Brewster Green 2016

[Glynda]

We've spent a week at Brewster Green the last two years in early June and really like going to this area of the Cape slightly off-season, early June or early September. While Brewster Green isn't anything fancy, or on or near the water, it suited our needs and we are considering buying a re-sale there that we would use ourselves most years but might also trade occasionally. Is there any reason anyone can think of that we shouldn't? Pending changes, assessments, lousy trader, etc.?

Thanks!

Glynda

 

[Joe33426]

We like the Cape early June too and have stayed at Brewster Green a handful of times. We usually have no problem getting a trade the first couple weeks of June.

I think the biggest drawback for me is that there isn't a lot of resale inventory and what the resort tries to sell is overpriced. There are no listings on E-bay right now and there haven't been for awhile (I have an ongoing search) and there is currently nothing on the TUG marketplace. I gave up looking seriously about a year ago.

I've occasionally seen weeks for sale on the local craigslist, but most of those were off season. There was a really good week that I referred to another person here on TUG, since it didn't work for us.

I also think that given the age of the Association and the amount of deferred maintenance that a significant special assessment is all but inevitable.

As far as trade values, that also makes ownership not that great. 2 bedroom unit in early June has RCI Weeks TPU of about 29 with MFs around $570 so that's about $19/TPU. My traders are much lower than that, about 1/2 the price.

Even summer weeks, 37 TPUs for $570 is $15/TPU, still too high for me.

We've decided to go back into the rental market for our Cape Cod vacations and given up on the Brewster Green idea.

 

[silentg]

We've spent a week at Brewster Green the last two years in early June and really like going to this area of the Cape slightly off-season, early June or early September. While Brewster Green isn't anything fancy, or on or near the water, it suited our needs and we are considering buying a re-sale there that we would use ourselves most years but might also trade occasionally. Is there any reason anyone can think of that we shouldn't? Pending changes, assessments, lousy trader, etc.?

Thanks!

Glynda

We stayed at Brewster Green in April 2015. It is a nice timeshare. If you plan to use it for the whole family. We had our Adult children stay with us and we have family in the area. It is easy to trade into except for July and August, which you say you don't want to do. Not sure what the maintenence fee is at Brewster Green? When we were there last year there were some units being renovated. They had a bad winter in 2015. Do you have a week in mind that you are considering? We own at Holly Tree in Yarmouth. It is a VRI resort also. Mostly my DH and I travel so we have a studio. Next year we plan to use our weeks instead of trading them. There is one timeshare we own and have not been to yet!
Good Luck I hope you find what you want at Brewster Green.
http://www.brewstergreenresort.com/own.htm
Silentg

 

[Glynda]

BG

We stayed at Brewster Green in April 2015. It is a nice timeshare. If you plan to use it for the whole family. We had our Adult children stay with us and we have family in the area. It is easy to trade into except for July and August, which you say you don't want to do. Not sure what the maintenence fee is at Brewster Green? When we were there last year there were some units being renovated. They had a bad winter in 2015. Do you have a week in mind that you are considering? We own at Holly Tree in Yarmouth. It is a VRI resort also. Mostly my DH and I travel so we have a studio. Next year we plan to use our weeks instead of trading them. There is one timeshare we own and have not been to yet!
Good Luck I hope you find what you want at Brewster Green.
http://www.brewstergreenresort.com/own.htm
Silentg

Right, it has been easy enough to trade into Brewster Green, except for high season, which leads me to wonder if an early June or early September week would be a good trader, though we mainly want one to use ourselves. However, it's a long way from SC to MA and there may be times we can't make it and would need to trade it. I don't want to use our Bluegreen points to keep trading into Brewster Green as we have other uses for them.

I am not very familiar with VRI and their other resorts. Have they been a good company for you to own and trade?

 

[theo]

My $0.02 worth...

<snip> I am not very familiar with VRI and their other resorts. Have they been a good company for you to own and trade?

