Buying resale...Which way do I go?

[Princess Merida]

I have finally talked my husband into purchasing DVC. We have rented points at AKL, GFV, BWV, and BLT. My favorite was GFV and his BWV which I love as well. BLT is not for us and AKL was nice but not our favorite. Now that I'm searching resale contracts I'm wondering if it would be financially smarter to own at OKW or SSR and stay where I can since I think we will switch around a lot. I would be okay staying at AKV if we couldn't get anywhere else at 7 month window and have not tried SSR or OKW but maybe I will like them just as well??? Has anyone loved GFV and BWV and SSR or OKW? Has anyone made the decision to not purchase at their favorite resort and been happy with their choice? Thanks any advice is appreciated!!!

 

[supersnoop]

If you want to stay in a studio at VGF most of the time, you need to own there.

If you're okay getting "stuck" at AKV, then you can probably buy anywhere.

Personally, I own a tiny contract at BWV, a small contract at BLT, and the majority of my points at SSR. That way, I can book my favorites when necessary and use the SSR points for "whatever is available" at the time.

 

[suebeelin]

We would be unhappy staying at certain resorts, so we bought where we don't mind staying.

My brother and sil are happy at any dvc so they bought ssr.

Good luck!

 

[ColinBlair]

Before buying into DVC, my favorite resort was Port Orleans Riverside. I went with SSR because it was the best value, but so far of the DVC properties I have stayed at SSR is actually my favorite.

Kidani was a very nice room and if you are driving the parking is excellent. However, for a place that is about nature, there is very little nature outside of your room. Just a bus stop, a very, very, very long hallway, then your room.

Old Key West was just ok, it kind of reminded us of Port Orleans Riverside but without elevators and ice machines. I am sure if we had been staying in something larger than a studio we would have been happier, but it was still pretty blah.

Saratoga Springs had plenty of greenery with excellent walking paths. The area down by the water has plenty of benches. To continue the theme, it reminds me of a nicer Port Orleans Riverside while retaining elevators and ice machines.

I am staying at the Poly in April (standard view). I have only been there in the past for food, but my expectation is for more of a mix between hallways and outdoor walking.

 

[disneynutz]

IMO you get what you pay for. If your resort experience is important to you then buy VGF and later BWV. Buying your favorite resorts and booking early gives you the best chance of getting what you paid for.

Bill

 

[OKgirl]

I think you just need to know your personality well. For me, I want what I want when I want it. I will pout and be upset if I don't get what I want. I don't roll with the punches well when planning a vacation. I don't want to waste points on a larger room than I need in order to get a resort I want at 7 months. I don't want to be trying to get online at 8:00 AM scrambling and hoping to get a room at the 7 month mark while making myself late for work. I bought where I plan to stay (VGF and BCV) most of the time and if I plan a last minute trip then I'll take what I can. Some people wouldn't mind staying at any of the resorts so it wouldn't matter where they buy. I loved AKV when we stayed there short notice but hated the long bus rides (it would take us over an hour to get to a dinner reservation every night, and because my sweet husband always gives up his seat on the bus to allow others to sit, he never got to sit down on any bus ride....) I want to be close to several great restaurants as well so I wanted an Epcot and monorail resort. (oh - I wanted great pools too!)

Know thyself........

 

[lovin'fl]

SSR is a good deal with longer contract life and now that they have made 2 categories there, it might be nice to own there so you can book the category you prefer.

 

[RaymOOOnd]

if you buy BWV you'll be paying about 160% of the initial price per point for a contract with about half of its life remaining

 

[RaymOOOnd]

if you buy BWV you'll be paying about 160% of the initial price per point for a contract with about half of its life remaining

 

[suebeelin]

if you buy BWV you'll be paying about 160% of the initial price per point for a contract with about half of its life remaining

Bcv is going for more, same life span. Thankfully we bought before the crazy price increases. Bwv used to be the same price as ssr. Wish I had bought whatever points at ssr now back then!

 

[DisneySince1967]

MY DH and I have been considering buying resale, but at this point it appears we started deliberating late in the game and have missed the window where it makes sense financially.

 

[suebeelin]

MY DH and I have been considering buying resale, but at this point it appears we started deliberating late in the game and have missed the window where it makes sense financially.

Prices are similar to what they were pre recession. My brother picked up a 3bd walk up top floor (3rd) with balconies in Hoboken for $375k in 2011/2012. It's an investment property for him and he's renting it out for at least 3k, easily covering his expenses. It's worth at least 600k now.

If I had only bought during the recession in..... SF, NYC, Hoboken, etc-- I eould have made a pretty penny. Instead I bought dvc during the recession.

