In addition to location, the timeshare time period you have will greatly influence the value of your timeshare and your chances of trading your timeshare for another destination (and easily selling it).
Most timeshare resorts divide the year into seasonal segments according to demand. Much the same way that hotels rate the times of the year as being “peak season” and “off season” timeshare resort unit prices and values differ substantially depending upon what time of year the owner has the privileged to use the timeshare.
There are two main timeshare resort operators: RCI (Resort Condominiums International) and I.I. (Interval International). Both designate time periods at three different levels using color codes to do so, but the colors differ between the two.
For RCI, the seasonal designations are color coded:
Red week time = peak demand
White week time = average demand
Blue week time = lessor demand
I.I. rates the time designations with the following colors:
Red week time = peak demand
Yellow week time = average demand
Green week time = lessor demand
Red is the most valuable time slot to have with a timeshare unit. Owners of a Red Week timeshare properties can request the prime times of the year when exchanging with others, as well as times with less demand during the year. In other words, owners of Red Weeks can request any of the 52 weeks of the year. For standard exchanges White (Yellow) or Blue (Green) time owners are limited to the non-peak times of the year to exchange into a resort which usually means they can’t exchange.
When purchasing a timeshare, the problem for many is that Red Week timeshare resort units cost significantly more than non peak times of the year. Those looking at timeshares thus opt for a less expensive time slot timeshare unit which places them into the classic timeshare trap. If you can’t afford a Red Week time slot, rarely will getting a lower priced non peak season timeshare make sense as a replacement.