The plague of finding something better

I have a socal resort on hold, and I'm hemming and hawing over whether to take it. The location seems great, right across the beach which is perfect with kids. But I'm plagued by the possibility of matching something better! The TPUs are higher than I wanted to pay, but I have a lot anyway. I'm a bargain shopper though, so I wonder about matching something cheaper so I can extend my TPUs even further into multiple weeks. I could end up in something fancier with a pool, but the proximity to the beach might be worse. Or I might not get anything at all and I'll be kicking myself next month for not taking it, sweltering in the heat and cussing at my pool because the water is literally too hot to swim in.

How does everyone else deal with this conundrum when you get a match to a less than "ideal" resort?

I usually decide ahead of time whether I'll accept a certain exchange. That way I can try to avoid the exact scenario you're in. If what you have now suits your needs, and you'd like to stay there, why worry over a few TPU? Chances are a nicer place would cost even more. If you're really worried, get the insurance, so if a better deal comes along, you can cancel this one in favor of that one. But then, the insurance would drive up the overall cost. Hmm..

Dave

I think it's the point cost that's getting me. 5-6 weeks out and I had hoped it'd be cheaper. If it was a better resort, I don't think I'd hesitate at the tpus. I wouldn't bother with insurance since I'd loose the exchange fee.
what to do!!

JulieAB said:

I think it's the point cost that's getting me. 5-6 weeks out and I had hoped it'd be cheaper. If it was a better resort, I don't think I'd hesitate at the tpus. I wouldn't bother with insurance since I'd loose the exchange fee.
what to do!!

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I am like Dave, I only search for and accept resorts I can get excited about.

You're going to drive yourself crazy, but I do understand

JulieAB said:

I think it's the point cost that's getting me. 5-6 weeks out and I had hoped it'd be cheaper. If it was a better resort, I don't think I'd hesitate at the tpus. I wouldn't bother with insurance since I'd loose the exchange fee.
what to do!!

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I wanted to visit my brother and SIL in SOCAL this summer. I got a 1BR in Oceanside July 4th week on the beach...WOW...however, I would have preferred other areas, so even though I had confirmed, I wanted other locations (and/or different size unit) and drove myself crazy constantly watching for other exchanges to the areas I was more interested in. Finally, acceptance came and I became content and started completing plans for my upcoming stay and stopped looking. Don't count on the cost dropping 5-6 weeks out. I have been looking for things to drop locally in my area and I am finding at 2 weeks out some things are still the full amount of TPUs when they pop up, as well as in other areas (not just my local area). Better be a gambler if you don't confirm and want SOCAL in the summer, especially in close proximity to the beach. Will something else come up or not (at that better resort)? Will the TPUs drop? Will you be able to travel on extremely short notice? RCI keeps shortening the time frames (if at all) when they drop the TPUs or Points. It used to be 45 days out; now you're lucky if you see it at two weeks out. You've got plenty of TPUs and it's across from the beach. I'm a bargain shopper also and hate to pay full price. But you have to decide if you're willing to walk away completely if you lose this one and nothing else comes along.

"The perfect is the enemy of good" Voltaire

Sir Robert Alexander Watson-Watt said it a little different (and Im paraphrasing here) "Take third best; second best comes too late, and best never comes"


The way I would put it is:

Good Enough is Good Enough.

Take the exchange and enjoy your vacation...If you wait for something perfect , you may not get anything at all

How many persons have you ever met who said, "I only accept the MOST perfect gifts or the best places to eat" who are satisfied or happy?

Happy people seem to be those who can take the average and turn it into the BEST (vacation, job, spouse, house, yard, living room).

Take the vacation as the location is WHERE you want to be. And while there, live life.

Egret1986 said:

I wanted to visit my brother and SIL in SOCAL this summer. I got a 1BR in Oceanside July 4th week on the beach...WOW...however, I would have preferred other areas, so even though I had confirmed, I wanted other locations (and/or different size unit) and drove myself crazy constantly watching for other exchanges to the areas I was more interested in. .

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The match is blue whale in oceanside, have you stayed there? I've been to oceanside once and it seemed fine. I'm most concerned about train noise, but blue whale doesn't appear as close as some resorts to the tracks??

Southern California is a difficult match in the summer, and the closer in it gets, the less likely matches will be made. You made one, and I would consider myself lucky to do so if it were me.

You have to decide what is most important to you, a Southern California vacation, or an all or nothing proposition. If you decide that you *must* have a "better" resort (meaning what, Marriott Newport Villas?) you will very likely end up with nothing. Is that an acceptable alternative?

