Minimum Point Purchase: Initial Contract & Add-On, Disney & Resale

[robinb]

I was in a discussion in the following thread: BCV add on about the minimum number of points that can be purchased.

I always though it was like this:
150 minimum for an initial contract.
25 minimum for an add-on, with the restriction that your add-on be the in the same use year if it's between 25-149 points.
It makes no difference if you purchase from DVC or a resale.

CaptainMidnight tells me I'm wrong and that these rules are only in place if you purchase through Disney.

Hmmm. I'm pretty curious about this now and intend on checking with some sources tomorrow. But, I thought that I would open the question up to our little group of regulars here:

Are the rules the same for point minimums when buying from Disney and on the resale market?

I'm certainly willing to be wrong since it would make it a whole lot easier for people to actually buy into the magic.

 

[Cap]

For a resale, the only way Disney can restrict a sale of a contract, even if small, is to exercise their right of first refusal. If someone has contracted to sell a 50 point contract to a non DVC member, Disney would have to buy it at the contracted price to prevent someone having a single low point contract.

It would be interesting to know what their history has been on this. With the spead between resale contracts (at $58+/ point) and Disney Contracts and the now about ten year availability of add on contracts, the frequency of this issue occuring is likely becoming more common. Perhaps someone who is knowledgeable about the weekly Disney resale contract review meeting, such as one of the key timeshare resellers, could comment.

 

[drusba]

The 150 point minimum buy in and then that add-ons are the same use year applies only to sales from Disney. You can buy a resale under the minimum in any use year unless Disney exercises right of first refusal. We purchased a resale under 150 points in a different use year than our orginal contract. The only inquiry we got from Disney though the broker is that Disney wanted to assure we were already existing owners when we bought the resale for under 150 points. A more daunting barrier to purchasing a low point contract (under 150 points) by resale is simply that there are few ever offered for resale.