Timeshare trading/exchanges

[HairyBear]

I have a fixed week through westgate in the orlando area and have had it for several years I was a member of interval international but have not exchanged yet. Our salesperson told us by joining we could exchange into any property in the cataog but after checking, Interval must have some agreement with westgate restricting me from exchanging in the geographic orlando area namely the disney resorts that are listed in the catalog. Does anyone have suggestions how I can get into a Disney property?

[disney323]

Friends of ours have run into the same problem. They know someone else and they trade the florida timeshare with the person who has a Boston timeshare. The one who has the Boston location put the request in for disney and then it goes to our friends to use. From what I know that ant least 1 time they have not been able to get the locations they wanted and had to get someplace off property

[HairyBear]

I guess my other option is to trade or rent for ca$h. That would solve my problem but I haven't seen anything that is too encouraging as far as getting my money back out for taxes and maint. plus another room. Ebay may not be the best place for this type of transaction. I have a fixed week in february, usually the week of daytona 500 and I saw several nice properties this year on Daytona Beach go without being bid on and they were very resonably priced.

[momofdisneyprincess]

I think part of the difficulty is that a good number of people at the Disney timeshares actually use their weeks. I too own at Westgate and I also own in Hawaii. I have tried a couple of times to trade Hawaii without any luck. Disney is really the only location I have had trouble trading into. Good luck!

[DizneyRox]

Many people have trouble trading INTO Disney for a timeshare. I think that there is a play on words during sales presenations.

You CAN trade into Disney. However, because it's possible, doesn't mean it's probable. I own DVC and know that my best value is to use my points at Disney. I could trade out and go somewhere else, but the trade out isn't a fair trade in my opinion, so I don't do it. If people don't trade out, nobody can trade it. At least that's my understanding. I don't think it's unreasonable to think that that in order for someone at WestGate to trade into Disney, someone owning Disney might have to trade out to Westgate.

[TheRustyScupper]

1) It is going to be hard to trade into Disney.
2) However, OKW and SSR are not that hard to do!
3) But, you have to be out of the area.
4) Disney's agreement with II has an exclusion area.

[pianobabe]

We have a timeshare with Westgate in Gatlinburg. We were able to trade our week there for a week at OKW without any problems (using II). I do understand there being geographical exclusions. When we first started looking to exchange we didn't really see anything. Then we saw different resorts start showing up. I have still been looking online since we booked and I have seen OKW, SSR, Wilderness Lodge and Beach Club. The only reason we did buy into Westgate was because of the "ability" to trade into WDW. That was the selling point to me. I hope something works out for you.

[disneylovinmom]

We too own at Westgate in Gatlinburg and it also was a selling point that we could trade for WDW. We made our request to trade 11 months out and it took Interval a few weeks to find us something at OKW. It probably helps if you are not picky about which DVC resort you stay at. I also think the earlier you make your trade request, the more successful you will be. We had a great vacation and saved lots of $$ by using the timeshare.

[Dedivah]

HairyBear,

I too have been kicking myself for buying Westgate in the Orlando area. Had I been fully aware of the exclusion I would have opted to buy out of state. For the past year, I have been trying to sell my Orlando Timshare so that I can purchase out of state.

There are other websites that have DVCer's that are renting points. Maybe that will work.

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . For the past year, I have been trying to sell my Orlando Timshare so that I can purchase out of state . . .

1) Westgate timeshares in Orlando can be sold.
2) It simply depends upon your asking price - it is all about money.
3) Like most timeshares, resales go for about 1/4-1/3 of the developer's price.
4) There are lots of boards out there to sell these.
5) If you use a broker DO NOT give advance money or sign exclusive contracts.
6) You might try calling Westgate directly and ask for an ownership exchange.
7) With so many developments, they might just trade you for an out-of-state.
8) Who knows, it could happen.


NOTE: Disney keeps their resale price artifically high by the Right of First Refusal. This is the way they can keep the developer price high. And, it work really well for them.

[Dedivah]

Thank You, for your advice.

We have a 2 bedroom Float.

I will call today about the ownership exchange.

I paid $400 and signed up with Timeshare's Only who promised we would sell in a matter of days/weeks. It has been months and not even an inquiry on the property.

I have been getting phone calls from other agencies that want to rent out our timeshare for a pretty penny but they want $800. We just don't have that kind of money to "give" away. That's how I feel about Timeshare's Only right now, that I have given them $400 for nothing.

[smiles_rock]

I own a timeshare on Cape Cod through Interval and its awful. We have had issues with increasing maintainence fees, as well as renovations that have been "in progress" for 6 years! We had never been able to exchange for a Disney property either, its very frustrating!
Dedivah, I did the same thing. Paid $500 to list it for sale 2 years ago, not one offer yet and I've lowered the price three times.
I do have to say that in the last month or so, I have seen a few listings for studios available at OKW, AKV and Sarasota Springs but only studios and they we're gone fast!
I sympathize with all of you frustrated timeshare owners out there!

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . I paid $400 and signed up with Timeshare's Only who promised we would sell in a matter of days/weeks. It has been months and not even an inquiry on the property . . .

. . . unfortunately, that is what I said
. . . deposits for selling timeshares is getting to be a racket
. . . your money is gone, and all they do is list it
. . . there is no real "sales" effort
. . . there are lots and lots of complaints about this
. . . my friend is a debt collector and hears this a lot of the time
. . . the debtor says, "but, I have it for sale, and they will sell it in weeks."
. . . not hardly
. . . besides, sellers usually think the timeshare is worth more than it is
. . . to sell a timeshare quickly, one needs to price it about 1/4 of the developer price

I own a timeshare on Cape Cod through Interval and its awful. We have had issues with increasing maintainence fees, as well as renovations that have been "in progress" for 6 years!

. . . actually the timeshare is with the development
. . . Interval International is a trading/exchange organization
. . . I don't believe they actually own a timeshare development

Dedivah, I did the same thing. Paid $500 to list it for sale 2 years ago, not one offer yet and I've lowered the price three times.

. . . alas, more stories about deposits or advance fees
. . . these folks prey upon people eager to sell
. . . it is tough to say, but NEVER pay up front or give exclusive rights
. . . to sell a timeshare quickly, one needs to price it about 1/4 of the developer price

[avantgardeinker]

We too own at Westgate in Gatlinburg and it also was a selling point that we could trade for WDW. We made our request to trade 11 months out and it took Interval a few weeks to find us something at OKW. It probably helps if you are not picky about which DVC resort you stay at. I also think the earlier you make your trade request, the more successful you will be. We had a great vacation and saved lots of $$ by using the timeshare.

Just curious what time of the year you went. We are planning on exchanging into Disney next fall and I'm wondering how difficult it will be. We don't care which resort we're in and we don't neccessarily have specific dates, just a certain time of the year.

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . Just curious what time of the year . . .

1) When SSR wasn't so sold out, there were several months with trades.
2) And, lots of trades.
3) The best months seemed to be
. . . Jan
. . . Mar, late
. . . Aug, late
. . . Sep
. . . Nov, early
4) Now, the best months to look for an II trade are
. . . Jan
. . . Aug, late
. . . Sep

NOTE: The resorts are pretty well sold out, until CRV comes on board, and that should sell quickly. I wouldn't look for "normal" times to trade into DVC. I would be on-line with II every week or every day looking for openings.

NOTE2: It sounds like there should be more open times to trade, but when DVC sells out, there are no weeks free. Mathematically, even DVC members can have a tough time trying to find weeks.