Timeshare Points vs. Weeks

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Original Message:

Re: Searching with RCI Points (by KC):

adahiscout asks, quoted only in directly pertinent part:

>> Or are you saying that someone who does buy into an RCI Points resort but also owns at a non-RCI Points resort can somehow be granted the right to convert that other property to RCI Points?? << ======================================

No, that's not what I'm saying. BOTH the "weeks" resort and the "points" resort must be RCI affiliated in the RCI points / weeks equation. I said nothing at all (and I know absolutely rnothing at all) about non-RCI points resorts' policies, rules, or practices. I speak ONLY of RCI affiliated points resorts and RCI affiliated "weeks" resorts --- nothing else.

In order to be able to work with RCI points at all, one must first have ownership at a RCI "points" resort. Then (and ONLY then), if one also owns "weeks" at an RCI affiliated "weeks" resort, then one can opt (purely voluntarily) to deposit that "week" as "RCI points for deposit", in essence converting that particular RCI affiliated "week" over to "RCI points" (not permanently, but on a year by year, case by case basis). And, of course, RCI charges a fee for each such "conversion". Currently that fee is $29 per "conversion" of a week to "RCI points for deposit", but as in all matters RCI, that fee is subject to be increased at any time, with little or no advance notice.

Personally, I got into RCI points ownership at all only to be able to make better use of certain RCI-affiliated weeks I already own, since in recent years the ability to accomplish decent quality "week for week" exchanges through RCI Spacebanking has declined very obviously and very sharply. Being able to convert RCI affiliated weeks to RCI points just opens up a few more options, including being able to utilize less than a full 7 day week at "RCI points" resorts.

The key to implementing this particular strategy in a manner which is even distantly resembling "cost effective", is of course to first find a low purchase cost, low annual maintenance fee RCI "points" resort, even if you never intend to actually set foot on that particular property but only want an avenue by which to use points and/or convert exisiting RCI affiliated "weeks" to RCI "points". Good deals are out there, but it takes some time and homework to find them.