Nervous

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

83 y.o. Mom just bought 20,000 BG points with The Fountains but we will be using them at Big Cedar Wilderness Lodge (close proximity). Am feeling pretty comfortable with it all but nervous about ability to get in when and where we want - also don't understand the resale issue. We still have time to get out - advice? Is BG good about cancellation or will they hassle her?

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

Bluegreen is a great system. However, you can buy resale and save thousands. I would rescind, hang around here and learn more about the system...if you still want to buy from Bluegreen, the deal will still be there.

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

83 Is BG good about cancellation or will they hassle her?

If she decides to rescind, be sure to follow the rescind instruction to the LETTER. There are no short cuts.

Having said that, BG has very nice resorts in good locations. The key to getting what you want and when you want is to plan early. 20,000 points helps in that because it is silver preferred.

Charles

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

Of course, a problem arises if you rescind and then buy points from somewhere other than an authorized reseller. Even if you buy 20,000 points from a non authorized seller, you only have 20,000 point, you do not have Silver VIP level.

Silver will allow you to ‘throw your reservation into the hat’ earlier than non Silver members, but not as early as Gold VIP members. The actual reservations get placed at 11 months.

With over 40 locations in the Bluegreen system, there are good places to go.

If you want to get points through an authorized reseller, talk to Boca Bum. He will help you out.

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

Why would advise that

sorry for misrepresenting the image of BG sales

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

gwt,

I agree that the sales teams at the resort have a tough job since they work on 100% commission and they have to convince a person to purchase their 2nd or 3rd largest purchase in their life from a person they've never met before without checking into the details of what they are buying. That is truly a skilled sales person who can do that. When they make a sale, they've earned their keep. This is true of ALL resort developers from Marriott to Hyatt, Hilton, and others as well as Bluegreen. The lone exception may be Disney.

That said, a surprisingly low percentage of owners who do purchase actually research the details of what they bought to make sure that everything checks out. The first thing they find is that they can get most of what they bought for a fraction of what they bought it for. Nearly all developers have a set of benefits that do not transfer so that they can keep some value in buying directly from the resort. Many on these boards don't support those sales and marketing tactics. I am actually pretty neutral on it. I would be more negative on the practice if resort developers could actually sell their product in a different way than they do today. I think it will happen, but in about 5-10 years when more people have a base knowledge of what timesharing really is all about.

What some developers do is use a Right of First Refusal clause in their agreements to prevent the value of their resorts from depreciating dramatically on the secondary market. Marriott, Hilton, Disney and others have done a fantastic job and ensure a high resale price of their timeshares so that the resorts don't have to compete against the cheap resales.
Bluegreen does have an ROFR clause in its agreements. It just hasn't decided to exercise that clause yet. When it does, it could easily start buying back and reselling all of those points packages at the retail level. Current owners would like it and so would the sales teams.

So, you can't blame a purchaser from going to look for a better deal. That's the fundamental principle behind a free market economy. And, if Bluegreen wanted to increase the value of resale points, they could easily do it. They just haven't yet. My guess is that this is because they are in expansion mode. Bluegreen would rather focus their capital on expanding the club rather than buying back points packages at this time.

And, Bluegreen is indeed an enlightened company. It does acknowledge that its owners needs an outlet for reselling their points packages when ownership no longer works for them. That's why they have Pinnacle Vacations. In all real estate, 5-10% of owners want or need to sell. Bluegreen is a fantastic company for supporting a secondary market for these owners. That puts Bluegreen ahead of most other timeshare developers.

This is all just my opinion. But, it is indeed a valid perspective.

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

Holly is right. If your 83 yo mom has not researched this purchase, tell her to rescind now while she still can.

Then, research the resale market, the pros/cons of buying developer, and then make an informed decision. Your mom can buy resale and save $$$. No purchase should be made without the benefit of this knowlege.

[brucecz Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close brucecz]

Seeing that the OP's mother could buy the same product with the same benefits for the same amount of BG points and save at least $14,500 or more the older lady would be making a huge mistake in not canceling..


