Has the DVC Resale Market Changed?

[Pastcastmember1715]

We are beginning the process of purchasing another resale contract, our last purchase was the fall of 2015 when it was more of a "sellers" market. I have noticed an obvious huge increase in the number of contacts on the resale market, some have been listed for several months with no apparent offers. It it just the elevated prices that have slowed the resale market down or something else? Anyone have any insight or thoughts on this? I'm kind of hesitant going forward with another purchase right now.

[VWL Mom]

I think it's a combination of insanely high prices and stripped contracts. I've been looking around too and some of the prices are just ridiculous. The other thing I'm noticing is they're asking for dues at closing on points you aren't getting and some of the brokers have jacked up the closing fees.

[CanadianWDWFan]

We are looking to add on in the near future as well. We fully expected the prices to drop with the new policies but it really hasn't moved. We bought resale back in 2008 at the BWV and it cost under $85 per point, today they are asking over $100!! We are beginning to wonder if it is even worth it to add on with these crazy prices.

[DizneyRox]

That's weird... Snce you're just paying for accommodations, I would have guaranteed that the resale market would have popped. It might be that Disney's prices are just out of control. I laugh when I get the ads, add on now and save. When I look at the cost per point, it gives me a deep belly laugh. They really are crazy!

With all the changes, I just don't see DVC (at current prices) being all that attractive. We use ours for visiting relatives around our cruises, going to start trading out for other vacations I think. Worse comes to worse, we may start renting points to pay for other vacations. That might be the best value in the program these days.

[Pastcastmember1715]

What I'm finding out so far after speaking with several realtors that handle DVC resales is that although contracts are posted at higher prices, many of the sellers are willing to negotiate, but now my concern is if the price is not high enough it will be ROFR'd. Not sure what I'm going to do now :confused:

[DizneyRox]

DVC is just like buying a house. You make and offer, they either accept or not. What you're talking about is ROFR which is nothing to worry about.

Say you offer $3000. They accept, Disney just has the right to buy that contract at $3000. If they do, you just move onto another contract, if they don't, then you buy it for that price.

The contract gets 'sold' either way, owner is just either you or them. There's no harm outside of the delay in you potentially owning DVC in losing a contract to ROFR.

There will be more contracts to buy, people are looking to get rid of them all the time

[baldburke]

We've only been with DVC since 2014, but my frustration has been that it never seems to be an easy booking. Granted, we've not yet tried to to book at our home resorts with the 11 month window but we bought in thinking it would be great to continue to try new resorts. We've gotten lucky with wait lists, but certainly it's preferable to have everything locked and loaded.

[andmomlau]

I completely agree! Trying to book anything at seven months is impossible! I've tried for months to get BW in October and although I did just get a wait list request.....I couldn't get ANYWHERE except SS which we really didn't want....tried for December 4-8 on exactly the seven month window and finally got OKW from the 5-7! Really annoying!!!!

[ThanxForNoticin]

There are definitely certain locations and certain times of the year that it'll be very difficult to book DVC rooms outside of your home resort (at the 7-month mark). BW in October would certainly be one of those times with the popularity of events that time of year - like F&W and Halloween. We always book a stay at our home resort, and then try to change at 7 months. Sometimes it'll work, sometimes it won't. But at least we have a reservation! There's never a problem making a reservation at the home resort 8-11 months out.

I'm not sure, but I don't think I see the Resale market slowing anytime soon. With the costs being 30%-40% cheaper than buying directly from Disney, and with DVC resorts being very popular, it's about supply and demand. We've bought from Disney and we've bought resale in the past. I wouldn't hesitate to buy resale again, even with prices going up slightly.

[Ian]

You should pay careful attention to the changes Disney just rolled out to resale contracts. You lose ALL the perks of the points. Literally the only thing they're good for is rooms at Disney resorts. You can't trade them out, you get no merchandise discount, no AP discount, no food discount .... nada.

[WiltonJohn]

You can't trade them out, ..............

Can you clarify what you mean here?

best,

................john

[Melanie]

Can you clarify what you mean here?

best,

................john

The changes made to resale contracts in 2011, I believe, disallowed using DVC points for Disney cruises and regular Disney hotel rooms (which I think is called the Disney Collection.) I purchased resale last year, and the only 'trading out' allowed is RCI.

With the new changes, DVC points bought via resale are good only for DVC resort rooms. Those who have previously bought resale are grandfathered in to whatever was available to them when they purchased.

[WiltonJohn]

The changes made to resale contracts in 2011, I believe, disallowed using DVC points for Disney cruises and regular Disney hotel rooms (which I think is called the Disney Collection.) I purchased resale last year, and the only 'trading out' allowed is RCI.

With the new changes, DVC points bought via resale are good only for DVC resort rooms. Those who have previously bought resale are grandfathered in to whatever was available to them when they purchased.

Thanks. THAT I knew. The way the previous comment was phrased, it seemed (to me) to imply that you could no longer RENT or TRANSFER points anymore. (My interpretation of the word "trade".) And from reading the DVC stuff I have, I knew that was not the case (at least I thought so). So was worried I was missing something.

All of the "extras" can change/disappear at any time. That is a 'fact of life'. I don't really expect them to remain constant for anyone. For me buying a DVC membership was about visiting Disney. Not really interested in the "other stuff" much, if at all. The purchase discounts are nice.... but I expect they will go bye-bye soon.

We now hold a re-sale and a small direct purchase. The resale JUST made it in under the wire on the last rules change. We might do another small re-sale purchase in the next couple of years if the points we have turn out not to work as we plan. We'll see.

