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Interval and SDO

A

andy25g

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2011
Messages
188
Reaction score
52
Location
Fair Oaks Ranch, Tx
I've started looking at SDO resales on E-Bay for the purpose of exchanging only and I have a few questions

1. I'm very flexible with dates and I'm looking to exchange into Maui, can 1 bedroom deposits pull 2 bedroom exchanges or am I out of touch with reality?

2. In regards to 1 bedrooms at SDO I've noticed one has a maintenance fee of approx 310 and the other 400. Is there a difference in trading power?

3. On the subject of trading power it seems obvious a platinum week would get better trading priority but not sure and wouldn't want to spend more money for a platinum week if not needed.

4. I'm looking to possibly purchase an EOY week and my question is say I purchase a week where 1st week available is 2014, when is the earliest I can book a week to deposit into Interval? Jan 2013?

Thanks, Andy
 
andy25g said:
I've started looking at SDO resales on E-Bay for the purpose of exchanging only and I have a few questions

1. I'm very flexible with dates and I'm looking to exchange into Maui, can 1 bedroom deposits pull 2 bedroom exchanges or am I out of touch with reality? You can pull two bedroom Maui units on instant exchanges; for ongoing requests, you can only get a like-sized unit (i.e. a one bedroom for your one bedroom).

2. In regards to 1 bedrooms at SDO I've noticed one has a maintenance fee of approx 310 and the other 400. Is there a difference in trading power? Those are MF's for eoy units, not annual units, and those numbers may be off slightly. But the two different sized SDO units do trade the same in Interval.

3. On the subject of trading power it seems obvious a platinum week would get better trading priority but not sure and wouldn't want to spend more money for a platinum week if not needed. One would think so, but there is no conclusive evidence that a true platinum SDO trades better than a gold plus SDO (floating 1-52).

4. I'm looking to possibly purchase an EOY week and my question is say I purchase a week where 1st week available is 2014, when is the earliest I can book a week to deposit into Interval? Jan 2013? Correct.
Thanks, Andy
Click to expand...

See my answers interlineated in red.
 
andy25g said:
I've started looking at SDO resales on E-Bay for the purpose of exchanging only and I have a few questions

1. I'm very flexible with dates and I'm looking to exchange into Maui, can 1 bedroom deposits pull 2 bedroom exchanges or am I out of touch with reality?
Click to expand...

Yes - with an instant online exchange - not with an ongoing request. If you are flexible, it is very doable. If you need school holidays - no.

2. In regards to 1 bedrooms at SDO I've noticed one has a maintenance fee of approx 310 and the other 400. Is there a difference in trading power?
Click to expand...

That's only half a maintenance fee - with an every other year TS, you pay half each year. Both sides of the lock-off trade as one bedrooms.

3. On the subject of trading power it seems obvious a platinum week would get better trading priority but not sure and wouldn't want to spend more money for a platinum week if not needed.
Click to expand...

A platinum week is over-kill for a II trader, and it will cost you 10 x as much as a Gold Plus 1-52 floating week.

4. I'm looking to possibly purchase an EOY week and my question is say I purchase a week where 1st week available is 2014, when is the earliest I can book a week to deposit into Interval? Jan 2013?
Click to expand...

Yes - Jan. 1, 2013 - but that means you will only be able to make a trade every other year - is that what you are looking for?
 
Wow you guys are quick thank you so much for the fast response, yes I'm looking at an EOY trade so I'm thinking I should just bid on the less expensive EOY 1 bedroom weeks 1-50 I believe gold plus and that should satisfy me needs.
 
Denise, based on my recent experience with ongoing request using a 1-BR - it appears that you could be matched with a 2-BR unit if that's all that became available for your requested dates, even if the resort has 1-BR-sized units.

Can't expect that to happen all the time, but it doesn't appear to have prevented a match for me recently - maybe just is permitted for internal Starwood trading within II, who knows. I can't explain it.
 
krj9999 said:
Denise, based on my recent experience with ongoing request using a 1-BR - it appears that you could be matched with a 2-BR unit if that's all that became available for your requested dates, even if the resort has 1-BR-sized units.

Can't expect that to happen all the time, but it doesn't appear to have prevented a match for me recently - maybe just is permitted for internal Starwood trading within II, who knows. I can't explain it.
Click to expand...
this is possible if the resort did not have 1 bedrooms, like Marriott Frenchman Cove for example.
 
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It is possible, but you can't request a 2 bdm. at resorts that have 1 bdm. units, and that means most Starwood resorts - where your real trading power is. If you need a 2 bdm. exchange, you should deposit a 2 bdm. so you can put in an ongoing request for one.
 
