Enjoyed first use of BG Points. Was I bamboozled at the 'owner's update'??

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

Hi Jim,

Thank you so much for all your help and advice as I was dipping my toes in Bluegreen ownership late last year. I have just returned from a weekend at Shenandoah Crossing and had a very relaxing time at the resort. It is truly in a beautiful location and the staff couldn't have been more helpful. I had my 2 grandchildren visiting us and the 4 year old loved the unlimited pony rides - not to mention that they were free pony rides! The two year old was fascinated by the horses, the goats, roosters, hens, peacock and of course a wonderful hyperactive dog who had a great time running (literally) circles around all the other animals. The view from our cabin was of frozen Lake Izak which had its own crystal beauty.

I was lured into the BG owner update because I thought we would learn more about the vacation club, resorts and future plans - did NOT intend on buying anything. Well, you guessed it, the sales team found a hook and I wound up taking a 3000 points upgrade to be able to use AIM for a non-BG week that I own and thereby gaining the ability to deposit my non-BG week with Bluegreen on a yearly basis and recieve BG points - thereby (so they say) catapulting me into the Gold level. So, I'm not sure if I was taken (not for very much money, but I'm not happy with the way the points are deeded) but will send you a PM with the gory details and beg for some of your so valuable advice. Prior to this weekend, I had 23000 points - underlying deeds were Hammocks at Marathon and Via Roma, with an anniversary date of March.

As of now, I have 26,000 points, a September anniversary date and the right to deposit my non-BG week in AIM for 9000 points in order to reach 35000 Gold status on a year by year basis. The 26000 points will be backed by EOY weeks deeded to Carolina Grande. I'm not that comfortable with EOY, prefer to have some variety with resorts underlying the deed - I may just be suffering from 'fixed week myopia', but I thought there was some advantage to being able to reserve the week associated with one's points without being in contention with anyone else for that particular week - it was comfortable to know that in a pinch, there would always be a week at Via Roma and one at Hammocks that I could count on being totally available if I wanted those weeks.

I just have a vaguely uncomfortable feeling that I've been flim-flammed a little, no big loss because gold status will give an edge in reservations, the 3000 points probably a cheap price for the extra edge in reservations choice.
My brain tells me this was an OK transaction, but my intuition is grumbling.

In any case, I do need your advice as I am still within the rescind period. Best Wishes, Noelle

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

Gold with AIM?

Hi Jim,

I was lured into the BG owner update because I thought we would learn more about the vacation club, resorts and future plans - did NOT intend on buying anything. Well, you guessed it, the sales team found a hook and I wound up taking a 3000 points upgrade to be able to use AIM for a non-BG week that I own and thereby gaining the ability to deposit my non-BG week with Bluegreen on a yearly basis and recieve BG points - thereby (so they say) catapulting me into the Gold level.

As of now, I have 26,000 points, a September anniversary date and the right to deposit my non-BG week in AIM for 9000 points in order to reach 35000 Gold status on a year by year basis.

I just have a vaguely uncomfortable feeling that I've been flim-flammed a little, no big loss because gold status will give an edge in reservations, the 3000 points probably a cheap price for the extra edge in reservations choice.

Noelle

Noelle,

Do you have it in WRITING that you will get gold status when you get your AIM points? And if so, will there be a timing problem of when you have gold status? I too would be most uncomfortable. I hope you made contact with Jim.

Charles

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

The good news is that I had a chance to speak to Noelle about her situation. If she likes, she can provide further information on what she has decided to do.

As for the questions she asked, I will provide some general comments.

The AIM program is not a bad one. It is very similar to the Fairfield PIC program. If you purchase 3000 or more points from Bluegreen, you can AIM one or more non-Bluegreen resorts weeks into Bluegreen Vacation Club points. Those points do count toward your preferred owner status. So, Noelle did get that one correct.

This makes sense if you really want to keep your fixed week because you will use it most of the time, but you don't like how it trades. This gives you the ability to turn it into Bluegreen points. The REAL cost for doing it would be abot $3500. This is the net cost when you deduct the underlying value of the Bluegreen developer points you purchase. This could make sense if you AIM a lot of weeks or if you have fixed week you want to convert permanently.

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

Number of AIM Points

If you purchase 3000 or more points from Bluegreen, you can AIM one or more non-Bluegreen resorts weeks into Bluegreen Vacation Club points. Those points do count toward your preferred owner status.

Jim,

Thanks for the quick response. I agree that the AIM program can be useful.

Do you achieve gold status when they accept your AIM deposit and do you keep gold status for one year, or does it stop when you have used your AIM points?

Also, I can't figure out how Noelle got 9000 points for her foreign timeshare. My AIM chart does not have 9000 or a combination that would give 9000 points on it. Have they changed the point values in the last three or four years?

