Rental income. This is usually the anchor goal. The buyer wants the home to generate revenue when they're not using it — ideally enough to cover the mortgage, HOA, and management fees, with income left over. This is the goal that makes STR-zoned communities near Disney different from a typical second home purchase.

Personal use without giving up income. Many buyers want a Disney-area home for their own family trips too — not purely an investment. The appeal is a "best of both worlds" property: book it out most of the year, block off a few weeks for themselves, and still treat it like a real asset.

Appreciation / equity growth. Beyond the rental cash flow, buyers are often betting on the home's value going up over time, especially in growing resort communities near a stable, high-demand tourist destination. The income offsets carrying costs; the equity growth is the longer-term payoff.

Diversification. For buyers who already have most of their money in stocks, retirement accounts, or a primary residence, real estate — especially income-producing real estate — is a way to spread risk into a different kind of asset.

Tax advantages. Owning a rental property can open up deductions and depreciation benefits not available with a primary residence (this varies a lot by individual situation — worth a "talk to your CPA" caveat rather than a specific promise).

A hands-off, professionally managed asset. A lot of buyers don't want a "landlord" experience. Part of the goal is owning something that runs mostly on autopilot through on-site property management — they want the benefits of ownership without the day-to-day workload.

Retirement or exit planning. Some buyers are thinking long-term: pay the property down over 10-20 years using rental income, then either retire into it, sell it for a lump sum, or pass it to family as a legacy asset.

Lifestyle access. Less financial, more emotional — some buyers simply want a reason to return to the same place every year, want their kids/grandkids to have a "home base" near the parks, or like the idea of owning a piece of a destination they already love.