Maybe your kids are grown. Maybe your vacation preferences have shifted. Maybe you just need the cash. Whatever your reason, selling a DVC contract is completely doable, and the resale market is active enough that well priced contracts sell within weeks. Here's everything you need to know about the process, the costs, and how to get the best price.
Before You List: Getting Your Contract Ready
Buyers shop for specific details, so gather this information before reaching out to a broker:
- Home resort: This is fixed and can't change
- Number of points: Your total annual allotment
- Use Year: The month your points refresh
- Current year points: Are they available, already used, or banked?
- Banked points: Any points rolled forward from last year?
- Borrowed points: Did you borrow from next year? (This reduces value)
- Annual dues: Current year amount
- Loan balance: If you're still financing, you'll need to pay this off at closing
A "loaded" contract (one with current year and possibly banked points available) commands a premium over a "stripped" contract where points have already been used. If possible, avoid using your current year points once you decide to sell. Those available points can add $5 to $15 per point to your sale price.
Pricing Your Contract Correctly
Pricing is the single biggest factor in how quickly your contract sells. Overpriced contracts sit for months. Fairly priced contracts sell in one to four weeks. Here's how to set the right price:
- Research recent closed sales (not just asking prices) at your home resort
- Compare contracts of similar size and point status
- Smaller contracts (under 100 points) typically sell for slightly more per point because they're affordable entry points for new buyers
- Larger contracts (200+ points) sometimes need a slight per point discount because fewer buyers have that much cash
- Loaded contracts (points available) justify a premium
- Stripped contracts (points used) need a discount
Current market prices vary widely by resort. Popular monorail resorts like Polynesian and Grand Floridian trade at $165 to $210 per point. Epcot area resorts like BoardWalk and Beach Club run $125 to $155. Value resorts like Saratoga Springs and Old Key West sell between $100 and $130.
Choosing How to Sell
You have two main options:
Using a Resale Broker
Most sellers use a licensed DVC resale broker. The broker handles listing, marketing, fielding offers, contract preparation, and coordinating with the closing company. Commission rates typically run 10% to 15% of the sale price. On a $20,000 contract, that's $2,000 to $3,000 in commission.
The advantage is convenience. You don't need to find buyers, negotiate, handle paperwork, or coordinate the complex ROFR and closing process yourself. For most people, the commission is worth the saved headaches.
Selling Privately (For Sale By Owner)
You can sell directly to a buyer without a broker. You'll save the commission but handle all negotiations, contract preparation, and closing coordination yourself. You still need a title company to handle the actual closing and deed transfer. Most private sellers find buyers through DVC owner forums and social media groups.
The Selling Timeline
Once you accept an offer, here's what happens:
- Contract signing (3 to 7 days): Both parties sign the purchase agreement. Buyer submits earnest money.
- ROFR submission (1 to 3 days): The contract goes to Disney for their Right of First Refusal review.
- ROFR waiting period (25 to 35 days): Disney decides whether to purchase the contract at your agreed price. If they do, you still get paid in full. If they waive, the sale proceeds to your buyer.
- Closing (10 to 21 days): Title company prepares documents, collects funds from buyer, pays you, records the new deed.
Total timeline from accepted offer to money in your account: typically 60 to 75 days. The listing period before getting an offer adds anywhere from one week to two months depending on pricing and market conditions.
Your Costs as a Seller
- Broker commission: 10% to 15% if using a broker ($0 if selling privately)
- Closing costs: Varies by who pays per the contract. Sometimes split, sometimes buyer pays, sometimes negotiated. Seller portion is typically $0 to $400.
- Estoppel fee: Disney charges $75 to $100 for the official verification letter confirming your contract details
- Prorated dues: You owe annual dues through your closing date
- Outstanding loan payoff: If you have a loan balance, it gets paid from sale proceeds at closing
What About Disney Taking the Contract (ROFR)?
Disney's Right of First Refusal lets them purchase your contract instead of allowing it to pass to your buyer. As a seller, this is actually fine: you get paid the full agreed price regardless of whether Disney or your buyer ends up with the contract. The money lands in your account either way.
The only scenario where ROFR affects you negatively is if you specifically wanted a quick close and Disney's involvement adds a few extra days of processing. But financially, it makes no difference to you as the seller.
Tax Implications
If you sell your DVC contract for more than your original purchase price (plus closing costs and any capital improvements), you may owe capital gains tax on the profit. If you sell for less than you paid, you likely cannot deduct the loss since DVC is considered personal use property rather than an investment. Consult a tax advisor for your specific situation.
Thinking about selling? The DVC resale market remains active with strong demand, particularly for monorail resorts and contracts with available points. Get your numbers together, price it fairly, and you'll likely have an offer within a few weeks.