Considering DVC - Question on Selling Points

[Nickunited]

It is unlikely you will be able to use newly purchased points on an August trip, with a caveat that if you are buying Poly they might have something. But it's a might, because we're inside 60 days, and even the inventory for cash bookings is likely well-booked.

You can't swap a cash booking at a DVC resort and pay for it with points.

We were told by our DVC contact it can be done by booking a new reservation and then cancelling the cash. We would get a refund but as you said, it would not be a 'swap'.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

We were told by our DVC contact it can be done by booking a new reservation and then cancelling the cash. We would get a refund but as you said, it would not be a 'swap'.

That presumes there is a new reservation to be had. Within 60 days, that can be a challenge.

It is not unusual for timeshares salespeople to overpromise what they cannot deliver.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

There's no need to "eat" points. Sounds awful dry and likely would require lots of sauce and/or spoonfuls of sugar.

Really though, as long as you're organized with planning and point usage you should never have to do that.

We were told by our DVC contact it can be done by booking a new reservation and then cancelling the cash. We would get a refund but as you said, it would not be a 'swap'.

If using them for the August trip is part of the purchase equation then it sounds like you're looking at purchasing direct. I'd make it a condition of the purchase that they reserve a room rather than just rely upon the thought that you'll be able to book with points. Almost certainly DVC will need to pull up some of their inventory from somewhere in order to make it happen - if they even have it.

Also, if buying direct at PVB you can cutomize the number of points you buy. As I understand they will sell as small as a 50 point contract to new purchasers. If having too many points is the current concern you could buy the lower amount you feel you'll need and then add on later if necessary.

 

[Dean]

We used the feedback here and are meeting with other DVC members who Rent points tomorrow night. Right now I think we are leaning to becoming members.

Understandably my wife's concern is eating points. It might happen here or there but she wants to know they will sell and from what we see, in the near future the market will be OK for that.

Once we start that family...gulp...we plan on taking our kids every year if possible.

It makes sense for us for travel styles as we like the nicer accommodations.

We are hoping to have a decision by Monday as we have a trip booked in August and it makes sense to join now and use the points on that trip.

Keep you posted but right now we are leaning towards joining the DVC family


**another selling point was Vero Beach being a 45 minute drive away from the Spring Training home of the Mets****

IMO it's a mistake to rush around to get that next trip on points instead of cash. It often leads to a poor decision and a false sense of urgency. Rent the points if you can get something that works then look for the perfect loaded contract that works for you. You'll pay less, make a better decision, likely need a slightly smaller contract (depending on what you're looking at anyway) and be less stressed. The actual price difference of renting compared to the same contract a year from now is meniscal, on a 200 point contract it's only about $5-6 a point difference if all else is equal but since all else wouldn't be equal, the difference would likely be significantly less. IMO buying VB for WDW is a mistake and will be more long term because of the dues.

 

[Nickunited]

If using them for the August trip is part of the purchase equation then it sounds like you're looking at purchasing direct. I'd make it a condition of the purchase that they reserve a room rather than just rely upon the thought that you'll be able to book with points. Almost certainly DVC will need to pull up some of their inventory from somewhere in order to make it happen - if they even have it.

Also, if buying direct at PVB you can cutomize the number of points you buy. As I understand they will sell as small as a 50 point contract to new purchasers. If having too many points is the current concern you could buy the lower amount you feel you'll need and then add on later if necessary.

I spoke to my DVC contact again and stated I will not move forward unless they can rebook as DVC. If we can not get DVC points then i would hold off on the purchase for now. She said she was fine with us because our HOME would be the same Resort we are staying in so she feels pretty confident in rebooking if we buy. As another poster said, it WILL be a condition. That was a great idea.

We considered lower point total. We actually have mapped out the next 5 years and there is a roadmap for using points. Her concern is when LIFE comes up and maybe we cant go as we have scheduled. We know the club is right for us at this time as when the family comes, we will be there often. I was never able to go to Disney a lot as a child and i want my children to go every year. We know the prices will go up and the cheaper price per point options will get less. That is why we think we actually might go through with it now.

