SFX Questions

[rickandcindy23]

People have mixed results with SFX, either love them or hate them.

An exchange is not free, there are membership costs and exchange fees to pay. Even if you get the free account, they charge more for exchanges. No different from Interval or RCI IMO. I don't like that you can't see their inventory, only the excess stuff 90 days out.


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I definitely agree that the inability to search online is part of my problem with SFX. Sometimes I see something on II that I never even knew I wanted, and there it is, sitting online for the taking.

I keep trying to be a person who can travel last-minute, but I just cannot do it. We have always planned well over a year out. Our trips are planned through summer of 2018 already. SFX has told me they have virtually no inventory for 2018.

We do vacation 10-12 weeks per year. You would think SFX could help me with one of my trips.

 

[JustynaC]

There just aren't many good quality timeshares in the places you are looking for. It won't matter which exchange company you use - if there aren't any timeshares in that location, you aren't going to get an exchange.

HGVC has a Tuscany location, but they only trade in RCI. The timeshares you mentioned that you own all trade in II. You can try a direct exchange with another owner here on Tug.

Do you have the option with Marriott or Four Seasons to exchange your timeshare week for hotel stays? It won't be a good value, but at least you know you'll get what you want without having to wait around for an exchange to come through.

I also have an RCI account through El Cid Marina Beach & Yacht Club. I get 154,000 points each year. I'll check through RCI about the HGVC. I cannot use my timeshare week for Marriott Reward points with Marriott (they don't honor that with resale properties), but I can with Four Seasons. I'd love to do an exchange with a fellow Tugger! I'll do that when I get closer to a year or so out. Thank you for your input!

 

[hurnik]

I definitely agree that the inability to search online is part of my problem with SFX. Sometimes I see something on II that I never even knew I wanted, and there it is, sitting online for the taking.

I keep trying to be a person who can travel last-minute, but I just cannot do it. We have always planned well over a year out. Our trips are planned through summer of 2018 already. SFX has told me they have virtually no inventory for 2018.

We do vacation 10-12 weeks per year. You would think SFX could help me with one of my trips.

I believe the main reason for limited availability for on-line searching with SFX is:
a) They are a boutique Exchange company, nowhere near as large as RCI or II
b) As such, they only show "excess" inventory. Everything else is scooped up (exchange requests that people already put in ) and thus, never shows on line. Try looking online for RCI for Key West. You'll almost never see anything "online". Put an OGS search on, on the other hand ....

I personally use SFX mainly for their strong Vidanta inventory. But everyone's plans/etc are different. If airfare wasn't so darn high where I live, I'd love to take advantage of the last minute deals with SFX.

But you can feel free to post over at the other forum and Mark will generally respond in a day or two (excluding weekends).

 

[JustynaC]

I believe the main reason for limited availability for on-line searching with SFX is:
a) They are a boutique Exchange company, nowhere near as large as RCI or II
b) As such, they only show "excess" inventory. Everything else is scooped up (exchange requests that people already put in ) and thus, never shows on line. Try looking online for RCI for Key West. You'll almost never see anything "online". Put an OGS search on, on the other hand ....

I personally use SFX mainly for their strong Vidanta inventory. But everyone's plans/etc are different. If airfare wasn't so darn high where I live, I'd love to take advantage of the last minute deals with SFX.

But you can feel free to post over at the other forum and Mark will generally respond in a day or two (excluding weekends).

Thank you, Hurnik. Which other forum are you referring to? I'm hoping that I can exchange one of my Marriott's or Four Seasons to book Key West. I was stationed there in the early 70's and would love to get back. I know that it is nothing like the little fishing village that it once was, and it will be a complete shock to me, but I loved it there! Last minute deals are also difficult for me.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I never know what to ask for with SFX, but I am going to call in the next few days and tell them I want anything in several areas, then I will list all of the areas I want, and see if I can get something while on the phone. We can fly anywhere free, so I might as well give it a shot. I have almost nothing planned for the entire summer. Might as well give SFX another try. Those weeks I have on deposit are going to expire, and I am going to be very upset when that happens. The lack of communication is really something.

