There are two secrets that will greatly increase your chances of making successful exchanges:

1. Offering a desirable Season
2. Planning your exchange more than a year ahead

Why your season matters:

If you own a Platinum season, you are likely to be able to exchange with owners of any season  from Platinum-Bronze.  If you own Gold, you are likely to be able to exchange with any season from Gold-bronze, and you may even be able to arrange a Platinum exchange because Gold is quite premium.  Silver owners will be able to arrange exchanges with Silver and Bronze owners, maybe some Gold owners, somewhat less likely with Platinum owners.  You get the picture -- The better your season, the more your options. We have a lot of members from each season.

Why planning more than a year ahead matters.

This is really important. If you plan your exchange more than a year ahead, before either you or your prospective exchange partner have reserved their weeks, then  you both are able to offer any week in your season for potential exchange.  This greatly increases your chances of making a match. Just do the math -- if an average season contains 12 weeks, then you are 12 times as likely to be able to offer the week your exchange partner desires, and vice-versa.  This advantage of Season-based ownership, plus the high member-to-resort ratio we have (due to restricting the site to Marriott resorts) is the secret of Ownertrades.com's success, and is why it is so much easier to arrange an  exchange here than on any other direct-exchange website.  But, you give up a huge part of that advantage if you wait until you have already reserved your week before you start looking for an exchange. Plan ahead!!!