SVN Exchange Success

[Joshadelic]

Harborside Atlantis Resort
2bedroom lockoff
8/15/10 - 12 nights

Reservation made at 8:59am today!! Thanks to everyone here for their advice!!!

 

[melrobin]

Harborside 1-BDRM 7/3/2010-7/10/2010

 

[yumdrey]

Harborside Atlantis Resort
2bedroom lockoff
8/15/09 - 12 nights

Reservation made at 8:59am today!! Thanks to everyone here for their advice!!!

You meant 8/15/10??

 

[Joshadelic]

You meant 8/15/10??

I was so surprised to get the reservation that I overlooked that. Yes, 2010!!

 

[Ken555]

Harborside Atlantis Resort
2bedroom lockoff
8/15/10 - 12 nights

Reservation made at 8:59am today!! Thanks to everyone here for their advice!!!

Congrats! You'll have a blast there

 

[grgs]

Since we have become owners in the Starwood system, we have enjoyed great trades via II and SVN.

I don't post about a lot of the trades/exchanges......mostly because of the loose lips theory. I am more then happy to discuss timesharing over a drink or two, if I ever pass through the same resort as any of you.

Well, I think discussing great SVN exchanges would be good PR for Starwood--I don't they would have an issue with this. II exchanges are another matter.

Glorian

 

[Ken555]

Thought it was time to bring back this positive thread. I'll start by adding my 2010 reservations...

2010

WDW
Premium 1-Bed
October [one week]

HBR
Premium 1-Bed
October [one week]

WKV
Premium 1-Bed
December [10 nights]

Each of these reservations were made eight months out and I had no problem obtaining my preferred location and check-in/out day.

FWIW, this year my MF/night cost is only $56.10. My average MF/night cost since I started using my Platinum WKV in 2006 is $66.70 (95 nights total, almost all of which were in 1-Bed Premium units). This includes MF + SVN fees for the five years, of course.

 

[Flankster]

Trade with other owners...?

Hi -

New to the thread, so apologies upfront if my question has already been addressed. I have to admit that I am still learning how to leverage the SVO program to its fullest to maximize the options I own. I am glad I stumbled upon this site!

Let's say I own a week at the Westin Princeville Ocean Resort (Kaua‘i, HI) where as an owner I have a home resort preference period that allows me to request my 2B-lock-off four (4) months ahead of when everyone else can request availability. But...next year I'd like to stay at the Harborside Atlantis.

Can I trade with someone who owns at the Harborside Atlantis so both of us (owners) can take advantage of the home resort preference period? The benefit is that we both can take advantage of each owners home resort preference period rather than work within the 8 month prior to arrival timeframe.

If both owners have high-end option values why can't they trade with other high-end option owners to lock in ahead of the rest of the network?

Just wondering.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

 

[grgs]

Can I trade with someone who owns at the Harborside Atlantis so both of us (owners) can take advantage of the home resort preference period? The benefit is that we both can take advantage of each owners home resort preference period rather than work within the 8 month prior to arrival timeframe.

If both owners have high-end option values why can't they trade with other high-end option owners to lock in ahead of the rest of the network?

Yes, you can do this--it referred to as a direct exchange. You can post an exchange request ad here:

http://tug2.com/timesharemarketplace/

Tuggers have successfully direct exchanged, and when it works, it works well for both parties. I would guess that it can sometimes be difficult to coordinate with another person.

Glorian

 

[DeniseM]

Can I trade with someone who owns at the Harborside Atlantis so both of us (owners) can take advantage of the home resort preference period? The benefit is that we both can take advantage of each owners home resort preference period rather than work within the 8 month prior to arrival timeframe.

Hi and welcome to TUG!

Yes, this kind of exchange is permitted, but I think you will have a hard time finding a Harborside owner who is interested, because WPORV is a much easier exchange both through the SVN and through II, than Harborside is, and Harborside has higher maintenance fees, so an owner is more likely to use it, or rent it.

In other words, you want to trade a week with lower demand and lower maintenance fees, for a week with higher demand and higher maintenance fees - this may not seem like an equal trade to a Harborside owner.

WPORV maintenance fee - $ 2,373.90
HRA maintenance fee - $2979.24​

We have a place in the TUG Marketplace, where you can post a request for this kind of private exchange, but we don't allow any buying/selling/renting/trading in the discussion forums.

