Frustrated With Exchanging Your Timeshare?

Timeshare Exchange: Answering a client’s question about high owner occupancy levels

I just got this question from Gary who just purchased my Timeshare Exchange Bible – II Edition.

Jeff,

Reading through your guides. Quick question. You mention this: Owner Occupancy Level:

This is the percentage of timeshare owners preferring to stay in their Home Resort as opposed to exchanging through II. Worldwide, 80% of timeshare owners exchange their week through II and 20% use their week in their Home Resort.
This is, however, just an average. At some resorts these numbers are just the opposite, resulting in a high owner occupancy level and therefore making it much more difficult in getting an exchange.

Thinking out loud here: Is there a chart, table, reporting database, resort info, etc where this can be pulled from? I know about the Demand Index.

Where I am going here is, want to go to Myrtle Beach, SC. The Marriot Ocean Watch is where we want to stay. If this is a resort where 80% use the home resort, and other Marriott timeshare owners get first crack at the open 20%, then others like me have a so-so chance.(obviously this is the opposite of your #’s above) Pulling those numbers would give me a better idea what resorts in Myrtle Beach I would have a chance at.

Thanks.

Gary

Timeshare Exchange: The answer

Hi Gary,

You have very good timeshare instincts.  You should do great getting a timeshare exchange into the best resorts.

You’re right, the 80/20 ratio is a world wide average and certain resorts and resort areas have much higher owner occupancy levels (OOL) than 20%.  Unfortunately, I know of no chart or report that gives this information on timeshare exchange.

Interval International’s (II) Demand Index, while a very handy tool for understanding the hardest weeks to get on exchange, really only reflects demand-not supply of timeshare exchange weeks being deposited.

You can count on  high owner occupancy in high priced and top of the line timeshares, especially in the peak seasons, and any timeshare that’s part of a club e.g. Hyatt, Hilton, Westin/Starwood Vacation Club, Disney Vacation Club, Welk Platinum Resorts, Diamond, VRI, Wyndham/World Mark and Marriott now that they have launched their points program.

For instance, you can expect very a high OOL when a person pays $50,000-$60,000 a week in Maui.  That owner is less likely to want to do a timeshare exchange to another resort because of what they paid – at least for the first 4-5 years or so.  But after flying the entire family to Hawaii for 5 years they may be more likely to trying out the exchange system opening up more availability.

But purchase price isn’t the only factor in a high OOL. A very nice resort like the Boyne Mountain in Michigan will have very a very high OOL both in the summer and winter even
though the weeks aren’t as pricey as a Maui week.

The owners in Boyne Mountain Resort will want to use it in the summer because it’s on a lake and has an 88,000 square foot indoor water park, and in the winter for skiing on the
61 downhill slopes and the numerous cross country trails. In addition, because it’s one of only 2 timeshare resorts in the entire state of Michigan in Interval International and you have the perfect storm of a high OOL. But some of those winter and summer weeks will make it into Interval International for you and I to do a timeshare exchange if we know what we’re doing.

Timeshare Exchange: Why Timeshare Clubs are so much harder to exchange to

Timeshare clubs are even harder to do a timeshare exchange. The reason clubs have a much higher OOL is that the members don’t have to use RCI or II to do a timeshare exchange to other resorts within the club. So far less inventory makes it into the exchange companies pools.

For instance, if you bought a fixed week at the beautiful Welk Resort in Escondido, CA some years ago, and wanted to use it in the Welk’s Desert Oasis in Cathedral City ( the Palm Springs area), you’d have to deposit or bank your week with either RCI or II, get on the waiting list for the dates you want and pay them their exchange fee.

If, however, you purchased your timeshare from Welk after late 2006, you purchased points in their Platinum Club points system instead of a week.  A Welk Platinum owner simply calls Welk directly to make their reservation at any of their resorts in Escondido, Cathedral City, Branson, MO or Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. It’s an easier process for the owner, there are no exchange fees and the owner knows immediately if there is availability. This is a much more attractive way for the owner to use his timeshare therefore fewer weeks get deposited with the exchange companies.

So how does one determine how much availability there is in any particular resort at a specific time of year if there is no chart or report?  Easy. All you have to do is ask. You can ask RCI or II this question but depending on which exchange councilor you’re talking with, they might not give you the answer.  If that happens you can try again later or simply call the resort itself and find out.  If II tells you that typically only four 2 bedroom units come out of Boyne Mountain Resort in July, you had better expand your search to include more dates or add other resorts to you request.

Now, to answer your question about availability in Marriott’s Ocean Watch in Myrtle Beach. Recently I was talking with an RCI exchange councilor and, to my utter shock, he told me that Myrtle Beach is one of the most demanded and has one of the highest OOL’s in RCI. (I know that Marriott is in II but I’m certain they’d say the same) He said it’s because it’s so close to so many large metropolitan areas and timeshare owners in the past few years are sticking closer to home for their vacations.

So call II and the front desk of the Marriott to find out.  If you use my suggestions in the Bible and plan far enough in advance you should have a good shot at getting it.  You can always start your search for just that resort and add more later if you don’t get results.  The important thing is to start your search immediately.

Thanks for the question and your purchase.  I’ll be submitting this reply to article directories and on my blog to help others.

All the best,

Jeff Pierce – The Timeshare Expert

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Jeff Pierce, The Timeshare Expert, has taught thousands of timeshare owners the secrets to getting the best exchanges with both RCI and Interval International for over 22 years.

His two books, The Timeshare Exchange Bible – RCI Weeks Edition, and The Timeshare Exchange Bible – Interval International, are the only books of their kind in the timeshare industry and designed to help you  master at the very complicated art of getting good exchanges.

I would love to have you share your opinions and personal insights on this blog.

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