Ready to purchase, but questions first...

[jmbarnes101]

After about a year of seriously reading and looking at a bunch of information, and saving up some money, I am ready to buy a DVC membership. I took the tour in October of 2016 and stayed at Saratoga and Vero Beach this past May on rented points. I want a 50-60 point contract and I would prefer a September or October Use Year but it needs to be at Saratoga Springs or Animal Kingdom Lodge, prefer AKL. My ideal is at some point to own two or three 50 point contracts, alternating each year, at two-three different resorts, same use year, as well as 25 points direct at Vero Beach.

I do have a couple of questions however.
1. These contracts seemed much more available earlier this year and they are not falling out of the sky right now. I have signed up for newsletters and I am perusing the sites at least once a day. Is their a better way to find one of these? The only 50 point contract I see right now is for Boulder Ridge which is not ideal. I missed out on a Saratoga with a June Use Year.

2. What should be the going price I would expect to pay for either of these right now? I have looked at the data kept on this site but much of the most recent data is for larger contracts and I'm really looking for something specific. I realize stripped and loaded play a part as do closing costs. At what point am I better off trying to see if I can buy a contract direct through Disney, assuming they'd even let me buy 50 points as my first purchase.

3. Has anyone tried Monera Finacial or any of the other financing sites. Can you share your experience? Is their anything I need to know? My current plan is to make the largest down payment to get the smallest interest rate and take the 10 years to get the smallest payment. I would make much larger payments however and pay this off in about 1 year, possibly less. Please no discussion on whether the financing is a good deal. It works for us.

Thank you folks. Any help you can provide will be appreciated.

 

[glamdring269]

1) You're doing it right for the most part. Sign up for the main sites and keep a vigilant watch out as well. Sometimes contracts will pop up on the site and be gone before the next email distro. Some services also offer apps.

2) The ROFR data on this site seems aged already, things are just moving up way too quickly so trying to use that as a baseline has been an exercise in frustration for me. I've been looking at AKL, BC, BWV, and BLT small contracts with Oct UY over the past few weeks. Not a lot has popped up and those that have are way overpriced. I've tried negotiating but not much luck on that front. We're just going to wait it out a few more months and if nothing changes the market is currently in a state where you might as well just go direct on these low point contracts.

I'm also not convinced this is limited to just small point contracts. I've recently seen 2 postings on 2 different sites for Oct UY Poly as follows:

A) 150 points $150/pt 0/17 150/18
B) 150 points $149/pt 0/17 150/18

Why would you not just buy either of those contracts direct? I know you can math out about a $10/pt savings but doesn't seem significant enough to lose out on the perks you get for buying direct. Definitely not the 'thousands of dollars in savings' that resale typically offers.

 

[cmarsh31]

In a similar boat - researching and moving towards purchase in the next few months. Looking for 50-75 resale then 25 direct add on in a few years. SSR is our first choice but Dec or Feb UY. Same questions here for 1 & 2. There's so much direct vs. resale info but it seems to get a bit fuzzy & grey with small contracts. Points to use in 2018 would be nice, but not a deal-breaker. Hopefully we'll both get some answers

 

[Ben E N]

If I were you, I would look for either specifically a SSR or AKL contract for 100-150 points. Those are both large resorts, so getting in to one or the other at 7 months should be doable. Personally I would look into AKL most, as it offers you Value and Concierge options as a direct owner, even though the cost is a litter higher per point.

The reason for going for the larger contract is that smaller contracts are both more expensive, and go within minutes of being listed if they are reasonably priced. It's asking quite a bit to find three contracts of small size, with the same use year, at specific resorts. By the time you find them all, resale prices may have gone up another 20%.
Also, with three separate contracts, you are paying three separate sets of closing fees and financing charges as opposed to one. It adds to your overall cost considerably, and for potentially little gain.

If you really want to follow your specific plan, maybe find the first 50 point contract resale, then add the others via direct sale. Disney sets a minimum of 50 points for a contract if you are financing or buying for the first time, and 25 if you are adding on with cash.
Financing is completely your choice to make. It may be worth it to you to look into a HELOC instead of some of the financing rates I have seen. I saw that Disney direct financing is 12% per year. That's almost at credit card levels!

