WWYD? Riv or Vgf add-on

[Carrie932]

We are new owners and recently purchased 130 VGF resale. With the borrowing restrictions currently in place we are thinking we’d like 40-50 more points. We have an offer in on a 50 pt VGF that matches our use year but there are multiple offers so who knows what will happen there. We also visited RIV (didn’t stay there but pretty much saw it all) last spring and really love it. Since we’re looking at a small contract we aren’t terribly concerned about resale restrictions but it is a bit higher cost initially and dues are higher. Do you think we are better off adding on VGF since the contract is exactly what we want or would you diversify and get the small RIV contract so that we are able to stay there sometimes (or future resorts!) ? Keep waivering back and forth and curious what you experts would do!!!

 

[db24]

We are new owners and recently purchased 130 VGF resale. With the borrowing restrictions currently in place we are thinking we’d like 40-50 more points. We have an offer in on a 50 pt VGF that matches our use year but there are multiple offers so who knows what will happen there. We also visited RIV (didn’t stay there but pretty much saw it all) last spring and really love it. Since we’re looking at a small contract we aren’t terribly concerned about resale restrictions but it is a bit higher cost initially and dues are higher. Do you think we are better off adding on VGF since the contract is exactly what we want or would you diversify and get the small RIV contract so that we are able to stay there sometimes (or future resorts!) ? Keep waivering back and forth and curious what you experts would do!!!

The best advice I've ever gotten about which resort to buy is to buy the resort where you want to stay at. If you feel like a small VGF contract is exactly what you want you'd probably be best to buy VGF. If you are not in a hurry for the points sign up for the newsletters at the different broker websites so you'll get notices about new listings. Good luck on your offer for the 50 point contract!

 

[CraigInPA]

Buy where you want to stay. I think, due to the size difference between the resorts, that for the foreseeable future, you will have a harder time using this RIV points at 7 months for VGF than the other way around. It will take QUITE A WHILE before there are enough RIV resale owners restricted to RIV that the resort will experience fully-booked-at-7-months status.

And, don't discount the dues difference between the resorts! In some number of years, the difference in dues would wipe away the difference in the initial purchase price.

 

[EM Lawrence]

You could also buy 40-50 points direct at VGF and be able to use them at RIV on occasion. If you prefer to stay at VGF most of the time, with only an occasional stay at RIV, and you don’t want to wait for the right resale contract to come along, it is a valid alternative. I’d buy where you prefer to stay the majority of the time.

 

[Carrie932]

Buy where you want to stay. I think, due to the size difference between the resorts, that for the foreseeable future, you will have a harder time using this RIV points at 7 months for VGF than the other way around. It will take QUITE A WHILE before there are enough RIV resale owners restricted to RIV that the resort will experience fully-booked-at-7-months status.

And, don't discount the dues difference between the resorts! In some number of years, the difference in dues would wipe away the difference in the initial purchase price.

That’s our issue! We really like and want to stay both lol...can stay both with RIV direct points but not with VGF resale points...VGF is a better price in all aspects and we be more than thrilled to stay there at any time… Just not sure if I will be sad if I never get to stay at RIV

 

[Carrie932]

You could also buy 40-50 points direct at VGF and be able to use them at RIV on occasion. If you prefer to stay at VGF most of the time, with only an occasional stay at RIV, and you don’t want to wait for the right resale contract to come along, it is a valid alternative. I’d buy where you prefer to stay the majority of the time.

Thanks! We did consider that but VGF direct is $$...definitely still an option though!

 

[DVCsloth]

I would like to add on a small direct contract at the Riviera. Not in the cards for me at this time though. I already own at GFV and CC. I would like to add a small contract there eventually to get a nice Epcot/H.S. resort. We stayed at the Riviera last month and really liked it. I love my GFV resort an awful lot though. Don't think you can go wrong either way!

 

[Sandisw]

Only way to stay RIV with your own points is to buy direct.

Just remember though that you will only have those direct points to use so you won’t get very many nights.

And of course they won’t be good to combine with VGF points you have until 7 months.

But if a few nights every so often is what you want, then I’d buy there!

 

[CarolMN]

We are new owners and recently purchased 130 VGF resale. With the borrowing restrictions currently in place we are thinking we’d like 40-50 more points. We have an offer in on a 50 pt VGF that matches our use year but there are multiple offers so who knows what will happen there. We also visited RIV (didn’t stay there but pretty much saw it all) last spring and really love it. Since we’re looking at a small contract we aren’t terribly concerned about resale restrictions but it is a bit higher cost initially and dues are higher. Do you think we are better off adding on VGF since the contract is exactly what we want or would you diversify and get the small RIV contract so that we are able to stay there sometimes (or future resorts!) ? Keep waivering back and forth and curious what you experts would do!!!

40-50 points doesn't get you much at DRR especially with borrowing restrictions. The TS and standard view studios seem to be tough to get on a regular basis, even at 11 months. Are you OK with split stays?

