where to begin now we decided to buy???

[emmamc252]

I'm sorry as I know this is probably asked all the time but would appreciate any advice offered!!!

My Mum currently owns DVC and we have been able to go one her points the last few years......... however we now have 2 little ones ourselves, my sister has 1 and 1 on the way and our ever expanding families means my mums initial purchase points (150SSR) is just not enough anymore so we are looking to buy in. We know that want to buy in as we want to continue to go to disney and we want to stay at the delux resorts etc. We know how dvc works from my mum BUT we need some help with where to start with the buying in process, having a look online I already felt totally overwhelmed. My mum bought direct from dvc so she can't help, we will only be using the points to stay in WDW florida so resale definately makes the most economic sense for us!

So Basically where do I start???????? Is there a website or page on here that kind of shows me where to start when looking to buy resale? There are so many different companies, I'm also totally unsure how many points to buy and where at as we prefer to stay at different resorts and seem to go at different times of year, we're thinking get roughly enough for a studio and then when the kids get older it will be enough for shorter in a 1 bed when they want to go universal etc, its not an easy decision, I feel like a need a cheat sheet or dvc resale for dummies site!!!!

 

[Smile&Nod]

I have used The Timeshare Store for several re-sale transactions (on both sides of the deal) and have been happy with them - they make it pretty painless and have a listing of available contracts on their website.

 

[Disneyepcot]

At the top of this page under "The Timeshare Store" heading;

Click onto the DVC Resale Listings link and start watching for the listing that fits your needs the best.

I used them and they made me feel like I was their only customer! They were easy to reach when I had questions and emailed me each step of the way through the buying process.

 

[nd43]

Although our resale contract was taken via right of first refusal(ROFR), we also used the Timeshare store and have nothing but positives to say about them.

They sponsor this section of the DIS so you can click on one of their banner ads right from here.

I would encourage you to give them a call. They close many many contracts and can walk you through the resale process.

Besides patience (because it can move slow at times waiting 30 days for Disney to pass ROFR once you have an agreed purchase), the overall process is not that complicated.

To be safe, just use one of the better listing companies and you should be fine. I would avoid eBay, etc. for your first purchase. The asking prices for the various resorts you find in the Timeshare Store listings will give you a reasonable range of value. Your offer can be less then asking but you should expect within a reasonable ($5 to $10) range of asking unless you catch a desperate sell (which might indicate other issues down the line - like not being able to close due to balance due). The market was really hot for awhile and might be cooling. You might be able to offer a little less now.

The key is to find the resort you like, the points you need, and a Use Year (UY) that works for you, and keep looking until you find a resale contract that fits your needs on a highly respected listing agent site. It is a rather dynamic market so new listings are happening all the time if you do not find something on your first review.

If SSR has worked for you, it is a very good value in resale and you should seriously consider it. To keep it simple, try and find a single contract that meets your needs (unless you are looking to buy over 250 pts). If you need more then one, make sure it is the same resort and UY to keep your membership together.

 

[a742246]

Here is an old post that asks the same question.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3123572

 

[nd43]

One other thing I should have mentioned.

When reviewing contracts for sale, pay close attention to how many points are available to you as the new owner.

A "loaded" contract would have banked pts and current year pts ready for use. While a "stripped" contract might have zero points ready for use and all pts taken from outer years due to prior borrowing.

So, just because two contract both have "100 pts" assigned to them, they can vary widely on how many of those 100 pts you will immediately be able to use once you close. It can make a real difference when determining which one is the better value to purchase.

 

[DisneyDiana]

I have used both The Timeshare Store and Shontell Crawford with DVC by Resale. Both were equally easy and awesome to work with.

 

[Nabas]

The Timeshare Store has a buyer's guide. This includes the basics of buying resale. Contact them and they can email you an electronic copy.

There are many on these threads who have used The Timeshare Store. They tend to have fewer bargains than some other DVC resellers but they also are perhaps the most professional and probably the best choice for those who want a low-stress DVC resale purchase experience.

Since you already use your mum's DVC, you know some of the basics. I suggest you start by deciding when you are most likely to visit, which resort you'd want to own at, and how many points you think you will need.

With the very young ones you have, I suspect BLT could be a good option since it's within walking distance of the Magic Kingdom. However, BLT's more expensive than most.

Since your mum already owns at SSR, it's low purchase price and annual Maintenance Fee might be a good alternative.

Happy shopping!

 

[Dean]

Since others have pointed you in the information direction, I'll take a different approach. Even though you have a feel for how things work and an inside track for more info, I'd suggest you step back and make sure you understand the nuances before you proceed. Certainly buying at SSR can be a great option and is likely the best value, make sure that's somewhere you're happy with most trips. Personally, I'd likely look at a different home resort assuming you're likely to combine trips with your family going forward and aren't planning to stay at SSR most of the trips anyway. Don't get me wrong, SSR is often the best value but having options is always good when possible. The same UY may be good to assuming it's a good one for when you travel anyway. Just step back and learn enough to understand the details before making a decision that might not be best for you.

 

[radmcg]

We used the timeshare store and had a great experience for our first contract. The second we used another vendor simply because they had the exact contact we wanted. Just google disney vacation club sales and you should get "the big four" as people call them come up. I had great experiences with both my contracts. If you decide on something specific get on the email list of each company you are interested in. One company even has a resort specific list but you can get on as many of the list as possible. I missed about 6 contracts that I wanted over a year ( I like to at least feel like I got a deal and made reasonable but lower offers). Finally one came up on the resort specific email before it hit the general email. Right price and use year at the Boardwalk. Within fifteen minutes I made a full price offer and it was accepted (Of course had to go through ROFR). Just saying I have used 2 of the big four and would do business with either in a heartbeat. I have a partner that has bought 6 contracts direct. He thinks that is the only way to go. To each his own. I just can't justify that financially. I have purchased 2 contracts off the resale market and wish I had done it long ago.

 

[itutorfortravel]

We used the timeshare store and had a great experience for our first contract. The second we used another vendor simply because they had the exact contact we wanted. Just google disney vacation club sales and you should get "the big four" as people call them come up. I had great experiences with both my contracts. If you decide on something specific get on the email list of each company you are interested in. One company even has a resort specific list but you can get on as many of the list as possible. I missed about 6 contracts that I wanted over a year ( I like to at least feel like I got a deal and made reasonable but lower offers). Finally one came up on the resort specific email before it hit the general email. Right price and use year at the Boardwalk. Within fifteen minutes I made a full price offer and it was accepted (Of course had to go through ROFR). Just saying I have used 2 of the big four and would do business with either in a heartbeat. I have a partner that has bought 6 contracts direct. He thinks that is the only way to go. To each his own. I just can't justify that financially. I have purchased 2 contracts off the resale market and wish I had done it long ago.

Could you possibly pm me the names of the 3 other companies in addition to the timeshare store? Thanks!

 

[wiigirl]

I have used both The Timeshare Store and Shontell Crawford with DVC by Resale. Both were equally easy and awesome to work with.

 

[jillgunter]

We used the Timeshare Store, we were very happy with them.

First, you need to decide what resort you want to be your home. We picked BWV, because we go in October during food and wine. We liked it a lot, and it will be nice to walk to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. So pick were you will always be happy if you cant get a reservation at another resort for what you want. Some resorts have less Studios, so look at that too.

Also look at how many points you need at each resort, and dues. Some take less points were the dues may be higher. Vise versa.

Look at what use year works best for you. We picked October since we always will travel October and later. Its a built in insurance policy if you have to cancel. You still have time to bank your points if you have to. You have to do it 3 months before your use year.

Good luck!