Recent rci exchange observations

[tschwa2]

A few things I have noticed recently. In the past rci points did not discount rci weeks exchanges during the last minute window of 45 days until the weeks tpu value dropped to 7 or below and also put it into the Last Call rental window. I have in the last couple of months seen that they drop into the 9000 rci points value when it reaches about 11-12 tpu's and even lower (6000-8000) range as it drops lower (it still has to be within 45 day window unless rci just has a lot of excess inventory from a particular resort). This is a good thing for rci points owners.

On the other side I have seen some last minute rci weeks inventory that have still had a high tpu value (20-30+) but for various reasons (older resort or studio unit) it is priced fairly low on the points side but never becoming available to book using rci points. In the past this has happened where I couldn't "see" it with my rci points account but since I knew it was there with my weeks side, I could call or use chat and the agent could tell me the rci point value and book it for me. When I saw the studio in Charleston and a Lighthouse Point in Ocean City in weeks but not points I reached out to rci to find out the points value and was told that they were only made available to weeks members and not to rci points members and that if I wanted them I would have to book with my weeks account.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

I feel like "TS Arbitrage" knowledge is becoming key to using RCI .
Thank you @tschwa2 for starting this thread.

 

[wackymother]

A few things I have noticed recently. In the past rci points did not discount rci weeks exchanges during the last minute window of 45 days until the weeks tpu value dropped to 7 or below and also put it into the Last Call rental window. I have in the last couple of months seen that they drop into the 9000 rci points value when it reaches about 11-12 tpu's and even lower (6000-8000) range as it drops lower (it still has to be within 45 day window unless rci just has a lot of excess inventory from a particular resort). This is a good thing for rci points owners.

On the other side I have seen some last minute rci weeks inventory that have still had a high tpu value (20-30+) but for various reasons (older resort or studio unit) it is priced fairly low on the points side but never becoming available to book using rci points. In the past this has happened where I couldn't "see" it with my rci points account but since I knew it was there with my weeks side, I could call or use chat and the agent could tell me the rci point value and book it for me. When I saw the studio in Charleston and a Lighthouse Point in Ocean City in weeks but not points I reached out to rci to find out the points value and was told that they were only made available to weeks members and not to rci points members and that if I wanted them I would have to book with my weeks account.

Interesting, bc the last time we went to a developer sales pitch--maybe six years ago now--the salespeople swore up and down that our weeks would soon be useless because everyone had gone over to points. (We said we would stick with our weeks, thanks.) Thanks for sharing this info!

 

[escanoe]

My answer is always “it depends” when someone asks if RCI points or weeks are better.

But there is significant upside to having trading power in both buckets and making your trade based on which side is offering the better deal.

Good trading value is fairly easy to achieve/find. The $259 exchange fee is harder to escape … and a big downside to limited competition when it comes to major exchanges.

Thanks to @tschwa2 for sharing good info in this thread.

I feel like "TS Arbitrage" knowledge is becoming key to using RCI .
Thank you @tschwa2 for starting this thread.

 

[tschwa2]

My answer is always “it depends” when someone asks if RCI points or weeks are better.

But there is significant upside to having trading power in both buckets and making your trade based on which side is offering the better deal.

Good trading value is fairly easy to achieve/find. The $259 exchange fee is harder to escape … and a big downside to limited competition when it comes to major exchanges.

Thanks to @tschwa2 for sharing good info in this thread.

Not only do you have to compare weeks and points accounts, you also want to check any accounts you have with a cross over grid because using rci and exchanging in can have vastly different all in cost depending not only on what you own but how you exchange in.

 

[escanoe]

This is also a very good point. If it is a high value week at prime place, my HGVC account sometimes offers the best value. I don’t always do this because I seldom use RCI for top weeks at top places AND I do not have as much of a cushion (extra points available) in my HGVC account as I do my RCI holdings.

Not only do you have to compare weeks and points accounts, you also want to check any accounts you have with a cross over grid because using rci and exchanging in can have vastly different all in cost depending not only on what you own but how you exchange in.