How much trade power? RCI weeks exchange

[jael]

I am completely new to this so I need HELP!!!

How do I know how much a specific week at a resort has in trade power in RCI? Specifically, I want to know if a 2 bedroom unit in a red week in Williamsburg, VA has enough trade power to get a 2 bedroom DVC unit in low season (Sept or early Nov)? If I have already put a search in place for a 2 bedroom DVC (which means I cannot change the search to a 1 bedroom without an additional cost) is there any chance something will come up or should I bail on the search?

Thanks for any and all information!

 

[bnoble]

(which means I cannot change the search to a 1 bedroom without an additional cost)

This is not true. You can change the parameters of your search at any time, at no cost

I want to know if a 2 bedroom unit in a red week in Williamsburg, VA has enough trade power to get a 2 bedroom DVC unit in low season

If you are a TUG Member, ($15/year), you can go to the Sightings board and post a "Sightings Request"---asking people to look for DVC units and post the results. Then, you look to see if any of those units are during the time frame similar to the one you are considering, and search again with your own week. If you do not see them, you do not have sufficient trade power.

DVC 2BRs are pretty dicey, and Williamsburg has a fair bit of supply relative to demand, so I'm not very optimistic. And, you're nearing the end of the September '10 deposits. But, if you can see them at all, the most likely one is September 17th at SSR that's in the spacebank right now---if you can't see that one, I'm afraid it's a longshot. There are also plenty of 1BR and studio units available at several DVC resorts for September. If you can't see any of those (use the "Take A Peek" search option) then you won't see the 2BRs.

 

[Mel]

Also, your question is a bit too general. What week in Williamsburg are we talking about? Not all red weeks will have the same trade power - the only real value of knowing a week is red is that it is generally more valuable than a white or blue week at the same resort - and even that is not always the case.

 

[jael]

There are 3 different weeks deposited in red weeks. My extended family is using their timeshare to exchange for me. So, unfortunately I didn't personally deposit any of them and don't know the exact weeks. I do know that we were offered a DVC unit in August (while speaking to an RCI rep on the phone) before the ongoing search was started. Since August wouldn't work for us I turned it down. At the time I thought that meant we wouldn't have an issue finding something in September (I am looking for the week of the 10-17th). After finding this board and doing some research I am beginning to get a bit nervous and wondering if we shouldn't cancel the search and grab something offsite (although I would love to stay on-site just once)! At what point do I bag the search and go for an offsite condo instead. (We have done that in the past and it is fine I just really wanted to try for a DVC this time). Is there anyway to know if my search is completely useless?

 

[sandkastle4966]

the odds of getting a DVC for a Williamsburg is pretty slim. Williamsburg is not generally considered a 'tiger trade.'

on-going search may yield you something inside of 45 days (cancellation) as well as checking everyday inside 45 days.

good luck

 

[gmarine]

If your trading a summer week in Williamsburg you should get the trade. September is low season and my own trade tests using different weeks show that even my mediocre trading resort can pick up two bedroom DVC units in September.

 

[jael]

gmarine - Thanks for the hope! How long should I keep up my ongoing search before giving up on DVC?

 

[BevL]

gmarine - Thanks for the hope! How long should I keep up my ongoing search before giving up on DVC?

There was a post saying there are DVC units for September. My spacebanked week can't see them, I'm assuming yours can't either. I would suggest that means your week simply doesn't have the power to pull a DVC unit.

If you can't see them now, chances are good you would have to gamble on getting something with 45 days of check in when trade power restrictions are somewhat relaxed.

I know you mentioned at one point you were given the opportunity to exchange into an August DVC unit. I'm not sure where that was, but when DVC first switched to RCI there were huge bankings of weeks and that makes it a bit easier for "second tier" traders to pull those units. That's not the case now. I'm not saying that's what happened, but could be an explanation.

There is always an outside chance too that there will be another large banking of units. That might work in your favour.

The good news is, it's not super hard to get a pretty nice place in Orlando if that doesn't work out for you and you have to grab something last minute.

I would strongly suggest that you pay the $15 and join TUG to access the "Sightings" board. DVC units are a hot topic and at least weekly there are postings of what weeks are currently available with top drawer and second tier traders. You might find that helpful. If you know there are September units to be had, a call to RCI might help - if you get a "helpful" vacation guide, it might happen for you.

I know those are a lot of variables, but such are the joys of timeshare exchanging.

I wish you success.

Bev

 

[rickandcindy23]

If your trading a summer week in Williamsburg you should get the trade. September is low season and my own trade tests using different weeks show that even my mediocre trading resort can pick up two bedroom DVC units in September.

What weeks do you use to get 2 bedrooms at DVC? I used to see them, but I cannot see anything but 1 bedrooms, even with a 3 bed ski week 12.

 

[gmarine]

What weeks do you use to get 2 bedrooms at DVC? I used to see them, but I cannot see anything but 1 bedrooms, even with a 3 bed ski week 12.

My Twin Rivers week 50 has pulled many one bedroom units and some two bedroom units. The only two bedroom units I could see were in September.Other two bedroom units were available using Worldmark however TR could only pull the ones in Sept.

 

[BevL]

My Twin Rivers week 50 has pulled many one bedroom units and some two bedroom units. The only two bedroom units I could see were in September.Other two bedroom units were available using Worldmark however TR could only pull the ones in Sept.

That's quite amazing to me. I'm surprised that very many week 50s could pull DVC. Good for you.

I do find though that my IPV week can sometimes see them, sometimes not, it seems depending on the numbers. That's not that unusual, but it does seem to ebb and flow more than other resorts that I simply cannot pull with that week anymore.

It's a fickle thing, this trade power business.

 

[gmarine]

That's quite amazing to me. I'm surprised that very many week 50s could pull DVC. Good for you.

I do find though that my IPV week can sometimes see them, sometimes not, it seems depending on the numbers. That's not that unusual, but it does seem to ebb and flow more than other resorts that I simply cannot pull with that week anymore.

It's a fickle thing, this trade power business.

Its in Colorado so its in ski season and its a three bedroom but even so I am surprised too, but it works for me. And because of that RCI gets my business.

 

[DVB42]

You can never tell in advance what might pop up when requesting a trade, even with a low demand trader. When DVC was with II, I was able to get a 1BR DVC (Wilderness Lodge) with an Accomodation Certificate, the lowest of the low when considering trade power.

Hang in there, you never know what might pop up. If Disney does not happen, there will be many available Orlando units at the last minute in Orlando.

 

[bnoble]

an Accomodation Certificate, the lowest of the low when considering trade power.

An AC has the seasonal grid restrictions, but within those restrictions is reported to carry exactly the same trade power as the week that generated it. They are surprisingly useful.