Thanks for the clarification.

best,

...................john

[baldburke]

What's the fewest points that Disney let's you buy direct? We bought resale first back in 2014 then added more (50 points) direct from Disney in 2015. If you buy even a few points direct from Disney then it would negate all the cuts in buying from the second hand market, right?

[DizneyRox]

I think it's about 100 which makes it a $17k in to get benefits that come and go like the wind...

I've never seen Disney turn down money though, I bet you can buy a significantly lower amount directly taking to a guide.

100 is a tough number, it's barely enough to do anything of value. A few days a year is about all that would get you. I don't think you can get a full week anywhere.

[SBETigg]

I bought resale at the end of 2014. I haven't had any problem booking at the 7 month mark or less, though I've only done it twice now. I booked a 1 BR Savannah view at AKL Kidani three months before the stay, and I recently booked a few days at a Poly studio only about two months before departure. I booked a BLT two bedroom at the 11 month mark, so that went well, too, but I expected that. Where are people having problems booking, and is it the size of accommodations that makes a difference, or the time of year, maybe?

As far as the market slowing, I think the recent loss of membership perks could have some affect. I've read about people being afraid to buy resale because they don't even get a membership card anymore? It wasn't the case when I bought in, though I knew I had some fewer perks that people who bought in earlier had. The increasing reduction of perks seems to have an affect, though.

[WiltonJohn]

We tried to get a savannah view studio for 6 nights at AKL via one of the points renting places (before we bought our DVC this spring) at just before and thru the 11 month mark for just about ANYTIME (consecutive 6 nights) in October... and they were all gone. Been looking on the member site since we bought........ and still nothing available. October is totally full up except for a couple of single days (last I looked).

A year ago... we booked at the 7 month point for the SUMMER..... and got over a week then no problem.

Not sure what is going on.

best,

...............john

[WiltonJohn]

What's the fewest points that Disney let's you buy direct? We bought resale first back in 2014 then added more (50 points) direct from Disney in 2015. If you buy even a few points direct from Disney then it would negate all the cuts in buying from the second hand market, right?

If you already own.... it is 25 points.

best,

..............john

[Melanie]

We tried to get a savannah view studio for 6 nights at AKL via one of the points renting places (before we bought our DVC this spring) at just before and thru the 11 month mark for just about ANYTIME (consecutive 6 nights) in October... and they were all gone. Been looking on the member site since we bought........ and still nothing available. October is totally full up except for a couple of single days (last I looked).

A year ago... we booked at the 7 month point for the SUMMER..... and got over a week then no problem.

Not sure what is going on.

best,

...............john

From what I'm learning on various DVC pages, Food & Wine is the most popular time for DVCers to go to WDW.

[baldburke]

If you already own.... it is 25 points.

best,

..............john

So if you originally bought resale then an additional buy-in of $4k to $5k (depended on current rates and possible financing) could get you all the rights and privileges of a full direct owner. I realize it may be easier said than done in some cases, but perhaps worth considering if you want to buy mostly resale.

[Aurora]

What's the fewest points that Disney let's you buy direct? We bought resale first back in 2014 then added more (50 points) direct from Disney in 2015. If you buy even a few points direct from Disney then it would negate all the cuts in buying from the second hand market, right?


So if you originally bought resale then an additional buy-in of $4k to $5k (depended on current rates and possible financing) could get you all the rights and privileges of a full direct owner. I realize it may be easier said than done in some cases, but perhaps worth considering if you want to buy mostly resale.

It would only grant you the rights and privileges for the contract purchased directly from Disney, not for the resale contract. The perks go with the contract, not the owner.

[baldburke]

It would only grant you the rights and privileges for the contract purchased directly from Disney, not for the resale contract. The perks go with the contract, not the owner.

That's correct! And if the owner has two contracts, one direct with Disney and one via second hand market, then the recent DVC changes are moot. As a direct owner they would still get access to the discounts for merch, passes and restaurants, plus access to the other exclusives like Top of the World at BLT and the new member lounge at Epcot. This is regardless of how few points they bought direct and how many they bought through resale.

[LVT]

If I buy resale and have no member card: 1. how do you book? 2. can you then buy small 25 points contracts from Disney? thank you

[andmomlau]

I agree! We also bought in Dec 2013 at GF. We don't really want to stay there because of the amount of pts needed. We absolutely love BW. We were lucky enough to get a wait list for F and W for December at BW but I'm taking a friend in December...5-8... And can only get OKW...I check every day! Very frustrating!

[Tink<3Mickey<3Cinderella]

That's correct! And if the owner has two contracts, one direct with Disney and one via second hand market, then the recent DVC changes are moot. As a direct owner they would still get access to the discounts for merch, passes and restaurants, plus access to the other exclusives like Top of the World at BLT and the new member lounge at Epcot. This is regardless of how few points they bought direct and how many they bought through resale.

Do you know if this is still the case? I believe there have been even more changes to the policy since this post and we are currently in the process of buying resale so I just wondered what my options were. Thanks!

[VWL Mom]

Yes, if you buy an add-on of 25 points you would be entitled to the benefits outlined by Baldburke. In doing an add-on you should look for the same use year so your contracts fall under one membership.

[WiltonJohn]

Yes, if you buy an add-on of 25 points you would be entitled to the benefits outlined by Baldburke. In doing an add-on you should look for the same use year so your contracts fall under one membership.

This is what we did.

best,

.........john