It's about what you are going to use, not what it was priced during a free for all recession...

Hope that helps!

 

[ustasmom]

MY DH and I have been considering buying resale, but at this point it appears we started deliberating late in the game and have missed the window where it makes sense financially.

Maybe less so since you want to buy resale.

I just closed on a resale. The owner purchased AKV in 2012. His loan payoff was over $800 more than what he sold it for.

 

[DisneySince1967]

Thanks! I'm going to lurk and do more research. However, we're in our 50s, live on the West coast and I have an AP to Disneyland -- our home resort. We went on our first DCL cruise this year, loved it, and put a deposit for our next one on board. We love WDW, but are not yet retired. So, for us, it's our third choice of Disney options. We could go to WDW every 3 years or so. If we go alone, we prefer to stay at one of the Epcot locations. We figure we have 20-25 years of traveling left. So, to truly make it cost effective given, er, our shorter time span, occasional visits, and our desire for Deluxe accommodations, absent recession sale prices we are leaning toward renting points in for our next visit.

If we use DVC as a vehicle to treat my husband's adult children, who can't call on Christmas or spare a stamp for a Father's Day card, to a trip to WDW, then DVC becomes a catapult to spend more money rather than save it. That, however, is the topic for another forum, perhaps administered by Jerry Springer.

My apologies to the OP. I didn't mean to hijack your post.

It's about what you are going to use, not what it was priced during a free for all recession...

Maybe less so since you want to buy resale.

 

[Dean]

I have finally talked my husband into purchasing DVC. We have rented points at AKL, GFV, BWV, and BLT. My favorite was GFV and his BWV which I love as well. BLT is not for us and AKL was nice but not our favorite. Now that I'm searching resale contracts I'm wondering if it would be financially smarter to own at OKW or SSR and stay where I can since I think we will switch around a lot. I would be okay staying at AKV if we couldn't get anywhere else at 7 month window and have not tried SSR or OKW but maybe I will like them just as well??? Has anyone loved GFV and BWV and SSR or OKW? Has anyone made the decision to not purchase at their favorite resort and been happy with their choice? Thanks any advice is appreciated!!!

IMO, not amount of research can truly answer these questions completely. SSR will generally be the best $$$ value and few, if any, new buyers will truly know what they'll want to do long term. In general I believe in avoiding the smaller contracts but underbuying rather than overbuying in terms of both home resort and number of points. Generally that means SSR is the best value and BLT next when looked at long term. OKW scares me with the smaller % of owners who are extended and AKV is about 20% more long term for the same number of points.

 

[Volfan1]

SSR is a good deal with longer contract life and now that they have made 2 categories there, it might be nice to own there so you can book the category you prefer.

I agree and this is why we decided to buy SSR. We rented points last year and could only get SSR. We enjoyed it so much, that we decided to buy. We currently have a contract in Disney's hands for ROFR. Good price and longer contract life along with we really liked it last year made our decision easy.

 

[Volfan1]

Here was our thinking:
BLT-- pro's closest to MK, long contract, monorail. con's felt like a big condo unit and a lot of concrete, and high point price.
BWV-- pro's closest to HS, reasonable price. con's contract ends in 2042.
AKL-- pro's very neat to see the animals, long contract, reasonable price. con's can not walk to anything, way away from everything.
GFV-- pro's just beautiful, long contract, monorail. con's price is so high there is no advantage to buying resale.
SSR-- pro's closest to DS, beautiful, 2054 contract, good price, usually easy to book. con's a good distance away from the parks.

We decided for SSR! Good luck and I am sure any DVC will bring you years of enjoyment.

 

[mort1331]

For those who always say, buy where you want to stay. The addition to that is only if you book more than 7 months out. If you don't like we don't then it doesn't matter where you buy and right now the best bang for buck is SSR.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

For those who always say, buy where you want to stay. The addition to that is only if you book more than 7 months out. If you don't like we don't then it doesn't matter where you buy and right now the best bang for buck is SSR.

Right, but if you're never going to book more than 7 months out, you need to understand you may need to be flexible about where you want to stay.

If it matters where you stay, you need to really consider home resort booking advantages.

 

[mort1331]

Right, but if you're never going to book more than 7 months out, you need to understand you may need to be flexible about where you want to stay.

If it matters where you stay, you need to really consider home resort booking advantages.

Right we are agreeing, but not putting it all together for someone who might be looking. If it matters to where they stay, then they do need to be the type of family that does book more than 7 months out. If they cant then buy best price or go with cash reservations./