IMO it's a mistake to rush around to get that next trip on points instead of cash. It often leads to a poor decision and a false sense of urgency. Rent the points if you can get something that works then look for the perfect loaded contract that works for you. You'll pay less, make a better decision, likely need a slightly smaller contract (depending on what you're looking at anyway) and be less stressed. The actual price difference of renting compared to the same contract a year from now is meniscal, on a 200 point contract it's only about $5-6 a point difference if all else is equal but since all else wouldn't be equal, the difference would likely be significantly less. IMO buying VB for WDW is a mistake and will be more long term because of the dues.

Agreed. Few things to clear up as I probably did not explain myself fully and correctly.

1 - Vero Beach will not be our home. The maintenance fees were high. We would be Saratoga if we do sign. the Vero beach example I provided is another option of where we could use our points as we do go to Spring Training often. I realize that looked wrong as I sometimes type as I talk...fast lol. Saratoga price and fees to us seem to be the best package.

2 - This is the third time I have considered joining DVC. The first two were just not the right time. Either I just was too young or the last time we did not move forward because we knew we would be getting married and with the costs of NY weddings...we just needed the cash at the time.

This time is a little different. Without getting into details, we are currently in a position where we know we can buy something we talked about a few times and not stress down the road about it.

We know how we travel and we often will stay at the nicer results and we compared prices to point totals etc. We really feel DVC makes sense for us and our future family.

We actually were looking at a lower point total but when we thought about 5-10 years from now and we concluded that we might need more points down the road. We would rather just do it now when the position allows us and then thats it. Wont have to buy more.

In a way your right. We are kind of rushing...but because we are ready...and we know being so close to August if this can happen where we rebook and start using points, we want to move fast to ensure we get the accommodations we want, which we have been told we will.

Next year we are going to Europe again for something. We might still sign up in August but then we will not be using points in our first year, we would rather sign up 2 months earlier and start using our points. Kind of where the urgency comes in.

Again, if they can not rebook for points, i will not sign up right now. That condition has to be met.

 

[Dean]

Agreed. Few things to clear up as I probably did not explain myself fully and correctly.

1 - Vero Beach will not be our home. The maintenance fees were high. We would be Saratoga if we do sign. the Vero beach example I provided is another option of where we could use our points as we do go to Spring Training often. I realize that looked wrong as I sometimes type as I talk...fast lol. Saratoga price and fees to us seem to be the best package.

2 - This is the third time I have considered joining DVC. The first two were just not the right time. Either I just was too young or the last time we did not move forward because we knew we would be getting married and with the costs of NY weddings...we just needed the cash at the time.

This time is a little different. Without getting into details, we are currently in a position where we know we can buy something we talked about a few times and not stress down the road about it.

We know how we travel and we often will stay at the nicer results and we compared prices to point totals etc. We really feel DVC makes sense for us and our future family.

We actually were looking at a lower point total but when we thought about 5-10 years from now and we concluded that we might need more points down the road. We would rather just do it now when the position allows us and then thats it. Wont have to buy more.

In a way your right. We are kind of rushing...but because we are ready...and we know being so close to August if this can happen where we rebook and start using points, we want to move fast to ensure we get the accommodations we want, which we have been told we will.

Next year we are going to Europe again for something. We might still sign up in August but then we will not be using points in our first year, we would rather sign up 2 months earlier and start using our points. Kind of where the urgency comes in.

Again, if they can not rebook for points, i will not sign up right now. That condition has to be met.

Even if you're ready and well educated on DVC, I would not rush to buy quickly to get that next trip. I'd make the requisite decisions of how many points long term, home resort and UY then look for a loaded contract at a fair price. In reality, this with renting a shorter time trip, will likely be cheaper than trying to buy to get that next trip. Any extra costs on the rental will likely be made up and more on the right contract but at the minimum, it won't have any real cost doing it that way for one trip.

