Club Associate Resorts

[dmbrand Member Find all posts View Profile Close dmbrand]

Would there be any advantage to purchasing BG points at a club associate resort, in relation to reserving a specific interval at that resort? Or do we have only an equal chance at reserving as all other BG points owners?

Also, what would be the best way to determine how many intervals are owned by BG at these same resorts? Do they divulge this info?

For full disclosure, I am mildly interested in purchasing a small number of points at Gulfstream Manor, FL. The smaller, "fewer-amenities" resorts appeal the most to us.

Thanks, DawnB

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

Would there be any advantage to purchasing BG points at a club associate resort, in relation to reserving a specific interval at that resort? Or do we have only an equal chance at reserving as all other BG points owners? Thanks, DawnB

Yes. You can reserve the week/unit that you "own" 12 months out. That is guaranteed. However, at 11 months out all BG Vacation Club owners have access to that unit/week. The chance that you can find the exact unit/week for sale that will meet your wants is very small but not zero.

Also, what would be the best way to determine how many intervals are owned by BG at these same resorts? Do they divulge this info?

I believe they are required by Florida Law to divulge that information. It is found in Exhibit 8 of the "Multi-Site Public Offering Statement" that one receives when one purchases from BG.

For instance, in December, 2002 (the year of my copy), the BG Vacation Club had:

32 unit/weeks in Trust A
27 unit/weeks in Trust B
29 unit/weeks in Trust D

at Gulf Stream Manor. That's 88 unit weeks out of a maximum of 1173 (Exhibit 3). As fixed or flex owners convert their fixed or flex weeks to BG Points, those numbers will increase.

If you would like to attend a BG sales presentation at which you could ask to see the current "Multi-Site", send me your name, address, and phone number in a PM and I will have BG contact you (that's selfish on my part as I would get a benefit for sending you to them).

Charles

[dmbrand Member Find all posts View Profile Close dmbrand]

Thanks,
This info is good to know. Hmmm, not too many units. I am willing to bet that only a small percentage of them are weeks 2-15; if any.

As for the presentation, not sure I'm that far yet!

DawnB

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

But Bluegreen is very active in promoting the VC

Thanks, This info is good to know. Hmmm, not too many units. I am willing to bet that only a small percentage of them are weeks 2-15; if any. DawnB

Dawn,

Don't forget what year the data is for. The BG Vacation Club (BGVC) offers owners a wide variety of resorts. Many people tire of the same resort year after year. So owners of fixed/flex weeks will trade them into the club. The 2002 data is below followed by data released in January, 2006.

In December, 2002 (the year of my copy), the BGVC had:

32 unit/weeks in Trust A
27 unit/weeks in Trust B
29 unit/weeks in Trust D

at Gulf Stream Manor. That's 88 unit/weeks out of a maximum of 1173 (Exhibit 3). As fixed or flex owners convert their fixed or flex weeks to BG Points, those numbers will increase. Charles

26 unit/weeks in Trust A
150 unit/weeks in Trust B
32 unit/weeks in Trust D
109 unit/weeks in Trust E

That's 317 unit/weeks out of a maximum of 1173. That's 27% of the unit/weeks. (I got this information out of the January 2006 Multi-Site Public Offering Statement that is available to BGVC owners online.)

Now for the bad news. While the number of unit/weeks in the BGVC has increased almost 4 times, the number of members in the BGVC has also increased. In 2002, the unit/weeks at Gulf Stream Manor constituted 0.51% of all of the unit weeks in the BGVC. In 2006, it constituted only 0.30% of all of the unit weeks in BGVC.

Charles

[dmbrand Member Find all posts View Profile Close dmbrand]

Thank you Charles for this useful info. I have been doing some digging into past posts for more information. Here's a few more questions about BG...

If the resort owned is in Trust B, are we allowed to trade into other Trust units that are available?

I understand the preference that resort owners have in exchanging back into their respective resort, but does a platinum/silver/etc. have preference over them in reserving available units?(hierarchy)

How do points from a previous year(are these considered "saved"?) differ from current year points, in relation to reserving/exchanging, other than they expire sooner? Same value?

Thanks for the responses. I am trying to figure out which "mini-system" would be a good fit for us for the future. DawnB

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

If the resort owned is in Trust B, are we allowed to trade into other Trust units that are available?

I hope I was not misleading. There is only one BGVC Trust. But, there are different Trust Funds which determine how your maintenance fees are calculated. Depending on the number of points you have, one Trust Fund is better than another. Since there is only one Trust, if your unit/week is in Trust Fund B, you can reserve a unit which is in Trust Fund D, etc.

I understand the preference that resort owners have in exchanging back into their respective resort, but does a platinum/silver/etc. have preference over them in reserving available units?(hierarchy)

Platinum/gold/etc. members can get on a wait list before the 11 month reservation window opens. This gives the "owner" of a unit/week one month to reserve their actual unit/week. After that time is up, the reservation people go down the wait lists making reservations. That is all done before the phone lines open up at 8 am eastern for all members.

How do points from a previous year(are these considered "saved"?) differ from current year points, in relation to reserving/exchanging, other than they expire sooner? Same value?

Saved points (from the previous year) can only be used for red, white, and blue seasons. BG resorts also have high red season, leaf season, etc., and you can only use current or borrowed points for those "high demand" seasons. The actual numerical point value does not change. I should emphasize that when the use year starts is determined by when the points were purchased. I have use years that start in July and in September.

Charles

[dmbrand Member Find all posts View Profile Close dmbrand]

I feel like I have my own BG mentor, Charles, thank you!

Do you feel that there is still value in purchasing points from a non-Bluegreen authorized reseller? Or, is that asking for trouble?

DawnB

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

Contact Jim

Do you feel that there is still value in purchasing points from a non-Bluegreen authorized reseller? Or, is that asking for trouble? DawnB

I have purchased BG points from BG, off eBay, through Century 21, privately, and lately through BocaBum (Jim). I had few problems with any of them. Having said that, I would not want to do it privately or eBay, etc., any more since I have all of my points in Trust Fund E. I could get a bargain in something in Trust Fund B, etc., but then I would end up losing the financial advantage because maintenance fees would be more. The only non-BG employee person on God's green earth who I know would sell me something that I know is in Trust Fund E is Jim. He knows BG better than any BG salesman I have met. Not only that but he is honest and a good guy. You can search here and on TUG and on the Bluegreen Yahoo site and you won't find one word against him. (I probably shouldn't say that because I haven't searched every word on those three sites. I should say I never saw any words against him.) In fact, you might find a bargain somewhere else and he will tell you if it is a good bargain for you to go along with your other points.

So contact Jim!

By the way, if one were buying let's say 9000 points and never intended to buy more points, one would not want to be in Trust Fund E.

Charles