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SDO Trading Power

toddvb20

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It's been a while since I've looked into timesharing. We've rented a few and have enjoyed it very much. Just got back from Grand Solmar at Land's End in Cabo San Lucas and it got me thinking again.

A few years ago, before the change from Starwood to Vistana, Starwood to Marriott etc., there was a strategy to use a SDO 2 BDR LO 1-52 as a trader to get into the Maui Westins and other top end resorts. Is that still a viable strategy?

I'm also wondering if anyone has successfully traded into Grand Solmar with a SDO unit. The time frame I would be looking to stay would be late April to through mid November.

Thanks for your help. If this has been discussed in a different thread, please point me in the right direction.

Thanks!
 

jabberwocky

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Several people have been reporting success with it as a trader, although it is mainly 1BRs that are available at the Maui resorts with Vistana preference. With my SDO I can see all of these resorts and even some good Marriott to make on ongoing request, but thus far I've only used our SDO week - never traded in II. Others can probably be more helpful. Generally people are finding that owning SO's is a more reliable way to get to Maui than trading through II.

A recent relevant threads might help you out:

https://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php...voluntary-and-trading-with-preference.288491/
 

siesta

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I've owned SDO 1-52 for nearly 10 years now, never stayed there always trade. I used three small side 1brs to exchange into three 2brs at Westin Nanea for a stay this past December 2018. I've always found it to be a great trader.
 

PamMo

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In my experience, SDO is still a good trader, especially when you split it into two 1BR units. I recently used the smaller side of my SDO unit (different years) to get two back-to-back weeks in a 2BR at Nanea for 2020. I can see 1 & 2BR units in Grand Solmar at Land's End during the time frame you're looking at (late April through mid-November is NOT high season in Cabo). I actually wouldn't mind picking up another SDO unit myself...
 

rickandcindy23

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Yes, I was going to say that I could post a sighting in the sightings/distressed forum of the inventory for Solmar Land's End. A lot of one bedrooms and studios, but not winter. Maybe those haven't banked yet.
 

PamMo

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Cindy, there aren't many winter and early spring weeks deposited. Like Vistana, Solmar controls all their deposits, and they like to keep the good weeks to themselves. Even if you own a fixed week, you get a generic deposit and won't see it come up in Interval.
 

toddvb20

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Thank you all for your replies. I think I might have to go shopping :). I do have a couple more questions:

1: I should be looking for a 2 BR LO week 1-52, correct? I understand they are rare but are the "true platinum" units worth pursuing?
2: If I would deposit a SDO week would that have to be "taken" before I could book at Solmar or the Maui Westins?
3: With interval, if I owned a SDO week and traded for a Solmar week could I let someone else use that week or would I have to be the one staying there. I seem to recall a thread years ago that discussed this and this might be a no-no.

Again thank you all! Also, if my questions have been discussed in a previous thread, please point me in the right direction.
 

PamMo

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1. My 1-52 week SDO works fine as a trade in Interval. A true platinum week reportedly does a bit better.

2. You can do an instant exchange without depositing your unit. Some Tuggers search for good trades every day, and can catch a great unit right when it's input into the Interval database. You can deposit your unit and place an ongoing request, too.

3. You can trade into Grand Solmar and use that week, or you can give that week to family or friends, but you can not rent the week out. It's against Interval rules, and your account could be suspended.
 

jabberwocky

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You can probably pick up a 1-52 SDO for free or next to it. A true plat will take time and cost a few grand more since they give you a better shot at booking a spring training week. If you are wanting this solely for trading I would stick to a 2BR 1-52 week since the marginal gain in trading power is probably not worth it.
 

toddvb20

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1. My 1-52 week SDO works fine as a trade in Interval. A true platinum week reportedly does a bit better.

2. You can do an instant exchange without depositing your unit. Some Tuggers search for good trades every day, and can catch a great unit right when it's input into the Interval database. You can deposit your unit and place an ongoing request, too.

3. You can trade into Grand Solmar and use that week, or you can give that week to family or friends, but you can not rent the week out. It's against Interval rules, and your account could be suspended.

If you let a friend use it could you get the related maintenance fee paid back to you?
 

PamMo

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That's between you and your friend. Interval and RCI state that exchanges are for members' personal use. They don't want members to turn exchanged weeks into a commercial enterprise.
 

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Gold vs Platinum Trading Power: I own 2 small 1 bedroom gold units and 1 small 1 bedroom Platinum. I have only acquired these in the past year, but here is my experience:

Trading in II: I always search with my platinum unit first. If I find something of interest, I check to see if I can pull the same unit with my gold units. It is rare that the Platinum pulls a unit that my gold can not also see. In my opinion, based on my recent experience, there is no point paying extra $$ for a Platinum if your plan is to trade in II.