In my experience at several VRI-managed resorts over a number of years now, VRI is certainly a solid and reliable management company. However, VRI is not a "big chain" in the sense of Hilton, Wyndham etc. VRI (owned by Interval Leisure Group, which also owns exchange company Interval International) currently manages somewhere in the ballpark of 125 resorts, most of them (...but not all of them) located in the U.S.

That being said, I don't personally believe that ownership at any VRI-managed facility (Brewster Green certainly included) provides any particularly great or wondrous "exchange" value or benefits, except perhaps in providing VRI-managed resort owners with "priority" for available (but limited) inventory deposited within VRI's internal exchange program (known as VRI*ety) by other owners at VRI-managed resorts.

Fwiw, VRI recently (just some weeks ago now) proclaimed the imminent arrival of a "new program", in which there will reportedly be some sort of "platform merging" between VRI*ety and TPI. Frankly, I don't see this as really significant news, since TPI has always run the VRI*ety platform behind the scenes anyhow, with all inventory except at VRI-managed places) already equally available to both TPI and VRI*ety members.

I like Brewster Green, but also agree with Joe's astute observations regarding both its' ho-hum exchange value (factoring in maintenance fees) and the likelihood of a SA in the not too distant future as a consequence of plainly deferred maintenance. Personally, I'd only buy at BG if it was a prime week that I genuinely wanted to use every year (or could easily rent out in any year when not actually using it), offered resale at a great price from a private seller --- i.e., not through the local BG-affiliated broker, whose commission-loaded prices are unreasonably high (IMnsHO). Good "private" opportunities for prime BG weeks are rare; like Joe, we stopped even looking for one.

 

[e.bram]

Brewster Green is not on the beach. Why make the trip all the way to the Cape and not be on the shore? Look for a TS on the water's edge!

 

[theo]

Let me count the ways...

Brewster Green is not on the beach. Why make the trip all the way to the Cape and not be on the shore? Look for a TS on the water's edge!

We don't own timeshare (nor do we plan to) anywhere on Cape Cod, but let me provide a few specific reasons anyhow, since you've asked the question.

Six different Cape Cod National Seashore beaches (...who cares about a short drive to access same?), all with bath houses, lifeguards, ample parking.
CCNS Visitor Centers in Eastham and Provincetown, each providing CCNS maps and trail guides, rangers, information, educational programs.

Lighthouses. The towns of Chatham, Wellfleet, Truro, Provincetown and their respective amenities and shops. Numerous great area restaurants.

Cape Cod Bicycle Trail (runs right through Brewster, can travel all the way to Provincetown).

Pristine fresh water ponds (and great fishing, if interested) within Nickerson State Park in Brewster.

Numerous hiking and nature trails throughout the many acres of the CCNS between towns of Orleans and Provincetown, inclusive.

Commercial Street in Provincetown is almost its' own little planet; a complete circus to some but a worthwhile "take" for almost anyone --- at least once.

In short, being able to walk out your door right onto "the shore" on the Cape might very well be "the bees' knees" and a top priority for you personally, but I frankly don't believe for one moment that it is necessarily so for everyone (...certainly including us; we just don't particularly care). YMMV. To each his / her / their own.

 

[e.bram]

Theo:
Being on the beach does not preclude anyone from taking advantage of the amenities you call out, it adds to them immensely.For instance having your morning coffee, sipping a glass of wine while looking out over the water and going to sleep or waking up to the sound of the waves breaking on the sandy beach!

 

[tonyg]

While I prefer ocean front timeshares, maintenance fees are generally higher for them due to salt corrosion. We go to the cape off season once or twice a year and usually stay at a beachfront resort. Off season is a pretty easy trade and shoulder seasons are also generally available. Why bother buying as things can change making usage less frequent.

 

[Glynda]

Joe

We like the Cape early June too and have stayed at Brewster Green a handful of times. We usually have no problem getting a trade the first couple weeks of June.

