How many "legitimate" transfers between 2 DVC members actually occur? Update: Post 14

[WelcomeHome]

As more and more new DVC sites are being created, I started entertaining the possibility of trading points from my home resorts in exchange for an equal number of points from the home resorts of other DVC members. This would allow me to almost guarantee a stay at any resort during any time of year with the 11 month advantage.

So just for fun, I started looking at the rent/trade boards for people with "points for transfer." While I was under the impression that we're not really supposed to transfer points in exchange for money, almost ALL the "points for transfer" posts are showing a price per point for the transfer. I'm forced to assume that instead of an equivalent point for point trade between 2 members, all these threads are really just the sale of points from one member to another. Some threads even specify "rent/transfer" in their headline and I'm guessing that means the poster will sell points to a DVC member and call it a transfer OR sell points to a non-member and call it a rental.

I simply want to know if my assumptions are correct. While I'm happy for any DVC member who is successfully able to buy the points at a resort they need, I'm wondering how often a genuine "point for point" trade or transfer actually occurs?

As a side note, what do you think is the possiblity that more legitimate transfers will start to occur now that there are more & more DVC resorts coming available. Do you think more members like myself will want to transfer point for point to gain access to the various 11 month windows?

Is there any easy way to separate "points for points transfers" from the "points for profit transfers" on the boards? I'll be very curious to hear the different opinions DVC members (and non-members) may have on this issue!

Best wishes,
Dave

UPDATE: Based on the first dozen responses I received, I'm hoping to take this thread in a new direction - see my update on Post 14.

 

[jekjones1558]

A complication for point-for-point transfers is that a member cannot transfer points both into and out of a contract in the same use year. So if one wishes to get the 11 month advantage at another resort it really needs to be some sort of reservation trade scenario, possibly with a transfer of points to make up any difference in point requirements between the 2 reservations. At least this is how I see it working. The only exceptions might be 2 members who each have 2 separate memberships, in which case points could be transferred into one membership and out of another or a second exception might involve transferring points out of one use year and into another. Hopefully some other posters will chime in here with ideas.

 

[disneynutz]

Nice idea but hard to do. Since you can only transfer once per UY, in or out, swapping points is a challenge. You would need to transfer out in '07 and transfer in, in '08. With my luck, my swap partner will have sold his contracts and left town by the time '08 rolls around.

 

[DISNEY FIX]

Nice idea but hard to do. Since you can only transfer once per UY, in or out, swapping points is a challenge. You would need to transfer out in '07 and transfer in, in '08. With my luck, my swap partner will have sold his contracts and left town by the time '08 rolls around.

Interesting....what do you lawyers out there have to say about this one?
Chris

 

[utahkennedys]

I have had several transfers into my account from several members, and it was flawless. I paid 1/2 first, then 1/2 after I confirmed with MS. We may have extra points this year, and I may transfer them to another member over renting -- renting seems like such a pain, I hate dealing with the public... With a transfer, you get paid, transfer the points, and you are done. No "I need to change the dates", "I need to add the dining plan", etc. since MS only lets members do these things now.

 

[Boston5602]

You could also go to redweek or the TUG websites and make a post about an exchange , not just for DVC but anywhere. The value is what you put on it . If someone wants a week at DVC in WDW and they are offering 5 days in a camper in the middle of nowhere and YOU LOVE that idea you guys could swap and be happy.

Of Course someone may be willing to swap out a week in Hawaii at a Marriott Resort for a week at DVC and you both see that as fair , weather it is the same cash equivalent or not , if the swap makes both of you happy so be it.


Good Luck !

 

[Dean]

Interesting....what do you lawyers out there have to say about this one?
Chris

If your asking for a practical recourse, there really isn't one for most situations. Would you spend $5K to try to recoup $2K realizing it's likely be in another state and even if you won a judgement it'd be extremely difficult to collect. And that assumes you have a contract and it's enforceable. That's one of the reasons I've suggested being the first to travel on a direct exchange.

