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[Q=josephc728] We just got back from a timeshare presentation with Marriott Vacation Club (no, we didn't buy) and they talked a lot about Interval International. We were shown live availability of some prime Hilton Head properties for around $100 a night for a 8 bedroom the next week out. It wasn't planned/staged because I picked the destination. Since I have a remote job, last minute bookings are very intriguing to us and could be useful to our living location. [b]1. Is Interval International really this good where you can get prime properties off-season for cheap prices?[/b] In the "exchange company" world, which is dominated by RCI and II, [b]space availability always rules all[/b]. It's luck of the draw as to what might be available at any given location at any given time. When you mention "prices", you are presumably referring to II "Getaways" (rentals, as opposed to "exchanges". In RCI, these are called "Extra Vacations". In both instances, the weeks offered are essentially "leftovers" (weeks not claimed by any members as an "exchange"). These weeks will almost exclusively be off-season dates or low demand locations. Again, space availability [b]always[/b] determines what might be available. I suspect that you may have been painted a more rosy picture than reality would support regarding actual space availabilty. Also, no "8 bedroom" timeshare units exist [b]anywhere[/b] on this planet, so I am both confused and dubious about your reference to "8 bedroom". Was this perhaps just a typo error? [b]2. Anything sneaky we weren't told about it?[/b] Sales weasels will say just about anything to hook a fish (although Marriott sales people are generally much more credible and honest than most others), but we can't possibly know what else you may have been told. Just always bear in mind that, in addition to the initial timeshare ownership acquisition costs (and the associated, ever-increasing annual maintenance fee obligations), there are also exchange company membership costs, exchange fees for each and every ndividual exchange, and of course the costs associated with renting available "Getaways". [b]3. Is there any way you can get Interval International without actually owning a timeshare or somehow safely flipping one quickly? We really have no interest in a timeshare commitment at this time of our lives.[/b] No. Membership in Interval International first requires actual ownership of a II-affiliated timeshare --- and yes, II [b]does[/b] check and verify. "Flipping one quickly" reflects more optimism than the reality of the secondary market warrants. Don't plan on that being a successful approach --- and you would almost certainly lose serious money in any such attempted "flip" (if you even succeeded in finding yourself a new owner [b]at all[/b]). [b]4. Who is actually selling the property on Interval? Is it timeshare owners or the resorts themselves?[/b] Interval International is just an "exchange company". Interval International does not "own" any timeshare weeks to "sell". II essentially has "temporary custody" of limited inventory, all of which has been provided to them either via "deposits for exchange" by individual owners, or made temporarily available to II by resort developers of unsold weeks (in far fewer cases). In no instance does Interval "own" any week(s) being offered, but exchange (or Getaway rental) transactions are nonetheless conducted directly with Interval International, not with the actual underlying owner of record of the week(s) involved. Hope this helps. If not, I'll cheerfully refund 110% of what you have paid me for providing my input. ;-) [/Q]