My DVC guide is a disaster, any guide recommendations?

[20000LeaguesUnderTheSea]

She said that the guaranteed weeks are the same cost.
Says that that to get the perks you need at least a 125 direct point size contract, i.e. cannot combine direct point contracts.
Says cannot buy 107 guaranteed week points + 18 points to complete 125 for perks....edit: she talked to management and they will make "an exception"
Says booking CCV Studio in December is not an issue.
Says lots of misinformation out in the internet.
Says the minimum contract is 50 points...I ask why there are 34 points contract in resale....says she doesn't know anything about resale and only knows about Disney.

I think it's time for a change.

Any recommendations?

 

[Girouard7]

We absolutely love Christina Harrison.

 

[sethschroeder]

I know some people have good guides other not so good. For me I thought about changing but the most important part to me about my guide was he was easy to talk with and would escalate any question/request I had.

Not saying don't make the change but I would suspect many guides are going to have incorrect information or spin things to sound better as thats part of their gig.

Rely on the guide to get you exceptions approved and someone you feel comfortable with but always come here, reddit, or other forums for actual guidance and information.

Same reason you don't trust the local car dealer to give you all the information.

 

[vacay77]

My guide was Amil and he was very responsive and informative.

 

[Mkaiser1]

I’ve spoken to Ricardo lots and to Katie once and they’re both great. I’m booked in with Ricardo on 3rd Feb too in case we choose to buy direct into Riv.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

She said that the guaranteed weeks are the same cost.
Says that that to get the perks you need at least a 125 direct point size contract, i.e. cannot combine direct point contracts.
Says cannot buy 107 guaranteed week points + 18 points to complete 125 for perks....edit: she talked to management and they will make "an exception"
Says booking CCV Studio in December is not an issue.
Says lots of misinformation out in the internet.
Says the minimum contract is 50 points...I ask why there are 34 points contract in resale....says she doesn't know anything about resale and only knows about Disney.

I think it's time for a change.

Any recommendations?

To offer a little perspective DVC sells very few fixed weeks. It's not been a popular product and there actually are guides I've run into that have never sold a single one and know nothing about it. It sounds like your guide falls into that group. Also their job is to sell points from DVC. Even the ones that do actually take the initiative to learn about resale will often fudge on the facts of it. IMO it's worthless to discuss resale with a DVC guide.

Finally, my last guide also was pretty bad and he is a long time guide. So I have no recommendations. I'm also ok because I know the product fairly well and just need the person to get the transaction started. My "good" guide retired several years ago. Years ago I think I provided an hours worth of training to a new guide at one of their open house events.

FWIW don't be surprised if they make you turn that 18 points into 25 points. There are a very tiny number of contracts less than 25 sold but most of those were approved only because of point chart changes before the people even got to use their DVC - and most for BLT but a few for CCV I think. And if your guide really did get that 18 points then she may be better than you think as THAT would be one of the rarest exceptions.

 

[Lumpy1106]

It shocks me that people (maybe not anyone here, but elsewhere) would think that you get better information from a DVC guide than you would from the reputable resellers - especially the sponsors of this board. If you want information about resale and you are talking to a guide they know nothing about it, but if you want information about buying direct and you are talking to a reseller it's like opening an encyclopedia. It's a big reason why we bought resale, personally.

 

[Best Aunt]

Hey, OP, if you are not comfortable with your guide, you should change. Don't feel like you have to stick with someone you don't like.

 

[Lorrie7249]

When I first bought direct during the summer, I had read lots and lots of threads about others experiences, and so after getting told no for some things (could not buy August use year until after August, etc.) I called back and pressed on the subject. They need to ask managers for exceptions on some things apparently. One item I did find out was that at later resorts (CCV and RIV), they seem to have minimum point contracts for new members - at least I think that is what I recall. So if it is your first contract, they won't sell any smaller than 75 at CCV and then after that first one, I think you can do a 50pt. It might be even more pts for RIV. So, while I agree you should feel comfortable with who you are working with, it might just be that you need to press and ask for exceptions on some things.

 

[Sandisw]

She said that the guaranteed weeks are the same cost.
Says that that to get the perks you need at least a 125 direct point size contract, i.e. cannot combine direct point contracts.
Says cannot buy 107 guaranteed week points + 18 points to complete 125 for perks....edit: she talked to management and they will make "an exception"
Says booking CCV Studio in December is not an issue.
Says lots of misinformation out in the internet.
Says the minimum contract is 50 points...I ask why there are 34 points contract in resale....says she doesn't know anything about resale and only knows about Disney.

