Where to buy and how much?

[Mommydar]

Hi everyone.

Once my husband sells his car, we plan to buy DVC points through resale - either Timeshare Store or DVC by Resale. A few questions for veteran DVCers.

First, are there any other reputable DVC resalers I should know about? How hard is it to buy resale through Disney directly and typically how comparable are there prices to the resale general market?

We've narrowed it down to three home resort locations - OKW, SSR, and AKV. Each has a positive that attracts us. We like the OKW Grand Villas if and when we travel with extended family. Love the SSR treehouses for just us or maybe with one other small family. Love the 1 br. with sleeping for 5 option at AKV. We are a family of five and plan to go every year for about 5 days each year. Which resort would be more ideal for us to buy into as our home resort? How hard is it to get any of the one's we prefer at the 7 month window. We'd probably travel the week of up to the day of Thanksgiving, is what I am thinking or an off week after Spring Break (late April or early May). Not peak, but definitely more moderate times of travel.
How many points would we need assuming we'd probably alternate resorts, alternate large and smaller accomodations? I am thinking 140-160 is good to start, but I wanted feedback.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[toniosmom]

You mentioned the treehouses and from what I understand, they may be difficult to get at 7 months, so purchasing SSR may be the way to go.

As far as how many points to buy, examine the 2010 points charts where you can look at what type of unit and time of year you plan to travel the most and determine how many points it will cost you. Also, determine if you want to travel every year or perhaps every other year. If you plan to spread out your trips, then perhaps you only need half of what you would require for one vacation.

Good luck!

 

[DVCGeek]

On the 2010 point charts, Nov. 24th (the day before Thanksgiving) starts Magic season. Assuming you check out that morning, the 5 nights, Nov. 19th - 23rd, are Choice season, with two @ Friday-Sat. point levels and three and Sun-Thur.

OKW GV = 73x2 + 43x3 for 275 points total
SSR THV (2-bed) = 48x2 + 31x3 for 189 points total
AKV 1-bed Savanna view = 41x2 + 27x3 for 163 points total

If you want to rotate the three types, a mathematical average is 209.

POINTS CHARTS CAN AND HAVE CHANGED, so you should definitely buy some extra points to be safe.

If the view isn't important a 1-bed @ AKV is probably the easiest of those room types to get, so as long as you DON'T care about Concierge (that is almost impossible to get from what I've read even @ 11 months).

So, all other things being equal, I might go for cheaper dues and pick about 225 points @ Saratoga Springs if all you wanted were 5 night November trips.

As for post spring break, that is a more expensive point season, so if you plan to travel then you will probably need a fair amount of additional points. late April is Magic and all of May is Dream.

There are lots of different options, perhaps even own some points at different resorts and bank/borrow to go to them in alternating years. You can also start with a resale contract and then add on later through Disney (or with more resales as long as you get the same Use Year).

Good luck with your decision!

 

[TLSnell1981]

Prices are considerable higher when buying through Disney (for the resorts you are considering). I've purchased 3 contracts, via resale and saved around $20 per point.

 

[DVCGeek]

Prices are considerable higher when buying through Disney (for the resorts you are considering). I've purchased 3 contracts, via resale and saved around $20 per point.

True, but for a smaller add-on closing costs may change the balance to be nearly equal. For the initial membership resale definitely sounds like OP's best bet. The only other factor might be financing; don't know if OP already has that lined up or if a Disney mortgage, despite the high interest, is of value to them...

 

[disneynutz]

Hi everyone.

Once my husband sells his car, we plan to buy DVC points through resale - either Timeshare Store or DVC by Resale. A few questions for veteran DVCers.

First, are there any other reputable DVC resalers I should know about? How hard is it to buy resale through Disney directly and typically how comparable are there prices to the resale general market?

We've narrowed it down to three home resort locations - OKW, SSR, and AKV. Each has a positive that attracts us. We like the OKW Grand Villas if and when we travel with extended family. Love the SSR treehouses for just us or maybe with one other small family. Love the 1 br. with sleeping for 5 option at AKV. We are a family of five and plan to go every year for about 5 days each year. Which resort would be more ideal for us to buy into as our home resort? How hard is it to get any of the one's we prefer at the 7 month window. We'd probably travel the week of up to the day of Thanksgiving, is what I am thinking or an off week after Spring Break (late April or early May). Not peak, but definitely more moderate times of travel.
How many points would we need assuming we'd probably alternate resorts, alternate large and smaller accomodations? I am thinking 140-160 is good to start, but I wanted feedback.

Thanks for the feedback.

If you have a resort that you love to stay at buy there.

If you don't care where you stay or if you are willing to take a chance, buy at the cheapest resort.