Charles

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

I am 90% sure that AIM counts every year toward preferred status even if you do not deposit your week. I would need to confirm that with the resort.

I believe Noelle has a 3br unit in the US.

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

Hi There,

I had an excellent conversation with Jim (he called me from Maui thanks so much Jim ) and we discussed the pros and the cons and what I was tentatively giving up vs. what I was tentatvely getting. I had been really unhappy about the change to EOY weeks underlying the points and losing the 12 month deeded privilege for Hammocks and Via Roma. After more thought determined that this issue was so important to me that I had to rescind. So the letter went into the mail (return receipt) on Wednesday.

I'll double check my documentation, but I believe my week 26 - 3Br/3Ba lockout Fairfield Willliamsburg at Kingsgate could be deposited via AIM for 9000 points - I'll let you know, in fact I'll also post the information I have about different types of weeks and what they will bring via AIM. I don't think my contract mentions which week I will deposit for AIM, I was given the deposit form and it is there you fill in the name of the resort you are depositing - has to be a gold or silver crown or 5 star and I'm not sure if it is restricted to red season. I'll get the info and post tomorrow....Noelle

[cathyv Member Find all posts View Profile Close cathyv]

I don't know what AIM is and would like to !
Thanks

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

My mistake and BlueGreen Sales additional mistake - no harm done.

I think that where the 9000 points came in is that with 23K to start with and purchase of a minimum 3K, then with AIM the additional 9K would bring me to Gold Preferred - 35K. Technically correct, and then my total would result in 36K, 1K beyond the minimum for Gold. I do believe BlueGreen salespeople were erroneously using the 10K assumption for a 2BD even though I was clear that I had a 3 Bd lockoff. I didn't actually get to see the actual AIM forms with the points grid until we were wrapping up the visit.

Non-BG weeks elegible for AIM must be a 'Red Week' in a Gold Crown, Silver Crown or 5 Star and available for use and occupancy by Bluegreen (or its designee). The actual form says RID instead of Silver Crown, but I was told that the new definition used by RCI is that Silver Crown equates to RID.

What my AIM deposit form shows is foreign (non-BG) timeshare interest Gold Crown/5-star Club points allocations: 15K - 3 BD, 10K - 2 Bd, 7K - 1 Bd and a Studio 'Aim's for 5K.

And for RID (Silver Crown) the points allocations are: 3 Bd - 12K, 2 Bd - 8K, 1 Bd - 6K and Studio - 4K.

There are two forms - one is an Acknowledgment and Disclosure statement with terms and conditions of use and the other is a Bluegreen Premium Points Benefit Activation Form.

Sorry for the confusion and I hope the above information is consistent with what has been communicated to other BG owners..... Noelle

Would it be helpful if I scanned these forms and placed them in a sticky here and/or on the Yahoo BG group forum.?

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

I don't know what AIM is and would like to !
Thanks

Cathy,

The AIM program is very similar to Fairfield's PIC program. It's sort of like a Points for Deposit program for Bluegreen. The catch is that you need to buy points from the developer to AIM in points from other timeshares and convert them to Bluegreen points.

As is the case for PIC, you get credit for your AIM points toward preferred member benefits.

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

Question - What does BlueGreen do with the non-BG weeks' use that are surrendered in exchange for BG Points in a specific year? Just curious... Noelle

[cathyv Member Find all posts View Profile Close cathyv]

What does AIM stand for?

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

Hi Cathy,

it's my 'through the BG grapevine' understanding that AIM is not an acronym for anything. It is a name coined by Bluegreen for the ability to exchange the use of non-BG high quality, red week(s) for the use of BG points for 1 year.

On the Yahoo BG group, Boca Bum put it nicely and I'll quote him: "AIM is not an acronym of any kind. It just helps you with your "AIM" of more vacation travel flexibility through points."

There are conditions about how the AIM process operates - for example: you would need to AIM use of a non-BG week at least a year in advance of it's use date and then use the points from this AIM transaction within 12 months. There is a $50 fee each time you AIM a week.

For me, wanting to retain a fixed week 26 (often includes July 4) at Williamsburg but not always wanting to use it, AIM provides additional flexibility without the hassle/higher exchange fees of renting or exchanging with RCI or SFX. Noelle

[cathyv Member Find all posts View Profile Close cathyv]

Hey Boca, what does AIM stand for?
Thanks

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

Hey Boca, what does AIM stand for?
Thanks

AIM stands for "ready, AIM, fire." It is not an acronym. AIM is a "goal" of all owners to turn their timeshares into Bluegreen points.

[cathyv Member Find all posts View Profile Close cathyv]

Not an acronym! Who would of thought? Thanks for the info.
cathyv