SDO / Interval

[jcanuck]

Hi everyone - thanks to TUG bought my first timeshare last year (resale SDO - 2 bedroom). Set up an II account and then (excuse if the terminology is wrong) designated my week for exchange / deposited into II.

Q1 - I presume this meant that going to my home resort is no longer an option, as I've elected to exchange my week, correct?

Been browsing the Interval site (mostly to see if I can trade into Hawaii - last year's visit to WKORV got me hooked on Westin). Never seen anything at the times I look - is it worth calling?

Q2 - can someone explain the "request first option" as I believe I read this is the preferred strategy to get the best chance of finding the resort you want- if I pick the specific resort (i.e. WKORV) and give a window of say (Jan to March 2012), then II will automatically book a week for me if one comes available.. If indeed this happens, is it "final".. i.e. I need to be sure of my window because I lose control once I submit the request.. or is there an option to accept/decline. Should I be using this option 12 months out or as soon as I can commit?

Q3 - just to try the system out - exchanged half of my 2 bd (i.e. 1 bdrm) and got a 2 bdrm at WMH - going to take young twins (4 yrs old) and grandparents (i.e. babysitters) to Palm Springs mid-January. Never been to this resort or to Palm Springs but can likely convince my twins that it's "Hawaii" but a little colder. Any recommended activities for young family - is this resort a good choice for us? Guess we'll find out.

Q4 - Presumably unused weeks carry over - but if I end up with a week I don't want, can I rent it.. I expect I can rent the SDO week (it's mine), but not once I dump it into II?

Thanks all -

 

[Captron]

Good questions.

Hi everyone - thanks to TUG bought my first timeshare last year (resale SDO - 2 bedroom). Set up an II account and then (excuse if the terminology is wrong) designated my week for exchange / deposited into II.


Been browsing the Interval site (mostly to see if I can trade into Hawaii - last year's visit to WKORV got me hooked on Westin). Never seen anything at the times I look - is it worth calling?

Online inventory is exactly the same as the phone inventory so I think not.

Q2 - can someone explain the "request first option" as I believe I read this is the preferred strategy to get the best chance of finding the resort you want- if I pick the specific resort (i.e. WKORV) and give a window of say (Jan to March 2012), then II will automatically book a week for me if one comes available.. If indeed this happens, is it "final".. i.e. I need to be sure of my window because I lose control once I submit the request.. or is there an option to accept/decline. Should I be using this option 12 months out or as soon as I can commit?



a. The online/phone inventory is the "leftovers" after all the ongoing searches have been filled. When you do not get a match online a page appears that automatically asks you if you would like to enter an ongoing search. YOU DO! Then, when a unit is deposited that matches your criteria you automatically get matched to it - behind the scenes by the computer- and that unit NEVER appears on online/phone inventory. (IF you are the ranking request for that unit for that week, and with the Starwood priority that helps with this. If you are not the ranking request, you become one closer to the top of the list)

b. You must request an ongoing search with a same or larger unit to the one you want. For example, you can not deposit the other half of your unit and request an ongoing search for a 2BR unit. You would have to do that manually. You have 24 hours from when the match is completed to decline it at no charge (please confirm this). You need to check your email frequently to see if you get an notice though. I have missed them before. Also, if you request notification by mail - you won't have the notification until after it is a done deal.

c. You are really late for spring 2012. Spring is high demand time in Hawaii for many reasons, including the whales. Chances of getting an exchange for then at this time are slim to none. You would be basically hoping for a cancellation. You should have your search in more than a year ahead to increase your chances of getting a match. Give as large a time and resort match list as you can to increase your chances of getting a match. There are several quality resorts in Hawaii and you will only increase your chances of getting a match by listing as many as possible. The Hawaii forums and resort reviews can help you select appropriate ones for you. You should be looking at your 2013 plans NOW and entering an ongoing search that fits your time frame.


Q3 - just to try the system out - exchanged half of my 2 bd (i.e. 1 bdrm) and got a 2 bdrm at WMH - going to take young twins (4 yrs old) and grandparents (i.e. babysitters) to Palm Springs mid-January. Never been to this resort or to Palm Springs but can likely convince my twins that it's "Hawaii" but a little colder. Any recommended activities for young family - is this resort a good choice for us? Guess we'll find out.

Others here will be better able to answer this one.

Q4 - Presumably unused weeks carry over - but if I end up with a week I don't want, can I rent it.. I expect I can rent the SDO week (it's mine), but not once I dump it into II?

Weeks like this are "use it or lose it" within your use year unless you deposit with an exchange company. Deposited with the exchange company you potentially have a 30 mo window for exchanging that week. You can rent out "your" unit but you cannot rent out anything obtained through an exchange company - it is contrary to their rules and can have the match cancelled and even have your membership revoked and be banned for life, if caught.


Thanks all -

I hope this helps. Please continue to ask and learn.

 

[LisaRex]

Q1 - I presume this meant that going to my home resort is no longer an option, as I've elected to exchange my week, correct?

If you haven't completed an II exchange, you can reverse your deposit, but there are restrictions, and you have to use it before the use year ends. Here's the verbiage from Starwood re my most recent II deposit.

CHANGE YOUR MIND?
Sometimes plans change. If you have assigned your week to Interval International, and later choose to stay at your Home Resort or travel through the Starwood Vacation Network program** to another Starwood Vacation Ownership resort for your current or future Use Year, simply cancel your pending exchange requests with Interval International. For complete information about reinstating your Use Rights with Starwood Vacation Ownership, please contact Owner Services.