My niece needs Maui or the Big Island and the end of the summer or Thanksgiving. Let's see what they can do for her. Honestly, I could take a week in San Francisco this summer and not be too upset about going to San Francisco.

 

[John Cummings]

SFX does not rely only on deposits like RCI and II. When you request a week they will proactively search for it by trading with RCI, etc, or getting a developer week, etc. Some of my SFX exchanges were weeks they acquired from RCI. Any inventory that you see online are weeks that nobody wants that will end up on their sell off list.

 

[BennyBoy00]

SFX apparently maintains an inventory of weeks that they don't post online. I was depositing a week at the end of last year, and over the phone they said they had summer weeks that they could immediately confirm me into Las Vegas or Grand Mayan which were the two areas I was looking for. Neither of those showed availability online, but they found them over the phone.

 

[JustynaC]

Great to know! Thank you!

 

[hurnik]

Thank you, Hurnik. Which other forum are you referring to? I'm hoping that I can exchange one of my Marriott's or Four Seasons to book Key West. I was stationed there in the early 70's and would love to get back. I know that it is nothing like the little fishing village that it once was, and it will be a complete shock to me, but I loved it there! Last minute deals are also difficult for me.

Sure thing, here you go:

http://www.timeshareforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/69-Ask-Sfx

 

[hurnik]

I never know what to ask for with SFX, but I am going to call in the next few days and tell them I want anything in several areas, then I will list all of the areas I want, and see if I can get something while on the phone. We can fly anywhere free, so I might as well give it a shot. I have almost nothing planned for the entire summer. Might as well give SFX another try. Those weeks I have on deposit are going to expire, and I am going to be very upset when that happens. The lack of communication is really something.

My niece needs Maui or the Big Island and the end of the summer or Thanksgiving. Let's see what they can do for her. Honestly, I could take a week in San Francisco this summer and not be too upset about going to San Francisco.

When you call, ask for Nathan Reynolds at ext. 1113. Tell him Kevin said "hi" and he'll take good care of you.
I'd say you have a better chance at Big Island vs. Maui (only because Maui is hard to get into to be honest).

 

[JustynaC]

Called RCI today, and they told me they have no properties in Key West. Time to go elsewhere.

 

[Emily Garaty]

SFX did well by us; we used them twice to exchange our (since sold) 2 bd SBP unit into the Sloane Garden Club in London.

We got what we wanted from them and they were easy to work with. Which is a pretty good recommendation.]

I have deposited 2 weeks from El Deraldo Royal Playa Del Carmen lookin

SFX did well by us; we used them twice to exchange our (since sold) 2 bd SBP unit into the Sloane Garden Club in London.

We got what we wanted from them and they were easy to work with. Which is a pretty good recommendation.

Any advice do we need to keep on them? I have deposited 2 weeks from our El Deraldo Royale Playa Del Carmen and looking for exchange to HGV Honolulu for next year anytime and its the first time so we dont know how it works? Will we get much notice?

 

[hurnik]

Normally when you put a request in with SFX they will email/call you when a match is found. At least I've gotten both email and a phone call, as they usually put the room on a 24-hour hold for you to confirm/deny the match. Note though that you'll owe the exchange fee even if you deny the match.

When was your HGVC Honolulu request for? All HGVC resorts there, or particular ones like the Lagoon Tower?

 

[hurnik]

Called RCI today, and they told me they have no properties in Key West. Time to go elsewhere.

RCI has 4 resorts in Key West, I believe. They may not have had availability when you called. Key West, almost nobody has availability just sitting there, it's kinda like DVC where you have to put an OGS search in. I put my OGS for Key West (The Galleon Resort) 10+ months prior and about 3 months out had 2 matches.

Interval had some sighting for the Galleon well before RCI though (although maybe I was bottom of the list).

I think Interval has potential access to the Hyatt resorts in Key West (RCI does not).

