New to BG and I have a few questions. reservations, member levels etc.

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

I am new to this. Could you elaborate on free/cheap?

Resale timeshares have almost no resale value so most end up giving them away.
Not that they don't have value to someone who uses it but many people buy on
impulse and then never bother to learn how to use what they bought and just
want out of the maintenance fees.

Check our bargain section for free Bluegreen units.

http://www.timeshareforums.com/forum...REE-TIMESHARES

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

Resale timeshares have almost no resale value so most end up giving them away.
Not that they don't have value to someone who uses it but many people buy on
impulse and then never bother to learn how to use what they bought and just
want out of the maintenance fees.

Check our bargain section for free Bluegreen units.

http://www.timeshareforums.com/forum...REE-TIMESHARES

That's very interesting. I can see how paying 1000 dollars a year can be annoying if you don't use the points.

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

I am new to this. Could you elaborate on free/cheap?

ebay, various boards like this that have sections for giving away points from owners that don't want them anymore. I have 30K annual points, 11K is developer, the rest is resale. I paid a total of ~$350 for the other 19K.

Greg

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

As previously mentioned, there are many points packages available for essentially nothing (example, my 24000 point package for $204). For people who understand how to get good value from Bluegreen points, it is a fantastic time. (For the poor souls who paid developer prices for these and are just having to dump them, it is quite sad.)

As you already know, buying unqualified resale points means you won't several of the benefits, but most of those are of limited value. Since you mentioned that you live within driving distance to several resorts, you might want to keep an eye out for a cheap package at a resort where you think bonus time would be useful to you.

Otherwise, if you're not looking for a specific resort, just figure out how many points you think you want per year. Watch ebay auctions (or search the recent closed auctions) and you'll see that the prices don't go very high so it isn't hard to find what you want.

Anita

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

That's very interesting. I can see how paying 1000 dollars a year can be annoying if you don't use the points.

Yeah so why pay retail when you can take care of somebody else's problem for free or almost free.
Some people just don't want to vacation for some totally unknown reason that is beyond me.

It's a hassle, you gotta plan, you gotta pay airfare, you can't call up last minute, well you can but
people are unrealistic about what they can get last minute, you gotta be flexible and you gotta
see the value of vacationing in bigger units as opposed to comparing to hotel rooms.

If you do the comparison against hotel rooms which many do, then TS's don't make sense.
It's a lifestyle you are buying into. But once you try it, you get hooked and then there is
rarely any going back.

So you are warned that if you hang out here you may just catch the TS bug.
When I joined this forum I owned 4 TS's, then I went up to 8, now down to 7, sorta.
Well one gives me like 20 weeks a year so how would you count that?
See how easily we enable each other around here?

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

Thanks for the replies. I am sure glad I found these forums. You guys are saving me a ton of money. I still can't get over the difference in prices between qualified and non qualified points and developer points.

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

...
What about the 3000 dollar charge that was mentioned? How so you know if that's around the corner?

I have owned BG points for somewhere over a decade and have NEVER been hit with a special assessment, not for several hundred, not for several thousand.

The trust fund may incur the hit and spread it around for us.

also, bonus time is NOT always filled. It wouldn't exist if there weren't inventory. like everything else, prime time in prime places will be difficult to get. But people cancel all the time.

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

Hmmmm, they made the charter out to be like it was awesome. Lol
My deed is not at the manhattan club it's in harbor lights at myrtle beach.
They made it sound like you could also book any hotel out there for 59 a night because of the charter.

I think you are referring to Bonus Nights, not hotels. This is true, it is CHEAP but with resale you only get BT at the resort you own, not any resort in the chain. If you want BT at every resort, you need qualified points.

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

well I sent in my letter and it will be at their home office tomorrow. I made sure to get it postmarked for today's date. Hopefully it all goes smoothly.

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

I think you are referring to Bonus Nights, not hotels. This is true, it is CHEAP but with resale you only get BT at the resort you own, not any resort in the chain. If you want BT at every resort, you need qualified points.

That's what I plan on doing. I am going to pick up the bulk of my points unqualified at resorts I would frequently visit to get bonus time there then get a tiny amount of qualified points so I can get bonus nights everywhere. Then If I really like BG, I'll end up getting enough for silver.

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

That's what I plan on doing. I am going to pick up the bulk of my points unqualified at resorts I would frequently visit to get bonus time there then get a tiny amount of qualified points so I can get bonus nights everywhere. Then If I really like BG, I'll end up getting enough for silver.

You need to have your qualified points first…..and all silver does is allow you to wait list a reservation at 12 months….not worth it IMO if you can be diligent and reserve at exactly 11 months…

I am another happy Bluegreen Owner.
I purchased my first package of Qualified Points thru Pinnacle and then have added on inexpensively as the others have thru resale.

It was important to me to have Travelers Plus as I wanted to access RCI Nightly Stays (Points Resorts) and be able to use Select Connections.
Bonus time was not important to me as I honestly do not live near enough to any BG resorts to make it usable.
However, when in Aruba over New Years a friend needed a room for one night - I was able to get bonus time (2 night minimum) for much less cost then 1 night would have cost her.

