Change to Redweek process and all those extra fees... And not in a good way....

[rickandcindy23]

Cindy - You are trying to make the LMR forum into what you want it to be - not what it is. If I had so many problems there, I'd stop using it... In fact, I never respond to posts, because I know that it's not going to fit my rentals. But it does serve a purpose, just not the purpose you want.

I would rather it wasn't there, it hurts TUG classified ads. This low price forum sets expectations for some but not all.

 

[dioxide45]

not for nothing, but if i posted a request in the LMR section, id expect any private offers to at least be in the ballpark of the LMR limit and while we dont have any way to monitor private messages, that is still expected as the "spirit" of the rule, if not the letter.

while I personally am more of a "thank you for the offer, but I am not interested at that price" sort of person, I can see how someone who got an offer for 2 or 3x the LMR limit would have a similar reaction to that offer that you likely had when they responded expecting the offer to be at the LMR limit.

at the end of the day noone wants to waste their time or someone elses. however the internet has made such interactions so impersonal that people on both sides will act WAY different than they would in person.

My thought on the LMR wanted forum is that it is there for people looking for something very specific. Many people are asking for something that would be nowhere near the limit of the LMR forums. I can understand a limit in the LMR Offered forum to prevent it from just turning into a big classified ad section, but I don't really understand a limit in LMR Wanted. You kinda take what you can get when you are putting out a very specific type of request.

 

[DeniseM]

In reality, if you respond privately, you can offer what ever price you want, TUG doesn't police that. However, the other party may or may not be happy with your offer - it's the nature of the beast.

The rental market is soft right now because of everything that is going on in the world - but that isn't TUG's fault. Renting can be tiresome, once it becomes too tiresome, it's time to quit. YMMV

 

[TUGBrian]

agreed, thats why its not enforced (well that, and wed have no real way of doing it).

I guess my point was more that if someone is posting a LMR wanted listing, anyone contacting that person has to expect that person is looking for a bargain rental at least in the RANGE of the LMR limit.

sure you can offer them a 3000 maui penthouse, but you have to expect there is a pretty good chance the person isnt the least bit interested in a reservation that expensive.

 

[dioxide45]

Renting can be tiresome, once it becomes too tiresome, it's time to quit. YMMV

I can agree with that sentiment. It seems that some here just move on from one program or system to another when it becomes a burden or the company cracks down on rental. Then the new program they are renting becomes a lot of work there too. Then they move along to something else. The timeshare industry isn't actively working to make rentals easier...

 

[dioxide45]

agreed, thats why its not enforced (well that, and wed have no real way of doing it).

I guess my point was more that if someone is posting a LMR wanted listing, anyone contacting that person has to expect that person is looking for a bargain rental at least in the RANGE of the LMR limit.

sure you can offer them a 3000 maui penthouse, but you have to expect there is a pretty good chance the person isnt the least bit interested in a reservation that expensive.

I just think that the dollar limit at the top of the LMR Wanted forum seems to create some false sense of a limit that really isn't there or shouldn't exist. For LMR Wanted, it should just be noted that all negotiations should happen in Private conversation.

 

[geist1223]

I do like the idea of a minimum post count yes for posting listings in the LMR section yes.

I believe WMOWNERS has such a requirement.

 

[DeniseM]

Here's the thing: People post on the LMR wanted forum, because they want a cheap rental. There's nothing wrong with that! Maybe they are on a tight budget, but they still want to do something nice for their family. Or maybe they are just cheap - I'm very cheap. That's OK!

Telling bargain hunters that they are naive, or unrealistic doesn't change there needs, and it certainly doesn't make them want your more expensive rental more. So, if you are going to make higher offers - that's your choice, and if they aren't interested, well that's OK.

Also - there are a lot of people who own timeshares and for whatever reason, don't use them, and they might be happy to get $800 on TUG with a simple rental, because it's a lot better than nothing.

So the LMR Wanted forum serves a purpose, and trying to make it into a regular rental venue, is not the purpose.

 

[NTP66]

I'm anything but cheap, but if I see a last second rental that I'd like to jump on, I'll absolutely exploit the fact that it's last second and see if they'd take a low offer. The worst they could possibly say is no, and at best, they either accept or counter to something that will still save me a few more bucks. If I list my unit on LMR, I would expect the same.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I just think that the dollar limit at the top of the LMR Wanted forum seems to create some false sense of a limit that really isn't there or shouldn't exist. For LMR Wanted, it should just be noted that all negotiations should happen in Private conversation.

