I want to purchase Bluegreen Points Please give advice on how to proceed

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

I am totally new to timeshares and would like to buy.

I have seen Christmas Mountain several times and my Wife and I want to buy. We see ourselves going to Christmas Mountain for a couple weekends each year and maybe one week each year at one of the other locations.

I totally understand that resale is by far the best way to go.

Can anybody suggest a good resale company to start with?
Any good deals out there right now?

Can I really buy points at any BG resort and use them at Christmas Mt (for no extras cost)?

Am I out of luck on bonus time since I missed the Feb date?

Any other advice, suggestions on a new purchase?
Any pitfalls to watch out for?

I have looked at points charts and I am thinking around 10,000 points, or should I start with less to just get my feet wet? I am not sure if that will give me enough to really do anything.

What should my maint fees be with 10,000 points

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

You are on the right track with all your research and your plans to buy resale. I bought from Sharon at Holiday Group (www.holidaygroup.com). The best approach is to inform your agent of exactly what size package you want and you will get a chance to purchase before the package even makes it on to their web site. I know that others on this site have other recommendations, including points of their own to sell.

You are correct that if you buy Bluegreen Vacation Club points they have the same priority at any Bluegreen resort. I bought points from a deed in SC and have not used any points at my home resort. Do not be tempted to buy new just because you will lose some of the benefits with resale. Your savings are so significant that you can buy more points to make up for the loss of bonus time.

Good luck!

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

I am a BG owner and have no regrets. Beware that trying to get bonus time for a weekend at CMV is very difficult. My wife and I like to do 2 weekends each year at CMV using BT. However, we haven't been able to get any BT in the last 2 years. The availability is very limited so don't let BT at CMV effect your decision.

CMV is a 4 season resort with red points being the highest season. This makes it an attractive choice for BG owners that rent out units or exchange units to RCI for points. This is part of the reason there is limited BT at CMV.

If you purchase I am sure you will have no regrets. My wife and I have been to place we wouldn't have been if it were not for timesharing. We are going to Hawaii in the summer of 2008. It will cost us 10,000 BG points. So starting with 10,000 points gives you lots of options.

Mike

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

You should talk to...

Bocabum is a longtime member of this community, and he probably knows more about Bluegreen than most people who work there. He will be along in a moment, I'm sure, but you should at least have a conversation with him before you spend your hard-earned money. He can help you figure out the best strategy for your particular goals and objectives. He's helped me a lot.

He set up the Bluegreen Forum on this board...the posts there will be quite helpful to you as well.

Good luck. Bluegreen is a wonderful system. Like most things in timesharing, you need to learn how to "work it" to make the most of it.

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

Talk to Boca about purchasing BG points. He is the expert and can usually set you up at a good price.

[acesneights Member Find all posts View Profile Close acesneights]

Bocabum is a longtime member of this community, and he probably knows more about Bluegreen than most people who work there. He will be along in a moment, I'm sure, but you should at least have a conversation with him before you spend your hard-earned money. He can help you figure out the best strategy for your particular goals and objectives. He's helped me a lot.

He set up the Bluegreen Forum on this board...the posts there will be quite helpful to you as well.

Good luck. Bluegreen is a wonderful system. Like most things in timesharing, you need to learn how to "work it" to make the most of it.

Isn't THIS the Bluegreen Forum?

Stan

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

Yes, Stan, this is the BG forum, you are in the right place! I would also suggest you check out the Bluegreen Yahoo Group - lots of people that have owned Bluegreen for a long time.

I've owned Bluegreen for 5 years and love it - opens up a whole new world, literally. I think it's the best system (yes, I am biased) because you have access to plenty of resorts in-network "free" but could also book a week for deposit and go thru an exchange company. There is the ability to book partial weeks, which I use a lot and it really stretches the points.

Bluegreen is good to its owners, too. There aren't hidden fees or constant nickel and diming.

Yes, points are points - no extra fees. I've never been to any of my owned resorts. Reservations are free and it is also free to put someone elses name on the reservation.

You have priority on your owned weeks, that you can book at 12 months. At 11 months, it's anyone's reservation to grab. Some people will buy a points package for a higher price because they want that specific week, but plenty more of us are on the 'points are points' plan, not caring about the underlying unit week.

There are always good deals, you just have to look in the right places and perform your due diligence to be certain that what you think is being sold is actually what you are getting. I have done business with Tri West and Second Market and had no problems with either of them, tho my first purchase was thru Bluegreen (no regrets, it got us started and we do have Bonus Time). MyResortNetwork.com gets lots of points offerings; some great deals and some overpriced plus huge broker fees - if you find a deal you like thru GMAC, ask about all their fees upfront. Some of their offices charge very high fees. Some people use ebay, redweek, bidshares, holidaygroup, pinnacle vacations.... look around, you will find points packages in many places.

Depending on when you want to go where, it's either easy or hard to use Bluegreen. I'm an offseasoner so it's very easy for me, but in January I was able to book a full week for Spring Break on the beach, so you just never know what's going to be available. This could be a pitfall, or a wonderful opportunity to go somewhere that wasn't on your list but is available. Flexibility is key. If it must be a certain week, it helps to be flexible on location/resort. If it must be a certain area or resort, it helps to be flexible on dates. Of course, you can always mark your calendar for that 11 month mark and call at 8 am for best availability, but I'm too laid back for that

You aren't out of luck on Bonus Time, necessarily. There are authorized resellers, and I think Pinnacle is one of them. Jim also has an in to get the perk without necessarily paying developer rates. The other thing is, everything is negotiable. You could buy a tiny points package thru Bluegreen to get 'chartered' and add resale. This might give you a higher total cost, but you would absolutely get Bonus Time, and possibly some free one-time-use points.

The maint fee question depends on which trust the particular deed is in, but there are some general equations that I do not have handy and I'd rather not guess.

Keep asking, Stan, we'll keep answering!

[brucecz Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close brucecz]

I am totally new to timeshares and would like to buy.

I have seen Christmas Mountain several times and my Wife and I want to buy. We see ourselves going to Christmas Mountain for a couple weekends each year and maybe one week each year at one of the other locations.


I have looked at points charts and I am thinking around 10,000 points, or should I start with less to just get my feet wet? I am not sure if that will give me enough to really do anything.

What should my maint fees be with 10,000 points

It takes at least 9,000 BG Points for a Full week in a older 2 bedroom in red time at CMV. Fortunately Monday though Thursday takes only 2,100 BG Points for those 4 days.

Unfortunately it will take about 6,900 BG Points for those Friday, Saturday and Sunday weekends you want. Two weekends will equal 6,900 BG Points x 2= 13,800 BG Points. So 10,000 BG Points would not give you two 3 day week ends in a red time 2 bedroom.

About 5,000 BG Points or so would give you a 2 day weekend for Saturday and Sunday with a couple BG points to spare. Unfortunately I think those partial week week ends I think can only be booked 5 months or less out.

I only use our megar amount of BG Points to book full weeks so I have not booked any partial weeks at CMV using our BG Points.


Check the BG CMV Points chart to see which total amount of BG Points might work best for the combos of vacations that you want.

I think Boca can set you up with a BG Point package that would work for you.

Good luck to you.

Bruce

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

Thanks to all for reply's

Thanks to all of you for the input I will have to try the Yahoo group as suggested and may be back in the future with more questions.

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

Partial Weeks

Unfortunately I think those partial week week ends I think can only be booked 5 months or less out.

Partial weeks in blue or white time can be booked 11 months out while partial weeks in red time can only be booked 5 months out.

Charles