Home Improvements vs. More Points!!

[panfan]

My DS and I were going over our budget, financial situation etc. last night. There are some things with the house that we would like to get done this summer/fall. New carpets, new furniture etc... running in the 8,000 to 10,000 range. However , being new to DVC we are quickly realizing that our 150 point purchase is so not enough points!! We own at BVC and would like to add on now .

Just wondering how many of you would go for the points?? Just a funny question to see what some of the responses would be. I know that most are DVC di-hards!

I just don't think we could swing doing both at this time without going into major debt! Also do any of you that get the add-on bug say heck with it and just buy the points anyway?? ( I mean put on credit card etc.) I don't think thats what we will do but it is tempting!

Thanks to any replys!

 

[Richyams]

Ya gotta go for the points, 150 is not enough to do anything every year. Except maybe stay in a studio for some seasons. DVC aint about staying in a studio.

You can't really make many financial arguments for more points. They are a luxury, well, 150 isn't very luxurious, but once you add another 150, you will be getting there.

Its the same old house no matter what, couple new pieces of furniture aint going to make much of a difference, kind of like putting lipstick on a pig.

 

[Lisa F]

I would personally choose to improve my home over more points. I love disney but even if you double the number of points that you own you are still living in your first home 50 times as much as you are going to be at your second home (at Disney).

We financed our DVC purchase, however, so I guess my real answer would be "do both." Interest rates are so low right now, you could take out a home equity loan and buy both DVC AND fix up your house . We financed our DVC purchase and even counting the cost of our monthly payments, we are spending about the same as we were spending before we bought into DVC for lodging. We figured if we were going to spend that money anyway, why not have something to show for it at the end of 10 years (and seriously reduced cost of lodging).

Lisa

 

[Granny]

I'd advise to do the home improvement thing.

While I don't view vacation as a luxury (I used to think of it that way!), I think you have to make trade-offs in life. Too many people want it all, regardless of their financial condition.

Don't forget that DVC is not a one-time purchase....you have to pay maintenance every year.

I know you'll get lots of responses, and many of them humorous. We added on to our original DVC purchase ourselves, but not until we had cleared some other debt.

Rich.....you do have a way of making your point so subtly!

 

[KNWVIKING]

Where will you spent more time ? I live at home more then I do in Disney. Fix the house now, buy points later.

 

[WolfpackFan]

Well I did the opposite - there are some things we need done about our house but we bought into DVC instead. None of the repairs were critical and nothing we can't live with and I will get around to them eventually but buying into DVC now provides us vacations now and in the future at todays cost. I didn't want to wait around and see the points price go again.

 

[tinkgrl]

Hi,

I would do the house repairs first. You can always add points. Good luck!!

Allison BVC 6/03

 

[fkj2]

Well, you need to consider doing the home rennovations in stages perhaps. First, carpeting, then maybe furniture. Have you checked into buying cheaper directly from manufacturers from the Carolinas? You might be able to buy carpeting and then find someone locally to install it at a more reasonable cost. I hate paying retail anymore.

As far as the points, you could also consider a vacation on rented points until you feel comfortable enough financially to add-on.

 

[Terry S]

Well, I desperately need new windows, but instead I have 900 points. What does that tell you?

It tells you that I think family time is very important to me! Our family really enjoys our vacation time togeather and we all start to look forward to the next one as soon as we get back. My husband is a workaholic, and the only time my kids get several days in a roll with Dad is on vacation.

 

[Lesley]

Well, considering that we rent our home and have DVC....I guess you can see our decision! LOL....But we will be buying a house before getting any more points. After getting the house, more points are a priority though. We've got a third child on the way and eventually we'll need a 2br....when baby is 3 our oldest will be approaching the teen years (yikes! He's still my little boy!)