If gwpalm is willing to make up the difference out of their own pocket other wise the buyers have the right to get the best deal and spending $26,500 for that amount of points certainly is not a good deal. It seems you are not worried that the 83 year old buyer would be spending over twince as much as she needs to.

I hope that someone does that to your mother to the tune of taking her for a similar amount of over paying more than she had to.

gwpalm advice to the buyer to spend over more than $14, 000 extra than buyer has to then gwplams BAD inaccurate advice only benefits the sales person. Gwplam’s advice is is IMHO full of flasehoods and if gwplams is sincere in thinking his advice is good for the buyer, then IMHO gwplams needs to study the product because his posting is lame..

gwplam are you a Bluegreen salesperson, I think you are with the lack of correct facts in your sniveling post. I hope it was your sale as I doubt that you are a Bluegreen owner.


Gwpalm please post your true name like I do and the next time we are in Branson at the Wilderness I will make sure that I do a presentation with you. But I doubt that you will post that you are a timeshare salesperson and your true name.


In regards to your "no buddy likes to be called stupid." you must think this group is stupid if you think you post your tripe and not think you are not going to be identified as a timeshare salesman.

Next time if you want to get into a battle of wits, next time for a change please come armed with facts, not lies.

If gwplam sends me any type of email I promise to share that email with the rest of you on this site.

I think your computers IP address is in the Branson area or some other Bluegreen resort area under some rock because of the various lies in your post about resales. Maybe the owners of this website would let us know were gwplams IP is located. My thanks in advance to the owners of this website for doing so.


Bruce

Holly why would you tell someone that bought a product that you like to cancel their purchase and then take the chance of buying on the resale market and maybe not get the benefits. On top of that the sales person that sold that is now out of money and possibly a job. Always remember that the sales people are fathers & Mothers Too this is their livelyhood...You wouldn't like someone messing with your money or job would you...You should compliment the purchaser for buying and reassure them they made the right decision especially if they invested about $26,400 into something that they are nervous about owning. no buddy likes to be called stupid.


Sorry to overstep but that just had to come off my chest.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Because of the discussion on another thread, I am curious, do you know this to be true? Do you have a confirmed reservation at BCWC, or have you just been told you can stay there instead of in town, where you bought?

This has the ring of our last tour at Wastegate, where their entire pitch to us was to buy an EOY Wastegate so we can stay in DVC on Getaways whenever we want.

Even in our very first tour 20 years ago, the industry highly discouraged buying at a lesser resort in order to stay at a better resort in the same area.

So, this gameplan sounds suspect.

Aside from that, OY I have a thread where I am trying to ascertain what Branson can get in Branson, so this is a topic of interest right now. Specifically, I would like to know how successful folks are with getting a good week (say 4th of July) at a nice resort with a crappy week (say Christmas) at a nice resort.

we will be using them at Big Cedar Wilderness Lodge

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

Because of the discussion on another thread, I am curious, do you know this to be true? Do you have a confirmed reservation at BCWC, or have you just been told you can stay there instead of in town, where you bought?

This has the ring of our last tour at Wastegate, where their entire pitch to us was to buy an EOY Wastegate so we can stay in DVC on Getaways whenever we want.

Even in our very first tour 20 years ago, the industry highly discouraged buying at a lesser resort in order to stay at a better resort in the same area.

So, this gameplan sounds suspect.

Aside from that, OY I have a thread where I am trying to ascertain what Branson can get in Branson, so this is a topic of interest right now. Specifically, I would like to know how successful folks are with getting a good week (say 4th of July) at a nice resort with a crappy week (say Christmas) at a nice resort.

JLB, in Bluegreen, points are points and can be used at any in-network resorts. Availability is a completely different issue.

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

Because of the discussion on another thread, I am curious, do you know this to be true? Do you have a confirmed reservation at BCWC, or have you just been told you can stay there instead of in town, where you bought?

This has the ring of our last tour at Wastegate, where their entire pitch to us was to buy an EOY Wastegate so we can stay in DVC on Getaways whenever we want.

Even in our very first tour 20 years ago, the industry highly discouraged buying at a lesser resort in order to stay at a better resort in the same area.

So, this gameplan sounds suspect.