 

[JustynaC]

RCI has 4 resorts in Key West, I believe. They may not have had availability when you called. Key West, almost nobody has availability just sitting there, it's kinda like DVC where you have to put an OGS search in. I put my OGS for Key West (The Galleon Resort) 10+ months prior and about 3 months out had 2 matches.

Interval had some sighting for the Galleon well before RCI though (although maybe I was bottom of the list).

I think Interval has potential access to the Hyatt resorts in Key West (RCI does not).

Thank You! I'll have to check with my RCI and Interval accounts.

 

[Emily Garaty]

Normally when you put a request in with SFX they will email/call you when a match is found. At least I've gotten both email and a phone call, as they usually put the room on a 24-hour hold for you to confirm/deny the match. Note though that you'll owe the exchange fee even if you deny the match.

When was your HGVC Honolulu request for? All HGVC resorts there, or particular ones like the Lagoon Tower?

Ok thank you originally I asked for lagoon tower for June 2018 but they did advise me that maybe difficult so I have just asked for anything in HGV and anytime 2018 we dont really mind on dates we just wanted 2 weeks at that resort and lagoon tower if possible

 

[hurnik]

Ok thank you originally I asked for lagoon tower for June 2018 but they did advise me that maybe difficult so I have just asked for anything in HGV and anytime 2018 we dont really mind on dates we just wanted 2 weeks at that resort and lagoon tower if possible

Ah, OK. You'll probably have a decent chance of getting at least one week. Two might be a bit more tricky, but they probably get more deposits for Honolulu and Waikoloa than they do for say, Maui.

 

[Go2Guy]

I read this thread because I'm looking for a better understanding of what's ahead for me. I recently bought into Vidanta and a large part of the incentives used to get us to buy included that our Vidanta shares will be highly valuable on the exchange market and can be used to trade (our 1 week at Vidanta even being worth 3 or 4 weeks at other resorts) for stays at virtually any other resort network like SF Exchange, Interval, RCI, etc, because these others are all considered lower value. They showed us books and books of beautiful resorts that would be available to us, and at that 1:3 ratio. Now I'm wondering if there is even much inventory available in these other depositories? One of the other main reasons we agreed to buy Vidanta was that our shares at Worldmark are not actually usable due to overbooking 13 months out! We couldn't actually get reservations at places we really cared to go unless booking more than a year ahead. Is Interval or SFX a practical way to get to travel to places like Paris, Rome, Sicily, Barcelona, Amsterdam, NYC, Hawaii, Australia? Practically speaking, will we be able to sell a few weeks per year of our Grand Luxxe weeks in Mexico and thereby recoup part of our investment, or is there a glut of those Mexico weeks already on the market?
Thanks for any help, we're going through some of that buyer's remorse period...

 

[DeniseM]

Welcome - I'm afraid I don't have good news for you.

our 1 week at Vidanta even being worth 3 or 4 weeks at other resorts

I hate to tell you this, but they lied - your Vidanta week is not worth 3-4 weeks at other resorts.

Paris, Rome, Sicily, Barcelona, Amsterdam, NYC, Hawaii, Australia

These are difficult exchanges - more demand, than supply, and you don't have a strong trader.

Practically speaking, will we be able to sell a few weeks per year of our Grand Luxxe weeks in Mexico and thereby recoup part of our investment, or is there a glut of those Mexico weeks already on the market?

This is a common ploy used by TS sales people in Mexico. Unfortunately, the rental market in Mexico is flooded with cheap rentals, so except for high holiday weeks like Christmas and New Years, it's not really easy or profitable.

Are your already past the rescission period?

