Buying a Disney Vacation Club resale is actually a fairly straightforward process. Resale experts at DVC Shop are here to help you every step of the way with our Dummy’s Guide to DVC Resales.
Decisions Prior To Purchasing A DVC Resale Contract
Before you begin browsing DVC Shop’s resale listings, you will want to decide on a few key criteria for selecting a DVC Contract that is right for you: your desired home resort(s), the number of Disney Vacation Points you want to have access to, and the Use Year.
Home Resort
Disney Vacation Club has sixteen beautiful resorts to choose from, but each individual DVC contract can only have one home resort. Do you want to be within walking distance to EPCOT? Then perhaps you would prefer a home resort of Beach Club Villas or BoardWalk Villas. Would you prioritize extra spacious accommodations? In that case, Old Key West, Riviera Resort, or the Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian may suit you well.
Utilize DVC Shop’s expansive information on the various resorts and decide what may be a great fit for you and your travel party. Although each contract can only have a single home resort, don’t get too hung up on just one location. If you are genuinely equally interested in a few DVC Resorts then that opens up your possibilities when looking for a resale contract.
Number of Vacation Points
One of the biggest decisions you’ll make is how many Vacation Points you want to purchase. The number of Vacation Points in your contract are allotted to you each year. As a Disney Vacation Club owner you exchange Vacation Points for accommodations, so the number of points on your contract correlates to the size of accommodation and length of stay you are able to secure each and every year. Consider how often and how long you’ll want to travel to the Disney destinations, as well as in what size villas. Then refer to the DVC Points Charts for your desired home resort to estimate how many points you will need.
Use Year
Your DVC Use Year is the month in which your Vacation Club points are allotted to you each year. As a DVC owner your annual allotment of points are valid beginning on the first day of the month of your Use Year.
If you travel to Disney destinations frequently or at various times throughout the year then the Use Year on your contract may not particularly affect you. However, if you always travel at the same time of year you may want to target a contract with a Use Year within a few months before your usual vacation dates. When selecting your Use Year, keep in mind that your travel habits may change over time.
The Process Of Buying A DVC Resale Contract
Find A Contract
Once you have decided on these three key factors, it is time to make your purchase! If necessary, now is the time to secure financing. Browse DVC Shop’s resale listings and identify a contract that fits your needs. Inquire about the listing to make an offer.
Making An Offer
Note that each contract has a price per point set by the seller, but as with residential real estate you are able to haggle the listed price if desired. That being said, again similar to residential real estate, the seller does not have to accept your lower offer, and other offers from potential buyers may be coming in at the full listing price. Don’t let your perfect contract slip away to save a few hundred dollars!
Right Of First Refusal
Once a price is decided on contracts are executed. The contract is sent on to Disney to be assessed for their Right of First Refusal. This generally takes 30 days, and occasionally a bit longer. At Disney’s discretion, they can choose to purchase the seller’s contract under the agreed up on terms. If this happens, then unfortunately as the buyer you will need to find another listing to make an offer on. If Disney waives their Right of First Refusal and you can proceed in the process of purchasing this DVC contract.
Title Documents & Closing
Next, Disney sends an estoppel certificate to the title company. This process generally takes about two to three weeks. Once the title company receives the estoppel certificate and all closing documents are completed, the contract is closed. All necessary documents are submitted to Disney and recorded in the county’s official records.
DVC Member Account Setup
Finally, Disney will create your account and load your Vacation Points! If you are not already a Disney Vacation Club member this step can take two to four weeks. But once you have your DVC login and Vacation Points loaded, the process is fully complete and you are ready to book a stay and be welcomed home.
Overall, the total process from making an offer to having access to Vacation Points takes about ten to twelve weeks. But please note, these are estimates and the timing can be variable. Additionally, if you seek a home resort of Hilton Head, Aulani, or the Grand Californian, these take an additional two to four weeks.
Selling A DVC Contract
Though we hope you are able to hang on to your Disney Vacation Club contract until it expires, understandably sometimes life has other plans for us. The ability to quickly sell your DVC contract at a price that will maximize your return is one aspect of what makes owning Disney Vacation Club so appealing.
To get started, submit your contract information to DVC Shop’s expert resales team. Agents will help you every step of the way to ensure you get a fair price for your property. Most listings sell within a few weeks, but there is also an instant sale option if you’d like to expedite the process.
Sellers are responsible for an estoppel certificate fee of $150 and commission of 8.5% for the sale of the listing. Also note that any remaining maintenance fees and mortgages must be paid in full at closing. Pending terms negotiated, the buyer may be responsible for dues but that may also fall to the seller.
If you are a non U.S. citizen or permanent resident you may be required to pay FIRPTA or HARPTA fees. And regardless of citizenship, if you are selling an Aulani contract you may be responsible for HARPTA fees. DVC Shop’s commission is received after the sale of the contract is complete–there are no upfront fees when selling with DVC Shop!
Overall, a typical sale takes about eight to ten weeks to close. This timeframe can be longer pending delays with Disney, or needing to wait due to any remaining reservations as all reservations have to be completed prior to closing. Similar to buying a DVC resale contract, this timeline is an estimate; but have full confidence that DVC Shop experts will work hard and as fast as possible to get your contract sold!
Choosing to sell your DVC contract or to purchase a resale contract is a big decision. Feel free to contact the licensed real estate agents at DVC Shop Resales directly or post any questions in the comments section down below.
Written by
Jacqueline R.
Contributing Writer
Jacqueline is a PhD scientist with a passion for synthesizing detailed information in an understandable format. She is a Disney Vacation Club owner, overall Disney fan, and the primary content creator on the YouTube channel Pixie Dust PhD.