This is what I was saying.

I don't really care about LM Rentals. I care that the expectation of cheap rentals seems to move to the Classified ads. It's okay that TUG Classifieds doesn't work for me and RW and Koala do work. But I wish TUG Classifieds could be successful for me.

I will continue to ignore the LMR sections of TUG. I tend to roll my eyes a bit when I see the requests. I cannot help it.

 

[jeffox]

There is a difference between a last minute rental and a last minute request. With the rental, the owner is just trying to get something for a week they have and can't use. It pairs a person that can take a last minute trip for a great price with someone desperate to get anything for their week.

A last minute request is the exact opposite. The renter that wants a specific size unit at a specific time in the near future. they are the one that's desperate and shouldn't expect a bargain at this point.

Like go and book a plane ticket for short notice flight that you need to be in a certain place at a certain time and see how much of a discount you get, maybe the airline has many unsold seats they offer them up for cheap to fill them and if it works for you, you can get a great deal. I wouldn't expect the airline to give me the price of cheaper flight, if it doesn't meet my schedule, for the more expensive one that does just because they are both last minute.

 

[DeniseM]

A last minute request is the exact opposite. The renter that wants a specific size unit at a specific time in the near future. they are the one that's desperate and shouldn't expect a bargain at this point.

I disagree, I don't think most LMR posters are desperate, unless they had a reservation that got cancelled. I think most posters are looking for a bargain. Besides, lots of LMR posts are not specific at all - they post something like: Looking for a 2 bdm. no more than a 4 hour drive from Houston, anytime in August.

One more point: Tuggers are bargain hunters. We brag about our great deals and tell people to buy resale. To expect them to be any different about rentals is unrealistic.

 

[dioxide45]

People post on the LMR wanted forum, because they want a cheap rental.

I think it is more like that (note the strikethrough). They want a rental. Perhaps they are only thinking it might be cheap is some limit that is put at the top of that forum because it is the same text that is put at the top of the LMR Offered forum to stop the LMR Offered forum from becoming a classified board.

 

[dioxide45]

It has been mentioned in the past that people will post a rental in the LMR Offered and then regularly seek higher offers in DM. Those people have been blocked or banned. But it seems to be okay, as mentioned on here, it is fine for people to ask for more when responding to an LMR Offered request.

 

[TUGBrian]

im not aware of anyone whos ever been banned for it. the number of folks who have truly been banned from TUG is very very small given the 30+ year existence of the forums.

however I can see if there were enough complaints about the same activity by the same person we would make a polite request to stop doing it.

 

[jp10558]

I think lots of people have lots of misconceptions, so what happens in one forum may carry over to others - but I don't believe the existence of one forum implies or promotes that kind of setup for all others. I keep thinking back to RCI - does Last Call "break" Extra Vacations? No - it seems to work fine. I don't really see why it should be different between LMR and TUG2 - heck in this case it's not a filter, it's an entirely different URL/website. If someone thinks because LMR exists then that's a limit or a suggestion of pricing for TUG2 - that's on them, not TUG.

TUG2 isn't as focused on the TUG community as ... well TUGbbs.com is - kinda obviously I'd say. For the TUG community - if I posted in LMR Wanted, I would probably also expect something like the LMR Offered - because they seem to have the same headers listed. Also, because there's already the TUG2 "wishes" section for "any price fulfillment" IMO. Same twinning of the offers. So @rickandcindy23 probably should look at the TUG2 wishes area to offer $3000 rentals to people asking for a rental.

Especially on the LMR Offers, At least for me, I tend to use it like I use RCI Last Calls - i.e. browsing to see if something catches my eye. It's worth considering that as a concept, it's competing with $379 + tax + resort fees for a 2BR. It might be better locations, so be worth a bit more - but I honestly can't see (from a renter perspective) any way to use LMR different from Last Call due to practicality of seeing stuff 2-3 weeks out ... I just don't think there's a huge market anywhere for drop it and go full price TS rentals because that would only work for the "can't plan ahead at all" people who I kinda doubt are ever going to be on TUGbbs - that's why you see AirB&B do well, it's the only one people know about as non-planning last minute travelers. And the other situation - some emergency came up - I kinda doubt that will ever work for a TS rental - those people need a hotel booked today or tomorrow, not a TS booked in 1-3 weeks. And not in week increments.

 

[jeffox]

Looking for a 2 bdm. no more than a 4 hour drive from Houston, anytime in August.

