Thinking of buying DVC resale and need advice pls

[Moniqu17]

Hi, I'm a newbie here and have been reading many threads on the boards here which have been very helpful. My DH and I are considering DVC resale since we go to WDW once a year and with my dietary restrictions we feel like WDW is a treat and plan to go every year!!

I would like some suggestions though before we make our decision. We typically stay at moderate resorts due to price but like the thought of staying at dlx for the nicer pools etc (we don't have to go to the parks every time) and can eat at the other resorts etc. We actually are renting points for the 1st time for our upcoming Sept trip at AKV which gave me the idea of DVC! Also, we really like the thought of being able to go to Aulani or the Hilton Head locations.

We are considering buying more points than we need and rent out the extra points. We are ok with studios for now but my DS is very young and as he gets older we might want to stay in a one bedroom which will require more pts. My question would be how easy is it to rent out points (obviously harder during bad economic times)? My one thought is to maybe buy smaller contracts at two resorts (100 - 150 at two) instead of buying one 200-250 pt contract. We would use one and rent the other out at least for a few years. If we need more we could bank/borrow to stay at the resort of choice that year. I'm thinking AKV for one since we love animals. Should I look at another resort that is more favorable to rent out? Or is it better to get one larger size contract?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[kristenrice]

You'll get lots of advice here, but I'll throw on kne thing for your consideration. If you are looking at

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[kristenrice]

You'll get lots of advice here, but I'll throw on kne thing for your consideration. If you are looking at

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

Oh good grief.... Let me try this again...

I'll throw something out there for your consideration. If you are interested in visiting various resorts for dining, you cannot go wrong with BLT. Let me point out that I have stayed at BLT just once and it was not my cup of tea. But, for resort to resort transportation, it cannot be beat. You are a monorail ride away from the Poly and GF, a boat ride away from WL and FW, or just walk 5 minutes to the MK bus stop and take the bus to whatever resort you choose.

AKV is my WDW home and I love it. We like rhe value 1BR but sometimes splurge on a std at Kidani. We also own at HHI for a change of pace. It is a small resort that is becoming very popular. Since we tend to travel over spring break/Easter, we have found that we need the 11-month advantage.

The only advice I have is to choose your home resort(s) carefully. With DVC expanding, the home-resort booking advantage is becoming more and more important. Be sure that you buy somewhere where you won't be disappointed if you get stuck there every trip. It's not likely to happen, but there are an increasing number of owners who are disappointed time after time when they are unable to get their preferred reservation at 7 months. Whatever you choose, do NOT buy a home resort with no intention of staying there .

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[Missyrose]

Hi, I'm a newbie here and have been reading many threads on the boards here which have been very helpful. My DH and I are considering DVC resale since we go to WDW once a year and with my dietary restrictions we feel like WDW is a treat and plan to go every year!!

I would like some suggestions though before we make our decision. We typically stay at moderate resorts due to price but like the thought of staying at dlx for the nicer pools etc (we don't have to go to the parks every time) and can eat at the other resorts etc. We actually are renting points for the 1st time for our upcoming Sept trip at AKV which gave me the idea of DVC! Also, we really like the thought of being able to go to Aulani or the Hilton Head locations.

We are considering buying more points than we need and rent out the extra points. We are ok with studios for now but my DS is very young and as he gets older we might want to stay in a one bedroom which will require more pts. My question would be how easy is it to rent out points (obviously harder during bad economic times)? My one thought is to maybe buy smaller contracts at two resorts (100 - 150 at two) instead of buying one 200-250 pt contract. We would use one and rent the other out at least for a few years. If we need more we could bank/borrow to stay at the resort of choice that year. I'm thinking AKV for one since we love animals. Should I look at another resort that is more favorable to rent out? Or is it better to get one larger size contract?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Instead of buying two contracts at two different resorts right off the bat, I'd buy one contract at the resort you love most. Then after you've had a chance to try other resorts using that first contract, buy a second contract wherever you'd also like to stay.