 

[LisaRex]

I've used Tug to advertise my WKORV-N OF 2 bdrm villa for use years '09 and '11 and have had a mixed bag of results. In '08, I was in the middle of negotiating a direct trade with a Marriott Aruba owner for summer '09, but she didn't want to pull the trigger until she'd secured flights using her FF miles, so we put the deal on ice. In the meantime, I was able to get into WSJ for Jan '09 using my SOs, so that deal fell through. (Too bad for her as it would have been a much better deal for her than it would have been for me as I was offering up an OF summer week and she was offering up a OV fall week.) Had I not been able to get into WSJ, I probably would have gone ahead with that exchange, though, because I've always wanted to go to Aruba.

I have had a few bites for 2011, but none were to places on my Wish List, so once again I'm waiting to see if I can get another SVN trade to WSJ or HRA (ha!) before pursuing those further. That's the trouble with using high-end properties as exchangers -- you want something at least close to comparable in terms of quality and MFs or it seems a waste of money. Most of the exchangers have offered up not their home resort, but all the various locations in their network, but that means I'd have to wait for their exchange window to open up (and the longer I wait, the less likely it is that I'd find someone who wants the week I've booked as a back-up), but it also means that I won't get a guaranteed view, which is really what I want. Eh.

You're at more of a disadvantage because WPORV, like WKORV, is very easy to exchange into, but was sold as all OV. I at least have the advantage of offering up something that an SVN/II exchanger can't get -- and that's an OF view. However, in order to secure the best villa, I have to book exactly 12 months in advance, which means that the exchange has to be cemented well in advance of the 12 month window. And most people just aren't that organized.

So while I'd still recommend posting an ad, I wouldn't hold my breath that I'd get trades into places like WSJ or HRA. Rather I'd do it with the attitude that I'm open to suggestions. I've personally never considered staying at Five Seasons Aviara, for instance, but I'm certainly thinking about it now that someone has offered it up.

 

[Cathyb]

Five Seasons Aviara

I've used Tug to advertise my WKORV-N OF 2 bdrm villa for use years '09 and '11 and have had a mixed bag of results. In '08, I was in the middle of negotiating a direct trade with a Marriott Aruba owner for summer '09, but she didn't want to pull the trigger until she'd secured flights using her FF miles, so we put the deal on ice. In the meantime, I was able to get into WSJ for Jan '09 using my SOs, so that deal fell through. (Too bad for her as it would have been a much better deal for her than it would have been for me as I was offering up an OF summer week and she was offering up a OV fall week.) Had I not been able to get into WSJ, I probably would have gone ahead with that exchange, though, because I've always wanted to go to Aruba.

I have had a few bites for 2011, but none were to places on my Wish List, so once again I'm waiting to see if I can get another SVN trade to WSJ or HRA (ha!) before pursuing those further. That's the trouble with using high-end properties as exchangers -- you want something at least close to comparable in terms of quality and MFs or it seems a waste of money. Most of the exchangers have offered up not their home resort, but all the various locations in their network, but that means I'd have to wait for their exchange window to open up (and the longer I wait, the less likely it is that I'd find someone who wants the week I've booked as a back-up), but it also means that I won't get a guaranteed view, which is really what I want. Eh.

You're at more of a disadvantage because WPORV, like WKORV, is very easy to exchange into, but was sold as all OV. I at least have the advantage of offering up something that an SVN/II exchanger can't get -- and that's an OF view. However, in order to secure the best villa, I have to book exactly 12 months in advance, which means that the exchange has to be cemented well in advance of the 12 month window. And most people just aren't that organized.

So while I'd still recommend posting an ad, I wouldn't hold my breath that I'd get trades into places like WSJ or HRA. Rather I'd do it with the attitude that I'm open to suggestions. I've personally never considered staying at Five Seasons Aviara, for instance, but I'm certainly thinking about it now that someone has offered it up.

:hysterical: :rofl: When did it go up from Four Seasons? You made my morning with a huge chuckle, mucho gracias

 

[LisaRex]

:hysterical: :rofl: When did it go up from Four Seasons? You made my morning with a huge chuckle, mucho gracias

Dagnabit, that's the second time I've made that mistake! In my defense, I play in a tennis league here in Cincinnati, and two of the clubs we play are named "Five Seasons" (one in Cincinnati and one in Northern Kentucky).