I think it's time for a change.

Any recommendations?

Just to add that for CCV and RIV, 50 points was put in as a minimum but other resorts are 25.

Honestly, I am not sure that some guides have the understanding of guaranteed weeks that they should when selling them.

Hope you find someone who is better for your needs!

 

[kerrylacherry]

My guide is Summer M, I like her because she was easy to talk to and I never felt pressured to buy, we got along really well.

She also told me in December that in order to qualify for the blue card benefits that I could not split the 125 points into smaller contracts, that was the direction she had received from her manager. Take that for what you will, I didn't push the issue because having a single contract made it easier for me (and cheaper since I didn't have to pay for two closings).

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

My guide is Summer M, I like her because she was easy to talk to and I never felt pressured to buy, we got along really well.

She also told me in December that in order to qualify for the blue card benefits that I could not split the 125 points into smaller contracts, that was the direction she had received from her manager. Take that for what you will, I didn't push the issue because having a single contract made it easier for me (and cheaper since I didn't have to pay for two closings).

It's incorrect information.

 

[DebLovesPooh]

I've been with Kathy Radar for a few years and she is so awesome.

 

[kerrylacherry]

It's incorrect information.

I know, but it still could have been a direction given by her management to push for keeping the points together in a single contract for whatever reason, probably to keep their stats above a certain average. We don't know what kind of goals they set for their sales teams, so they could be using this tactic to meet those goals. Unless the op also spoke with my guide, then it's more than one guide telling people the same wrong thing about requirements.

 

[GrtDisGuy]

My guide was Amil and he was very responsive and informative.

Amil Arroyo. He is fantastic! Super responsive! Called me right back to tell me he was on a tour and would call me after he finished the tour . . . Provided correct info through the process.

 

[CastAStone]

Just to add that for CCV and RIV, 50 points was put in as a minimum but other resorts are 25.

I believe the 50 point floor was instituted last year for some of sold out resorts for first time buyers as well, including Poly, VGF, and BCV. I know for sure SSR and OKW are still 25.

 

[Sandisw]

I believe the 50 point floor was instituted last year for some of sold out resorts for first time buyers as well, including Poly, VGF, and BCV. I know for sure SSR and OKW are still 25.

I was thinking existing members adding on but good to have more info!

 

[Sunnyore]

We absolutely love Christina Harrison.

I can second this.. she sorta fell in my lap because I didn't have guide since my first purchase was resale. I was instructed to call DVC sales at my Welcome home call because I had some questions about direct sales that the Welcome Home person felt could answer my questions better. Christina was super helpful and I never felt pressured. If she didn't know the answer to something, she will do research and get back to me. She told me the 125 is the accumulation of direct points which I eventually achieve by buying 2 separate contracts. For add ons at most legacy resorts minimum is 25 if paying cash or 50 if financing. And my understanding is one of the perks of buying direct is you can buy whatever # of points you may need with whatever use year you like if they have them available. But I will admit I bought nice normal #s (50, 75) so maybe it just worked out conveniently for me. Sorry you're not having a good experience with your guide.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

My guide is Summer M, I like her because she was easy to talk to and I never felt pressured to buy, we got along really well.

She also told me in December that in order to qualify for the blue card benefits that I could not split the 125 points into smaller contracts, that was the direction she had received from her manager. Take that for what you will, I didn't push the issue because having a single contract made it easier for me (and cheaper since I didn't have to pay for two closings).

That is so wrong. We’ve done this.

 

[ChipNdale8887]

She said that the guaranteed weeks are the same cost.
Says that that to get the perks you need at least a 125 direct point size contract, i.e. cannot combine direct point contracts.
Says cannot buy 107 guaranteed week points + 18 points to complete 125 for perks....edit: she talked to management and they will make "an exception"
Says booking CCV Studio in December is not an issue.
Says lots of misinformation out in the internet.
Says the minimum contract is 50 points...I ask why there are 34 points contract in resale....says she doesn't know anything about resale and only knows about Disney.

I think it's time for a change.

Any recommendations?

Randy Kruger was absolutely awesome. Not sure if he is back since the Pandemic closure or not. He rewrote my contract more times than I can remember and honored old prices that we talked about previously with no problem at all.

Once they reopened we had a new Guide. Dani Metzger. She was super nice and informative and if she didn't know something she got to the bottom of it for us. She even helped us get the $12,000 off of 300 points at 2 resorts(CCV and RIV) since they both had the same discounts. Not sure if many other guides would have tried hard to get us this deal or not but we really enjoyed working with her Also. She absolutely didn't pressure one bit.