 

[Ben E N]

In a similar boat - researching and moving towards purchase in the next few months. Looking for 50-75 resale then 25 direct add on in a few years. SSR is our first choice but Dec or Feb UY. Same questions here for 1 & 2. There's so much direct vs. resale info but it seems to get a bit fuzzy & grey with small contracts. Points to use in 2018 would be nice, but not a deal-breaker. Hopefully we'll both get some answers

I would just keep stalking sales sites, as well as sign up for mailing lists. Consider how much you are willing to pay, and how flexible you are on home resort and use year. Be ready to pounce once an option that fits your criteria comes up. Small contracts go quickly and for high prices. SSR resale is still considerably cheaper than direct, though, so for you I would say you are doing all the right things. If it were at some of the more rare or newer resorts, the direct vs. resale spread is much smaller.

 

[cmarsh31]

I would just keep stalking sales sites, as well as sign up for mailing lists. Consider how much you are willing to pay, and how flexible you are on home resort and use year. Be ready to pounce once an option that fits your criteria comes up. Small contracts go quickly and for high prices. SSR resale is still considerably cheaper than direct, though, so for you I would say you are doing all the right things. If it were at some of the more rare or newer resorts, the direct vs. resale spread is much smaller.

Thanks! I'm on a bunch of lists, have the apps on my phone, and am checking daily. We're not ready to officially make the jump for about 3 weeks but if the right think pops up before then, we'll still go for it. I'm a teacher, so our first choice of travel time is always Feb break - we're definitely more flexible on resort than UY. Ok, I'd love to be more flexible on resort but our 2nd choice would be BLT and that would have to take a miracle contract (a girl can dream...).

 

[4luv2cdisney]

After about a year of seriously reading and looking at a bunch of information, and saving up some money, I am ready to buy a DVC membership. I took the tour in October of 2016 and stayed at Saratoga and Vero Beach this past May on rented points. I want a 50-60 point contract and I would prefer a September or October Use Year but it needs to be at Saratoga Springs or Animal Kingdom Lodge, prefer AKL. My ideal is at some point to own two or three 50 point contracts, alternating each year, at two-three different resorts, same use year, as well as 25 points direct at Vero Beach.

I do have a couple of questions however.
1. These contracts seemed much more available earlier this year and they are not falling out of the sky right now. I have signed up for newsletters and I am perusing the sites at least once a day. Is their a better way to find one of these? The only 50 point contract I see right now is for Boulder Ridge which is not ideal. I missed out on a Saratoga with a June Use Year.

2. What should be the going price I would expect to pay for either of these right now? I have looked at the data kept on this site but much of the most recent data is for larger contracts and I'm really looking for something specific. I realize stripped and loaded play a part as do closing costs. At what point am I better off trying to see if I can buy a contract direct through Disney, assuming they'd even let me buy 50 points as my first purchase.

3. Has anyone tried Monera Finacial or any of the other financing sites. Can you share your experience? Is their anything I need to know? My current plan is to make the largest down payment to get the smallest interest rate and take the 10 years to get the smallest payment. I would make much larger payments however and pay this off in about 1 year, possibly less. Please no discussion on whether the financing is a good deal. It works for us.

Thank you folks. Any help you can provide will be appreciated.

1) They are more expensive than they were just a few months ago. Will they go down? Who knows. You have to move very fast for small contracts. Sign up for every text alert, email blast, download an app with alerts.....whatever you can find.

2) Disney will let you buy 50 points at Saratoga at $145/point and AKL at $165/point and you probably have a very good chance of them being available in a Sept or Oct UY today. As in, you could have an account and be logging in by this time tomorrow. I'd say closing costs resale add about $10/pt and most people calculate stripped -vs- loaded at $12-$15 / pt.