Going back to OP's original question on trade strength, there are minor differences between Platinum and Gold Plus in trade tests. There are also minor differences between the larger 1BR and the smaller 1BR. Usually it has to do with whether the II available week crosses a more desirable date/season. That's when a platinum week trumps a gold plus and a larger bedroom trumps a smaller bedroom. If you are flexible in your travel then the smaller 1BR gold plus suffices. For the recent bulk deposit at Westin Maui/Kauai resorts I did not detect any differences between the different SDO season (Platinum vs. Gold Plus) and SDO room types.
 
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I would suggest the OP consider stepping up to an EOY 2 BR vs 1 BR. More bang for the MF buck, given that MF costs for 2 x 1BR > 2BR.
 
Thanks for the advise, Off hand, what are maint fees at SDO, the (2) one bedrooms and the 2 bedroom and if I'm looking for an EOY would I just cut those maintenance fees in half?
 
andy25g said:
Thanks for the advise, Off hand, what are maint fees at SDO, the (2) one bedrooms and the 2 bedroom and if I'm looking for an EOY would I just cut those maintenance fees in half?
Click to expand...

You can find the MF's for most resorts in the sticky thread at the top of the page. EOY is usually half, plus $30.
 
andy25g said:
I've started looking at SDO resales on E-Bay for the purpose of exchanging only and I have a few questions

1. I'm very flexible with dates and I'm looking to exchange into Maui, can 1 bedroom deposits pull 2 bedroom exchanges or am I out of touch with reality?

2. In regards to 1 bedrooms at SDO I've noticed one has a maintenance fee of approx 310 and the other 400. Is there a difference in trading power?

3. On the subject of trading power it seems obvious a platinum week would get better trading priority but not sure and wouldn't want to spend more money for a platinum week if not needed.

4. I'm looking to possibly purchase an EOY week and my question is say I purchase a week where 1st week available is 2014, when is the earliest I can book a week to deposit into Interval? Jan 2013?

Thanks, Andy
Click to expand...

SDO is a great trader. We own a platinum 1br. EOY and our first two trades through II instant exchanges were Harborside and the Westin in Princeville. Thinking I should get another week.
 
DeniseM said:
You can find the MF's for most resorts in the sticky thread at the top of the page. EOY is usually half, plus $30.
Click to expand...

Denise, I apologize before hand......I'm still new to this and for the life of me can't find the sticky thread at top of page.......heck I don't even know what a sticky thread is so I'm completely lost. Lol
 
I would also recommend a 2 bedroom eoy.
We had a 1 bdr odd and picked up a 2 bdr even year SDO last summer to allow for more flexibility in holiday planning.
We just exchanged the 3 X 1 bedrooms for 3 X 2 bedrooms at WKORN next January/February so they give amazing value....for now anyway... lol
 
andy25g said:
Denise, I apologize before hand......I'm still new to this and for the life of me can't find the sticky thread at top of page.......heck I don't even know what a sticky thread is so I'm completely lost. Lol
Click to expand...

If you go the the main Starwood page, at the top you will find six threads marked "sticky". These are a great resource for understanding and using a Starwood timeshare.
 
kenie said:
I would also recommend a 2 bedroom eoy.
We had a 1 bdr odd and picked up a 2 bdr even year SDO last summer to allow for more flexibility in holiday planning.
We just exchanged the 3 X 1 bedrooms for 3 X 2 bedrooms at WKORN next January/February so they give amazing value....for now anyway... lol
Click to expand...

I was thinking the exact same "for now" comment, does anyone actually stay at SDO? It looks like a lot of people use this for the exchange power. What's the worst that can happen to my possible SDO week? Higher MF's? Special assessment? Losing trade power within sheraton? I'm sure are all possibilities, am I missing anything else that might scare me away from possible purchase. It almost seems to good to be true.

If I do this I probably will hold out for a 2 bedroom, it seems like i would be able to rid myself of it easier than the one bedroom.......JUST IN CASE

Thanks again, Andy
 
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The 2 bdm. is a better deal - the MF is lower for the 2 bdm. than the 2 units purchased separately.

Yes - all of the above could happen - no guarantees w/timesharing.
 
slum808 said:
So what would be a good price on a 2-bedroom EOY for SDO?
Click to expand...

There was one on eBay that closed recently for about $1000, that included this years use. Annuals seem to be in the $1500-$2000 range.
 
slum808 said:
So what would be a good price on a 2-bedroom EOY for SDO?
Click to expand...

Consider contacting the Ebay seller and making an offer if they end the auction early. I did that in Sept of last year and received our deed in November. We purchased a 2bdr SDO every year use, 2011 taxes were already paid and we received the seller 2011 week and we paid....... $700:whoopie:
 
I stay at SDO twice a year. It is a great resort in Scottsdale with lots to do in the area. I have never exchanged.
 
The resort is very popular, especially from January to April, with the PGA tourney, Nascar races, and spring training. May Canadians fly south to Phoenix/Scottsdale for the winter months and stay in various TS's as well.

Considering the amount of people that use it for trading, the SDO availability in II is usually sparse, except for the bulk deposits and even those get picked up pretty fast.
 
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