Hey Jen
Welcome to the DIS! Wasnt sure if you are new here or not.
I will try to answer your ??s as best I can. I know you are unsure about renting points from other owners and yes there have been some bad situations, but all in all I thinkl the good has outweighed the bad.
I would suggest going back to the DVC rent/trade forum and read WebMaster Docs suggestions near the top. It may help to answer a lot of your ??s. And WebMaster Doc has been around these parts for awhile and he knows a LOT about DVC.
Also check out the other 2 DVC sites. Usually you can find threads where someone posts their experiences with doing this. We have never rented points nor have we ever rented out our points.
I would say the $9-$11 range would be the average price for points rental.
And yes, it does require a trust, on both parts. I think in general you will find that most folks on the DVC forums are honest folks, and you can find the right situation for what you need.
Pixie dust and luck to you!
Jimmy