Strategy for buying Palm Desert or Scottsdale week for Summer use

[DeniseM]

I am in a similar situation as the OP. Looking for either WKV or Marriott Canyon Villas at Desert Ridge. (Am I allowed to say Marriott in this Starwood thread?). Our time of travel allows us to go only in summer months and we have loved the desert in July / August. We travel with 7 of us. I am a member of II already so have access to getaways.

my questions:
1) Do 2 bedrooms come up in getaways? I need a 2 bedroom unit with the size of our family.

Yes, but mostly off-season - but since summer is off-season for Scottsdale, should work for you.

2) If I were to purchase a WKV I see that the advice is to buy a platinum rather than a silver. Can you book a summer week even though you dont own in that season?

The reason to buy a Plat week is that you get a LOT more Staroptions - for the same maintenance fee. You could EASILY book a summer week, but why? If you want a summer week, use the strategy in this thread. Buying an expensive TS for summer in the desert is over-kill.

3) I cant reserve my week until my step-kids day books his holidays which usually happens in January so I cant book until January / February. Am I still better off buying a SDO and trading?

thanks for your advice!!

Yes - once you reach Jan. - Feb. you lose your owner's priority anyway because you are within 8 mos. of check-in.

Go back and read this whole thread - it all applies to you. There is a glut of summer availability in II the Scottsdale area - right now there are 17 resorts with multiple weeks (including WKV and Marriott.) Absolutely no need to buy an expensive resort for access to summer inventory.

 

[M&JJ]

Thanks Denise

I have read this thread with great interest and your advice is always helpful.

I took a look online at II using a week I have on deposit (Polo Towers 2bdrm lockoff) and the selection using that trader is poor. Neither WKV or the Marriott come up - even for a 1bdrm. The 2bdrm units are not at places I want to stay. I have used this unit in the past to get in to both the WKV and the Marriott through II and these were booked in January of the past few years.

I am working on divesting myself of my Polo Towers units and considering replacing with a unit that will give me access to (if not direct ownership) at either of these two.

 

[marmite]

I know that there are a lot of different factors that influence how long closing takes, one of them being the County the deed is in, but what do you think the ballpark would likely be on my SDO closing? Based on what you've seen with the Tuggers buying SDO? With my Disney purchase, there was the ROFR hurdle, but since SDO doesn't have that, I was thinking this might be quick? ie. 6 weeks? Is that far too optimistic?

I am wondering at what point do you start hounding someone to see where it is in the process. Are there ways to help things keep 'moving a long', or is it all a waiting game?

Thanks.

 

[LisaRex]

Depends on the closing company. My recent SVV transaction was processed within a week.

 

[marmite]

Bear with me here, I just read 3 different threads that 'somewhat' apply to what I might want to do but didn't want to hijack someone else's thread with my ramblings... so here it is...

Since SDO trades with both RCI and II, I assume it is true that I have to CHOOSE between the two as I only will have 1 2bdr lockoff to register. I can't register with both RCI and II, yet deposit the 1bdr portion in RCI, and the studio portion in the Interval, can I?

Since I can purchase getaways for Palm Desert summer weeks, there is really no need to trade my SDO for them. So that said, if I did not want to trade for a Starwood property, would I have an equal shot at trading for 1) Marriott Ko Olina or 2) a DVC week in II or RCI? Would one company give me a better chance or not at these trades? I do not know what the RCI TPU is on my unit or the places I wish to trade to.

Does RCI have an equivalent to the "getaways" in Marriott and Starwood? Just wondering if I could do just as well in RCI with the weeks I wish to 'buy' for Summer in Palm Desert.

Thanks as always.

 

[vacationtime1]

You may join both Interval and RCI and register your week with both. Each is happy to take your money. You can trade half of your lockout with Interval and use the other half; I don't know whether you may trade the second half through RCI the same year.

I cannot speak as to how well your week will trade with RCI. I used Interval with my SDO. Although its strength as a trader is based on the Starwood to Starwood preference, I was able to trade a small side SDO week for Hyatt Sierra Lodge during ski season and Marriott Newport Coast over spring break.

 

[DeniseM]

Bear with me here, I just read 3 different threads that 'somewhat' apply to what I might want to do but didn't want to hijack someone else's thread with my ramblings... so here it is...

Since SDO trades with both RCI and II, I assume it is true that I have to CHOOSE between the two as I only will have 1 2bdr lockoff to register. I can't register with both RCI and II, yet deposit the 1bdr portion in RCI, and the studio portion in the Interval, can I?

Yes you can.

Since I can purchase getaways for Palm Desert summer weeks, there is really no need to trade my SDO for them. So that said, if I did not want to trade for a Starwood property, would I have an equal shot at trading for 1) Marriott Ko Olina or 2) a DVC week in II or RCI? Would one company give me a better chance or not at these trades? I do not know what the RCI TPU is on my unit or the places I wish to trade to.

Marriott Ko'Olina is ONLY with II - this is going to be a tough trade.

DVC is ONLY with RCI - you may not have enough TPU for DVC.

Does RCI have an equivalent to the "getaways" in Marriott and Starwood?

Yes - they have off-season rentals, as well, but most Starwood resorts are not with RCI.

Just wondering if I could do just as well in RCI with the weeks I wish to 'buy' for Summer in Palm Desert.