Bill

 

[TLSnell1981]

True, but for a smaller add-on closing costs may change the balance to be nearly equal. For the initial membership resale definitely sounds like OP's best bet. The only other factor might be financing; don't know if OP already has that lined up or if a Disney mortgage, despite the high interest, is of value to them...

My resales were all small contracts (less than Disney's minimum 160 pts) and we still saved that much. I included the closing in the savings.

 

[Mommydar]

So it seems the AKV villas are easiest to get at 7 months out. Even the week prior to Thanksgiving? I think we will probably travel there every other year and alternate big family trips between OKW and SSR. If I narrowed it down between OKW and SSR, which would you recommend. For one, what is the better resort overall. OKW seems to be a better value on the two bedrooms, but I like the treehouses at SSR. Will those be slim to none at the 7 month window? How about there availability even at 11 months? Wouldn't someone prefer a treehouse over a conventional two bedroom. I'd think the th would go straight away.

 

[TLSnell1981]

We haven't stayed in the "new and improved" THV, but loved the old ones. The resales on SSR are pretty cheap right now. If you want a TH...I think I would lean towards SSR.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Any non-home resort is going to be hard at 7 months out. So if you have plans for every other year Thanksgiving at AKV, you really need to get AKV. Or if you really want to be able to get the OKW GV, you need to buy there. Same with the SSR THV, you need to own there to get those as well.

If you would be content with OKW or SSR (both are great resorts and I would be very content to stay at either), buy there.

Disney doesn't sell resales. They just rebundle the points and sell them at a much higher price than you can get through a reseller.

 

[Chic]

I recommend SSR resales because of the longer contract and current resale price per point is lower than the others. Another reputable DVC resale broker is Jaki at www.**********.com I've purchased two SSR contracts from her and been very pleased.

 

[DVCGeek]

I'd think the th would go straight away.

I tend to agree. You might want to check out the availability trends reported here on the DIS:

http://disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=168

and also look at the resort stats from DVCNews:

http://dvcnews.com/index.php/resorts/animal-kingdom-villas/general-information

http://dvcnews.com/index.php/resorts/old-key-west/general-information

http://dvcnews.com/index.php/resorts/saratoga-springs/general-information

based strictly on the numbers of possible units to try for, there are 250 lockoffs (where your 1-bedroom comes from) at AKV. OKW has 27 Grand Villas, but a total of 504 two bedrooms if you combine std. and lockoffs. SSR has 60 THVs. So if you want a treehouse, there are fewer of them than most of other units you mentioned. I think GVs, due to the sheer # of points, might be easier to get than THVs. Plus, SSR has 36 GVs so you could always book a THV or a GV @ SSR and then try to switch to a GV @ OKW @ 7 mo.

 

[silmarg]

I am bidding on resales as we speak...

I have been dealing with the Timeshare Store, **********.com (Jaki & ****) and dvcbyresale.com (Shontelle and Maggie).

All three seem professional and pleasurable to deal thusfar. What is interesting is that it appears that the Timeshare Store appears to only sell contracts it has listed while the other two appear to have some sort of cooperation with other brokers - so they have access to resale inventory above and beyond what is listed on their websites.

Infact, I bid on a contract mid-week with ****. When he presented it to the cooperating broker, the seller decided to pull the listing (and is no longer selling it). **** asked for what I was looking for. I was very specific - SSR, Aug UY 150-200 pts, not stripped, $65. He called within 24 hours with a contract where the owner would accept the price. WOW what service!

Now lets see if it passes ROFR.

 

[Mommydar]

Wow - $65 a point at 150 - 200 points at SSR. That's just about what we are wanting. I think we are looking out a few months, but we probably won't travel again until Spring, 2011, so we have a huge window to get what we want.
Thanks

 

[silmarg]

Wow - $65 a point at 150 - 200 points at SSR. That's just about what we are wanting. I think we are looking out a few months, but we probably won't travel again until Spring, 2011, so we have a huge window to get what we want.
Thanks

It's not passed ROFR yet.. heck its not even been submitted to DVD yet... at 5pm yesterday the verbal deal was struck... now its a paperwork/waiting game.

My opinion is to bid what u want on the contract you want... worst that can happen is they decline your offer. All of the agents I dealt with were perfectly willing to present my $64-$65 bids. With the economy the way it is, its a buyers market.

We dont plan on going to WDW until Aug '10... but this contract has '08 points. I will likely rent the '08s out - lowering the true cost of the purchase (assuming it passes ROFR)

I also think working with multiple the agencies gives you access to the most listings (since there is no MLS service for these resales).

GOOD LUCK!

 

[Mommydar]

Lately I've been seeing between 120 - 150 AKV points in the low 80s. I am looking at the charts, and I think we can easily afford to do five days S - Th in a 1 or 2 bedroom Value each year with 120 - 150 points. Is the low 80s a reasonable price point? I really love the theming at this resort, more than any others. Would $80 a point pass ROFR?