I'm not sure how many points you're looking at but I'm a fan of getting to a "full sized contract" if possible because it's cheaper, more flexible and easier/less frustrating to find and is usually better and cheaper long term. However, once one gets on the higher points side I think less is more for a first time buyer. Put more simply, if you "need" 100, I'd likely go for 150-170 and if you "need: 400, I'd likely go more in the 200-270 range and try it out. The other way to approach this is to look at your planned trips and expected usage and build in a cushion. For example, if you're planned trips were 100 points in a studio adventure season, you need AT LEAST 120 and likely more just for what's planned. but if your planned trips are a 2 BR Magic, you likely need no cushion or very little depending on how likely you would go premier or to a more expensive resort and to a degree, on the home resort.

The other thing that confuses me is your discussion of getting what you want in terms of the august trip. If that means you're looking at retail to do that, it's a perfect example of the rushing to get in concern. If that's the case, go on cash or a rental and buy the right resale and you'll be far better off assuming you're over 50 points. Taking August out of the equation and realizing you'll be a couple of years before you go, now is the perfect time to look at buying that perfect contract. With a loaded contract you might have to do a one time rental but you could also make a set number of points go much further. A loaded contract in that situation will work like one a good 10-15% larger for a good 5-7 years.

I'd encourage you to realize that getting the august trip isn't really much of a savings.

 

[JimMIA]

I'd encourage you to realize that getting the august trip isn't really much of a savings.

Dean is VERY correct here.

You will be paying a TON more just to get to use points for one trip -- you're purchasing direct so your timeshare salesperson can book one measly trip for you...like that's a big deal.

You can buy a loaded contract like Dean is proposing for HALF what you are going to spend direct -- effectively many more points, much lower acquisition costs, lower annual fees.

 

[kelownamom]

Definitely look into resale and finding a great contract! We found a great loaded contract and accepted that even though our plans to travel this fall may not happen on our points we were willing to wait till we could get the contract we wanted and are able to book the resort we wanted once those points become available to us. But I kept watching the dedicated reservation boards and managed to find a booking for exactly what we wanted this fall renting from another member! So we got our fall trip on rented points at a GREAT price! We got a fully loaded contract saving us about 7000 over buying direct plus had extra points and we get to travel exactly when we want. Before you rush a purchase have a peak at the brokers dedicated reservation boards maybe there is something there that will work for you and that can take the urgency off of purchasing giving you some time to find the perfect contract!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

The price difference between buying Saratoga direct and Saratoga resale is $40-50/per point. Buying direct in a rush to get one trip is in no way a way to save money. A week at Saratoga in late August is 92 points for a studio or 196 for a 1BR; so based on a 100-200 point contract, you'd be paying an extra $4000-10,000 just to take this one trip.

DVC is a long-term commitment.

 

[Dean]

Definitely look into resale and finding a great contract! We found a great loaded contract and accepted that even though our plans to travel this fall may not happen on our points we were willing to wait till we could get the contract we wanted and are able to book the resort we wanted once those points become available to us. But I kept watching the dedicated reservation boards and managed to find a booking for exactly what we wanted this fall renting from another member! So we got our fall trip on rented points at a GREAT price! We got a fully loaded contract saving us about 7000 over buying direct plus had extra points and we get to travel exactly when we want. Before you rush a purchase have a peak at the brokers dedicated reservation boards maybe there is something there that will work for you and that can take the urgency off of purchasing giving you some time to find the perfect contract!

To add an angle, if one rented then bought but had points they could have used for the rented trip, one could just rent them out and likely come out ahead $$$ on a loaded contract even taking taxes into account.

 

[kelownamom]

To add an angle, if one rented then bought but had points they could have used for the rented trip, one could just rent them out and likely come out ahead $$$ on a loaded contract even taking taxes into account.

That's the plan for us! We would come out a few hundred ahead, that is if we can refrain from just going back again .

