[2008] Southcape Resort

[BM243923]

Does anybody have any upated information about Southcape Resort in Mashpee. I am thinking about purchasing a unit at this resort, but the reviews are not recent. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Scott_Ru]

We own a couple weeks at Southcape and enjoy it very much. Typical Cape Cod resort (i.e., not fancy like Marriotts). I think this was originally built to be apartments so the kitchens are quite complete, etc.

One caveat: The resort was just purchased by another group. I expect they will be doing some renovations (though my wife just came back from a week and said things were in good shape). It's not clear whether the new owners will request an assessment -- evidently many current owners have not been paying their maintenance fees so there will be some collection issues.

Overall, we're pleased with Southcape.

 

[BM243923]

Scott

I see you own at Sea Mist also. Southcape looks very much the same as Sea Mist Resort. We stayed in the townhouse units last June at Sea Mist and enjoyed it very much. How do the 2 compare. We liked the pool at Sea Mist the size and how the pool is divided with shallow and a smaller deep end.
Looking forward to your comments.

Thanks

 

[e.bram]

Both TSes mentioned are inland. You should try to get an oceanfront TS(they exist) if you want to be on the Cape

 

[Scott_Ru]

We like both Sea Mist and Southcape. Sea Mist units are 2 floors for the most part, with the bedrooms up some steep stairs. That might deter some.

Both are quite servicable. e.bram is obviously an "ocean person," but there is much to do in the Mashpee area and the ocean is not far away.

I think you'd be happy with either -- though we do prefer the pool at Sea Mist.

 

[e.bram]

As farI am concerned, either you are on the ocean or you are not(even 1 block). You can do everything an inlander can do plus you have the waterfront. Why not?

 

[w.bob]

I received a letter from the resort in Sept stating that New England Vacation Management Services purchased the unsold inventory at Southcape. They will manage the property and they wrote "we intend to make substantial improvements to the resort both physically & operationally." They also wrote that they are in the process of affiliating with the entire resort with RCI, Interval International and Festiva Resorts.

The 2009 fees went up a small amount but an additional $50.00 reeserve contribution was added.

I have owned for about 5 years but have never stayed onsite. I have traded to Hawaii this past Sept. also to Orlando, HHI, Las Vegas. I have never had a problem trading my 1st week of August week.

 

[Scott_Ru]

Now things are getting clearer at Southcape. (My wife is there now.) Festiva Resorts bought up the unused units and is now claiming Southcape has been grossly mismanaged - they are facing large expenses (e.g., new septic system) and have no (as in "zero") reserves. So there are two major issues:

1) There will definitely be a large increase in maintenance fees, rumored to be an additional $300 per week, PLUS a hefty assessment the size of which has yet to be determined.

2) Festiva is a "points-based" system and they are moving Southcape to a points system, for yet another substantial fee, of course. Thus, those of us who are involved at Southcape are now embroiled in the "fixed week, floating week, points" debate that pops up through these boards.

Anyway, that's what I know now. (You can check out the Festiva group at www.festivaresorts.com.

Scott

 

[Sou13]

Southcape Owners Beware of Outfield Marketing!

I joined this forum today because I am alarmed to learn that Soutcape Resort and Club is now affiliated with the Festiva Adventure Club.

Since receiving a letter from the new "owners" along with an alarming increase in the maintenance assessment for 2009, I no longer recognize the homepage of my beloved resort!

How do Southcape interval owners get in touch with other Southcape interval owners? We need to unite and fight off this hostile takeover!


http://southcaperesort.com/

 

[Sou13]

Found at IVS Realty

Welcome to IVS Realty


Scams and Scalawags


Our company president, Cliff Hagberg, has been actively involved in exposing timeshare resale scams for years. He's been involved as an expert witness in Ohio, Florida and Texas so far. If you know of a situation that looks like a scam, let us know and we'll publish it for other timeshare owners to learn from.

We've already been sued by one company so what's the worst that can happen? By the way, the owners of that company are currently in jail . . .

Scam # 1

"Hi. We want to buy your week and we'll pay cash. In order to know how much we should pay, we need to have a current appraisal for your week. If you don't have one, we can refer you to a company that will do an appraisal for you. We'll pay you 70% of the appraised value in cash."

Scam # 2

"Hi. We have a customer who wants to buy your week. They will pay $X for your week but first, we need you to put down some money in order to start the title search, get the paperwork done, etc., etc."

