Does the demandchart of II change?

[urbiman]

Hi,

I am currently thinking of buying a timeshare in williamsburg (trading purposes).
I saw an offer for a week 34 in williamsburg, week 34 is high demand in terms of II, however week 35 is average at best.
I wonder if II updates the charts from time to time so it could happen that my week 34 would get an average week (in contrast to high, like it is now) or is this pretty much fixed?

 

[Panina]

It's based on supply and demand. If it changes it can go up or down.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

Hi,

I am currently thinking of buying a timeshare in williamsburg (trading purposes).
I saw an offer for a week 34 in williamsburg, week 34 is high demand in terms of II, however week 35 is average at best.
I wonder if II updates the charts from time to time so it could happen that my week 34 would get an average week (in contrast to high, like it is now) or is this pretty much fixed?

The "High" vs "Average" is pretty much fixed. The reason is school schedules. Week 34 is not a school week for many of the mid to northern schools that frequent Williamsburg. Week 35 on the other hand is a school week just about every year and everywhere. This year might be the exception with labor day pushed to week 36.

Here in Florida week 34 is always a school week so for Florida timeshares week 34 is not so great. For Williamsburg it trades fine and the same as the other summer weeks. I know first hand since I own week 34 and 31 there and recently sold 27.

 

[hjtug]

The "High" vs "Average" is pretty much fixed. The reason is school schedules. Week 34 is not a school week for many of the mid to northern schools that frequent Williamsburg. Week 35 on the other hand is a school week just about every year and everywhere. This year might be the exception with labor day pushed to week 36.

Here in Florida week 34 is always a school week so for Florida timeshares week 34 is not so great. For Williamsburg it trades fine and the same as the other summer weeks. I know first hand since I own week 34 and 31 there and recently sold 27.

School schedules here in VA and in other places have been changing. It wasn't too long ago that VA passed a law, supported by the travel industry, that no public school district could set a starting date before Labor Day. Evidently that law was revoked. Many schools opened here last week and two weeks ago. With a teacher daughter in Memphis and a granddaughter in Phoenix we know that schools have started in those places even earlier than here.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

School schedules here in VA and in other places have been changing. It wasn't too long ago that VA passed a law, supported by the travel industry, that no public school district could set a starting date before Labor Day. Evidently that law was revoked. Many schools opened here last week and two weeks ago. With a teacher daughter in Memphis and a granddaughter in Phoenix we know that schools have started in those places even earlier than here.

That might make some difference but probably not enough for a significant impact. The reason is the majority of the highly populated NE coast is still after Labor Day. Williamsburg is still going to have fairly heavy Tourism until those schools are back in session.

Obviously if someone is trading or renting out then a week when all schools are out is the best option but the latter August weeks usually come cheaper.

 

[urbiman]

Thanks for all the responses.
So in a nutshell the demand for week 34 may change in the future, but as the impact of single school vacation changes is limited, it is unlikely that the TDI goes directly from 150 to 100 but more likely to 140 or 130?

 

[momeason]

Williamsburg is overbuilt. There are better places to buy for trading purposes.

 

[DeniseM]

Hi,

I am currently thinking of buying a timeshare in williamsburg (trading purposes).
I saw an offer for a week 34 in williamsburg, week 34 is high demand in terms of II, however week 35 is average at best.
I wonder if II updates the charts from time to time so it could happen that my week 34 would get an average week (in contrast to high, like it is now) or is this pretty much fixed?

The demand for a week, and the trading value of that week, are not directly related. This will not be a strong trader. You can do better.

 

[urbiman]

Hi Denise,

would you say that another week in williamsburg would be better or that another week somewhere else would be better?

 

[DeniseM]

Hi Denise,

would you say that another week in williamsburg would be better or that another week somewhere else would be better?

Somewhere else - Williamsburg is overbuilt with timeshares, and that hurts trading power.

*When you look at the Travel Demand Index - that is only for the specific area. It doesn't relate to other areas, and it doesn't show you the trading power of the week.

In other words, a travel demand of 100 in Williamsburg only shows you the demand for that week IN the Williamsbury area - not other areas. So if you look at 100 and then think you could trade for a resort in Hawaii with the TDI of 100 - that doesn't work - because 100 is the travel demand - not the trading power, and TDI does not cross over from one region, to another.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

Williamsburg is overbuilt. There are better places to buy for trading purposes.

Somewhere else - Williamsburg is overbuilt with timeshares, and that hurts trading power.

I have to completely disagree with this for prime weeks. If places like Orlando and Williamsburg were overbuilt they wouldn't be building thousands of additional rooms as I write this. Those places are built to meet the supply of the high demand seasons. They only overbuilt for off-season weeks, which is a natural by-product of the high tourism season.

For trading purposes the good weeks at Williamsburg trade great. I know from experience.

Renting out high supply places is another matter and generally fetches lower amounts. This is due to the numerous options people have to book rooms that are more secure and can be cancelled at a later time.

 

[twinmommy19]

Agree with SaintsfanFL - very happy with the trading power of our on Williamsburg high demand week so far...

The 4 BR lock out deeds late June / July / early August deeds are great for trading. I find it difficult to imagine too many better non-franchise traders overall relative to the fees. They rent well too in high season because they accommodate a lot of people all together.