And you can always book your home resort through II. If you split your lockout, you can sometimes get 2 weeks.

Been browsing the Interval site (mostly to see if I can trade into Hawaii - last year's visit to WKORV got me hooked on Westin). Never seen anything at the times I look - is it worth calling?

Your best bet is to enter an Ongoing Request. Your second best bet is to check II every day. Your third best bet is to bookmark the "Sightings/Distressed" board here on Tug and be prepared to book as soon as a Westin sighting is reported.

 

[DeniseM]

Some of the info. you have received here is incorrect - the rules changed in Aug. 2009 - there is a sticky at the top of the forum with more info.

*You have up to 30 mos. to use a week your have deposited with II - all exchange assignments expire on June 30th two years after the use year.

*"Deposit first" no longer exists with Starwood deposits - ALL deposits are "request first" under the 2009 rules (except TRUE fixed weeks.).

*You CAN get your SDO deposit back - but I wouldn't do it. SDO is a weak rental - it has far more value as a trader.​

As stated above, the problem you are having is that you are only looking at the "leftovers" when you look at the online inventory. All "on-going requests" are filled, before anything goes online, so the best exchanges are snagged with ongoing requests.

Now that you have used half your lock-off for an exchange, you can only put in an on-going request for a 1 bdm. with your CURRENT deposit - you cannot request a 2 bdm. with a 1 bdm. deposit, but remember, on Jan. 1, the 2013 week will be available for exchange.

More info. about how to trade (from the Owner Resources Sticky at the top of the page) - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=672349&postcount=2

 

[LJT]

Hawaii available

Just FYI, I happened to be on II today and was able to see WKORV, WKORVN, and WPORV available Jan - June so sometimes the leftovers aren't so bad. Just wish I could squeeze in another HI trip but alas only FL in January!

 

[susan6103]

SDO exchange for Okanagan in Canada

We really want to exchange our SDO for something in the Okanagan/Kelowna area for the summer of 2012. However, I am discovering that a lot of Canadian timeshares are registered with RCI and not so much with II?

Is it worth signing up for RCI instead of II or both?
Is it really that much harder to try and trade Starwood with RCI?

 

[DeniseM]

RCI is totally points based, and the problem is that SDO doesn't get many points in RCI. Someone just reported that they get 19 TPU (points) for the small side of the lock-off.

With II - ALL Starwood oweners have first priority for Starwood to Starwood trades, so that is why SDO is a more powerful trader in II.

 

[susan6103]

problem solved

Well, it seems I have solved my own problem.

I was looking on II and found an amazing exchange i could not pass up.
I got a 2bdrm Westin Ka'anapali for August/September in exchange for my SDO.

So to heck with the Okanagan - I say ALOHA !!!

 

[DeniseM]

Well, it seems I have solved my own problem.

I was looking on II and found an amazing exchange i could not pass up.
I got a 2bdrm Westin Ka'anapali for August/September in exchange for my SDO.

So to heck with the Okanagan - I say ALOHA !!!

Perfect example of the trading power in II! Congrats!

 

[gnorth16]

Well done Susan!!!

We used to live in Edmonton and wanted to take a trip back to Alberta and spend some time in the BC interior. Aside from Fairmont Hot Springs, there was not alot out there , so we traded into Cancun (Westin Lagunamar 2BR) and Orlando (Marriott Grande Vista 3BR) from a 2BR SDO L/O instead.

We plan on depositing 2013 as a 2BR (not splitting the L/O) and trying for Hawaii. It is very nice to see SDO trading into Hawaii!!!

 

[susan6103]

exchange?

my husband does not know yet that I signed us up for Maui again...just in case it does not work out wondering what my options are other than cancelling the exchange with II.

So, now that I have my exchange with II -
I know I can't rent my II exchange that I got BUT can I do a straight exchange for it? (no money to change hands)

 

[DeniseM]

Susan - Under the II rules, you cannot get anything of value for your exchange, although it does happen quietly sometimes. Advertising it is what usually gets people in trouble.

I'm going to send you a pm with additional info.

 

[hellolani]

trading likelyhood?

Instead of starting a new thread, I hope it's ok to ask a different question in the same vein. I've just deposited my 2011 1 BR SDO week with II (with thanks to all the great advice that got me this far) and put in a request for WKOR / N June30 to mid August 2012.

Would anyone be able to comment on what my chances are?

 

[DeniseM]

Instead of starting a new thread, I hope it's ok to ask a different question in the same vein. I've just deposited my 2011 1 BR SDO week with II (with thanks to all the great advice that got me this far) and put in a request for WKOR / N June30 to mid August 2012.

Would anyone be able to comment on what my chances are?

I think you chances are good, but would be better if you included the south phase, and would be excellent if you included Princeville.

 

[hellolani]

Thank you!

Ah, I see I've buggered up the acronyms. The request includes WKORV, WKORV/N but not Princeville, which I can fix by calling in tomorrow. Would you mind ranking the 3 in order of your preference just for my edification Denise? Any comments on how you ranked them as well? TIA!

 

[lily28]

I have an ongoing request for 2 bedroom late June for either Maui resort since 3/11 but no luck yet. do you think I have a chance of getting a 2 bedroom? thanks