General Questions
There are several reasons common why you cannot get the exchanges that you want. Probably the most common reason has to do with where you own.
Despite that your salesperson might have informed you that you can go anywhere anytime, the truth is that the timeshare exchange system is like any other business model, it operates on supply and demand.
Supply and demand
Let’s use this example. Let’s suppose two families want to exchange their timeshares for a location in Hawaii, which as we know is one of the most sought after travel destinations in the world. Family #1 owns a two bedroom timeshare in Orlando, Florida while family #2 owns a one bedroom timeshare at the Manhattan Club in downtown New York City. Which family do you think is going to have a better chance of getting that exchange in Hawaii? It is family #2. Why? Because New York City is highly sought after location and has little inventory. They have a high demand but a low supply. Although Orlando is also a high demand location because of the theme parks, it has more timeshares than just about anywhere in the world and so many families are trying to exchange.
The points system was created with the same model in mind and also has to do with supply and demand. Even if family #1 offered more points than family #2, family #1 will still be most likely to go to Hawaii.
The problem is that most families do not plan on purchasing a timeshare. However, when they do, it is usually when they least expect wither while on vacation or from a marketing rep on the phone. During the sales presentation, they may know little about the timeshare industry and will not do their due diligence to compare resorts. Because the salesperson sold them on the lie that they can go anywhere at anytime, they purchased. When they try to exchange to the places that they were told there were timeshares, they are told that there is no availability.
Not enough inventory in the system
Another reason that you might be informed that there is no availability is because there is not enough inventory in the system to go around. In other words, not all properties in the RCI or Interval International exchange directories are fully timeshares. Many hotels only reserved a certain amount of inventory to timeshare while the rest is for the general public. This is why you might be told that there is no availability at a particular property, but you ca go online and make a reservation to that same property outside the timeshare system. Although listed in the exchange company directories, some properties may have one or two rooms reserved for timeshare.
#High demand weeks are king
The third reason why you may not be getting the exchanges that you want is because the time frame is in high demand. The highest demand seeks within most timeshare systems are focused on holidays in America because Americans are the highest purchasers of timeshare in the world. The following holidays or breaks are the highest demand:
- Spring Break
- Labor Day
- 4th of July
- Memorial Day
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas
If you want to exchange your timeshare for one of these weeks, you need to reserve as early as you can.
Always own where you want to vacation most
The best advice that I can provide is to buy a timeshare where you most likely would vacation most and during the time you would like to visit. So, if you want to assured of that vacation in Hawaii, you need to purchase a fixed week in Hawaii at the property you would like to stay. If you want to have a place in Paris, than you need to purchase a fixed week in Paris.
I understand that if you want to purchase in another location that you must sell what you already have to purchase another one. As you already know, the secondary market for timeshares is poor. Certainly you will find somebody on the resale market who would be glad to sell you their property in Hawaii. so, what do you do with you old timeshare to make that new purchase?
How to cancel your existing timeshare and purchase where you want to vacation most
If you own a timeshare in the U.S. and it is paid in full, you can legally cancel the contract on your own without defaulting or affecting your credit rating. Although the word in the industry is that you must keep it unless you either sell it, give it away, or hire a timeshare cancellation service, you are stuck with it forever. This is one of the biggest lies throughout the industry and coerces families to spend up to $10K to exit their unwanted timeshare. I have designed timeshare cancellation courses that have been guiding owners to legally cancel their timeshares.
If you own a vacation club in Mexico or in any of the Caribbean islands as these regions do not sell timeshares, you can easily cancel whether you still own them or not without defaulting or affecting your credit.
If you would like to learn more about my timeshare cancellation courses, click here.