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TPI , SFX, DAE , Platinum and RCI Am I free to deposit with anyone I want?

Nolathyme

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I own a fixed week. My resort is listed in the resort directory on the web site for Trading Places, SFX, DAE , Platinum and RCI.

Can I deposit with any exchange company that I want?

Does my resort have to be listed on the exchange company's web site in order to deposit with them?

Does the resort have any say (can they block my deposit) on who/when I can deposit my week with?

Do I have more rights because I have a fixed week over a floating week owner?
 

presley

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You can work with any of the exchange companies that you wish. The bigger ones, RCI and II, have some exclusivity agreements. However, the smaller companies will still take any of those resorts. For example, I own a property that trades with RCI. So, it won't trade in II. It will trade with SFX or Platinum, though. I haven't used the other smaller companies, but I am sure they would love my week.

I don't know what you mean by more rights with a fixed vs. float. Exchange companies require float owners to book a week before they deposit it. In the exchange company's eyes, a fixed or float makes no difference. It is the actual week # deposited that makes a difference.
 

DeniseM

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When you deposit with an independent, you don't even tell the resort that you are going to deposit. You simply make a reservation as if it were for yourself, and then deposit it with the exchange company. Some resorts will tell you that you can't - but they are blowing smoke.

However, if your resort is AFFILIATED with either II or RCI, but not the other one, you cannot choose the non-affiliated company.

Note that the small companies do not have the inventory that RCI and II do, and often, they don't have much, if any, inventory from the top resorts either (Westin, Sheraton, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott) because the top resorts are affiliated with II and RCI, so consider your options before you jump.

For instance, if you want DVC, you can ONLY get it with RCI, and most of the Westins and Marriotts are only with II.
 

Nolathyme

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When you deposit with an independent, you don't even tell the resort that you are going to deposit. You simply make a reservation as if it were for yourself, and then deposit it with the exchange company. Some resorts will tell you that you can't - but they are blowing smoke.

But you still have to coordinate with the resort to have them give your week to the exchange company...no?
 

presley

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But you still have to coordinate with the resort to have them give your week to the exchange company...no?

No. You fill out a deposit slip for the exchange company where you are making the deposit. They will call your home resort and verify that you have that week reserved and they put a hold on it. You never talk to your home resort about it.
 

hypnotiq

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So if the resort shows up on RCI or II does that mean its affililated? Or is there another method for determining affiliation?
 

presley

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So if the resort shows up on RCI or II does that mean its affililated? Or is there another method for determining affiliation?

That is one way. A few resorts are dual affiliated, like Villa L'auberge in Del Mar. My resort paperwork actually says the name of the companie(s) that they are affiliated with.
 

DeniseM

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But you still have to coordinate with the resort to have them give your week to the exchange company...no?

No you don't, and actually, you shouldn't even discuss it with them, because some resorts will try to tell you that you can't, when in reality, you have a legal right to do so. You make a reservation as if you were making it for yourself, and deposit that reservation. The Exchange Company contacts your resort to verify, and takes it from there.
 

T_R_Oglodyte

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But you still have to coordinate with the resort to have them give your week to the exchange company...no?
No you don't, and actually, you shouldn't even discuss it with them, because some resorts will try to tell you that you can't, when in reality, you have a legal right to do so. You make a reservation as if you were making it for yourself, and deposit that reservation. The Exchange Company contacts your resort to verify, and takes it from there.
Since you own a deeded week what I am going to say below does not apply to your situation. I mention it for future reference and to avoid confusion for someone else reading the thread who may be in a situation where it does apply.

There are some situations in which a person exercises their ownership through a club type of operation. Usually these are run by developers and operate almost like a mini-resort system. Some of these clubs require that the owner make all use arrangements (including exchanges) through the club itself. In those cases the owner is not free to make a reservation and deposit the week with whomever they want; an owner can only exchange outside the club network by using the club itself to interface with an exchange company. That means that the owner can only access whatever exchange company(s) the Club participates with.

An example of a club that operates in this fashion is the Diamond Resorts Club. I believe there are several others as well. This type of arrangement is most common with some of the larger "brand name" resort operations.

=======

[added note]: For added clarification, the above also assumes your deeded week is not part of one of those club operations. Again I refer to the Diamond Resorts club, where a person can own a deeded ownership and choose to have the deeded ownership be part of Diamond's club. When a deeded owner joins the Diamond Club, they give up the right to use to deposit the week with any exchange company for as long as they have the week included with their club membership.
 
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presley

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Since you own a deeded week what I am going to say below does not apply to your situation. I mention it for future reference and to avoid confusion for someone else reading the thread who may be in a situation where it does apply.

There are some situations in which a person exercises their ownership through a club type of operation. Usually these are run by developers and operate almost like a mini-resort system. Some of these clubs require that the owner make all use arrangements (including exchanges) through the club itself. In those cases the owner is not free to make a reservation and deposit the week with whomever they want; an owner can only exchange outside the club network by using the club itself to interface with an exchange company. That means that the owner can only access whatever exchange company(s) the Club participates with.

An example of a club that operates in this fashion is the Diamond Resorts Club. I believe there are several others as well. This type of arrangement is most common with some of the larger "brand name" resort operations.
Good point! Disney Vacation Club also requires members to do everything through them.
 

Carolinian

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However, sometimes an independent exchange company may be a better bet to trade in certain places.

If you want to go to one of the more difficult locations to trade into, London, for example it is good to trade through SFX, which has a timeshare resort there which does not trade through either RCI or II, Sloan Gardens, which dumped RCI for SFX a few years ago. SFX got me a 2BR there.

Some have areas of concentration like HTSE in Hawaii.

Some have good inventory in hard to get places like SFX in San Francisco and Manhattan Club. Indeed at the latter, if you trade through SFX, you will not be gouged for the ''hospitatlity fee'' charged to RCI exchangers.


When you deposit with an independent, you don't even tell the resort that you are going to deposit. You simply make a reservation as if it were for yourself, and then deposit it with the exchange company. Some resorts will tell you that you can't - but they are blowing smoke.

However, if your resort is AFFILIATED with either II or RCI, but not the other one, you cannot choose the non-affiliated company.

Note that the small companies do not have the inventory that RCI and II do, and often, they don't have much, if any, inventory from the top resorts either (Westin, Sheraton, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott) because the top resorts are affiliated with II and RCI, so consider your options before you jump.

For instance, if you want DVC, you can ONLY get it with RCI, and most of the Westins and Marriotts are only with II.
 

DeniseM

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I agree - the smaller companies often have a particular specialty, but it's important to know what that is BEFORE you make a deposit.

HTSE is one of my favorites - but you won't get the hotel affiliated TS's through them.
 

T_R_Oglodyte

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However, sometimes an independent exchange company may be a better bet to trade in certain places....

Absolutely!!!

If you wish to exchange regularly with a timeshare, it works best if you can identify the types of travel you want to do, then assess what the best approach is to accomplish that travel.
 
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