 

[Mule2007]

If someone wants a week at DVC in WDW and they are offering 5 days in a camper in the middle of nowhere and YOU LOVE that idea you guys could swap and be happy.

Good Luck !

Man that must be a heck of a camper.........

Mule

 

[DISNEY FIX]

I have had several transfers into my account from several members, and it was flawless. I paid 1/2 first, then 1/2 after I confirmed with MS. We may have extra points this year, and I may transfer them to another member over renting -- renting seems like such a pain, I hate dealing with the public... With a transfer, you get paid, transfer the points, and you are done. No "I need to change the dates", "I need to add the dining plan", etc. since MS only lets members do these things now.

Any down sides? Other up sides? We think alike. I was toying with the idea of using a transfer every 2-3 years to replentish the account, I am certain that we will be borrowing quite a bit. The banked points that came with my resale loaded contract purchase makes for quite a nice bunch of vacations. Plus no MF on those points.
Thanks
Chris

 

[Plutofan]

Someone could answer the question better than me but I believe that there may be a limitation on the number of points that you can have transfered in. I thought I read a post about this but am not sure. Also be aware that transfer of points for any type of compensation is prohibited in the POS. I am not sure how Disney would find out but you need to know that this restriction exists.

 

[Dean]

Someone could answer the question better than me but I believe that there may be a limitation on the number of points that you can have transfered in. I thought I read a post about this but am not sure. Also be aware that transfer of points for any type of compensation is prohibited in the POS. I am not sure how Disney would find out but you need to know that this restriction exists.

There is no technical limitation but there are practical limitations on just finding enough points from one person to do so. If you want 200-300 points, that should be workable. What you may be thinking about is that some have erroneously assumed that the 2000/5000 point ownership limitation in the POS applied to transfers as well and that would be incorrect.

 

[Plutofan]

I thought that someone posted that you could not have more than 3 years of poiints available. For example if I had a 100 point contract then I could not have more than 300 points in my current use year. I have never seen this in writing but I thought that it was posted somewhere on the boards. Dean have you ever heard this? Maybe it is not true.

 

[Dean]

I thought that someone posted that you could not have more than 3 years of poiints available. For example if I had a 100 point contract then I could not have more than 300 points in my current use year. I have never seen this in writing but I thought that it was posted somewhere on the boards. Dean have you ever heard this? Maybe it is not true.

That is true for points you own but does not apply to transfers. It's simply an acknowledgment in the POS that if you bank and borrow, that limits you to 3 years. Go back and read both the banking/borrowing section of the POS and the separate transfer section keeping in mind they are separate. Plus there are a number of reports of people going over three years worth of points when transfers are involved and I've never seen a report of this question coming up from the MS side of things. Of course since the transfer rules are outside the contractual limitations, DVC could change all that tomorrow or eliminate transfers altogether.

I do own another points resort, a single resort that works on points, where the limit is 2 years of points. They are absolute in that limitation but they do not allow transfers from one member to another. Actually I'm not aware of another points based timeshare that does allow transfers.

 

[WelcomeHome]

Thank you for all your responses. Since I've never done a transfer before, I forgot about that "one trade in or out per use year" rule.

BUT

Since there are more and more DVC properties coming available
AND
since there are more DVC members signing up every year
AND
since it would be wonderful for DVC members to exchange points
to aquire the various 11 month window advantage,
DON'T YOU THINK now would be a great time to offer that new perk to members ? ? ? ? ?

What a fantistic selling point to make more DVC sales:
Each year, you have 1 opportunity to do a point for point transfer with another member to aquire the 11 month advantage at their home resort.
This way you would truly be almost guaranteed to stay at any resort you'd like at any time of year you want - FANTASTIC ! This would probably eliminate resort bashing since all members will have a chance to stay at any DVC resort and our attention would shift to how wonderful and unique each DVC resort is!

What do you think?

Best wishes,
Dave

 

[dianeschlicht]

Thank you for all your responses. Since I've never done a transfer before, I forgot about that "one trade in or out per use year" rule.