 

[lovin'fl]

I definitely recommend buying 2 smaller contracts. I would say go for AKV (great for getting the lower point cost value or standard view villas...longer contract life here too) and then you could do SSR (which is a great deal with cheaper buy in and annual dues plus has longer contract life...but there are always rooms available at SSR and so you may want something more desirable to renters)...or HH (which is cheaper buy in but higher annual dues and has shorter contract life...but it is tough to get resies at HH for summer and holidays unless you own and can book before the 7 month window opens to non-owners)...and there is BWV (which has shorter contract life too but you can book the lower point cost standard view villas as they are nearly impossible to get at the 7 month window especially at busier times...the standard view point costs are a great deal and the BWV location is fantastic).

We own 200 OKW, 100 AKV and 75 HH (currently in ROFR for 50 more HH points)...and wish the OKW were BWV (or OKW was a smaller contract and we also had BWV points). I would LOVE to still add on BWV points and rent some out too...might end up doing that down the road. Happy hunting for your DVC contract!

 

[ELMC]

I would like some suggestions though before we make our decision. We typically stay at moderate resorts due to price but like the thought of staying at dlx for the nicer pools etc (we don't have to go to the parks every time) and can eat at the other resorts etc.

Depending on which way you decide to go, you might be able to purchase DVC and stay at Deluxes for what you are spending now on Moderates. It's definitely worth looking into.

We actually are renting points for the 1st time for our upcoming Sept trip at AKV which gave me the idea of DVC! Also, we really like the thought of being able to go to Aulani or the Hilton Head locations.

We are considering buying more points than we need and rent out the extra points. We are ok with studios for now but my DS is very young and as he gets older we might want to stay in a one bedroom which will require more pts. My question would be how easy is it to rent out points (obviously harder during bad economic times)?

It's incredibly easy. There are risks involved, such as your renters not paying their room charges, but those are minimal. Hook up with David's Vacation Rentals (a sponsor of this board) and you will be able to rent excess points easily.

My one thought is to maybe buy smaller contracts at two resorts (100 - 150 at two) instead of buying one 200-250 pt contract. We would use one and rent the other out at least for a few years. If we need more we could bank/borrow to stay at the resort of choice that year. I'm thinking AKV for one since we love animals. Should I look at another resort that is more favorable to rent out? Or is it better to get one larger size contract?

Thanks in advance for your help!

You don't really need to separate your contracts for purposes of renting, but it might be a good idea to have separate home resorts for booking purposes. My advice would be for you to research the DVC resorts and find which ones appeal to you the most. That will give you a good idea of where to start. Good luck!

 

[disneynutz]

Here are my thoughts:

Buy where you love to stay.

DVC is not a deluxe stay, they have access to deluxe pools and the resort may be attached to or have deluxe resort amenities but the accommodations are not deluxe.

Buy enough points to stay where you want, when you want, if you have extra, rent out a reservation.

Bill

 

[Moniqu17]

Thanks... some good ideas already! I'd have to convince my DH to spend more for BLT but I love the idea of how easy it would make resort hopping (never thought of that)! Plus I've seen the photos and really like the rooms.

Also, I know the DVC rooms aren't quite the same as the reg rooms, but they are still dlx for us. We only stay at moderates if there is some sort of discount since we are sort of frugal, so I like the thought of knowing we can always stay at the nicer places!! Plus we don't like housekeeping every day so I think it would be a good fit.

I hear good things (location, etc) about BWV and BCV, but I'm unsure if the sooner expiration date is a drawback? We've only stayed at moderates and values so I don't know what it would be like to walk to any of the theme parks It sounds nice though!

But we ate at AKV last year and loved walking around the grounds and seeing the pools... once we walked around I knew I had to somehow stay there!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Instead of buying two contracts at two different resorts right off the bat, I'd buy one contract at the resort you love most. Then after you've had a chance to try other resorts using that first contract, buy a second contract wherever you'd also like to stay.

Here are my thoughts:

Buy where you love to stay.

DVC is not a deluxe stay, they have access to deluxe pools and the resort may be attached to or have deluxe resort amenities but the accommodations are not deluxe.

Buy enough points to stay where you want, when you want, if you have extra, rent out a reservation.

Bill

What Bill and Missy said. Buy only what you need at the resort you won't mind staying at if you can't change at seven months out.

