Buying Bluegreen Resale in 2007

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

I am interested in buying Bluegreen resale. I currently own 42k Worldmark credits and 832k FairShare Plus points. I am familiar with the points concept. I have some specific BlueGreen newbie questions.

What benefits will I not receive from the developer since I didn't buy retail? It seems to be the timeshare industry's trend to diminish the value of resales... or at the very minimum to make a resale purchase SEEM less attractive. I thought I was safe with Worldmark but they just introduced TravelShare, a developer VIP program. Boo Hoo! All this with the sales folks continuing to pitch timeshare as real estate. When I sell my house, the benefits I receive from my HOA will of course be passed on to the next owner. Timeshare should be no different.. in my opinion. Enough of that rant as I'm sure I am preaching to the choir.

It seems the right amount of Bluegreen points for me may be 42k. That appears to comfortably provide a minimum of 2 weeks in a 2 bedroom at the highest peak season at any Bluegreen resort. Does that sound right?

What is the current average resale market cost for Bluegreen points?

What is the current Retail cost?

Are some resorts less expensive (resale) then others?

Do you know of any good BlueGreen resellers? There are hardly any Bluegreen contracts listed on Ebay. This may be a good thing!

Is there any "Advance Reservation Priority" nonsense like Fairfield? Do I need to be concerned with which resort I purchase at or are all BlueGreen points standard currency at any of the Bluegreen resorts like Worldmark?

I really like to vacation in South Florida so Miami and Marathon are very attractive to me. Any issues with these resorts? Do you recommend purchasing points based at a particular resort?

Are the maintenance fees based on the number of points you own or are they tied to the specific resorts and vary from resort to resort?

If you buy resale, can you later buy an upgrade from the developer to upgrade you existing points and get developer benefits?

Any resale information you care to share would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

- Gary

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

Gary,

You have some very detailed questions. I'll encourage others to post responses here as well. I'll send you a PM to provide many of the answers.

Jim

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

I am interested in buying Bluegreen resale. I currently own 42k Worldmark credits and 832k FairShare Plus points. I am familiar with the points concept. I have some specific BlueGreen newbie questions.

Welcome to our Bluegreen Forum. You have come to the right place to get your questions answered. Please stick around. You have lots of experience in great timesharing point systems. I am an owner in Bluegreen, Fairfield and WorldMark. They all have their unique benefits. Sharing what you know about Fairfield and WorldMark would help Bluegreen owners here.

What benefits will I not receive from the developer since I didn't buy retail? It seems to be the timeshare industry's trend to diminish the value of resales... or at the very minimum to make a resale purchase SEEM less attractive. I thought I was safe with Worldmark but they just introduced TravelShare, a developer VIP program. Boo Hoo! All this with the sales folks continuing to pitch timeshare as real estate. When I sell my house, the benefits I receive from my HOA will of course be passed on to the next owner. Timeshare should be no different.. in my opinion. Enough of that rant as I'm sure I am preaching to the choir.

Bluegreen has 3 programs that do not transfer unless you buy from Bluegreen or a Bluegreen authorized reseller. Here are the benefits:

1) VIP Bonus time which is the ability to book available inventory less than 45-days from checkin for the cost of $49/night for a studio, $59/night for a 1br, $69/night for a 2br and $79/night for a 3br unit. This is one of the best benefits in Bluegreen. It is similar to WorldMark's bonus time, but you can book it 48-days from checkin when you do it online.

2) Preferred member benefits (Silver and Gold). These are great benefits. There are no cancellation ($50) or change fees ($35) at this level. You can get on the waitlist for hard to get reservations 13-months for Gold and 12-months for Silver preferred. This is important for gaining access to Club associate resorts that do not have a lot of inventory and Pono Kai. You can also use points to pay maintenance fees and they give you about $.05/point to do that. There are other benefits, but these are the main ones.

3) Traveler Plus. This is like the Fairshare Plus Leisure Plan. It has some good features like Hot Weeks, membership into ICE for cheap cruises, Yacht Club for charter trips for the day or for several days in the Caribbean. Hot weeks is basically RCI Last Call for 3000 points.

