Ongoing Search Strategies

[Mongoose]

Not a lecture, just want to share with the folks that don't know. Most of us understand, the best bet to get higher quality resorts, destinations and dates is to plan ahead. Not everyone knows the value of using an Ongoing Search to get the dream exchange. You can do this by setting up "Ongoing Searches" 18-24 months in advance for both RCI and II. I learned from the “Timeshare Bible” that if you don't yet have a destination in mind, select an impossible week and location 24 months out (like a prime ski week in Vail at a key location or NYC for New Years). This is your anchor search. It doesn't have to be at a location you have interest in going to, this just establishes your place in line. You can then setup your actual destinations at your leisure, but preferably at least 12 months out and then delete the original anchor search. You can change locations and destinations as many times as you like on your request without losing your place. To improve your odds, select as many high quality locations and dates as possible. Be a little picky on the locations.

I setup an II Ongoing Search using WM credits in 2023 using this strategy and just updated it in April 2025. I on June 2, 2025 for Hilton Vacation Club The Point at Poipu for May 2026. To keep things rolling forward, I setup another in May 2025 for Summer 2027. I do this EOY, but you can also do it yearly or more often. BTW, using WM credits only cost me $1169 in MFs, plus taxes and fees. Hilton.com wants $4K for the same period for a 2 BR Garden View and $5K for better views.

 

[Pennytx]

Not a lecture, just want to share with the folks that don't know. Most of us understand, the best bet to get higher quality resorts, destinations and dates is to plan ahead. Not everyone knows the value of using an Ongoing Search to get the dream exchange. You can do this by setting up "Ongoing Searches" 18-24 months in advance for both RCI and II. I learned from the “Timeshare Bible” that if you don't yet have a destination in mind, select an impossible week and location 24 months out (like a prime ski week in Vail at a key location or NYC for New Years). This is your anchor search. It doesn't have to be at a location you have interest in going to, this just establishes your place in line. You can then setup your actual destinations at your leisure, but preferably at least 12 months out and then delete the original anchor search. You can change locations and destinations as many times as you like on your request without losing your place.

I setup an II Ongoing Search using WM credits in 2023 using this strategy and just updated it in April 2025. I on June 2, 2025 for Hilton Vacation Club The Point at Poipu for May 2026. To keep things rolling forward, I setup another in May 2025 for Summer 2027. I do this EOY, but you can also do it yearly or more often. BTW, using WM credits only cost me $1169 in MFs, plus taxes and fees. Hilton.com wants $4K for the same period for a 2 BR Garden View and $5K for better views.

Great advise
Thank you

 

[geist1223]

I always tell people to set up their ongoing search 18-24 months in advance. List an area. 7 to 14 days during a specific month. 2 Bedrooms or more. The more open your request the more likelihood of it being fulfilled.

 

[jp10558]

I always tell people to set up their ongoing search 18-24 months in advance. List an area. 7 to 14 days during a specific month. 2 Bedrooms or more. The more open your request the more likelihood of it being fulfilled.

I set up one in II with my FoxRun 2BR for any 2BR Marriott anywhere in Hawaii any time from I think March to October, 2026 and I set it up 6ish months ago. All I got so far was a phone message yesterday saying they're still looking, so I guess we'll see if I get lucky.

 

[Hindsite]

Trading power in II seems to work different for points vs weeks. There doesn't seem to be any such thing as "place in line" for weeks, as Trading power dominates. That means that whoever has the highest trading power gets the exchange, no matter when they put in the request. If you had a situation where there were 2 requests for weeks that have the same trading power, place in line might come into play.

I've no idea what happens between the different points systems and whether place in line has an impact when there are 2 different points systems used in requests and whether one points system carried some form of additional trading power to another or whether place in line comes into play.

 

[Mongoose]

Trading power in II seems to work different for points vs weeks. There doesn't seem to be any such thing as "place in line" for weeks, as Trading power dominates. That means that whoever has the highest trading power gets the exchange, no matter when they put in the request. If you had a situation where there were 2 requests for weeks that have the same trading power, place in line might come into play.

I've no idea what happens between the different points systems and whether place in line has an impact when there are 2 different points systems used in requests and whether one points system carried some form of additional trading power to another or whether place in line comes into play.

Based on my experience, when I had Weeks via Marriott, Trading Power and Place in Line are linked. Again, the key element is timing, the earlier you are in the better odds you will have.

 

[Hindsite]

Based on my experience, when I had Weeks via Marriott, Trading Power and Place in Line are linked. Again, the key element is timing, the earlier you are in the better odds you will have.

I've asked II when altering requests and the new resorts added to the list start their own line and aren't related to when you initiated to original search. Not sure if that is true or how anyone would verify it.

It is absolutely the case that the earlier you request the better your chances of getting a match are, if for no other reason than you get more goes round the matching process. II do say that the earlier you deposit the better your deposit trading power, which I believe to be true, but I've not seen any difference in success with exchanging weeks at +12 and 8 months, but we don't depend on getting the matches for rare inventory that happen at 12 months.

What throws things off is knowing how II adjust the trading power requirements of what you are requesting based on supply and demand, do they adjust quarterly monthly or something else? We know they do make adjustments when demand drops off over a longer period shown my the addition inventory available following the Maui fires. There's also a little bit of me that thinks (wishes) that MVC, and possibly others, use the demand data in their own inventory control processes, and would they shuffle inventory to match demand?

Lots of variables make it somewhat fun to gamble the system

 

[dioxide45]

Based on my experience, when I had Weeks via Marriott, Trading Power and Place in Line are linked. Again, the key element is timing, the earlier you are in the better odds you will have.

Earlier requests, especially those made before the first set of deposit start flowing in, do increase your odds. Two things. There are fewer people that have placed requests that early, so less competition, and when people start depositing at 13 or 12 months, your request is there to pick them up.

 

[moonstone]

I've read a few accounts on a couple of RCI members FB groups that RCI will no longer allow its members to set up their own ongoing searches. They all (points or weeks) must now be done with a phone call or online chat with RCI.
Personally I think it's a crazy waste of time (mine & the agent's) as I could previously set one up in less time than it takes to get a live agent on the phone. I wonder why RCI has taken a step backwards?


~Diane

 

[Mongoose]

I've read a few accounts on a couple of RCI members FB groups that RCI will no longer allow its members to set up their own ongoing searches. They all (points or weeks) must now be done with a phone call or online chat with RCI.
Personally I think it's a crazy waste of time (mine & the agent's) as I could previously set one up in less time than it takes to get a live agent on the phone. I wonder why RCI has taken a step backwards?


~Diane

I have HGVC with free linked RCI. I setup my own ongoing searches online and don’t have to pay up front. I can also decline the exchange if I don’t like it. That’s one up on II.

 

[timeshare trader]

I've read a few accounts on a couple of RCI members FB groups that RCI will no longer allow its members to set up their own ongoing searches. They all (points or weeks) must now be done with a phone call or online chat with RCI.
Personally I think it's a crazy waste of time (mine & the agent's) as I could previously set one up in less time than it takes to get a live agent on the phone. I wonder why RCI has taken a step backwards?


~Diane

I have some very solid insider information that RCI will reinitiate the ongoing search to be started by members in the next couple weeks. Evidently there was a lot of dissatisfaction amongst people like us who are heavy frequent users. There are less and less of us each year.