As an aside - we just returned from the Colonies and it was jam packed there for whatever it's worth. Williamsburg IMO is very underrated overall as a destination spot. The amusement parks there are just wonderful. Water Country was easily the nicest water park I've ever been to. Clean and very nice large pool areas with lounge chairs all around and spread out. We were there a week and managed to do only half of Busch Gardens - it's huge (granted traveling with 1.5 year olds slows you down!) We paid $69 for the week combo pass to both and kids under 3 are free. What a bargain. My boys LOVED the Sesame section of Busch Gardens and it was much less crowded in that area than the crowded "zoo" we experienced in Sesame PA (don't EVER attempt that place on a weekend in summer). They have a photo key pass you can buy for $90 that includes pics taken at both parks. What a bargain for us as it included the professional pics with all the characters. At Water Country it includes pics that are taken as your kids come down most of the slides which I thought was impressive. We took over 150 pics in total - 14 people. As I said - a bargain.

Jamestown was also very nice and there is a small river beach area right next to the history stuff which is very shaded and good for young kids. We didn't do much of the Colonial history stuff but it's interesting for older kids. We didn't take the day trip (under an hour) to Virginia Beach either. We went to the parks 4 times. There was plenty to do at our resort and the unit itself was very nice but we loved the parks and went to them pretty much every day. We'll go back, though I don't expect that I'd ever use my deeded week. I own July 4th week - I deposited and used the 2 BR side to confirm a 4 BR in late August.

 

[dominidude]

I'm a dissatisfied peak TDI Williamsburg owner.
I agree with Denise, look somewhere, Williamsburg has not provided me with good trades
The only way around this I can see is to get an RCI POINTS timeshare, get a regular II timeshare and pay 2k+ for a CLUB interval points conversion, or get a Wyndham points timeshare.
Otherwise I suggest you buy only if you can and will use your timeshare, and trade only sparingly.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

I'm a dissatisfied peak TDI Williamsburg owner.
I agree with Denise, look somewhere, Williamsburg has not provided me with good trades
The only way around this I can see is to get an RCI POINTS timeshare, get a regular II timeshare and pay 2k+ for a CLUB interval points conversion, or get a Wyndham points timeshare.
Otherwise I suggest you buy only if you can and will use your timeshare, and trade only sparingly.

This is horrible advice. What would a club interval points conversion to the tune of $3K+(it's not 2k) do to help? It sounds like you are theorizing that points accounts magically solve exchange issues. They do not.

To each their on whether exchanges are successful. It all depends on what you expect to get. I have routinely up-traded for Marriott's and Hyatt's that cost 3 times the amount in annual fees. A points account is not going to miraculously fetch a rare exchange.

Honestly there really isn't much you can get with anything else that a prime summer 4BR in Williamsburg will fetch. Do my 3BR Marriotts have a higher trading power than my 4BR Williamsburg? Yes, but barely, and the 4BR is half the cost.

If you have been unhappy then your issue might be with preference rather than trading power. Preference is a completely different issue that cannot be solved by amassing points.

 

[dominidude]

What would a club interval points conversion to the tune of $3K+(it's not 2k) do to help?

I agree with you that the club interval points conversion fee may not be worth it, however, II points is the only way to accumulate enough trading power to take advantage of ALL exchanges available through II.

With my Williamsburg timeshares I've also been able to get Mariott and Hyatts exchanges, however, I've been able to get those two as well with studios and 1 bdr somewhere else, which makes me think that I could pay less for 1 bdr or studio somewhere else and still have just as much exchange trading power.

Finally, Vacation Village timeshares, for whatever reason, get a huge number of points compared to other franchises, be it on RCI or II. So if the primary objective is to trade, I'd look closely to doing a Club interval points conversion.

 

[tschwa2]

You aren't going to find many studio's with equal exchange power. II just doesn't value studios. Even in terms of 1 br units many are going to have higher MF's than the $375 ish per 2br of the 4 br lock off. I am getting an EOY one as a low cost II trader (and sold back my Marriott because it was inching up too high). I am hoping to rent out a 2 br summer week in the $475-500 range and then deposit the other half into II. For this strategy a mid summer July early August is going to have better rental potential than during times where the tdi may be equally high but you have less school systems out for the summer.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

With my Williamsburg timeshares I've also been able to get Mariott and Hyatts exchanges, however, I've been able to get those two as well with studios and 1 bdr somewhere else, which makes me think that I could pay less for 1 bdr or studio somewhere else and still have just as much exchange trading power..

I have to reiterate what tschwa2 has already stated. Paying less with a 1BR or a studio is possible (but not much less) but you won't be able to place an equivalent OGS and you definitely will have no where near the same power with a studio. I have a double 1BR lock-off elsewhere that trades pretty good and has a lower fee per split but it still doesn't trade quite as good and I can't place a 2BR OGS.

It boils down to what you expect to get on an exchange. I was thinking your exchange expectation was too high but after you mentioned being able to get the same thing with a cheaper studio you have me stumped.

The really tough exchanges you are referring to that would need a huge amount of points to fetch....why not rent the unit instead? Why prepay if you are going to shell out that much cash in the hopes of making an unknown exchange?