BUT

Since there are more and more DVC properties coming available
AND
since there are more DVC members signing up every year
AND
since it would be wonderful for DVC members to exchange points
to aquire the various 11 month window advantage,
DON'T YOU THINK now would be a great time to offer that new perk to members ? ? ? ? ?

What a fantistic selling point to make more DVC sales:
Each year, you have 1 opportunity to do a point for point transfer with another member to aquire the 11 month advantage at their home resort.
This way you would truly be almost guaranteed to stay at any resort you'd like at any time of year you want - FANTASTIC !

What do you think!

Best wishes,
Dave

In essence, you can do that now if you are trusting enough to have the other member make the reservation for you, and you make his reservation for him. Since both of you would be trusting the other for the ressies, I can't imagine anyone reneging on it.

 

[WelcomeHome]

Dear Diane,

That's a TERRIFIC idea! But how and where would I advertise what I'm looking for? I don't know if the rent/trade boards would generate any responses since your idea is not really a "rental" or a "transfer" - your idea is actually better - it's 2 members exchanging reservations.

Since the DIS rental/transfer boards are currently being browsed by people looking to do money rentals or transfer, is there any other sources to better list a "member reservation exchage?"

I rented points only once and it went very smoothly - as a matter of fact my "guests" will be staying at VWL for 5 days beginning 6/24. I agree with you, I would have NO problem exchanging reservations with a DVC member. It sound even much safer (and less work) than renting to a stranger in exchange for cash. I love your idea - now where's the best places for members to list their requests.

Best wishes,
Dave

 

[Chuck S]

I don't moderate the Rent/Trade board...and rarely browse there...but I think reservation trades are allowed. You are certainly welcome to PM your question to WebmasterDoc or Caskbill, as they handle the postings on that board.

 

[Starr W.]

Dear Diane,

That's a TERRIFIC idea! But how and where would I advertise what I'm looking for? I don't know if the rent/trade boards would generate any responses since your idea is not really a "rental" or a "transfer" - your idea is actually better - it's 2 members exchanging reservations.

Since the DIS rental/transfer boards are currently being browsed by people looking to do money rentals or transfer, is there any other sources to better list a "member reservation exchage?"

I rented points only once and it went very smoothly - as a matter of fact my "guests" will be staying at VWL for 5 days beginning 6/24. I agree with you, I would have NO problem exchanging reservations with a DVC member. It sound even much safer (and less work) than renting to a stranger in exchange for cash. I love your idea - now where's the best places for members to list their requests.

Best wishes,
Dave

Dave, I think that is a great idea! I believe someone was looking to do that for a VB reservation on the R/T board. Don't know if she was successful. Though what would happen if one party wants to cancel their reservation?

I am sure Dean can let us know how that works in the Timeshare world with exchanges.

 

[Dean]

I am sure Dean can let us know how that works in the Timeshare world with exchanges.

This is exactly how private exchanges work, I get something and put it in your name and you do the same in reverse. Many of these requests can be posted on the rent trade board, simply read the rules so you know how they apply to your specific situation.

 

[WelcomeHome]

Thanks again everyone for your help. I went to the rent/trade board and read the instructions completely. Unfortunately, NONE of the 8 authorized thread titles include what I am suggesting. They even have 2 "trade" titles but they specify a trade with non-DVC resorts.

Since I really think this could make a lot of members very happy, I am going to contact Webmaster Doc & Casbill as suggested to ask if they could add another legal category called "members reservation exchange." In addition, I'm going to start a new thread detailing this idea to try to gauge how much interest and support a "member reservation exchange" category might generate. The thread will be called "Would you support a "members reservation exchange" category on the rent/trade boards?

I bet a lot of members would be VERY interested in exchanging reservations for an 11 month window advantage - let's find out! Maybe this is an idea whose time has come - imagine all DVC members will have the oportunity to stay at any DVC resort at any time of year they want!

Best wishes,
Dave