You probably can't do as well in RCI, because SDO had mediocre value in RCI and doesn't have the Starwood to Starwood priority in II. Also, none of the top Starwood resorts are with RCI.

In general, RCI has more resorts, and II has a bit higher quality resorts.

 

[marmite]

I still can't believe DVC is in RCI. So sad!

I could always use some more DVC time... especially since Aulani and DCL take so many points. Oh well, I'll just have to borrow and bank to get that Aulani vacation.

 

[marmite]

I used Interval with my SDO. Although its strength as a trader is based on the Starwood to Starwood preference, I was able to trade a small side SDO week for Hyatt Sierra Lodge during ski season and Marriott Newport Coast over spring break.

Nice trades. Was that SDO a small Plat. or Gold float week?

 

[vacationtime1]

Nice trades. Was that SDO a small Plat. or Gold float week?

Gold float (1-52). But under Starwood's "old rules" for Interval deposits, I was able to reserve a specific week and deposit that week into Interval. Many of us learned to reserve a prime SDO week (i.e. March) to get maximum trading power. This is no longer permitted.

I don't know for certain whether the blended trading power of an SDO deposit under the new trading rules would still "see" HSL and NCV, although I suspect that it would.

 

[pointsjunkie]

if you use both sides separately you will be able to trade into DVC. and have leftover for another trip somewhere else.

 

[DeniseM]

if you use both sides separately you will be able to trade into DVC. and have leftover for another trip somewhere else.

I don't think that one side will have enough TPU's for DVC, will it?

From a recent post about DVC:

studios are typically valued around 22. 1BRs are 32. 2BRs are 36.

TPU's for an SDO Plat week-

I just banked a SDO lock off with RCI. The large unit gave me 25 TPU's, and the small unit 19 TPU's. I was not sure what to expect since it is the first time I banked my week.

Based on this, even if you deposit a large Plat (not 1-52 floating) you would only get enough TPU's for a studio at DVC. For DVC - I'd deposit both sides.

 

[marmite]

Clearly I still do not understand how II works

Okay, I am going to pick II to deposit with once Starwood has recognized me as the new owner. Providing that there REALLY is a 2011 week that has not been used, when do I have until to deposit it (is it December 31st 2011)?

Once it is deposited, how long do I have to use that week (until December 31st of 2012)?

Are there still 'extensions' that you can buy, and if so how many more months does that give you and at what cost?

THANK YOU!!!!

 

[DeniseM]

Okay, I am going to pick II to deposit with once Starwood has recognized me as the new owner. Providing that there REALLY is a 2011 week that has not been used, when do I have until to deposit it (is it December 31st 2011)?

YES

Once it is deposited, how long do I have to use that week (until December 31st of 2012)?

11. You have up to 30 mos. to use an exchange assignment - all exchange assignments expire on June 30th two years after the use year.

(See the II FAQ at the top of the forum for more info. about trading.)

I believe there is an extension, but I haven't used it - that info. may be in the stickies at the top of the Exchanging forum:
Exchange Company Info > Interval International

 

[marmite]

I am still watching SDO auctions, and want to monitor the prices in case I decide to buy another in the next year.

In regards to this one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sheraton-De...Timeshares&hash=item2a147be74e#ht_5822wt_1299

Is this auction for a Gold plus, float 1-52? It says unit Unit 107877, which I assume is 1077 and 1078.

I looked at the unit numbers (which don't look to be the ones you posted for Platinum), but when it says Deeded week 52, that doesn't really mean fixed anyhow, right? The person would not have rights to week 52 each year, would they?

I'm just wondering if this is a Platinum 2 bedroom, or Gold plus (like the one I bought).

Thanks.

 

[DeniseM]

All timeshares have a deeded week for recording purposes - that's all week 52 means.

Platinum weeks never float 1-52.

To be a true Platinum week at Sheraton Desert Oasis the unit number must be in this range-

1064, 1072, 1081-1100, 2064, 2072, 2081- 2100, 3064-3072, and 3081-3100

AND

the deeded week must be in this range: 1-21, 50-52

 

[marmite]

Thanks, Denise.

I am uncertain about how to fill out my membership info for Interval International. When I enter "Sheraton Desert Oasis", I get these choices:

Sheraton Desert Oasis • SDI

Sheraton Desert Oasis • SO1

Sheraton Desert Oasis - Gold • SI3

Sheraton Desert Oasis - Gold Plus/Red • SI2

Sheraton Desert Oasis - Platinum Plus • SI1



For my 2 bedroom float 1-52, do I pick "Sheraton Desert Oasis - Gold Plus/Red • SI2"?

I have no idea what SI2 means?

And there is a drop down that gets you to put in the unit. Do I pick a 2 bedroom and put in the first unit number?

Or, do I have to register each side of the lockoff separately, designating them each as a 1 bedroom?

Thank you.

 

[LisaRex]

Starwood should give you the code to enter.

 

[DeniseM]

For my 2 bedroom float 1-52, do I pick "Sheraton Desert Oasis - Gold Plus/Red • SI2"?

yes

I have no idea what SI2 means?

It's the designated trading value with II.

And there is a drop down that gets you to put in the unit. Do I pick a 2 bedroom and put in the first unit number?

Or, do I have to register each side of the lockoff separately, designating them each as a 1 bedroom?

If you are going to deposit the whole thing - then put in the 2 bdm. When you go to exchange it, it will give you the option of Using side A, B, or the whole 2 bdm.