockoff unit, was worth 101 points.  The same week when locked off is now worth 76 points.  The change was gradual, and I believe it's now hit rock bottom for value.  

My Val Chatelle weeks have lost value, and those weren't that valuable to start with.  So I am disillusioned with the game a bit.  It is a game for me; otherwise, I would have given up long ago.


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## silentg (Jul 6, 2014)

RickandCindy, Do you know how they calculate or decide what the value of our weeks are? When I started time sharing they used color as the determining value, with red being best  all of my weeks are red weeks, but now have different point levels. It is hard to play the game as you call it, when they change the rules!
TerryC


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## bnoble (Jul 6, 2014)

Mine have held steady so far.



> When I started time sharing they used color as the determining value, with red being best all of my weeks are red weeks, but now have different point levels.


No, they *always* had point values assigned to them, but in the blue-white-red days, you never knew what they values actually were.


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## rickandcindy23 (Jul 6, 2014)

I talked to Carole Ablett at RCI, and she said, "Trading values will adjust from time-to-time, and it's based on demand for the week and the area."  That is word-for-word what she said.  So that is what seems to be true. 

I still get good value for my weeks, but I have definitely seen a decline, and a 25% decline is substantial, in my opinion, when the fees are rising at a similar percentage over that period of time.


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## twinmommy19 (Jul 7, 2014)

> I talked to Carole Ablett at RCI, and she said, "Trading values will adjust from time-to-time, and it's based on demand for the week and the area." That is word-for-word what she said. So that is what seems to be true.



That's what they told me too, but I'm not sure I buy it.  I just don't believe that Christmas week in Disney World (regardless of the resort) has higher relative demand than prime summer in the Carolinas or prime winter at the ski resorts or pretty much anywhere for that matter.  A DVC resort maybe, but I've historically seen too much availability in open II inventory (even at the Marriotts and Sheraton) to convince me that the other 1BRs in Orlando are ever difficult trades for anyone.  On the other hand, it is always very difficult to trade for a mountainside ski resort in prime winter, even if it's not Presidents week or Christmas.  And July beachfront in the Carolinas is also very difficult.  What is mind boggling to me is that even weeks that don't touch New Years in Orlando have super high TPU.  This year, for example, a week like 12/21 - 12/27 wouldn't figure to be as desirable as many of the schools aren't off until 12/24.  Plus a lot of people like to be home on Christmas day.


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## tschwa2 (Jul 7, 2014)

Right now I can book a 2 br for July 2015 Myrtle Beach for 31 tpu's and the hotel portion for 22 tpu's  so 53 for both.  If a deposit gets 75 for both than one could argue that you are getting  22 extra tpu's.  I don't see the numbers going up for trading in.   There aren't many weeks owners who get over pointed like that (although I suspect tuggers get more than the average RCI member) overall most people complain that they get less than it takes to trade back in.

Orlando during weeks 51 and 52 are similarly over pointed.


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## twinmommy19 (Jul 7, 2014)

> Right now I can book a 2 br for July 2015 Myrtle Beach for 31 tpu's and the hotel portion for 22 tpu's so 53 for both. If a deposit gets 75 for both than one could argue that you are getting 22 extra tpu's. I don't see the numbers going up for trading in.



This is a whole different issue.  I'll never understand why there is this discrepancy.  In theory - the calculator should give you the same amount as what you see in open inventory.  

I wasn't even considering about the calculator, just what RCI is asking in TPU for a trade relative to other places.  The nicest beach front resorts in Myrtle disappear from RCI inventory very quickly.  The Hilton Anderson property in the summer, for example, was severely undervalued by RCI in open inventory this year and should have been offered for more TPUs.  I think I saw 2BR units for 26 TPUs at one point but they didn't last long.  A property like this is being severely undervalued relative to a place like Sheraton Vistana 1BR week 52 going for 54 TPUs right now.  It's a very nice property, but I do know I've seen 2BRs there sitting in open inventory over the holiday week in past years in Interval.  When you compare those two deposits, there is just no way the Vistana one is worth double which is why it's still in inventory whereas there are no more summer Hilton units available in Myrtle.


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## tschwa2 (Jul 8, 2014)

Hilton has a history of undervaluing in RCI, maybe its the bulk deposits, maybe its what it asks RCI to price it at.  I've seen Hawaii spring break 2 br Kingsland for under 30 tpu's along with 50 or so deposits from the same resort bulk deposited.  For Hilton owners it's not as though those that deposit get tpu's, they use a crossover grid and can't choice what to deposit.


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## twinmommy19 (Jul 8, 2014)

> Hilton has a history of undervaluing in RCI, maybe its the bulk deposits, maybe its what it asks RCI to price it at. I've seen Hawaii spring break 2 br Kingsland for under 30 tpu's along with 50 or so deposits from the same resort bulk deposited. For Hilton owners it's not as though those that deposit get tpu's, they use a crossover grid and can't choice what to deposit.



Fair enough - but comparatively, Christmas week and Easter week at the Hiltons in Orlando still go for 58-60 TPUs.  I'm not saying Orlando isn't very popular at these times of year - I'm sure it is the number one confirmed location.  My point is that while I've never stayed at those Hiltons, I can't imagine they are overwhelmingly nicer than the Marriotts and Sheraton that I've historically seen available through II (even browsing with weak deposits) over holiday breaks...  In comparison, summer weeks in South Carolina (actually the east coast beaches in general) via II are non-existent.  RCI has much more inventory in these locations, but even the dingier resorts there don't usually end up being "given away" for 6-15 TPUs or less the way some of the Orlando left overs do.


