How many points?

[acroplis2 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close acroplis2]

I am a newer BG owner and bought 7000 points EOY in April 2007. My travel flexibility is greatest between Jan and Oct since I am a retail manger. I have a ton of questions since I bought into BG and really don't know how to utilize it. My points are now split; 3500 saved and 3500 regular. My first question: it appears that there would be a minimum number of points to get started into this and yet make it beneficial. There has to be an equitable relationship to my minumum number of points and paying MF and currently I don't think my ratio is equtiable. What number of points should I have stated out with?
Background info on me BG experience: so far I love it and have no regrets. I live in Asheville and any weekend bonus time I can get at the Lodge Alley I'm there. I have spent the last two weekends there.

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

I would suggest you think about adding points. The reason is that when you look at full weeks, most places require 7000-12,000 (roughly) points for a week. Lodge Alley is 7000 points for a week in their studio unit and 8000 in the 1 bedroom.

Depending on how you use your points, (full weeks vs. partial weeks, Studios vs. 2 or 3 bedrooms, White Season at Casa Del Mar (3000 points) vs. a 3 bedroom cabin in High Red at Big Ceder (25,000 points) you can do okay with 12-15000, but I think a minium of 9000 points. But that is my opinion. The last two resorts we were at required 13,000 and 15,000 points. We use two bedroom and end up in higher season which requires more points.

With your 'off season' travel time, you will get good use of your points, so maybe your 7000 EOY or the 9000 annual points would work well for you.

MF is a fixed base fee plus cents per point and I just can't remember what it is now. Something like $290 plus .027 or something. Anyway, when you have more points, the cost per point of maintenace fee is less. Wow, I am confusing myself on that one, I hope you understood. Anyway, if you have 5000 points vs. 10000 points, you maintenance fee will be higher for the 10000 points, but at a lower percentage of cost to point.

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

My general rule of thumb is buy as many points as you know you are going to use each year pretty comfortably. You know when you need to add points when you are constantly borrowing ahead and running out. Check out the point table and if you only want to travel every other year, then that could be a plan that works for you.

In addition, if you are going to have less than 10,000 annual points, you need to be careful about the package you purchase. If you own less than 10,000 annual points, it may be cheaper to rent points.

For example, if you own 7000 bi-annual points, the 2 most common maintenance fee programs have a maintenance fee of $203 per year and $407.25. You need to add the annual dues of $115.

When all is said and done, you will be paying annual fees of $318 or $522.25 for what amounts to 3500 points per year. You can easily rent that many points for $300 or less.

In other words, it's not really worth it to own less than about 10,000 annual points. You may as well rent them from another owner.

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

In other words, it's not really worth it to own less than about 10,000 annual points. You may as well rent them from another owner.

I think this will vary by usage. We have less than 10000 annual points but I'm sure we could not rent the amount of usage we get for less than our MF + Dues. As of now we mostly travel during non peak seasons.

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

MF is a fixed base fee plus cents per point and I just can't remember what it is now. Something like $290 plus .027 or something. Anyway, when you have more points, the cost per point of maintenace fee is less. Wow, I am confusing myself on that one, I hope you understood. Anyway, if you have 5000 points vs. 10000 points, you maintenance fee will be higher for the 10000 points, but at a lower percentage of cost to point.

Even though the base fee may be fixed (I'm not sure about this), the plus part is not. Unfortunately, I expect a stiff increase in fees this year. I hope I'm wrong but my gut says not.

I think it's a good thing to start with a small points package. I think it would be easier to add points (if you have the $$$) than it would be to dump a TS if it doesn't work out. A lot of newcomers to TS don't realize that maintenance fees will increase and even though the per point fee may be less if you own more points, it still will cost more. If you have the cash then buy as much as you can afford (if you desire) but I choose to live by the following formula: debt + fees = trouble.

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

Amen

If you have the cash then buy as much as you can afford (if you desire) but I choose to live by the following formula: debt + fees = trouble.

Amen brother. As long as we remember that everything goes up (except the stock market right now) the follow formula works:

fees = many fun vacations

There is no free lunch but a BG resort is better than a motel!!

Charles

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

Amen brother. As long as we remember that everything goes up (except the stock market right now) the follow formula works:

fees = many fun vacations

There is no free lunch but a BG resort is better than a motel!!

Charles

So True! And even though those fees are hard to cough up, our family vacations will be remembered for many years. You just can't put a price on those memories!

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

How do you rent points?

[neuf150 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close neuf150]

I don't think you can rent points directly. You can have some one make a reservation for you for a price. There are many on this board or at the yahoo group (Bluegreen@yahoogroups.com) who have the points to do that. I have heard the figure of .10 a point as a common amount.

You also can buy one time points directly from Bluegreen I think at .15 point if you need a few to make a reservation.

Ron

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

I keep hearing about the Bluegreen group at Yahoo, but when I tried to search using the address you listed above, I couldn't find anything. How do I find the Bluegreen site on Yahoo?

[kingement Member Find all posts View Profile Close kingement]

I keep hearing about the Bluegreen group at Yahoo, but when I tried to search using the address you listed above, I couldn't find anything. How do I find the Bluegreen site on Yahoo?

Here you go:

bluegreen : Bluegreen Owners

[swirg53 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close swirg53]

I was going to send you a private message, but apparently you have not set your options in your account on this board, so that you can receive private messages. If you change it and then send me a private message, then I will PM you about renting points!

I keep hearing about the Bluegreen group at Yahoo, but when I tried to search using the address you listed above, I couldn't find anything. How do I find the Bluegreen site on Yahoo?

[acroplis2 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close acroplis2]

Try the following link: bluegreen : Bluegreen Owners for info on the Yahoo BG group.