Good point about resale only being restricted to RIV. While I did know that, I kind of spaced that if we go direct, we can at least use the points at other resorts if need be. We really do think we would use primarily at RIV but having an option never hurts!
I couldn't tell from your OP whether it was $1000 difference in the price of the direct contract v resale contract you'd be considering, or there was a new incentive that saved another $1000. Personally, because it's Riviera with the resale restrictions, I'd feel like it was worth paying a decent amount of extra $ for direct points and the ability to book anywhere, including new resorts.
(On reading, I see it's an extra incentive - while it's true what everyone's said that in the general scheme of things it matters very little compared to how much we're committing to pay, even at the 200 point level thats another $5 per point off, and psychologically that's a lot!)
I have told myself I wouldn’t get Riviera because of resale restrictions (I’m currently a resale SSR owner). However, I really want some of the blue card benefits, especially Sorcerer pass and ability to book at future new DVC resorts. Every future DVC resort will be restricted from here on so it’s not like Riviera will be unusual. I’m also not buying this as an investment to resell, it’s for my family and I to have great vacations from here on out.
Also, I have to admit Riviera looks amazing and I love its location. I was leaning towards BLT or CCV resale but for ~$30 or more per point I can get my blue card and be done with that. Decisions decisions!
We felt the same way. at the time we bought our resale points they were grandfathered and can book any resort. We looked at adding on BLT resale, and it ultimately came out to whether we would be willing to pay about $5000 more for longer expiration, a new home resort, quicker closing and no wait for ROFR.
Even with this incentive, if someone really likes Riviera I still think resale is a much better option, assuming they were okay with booking future stays there exclusively. It’s also a popular resort to rent out points for, which the cash from that could then be used to book at a different DVC resort to circumvent the restrictions. Some people are really into the DVC exclusive perks of direct purchases, but to me the value of the trinkets/lounge access isn’t worth the cost savings of resale. To each their own, but Riv resale is so much cheaper and you aren’t forced into a minimum 150 point purchase like you are buying direct to get the incentives. When you buy resale Riv the restrictions are already factored into the resale price so if you were to sell in the future the difference between purchase price and selling price won’t be nearly as much as what the cost difference is from buying Riv direct and selling Riv later on.
I think it depends on the cost differential between RIV direct and what you would have gotten instead. and then, is the extra $ for 150 points direct "worth it" to you.
1. We go to Hawaii every other year. We stayed at Aulani our last visit and loved it. It was important to us that we could use our points here when we wanted to. Yes, we could rent our Riviera points out and use that money to rent Aulani points, but I am a control freak and one of the reasons we bought DVC instead of renting every year is that I like having control of our reservation. I like that I can pick up reservations here and there that pop up. Last year, I managed to snag 2 nights at the Grand Californian right around Thanksgiving time. It was amazing. I will probably never buy GC points due to the cost so getting a couple nights with my points was such a treat
We rented for a few years before buying (at $12-15 pp, oh those days!) and I was like, "why not rent all the time?" but the ability to modify, check on availability on your own, switch at 7 months, book last minute trips because conference/friend in town/passholder or MM event ... I started to see why it mattered. the cost of our purchased points is paid already, and at $11.38 tops (recent VGF direct purchase) its still a lot less than renting. True you don't have annual MFs, but that $11.38 pp includes MFs.
I'm talking about the ROFR thread as well. I know when I got my AKV I was kinda upset I saw someone get a contract for like 3 dollars less per point. If it makes sense for you to buy, you should just buy instead of trying to time it perfectly.
This was me. ALL THE TIME.
I'm over it now. I think. Although like George Bailey I sometimes wonder how my DVC experience would have been different if we'd paid $3,700 less on our first resale purchase and ended up with BWV ending in 2042 instead of 2060.