I think I'd probably go with the home improvements in stages...and maybe even add on points in stages. Do both over time. As for furniture....if you have kids or pets....wait until they're out of the picture. The furniture will just get wrecked anyway. Do the carpet this year, think about the furniture later. Unless you need a new stove, refrigerator or heating/cooling system (or a roof) the house stuff can wait. And do what you can yourself....I know a lot of home improvement places offer free classes on laying your own carpet, etc...

I'm seriously thinking we want to buy a new house as opposed to a previously owned one....because I don't want to have to make these decisions myself!

KNWVIKING...you make a good point...but I'd have to say that my dh and I spend more time in Disney (at least mentally!) than at home.

 

[Namdnas]

Just a note to puch you towards the DVC prefence (which I'd go for right now). Someone mentioned that you're in your house 50 times more, based on one week. But, if you get enough points for another week, you'll only be in your home 25 times more!

So, hell buy the points, get a home equity loan, you can probably get <4%.

Anyway, have fun.

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

Originally posted by panfan
New carpets, new furniture etc... running in the 8,000 to 10,000 range.

Just pull a "Trading Spaces"...rip up the carpeting, paint the floor, add a few area rugs and slipcovers, work some wonders with a hot glue gun...all for under $1000.00

Then use the remaining $7000-9000 for a 150pt add-on.

Johnnie

 

[KarenB]

How about a 50-75 point add-on and use the rest for some of the most needed improvements? I like the "improve in stages" ideas that some posters mentioned.

My DH would say.....buy the points, make a reservation.....yiu never know what tomorrow will bring!

Karen

 

[Disney Doll]

TerryS...900 points!!!!!!!!! YOU are my idol!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL!!!!!

I'd buy an add-on of 50 points, to give you a total of 200 points. DH and I lived very nicely with a 200 point contract for 5 years, by doing some creative hotelling. We'd usually plan a vacation from Friday to Friday. We'd arrive at WDW on a Friday and stay in a regular resort Friday night,Saturday night, and sometimes Sunday night. On Monday, we'd move to the 1BR DVC property, where we'd stay till the next Friday. For us, there were benefits to this plan:
1. We got to "get a taste" of other WDW resorts without breaking the bank(a deluxe is a lot easier to swallow if you're only paying for 2 or 3 nights!)
2. We used our DVC points for the less expensive points-per-night
weekday days
3. By checking out the next Friday, we again saved ourselves the expensive weekend points.
4. We could pack less because we knew that we'd be at the DVC resort with the in-room laundry
5. We could save some money on food by planning breakfasts in the room once we got to the DVC. I know some people do breakfast in the room at a regular hotel, but I never cared for that personally.

 

[wilderness01]

I am sure I am not the majority BUT.........I would definately do the home improvements. There is nothing like investing in your home. I personally would like to do an add-on before the points go up again as well, but if I had to do one or the other I would make my house more comfortable to live in for the 51 weeks a year that I am in it!

 

[DVCPAT]

I just made the home improvement decision myself. It seems like DVC and real estate are the only investments with good returns.

 

[timC]

It's amazing what a good professional steam cleaner and a couple of decorative pillows can do to spruce up the place.

Go for da points!

 

[ncligs]

Originally posted by Richyams
Its the same old house no matter what, couple new pieces of furniture aint going to make much of a difference, kind of like putting lipstick on a pig.

 

[disny4ever]

a couple of new throw rugs, 1 or 2 new bean bag chairs, maybe 1 of those fold up camping chairs w/ cup holder, oh, and a new picture for the wall..................lets see here
$ 7.49.....13.37.....11.17......and we'll go for the sofa size picture
(starving artist sale of course ) $ ..19.99
looks like about $ 52.50 for home improvement and the rest for DVC.

Don't take away what you need for DVC, like someelse said..it's a luxury....do the improvement now, then add-on.
PS....the lava lamps are really cheap right now !!!

 

[jbthi]

I vote for the points. Didn't notice if you have children or not. If you do they are going to remember the Disney vacations much more than they would remember new carpeting.

June