Blame them for their goofy name!

http://www.fiveseasonssportsclub.com/

 

[Flankster]

Thanks everyone for the great input.

I am still not clear on why the MF would matter if both parties are only interested in trading their week with another owner. I am assuming both parties would be responsible for their own MF cost...is there another angle to this I am not taking into consideration?

We met some families on our last holiday in Kaua‘i who had the same question...surely there are other owners (e.g. HSR, WSJ) that would like to be in Hawaii for a week why wouldn't they consider trading with other SVOwners in HI who could secure them a week via their home resort preference period?

MF aside (and to LisaRex's point) the only issue I see is that most people are not well organized so getting two well organized parties together to facilitate the trade would be challenging.

I think the home resort preference period is a huge trade incentive advantage provided both parties want to be in the other location and are organized enough to pull the trigger at the same time.

It would really be nice if SVN could help facilitate these types of trades (home resort preference periods)...this would create a whole new facet of flexibility if it offered online via their website. Just sayin'.

 

[LisaRex]

I am still not clear on why the MF would matter if both parties are only interested in trading their week with another owner. I am assuming both parties would be responsible for their own MF cost...is there another angle to this I am not taking into consideration?

Yes, they each pay their own MFs. But there's a huge disparity in MFs among TSs and even within Starwood itself. For instance, I pay $2600 for my 2 bdrm villa. I'd never trade that for a 2 bdrm in Orlando or Cancun, where MFs (and rental prices) are $1200-1400/ year. If I really wanted to go to those places, I'd rather opt to rent out my Hawaii villa for at least the cost of MFs and apply those proceeds towards renting in the new place, with $1000 left over to apply towards airfare, activities, etc.

Therein lies part of the reason that SVN is so flawed. There really should be some correlation between MFs and SOs. Until that happens, you can expect that HRA and WSJ will continue to be difficult to get into. The only reason that WKORV is so easy to trade into is because it's nice year round there and there are so many units.

 

[DeniseM]

We met some families on our last holiday in Kaua‘i who had the same question...surely there are other owners (e.g. HSR, WSJ) that would like to be in Hawaii for a week why wouldn't they consider trading with other SVOwners in HI who could secure them a week via their home resort preference period?

You would think so, but in reality, there is very little interest among HRA and WSJ owners to trade into Hawaii. A few years ago, a member of this board set up a website for private Starwood owner trades. A lot of people signed up, but not a single trade was made into WSJ or HRA - not one.

I think the home resort preference period is a huge trade incentive advantage provided both parties want to be in the other location and are organized enough to pull the trigger at the same time.

At some resorts this is true, but it's not that big a deal at WPORV, because 1) there are no deeded views and 2) it's an easy exchange through both II and the SVN. I've traded in twice through II using very inexpensive resale deposits for the exchange.

In other words, if I own a week at HRA and I know I can trade into WPORV, using an inexpensive deposit with a MF of $700 a year, why would I use my HRA week with a MF of $3,000 for the trade?

I know you are new here, so I will explain a little. You can exchange into 80% of the Starwood resorts through II with a very cheap Starwood week that you buy resale. For example, you can buy a 1 bdm. resale at Sheraton Desert Oasis for less than $500, with a maintenance fee of $700, and use it to trade into a 2 bdm. at WPORV, and just about any other Starwood resort, except HRA and WSJ. HRA and WSJ are the toughest exchange in the SVN. So it's not just comparing their resort to your resort, it's also based on the fact that savvy owners know they can use a much cheaper exchanger to get into WPORV, and they can get more value out of their HRA week, using it another way.

Besides the difference in maintenance fee, demand, trading strategies, and perceived value, the other factor is that most WSJ and HRA owners live on the east coast and it is a looooong trip to Hawaii from there.

If I was an HRA or WSJ owner, and I wanted to go to Hawaii, frankly, I wouldn't chose WPORV, because there is no guaranteed view. Instead, I'd trade with an ocean front owner at WKORV where they have fabulous guaranteed views.

I'm sorry my friend, but we've been down this road before, and the demand just doesn't exist.

 

[DavidnRobin]

Before last year (2009) - I was interested in exchanging my WSJ 2Bd/3Ba for a 1Bd OF at either WKORV or WKORVN (same SO amount of 81K). I had no takers.