I think the biggest drawback for me is that there isn't a lot of resale inventory and what the resort tries to sell is overpriced. There are no listings on E-bay right now and there haven't been for awhile (I have an ongoing search) and there is currently nothing on the TUG marketplace. I gave up looking seriously about a year ago.

I've occasionally seen weeks for sale on the local craigslist, but most of those were off season. There was a really good week that I referred to another person here on TUG, since it didn't work for us.

I also think that given the age of the Association and the amount of deferred maintenance that a significant special assessment is all but inevitable.

As far as trade values, that also makes ownership not that great. 2 bedroom unit in early June has RCI Weeks TPU of about 29 with MFs around $570 so that's about $19/TPU. My traders are much lower than that, about 1/2 the price.

Even summer weeks, 37 TPUs for $570 is $15/TPU, still too high for me.

We've decided to go back into the rental market for our Cape Cod vacations and given up on the Brewster Green idea.

Joe, Thank you for this very thorough response. I don't know why I didn't see it the last time when I replied to silentg.

Lots to think about here. Good information to have. Thanks again!

Glynda

 

[Glynda]

Theo

In my experience at several VRI-managed resorts over a number of years now, VRI is certainly a solid and reliable management company. However, VRI is not a "big chain" in the sense of Hilton, Wyndham etc. VRI (owned by Interval Leisure Group, which also owns exchange company Interval International) currently manages somewhere in the ballpark of 125 resorts, most of them (...but not all of them) located in the U.S.

That being said, I don't personally believe that ownership at any VRI-managed facility (Brewster Green certainly included) provides any particularly great or wondrous "exchange" value or benefits, except perhaps in providing VRI-managed resort owners with "priority" for available (but limited) inventory deposited within VRI's internal exchange program (known as VRI*ety) by other owners at VRI-managed resorts.

Fwiw, VRI recently (just some weeks ago now) proclaimed the imminent arrival of a "new program", in which there will reportedly be some sort of "platform merging" between VRI*ety and TPI. Frankly, I don't see this as really significant news, since TPI has always run the VRI*ety platform behind the scenes anyhow, with all inventory except at VRI-managed places) already equally available to both TPI and VRI*ety members.

I like Brewster Green, but also agree with Joe's astute observations regarding both its' ho-hum exchange value (factoring in maintenance fees) and the likelihood of a SA in the not too distant future. Personally, I'd only buy at BG if it was a prime week that I genuinely wanted to use every year (or could easily rent out when not using it), offered resale at a great price from a private seller --- i.e., not through the local BG-affiliated broker, whose commission-loaded prices are unreasonably high (IMnsHO). Good "private" opportunities are rare; like Joe, we stopped even looking.

I did read through the list of VRI resorts and can't say that I am familiar with many of them except two where Bluegreen also seems to manage some units on Ft Myers Beach, FL. Nothing excited me as far as exchanging within VRI but a possible membership in II might be a nice change as RCI has been the trading company for our Bluegreen points for the past 15 years and I'm getting bored with our options.

I also agree with both you and Joe that a future assessment seems to be inevitable at Brewster Green and reasonable re-sales are far and few between.

So far, I'm not finding renting an inexpensive option either. Will probably try it this year and see if the yearning is still in place after that! Having grown up with a summer home in Maine, I'm feeling the pull back there too.

Thanks!
Glynda

 

[Glynda]

Beaches...Brewster..Breakers...Hyannis

Brewster Green is not on the beach. Why make the trip all the way to the Cape and not be on the shore? Look for a TS on the water's edge!

Have been over this several times before here with you. Born and raised in Florida. Grew up on the water. Live a block from Charleston, SC, Harbor now. We are not on the beach people. Don't go to the Cape for on the beach activities. There are not any TS on the water's edge on the Cape where we want to be (Brewster to Chatham area) that have the amenities (one level, 2 bedrooms 2 baths, full kitchen, grill) that suit our needs.

