Have you never stayed in your timeshare?

[mdurette Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mdurette]

Nope.....have never stayed....always trade

[Hobbitess Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hobbitess]

We stayed at the resort before buying in, and have stayed there a number of times since, but never in the week or unit we own. I like the resort, and I'm okay with the unit and week we purchased, but I like the layout of other units more.

When we bought into Bluegreen, I figured on staying at most of the resorts in the "Sampler" book, and if we'd stuck to the original plan we probably would have done it by now, but we ended up repeating and using RCI more than predicted. I had twenty or so on my original list; we've been to eleven (not all on the original list, since BG has expanded since then).

might stay at BG Big Cedar just to see what the hoopla is all about.

We haven't technically stayed at Big Cedar, but we've stayed at the Cliffs and at the Falls, and visited Big Cedar a couple of times, and I don't get the hoopla, myself. The lazy river is very cool, but it's been mobbed every time we were there when it was open. In our experience, the resort itself is busy Memorial Day to Labor Day; we're always happy to get back to the Falls where it's quiet and there's less traffic.

I think Big Cedar is great for people who like to do onsite stuff -- there's always a lot going on, there's a big ol' resort to wander, bars, restaurants, all that kinda stuff, which is unusual for a BG resort. Still, even though Big Cedar was originally on my "want" list, but when it comes right down to it, I've found it hard to pull the trigger. The Falls is quieter, more centrally located, and (barring the 3 BR cabin at Big Cedar) the units we stay in at the Falls are larger. If we go well off season, when Big Cedar is quieter, and want to hang around "home", so far I'd rather cough up for the Cliffs than go to Big Cedar. Even though the Cliffs is a tad further out than BC, it's closer to the highway, so drive time into Branson and points north is about the same, while it's a tad closer to Dogwood Canyon and points south and west. The view is about the same, IMHO (you can see a lot more of the lake from Big Cedar, but I like seeing the opposite shore at the Cliffs), and you've got the resort right there for Big Cedar, however when it comes to the units the Cliffs wins hands down.

Aside from the destination resort aspect, I think part of BC's popularity is that the original units are pretty points cheap. Depending on the season and length of stay, it can be cheaper than the Falls, and it includes a large variety of pools and other onsite activities that the Falls does not, so people who make use of those get more for their money. Plus it's the most accessible resort for a lot of owners; BG has expanded their western selections a tad, but the other options cost considerably more than BC or the Falls, twice as much for the same, and some only offer Presidential-type units, which can be ten times as much. Anyone who buys in at Big Cedar thinking it's typical of BG resorts will be disappointed in the rest, and anyone who buys in thinking they'll stay there most of the time because it's the closest are going to be frustrated with summer availability, both of which mean it's tougher to get into, which I'm sure adds to the mystique.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

I am down to one timeshare now, and it is a summer week on the OBX that I have never traded. I have either used it, had family use it, or rent it. Once I work down some deposits at DAE and UKRE, I will probably buy something to trade.

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

It's funny that we keep giving the advice "buy where you want to go" , but we all seem to have units we only trade.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Hobbitess, thanks for the detailed review.

[scootr5 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close scootr5]

I've stayed in some:

Christmas Mountain - Yes
Avenue Plaza - No, use for rentals (and trade)
Wyndham Ocean Palms - just purchased, and probably won't actually stay in the unit for at least the next 4 years or so
Wyndham Grand Desert, Smoky Mountains and South Shore - No, but staying at Smoky Mountains next summer in a 4 bedroom presidential; used points elsewhere
Sheraton Desert Oasis - No, and sold
Sheraton Broadway Plantation - Yes, and sold

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

For the most part we've always stayed in our own units. We do give the advice of own where you are most likely to want to go. However, we did buy one resale week in Branson, MO that we've used almost exclusively for exchange purposes. We stayed there once just to see what it was we owned, otherwise it was strictly for exchanging. We've since disposed of that week.

We currently own two DRI weeks that have become strictly exchange weeks. We are in the process of disposing of those weeks as well. Initially, we used those weeks to stay in Vegas. For the last several years they've been strictly used to exchange. The cost of MF's for those weeks has grown to approx. $2,500 PLUS nearly $550 in THE Club internal membership fee's (up from $139 just 5 or 6 years ago). The expense no longer warrants the value so, either DRI will take them back in their deed back program or they'll likely get them back via foreclosure.