3) Do you have a Disney Visa? In addition to earning Disney Reward Dollars for a direct purchase, you get 6 months of 0% financing. My guide let me space out the down payment and final payment across 2 billing cycles, so I'll have 7 months to pay off. Personally, I get 0% balance transfer offers from my other credit cards all the time. If for some reason I can't pay my balance in 7 months, I would transfer to another card for 18 months @ 0% for a 2% fee. Since, I earned 2% on my purchase (with a Premier card) and would likely only be transferring a small amount of the original purchase, I'm still ahead. I don't foresee me actually doing this. It is just on of my "back-up plans" because, well...life happens and I like back-up plans. Just thought it may be helpful to you if you really feel like you can get your purchase paid in 12 months or less.

I'd suggest stalking for resale for a couple of months and continuing to save your money. If you don't find what you need by the time you need it (want it), pick up the phone and buy it direct.

 

[Best Aunt]

Thanks! I'm on a bunch of lists, have the apps on my phone, and am checking daily. We're not ready to officially make the jump for about 3 weeks but if the right think pops up before then, we'll still go for it. I'm a teacher, so our first choice of travel time is always Feb break - we're definitely more flexible on resort than UY. Ok, I'd love to be more flexible on resort but our 2nd choice would be BLT and that would have to take a miracle contract (a girl can dream...).

I think people worry too much about Use Year when making an initial purchase.

The only time Use Year causes a problem is if you bank your points into the next Use Year and then decide you want to use those points for a trip during your current Use Year.

For example: my banking deadline is September 30.
My Use Year begins on February 1.

So if I bank on September 30, I only have a problem if I decide, after September 30, that I want to take a vacation prior to February 1. I can't use those banked points for travel between October 1 and January 31.

But

(a) I could borrow points from my next Use Year to take a vacation between October 1 and January 31

(b) You said you're a teacher and you know when you want to travel. You plan in advance. You probably wouldn't be making a decision, after your banking deadline, to travel in the next few months.

(c) If someone is a person who tends to make plans to travel less than 4 months ahead, they probably should re-think the decision to buy DVC anyway, because they may have trouble finding rooms to book at that late date.

Just my two cents. Other people will probably pop in to disagree with me.

 

[Ben E N]

I think people worry too much about Use Year when making an initial purchase.

The only time Use Year causes a problem is if you bank your points into the next Use Year and then decide you want to use those points for a trip during your current Use Year.

For example: my banking deadline is September 30.
My Use Year begins on February 1.

So if I bank on September 30, I only have a problem if I decide, after September 30, that I want to take a vacation prior to February 1. I can't use those banked points for travel between October 1 and January 31.

But

(a) I could borrow points from my next Use Year to take a vacation between October 1 and January 31

(b) You said you're a teacher and you know when you want to travel. You plan in advance. You probably wouldn't be making a decision, after your banking deadline, to travel in the next few months.

(c) If someone is a person who tends to make plans to travel less than 4 months ahead, they probably should re-think the decision to buy DVC anyway, because they may have trouble finding rooms to book at that late date.

Just my two cents. Other people will probably pop in to disagree with me.

I agree with this. I recommend setting up a sliding scale of what it is worth to you, assigning a couple of dollars per month closer to your ideal one, with the ideal month being worth say $12 per point more than the least ideal. These values will vary depending on each person's individual wants and needs, but it is a good way to open up more options this way.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

I think people worry too much about Use Year when making an initial purchase.

The only time Use Year causes a problem is if you bank your points into the next Use Year and then decide you want to use those points for a trip during your current Use Year.

For example: my banking deadline is September 30.
My Use Year begins on February 1.

So if I bank on September 30, I only have a problem if I decide, after September 30, that I want to take a vacation prior to February 1. I can't use those banked points for travel between October 1 and January 31.

But

(a) I could borrow points from my next Use Year to take a vacation between October 1 and January 31

(b) You said you're a teacher and you know when you want to travel. You plan in advance. You probably wouldn't be making a decision, after your banking deadline, to travel in the next few months.

(c) If someone is a person who tends to make plans to travel less than 4 months ahead, they probably should re-think the decision to buy DVC anyway, because they may have trouble finding rooms to book at that late date.