 

[disneynutz]

Is there a broker like David's but for Transferring points?

Transferring points can be problematic, you can't always see them in your account and the biggest issue is that per Disney's DVC rules, you are not allowed to receive compensation for transferring.

Bill

 

[Nickunited]

Thanks all on the thoughts/feedback. Really helpful as some excellent points were bought up.

Especially for the answers to my initial question on renting points.


I'm a fast talker/typer and i feel like i'm coming across as a dope that is just rushing into buying this but has not thought it through.

I am not - i promise but your insight and ideas are much appreciated and there are some really good points.

Its just we already know how we would sign up if we do. The final questions are more or less, about how we would manage our points and about renting if we did have a year or two we could not use them.

Resale is not for us. We talked about it and looked at the prices compared to our direct contract but we do not like restrictions. The restrictions do not seem bad at all and I see that most restrictions come with the FROM THIS DAY FORWARD timeline but there is really no certainty that down the road they do not put harder restrictions on all RESALE members. Hopefully they do not but you just do not know. I don't like that uncertainty.

To us, and I know this is not everyone, we would rather spend the extra money and do it direct where there might not be the restrictions and there might be some really nice perks down the road for direct members. I know that might sound kind of moronic to some but it is just how we are as people. If we are going to buy, we would rather pay the extra for the certainty. Which is why direct is for us.

'Rushing into a stupid decision' would have been signing up 4 years ago when we initially talked about it. We were not ready then and did not have the situation we do now and would had to have taken out a loan etc.

The August swap is not about saving money. We were thinking of going down there in August and writing the check and we figured hey, if we are going to do it then, why not just do it now and start using the points.

Then we figured we would get some money back and it was like hey, we are going to drop money, we have the budget and are prepared but lets just maybe decide in NOW if we are going to sign rather than at the table in August and we might be able to make a years dues back from that reservation.

 

[kelownamom]

Thanks all on the thoughts/feedback. Really helpful as some excellent points were bought up.

Especially for the answers to my initial question on renting points.


I'm a fast talker/typer and i feel like i'm coming across as a dope that is just rushing into buying this but has not thought it through.

I am not - i promise but your insight and ideas are much appreciated and there are some really good points.

Its just we already know how we would sign up if we do. The final questions are more or less, about how we would manage our points and about renting if we did have a year or two we could not use them.

Resale is not for us. We talked about it and looked at the prices compared to our direct contract but we do not like restrictions. The restrictions do not seem bad at all and I see that most restrictions come with the FROM THIS DAY FORWARD timeline but there is really no certainty that down the road they do not put harder restrictions on all RESALE members. Hopefully they do not but you just do not know. I don't like that uncertainty.

To us, and I know this is not everyone, we would rather spend the extra money and do it direct where there might not be the restrictions and there might be some really nice perks down the road for direct members. I know that might sound kind of moronic to some but it is just how we are as people. If we are going to buy, we would rather pay the extra for the certainty. Which is why direct is for us.

'Rushing into a stupid decision' would have been signing up 4 years ago when we initially talked about it. We were not ready then and did not have the situation we do now and would had to have taken out a loan etc.

The August swap is not about saving money. We were thinking of going down there in August and writing the check and we figured hey, if we are going to do it then, why not just do it now and start using the points.

Then we figured we would get some money back and it was like hey, we are going to drop money, we have the budget and are prepared but lets just maybe decide in NOW if we are going to sign rather than at the table in August and we might be able to make a years dues back from that reservation.

Your totally right I feel my comment was full of unsolicited advice...oops Hope your purchase goes well and you enjoy your Upcoming vacation

 

[JimMIA]

Resale is not for us. We talked about it and looked at the prices compared to our direct contract but we do not like restrictions. The restrictions do not seem bad at all and I see that most restrictions come with the FROM THIS DAY FORWARD timeline but there is really no certainty that down the road they do not put harder restrictions on all RESALE members. Hopefully they do not but you just do not know. I don't like that uncertainty.

