Buying Resale- where?

[TarraLee]

Hi all. Dh and I are looking into a resale, and I checked out the inventory at The Timeshare Store, and at A Time Share.com I have a few questions:

1) Is this usually an offer/counter-offer type deal (like a house) or is it basically, pay the price listed?

2) Do buyers usually pay the closing costs? How much do they normally run?

3) I'm not finding quite what I want so far, are there other places that sell DVC resales?

Thanks in advance, I'm so excited over this whole DVC idea!

 

[CGregoryJr]

After having two resale deals fall through with different brokers, this one's easy in my judgment. Jaki Apetz at www.atimeshare.com/disney is my only recommendation. She personally saw to it that our transaction closed within 30 days and the sale period included the Christmas holiday and the Seller lived in Saudi!!! When I add additional points, I won't even consider using anyone else. Regarding your inquiries, it's a real estate transaction and everything is negotiable. Naturally, to evaluate the reasonableness of the deal, all costs need to be considered. Fortunately, the points are really a commodity and you simply need to wait for the deal that best suites your profile. It took us 2 months to surface the right opportunity. Be patient but don't sweat the small stuff. Many folks get too caught up in fretting over matters that are really immaterial in the scheme of things. Good luck to you.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by TarraLee
Hi all. Dh and I are looking into a resale, and I checked out the inventory at The Timeshare Store, and at A Time Share.com I have a few questions:

1) Is this usually an offer/counter-offer type deal (like a house) or is it basically, pay the price listed?

2) Do buyers usually pay the closing costs? How much do they normally run?

3) I'm not finding quite what I want so far, are there other places that sell DVC resales?

Thanks in advance, I'm so excited over this whole DVC idea!

Here's a list I've posted several times bt it seems relavant. Closing around $450 and traditionally paid by buyer. You can offer what you want but the DVC buy back price seems to be around $64-65 pp, at least on the newer resorts. You should decide what you want and contact the brokers. You can't go by what's on the website. The best deals usually don't make it to the websites. Also keep an eye on ebay.

There are lots of places to find contracts. Besides
The Timeshare store, atimeshares.com and Lee Reid's
site that are the "specialists". I used ERA Stroman
and have now bought 2 expensive timeshare through
them and had two other contacts that didn't go
through. I had a previous BW contract that DVC
bought back and a Paradise Village contract that
fell through because the seller owed more on it than
he agreed to sell it for and couldn't come up with
his part.

At ERA stroman, I worked mainly with Steve Scott
(800) 733-8846 x3149. I also worked earlier with
Jaunita Jones on the PV contract. Steve was willing
in all cases to make the low ball offers and it
seems to be candid with both the seller and buyer
from what I could tell. It is my belief that the
big 3, especially TSS and atimeshares seem to jack
up the price. I'm not saying that's wrong, just
that it's not in the buyers best interest.

I'd also look at Timeshare Users Group (TUG),
http://www.floridavip.com/central.htm (a FSBO site
specializing in FL), Century 21 in Kissimmee as well
as canvas the timeshare world in general. Try also
Www.timeshares.com and http://TIMESHARESDIRECT.com/ and
Sharon Eden at http://www.timesharesUSAresales.com/.
Also consider Shontell Crawford who was at TSS and
now on her own info@TimesharesByResale.com or toll free at 1-800-844-4099. The Timeshare Warehouse has some DVC inventory at http://www.Thetimesharewarehouse.com. And Lee Reid at http://www.disney-vacation-club-resales.com/.
Contact many, tell them what you want and how much
you are willing to pay and see what happens. Good
luck.

 

[robinb]

Dean covered most of your questions. He is the timeshare resale maven .

I bought both my DVC contracts from The Timeshare Store, my first, at OKW 6 years ago and the second at BWV in April 2002. I "shopped around" for my second contract and it took about 3 months for just the right one to come along. Just make sure you know what you want and let the salespeople know that too. Just because you don't see the "right" contract does't mean it does not exist. My BWV contract never even made it to the Timeshare Store's website as it was offered to me directly by my sales person since she knew what I was looking for.