Be aware that DVC is getting to be hard to get most of the year at seven months out. Some times it is next to impossible, other times just difficult. Studios go quickly as do two bedrooms. One bedrooms usually are the last to go. And some villa categories are quick to go right at eleven months out.

 

[disneynutz]

Thanks... some good ideas already! I'd have to convince my DH to spend more for BLT but I love the idea of how easy it would make resort hopping (never thought of that)! Plus I've seen the photos and really like the rooms.

Also, I know the DVC rooms aren't quite the same as the reg rooms, but they are still dlx for us. We only stay at moderates if there is some sort of discount since we are sort of frugal, so I like the thought of knowing we can always stay at the nicer places!! Plus we don't like housekeeping every day so I think it would be a good fit.

I hear good things (location, etc) about BWV and BCV, but I'm unsure if the sooner expiration date is a drawback? We've only stayed at moderates and values so I don't know what it would be like to walk to any of the theme parks It sounds nice though!

But we ate at AKV last year and loved walking around the grounds and seeing the pools... once we walked around I knew I had to somehow stay there!

I wouldn't buy at a resort based on contract expiration. Most owners won't be keeping the contract full term and it doesn't make sense to buy somewhere because of price are expiration date if you don't love staying there.

We own 5 resorts but could really get by with 3.

VWL for MK stays, BWV for Epcot and DHS stays, and AKV for AK stays.

BCV is nice and we enjoy the YC/BC area but the BCV building doesn't do it for us like BWV does and we can walk to YC/BC from BWV. BLT is nice also but we don't care for the theming or the view from the rooms. Theme Park view isn't that great and with the lake view you run the risk of being inside the "C" looking at other rooms across the way.

Bill

 

[Moniqu17]

I just wasn't sure if we wanted to sell later down the road if having an earlier expiration date would be too much of a negative. Honestly, my family would love to stay at any of the resorts, so I'm just trying to make sure that whatever we buy will still be desirable down the road.

 

[RSWA2]

I would recommend 2 smaller contracts vs 1 bigger contract.

Pros: It'll give you 2 different 11 month resort advantages and can add some diversity to the trips or have a split stay. If for some reason you want to sell, you can sell smaller contracts easier. Or if you want to rent/transfer, you have options of which resort to use.

Cons: 2 smaller contracts will probably (and most likely) cost more per point than the 1 bigger contract. Plus you will have 2 closing costs. The banking/borrowing will work, but will be harder if for longer stays at larger accommodations during high point seasons.

Also, you'll see plenty of threads here that talk about the break even point with purchasing a DVC resale. So once you reach that and if you want to sell, even with a shorter expiration date and you sell for $1, you have come out ahead. For me, I wouldn't look at whether you can make money or if the expiration dates have a negative. I would look at DVC as a way to vacation and for you and your family to enjoy vacations at a lower cost. So just make sure that the DVC resort(s) you buy into are ones that your family (not others) will find desirable down the road.

 

[Missyrose]

I just wasn't sure if we wanted to sell later down the road if having an earlier expiration date would be too much of a negative. Honestly, my family would love to stay at any of the resorts, so I'm just trying to make sure that whatever we buy will still be desirable down the road.

Is the extra $$$ you could make later in the contract's lifecycle worth giving up where you'd rather stay most of the time? What's the point in spending all this money if you don't get the vacations you want out of it?

 

[Deb & Bill]

Is the extra $$$ you could make later in the contract's lifecycle worth giving up where you'd rather stay most of the time? What's the point in spending all this money if you don't get the vacations you want out of it?

Totally agree with Missy once again. If you can't get into the resort you really want to stay in, what will the end date even matter? Check out the resorts, find out which one is really calling to you and buy there.

 

[AJA]

Buy where you want to stay, you will not regret it.

We just got back (checked out yesterday) from another relaxing and awesome DVC stay at Beach Club. We've never had a minute of regret for spending a little more and buying at Beach Club.

My advice is go with ONE contract now and see how you like it. I would buy based on location with a little one. Either at a monorail resort, only BLT right now, or one of the Boardwalk locations. You can always pick up an additional contract at a cheaper location later.


This is just food for thought, some love AKV and with young children it is a special experience, but it's not the place to own for everyone. We didn't like being so far out and away from dining options. Even my seven year old daughter prefers Beach Club (the pool lol) to AKV.