 

[Glynda]

Well said!

In short, being able to walk out your door right onto "the shore" on the Cape might very well be "the bees' knees" and a top priority for you personally, but I frankly don't believe for one moment that it is necessarily so for everyone (...certainly including us; we just don't particularly care). YMMV. To each his / her / their own.

Well said!

 

[Glynda]

Things changing...

Why bother buying as things can change making usage less frequent.

That (plus the distance we have to travel) is a good reason at this stage of our lives to consider carefully. While it's not a huge maintenance fee, or even a big purchase price during shoulder season, it's ongoing and things can change. An assessment is probable and trading doesn't look so exciting. We need to trade into Brewster Green or rent on the Cape somewhere for a couple more weeks and years and see if we still want to visit annually.

Thanks!

Glynda

 

[bastroum]

We will be staying at Brewster Green on an exchange the week of June17th. We are looking forward to the stay. We usually stay at The Cove at Yarmouth and we also like early June, September and October through Columbus Day. I believe Brewster Green is an easy trade (off season), therefore I wouldn't buy. We also don't believe being on the beach is important on Cape Cod. We spend a lot of time in Hawaii and we feel being on the beach there is essential. Cape Cod is much more than going to the beach. The weather in September and October is too cold for the beach and early June might be also. As far as VRI exchanges are concerned we have exchanged into Discovery Beach in Cocoa Beach Florida which is on the beach and acceptable (not a Marriott, Starwood or Hilton). We have also toured Kahana Falls in Maui which my wife refused to stay at. I think VRI exchanges are hit or miss. Hope this helps.

 

[Glynda]

BG

We will be staying at Brewster Green on an exchange the week of June17th. We are looking forward to the stay. We usually stay at The Cove at Yarmouth and we also like early June, September and October through Columbus Day. I believe Brewster Green is an easy trade (off season), therefore I wouldn't buy. We also don't believe being on the beach is important on Cape Cod. We spend a lot of time in Hawaii and we feel being on the beach there is essential. Cape Cod is much more than going to the beach. The weather in September and October is too cold for the beach and early June might be also. As far as VRI exchanges are concerned we have exchanged into Discovery Beach in Cocoa Beach Florida which is on the beach and acceptable (not a Marriott, Starwood or Hilton). We have also toured Kahana Falls in Maui which my wife refused to stay at. I think VRI exchanges are hit or miss. Hope this helps.

Thanks! The problem with Brewster Green being an easy trade into off season, is that I have other uses for my currently owned points. Buying more of them is more expensive than buying Brewster Green.

I got that feeling about VRI exchanges as well. Not sure I'd want to trade into them.

We're wanting to try Cape Cod in September after late May and early June being rather cold and rainy the past two years. Hope you have a great trip!

Glynda

 

[theo]

I got that feeling about VRI exchanges as well. Not sure I'd want to trade into them.

In all fairness, there are some great VRI-managed resorts; we have owned at and enjoyed several for years now. That being said however, the fact that there are some fine and well managed VRI resorts certainly does not necessarily translate directly into being able to obtain great exchanges via VRI*ety. Exchanging is often something of a "roll of the dice" anyhow, whether within or outside of VRI*ety.

We're wanting to try Cape Cod in September after late May and early June being rather cold and rainy the past two years.

Having lived year round on the lower Cape (Brewster and Wellfleet at different times) for some years in bygone days, I personally think that September is a much better choice than May or early June (although likely also a more difficult exchange). The water has warmed over the summer, the weather is generally more pleasant and reliable.
Maybe more shoulder-season tourists around than in May, but certainly not the insane congestion and hordes of people encountered in the summer. Definitely worth a try!

 

[Glynda]

Theo

Which VRI resorts do you enjoy?