Then you aren't looking for a specific resort at a specific time, you are in group 1, hoping top match with someone that can't use their week and either get something for it or lose everything, unless, you see someone with an ad for a 1 bedroom in your time frame and then berate them because they won't get you a 2 bedroom for the same cheap price. Then you fall into the second group which have unreal expectations of getting what they want, when they want it for the cheap price..

 

[rickandcindy23]

One more point: Tuggers are bargain hunters. We brag about our great deals and tell people to buy resale. To expect them to be any different about rentals is unrealistic.

Yes, I agree.

 

[sponger76]

I would rather it wasn't there, it hurts TUG classified ads. This low price forum sets expectations for some but not all.

I think the people regularly looking for cheap LMRs wouldn't be the type to rent at full freight in the classifieds anyway. It's above their price ceiling, so if they don't get a cheap LMR they likely won't rent a timeshare at all anyway. So it's probably not hurting owners advertising on the classifieds.

 

[TUGBrian]

really depends on the situation. if I NEED a specific week or a specific resort...ill pay for it.

however if im just browsing the LMR section, ill likely take an entire vacation I had not previously planned to simply because a good deal popped up.

If I were unique in this line of thinking, id be pretty shocked.

 

[sponger76]

really depends on the situation. if I NEED a specific week or a specific resort...ill pay for it.

however if im just browsing the LMR section, ill likely take an entire vacation I had not previously planned to simply because a good deal popped up.

If I were unique in this line of thinking, id be pretty shocked.

True, and although I haven't bit yet also browse in case something interesting becomes available. I guess I'm thinking more about the hardcore "bargains or bust" types. Those are not likely to rent at prevailing market rates anyway. And people like you and I would if we really needed a specific stay, so I still don't think LMRs hurts the classifieds.

On a side note, I do shake my head and laugh at some of the LMR request posts, and think sarcastically "Not asking for much, are you?"

 

[jp10558]

really depends on the situation. if I NEED a specific week or a specific resort...ill pay for it.

however if im just browsing the LMR section, ill likely take an entire vacation I had not previously planned to simply because a good deal popped up.

If I were unique in this line of thinking, id be pretty shocked.

At least I think the same way as you - so not unique. It's also worth pointing out that at least for me, I very rarely NEED a specific week/resort. The one time I did need a specific area in a specific week, I did a LMR Wanted post and got a good deal on what I needed in the Myrtle Beach area. But otherwise - I do agree that TUGgers aren't going to be the market for full freight rentals very often, because they plan with their points / ownerships for the "I NEED THIS TIME AND PLACE" and get MF rates. I'm not saying there's no situation where I'd pay $3k for a week - perhaps a 2BR in Key West someday - but it's not likely to be common.

 

[jp10558]

On a side note, I do shake my head and laugh at some of the LMR request posts, and think sarcastically "Not asking for much, are you?"

Oh, I'd probably feel the same way, but most people (if you ask clearly up front as a post) will just move along. No reason to get mad about it, and it costs pretty much nothing to ask - sometimes you get what you ask for even if you don't expect to.

 

[sponger76]

Oh, I'd probably feel the same way, but most people (if you ask clearly up front as a post) will just move along. No reason to get mad about it, and it costs pretty much nothing to ask - sometimes you get what you ask for even if you don't expect to.

Oh, I don't get mad about it, because I'm not trying to fill those requests or make money off of timeshares. I just think it's funny just how unrealistic SOME of the requests (more like wishes) are.

 

[rickandcindy23]

The assumption on the LMR wanted board is that anything they ask for should be $800 or less, if you have something to offer for the dates they are requesting. If you offer something that is their dates but at a higher price via PM, then I believe they should just be polite and say, "No thank you." Sending a nasty PM back is not what I would expect.

Do you know that you cannot add into your LMR request that you are willing to pay more than $800? I think you should be able to say that. I was edited/ moderated for saying that, when we needed another 2 bedroom unit at Sheraton Broadway for a specific week. You should be able to say that in your request. Maybe that could change?

My point is that I don't think everyone is as unrealistic about what a Hawaii/ Myrtle Beach/Orlando/Disneyland (whatever it is) 2 bedroom is going to cost. Some may be hoping for $800, but I think some might be wanting the week badly enough to pay more. For example, a resort cancels all RCI exchanges (that just happened to a friend of mine) to a resort because of overbooking, or an outbreak of bed bags. Here you are with airfare, car rental and no accommodations and nothing to be found on RW or TUG Classifieds? What are you going to do but make a plea to get anything, so you aren't booking multiple hotel rooms.