Over the years our advice has been to own where you're most likely to go and, we've followed our own advice in our initial purchases. However, now I think I'd advise to own the most affordable unit that exchanges well or, don't own at all. MF's have grown disproportionately to our income and we find ourselves beginning the process of divesting our timeshare portfolio. We use to dream of expanding our ownership interests. Now we're looking to dispose of our current ownership interests.

[Hobbitess Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hobbitess]

PLUS nearly $550 in THE Club internal membership fee's (up from $139 just 5 or 6 years ago).

Yikes! I don't really follow Diamond, but it seems like every time I hear about them, I'm grateful they didn't buy out Bluegreen....

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

It's funny that we keep giving the advice "buy where you want to go" , but we all seem to have units we only trade.

I think for the people who come here and only want to own just one timeshare then maybe this is still good advice.
I started out this way back when I got into timeshares 15 years ago, but quickly learned that the mini-systems were a much better fit for me.

It's only after years when I joined here and OY that I finally started doing real exchanges without the mini-systems using the exchange companies.
I still think that buying in a Mini-system at the resort where you are mostly likely to stay are better than buying to trade, because you still have the
convenience of a guaranteed home resort and also the benefit of the corporate exchange portals if you wanted to go with II or RCI.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

The cost of MF's for those weeks has grown to approx. $2,500 PLUS nearly $550 in THE Club internal membership fee's (up from $139 just 5 or 6 years ago). The expense no longer warrants the value so, either DRI will take them back in their deed back program or they'll likely get them back via foreclosure.

Wow. Sounds like they really want you to give the thing back.
Easier to add units to the club trust to sell and not have to build new resorts.

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

Yikes! I don't really follow Diamond, but it seems like every time I hear about them, I'm grateful they didn't buy out Bluegreen....

Wow. Sounds like they really want you to give the thing back.
Easier to add units to the club trust to sell and not have to build new resorts.

They were smart enough to calculate out just how far they could push their membership fee's. If an owner were to use I.I., it's $89 for the yearly membership and $174/exchange. With our DRI units was could lock them off and get 4 exchanges. Total cost would then be $785. The CLUB includes I.I. Gold so, one could argue even greater savings. These increases were on DEEDED owners, not trust owners. DRI was looking to take away the excuse for deeded owners to not convert to trust ownership by jacking the rates without any valid reason (other than they can).

Our problem is, when we got into timeshare, the typical MF was around $500 to $600. 17 years later those fee's have grown to $1,200 to $1,600 for all but one of the timeshares we own. For us they've reached a point where they've priced themselves out of the business. For the cost of owning a timeshare we can do as well, if not better, renting. Thus we've begun the process of divesting our timeshare portfolio. I can no longer validate $7,000 to $8,000 yearly in MF's PLUS exchange fee's, membership fee's and associated travel expenses to be limited to whatever is offered either via internal exchange or exchanges through I.I., RCI or any of the independent exchange companies. It's quickly become to expensive and to confining.

I think for me the tipping point has been all the past excuses in increase MF's far past the inflationary index (Obama care, energy expenses, insurance costs et......), then see this years proposed budgets begining to come out with continued 3-5% increases. I realized several years ago that the cost would quickly escalate and strip the value of timesharing to the point we couldn't continue to validate/afford the expense. That time arrived with last years MF billings.

[Hobbitess Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hobbitess]

These increases were on DEEDED owners, not trust owners. DRI was looking to take away the excuse for deeded owners to not convert to trust ownership by jacking the rates without any valid reason (other than they can).

Yeah, I don't think any TS corporation really has the owner's interest at heart, but my impression is that BG at least tries to look like it does, while DRI doesn't even bother.

For the cost of owning a timeshare we can do as well, if not better, renting.

