Limited availability and being a good renter

[Maine_Belle]

I'm open to watching for a confirmed reservation. We also have a cash room booked at our desired resort (yay but oof to that cost!) so we aren't without a place to sleep, so all of this is just an ever hopeful attempt to get the extra space and spend less.

So my questions are:

• How obnoxious is it to inquire with a renting member when it looks pretty unlikely there will be anything available based on the calendars I, a non-member, can see?
• Given how scarce the availability is, is there even a point to try to coordinate with someone on the Rent/ Trade board given that availability could vanish within minutes and I feel like even just sending DMs to make arrangements would take long enough for availability to change?
• Is there a time period that would be better to attempt a direct rental than others so as to not aggravate renting members? (ie. 7 months ahead, 3 weeks ahead, etc.) What about confirmed reservations- is there a best time to look for a matching reservation, here or with brokers?

(I know there are rules against asking for reservations and posting availability, so I'm trying hard to keep this as generic as possible because I really am trying to get a sense before following proper channels to attempt to arrange anything!)

 

[Marionnette]

• How obnoxious is it to inquire with a renting member when it looks pretty unlikely there will be anything available based on the calendars I, a non-member, can see?
• I wouldn't think of it as obnoxious. I wouldn't even know that you already checked an availability website. I don't expect renters to have the same insight to DVC as members do.
• Given how scarce the availability is, is there even a point to try to coordinate with someone on the Rent/ Trade board given that availability could vanish within minutes and I feel like even just sending DMs to make arrangements would take long enough for availability to change?
• Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Your chances are better if you inquire than if you do not.
• Is there a time period that would be better to attempt a direct rental than others so as to not aggravate renting members? (ie. 7 months ahead, 3 weeks ahead, etc.) What about confirmed reservations- is there a best time to look for a matching reservation, here or with brokers?
• 7 months ahead is better for you than 3 weeks. 11 months in advance is even better. When I'm renting out my points, I do a slow head shake when I get a request for a hard to get reservation that is only a couple of months away. It doesn't aggravate me. It just makes me sorry that the person making the request is getting their hopes dashed.
• Confirmed reservations are in abundance right now due to a backlog of DVC points and owners who are either unable or unwilling to travel. There is no perfect time to check for confirmed reservations because they pop up randomly based on the owner's need.

 

[Sandisw]

People who are offering points expect to have to search for rooms so I would not worry about that!

The previous poster did a great job answering the rest! Basically, the farther out from a trip you can look for something, the better the chances of getting it.

The drawback is the farther out you book, you are committing to what is most likely a non refundable reservation.