Just my two cents. Other people will probably pop in to disagree with me.

My main thought with UY was "What if I had to cancel?" I did not want a UY in which I'd normally be traveling in the last few months, I wanted to be traveling the first few months of my UY. But I think flexibility in UY should be possible for most people especially if you're wanting to score the best deal via resale.

 

[jodifla]

I think use year is VERY important. It gives you a lot more flexibility to have a use year the month or right in front of the time you normally vacation.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I think AKV had a higher initial purchase requrement and 50 point contracts will be rare.

At 50 points or less, you may be just as well buying direct. Small contracts go fast and sell high.

 

[Dean]

After about a year of seriously reading and looking at a bunch of information, and saving up some money, I am ready to buy a DVC membership. I took the tour in October of 2016 and stayed at Saratoga and Vero Beach this past May on rented points. I want a 50-60 point contract and I would prefer a September or October Use Year but it needs to be at Saratoga Springs or Animal Kingdom Lodge, prefer AKL. My ideal is at some point to own two or three 50 point contracts, alternating each year, at two-three different resorts, same use year, as well as 25 points direct at Vero Beach.

I do have a couple of questions however.
1. These contracts seemed much more available earlier this year and they are not falling out of the sky right now. I have signed up for newsletters and I am perusing the sites at least once a day. Is their a better way to find one of these? The only 50 point contract I see right now is for Boulder Ridge which is not ideal. I missed out on a Saratoga with a June Use Year.

2. What should be the going price I would expect to pay for either of these right now? I have looked at the data kept on this site but much of the most recent data is for larger contracts and I'm really looking for something specific. I realize stripped and loaded play a part as do closing costs. At what point am I better off trying to see if I can buy a contract direct through Disney, assuming they'd even let me buy 50 points as my first purchase.

3. Has anyone tried Monera Finacial or any of the other financing sites. Can you share your experience? Is their anything I need to know? My current plan is to make the largest down payment to get the smallest interest rate and take the 10 years to get the smallest payment. I would make much larger payments however and pay this off in about 1 year, possibly less. Please no discussion on whether the financing is a good deal. It works for us.

Thank you folks. Any help you can provide will be appreciated.

I would question your process. While the thought of having multiple smaller contracts at different resorts to allow a rotation of 11 month bookings over several resorts, it comes with risk, aggravation and cost and likely isn't necessary for the options quoted. For example, getting AKV, OKW or AKV isn't likely to require the 11 month window. Going this route with 3 contracts will likely cost an additional $2500-3000 or more for 150-200 points total ignoring the 25 point add on. The reason being higher per point cost AND the additional closings, and given you're likely to find less quality contracts, the real cost could actually be an additional $10 per point above that or more. While that likely won't get you AKV value if you don't own there, owning elsewhere you should be able to get standard view at 7 months out and end up better off over owning a smaller AKV to use for value. For example, the last time I did the formal calculation, buying SSR to sue for AKV standard compared to owning AKV for value, you had to both buy the lower points AND use value at least 2/3 of the time to break even. IMO the thought process is valid but only reasonable for larger volume and/or for very specific high end options like VGC/VGF. I'm not sure why the VB 25 pt contract, I wouldn't do it just because the price is cheaper. In addition, once you buy one contract and lock in your UY, the process becomes even more complicated and difficult which might push you to a retail purchase inadvertently.

I'd suggest you consider one 120-160 pt contract at your best guess of home resort, use it and see how it goes. SSR and BLT will be the cheapest long term options in all likelihood but obviously there are other factors. Personally for this situation I'd rather own two 150 pt contracts and rent half of them than two 75 pt contracts. That way if you end up with different UY or have to wait a while to find the right second contract, neither will limit your options or "force" you to make a bad choice. And if VB were only due to price, buying one and doing a 50 point add on somewhere might actually be a better choice for some situations in the direction you're headed.