I suspect this has always been true of people who buy from the developer; even now, it's often true of people who get resale, plus it's a lot easier to find those rentals. Since we go offseason and dislike staying in big cities, the deals we get through RCI mean owning is a big benefit for us. But we're also not paying anything like $1,200 or $1,600 per week even with our ownership (just did the math last week with the new numbers and it's seven hundred something), and with the RCI Extra Vacations we've gotten our weekly average for the past nine years is $623, and for 2015 it's $707.77.

For people who go during the summer/during school breaks, and who like the more popular resorts, I think renting is often the better deal. With VRBO kind of places, I think there's a lot more location variety that way, too. Going on the few we've tried, the kids much prefer what they call "a proper resort" to that sort of thing. But I'm sure hubby and I will go that route eventually, because there are places with no timeshares I can track down that have considerable options when it comes to VRBO.

I think the Internet and sites like VRBO have changed vacationing options considerable, and IMHO Timeshares are going to have to change considerable or they're going to fail in the long run. Well, not just Timeshares -- the whole TS system, which would include RCI and the like. I'm not as cynical about timeshares as some, but anyone who hangs out on the Internet is going to figure out pretty quickly that buying a TS from the developer is not the way to go.

I think for me the tipping point has been all the past excuses in increase MF's far past the inflationary index...

I don't think the inflationary index is in any sense reliable, because it's far too easy to manipulate -- they keep changing what's "in the basket," meaning they can keep changing the inflation rate to one they like better. Plus there are outside factors -- a new Walmart can bring local food prices down 15%; nationwide it's counteracted general inflation somewhat. The same sort of thing can happen in any field; some producer gets really efficient, counteracting inflation and making it look like less of a deal if that product is part of the calculation. Even if the government wasn't interested in manipulating the inflation index, it could still be profoundly flawed because the things they choose to follow aren't typical.

That said, I think a lot of what's driving the higher yearly MFs with Bluegreen is that they keep upgrading the resorts. If a TS wants to keep competitive within RCI, they can't just repaint and replace with the same quality products; they need to shift from Formica to granite countertops in order to remain competitive at the same level. Even without inflation, that would be a big markup all on its own, and it's for something I don't really care about (I love stone countertops for pie crust and the like, but I don't do that sort of baking on vacation!).

Not that their reasons really matter. If the yearly fees are more than other reasonable options, it's time to get out.

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

The problem is, at 5% increases MF's will double every 14-15 years. At 3% they double every 23-24 years. $600 becomes $1,200 become $2,400 in short order. IF they could keep increases in the 3% range then they could maintain a reasonable strong ownership base. Otherwise, they'll risk accelerated rates of defaults as owners can't rationalize the rapidly escalating fee's. Now management companies want to keep everything in house and charge add on fee's. Those fee's are likely to increase at the same rates.

So, I once advised to own where you want to go. Now, I'm beginning to think you need to buy resorts with inexpensive fee structures, good exchange potential and have an exit plan when they get bought out by larger companies like DRI.

[Hobbitess Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hobbitess]

So, I once advised to own where you want to go. Now, I'm beginning to think you need to buy resorts with inexpensive fee structures, good exchange potential and have an exit plan when they get bought out by larger companies like DRI.

The problem there is that if enough people figure out which resorts those are, some of the resorts will lose that good exchange potential, because so many people are handing them over to exchange systems, and it may be tough to guess which ones they'll be. Following that strategy would probably require turning your ownerships over fairly rapidly. Which some people do, and I expect it remains a reasonable strategy for those who're committed to it, just because the rest of us can't be bothered.

I think owning where you want to go is still good advice for a first TS purchase. For us, I also wanted a place close enough that we could still go even if we're dealing with some health issues -- doesn't matter if you're bed ridden, of course, but there are a lot of conditions where a four to six hour trip is totally doable, while anything much longer gets to be a serious challenge. I know there are some dead spots in the west, but most people in the US live within six hours of a TS.

And while we're on the subject of TS coverage, I can understand the lack of Timeshares in the strip from the Dakotas down through Kansas, but why aren't there more Timeshares in places like the Finger Lakes region in New York? My first thought was that they're too far from the crowds on the coast, but then there's the one in Chautauqua, and there are a couple more near New York state's western edge but not up on Niagara or the Great Lakes, so why not some near the Finger Lakes? 'Tis a mystery.