Booking Peak at SDO: This is where the Platinum unit starts showing its weight. In recent weeks, I was looking for winter 2020 weeks. My gold could still book a number of good winter weeks, but their were several true peak weeks, I could not access. My platinum unit could book any week this coming winter and that is only 4 to 6 months out. This is where the value of the platinum shows.
 

jabberwocky

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Booking Peak at SDO: This is where the Platinum unit starts showing its weight. In recent weeks, I was looking for winter 2020 weeks. My gold could still book a number of good winter weeks, but their were several true peak weeks, I could not access. My platinum unit could book any week this coming winter and that is only 4 to 6 months out. This is where the value of the platinum shows.

I think this is probably true for one bedroom units. If you are looking to book both sides of a 2BR unit then there will be some pretty good competition for spring break weeks. Regardless, the plat units are definitely better if you are wanting to book at SDO itself during the winter.
 

ski_sierra

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Trading in II: I always search with my platinum unit first. If I find something of interest, I check to see if I can pull the same unit with my gold units. It is rare that the Platinum pulls a unit that my gold can not also see. In my opinion, based on my recent experience, there is no point paying extra $$ for a Platinum if your plan is to trade in II.
Can you tell where you saw the difference?

It's also likely that for stuff that's in open inventory, the trade power difference is not noticeable. It could make a difference for OGS. In case of trying to get a school holiday week, the higher trade power could put you ahead in line compared to the vanilla SDO.
 

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I can pull good mid-winter ski weeks at a number quality ski resorts with both. Skiing being my real passion makes this important. But neither gold or platinum can pull a week 7 ski week, and neither could pull a good ski week at Whistler. Both can get me decent weeks at the Sheraton Steamboat and early season Snowbird.
 

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true platinum SDO is only worth it if you stay there regularly for spring break or buy a developer unit and retro the platinum (if they are still even doing that).
 

toddvb20

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If you're going to use SDO as a trader in interval does it make any difference what your deeded week is at SDO?
 

siesta

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If you're going to use SDO as a trader in interval does it make any difference what your deeded week is at SDO?
if it is a 1-52, it doesn't matter what your deeded week is. You deposit a unit with with blended trading power.
 

Ski-Dad

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If you're going to use SDO as a trader in interval does it make any difference what your deeded week is at SDO?
No difference, just matters which window(s) it floats in.
 

toddvb20

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Does the trading power come from the fact that it's a 2 bdr lockoff or the fact that it's SDO. Say if I picked up a 1 bedroom would that give the same trading power on interval? I'm guessing part of the benefit of a two bdr is it gives you 2 weeks but if you don't necessarily need two weeks is getting the 2 bdr worth it or opt for a 1 bdr? Also, does the premium have more trading power than the "non premium" side(for lack of a better term). Thanks again!
 

bizaro86

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Does the trading power come from the fact that it's a 2 bdr lockoff or the fact that it's SDO. Say if I picked up a 1 bedroom would that give the same trading power on interval? I'm guessing part of the benefit of a two bdr is it gives you 2 weeks but if you don't necessarily need two weeks is getting the 2 bdr worth it or opt for a 1 bdr? Also, does the premium have more trading power than the "non premium" side(for lack of a better term). Thanks again!

The premium has slightly but not dramatically more trading power than the 1 bedroom deluxe. I've noticed it sometimes on very high value stuff (some 2 bedroom marriott/hyatt units).

The advantage of a 2 bedroom is that the MF of the 2 bedroom is less than getting the two 1 bedroom units separately.
 

siesta

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The premium has slightly but not dramatically more trading power than the 1 bedroom deluxe. I've noticed it sometimes on very high value stuff (some 2 bedroom marriott/hyatt units).

The advantage of a 2 bedroom is that the MF of the 2 bedroom is less than getting the two 1 bedroom units separately.
They other advantage of the 2 bedroom is that you can put an ongoing request in for a 2bedroom if you deposit a 2bedroom unit. If you split the units, you can exchange a 1br for a 2br and pay an upgrade fee, but you can't put in an ongoing request for a 2bedroom.
 

toddvb20

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I won an ebay auction last night for a SDO 2 BDR LO weeks 1-52. Anything I should request from the seller before closing or any other words of wisdom? The seller is Discount Timeshares. Thanks!!!
 

vacationtime1

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I won an ebay auction last night for a SDO 2 BDR LO weeks 1-52. Anything I should request from the seller before closing or any other words of wisdom? The seller is Discount Timeshares. Thanks!!!

You should absolutely demand an estoppel (Vistana calls it a "Resale Information Sheet") to verify that the unit is in fact a 2bd SDO weeks 1-52 and that MF's are current. Make sure it is prepared by Vistana, not the seller.

You would prefer to have an independent escrow company handle the transaction, but that will probably not happen inasmuch as it is an eBay deal and most large eBay sellers have captive escrow companies that follow the seller's instructions. But you shouldn't have too much $$ at stake here.
 

jabberwocky

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I won an ebay auction last night for a SDO 2 BDR LO weeks 1-52. Anything I should request from the seller before closing or any other words of wisdom? The seller is Discount Timeshares. Thanks!!!

Congratulations! Ideally the Resale Information Sheet should have been requested prior to bidding. If you can put the purchase on a credit card as that would give you a bit more protection should something go sideways (I'm guessing there are small amounts at stake here). Process should be relatively quick as there is no ROFR at SDO.
 
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