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## bnoble (Jul 8, 2014)

> In theory - the calculator should give you the same amount as what you see in open inventory.


It is often the case that the value of a deposit is not equal to the same week for exchange.  Sometimes the deposit is worth more.  Other times, less.


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## twinmommy19 (Jul 8, 2014)

> It is often the case that the value of a deposit is not equal to the same week for exchange. Sometimes the deposit is worth more. Other times, less.



I know.  My opinion is that both should be adjusted though in tandem - more like the stock market where the spread between bid and ask is generally very small.  I know this isn't how the RCI system works, but in reality it would probably be the most fair way to operate.


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## silentg (Jul 8, 2014)

I have seen my Orange Lake drop from 28 in 2013 to 24 this year and next year 20? It is a 0ctober week, not understanding why it is dropping trading power 4 points a year? The Maintenence fees do not drop, so why are the points dropping?


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## jmpellet (Jul 9, 2014)

I was at 36 and for 2015 I will be 29.  Not good.


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## mtforeman (Jul 10, 2014)

A couple years ago my two sections of my 4 bedroom lockoff went from a TPU value of 64 (32 pts each) to a trade value of 38 (19 pts each).

Talk about a HUGE drop.  I have been hoping they would go back up, but they have stayed consistently at 19 pts each since then.

So, I think it can happen to anyone at anytime.  I just remind myself that I didn't buy to trade, though trading is a nice side benefit, and I try and enjoy what I have.


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## garyk01 (Jul 10, 2014)

*RCI Weeks value.*

I was a 25+ year member of RCI, I got rid of them now and use SFX exchange for the last 4 years. They have WAY less to choose from but their resorts are all top notch. Lucky all my resorts were on their approved list as I bought only top quality resorts and the best weeks from the as well. If your resort is on their approved list I would switch to them, fees way less and they are more generous with exchanges and bonus weeks as well.


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## Larry M (Jul 10, 2014)

*They aren't measuring the same thing*



silentg said:


> I have seen my Orange Lake drop from 28 in 2013 to 24 this year and next year 20? It is a 0ctober week, not understanding why it is dropping trading power 4 points a year? The Maintenence fees do not drop, so why are the points dropping?



Trading power (points) measures the market demand for unit on your week.

Maintenance fees measure the cost of property upkeep and maintenance and (indirectly) the efficiency of the management company,

People could find your units less desirable (maybe there are newer, more fully featured units across the street), and at the same time your property is aging and needs new roofs, plumbing, or carpets.

In other words, you are making an invalid, apples-to-oranges comparison.


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## scobrn (Jul 10, 2014)

*Dropping Point Values*

OK, so your deposit point value is dropping.  Aren't you also seeing a drop in the number of points to book weeks?  Just asking.


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## silentg (Jul 10, 2014)

Sometimes RCI drops the trade point value so you can trade in at much lower rate, but now they charge $109.00 to combine points to give you better trade value, there is a method to this madness, I am not trying to complain, if it sounds that way I am sorry, I am still getting fairly good trades with my timeshares, just curious if other Tuggers noticed the point values going down?


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## Bonron (Jul 11, 2014)

*Sheraton trading points RCI going down*

I also have noticed that all my units every year are declining with RCI . I could always get an upgrade on exchanging now the only way i can do this is to combine or wait for a week that is not in prime season. I had quite the discussion with RCI on this topic. So I solved the problem by joining interval International and now I use them for exchanging all 6 of my units if need be. I book all Getaways with interval they are a third of the cost and the exchange fees are also quite a bit less than RCI. You wont be disappointed by leaving RCI if your timeshare ownership is in there resort directory. I love interval!


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## Bonron (Jul 11, 2014)

bonk2boy said:


> That's what they told me too, but I'm not sure I buy it.  I just don't believe that Christmas week in Disney World (regardless of the resort) has higher relative demand than prime summer in the Carolinas or prime winter at the ski resorts or pretty much anywhere for that matter.  A DVC resort maybe, but I've historically seen too much availability in open II inventory (even at the Marriotts and Sheraton) to convince me that the other 1BRs in Orlando are ever difficult trades for anyone.  On the other hand, it is always very difficult to trade for a mountainside ski resort in prime winter, even if it's not Presidents week or Christmas.  And July beachfront in the Carolinas is also very difficult.  What is mind boggling to me is that even weeks that don't touch New Years in Orlando have super high TPU.  This year, for example, a week like 12/21 - 12/27 wouldn't figure to be as desirable as many of the schools aren't off until 12/24.  Plus a lot of people like to be home on Christmas day.


Okay so based on RCI'S theory I have monitored the same resort, the same March week every year and the points all three years have increased to trade and decreased which means this year in Orlando at the Sheraton I am unable to use my unit for a trade now i have to combine weeks which cost additional money . Also dont you notice also on the "Big Sales" that RCI has they remove all the Sheratons and Hiltons etc from those sales? Wow they have this all figured out. Again join Interval you will be so happy!


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## d2r4s (Jul 11, 2014)

*No More with RCI belony*

I got rid of all my weeks and points that trade in RCI, they are not where I want to spend my money or time.  I trade internally in my resorts or II or others and so far get good value.

Points are easy to devalue and overtime we can expect that as well as an increase in price to buy.


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## JulieAB (Jul 12, 2014)

I notice TPUs to trade into are significantly higher this year.  One resort I go to annually is up 40% for 2015 reservations over previous years.  I decided not to book there as a result and plan on vacationing elsewhere! :annoyed:


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