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How to get Exposed to RCI/II trading without Owning a Timeshare

E24828

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My wife wants no part of purchasing a timeshare based on all the negative TS feedback! And I agree that timeshares aren't good investments. But in my opinion they force you to allocate funds and time to travel. I'm retiring next year and have a goal of taking 15 vacations in the next 7 years! I want to see the country and be as active as possible early in my retirement. In my opinion there is no comparison between a nice timehare and a hotel. Timeshares provide the space and comforts of home! The idea of researching and finding timesharing trading opportunities is exciting to me! I can see using II to exchange into areas that weren't on my bucket list. Gifting a week in Orlando to a young family member might provide their children some great memories.

So my questions or challenge is how can I utilize the RCI/II trading system without owning a timeshare? Obvouisly I can start to look at rentals through Tuggs, and Redbook as an alternative. But is the away to purchase Hyatt or Worldmark points, or to deposit a red 2 bedroom rental week to leverage into multiple weeks of off peak travel? I suspect that by depositing a red week into II that you would receive a AC week that could be used during off season.

I don't think my wife has an issue committing 1500 - 2000 dollars towards vacations annually. Her is issue is being locked into a timeshare for years and not being able to seel it.
 

rpeacock

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First things first: you and your wife need to find yourselves on the same page regarding what to spend per year.
Second, there is little intial cost if you buy (I know you said without owning) on the resale market. If you can agree with your wife that it is doable to spend $1,500-2,000 per year you be able to have your 2 vacations per year (depending on length of vacation). Go with a time share that has resorts in the locations you want to vacation at. Trading through II or RCI can be frustrating to find locations at the times you want.


Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 

montygz

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As you pointed out, you can easily take advantage of the timeshare marketplace by renting units. Right now, the rental market is depressed, so it's a great time to rent.

If you look in the last-minute rentals section of this board you can rent 2-3 weeks a year with your budget. You can look in the marketplace section for more timeshare rentals and on Redweek and Ebay.

After trying some of the various timeshare systems by renting you may have a different outlook. Maybe you will want to buy and will have a much better idea of what you want. Or maybe you'll learn that you are better off renting or just going the hotel route.
 

travelhacker

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My wife wants no part of purchasing a timeshare based on all the negative TS feedback! And I agree that timeshares aren't good investments. But in my opinion they force you to allocate funds and time to travel. I'm retiring next year and have a goal of taking 15 vacations in the next 7 years! I want to see the country and be as active as possible early in my retirement. In my opinion there is no comparison between a nice timehare and a hotel. Timeshares provide the space and comforts of home! The idea of researching and finding timesharing trading opportunities is exciting to me! I can see using II to exchange into areas that weren't on my bucket list. Gifting a week in Orlando to a young family member might provide their children some great memories.

So my questions or challenge is how can I utilize the RCI/II trading system without owning a timeshare? Obvouisly I can start to look at rentals through Tuggs, and Redbook as an alternative. But is the away to purchase Hyatt or Worldmark points, or to deposit a red 2 bedroom rental week to leverage into multiple weeks of off peak travel? I suspect that by depositing a red week into II that you would receive a AC week that could be used during off season.

I don't think my wife has an issue committing 1500 - 2000 dollars towards vacations annually. Her is issue is being locked into a timeshare for years and not being able to seel it.
You bring up some very valid points. However, there are some AMAZING deals if you like traveling during low season in the form of Getaways from II.

A few examples:
- Orlando during low season (May, first half of June, September -> Week before Christmas).
- Mountain Towns (Colorado, Utah, etc) during late Spring / Fall.
- Williamsburg / Branson / Vegas in low season
- Mexico in low season (Summer and Fall)

I've bought tons of getaways at an average price of about $350 (with tax) for 2 bedroom Marriott units for an entire week. I've even gotten some as low as $200. Platinum Escapes can be as low as $99.

I think a relatively low risk way to be able to take advantage of getaways (and accommodation certificates) would be to buy a solid low maintenance fee trader that should be easy to sell if you have a change of heart. A couple of good examples:

- Hyatt Pinon Pointe. Buy in cost of $3000 or so and you can net weeks of travel during the off season within Hyatt. Maintenance fees are about $1250 per year.
- Marriott Grand Chateau. Buy in cost of $2500 or so for an annual 2 bedroom. This has been a great trader. Maintenance fees are $1290 per year.
- Sheraton Desert Oasis. Buy in cost is often free but you may have to pay closing.

You shouldn't have any trouble selling these units for close to what you paid. You could get weeks of travel in a year at a very low cost if you play your cards right with just that one week of ownership.

My brother in law is planning on spending September -> December in Orlando and is going to stay entirely in Getaways. He bought a 1 bedroom Marriott Grand Chateau for basically free to do this. When it comes time to sell he can either sell it or give it away with zero issues.

Feel free to follow-up with additional questions or PM.
 