 

[Laurabearz]

We have used Jaki at atimeshare.com for both of our resale contracts...... and like the above poster mentioned, the contracts we bought never made it to the website..... I would call Jaki (and others) and tell them what you are looking for....... and give it a couple of weeks......

And yes you can make an offer and they can counter....... just like a house.

 

[TarraLee]

Thank you all for all the great advice so far! I am scouring the web, and will make a few phone calls on Monday.

Dean, you mentioned 64-65/pp is that what Disney will buy back for or what I could reasonably offer at OKW, Boardwalk, or VWL?

Also, one new question: I know everyone says buy where you want to stay. We plan to add points in 3-5 years if we buy now. Should we buy where we find the right price now, (while we're alot more flexible about when and where- no kids yet) and then add on where we really want to be?

Thanks again

 

[CaptainMidnight]

Naturally, The Timeshare Store should be one of our recommendations, and this is a great opportunity to thank them for being a sponsor of this site. You probably see thier advertisement in the top right corner of this forum. Good luck with your shopping.

 

[DVC-Don]

We got our OKW resale from Jaki at A Timeshare. But we were also on lists at The Timeshare Store and Timeshares By Resale. Some stuff gets snapped up before it makes it to the online list.

 

[JimC]

We used Pat Spell at the Timeshare Store and were very pleased with her service when we purchased an OKW resale.

The right price is a mix of cost and value. Only you can determine what constitutes value (location, room size, room mix, resort style. amenities, theming, available transportation, restaurants, and the like).

Buying where you want to stay is important for the 11 month booking window. That window is critical for certain times of the year (Easter, Fourth of July, Christmas and for DVCers between Thanksgiving and Christmas -- at least at WDW); or if you want a GV. Otherwise you can reseve at any DVC resort with any contract at the 7 month booking window.

If it is purely cost and location is not important, then OKW is the cheapest resort to buy, cheapest to own and since it is the largest -- easiest to get reservations at.

If you add-on later at another resort, only those add-on points at that resort qualify for the 11 month booking window.

When we bought our contract at BCV we bought enough points for a week in choice and adventure season in a one bedroom. We wanted that resort for location, SAB and the 11 month booking window for the September to December choice and adventure seasons (mostly the early December Adventure season). One bedroom was what we wanted as a unit size for the amenities that it has.

When we bought the OKW contract it was to boost our points at the lowest cost for other trips -- easier and less points for 2 bedroom or GV if we have family gatherings. More laid back for times when we want that. However, we expect to use those points at other resorts. For example we are having a family beach retreat at VB this May in a 2 bedroom there.

This works for us. Others probably have different reasons and priorities for their purchase decisions. We used these Boards heavily while we were thinking about it and the various views and comments aided our discussions and decisions.

Good luck!

 

[dmoore22]

We used Lee Reid @ disney-vacation-club-resales.com/index.htm . We made an offer that was rejected by the buyer. Lee called us with another before he officially listed the points that was actually a better deal than the one that was rejected. As with any real estate transaction it is offer/counter offer, etc. We were very pleased with this experience. It was painless. The only agony is the anticipation of our first trip home.

 

[Mooobooks]

I bought my resale through The Time Share Store and everything went perfectly. You CAN negotiate, however it's best to remember that there are lots of buyers out there, and someone else may be willing to buy that contract you really want for just a bit more money. I wouldn't say that this is the market in which to play hardball with your seller. (Things were better a few years ago: we were able to get our contract for $53 a point.)
Despite everyone telling you to buy where you want to stay, I would advise you to buy at Old Key West. It has the least expensive points, the least expensive taxes each year, and it IS on property in WDW. I have only stayed there once--we always stay at the Wilderness Lodge Villas and now the Beach Club Villas.
I have never had much trouble booking my rooms, and I rarely book more than four months in advance. Sometimes as little as a month in advance.
There are certain times of year when it IS very crowded and you need to book earlier, but we don't go during the crush anyway.
Disney is, I believe, allowed to change the rules at any time, and it is possible that in the future you will ONLY be allowed to book at the resort in which you own. So, OKW is a no-brainer because it's still on Disney property (as opposed to those who buy at Hilton Head or Vero Beach--one day they may get stuck going there with no option!).
Just my opinion!