I honestly feel that you should look at where and when you want to go - if a week costs 10,000 and another week 14,000 ….and you need a total of 24,000 points to take two weeks of vacation per year - buy 2,000 qualified points from Pinnacle (to get the bells and whistles) and then the other 22,000 on the resale market….

Good Luck.

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

I am new to this. I'm currently considering buying. I just want to understand this perfectly clear. If I buy like the smallest package from blue green, and then I buy resale points that aren't charter....I can still get unlimited bonus time at any resort? I understand that resale gets you bonus time at your home resort only. But, if I bought both would my bonus time work any differently than if I just had retail points? And all the other bells and whistles with retail would remain correct? One thing that I really want take advantage of is being able to use my points at Hilton and similar hotels if I want to. I guess my main question is: If I buy points retail and then points resale....could I use all of those points at hotels if I wanted? I have a sampler plan now and it expires in a few weeks. I had a update meeting today and that's when I learned about the Hilton hotels being included. I think that would make the whole thing worth it for me. Thanks!

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

I am new to this. I'm currently considering buying. I just want to understand this perfectly clear. If I buy like the smallest package from blue green, and then I buy resale points that aren't charter....I can still get unlimited bonus time at any resort? I understand that resale gets you bonus time at your home resort only. But, if I bought both would my bonus time work any differently than if I just had retail points? And all the other bells and whistles with retail would remain correct? One thing that I really want take advantage of is being able to use my points at Hilton and similar hotels if I want to. I guess my main question is: If I buy points retail and then points resale....could I use all of those points at hotels if I wanted? I have a sampler plan now and it expires in a few weeks. I had a update meeting today and that's when I learned about the Hilton hotels being included. I think that would make the whole thing worth it for me. Thanks!

Once you buy a retail package, you have charter perks. That can never be taken away from you as long as you own your charter deed. You can then add resale points to this at a much cheaper rate, so you have more traveling power, and those points act like retail points in every manner but membership level. Resale points can never count towards bronze, silver levels, etc. That is the only difference when you own a mix

If you own ~only~ resale, then you have no charter benefits, and the ~only~ perk is bonus time at the resort you own at.

As for the using points for hotel stays, I don't mean to throw cold water on your enthusiasm, but at an average cost of 5 or 6 cents a point in maintenance fee's, and the current "exchange" rate into choice hotels, its just not prudent to use points in hotel stays ..( my opinion, others may disagree)

Greg

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

I am new to this. I'm currently considering buying. I just want to understand this perfectly clear. If I buy like the smallest package from blue green, and then I buy resale points that aren't charter....I can still get unlimited bonus time at any resort? CORRECT!

I understand that resale gets you bonus time at your home resort only. CORRECT

But, if I bought both would my bonus time work any differently than if I just had retail points? NO, SAME AS RETAIL

And all the other bells and whistles with retail would remain correct? YES

One thing that I really want take advantage of is being able to use my points at Hilton and similar hotels if I want to. I guess my main question is: If I buy points retail and then points resale....could I use all of those points at hotels if I wanted? I have a sampler plan now and it expires in a few weeks. I had a update meeting today and that's when I learned about the Hilton hotels being included. I think that would make the whole thing worth it for me. Thanks!

Once you buy a retail package, you have charter perks. That can never be taken away from you as long as you own your charter deed. You can then add resale points to this at a much cheaper rate, so you have more traveling power, and those points act like retail points in every manner but membership level. Resale points can never count towards bronze, silver levels, etc. That is the only difference when you own a mix

If you own ~only~ resale, then you have no charter benefits, and the ~only~ perk is bonus time at the resort you own at.

As for the using points for hotel stays, I don't mean to throw cold water on your enthusiasm, but at an average cost of 5 or 6 cents a point in maintenance fee's, and the current "exchange" rate into choice hotels, its just not prudent to use points in hotel stays ..( my opinion, others may disagree)

Greg

All Gregs' info is correct.

As for using your Bluegreen points for hotel stays, right now you can convert them to Choice Hotel Points - this is a VERY bad use of your Bluegreen Points as the conversion rate would make your hotel stay cost at least double of what you would pay as a cash customer. A good perk of this affiliation is that as Bluegreen owners, we are "gold" members of their hotel reward program Choice Privileges and get certain discounted rates Choice Hotels VIP Rates. Also, some of the BG resorts can now be booked thru Choice Hotels when there is no availability on bluegreen's own website. So thesis another way to add on to a stay if you need to.

As for Hilton Hotel stays using BG points - I have not heard this or seen it on the BG website.
I would be doubtful about this affiliation only because Hilton has its' own vacation club that 'crosses over' already but never say never.

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

agree with others - do not use the hotel angle in a buying decision. these types of benefits can come and go and is very poor value. Only buy into a timeshare system if you actually want to stay at their resorts.

Also, before it comes up, cruises are also terrible value for your points - best to just pay cash for those.

Do note, BG is absolutely fine with your renting reservations so if you have excess points you can rent out and use that cash to fund your non-timeshare trips like cruises.