posted 05-10-2005 17:34               

A Marriott owner says her "FIXED" week, week # 23, at Summit Watch is a "FLOATING" time. She says it is silver time at Summit Watch but if you "request week 23" it trades red in II. But then she also said all Marriotts trade red on II.

This kind of talk makes my head spin. Having no experience trading anything, since I own Disney Vacation Club and never trade out, I can't understand how someone can have a fixed
week---that floats. What's up with that? Why not buy a silver floating season in the first place?

And how can a week in the beginning of June be traded as if it were red? Red where, within Marriott or II? Can you trade a week like this for say, an off season, two bdrm Aruba Marriott?

Can I pick Thanksgiving at Summit Watch with this week?

Can I divide a two bdrm lock off unit into a one bdrm and a studio and then get "two" (2)- one bdrm weeks somewhere else. I am of course speaking hypothetically but all these questions come to mind.

I just had a lady sell me a Hawaiian week "mini suite" one bdrm. She said her deed said "one bdrm" but an on line broker said it traded like a "studio". I bought it on EBay and luckily she agreed to relist it and return my money since we both didn't know it traded like a studio. She was an extremly kind lady, and I doubt she was trying to pull a fast one, but now I am super cautious. Hence all my questions about this property.

Thank you so much for your help.
Marylyn

posted 05-10-2005 20:58            

Whether it trades "red" or not is up to II and how II views it. That is independent to the season (platinum, gold, silver) that Marriott assigns to it. That being said, there are different shades of red as a ski (platinum) week there is going to easily outtrade any other week.

I believe Thanksgiving is within the silver season. You can easily check by going to www.vacationclub.com and look up the seasons for each resort. You don't need to log in to access this info.

posted 05-10-2005 21:05               

Floating Week - Silver Season
The owner has title to a specific unit in week 23. However, in Marriott's floating week system, she has no more right to use that specific week than any other owner in the same season. For reservation purposes, she has a floating week in the resort's Silver season. That encompasses weeks 15, 20-23, 39-43 and 46-47 (Thanksgiving). You can see the calendar of seasons by looking for the “Calendars” near the bottom of the Summit Watch page at www.vacationclub.com

If you buy it, you can call to make a reservation for any of those weeks, including Thanksgiving. However, keep in mind that Thanksgiving will be one of the most popular weeks of Silver season, so you had better be prepared to call to try to make your reservation on the very first day allowed.

Trading as a Red week in II
As for trading "Red", Interval International's ("II") resort directory (available online to anyone at www.intervalworld.com ) shows weeks 15, 21-23 and 47 of the Silver season weeks as trading Red. Note that II has many unpublished shades of Red. Those weeks are likely somewhat pink in II's internal system and won't trade anywhere near as well as a mid-summer or mid ski season week would.

Trading for Aruba
Will it trade for Aruba? For a 1-BR off-season? Probably. For a 2-BR? Maybe not. Most who own lockoffs and deposit them with an exchange company split them up so as to get two exchange weeks in return. Thus, not many 2-BRs are deposited and you'll have a much better chance if you ask for a 1-BR.

Locking off and then depositing
When you deposit your week or divide it and deposit the two sides separately, you can request 1-BRs in exchange. You can also request 2-BRs at resorts (such as in Hilton Head) where that's all the resort has.

Will you get what you request for an exchange? That's the $64 question for which there is no definitive answer. Exchanging is a game that depends on whether an owner at another resort deposits the week you want and whether someone else seeking the same week has a stronger trader than you deposited. The fact that you are willing to travel in the off season for resorts you choose to exchange into works in your favor.