Getting closer to buying

[cdziuba]

I have questions, I'm a little confused, and my husband is ready to buy, so let's go! Would it make sense to buy, say, at Hilton Head, because the buy-in is cheaper? We really want to be able to stay in a Treehouse at SSR, should I definitely buy there? And finally, how do I know what Use Year is a good fit for us? I am so nervous and excited at the same time.

We have traded into DVCs using our Trapp Lodge and Sanibel timeshares via Interval International for years, and now the party's over, they're switching to RCI. We love the DVC. Now I'm trying to figure out how to get in. The Timeshare Store is sending us the info packet. I want to know how to spot a good buy, and how to make an offer that will pass ROFR but still make us happy. I've done lots of studying and am still not sure on many things. Many thanks! We're closer than ever to being members.

 

[ILIKEWDW]

I have questions, I'm a little confused, and my husband is ready to buy, so let's go! Would it make sense to buy, say, at Hilton Head, because the buy-in is cheaper? We really want to be able to stay in a Treehouse at SSR, should I definitely buy there? And finally, how do I know what Use Year is a good fit for us? I am so nervous and excited at the same time.

Hi, as people here always say: "Buy where you want to stay".

It appears that there will be not so much treehouses, so, be able to stay there would be difficult for those who doesn´t have SSR as "home resort"

Also HH has expensive dues, compared to other DVC resorts. The most important to think is where do you like to stay? and buy there.

About a UY, you must first tell us when you use to vacation the most, in wich months?

And last, congratulations for almost be a DVC member!!!

 

[cdziuba]

We like to go to WDW mostly in late August, October, late November, sometimes January/February, and May. LOL I think I'm answering my own question about Use Year, now that I think about it.

 

[ILIKEWDW]

We like to go to WDW mostly in late August, October, late November, sometimes January/February, and May. LOL I think I'm answering my own question about Use Year, now that I think about it.

If you vacation regularly during some months you could choose the best UY for you, because you will have only eight months to bank points for next year.

For example: we vacation the most during early fall (september, october), our kids are small, so now is easy to take them out of school to vacation. But as we will have this timeshare for 50 years, we must think in vacation for the future. So in case that in a future it would be difficult to vacation during school time I thought the other vacation we could have would be during summer or maybe December. So we choose a June UY to cover all that dates during the eight months window (June, July, August, September, October, November, December, and we would have up to end of January to decide if we will bank points or not).

I think that UY will work for us. If you vacation the most at the first months of the year, then I guess a late UY will work for you. If you are able to vacation any time then UY is not important.

 

[chalee94]

i would not buy in at HH unless i wanted to stay at HH on a regular basis. SSR and OKW pts are fairly inexpensive and have lower dues, and will get you onsite if you can book 10-11 months out. if you like the treehouses, focus on SSR resales...

here's the ROFR thread so you can get some idea of what prices have been passing and which prices have been too low.

please, please read the Understanding Use Year thread which will likely explain a lot...

 

[anonymousegirl]

DH and I just bought at BLT and we too looked at resale at HHI and VB because of the significantly lower prices per point. However, the maintenence fees for these resorts are among the highest of all the DVC resorts and you must take that into account.

So 160 points at BLT cost $17,120 and MFs for 50 years are staring at $587 per year ($3.67 x 50 years = $29,350) with an average increase of 2-3% per year.

160 points at HHI at $65 per point is $10,400 and MFs are $5.36 per point per year ($857 per year, with 34 years left on contract = $29,158)

As you can see, the MFs are almost identical except that I am getting 18 more years from my BLT contract and I got Developer points matching my 160 regular points. Also, since BLT is brand new I am getting new appliances, TVs, carpets, beds and hopefully smaller increases in my already lower fees.

So it comes down to inital point cost. I am paying $7000 more for BLT and getting 18 more years. $17,120 divided by 50 years is 342.40 a year (not counting MFs) and the HHI example is $315.15 per year. For approximately $27 more a year (not counting the MF) is am getting 18 more years in a brand new building overlooking either MK or Bay Lake.

Now the above figures are not absolute since MF increase yearly and we do not have any historical data to compare for the BLT numbers. In the last 14 years HHI's MF have gone up approximately 4.16% per year and BWV has gone up 2.9%.

The other thing to consider is home resort advantage. This is where "buy where you want to stay" comes in. If you have no preference for a resort, then buying at the off-site resorts might be worth it. But if you want a smaller, popular resort like Beach CLub Villas or the sure-to-be-popular Treehouses, then you should look into buying at those resorts.

 

[5forDiz]

I have questions, I'm a little confused, and my husband is ready to buy, so let's go! Would it make sense to buy, say, at Hilton Head, because the buy-in is cheaper? We really want to be able to stay in a Treehouse at SSR, should I definitely buy there? And finally, how do I know what Use Year is a good fit for us? I am so nervous and excited at the same time.

We have traded into DVCs using our Trapp Lodge and Sanibel timeshares via Interval International for years, and now the party's over, they're switching to RCI. We love the DVC. Now I'm trying to figure out how to get in. The Timeshare Store is sending us the info packet. I want to know how to spot a good buy, and how to make an offer that will pass ROFR but still make us happy. I've done lots of studying and am still not sure on many things. Many thanks! We're closer than ever to being members.

August Use Year would probably work best : You would then have until March 31 to bank points in the event that you cancelled a trip for August, October, November or even January/February but note that the cancellation would have to be made 31 days or more before the check-in date in order to bank the points. You wouldn't want to pick February for UY (btw there isn't January, May, July or November UYs) because the banking deadline would be September 30 so if you had a trip that needed to be cancelled in October or November you would be past the point of being able to bank the points.

As others have said if you plan to take all or most vacations at WDW then buy there; imho buying an off-site home resort is not worth ~wondering~ if you can get a reservation at WDW at 7 month booking window.

The newest on-site DVC, BLT expiration of 2060 but do you need 160 points? because that is minimum amount Disney will allow you to purchase @ BLT and that minimum increases to 200 points on January 15, 2009.

Since you own another timeshare if you maybe plan to vacation at WDW every other year then you can bank a years worth of DVC pts into the next year to have 2 years worth of points to use. With banking & borrowing can have 3 years worth of points to use every 3rd year.

You can purchase via the resale market a contract with less points than the minimum required by Disney on direct purchase through them:

look over the points charts for resorts you may like to stay at & get a better idea of what amount of points a particular villa will be during various times you may like to travel to better determine if you need 160 or 200 points to start or even less. Once you purchase a DVC contract either via resale market or directly through Disney you can add-on additional points in the future anyway if you find you'd like more (25 point minimum now for all resorts for add-on points; however on Jan. 15 2009 add-on minimum is expected to rise for BLT only to 100 pts).

Expiration years for DVC resorts are BLT 2060, AKV & OKW"extended" 2057, SSR 2054, BWV BCV VWL & HHI and VB and OKW"unextended" 2042.
I wouldn't let expiration year influence the decision as greatly as MFs AND BUYING WHERE YOU'D MOST LIKE to stay because the 11 month booking advantage is your best insurance to be able to secure the resort/dates & type of villa you really want. You may not want to own DVC for 50 years and if you pick a resort with less years left as time goes on you can always purchase points at a DVC with longer expiration.

Best wishes on your planning & hope to welcome you home soon

~ Laura

 

[wendyinoc]

Since your goal is to stay in the treehouses for sure get SSR. With only 60 treehouses it wll be very hard to get them. SSR is one of their biggest properties so they have alot of members. Also the dues are cheaper and on resale the prices are great. I own SSR and I am adding on due to the treehouses. Finally my resort is cool