new to timeshares & Bluegreen...can anyone help clear some questions up?

[ellisak Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ellisak]

My husband and I just purchased a timeshare through Bluegreen. We have 8000 biannual points. Points deposited July 2013 and deposited again July 2015. I've read through the forums, and this has been addressed but it is still clear as mud to me.

I have a few things I need cleared up because he and I are disagreeing on how we understood the points to work for biannual. We both know & agree that we can use the 8000 points within the first year if we want.

However these are things needing cleared up...

1)I'm understanding whatever points over 4000 at the end of the first year will have to be "rolled over" or saved and a fee paid. For example...we use 2000 points before July 2014 (anniversary month), then 2000 points will have to be saved and the other 4000 points do not July 2014. Also, if we use 5000 points the first year, then the balance of 3000 points do not have to be saved July 2014.

2)And its anything over 4000 because even though our points renew every other year, we technically have 4000 points a year that can be combined "free" the first year.

3)My husband is under the impression that come July 2015 no points can be "rolled over" or saved into July 2015, but I thought the 2nd set of 4000 points could be giving us a total possibility of 12,000 pts to use July 2015.

I have more questions about exchanging and Disney and such, but I'll create a new post for those.

I know that we went into this uneducated, and I'm kicking myself for that; but I'm not disappointed in the purchase overall.

-Ellisa

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

I have annual points, so things may have changed since I last paid attention, but when we bought in biennial points worked this way:

You get all your points the first year, and you can use them for any season. At the end of that first year, half of those points will roll over, meaning you can only use them for seasons red and below (i.e. red, white or blue). If you use 4000 the first year, then the 4000 left should not roll over and I think you should not need to have them saved, however the paying to have them saved thing is newish so I could be wrong there.

Since you can use all the points in any season the first year, there is a sense where you get 4000 a year that can be combined, but that isn't how BG looks at it. All the points are connected to a particular week (or particular dates) at a particular resort. You either have the even year at that resort or the odd; when that week comes up, you get all those points.

At the end of two years, all points you haven't used expire, and you get a new set of 8000 points. If annual owners want more than that year's points, we can pay ahead and get the next year's, but I don't know how that works with biennial points or if it's possible. There are other options (temporarily renting points from BG -- which will combine with your owned points -- or from another owner -- which won't), but buying ahead is often the best deal.

Someone with biennial points should wander in here eventually and give you some more authoritative info, but there's a start.

Also, if you bought direct from Bluegreen, you have the option of using "Bonus Time," where 48 days before check-in (if you reserve on line) you can pay cash for units and not use your points. Last time I checked, the rates were pretty reasonable, but the trick is to get the reservation! Bonus Time can be a great deal if you are centrally located and can get to a bunch of different resorts on short notice, or if you can go off season. Otherwise, not so much.

RCI also offers various cash options, or you can trade your points through RCI roughly the same way you can with Bluegreen.

There is a Bluegreen yahoo group that's more active than this one; I prefer Timeshare Forum's layout and there's more information here on RCI resorts and the like, but the Yahoo group has a lot of info. Both boards are useful for a Bluegreen owner.

[ellisak Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ellisak]

Thanks for the extra info!

[marshalldillon Member Find all posts View Profile Close marshalldillon]

At the end of your first year when your maintenance fees come due, I suggest you pay double on your maintenance fees and borrow the 2015 points, then continue to borrow each year after that. You only have to pay double one time. This almost always ensures you will have the types of points you need when making a reservation. I would also start looking into adding points thru the resale market to your package. This can be done for pennies on the dollar and many on here will help advise you on this process. Welcome to the club.

[ellisak Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ellisak]

Thanks, marshalldillon. That's exactly what I needed to know...if we were able to borrow being biannual owners. We did plan on paying maint. fee ahead of time to be able to borrow & we do plan on adding points. I'll be seeking assistance when that time comes.

[jerrry94087 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jerrry94087]

Hm, you purchased from Bluegreen directly? This is usually frowned upon.
Quick search on ebay shows that 20K resale annual points are up for sale now with the current bid $3.60.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/20-000-Blueg...item5af331f408

Did Bluegreen give you even better deal on points?

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

Hm, you purchased from Bluegreen directly? This is usually frowned upon.
Quick search on ebay shows that 20K resale annual points are up for sale now with the current bid $3.60.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/20-000-Blueg...item5af331f408

Did Bluegreen give you even better deal on points?

You know Bluegreen did not give them a better deal on points BUT going forward they can buy resale. By buying direct from BG, OP now has access to bonus time at ALL Bluegreen resorts and some other direct buy owner perks.

Coming to this site and learning how to best utilize their BG points is smart. I bet the next set of points will be freebie resale ones once they realize how much they enjoy Bluegreen ownership.