 

[theo]

I did read through the list of VRI resorts and can't say that I am familiar with many of them except two where Bluegreen also seems to manage some units on Ft Myers Beach, FL. Nothing excited me as far as exchanging within VRI but a possible membership in II might be a nice change as RCI has been the trading company for our Bluegreen points for the past 15 years and I'm getting bored with our options. <snip>

Fwiw, I would note that in addition to deposits from owners at VRI-managed resorts, I believe that VRI*ety also contains and offers access to all of the exchange inventory of Trading Places International (TPI). If you have looked only at a list of VRI-managed resorts, you may not have "seen" any of the (possible) TPI inventory.
Personally, I don't know anything at all about TPI membership, exchange costs, inventory quantity or quality.

I previously mentioned a very recent VRI press release. Details have not yet been disclosed, but a "new program" is supposed to start in the second quarter of 2016 (...we're there now). I would be inclined to guess that the announced "platform merging" will essentially offer all TPI and all VRI*ety inventory to all members of both exchange entities. Currently, as far as I know, all VRI-owner deposits into VRI*ety stay within VRI*ety and are not "seen" by TPI-only members. Not being an "exchanger", I dunno if that VRI press release really constitutes meaningful news, or is perhaps instead just some PR fluff; we're all supposed to find out very soon.

 

[Glynda]

Fwiw, I would note that in addition to deposits from owners at VRI-managed resorts, I believe that VRI*ety also contains and offers access to all of the exchange inventory of Trading Places International (TPI). If you have looked only at a list of VRI-managed resorts, you may not have "seen" any of the (possible) TPI inventory.
Personally, I don't know anything at all about TPI membership, exchange costs, inventory quantity or quality.

I previously mentioned a very recent VRI press release. Details have not yet been disclosed, but a "new program" is supposed to start in the second quarter of 2016 (...we're there now). I would be inclined to guess that the announced "platform merging" will essentially offer all TPI and all VRI*ety inventory to all members of both exchange entities. Currently, as far as I know, all VRI-owner deposits into VRI*ety stay within VRI*ety and are not "seen" by TPI-only members. Not being an "exchanger", I dunno if that VRI press release really constitutes meaningful news, or is perhaps instead just some PR fluff; we're all supposed to find out very soon.

I see. I need to do more studying. It's just that I looked at the names of quite a long list of resorts and only a very few were familiar to me thus I was wondering which were those you referred to when you posted: "In all fairness, there are some great VRI-managed resorts; we have owned at and enjoyed several for years now."

Thanks!
Glynda

 

[birddog31]

Brewster Green is not on the beach. Why make the trip all the way to the Cape and not be on the shore? Look for a TS on the water's edge!

Brewster flats is something to experience. Its one or two beaches like that in the world.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[silentg]

Brewster flats is something to experience. Its one or two beaches like that in the world.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

We own a studio at Holly Tree in Yarmouth. VRI has been taken over by trading places, not sure if this opens up more options for trading, but if we upgrade the fees are high. We traded for a studio in New Symrna Beach in Fl. For November. We have family in Mass and bought the timeshare as a base for visiting.
The cape is a nice place to visit but off season,.
Silentg

 

[e.bram]

The bay side beaches are nothing more than a septic tank for the cities surrounding Cape Cod Bay.

 

[theo]

I'm confused...

<snip> VRI has been taken over by trading places,...<snip>

I am puzzled by the above quoted / blue highlighted statement. VRI was acquired by Interval Leisure Group a few years ago (ILG is the same parent corporate entity that also owns Interval International), but I fail to see or comprehend how Trading Places International fits into that acquisition picture at all. TPI is the "operating platform" behind the scenes for the VRI*iety exchange program (...true both before and after the ILG acquisition of VRI, as far as I know).

Did you actually mean to say that management of Holly Tree was formerly by VRI, but it is now managed by Trading Places International instead?
Please clarify.

 

[tonyg]

I stayed at another Cape resort earlier this year thru an II exchange and noticed that they had something displayed in the lobby that mentioned trading through trading places. That resort was also VRI managed. Never got the opportunity to discuss it with the resort manager.