CalGalTraveler

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You didn't specify the types/quality of timeshares and locations. @travelhacker has great suggestions, however depending on the location, season and quality you may do better renting because the rent may be less than the MF and there are no obligations. If you want to stay in 4 - 5 star then the options listed are good ones.

What are your top travel destinations and what quality level will you and your spouse be happy with?
 

RNCollins

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You don’t have to own a timeshare to have the ability to “try out” and rent timeshares. I have listed below links to sites offering timeshare rentals:

Timeshare Marketplace, Sell and Rent Timeshares by owner | Timeshare Users Group
Join or Renew your existing Timeshare Users Group membership and get access to tens of thousands of Timeshare resort reviews, and free timeshare resale, rental and exchange ads in the industry leading TUG marketplace!
tug2.com
tugbbs.com



Timeshare Rentals Offered
Rentals of actual resort time (not points) with start dates 45 days or less into the future and Maximum rental rate $800/week or $115/day. Rentals more than 45 days out should be placed in the regular TUG Timeshare Marketplace.
tugbbs.com
tugbbs.com



www.tripbeat.com

Vacation Resort Rental Deals | Enjoy Endless Vacations with TripBeat
Tripbeat offers affordable vacation resort rentals in numerous destinations worldwide, accessible through a free membership. With our savings, you can afford to go on an Endless Vacation.
www.tripbeat.com


Plan A Vacation, Vacation Packages, Condo Resorts, Hotels, Traveler Benefits
Book your discounted condo rentals and vacations on CondoDirect.com in top destinations such as Orlando Las Vegas Branson and Palm Springs. Purchase your accommodations with air and car all in once place with no booking fees.
www.condodirect.com


www.extraholidays.com

Special Offers and Deals for Family Vacation Resorts
Extra Holidays offers vacation packages and promotions at resorts in the United States, including Hawaii, the Caribbean, Canada, and Mexico.
www.extraholidays.com
www.extraholidays.com



www.afvclub.com

Armed Forces Vacation Club - AFVClub.com | Military Vacation Deals
AFVC offers the U.S. military affordable vacation rentals in numerous destinations worldwide. Free membership is one small way we thank you for your service.
www.afvclub.com
A membership with Armed Forces Vacation Club is free to all current, veterans, and retired members of the United States military, National Guard, Reserves (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard); including Gold Star families and Civilian employees of the DoD (appropriated, non-appropriated, or retired), Association of the US Army (AUSA) members and the immediate families of all the above (spouses, parents, and/or children).



Heroes Vacation Club
www.heroesvacationclub.com
Heroes Vacation Club is open to all active and retired members of the Police Force, Emergency Medical Technicians, Fireman and Medical Personal.



The World's Largest Timeshare Marketplace | RedWeek
Timeshares for rent and sale by owner. Get resort information, reviews, and join timeshare forums.
www.redweek.com
www.redweek.com



Timeshare rentals and Resales - Buy, Sell, or Rent a timeshare
Timeshare rentals and resales through My Resort Network. MyResortNetwork.com brings together the community of timeshare owners and vacationers for their mutual benefit.
www.myresortnetwork.com
www.myresortnetwork.com
 

E24828

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Thanks for the great feedback! Travelhacker I had been focusing on a Hyatt TS in Sedona or Key West, and RNCollins I like your idea of letting a premier/elite timeshare rental help sell us on the value of owning. I've begun checking out the rental sites.

The following are my target travel locations. I know that it is unrealistic to think that $1500 - 2000 a year would get me into some of these locations, once more are less twice a year, but Travelhacker 2000 Hyatt points seem like they could go a long way during gold and silver periods. And as you mention there can be some real values in the AC, gateway, escape offerings during off seasons. I'm so looking forward to retiring and letting the mind refresh.

Top Tier Locations
1. Hawaii - Maui/Kauai - Honeymoon there years ago and would like to celebrate anversary there
2. Virgin Island - Frenchman's Cove
3. Key West - Sunset Harbor but all Hyatt's in area look great.
4. Sedona - numerous premier plus TS to pick from
5. California
a. Carmel - Hyatt Highlands possibly for 3-4 nights stayKauai
b. Lake Tahoe - numerous premier plus TS to pick from
c. Laguna Beach - Marriott's Newport Coast Villas
6. Austin
7. New Orleans

Second Tier
1. Hilton Head
2. Nashville
3. Boston
4. New England Area
5. Northwest
6. Orlando - for grandson
 

travelhacker

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Thanks for the great feedback! Travelhacker I had been focusing on a Hyatt TS in Sedona or Key West, and RNCollins I like your idea of letting a premier/elite timeshare rental help sell us on the value of owning. I've begun checking out the rental sites.

The following are my target travel locations. I know that it is unrealistic to think that $1500 - 2000 a year would get me into some of these locations, once more are less twice a year, but Travelhacker 2000 Hyatt points seem like they could go a long way during gold and silver periods. And as you mention there can be some real values in the AC, gateway, escape offerings during off seasons. I'm so looking forward to retiring and letting the mind refresh.