To us, and I know this is not everyone, we would rather spend the extra money and do it direct where there might not be the restrictions and there might be some really nice perks down the road for direct members.

I'm sure you know this, but it still has to be said -- if for no other reason than for other readers who may just be starting the process.

Whatever perks exist today are NOT guaranteed for anyone -- including direct purchasers. They could change tomorrow in too many ways to mention, including elimination altogether. So yes, there are restrictions today on resale buyers, but you could be subject to those same limitations later too, or perks could be completely eliminated. (Actually perks come and go with considerable regularity.) The DIS boards are full of stories about perks being eliminated -- including in the middle of the night.

 

[Dean]

Thanks all on the thoughts/feedback. Really helpful as some excellent points were bought up.

Especially for the answers to my initial question on renting points.


I'm a fast talker/typer and i feel like i'm coming across as a dope that is just rushing into buying this but has not thought it through.

I am not - i promise but your insight and ideas are much appreciated and there are some really good points.

Its just we already know how we would sign up if we do. The final questions are more or less, about how we would manage our points and about renting if we did have a year or two we could not use them.

Resale is not for us. We talked about it and looked at the prices compared to our direct contract but we do not like restrictions. The restrictions do not seem bad at all and I see that most restrictions come with the FROM THIS DAY FORWARD timeline but there is really no certainty that down the road they do not put harder restrictions on all RESALE members. Hopefully they do not but you just do not know. I don't like that uncertainty.

To us, and I know this is not everyone, we would rather spend the extra money and do it direct where there might not be the restrictions and there might be some really nice perks down the road for direct members. I know that might sound kind of moronic to some but it is just how we are as people. If we are going to buy, we would rather pay the extra for the certainty. Which is why direct is for us.

'Rushing into a stupid decision' would have been signing up 4 years ago when we initially talked about it. We were not ready then and did not have the situation we do now and would had to have taken out a loan etc.

The August swap is not about saving money. We were thinking of going down there in August and writing the check and we figured hey, if we are going to do it then, why not just do it now and start using the points.

Then we figured we would get some money back and it was like hey, we are going to drop money, we have the budget and are prepared but lets just maybe decide in NOW if we are going to sign rather than at the table in August and we might be able to make a years dues back from that reservation.

As long as you know you're paying maybe $45 a point for the "protection" of retail for a resort that is one of the easiest to buy resale, that's your decision.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Resale is not for us. We talked about it and looked at the prices compared to our direct contract but we do not like restrictions. The restrictions do not seem bad at all and I see that most restrictions come with the FROM THIS DAY FORWARD timeline but there is really no certainty that down the road they do not put harder restrictions on all RESALE members. Hopefully they do not but you just do not know. I don't like that uncertainty.

Being that most trades that are restricted with resale currently are quite high in point requirements it could be assumed that that is not what you are concerned about with a resale purchase. So then it would be the other benefits that come with being a qualified member. Just making certain that you know that can be achieved with a 25 point direct add on if you do feel an importance with that. So a resale purchase for the majority of points and a small, higher priced add on for the benefits. (and as Jim mentioned, benefits could be removed at anytime for direct buyers too - as some have been in the past - so no one is completely insulated from that).

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Definitely be aware that with even 150 points, you won't be able to trade for much of anything -- and even resale buyers still get RCI trades.

 

[disneynutz]

Being a DVC owner has taught us that Disney isn't the company that we thought it was. They are really money hungry even at the expense of their guests/customers. They want to force DVC buyers to only buy direct so they delay the resale closing process which now takes 90 days. That wasn't enough so the made some resale restrictions, that wasn't enough so they made additional resale restrictions and now don't even consider resale buyers as DVC members.

Their actions make it pretty clear of what kind of company we are dealing with and sadly if we were buying today, we would really have to think twice. If they will do this to resale buyers, they will also do things to direct buyers and cash guests.

Bill