 

[Eric B]

I read this thread because I'm looking for a better understanding of what's ahead for me. I recently bought into Vidanta and a large part of the incentives used to get us to buy included that our Vidanta shares will be highly valuable on the exchange market and can be used to trade (our 1 week at Vidanta even being worth 3 or 4 weeks at other resorts) for stays at virtually any other resort network like SF Exchange, Interval, RCI, etc, because these others are all considered lower value. They showed us books and books of beautiful resorts that would be available to us, and at that 1:3 ratio. Now I'm wondering if there is even much inventory available in these other depositories? One of the other main reasons we agreed to buy Vidanta was that our shares at Worldmark are not actually usable due to overbooking 13 months out! We couldn't actually get reservations at places we really cared to go unless booking more than a year ahead. Is Interval or SFX a practical way to get to travel to places like Paris, Rome, Sicily, Barcelona, Amsterdam, NYC, Hawaii, Australia? Practically speaking, will we be able to sell a few weeks per year of our Grand Luxxe weeks in Mexico and thereby recoup part of our investment, or is there a glut of those Mexico weeks already on the market?
Thanks for any help, we're going through some of that buyer's remorse period...

I'm in a similar position as you, but my motivators are a bit different. We bought at Grand Luxxe because we loved the resort and value SFX as an option to use to stay at GL or the other Vidanta resorts for less than their usage fees. SFX has access to all of the Vidanta properties without the $11 per person per day fee that is applicable to RCI exchanges and without the 1 or 2 week a year limits. Since we own timeshares elsewhere, we can deposit a 2BR week with SFX and use it for a 2BR GL week for the SFX exchange fee ($149) plus a luxury fee ($299, I believe), which when combined with the lower MF at our other resort adds up to less than a typical usage fee. I believe there's a $75 additional fee when we check in and we don't get the golf and spa benefits we would using our GL weeks, but can stay there longer for less. After all, the value in a TS week is in using it....

As far as there being a glut of Vidanta weeks on SFX, I have only been using them for a bit less than a year and have never seen any on there web site. I think that's because they ordinarily access developer weeks through their relationship with Vidanta and the fact that the usage fees seem (at least to me) to be higher than typical timeshare MFs. Given that there aren't mandatory MFs at Vidanta and weeks are cheaper elsewhere, I don't plan on ever paying for an extra week to deposit w/SFX, but instead use weeks from elsewhere, which SFX gives you bonus weeks for as well. For example, someone just gave away a 4BR lockout in the bargain basement with a $785 annual MF; that can be deposited w/SFX as 2 weeks of 2 BR at $392.50, one of which could be used to book a 2 BR GL for another $448 plus a $75 resort fee for a total outlay of several hundred less than they have for the current usage fees (mine were $1350 last I heard for a GL loft studio unit, which is big enough for us typically - fees vary based on your contract, though; I understand it's closer to $2K for a 2BR suite or villa).

BTW, there are a number of GL weeks on RCI in the platinum priority access section right now with availability in the next 90 days. They show up there occasionally and seem to require minimal RCI points (<1000) and just an exchange fee plus the $11 per person per day resort fee. GL isn't typically on RCI, and I nay started noticing them there recently, but this seems an even more efficient way to stay there if you're ok with lower season stays. We're heading back down there next month for 250 RCI points plus $339....

 

[Go2Guy]

Hi Denise,
Thanks for chiming in so promptly, as time is indeed of the essence! We ARE still within our 5-day period. We don't particularly want to spend ANOTHER day of our 7-day vacation debating (and eventually arguing) with them -- I'm sure they would make sure it's a time-consuming process to rescind -- but it sounds like you think it is worth it to save ourselves much expense and heartache later? Ten's of thousands of dollars are at stake.

Do we absolutely need to go back to the site to accomplish rescission, or is there a way to do it by phone or in a written statement? If we absolutely have to go back, should we hire a Mexican attorney for a day to accompany us?

If it's recommended to rescind, what are the most solid reasons we can assert for insisting to do so? Importantly, is there a way we can provide evidence that there claims were lies?

Recapping, we relied on the following claims by Vidanta as our main justifications for buying in:
1. No more maintenance fees (which we pay at Worldmark)
2. High trade value among all timeshare networks (we were told only 2 individual resorts are higher than Vidanta network). Is there a way to prove that's not accurate?
3. Guaranteed availability in the 24-hour to 10 month booking window.
4. It seems crazy to spend 10's of thousands of dollars to buy into an ownership wherein you pay again to actually use the property; however, we were led to believe we could re-market the weeks for profit. To be fair, they did include for us 2 bonus "Privilege" weeks with no black out dates.
5. By agreeing to "give back" our weeks for them to use for their marketing purposes, they promised to give us $3,000 per unit x 2 units = $6,000 (which started as cash and was later clarified to be "Vida Dollars", which can be spent only on their website.)