Top Tier Locations
1. Hawaii - Maui/Kauai - Honeymoon there years ago and would like to celebrate anversary there
2. Virgin Island - Frenchman's Cove
3. Key West - Sunset Harbor but all Hyatt's in area look great.
4. Sedona - numerous premier plus TS to pick from
5. California
a. Carmel - Hyatt Highlands possibly for 3-4 nights stayKauai
b. Lake Tahoe - numerous premier plus TS to pick from
c. Laguna Beach - Marriott's Newport Coast Villas
6. Austin
7. New Orleans

Second Tier
1. Hilton Head
2. Nashville
3. Boston
4. New England Area
5. Northwest
6. Orlando - for grandson
I own Hyatt and really like it because of the access to internal trades as well as interval. If you use mid-week stays your points can stretch pretty far. We live in CO and can take advantage of Mountain Time, so that can be very, very cheap.

The upfront cost to pick up a Hyatt is a bit higher, but it'll likely maintain some value. I would get a gold week or higher at Pinon Pointe, a platinum week or higher at Wild Oak Ranch, or a Diamond week elsewhere.

If you just wanted to get your feet wet with trading with a low buy in, you can do well with an SDO 2 bedroom.

Marriott Grand Chateau is another good option (I opted for that over SDO -- sometimes I regret this, but I really value the Marriott preference).

If you can travel in less than peak season all your top tier locations are doable with either Hyatt or SDO. With some ongoing searches and a little flexibility, you should be able to pick up a lot of those locations in high season. The exception is Austin since I don't know of an II resort there (there is a Wyndham in RCI).

For your second tier resorts, you are covered with II except for Nashville (there is a Wyndham location in RCI).

I think a timeshare could be a pretty good fit for your travel wants.

It's important to get the other half on board with decisions like this, so it may not be a bad idea to rent a week to see how you like the timeshare experience. Maybe a rental in the off season at Newport Coast Villas would be good for this? That was my first timeshare experience as an adult...I picked up a rental on red week for pretty cheap and we loved it.

Feel free to PM if you have any specific questions or need advice.
 

CPNY

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Marriott Grand Chateau is another good option (I opted for that over SDO -- sometimes I regret this, but I really value the Marriott preference).

Why do you regret it? I’ve seen availability with my SVV 1 bedroom platinum that others have reported they couldn’t see with their SDO. I’d think the MGC would be a better trader than SDO
 

travelhacker

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Why do you regret it? I’ve seen availability with my SVV 1 bedroom platinum that others have reported they couldn’t see with their SDO. I’d think the MGC would be a better trader than SDO
MGC is a GREAT trader, but there are three advantages to SDO:

1) No lock-off fee. Marriott charges $90 for this.
2) Both sides at SDO are 1 bedroom, so you only pay one step up on the upgrade fee.
3) A 1 bedroom has a bit more trade power than a studio.

The biggest advantage to MGC is Marriott Preference.

Overall, I think MGC is a better trader for my needs, but if I were doing things over again, I would have substituted one of my MGC weeks for an SDO.
 

CalGalTraveler

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Most of the options such as SDO and Grand Chateau will only provide a week trade in II. If you want shorter stays you would do better with a mandatory Vistana e.g. SVV in which you can trade points in the mini-system.

Cash Getaways may provide short stays, but I am not sure if this is only limited to certain resorts. Perhaps some more knowledgeable Tuggers can weigh in on this.
 

CPNY

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MGC is a GREAT trader, but there are three advantages to SDO:

1) No lock-off fee. Marriott charges $90 for this.
2) Both sides at SDO are 1 bedroom, so you only pay one step up on the upgrade fee.
3) A 1 bedroom has a bit more trade power than a studio.

The biggest advantage to MGC is Marriott Preference.

Overall, I think MGC is a better trader for my needs, but if I were doing things over again, I would have substituted one of my MGC weeks for an SDO.
Ah yeah you really screwed that one up. Unfortunately there is no going back now. I’m sorry for your mistake haha
 

CalGalTraveler

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MGC is a GREAT trader, but there are three advantages to SDO:

1) No lock-off fee. Marriott charges $90 for this.
2) Both sides at SDO are 1 bedroom, so you only pay one step up on the upgrade fee.
3) A 1 bedroom has a bit more trade power than a studio.

The biggest advantage to MGC is Marriott Preference.

Overall, I think MGC is a better trader for my needs, but if I were doing things over again, I would have substituted one of my MGC weeks for an SDO.


Another factor relevant to the OP is the ability to exit. I have heard from Tuggers that Marriott Shadow Enclaves also locks off into two 1 bdrms and it is based in California. California has very timeshare friendly laws. If something unforseen happened and you need to exit and cannot give away or sell, you can walk,, all they can do is take your timeshare with possibly a ding to your credit. Florida based timeshares also have this option. They cannot go after your home or other assets. If you are in such a dire financial situation your credit rating will not matter anyway.

I wonder how the MFs compare between all of these options.
 
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