It seems the right amount of Bluegreen points for me may be 42k. That appears to comfortably provide a minimum of 2 weeks in a 2 bedroom at the highest peak season at any Bluegreen resort. Does that sound right?

You don't need that many points. You can do it with about 35k which is the Gold preferred level. But, 42k works well, too.

What is the current average resale market cost for Bluegreen points?

The market is between $.35-.45/point for points not from an authorized reseller. And, $.50-.60/point from an authorized reseller.

What is the current Retail cost?

$1.35-2.00/point.

Are some resorts less expensive (resale) then others?

There is a very similar inverse relationship between maintenance fees and purchase price as in FF. Big Cedar and Shore Crest I summer weeks command a higher than underlying point value price on the resale market.

Do you know of any good BlueGreen resellers? There are hardly any Bluegreen contracts listed on Ebay. This may be a good thing!

Send me a PM and I can help you with this question.

Is there any "Advance Reservation Priority" nonsense like Fairfield? Do I need to be concerned with which resort I purchase at or are all BlueGreen points standard currency at any of the Bluegreen resorts like Worldmark?

Where you buy doesn't really matter. There is no ARP. There is only a waitlist which is based on Silver or Gold preferred level. You do get access to your "priority week" when you buy at a resort. That is the ability to exclusively book the week deeded week and unit number that you own. It is from 12-11 months from checkin. But, you can't change weeks and you can't change units. In essence, Bluegreen points packages are fixed weeks that turn into points at the 11 month mark. It's like Hyatt in that way.

I really like to vacation in South Florida so Miami and Marathon are very attractive to me. Any issues with these resorts? Do you recommend purchasing points based at a particular resort?

I've been to both many times. Marathon is a converted hotel, so the rooms are a bit small. But, very nicely done right on the Gulf coast of the Keys. Solara Surfside is one of my favorite Oceanfront resorts. The 2 bedroom oceanfront units are FANTASTIC. About 1800 sqft. 2 balconies.

Are the maintenance fees based on the number of points you own or are they tied to the specific resorts and vary from resort to resort?

This is complicated. It depends. Send me a PM and I'll explain on the phone if we get to that point.

If you buy resale, can you later buy an upgrade from the developer to upgrade you existing points and get developer benefits?

Again. Send me a PM for options here.

Any resale information you care to share would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

- Gary

[Reelpops Member Find all posts View Profile Close Reelpops]

Gary.
Some people have learned that there is something between "retail" and "resale". I like to think of it as "resale plus". You can get the most of the best of both worlds. It is an opportunity that is best afforded to you by Bocca Bum. He can be trusted and is equipped to handle what you need. Just remember that you are not limited to just two options of very high retail prices or resale without benefits. Bocca can help.
Larry

[Dennis47 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dennis47]

Gary,

Regarding your question: "Do you know of any good BlueGreen resellers? There are hardly any Bluegreen contracts listed on Ebay. This may be a good thing!"

I fully agree with Larry -- it just doesn't get any better than working with BocaBum99. He saved me from making a retail purchase, and I'm now in process of closing on a purchase from him. He's very knowledgeable, helpful, honest, and responsive. You can't go wrong with him.

Dennis F.

[Steno1 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steno1]

My wife and I are interested in buying a timeshare(our first). We would like to buy in Christmas Mountain Villiage, Deluxe Timbers or possibly the Villas.





Are some resorts less expensive (resale) then others?

Do you know of any good BlueGreen resellers? There are hardly any Bluegreen contracts listed on Ebay. This may be a good thing!

Is there any "Advance Reservation Priority" nonsense like Fairfield? Do I need to be concerned with which resort I purchase at or are all BlueGreen points standard currency at any of the Bluegreen resorts like Worldmark?

Do you recommend purchasing points based at a particular resort?

Are the maintenance fees based on the number of points you own or are they tied to the specific resorts and vary from resort to resort?

If you buy resale, can you later buy an upgrade from the developer to upgrade you existing points and get developer benefits?

Any resale information you care to share would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

- Gary[/QUOTE]

Please call me and my wife at <telephone number deleted to protect poster> in the evening. Thank you in advance. John (steno1) and Fran Stenson