Pitfalls of doing a direct exchange?

I have been contacted by an individual who is interested in doing a direct exchange for one of my weeks in 2008. (I tried the redweek free offer to list a week for an exchange.) Apparently the potential exchanger has several weeks of timeshares that she owns. If I don't want what she has, she's willing to put in a request for an exchange through RCI and pay the exchange fees and guest fee.

So, what assurances should we expect of each other? What pitfalls should I look out for?

Have any of you done this type of exchange?

Thanks,
Sue

What Do You Tell The Resort?

A few times now, we've rented out our deeded timeshare weeks, so we know what to tell the resort(s) when we've arranged for some renters to show up & check in instead of us.

But what do we tell'm if some non-RCI or non-II exchanger will be checking in stead of us? The same thing?

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

falmouth3 said:

I have been contacted by an individual who is interested in doing a direct exchange for one of my weeks in 2008. (I tried the redweek free offer to list a week for an exchange.) Apparently the potential exchanger has several weeks of timeshares that she owns. If I don't want what she has, she's willing to put in a request for an exchange through RCI and pay the exchange fees and guest fee.

So, what assurances should we expect of each other? What pitfalls should I look out for?

Sue

Click to expand...

Hi Sue,
I would really hesitate before I did an exchange with a complete stranger. Lots of potential negatives. If you could get your trip first it would sure help. Call the person and chat with her. This will help a lot. I would not depend on a future exchange-way too risky. Do a week-for-week swap or forget it. JMHO.

Phil

I have done several direct exchanges. In some cases, the other person wanted the week a year and even 2 years earlier than I wanted their week. I felt comfortable in all instances that the other person would honor their end of the bargain. We emailed quite a bit and in some cases spoke on the phone. None of these people were established Tuggers at the time. There is a lot of trust involved in direct exchanges.

It has worked for me on two occasions

Once I traded a one bedroom summer beach week for a 2 bedroom Orange Lake in May. I told the other owner that this was an uneven exchange (I was getting the better deal I thought) but she said she just wanted the beach and was sorta tired of going to Orange Lake 'all the time'. So we swapped. I sent her an authorization letter for my place and she did the same for me.

The second trade for was two weeks in my year-round place for 2 'future' weeks (not necessarily together) in the other owners' year-round places. I agreed not to ask for 'high demand time' as she was not using 'high demand' in my place. So far I've cashed in one of the two weeks and it's a great story.

I really wanted to go to Ocean City, MD where this owner had two different one bedroom units. The 'problem' was I wanted to go when the Pony Swim was going on in Chincoteague, VA (about an hour away). That's in July - PRIME TIME! I asked her to keep me posted if she happened to have a cancellation for that particular time and didn't think she'd get a renter. She responded back that, if I didn't mind not having any furniture, she'd let me use her THREE bedroom, 3 bath penthouse unit at a brand new place she recently bought. It had a fabulous kitchen but no furniture to speak of. I said, 'well, okay, if I have too.' (grinning) Boy, was I pumped. The place was fabulous. She had managed to get some mattresses in two of the bedrooms and had a TV plus some chairs. Had kitchen stuff so that was okay. The location was terrific, the place had an indoor pool (what a great room with wonderful, comfortable lounge chairs) and a rooftop outdoor pool. Rooms were immense with high ceilings and bathrooms were richly tiled and oversized. I missed the dining room table (which surprised me).

We got to see the ponies swim. We got to see the pony auction. It was great! If you've every read or heard of 'Misty of Chincoteague' you know what I'm talking about.

I still have a week coming and I know the two of us will work out something that will please both of us. But if it doesn't work out that I get another week - it will be my fault for not following up because this person I am working with has been great through the whole thing. She used my place more than 2 years ago. She's been telling me about 'prime time' weeks that are available to me (even though she doesn't have to) if I want to use them. I just haven't been able to go when she's got availability.

I can't say every deal will be like this but I've been pleased.

Thanks for all of your responses. I am interested in pursuing this "lead". The woman who contacted me turns out to be a professor at one of the colleges I graduated from.

I've asked for her phone number and provided her with mine, but so far she hasn't checked back.

In fact, the trade I asked for in my ad isn't a requirement so I'd be happy to try to work something out to make both of us happy. If we can't work it out, at least I can deposit the week with SFX.

We'll see how this progresses!

Sue

I too have done about 10 private exchanges with no problems. Just recently returned from Phuket, Thailand which I had given my July 2006 Marriott week and waited 8 months to go to Phuket (my desire). The big advantage is that the owner can get nearly the exact time you want to go.

If the person has been a TUG member for a long time and did a lot of posting, that usually is a beginning; then as a previous poster said -- exchange cellphone numbers, addresses, etc and chat online or phone (my contact was in Japan so we used email). Use your gut feeling too! It beats hoping the exchange companies will come thru!!!