By Shontell Crawford, Owner/Broker, DVC by Resale

Have you ever bought something brand new and you were so proud that you just had to tell your friends? Only after you told them, they said, “Why didn’t you tell me you were shopping for that?!  You could have gone to “Ace Retail” (substitute your choice) and saved a lot of money!”   Hindsight is always 20/20, so I hope you will allow me to share some valuable information that you need to know before you, a family member, or a friend buys into the Disney Vacation Club.

Just as with other forms of real estate, stocks, cars or luxury items, a secondary market exists and can be a safe, smart place to buy your piece of the Disney magic. The term most often used to describe it is the "resale market."  While resales may at first sound appealing to those primarily on a budget, it also serves those niche buyers who only want a certain property no longer available directly through Disney.

Let’s talk about the main advantages of buying resales.  Saving money is the obvious and probably most important aspect when it comes to your purchase.  Most resales save a buyer as little as a few hundred but occasionally up to a few thousand dollars off the price of what the Disney Vacation Club offers them directly. A few hundred dollars could buy an annual pass on your next Disney trip!

Saving money appeals to us all, but you may ask, “Do I really get the same thing and will I be treated equally?” Absolutely.  Something that has always made Disney a wonderful place to be is that no matter what collar you wear at work, you get special treatment when you go to visit the Mouse.  Everyone is special, everyone is loved! The same applies to you as a DVC Member. Whether you buy directly from Disney or on the resale market, the perks, privileges, benefits, uses, advantages, discounts --everything remains the same.

Probably the most overlooked, but still important advantage of buying resale is the bottom line over the lifetime of the property. Each resort has different annual dues, also referred to as "maintenance fees." Currently Saratoga Springs, Old Key West, and Hilton Head have the lowest dues of the DVC properties.  Vero Beach often has low prices available by resale, but the dues are currently the highest.

The other obvious advantage to buying DVC by resale is the ability to buy properties no longer available from Disney directly.  My favorite resorts to visit are Old Key West during the summer and Wilderness Lodge during the winter.  As a first time buyer, Disney direct doesn’t offer either of these resorts yet both are available by resale*. Disney’s Beach Club, Boardwalk, Vero Beach and Hilton Head are all “sold out” but typically available by resale while Disney is currently only offering Saratoga Springs.

A question often heard is “Why would anyone buy directly from Disney?” The answer: They just don’t know about resales. So, the next time you are standing in a line, sitting in the hot tub, or on the monorail wondering what to say to the person next to you – tell them about DVC resales. Friends don’t let friends buy direct!

Shontell Crawford is a Licensed Real Estate Broker and owner of DVC By Resale. She has been reselling the DVC since 1997 and has been an active DVC Member since 1999. Founded in 2002, DVC By Resale is the only brokerage exclusively catering to Members of the Disney Vacation Club. To learn more, visit their website at http://www.DVCbyResale.com, call toll free 1-800-844-4099 or email info@DVCbyResale.com

(*Editor's Note: In some cases DVC has been known to sell "sold-out" resorts to first-time buyers. There appears to be no consistency in the application of these types of sales, however, and potential buyers should not depend upon being able to purchase a sold-out resort through Disney. Also, for some resorts, Disney's prices are typically much higher than resale pricing and buyers may have to wait months for DVC to "find" the points to sell to them.)