Fern

JulieAB said:

The match is blue whale in oceanside, have you stayed there? I've been to oceanside once and it seemed fine. I'm most concerned about train noise, but blue whale doesn't appear as close as some resorts to the tracks??

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When we stayed at Oceanside years ago the Blue Whale was just up the beach. I thought it looked so beachy and interesting-so close to the beach. I have always wanted to stay there since. It by no means looked luxury-but it made up for it in other ways.

Have you checked the Tripadvisor reviews? Blue Whale seems to get good reviews and the pictures will give you an idea of what you'd be getting if you take the exchange.

Karen G said:

Have you checked the Tripadvisor reviews? Blue Whale seems to get good reviews and the pictures will give you an idea of what you'd be getting if you take the exchange.

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I have and we're fine with no frills timeshares. But a pool is very helpful with the kids if they wanna do something interesting in the evening without me having to pack back up for the beach. I haven't seen mention of the train, so maybe it's OK? My sister is down in San Diego, so it'd be nice to be a little more south. But as everyone has said, anything in socal is better than nothing in socal!

JulieAB said:

I have a socal resort on hold, and I'm hemming and hawing over whether to take it... How does everyone else deal with this conundrum when you get a match to a less than "ideal" resort?

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JulieAB said:

...5-6 weeks out...

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JulieAB said:

...blue whale in oceanside

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This is so close to your travel dates, that for me, the question would not be "can I get something better or more ideal?" but rather, "would I prefer to get cash nights at a hotel/motel?"

Realistically, I think that's what you're (most likely) looking at, with a socal, prime summertime, coastal search at the last minute. The "less than ideal" conundrum you describe is more fitting to getting a match 6+ months out... do I take it or throw it back? This is quite late in the timeshare game for my comfort... not for socal coastal in summer. JMHO.

If the pool matters, then it matters... your preferences are legit... so would you prefer to stay at a non-timeshare property for this trip? Is that an acceptable option, if nothing else matches?

The trains you are talking about aren't that frequent, it's not like being next to a freeway where the noise is constant. The commuter trains don't run in the middle of the night and I don't think Amtrak does either. So the only thing would be an occasional freight train and you have two rows of houses between you and the tracks.

The location is great, in one direction about two blocks is the marina with lots of restaurants. In the other direction is the pier which is the center of everything beach.

Anywhere in San Diego is 30-40 if you travel outside of rush hour.

I would take it no questions asked.

Ian

Sorry, never been to Oceanside

JulieAB said:

The match is blue whale in oceanside, have you stayed there? I've been to oceanside once and it seemed fine. I'm most concerned about train noise, but blue whale doesn't appear as close as some resorts to the tracks??

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I'm staying at Southern CA Beach Club, so same basic area I guess. I didn't have a problem with the resort or Oceanside, but folks on TUG and my brother and SIL were suggesting other areas. I really wanted Laguna or a 2BR in Solana Beach.

But, as PASSIONFORTRAVEL stated, "The location is great, in one direction about two blocks is the marina with lots of restaurants. In the other direction is the pier which is the center of everything beach."

I'm thrilled to have the exchange and be this close to the beach.

I sure would have loved to have Marriott's Newport Villas, but that wasn't going to happen unless I rented.

Take it and enjoy!

Thanks all, we're gonna take it!

JulieAB said:

I have a socal resort on hold, and I'm hemming and hawing over whether to take it. The location seems great, right across the beach which is perfect with kids. But I'm plagued by the possibility of matching something better! The TPUs are higher than I wanted to pay, but I have a lot anyway. I'm a bargain shopper though, so I wonder about matching something cheaper so I can extend my TPUs even further into multiple weeks. I could end up in something fancier with a pool, but the proximity to the beach might be worse. Or I might not get anything at all and I'll be kicking myself next month for not taking it, sweltering in the heat and cussing at my pool because the water is literally too hot to swim in.

How does everyone else deal with this conundrum when you get a match to a less than "ideal" resort?

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If it were me I would lock it down. Southern California properties can be tough to come by the closer the dates get... So I guess its a question of how much time you have to look.

Well, since this came up again, I got it, but let the ongoing search keep going. 2 days later I was matched to GPR carlsbad sea point, or whatever it is, right on the beach too. It was also a couple points cheaper and had a pool! :annoyed:

I didn't switch though, cuz this is supposed to be a cheap vacation. Oh well!

While Seapoint is a nicer property and right across from the beach and in Carlsbad, you need to drive to everything. Blue Whale is much more in the thick of it, easy walking distance to both the pier and the harbor.

Ian