Aside from that, OY I have a thread where I am trying to ascertain what Branson can get in Branson, so this is a topic of interest right now. Specifically, I would like to know how successful folks are with getting a good week (say 4th of July) at a nice resort with a crappy week (say Christmas) at a nice resort.

Jim,

This only sounds suspect to you because you are not as familiar with how point systems work. Let me explain. This may help you understand what is going on.

In the Bluegreen Vacation Club, every point in the system is based on an underlying fixed week at one of the Bluegreen Vacation Club resorts. In some cases it's a partial week so that they can offer smaller point packages. The fundamental principle is that every point in the system is actually based on a unit, week and resort that a person actually owns and can book themselves if they like. In essence, this is like a gold standard where the "currency" or medium of exchange is based on something real (like gold, in this case a resort interval).

In addition, Bluegreen guarantees that all owners can book at least one unit by allow them exclusive access to their "priority week" from 12 months to 11 months in advance of check in. So, no matter what happens with the club, they always have that fixed week to fall back on.

At the 11 month mark prior to check in, all units get placed into the Bluegreen Vacation Club reservation system for booking by all Bluegreen Vacation Club owners on a first come, first served basis. So, there is equal access at that point for all owners in the system.

In addition, there is a Preferred owner program for larger owners who have 20000 or more qualifying points. Those owners can get on a waitlist at the 12 month or 13 month mark prior to checkin. So, when the open reservation period becomes available, they are the first ones to be booked. So, in essence, everyone is equal, but some are more equal than others.

So, a Silver Preferred owner at the Falls Village in Branson, has GREATER chances to getting what they want at Big Cedar than a non-preferred owner at Big Cedar does except for their priority week.

The catch is that most people do not know that they have access to their priority week. So, hardly anyone exercises it.

Those are the facts of how the system works. I'll leave it up to others to decide what is a superior vs. inferior product.

Welcome to the world of points.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Thanks, but more than I needed to know.

What I wanted to find out is if the pitch in Branson is to buy at a lesser resort with the hopes of staying at a better resort in Branson.

Is that what is being done?

If so, is it working?

And, like my step-sister likes to tell me, can you say it with fewer words?

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

Thanks, but more than I needed to know.

What I wanted to find out is if the pitch in Branson is to buy at a lesser resort with the hopes of staying at a better resort in Branson.

Is that what is being done?

If so, is it working?

And, like my step-sister likes to tell me, can you say it with fewer words?

Maybe and yes.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

I will take that to mean maybe Bluegreen is being sold at lesser Branson resorts with the suggestion/implication that the buyer will stay at BCWC instead of the lesser, home resort.

And, in fact, that is being done, the staying at BCWC instead of the lesser resort part, regardless of whether it is being sold that way at the lesser resorts.

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

I will take that to mean maybe Bluegreen is being sold at lesser Branson resorts with the suggestion/implication that the buyer will stay at BCWC instead of the lesser, home resort.

And, in fact, that is being done, the staying at BCWC instead of the lesser resort part, regardless of whether it is being sold that way at the lesser resorts.

I said "maybe" because I have never attended a sales presentation at The Falls Village, so I don't know what they emphasize. But, that sales center does have a particularly bad reputation with owners I know who have attended presentations there. I don't know why that is.

I do know that when people ask me to rent units, they either want Falls Village OR Big Cedar, but rarely consider both as interchangable. People wanting to go to Branson for the shows and such, tend to ask for Falls Village and don't consider Big Cedar. Those who ask for Big Cedar rarely ask for or would consider The Falls Village. Not sure why that is, but it is true.

The general way in which Bluegreen sells points is that points are points. It doesn't matter where you are deeded because, aside for the priority week and preferred owner benefits I mention above, everyone has equal access to all resorts.

Because Bluegreen sells points as points, they actually de-emphasize where you own to make the sale. So, in general, I would have to say that Bluegreen does not get into the practice of selling something lesser to get something greater. Besides, greater is in the eye of the beholder.

Moreover, the prices for points are probably the same at The Falls Village vs. Big Cedar. So, selling that way will shoot themselves in the foot. If they introduce the concept of lesser, why then are the prices the same? Shouldn't it be lower?