One reason for this may have been because one cannot openly offer up this exchange to SVO TUG readers (on the forum) because it is against TUG rules - and other than shadowy talk about it - you have to rely on a Tugger finding the exchange request only on the exchange board which most do not read (therefore - people that may have been interested, but could not be aware of it unless told about it - and the first rule of TUG club is that you can't talk about... the specific details of direct exchanges (TUGBrian heard about it, but to no avail) - so someone may have missed out on the oportunity - who knows? Turned out not to matter because we ended up going (because we bought an adjacent week).

Another issue is that weeks at WSJ are fixed - so if one did find an exchange they are limited to which week(s) they can go to WSJ - and that really limits the number of people that can make this exchange. Since WSJ must lock into their villa at 10 months out - it becomes a time-mismatch in trying to sync up with a WKORV/N-WPORV week.

 

[YYJMSP]

SVN exchange in to WMH, confirmed Jan 7, smaller 1BR for Mar 14-21 (got upgraded to larger 1BR)


Bunch of SVN exchanges in to WKORV during the first half of this coming July (most Jul 3-10, some Jul 11-18):

2x Studio's, confirmed Dec 3, and Jan 15
3x 1BR's, confirmed Jan 7, Mar 11, and Mar 22

The March confirmations were successful wait-lists originally requested in Dec...

 

[tomandrobin]

Hi -

New to the thread, so apologies upfront if my question has already been addressed. I have to admit that I am still learning how to leverage the SVO program to its fullest to maximize the options I own. I am glad I stumbled upon this site!

Let's say I own a week at the Westin Princeville Ocean Resort (Kaua‘i, HI) where as an owner I have a home resort preference period that allows me to request my 2B-lock-off four (4) months ahead of when everyone else can request availability. But...next year I'd like to stay at the Harborside Atlantis.

Can I trade with someone who owns at the Harborside Atlantis so both of us (owners) can take advantage of the home resort preference period? The benefit is that we both can take advantage of each owners home resort preference period rather than work within the 8 month prior to arrival timeframe.

If both owners have high-end option values why can't they trade with other high-end option owners to lock in ahead of the rest of the network?

Just wondering.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

We traded our St John unit for a Westin Maui unit for this year.

Advertised here on Tug in the marketplace.

We have also traded Harborside for St John too, before we bought St John.

 

[Troopers]

Harborside Atlantis Resort
2 bedroom lockoff
Feb 4, 2011 - 7 nights

Reservation made at 8 months out.

 

[LisaRex]

HRA 1/28/10

Requested 8 months out at 9am.

Still looking to get into WSJ instead, and have called daily, but so far only 3 bdrms are avail in Jan/Feb '10.

 

[jarta]

Lisa, ... I reserved a 2-br for next January at 8 months out. Later, I gave it back. 2-br are rarely available for Plat Plus season, not unavailable.

3 br are easily available at 8 months out. However, they are Bay Vista 3-brs unless you are elite enough for Starwood to bounce someone from a Hillside pool villa. It happens.

I'm looking to get a 3-br trade for next March in July. I gave back my January 3-br at WSJ last week to free up Staroptions. It, also, was reserved at 8 months out.

Good luck on getting the 2-br. ... eom

 

[vistana101]

Lisa, ... I reserved a 2-br for next January at 8 months out. Later, I gave it back. 2-br are rarely available for Plat Plus season, not unavailable.

3 br are easily available at 8 months out. However, they are Bay Vista 3-brs unless you are elite enough for Starwood to bounce someone from a Hillside pool villa. It happens.

I'm looking to get a 3-br trade for next March in July. I gave back my January 3-br at WSJ last week to free up Staroptions. It, also, was reserved at 8 months out.

Good luck on getting the 2-br. ... eom

Wow! You are very lucky! We are trying for next summer, in a 2 or 3 bedroom. What are my chances?

 

[DeniseM]

Wow! You are very lucky! We are trying for next summer, in a 2 or 3 bedroom. What are my chances?

Do you have an on-going request in place for a large timeframe?

 

[vistana101]

Do you have an on-going request in place for a large timeframe?

No, we are going to try WSJ through SVN, only have a 2 bed prime SVV to deposit in Interval.