 

[Dean]

Hi, I'm a newbie here and have been reading many threads on the boards here which have been very helpful. My DH and I are considering DVC resale since we go to WDW once a year and with my dietary restrictions we feel like WDW is a treat and plan to go every year!!

I would like some suggestions though before we make our decision. We typically stay at moderate resorts due to price but like the thought of staying at dlx for the nicer pools etc (we don't have to go to the parks every time) and can eat at the other resorts etc. We actually are renting points for the 1st time for our upcoming Sept trip at AKV which gave me the idea of DVC! Also, we really like the thought of being able to go to Aulani or the Hilton Head locations.

We are considering buying more points than we need and rent out the extra points. We are ok with studios for now but my DS is very young and as he gets older we might want to stay in a one bedroom which will require more pts. My question would be how easy is it to rent out points (obviously harder during bad economic times)? My one thought is to maybe buy smaller contracts at two resorts (100 - 150 at two) instead of buying one 200-250 pt contract. We would use one and rent the other out at least for a few years. If we need more we could bank/borrow to stay at the resort of choice that year. I'm thinking AKV for one since we love animals. Should I look at another resort that is more favorable to rent out? Or is it better to get one larger size contract?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Some thoughts are maybe a bit of contrarian view. IMO it make no sense to buy extra points to rent out. You might or might not make a reasonable return but you set yourself up for extra work and risk. I'd only do this if I clearly needed more later. I would NOT go into this with the intent of buying 2 contracts initially. I'd either buy more at one resort or buy less at one and see then reconsider a second in a few years as others have stated. The cost difference between two contracts of say 150 each vs one at 300 will be fairly significant. Likely somewhere in the neighborhood of $2000-3000 total, maybe more depending on home resort.

I would buy the resort you'd be comfortable with for most trips if you couldn't get anything else. I would not buy a resort on the highest end such as BLT unless you expect to spend more of your stays there. The lower (and narrowing the gap) fees will not make up for the up front difference in costs compared to most options. I would not finance such a luxury purchase and that alone might be a good reason to consider less now for some.

 

[Moniqu17]

Thanks everyone... I really appreciate the advice

I think my DH and I have decided to buy two smaller contracts since I like the thought of having two home resorts. I love the animals and relaxed atmosphere at AKV when we went for dinner but like the theme and location of BLT. As someone suggested, we can easily resort hop and get to multiple parks from BLT since we often go for the food! BLT was more than we wanted to spend, but I think it will be a good choice for years to come since I'll always be looking for new food and locations to try! So we will probably look for a contract at either AKV or BLT that fits us now and in a year or two add on the other resort.

 

[geraghty]

Thanks everyone... I really appreciate the advice

I think my DH and I have decided to buy two smaller contracts since I like the thought of having two home resorts. I love the animals and relaxed atmosphere at AKV when we went for dinner but like the theme and location of BLT. As someone suggested, we can easily resort hop and get to multiple parks from BLT since we often go for the food! BLT was more than we wanted to spend, but I think it will be a good choice for years to come since I'll always be looking for new food and locations to try! So we will probably look for a contract at either AKV or BLT that fits us now and in a year or two add on the other resort.

This is exactly what we are doing. Good luck!

 

[Moniqu17]

Thanks and good luck to you too!

 

[Missyrose]

Thanks everyone... I really appreciate the advice

I think my DH and I have decided to buy two smaller contracts since I like the thought of having two home resorts. I love the animals and relaxed atmosphere at AKV when we went for dinner but like the theme and location of BLT. As someone suggested, we can easily resort hop and get to multiple parks from BLT since we often go for the food! BLT was more than we wanted to spend, but I think it will be a good choice for years to come since I'll always be looking for new food and locations to try! So we will probably look for a contract at either AKV or BLT that fits us now and in a year or two add on the other resort.

Sounds like a good plan. I would just ask yourself if you think you'd make good use out of the value villas or concierge villas at AKV. They're the main reason it's good to own there for home-resort priority. If you plan to go for standard view or savannah view villas, you might want to look at one of the smaller resorts you said you were interested in (BCV/BWV) because it's much easier to get into AKV at seven months than BCV.