If you can't afford it and need to finance, Lightstream is likely to be the cheapest commercially available. You could also check with your local CU or community bank for a signature loan. While a HELOC might be cheaper, IMO that's a foolish choice. You could always rent out in the interim if you needed to.

 

[Dean]

I think use year is VERY important. It gives you a lot more flexibility to have a use year the month or right in front of the time you normally vacation.

IMO it is VERY important, often worth a good years worth of points or more.

 

[jmbarnes101]

No, Disney Visa but my sister has one and says I can use hers.

That's what I was wondering on buying direct, thank you. Saratoga seems the better value at that price point, plus the options not granted to resale.

 

[Dean]

No, Disney Visa but my sister has one and says I can use hers.

That's what I was wondering on buying direct, thank you. Saratoga seems the better value at that price point, plus the options not granted to resale.

SSR will clearly be the better $$$ value, you just want to think about whether it'll do what you actually need. While I'm convinced it'll get you most anything over time with limited exceptions, one just needs to decide how much a more guaranteed option is worth, not that anything is guaranteed with any points system, esp without a VIP program.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Why are you looking at a 25 point contract at VB? 25 points at VB won't get you a beach cottage which to me would be the only reason to buy points at VB. They might be the cheapest direct, but will have the highest member fees. Just buy one that adds on to one of your other contracts.

 

[disneynutz]

We consider the correct UY as free insurance. Never say never, we used our correct UY to save our points twice, once when we had a death in the family and once when we had a forced work transfer to another city. Both times we banked our points and didn't have the pressure of a forced vacation to use the points.

Bill

 

[Matty B13]

I also think UY is very important, once you completely understand the system you will understand why it can be so important.

 

[jmbarnes101]

I would question your process. While the thought of having multiple smaller contracts at different resorts to allow a rotation of 11 month bookings over several resorts, it comes with risk, aggravation and cost and likely isn't necessary for the options quoted. For example, getting AKV, OKW or AKV isn't likely to require the 11 month window. Going this route with 3 contracts will likely cost an additional $2500-3000 or more for 150-200 points total ignoring the 25 point add on. The reason being higher per point cost AND the additional closings, and given you're likely to find less quality contracts, the real cost could actually be an additional $10 per point above that or more. While that likely won't get you AKV value if you don't own there, owning elsewhere you should be able to get standard view at 7 months out and end up better off over owning a smaller AKV to use for value. For example, the last time I did the formal calculation, buying SSR to sue for AKV standard compared to owning AKV for value, you had to both buy the lower points AND use value at least 2/3 of the time to break even. IMO the thought process is valid but only reasonable for larger volume and/or for very specific high end options like VGC/VGF. I'm not sure why the VB 25 pt contract, I wouldn't do it just because the price is cheaper. In addition, once you buy one contract and lock in your UY, the process becomes even more complicated and difficult which might push you to a retail purchase inadvertently.

I'd suggest you consider one 120-160 pt contract at your best guess of home resort, use it and see how it goes. SSR and BLT will be the cheapest long term options in all likelihood but obviously there are other factors. Personally for this situation I'd rather own two 150 pt contracts and rent half of them than two 75 pt contracts. That way if you end up with different UY or have to wait a while to find the right second contract, neither will limit your options or "force" you to make a bad choice. And if VB were only due to price, buying one and doing a 50 point add on somewhere might actually be a better choice for some situations in the direction you're headed.

If you can't afford it and need to finance, Lightstream is likely to be the cheapest commercially available. You could also check with your local CU or community bank for a signature loan. While a HELOC might be cheaper, IMO that's a foolish choice. You could always rent out in the interim if you needed to.

That's great advice and that may be something I look at sometime after I've tried the 50 pointer. I may find I want a lot more points at one place but I'm doing what works for me financially for right now without overextending myself. I don't want a loan I can't immediately pay off if something happens and I don't have cash to pay for a larger contract right now. Though I'll take another look at it and check out Lightstream as well.

Vero is simply because when I move to Florida someday it'd be nice to have a nice weekend beach getaway available, planned well in advance of course, and buying direct would get me into the special events, assuming they still allow that at that time.