Would you Buy a VB resale?

[tinkerjack]

Hello Everyone,

I'm looking for opinions. Would you consider a Vero Beach resale if you never planned to stay there? I know the mantra is buy where you stay, but in everyone's opinion, is it that hard to get a ressie somewhere in the World seven months out?
I'm very flexible about when I can travel. I'd love to reserve AKLV or the Epcot resorts, but if I could pick up a cheap resale (with banked points, of course!) I wouldn't care where I ended up staying as long as I can get something on property seven months out.
I am aware of the higher yearly fees and shorter term at VB, I'm just looking to get started in DVC cheaply. Any and all thoughts are appreciated! TIA, Jeffrey

 

[luvindisneyworld]

As time goes on and there is so many more owners now, I cannot stress enough to buy where you want to stay. It is getting harder and harder to be able to get rooms.
Nobody really knows if you would be able to get a room or not but I just dont think that i would take a chance on it. I would at least buy one of the DVC resorts thats on Disney property you would then know that you would be able to reserve something 11 months out if you wanted to.

 

[rigsby25]

We bought a resale at OKW for just that reason - inexpensive points, less points per reservation. And as it turned out, we love it. We have also discovered Vero Beach. We were there in October, and we will also be there in February. Its such a nice change from Disney after visiting there 3 or 4 times a year. So you never know. As far as reservations go, the only one we have never been able to book is BWV. And we go in the kind of off months like January, May, October. Those aren't necessarily off months for DVC I guess.

 

[DVC Mike]

I personally would not purchase VB if I never planned staying there, as the higher MF's would east up the initial cost savings fairly quick.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I would NOT buy VB if I wasn't planning on vacationing there. High dues, hurricane threats, possibility that it could leave the DVC system. Nope, not worth all that extra cost. Sure the buy in is low, but you will more than make it up in dues.

 

[Kmango]

You'd really be far better off buying an OKW (low resale prices, low point structure) or SSR (low resale prices, low MFs), because that would, in the worst case, get you on property. Additionally, as mentioned, VB has some of the highest MFs and will continue to do so. The resale prices may be $10-12 less per point for VB than OKW or SSR, but the MF is $2-3 higher, and you'll be facing that difference every year for the next 30. Spending way more money in dues is fine if VB is where you want to stay, but since you don't, you're just going to be paying more for less convenience. Don't do it.

 

[pumpkinboy]

If you're buying VB points, you really ought to try it out. It's a lovely resort! We have been back every winter since we first tried it in 2004.

Of course, you could work it out so that you trade VB ressies with someone with points at a WDW resort.

But if you're never planning to stay at VB, I'd recommend OKW or SSR for the lower MFs and WDW location.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

If you're buying VB points, you really ought to try it out. It's a lovely resort! We have been back every winter since we first tried it in 2004.

Of course, you could work it out so that you trade VB ressies with someone with points at a WDW resort.

But if you're never planning to stay at VB, I'd recommend OKW or SSR for the lower MFs and WDW location.

Hey Punkin!! How is the water in February? I'm trying October out this year....always wondered how cool the water was in the winter?

 

[KLR-wlv]

I own some points at VB - and love it - and I saw a resale for $48 pp! Don't know if that would pass ROFR - but at that rate - compare with a $75 pp resale of 200 pts - it would take about 10 years to make up the difference in Maintenance fees (figuring an extra $200 per year at VB over the average MF cost of other resorts). So at $48-50 pp yes I would definitely consider VB. It is a really wonderful resort.

 

[frkymcky]

I bought a VB resale with little expectation of staying there. I to am very flexible with my travel dates. My brother books OKW most of the time at 7 months out with no problem so this helped us in making the decision to buy VB. For the amount of points we purchased and the cost difference we saved a considerable amount of money. For US this was the best decision, but it is a personal decision. Good luck!

 

[disneynutz]

What's available today at 7 months, my change big time as the membership increases.

Don't bank on not caring where you stay. My DW has now decided that BWV is her current favorite.

Two years ago it was BCV, so things do change.

 

[permavac]

I would say that if you are buying a substantial number of points then no, I wouldn't buy at VB if you never plan on staying there. It will only take a few years for the higher MF to out-pace the savings on the initial buy in and after that you will actually be spending MORE money than you might have needed to on MFs had you bought elsewhere on property (like OKW or SSR which aren't that much more than VB). Once the "savings" are gone, how are you going to feel about waiting 7 months out to book "whatever you can get" for the entire life of your contract? At least with OKW or SSR you can have a reservation at 11-months out and try to switch at 7-months, but you will at least have something on property...

That said, if you are just trying to get your foot in the door (with a small contract), then there are worse ways to go. I bought a 25-point contract at HHI as an initial buy in. I will probably never stay there. I know the dues are higher, and the cost is higher (for smaller point contracts), and I can't use it to book at 11-months where I really want to stay but I did it for the ability to do add-ons smaller than the minimum buy-ins Disney has and to avoid having to finance. Since the 25-point contracts seem harder to come by, I am ok that my initial contract was HHI and I probably would have even gone for VB if it had been the only thing available at the time.