One of the main reasons for buyer's remorse is that it's just so complicated. I don't make this a part time job just to figure it out. I didn't even understand the post by Eric responding to me, it's just so complicated. They promised us membership for 2 years in SFX, but nothing was said about costs of using Interval and it sounds like all the fees add up.

With the advent of the Airbnb-type industry -- and also just so many discounted hotel deals out there -- there's not so much reason to be tethered to a single Mexican timeshare, or any other.

THANK YOU!! We probably have to deal with this tomorrow...

Welcome - I'm afraid I don't have good news for you.



I hate to tell you this, but they lied - your Vidanta week is not worth 3-4 weeks at other resorts.



These are difficult exchanges - more demand, than supply, and you don't have a strong trader.



This is a common ploy used by TS sales people in Mexico. Unfortunately, the rental market in Mexico is flooded with cheap rentals, so except for high holiday weeks like Christmas and New Years, it's not really easy or profitable.

Are your already past the rescission period?

 

[presley]

Do we absolutely need to go back to the site to accomplish rescission, or is there a way to do it by phone or in a written statement? If we absolutely have to go back, should we hire a Mexican attorney for a day to accompany us?

Look in your paperwork. There should be instructions on how to cancel the sale. In the U.S., you never go back to the sales department. They are done through certified mail. I have no idea how they do things in Mexico, but make sure you find out and that you do whatever it says. Don't spend any of your time talking to the sales department. They will just try to talk you into keeping your purchase by offering you more incentives. You can get much better deals on the resale market.

 

[DeniseM]

Here is an article about cancelling your timeshare purchase, including a sample letter:

http://tug2.net/timeshare_advice/cancel_timeshare_purchase.html

-DO NOT go back to the sale office - they will only lie to you again and try to derail you.

-DO rescind by trackable mail.

-DO NOT make an excuse for rescinding - they have answers for all excuses. Simply say, "We are exercising our legal right to rescind." PERIOD

-Take a minute to read the complete article I posted above, for all the details.

 

[klpca]

Hi Denise,
Thanks for chiming in so promptly, as time is indeed of the essence! We ARE still within our 5-day period. We don't particularly want to spend ANOTHER day of our 7-day vacation debating (and eventually arguing) with them -- I'm sure they would make sure it's a time-consuming process to rescind -- but it sounds like you think it is worth it to save ourselves much expense and heartache later? Ten's of thousands of dollars are at stake.

Do we absolutely need to go back to the site to accomplish rescission, or is there a way to do it by phone or in a written statement? If we absolutely have to go back, should we hire a Mexican attorney for a day to accompany us?
...

Also see this thread in the Mexico forum. I know that it is long, but there is probably some additional Vidanta info in there. http://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?...nding-a-mexican-timeshare-presentation.61829/

But what Denise & Presley told you are the best advice.

 

[HudsHut]

Go2Guy!
Thank your lucky stars you found TUG. Now, rescind immediately. Do not go back in. You'll have to get yourself off property to find the post office and mail the letter. Do not give any reason. No need to.
Just write short / simple statement:
We wish to rescind contract # 123
Signed,
spouse 1
spouse 2


Your WorldMark is one of the best timeshares out there. You just haven't learned how to use it. Save your money and join us at at
http://www.wmowners.com/forum/
you need a crash course in WorldMark

To answer your questions about Europe, it is not easy to trade into timeshares there because they aren't located where American tourists want to go.
They are mostly located in the country. The exception is the South of Spain and Canary Islands, those are flooded with timeshare.

So, you use your timeshare where it makes sense, and you rent from VRBO/Homeaway when it doesn't. That gets you an apartment right smack in the part of town you want to be, walking distance to the main attractions in every city.