My advice is to stay with the VGF.

 

[Carrie932]

Only way to stay RIV with your own points is to buy direct.

Just remember though that you will only have those direct points to use so you won’t get very many nights.

And of course they won’t be good to combine with VGF points you have until 7 months.

But if a few nights every so often is what you want, then I’d buy there!

Thanks! Yup a couple nights here or there for just my husband and I...we’re fine with split stays if we needed to use the points some place else when we have the kids with us!

 

[EM Lawrence]

You are right, direct at VGF is $$$. For only 40-50 points though it is not a massive amount of difference between RIV direct and VGF direct. I believe it would be $60 pp so between $2400-$3000 more to buy VGF direct than RIV direct. I always think about big purchases this way: in 5 years, am I going to be glad I purchased exactly what I wanted, or am I going to miss that $3,000? Your other option would be to offer more on that resale VGF contract you have already bid on and secure it. Then you can either pay cash or rent points for an occasional stay at RIV. But for that one time extra cost of 3K, you could stay there on VGF direct points. I don’t think there is a wrong decision here regardless.

 

[Cfrone]

Just curious because we're in a similar boat. If/when you add-on, I'm assuming direct would match your current use year correct? If so, do you get points for the current use year - i.e., if we bought a small add-on now and they matched our current use year (August), would we get August 2020 points now? Also, if that's the case, do we pay full dues on those 2020 points?

 

[limace]

I think in your situation I’d buy at VGF and transfer points in or rent a stay at RIV if I wanted to try a stay there.

 

[Wedgeout]

With your VGF resale purchase you are a member. Now as a member you can buy additional direct add’on points, minimum of 25 with cash at any resort. Chat with a Guide and see what add’on points work best for you.

 

[Carrie932]

With your VGF resale purchase you are a member. Now as a member you can buy additional direct add’on points, minimum of 25 with cash at any resort. Chat with a Guide and see what add’on points work best for you.

For Riviera the minimum is actually 50... already chatted, thanks! Just trying to figure out which resort and route is our better choice!

 

[Wedgeout]

For Riviera the minimum is actually 50... already chatted, thanks! Just trying to figure out which resort and route is our better choice!

Awesome! Even 50 if worked into the stays I wanted to make at Riviera (banking/borrowing) and had the cash, I’d add on there instead of VGF, getting the 11 month perk with those points. Can still mix those points with your VGF at 7 months to stay at VGF or somewhere else. Isn’t all the planning and decision making fun!?!?

 

[Sandisw]

Just curious because we're in a similar boat. If/when you add-on, I'm assuming direct would match your current use year correct? If so, do you get points for the current use year - i.e., if we bought a small add-on now and they matched our current use year (August), would we get August 2020 points now? Also, if that's the case, do we pay full dues on those 2020 points?

When buying direct at resorts in active sales like RIV, you get current UY points. For Aug, that is 2020 and beyond.

Since dues are based on the calendar year From time you become an owner, if you bought today you’d owe about 2 1/2 months for 2020.


if you waited until January, you’d still get 2020 points but dues would start with 2021. If you bought in June 2021, you’d get those 2020 points and pay only 6 months worth of 2021 dues.

 

[CraigInPA]

That’s our issue! We really like and want to stay both lol...can stay both with RIV direct points but not with VGF resale points...VGF is a better price in all aspects and we be more than thrilled to stay there at any time… Just not sure if I will be sad if I never get to stay at RIV

VGF points will always be in demand in the rental market, more so than RIV points (because of the differences in the size of the resort; VGF is one of the smallest, RIV is one of the largest). If you want to stay at RIV, rent your VGF points and then find a RIV owner to rent from, or wait out the 7 month window and book RIV using your VGF points. Unless you're interested in those tower studios, that is what I'd do.

Craig

 

[Carrie932]

VGF points will always be in demand in the rental market, more so than RIV points (because of the differences in the size of the resort; VGF is one of the smallest, RIV is one of the largest). If you want to stay at RIV, rent your VGF points and then find a RIV owner to rent from, or wait out the 7 month window and book RIV using your VGF points. Unless you're interested in those tower studios, that is what I'd do.

Craig

Good point about renting, thanks! Our vgf points are resale so couldn’t book Riv with them even at 7 months

 

[Lorana]

VGF points will always be in demand in the rental market, more so than RIV points (because of the differences in the size of the resort; VGF is one of the smallest, RIV is one of the largest). If you want to stay at RIV, rent your VGF points and then find a RIV owner to rent from, or wait out the 7 month window and book RIV using your VGF points. Unless you're interested in those tower studios, that is what I'd do.

Craig

VGF is definitely one of the smallest and more in demand, especially given the cash pricing.
However, RIV is about mid-sized not one of the largest. OKW, SSR, AKV, PVB, BWV all have more villas. It’s about the same size as BLT.