Good luck in your decision!

Terri

 

[frkymcky]

I also forgot to say that we usually book our travel plans anywhere from 3-5 months in advance. I don't book any further in advance than that. Again for us this works may not work for others. But everyone has their own opinions and requirements for travel.

 

[tinkerjack]

Hello from the OP,

Thank you all for your replies, I value them all. It gives me alot to think about but after hearing all your opinions. I'm now thinking SSR may be the way to go. Now my thinking is a small contract, perhaps 50-100 points. That way, by banking and borrowing, I can do a nice DVC every three years and when a great deal comes along like the 4/3 or free dining, I'm free to do that as well. Make sense? PLMK, Jeffrey

 

[dandave]

tinkerjack, It makes sense to me. I have a signed contract awaiting Disney's approval in on a 50 point VWL contract with all '08 and '09 points, seller and I split closing, and I pay '09 MF for $77 a point. When shopping around I was so tempted to go with HHI, as there is a very attractive loaded 100 point offer advertised with ********** for $68 pp. But, in the end I went with WLV. The price difference is just so small. I'm not even a huge fan of WL, but I know that I can quickly recoup my money if I want to resale in a few years when the economy improves. I actually love OKW the best, followed by BCV and then AKL. I've stayed at the Boardwalk too, and it's OK. Previously I've stayed on cash and rented points. I simply cannot plan anything more than a few months out, because that's just me. Therefore home resort is of little importance emotionally. (I can plan 3 weeks in Europe on a month's notice, though.)
I intend to use my points mostly at OKW, but honestly I'm happy anywhere and I have no problems moving mid trip. I think the VWL contract would be an easier turnover than OKW for a negligible price difference. If this goes through, we can bank/borrow or even pay to transfer points from someone on the rent/trade board for whatever amount we need. My only gripe with renting was that I could not control my reservation. At $10 a point and me having control of the transferred points into my own DVC account...what could be better?!
We have started expanding our vacations (2 trips to Europe in '08 and DH wants to go back to the Grand Canyon), and I don't want to buy a bunch of points that I will just end up giving away to extended family. I know that I can use 50 a year, with no problems.
I know I rambled, but I hope that made a bit of sense in the end. My best to you!

 

[edbull]

I think we were in the exact same place you were, and had similar thoughts. Full Disclosure- We purchased and have cleared ROFR - yippee
OKW - 50 Points - 70 per point
VB - 60 Points - 50 Per Point
Both had use years of August

We thought as followed: We want to visit Disney every other year or so, at an off time for about a week. We dont have the resources or desire to travel to see the mouse every year. We do like to take a beach vacation, and felt VB would satisfy that desire in our off year. We thought that with 100 points every year we go to disney at OKW would get as most of the way to a week stay, we would then use the VB points for the weekend part before or after the M-R. Assuming, (I know I know) that we could find somewhere at the 7 month mark to book a weekend in a studio or 1 bedroom on either side of our sept or jan mouse trip. And we would agree to stay anywhere to split the trip up. Our desire on most 7 day trips to the mouse is to not have 7 days worth of passes as to enjoy the resorts themselves so this works out well for us. Who knows if it will work. Further entering our mind, is that we had a speciifc price point we didnt want to spend beyond - 7k. This allowed us to get our points, without going over our amount. Right now VB points are more in MF. And will probably always be more. So I agree over 40 years the price difference will make VB more expensive. But I guess in our short sightedness I dont see a heck of a lot of difference, between spending 600 or 900 bucks on MF, but I didnt have an extra 2k to make the purchase. I think it is this logic that has created a credit crisis, but nonetheless its the truth for my family.

Hope our decision helps you make yours, regardless of what you decide.

Ed

 

[Dean]

I would only buy VB if I planned to stay there at least part of the time. Certainly the contracts are cheaper and the dues are higher but that may be a wash over time or it may not. My guess is it will be more expensive to own VB over the life of a 2042 contract. Then you add the risk of hurricane damage and special assessments which would be paid by the members ONLY who own there are not spread out over the entire membership. Finally if WDW is your goal, you run the risk of getting nothing at 7 months out. At least if you own OKW or SSR, you can get something at 11 months out and try to get other reosrts later. Still, you can get something most of the time so if one wanted to stay at VB part of the time AND felt the financial risk was minimal (I don't), it would be a reasonable purchase, no other scenario makes it reasonable to buy there, IMO.

 

[tinkerjack]

From the OP,

Thank you again for all your thoughts and ideas. I think, Ed, you and I are in the same boat and I do appreciate your input. Thank you! Jeffrey

 

[tubtruck]

With the price of dues here- no.