Do these sound familiar? There are more creative approaches to separate you from your money every week. All of them have one thing in common. They want you to send them money before anything happens. Typically, they want you to send them money by Fed Ex or something other than the post office in order to avoid mail fraud charges.

We're sure there are legitimate reasons why a company might want to charge you a fee prior to their selling your week but you still need to be careful. For example, We've been selling real estate for over thirty years. Until we got involved with timeshare, we had never seen any broker require an appraisal as a condition of accepting a listing. There's nothing wrong or illegal about a broker requiring an appraisal before you list a week but think about it for a minute. Why do they need one? If they know what they're doing, they should already have a pretty good idea of what your week is worth. If they don't know about what your week is worth, why would you do business with them. If they say they need it for a buyer, I can tell you that in 17 years selling timeshare, I have never had a buyer ask if there was an appraisal on a week they were considering buying. On the other hand, if you wanted to pay me $400 to $500 for a piece of paper that says your week is worth X amount of dollars, I'll gladly take your money! Just make the check out to IVS Realty and send it on in. No, really, just send me a check. Please, I could use the money. Just write payable to IVS Realty, put it in an envelope and mail it right away. You know, I'll bet I don't get a single check and I wouldn't send anyone a check to do an appraisal on a timeshare week either. How the heck is an appraiser in Florida going to appraise a week in Maine without actually visiting the resort? Further, if they're going to do a real appraisal, there's no way they can do it for $500. So, seriously, instead of sending them a check, just send it on to me and I promise you I'll make good use of it!

Scam #3

Recently, we heard of a new scam making the circuit. A company calls you and says that they have a buyer for your week. They need you to send them a copy of your deed and, in order to pay you quickly, they need your bank account and routing number! Now I don't know for sure why they need your routing number and bank account, but I can't believe that people would give them that information, but they do! Don't you do it though, it's just asking for trouble.

 

[Sou13]

Cliff Hagberg

Welcome to IVS Realty

Our company president, Cliff Hagberg, has been actively involved in exposing timeshare resale scams for years. He's been involved as an expert witness in Ohio, Florida and Texas so far. If you know of a situation that looks like a scam, let us know and we'll publish it for other timeshare owners to learn from.

In October of 2008 a letter was included in the assessment mailed to Southcape interval owners. It was from Cliff Hagberg, Managing General Partner of New England Vacation Services, LLC. The letter informed us that we would be contacted by Outfield Marketing.

In November I was contacted twice, informing me that Southcape Resort had been "sold" and that representatives would be in my area in December to meet with me in my home to explain the "changes" at Southcape.

I declined and informed the callers that I would be at Southcape in November and would prefer to meet with the sales representative while there.

As a result of this meeting, I have a lot of info to pass along. My first tidbit is this: If Cliff Hagberg is president of IVF, why is NEVS employing Outfield Marketing to contact current owners?

Currently the unsold inventory is listed at http://www.ivsrealty.com/scinv.htm but that doesn't tell all you need to know. It's not just the weeks, it's in which phase of the resort, Southcape I or Southcape II. There's a big difference! Southcape I is affiliated with Interval International, Southcape II is with RCI. You can't trade from I to II, and if you own an interval at Southcape I you know why you don't want the "trustees" to take over your interval.

Here's another tidbit: New England Vacation Services is located in Texas! But you can't find it by doing an internet search. Here's the address:
New England Vacation Services, LLC
135 E. Hickory
Denton, TX 76201
800-436-9094

Stay tuned!

 

[Sou13]

The Plot Thickens

Here's another tidbit: New England Vacation Services is located in Texas! But you can't find it by doing an internet search. Here's the address:
New England Vacation Services, LLC
135 E. Hickory
Denton, TX 76201
800-436-9094

Stay tuned!

Realizing that in my haste I might have posted the wrong telephone #, I found the business card given me by Greg Hughes, Outfield Marketing's on-site sales rep, and, much to my surprise, the address of Outfield Marketing and New England Vacation Services is one and the same!

 

[Sou13]

2009 Special Assessment

Today I received a "Special Assessment" of $400, due March 1, 2009, deemed "necessary" by the "Community Association, Inc." "Board of Trustees" which, "keeping their fiduciary responsibilities foremost in mind, has discussed, voted and approved a Special Assessment of $400.00 per interval."

SOS! SOS! SOS! Who are these trustees and who gave them the authority to levy this special assessment?

For at least two years we have had no reports of Community Association meetings or elections. If anyone reading these posts is an interval owner, PLEASE email rcassidy@southcaperesorts.com and ask for the minutes of meetings and by-laws of the association!

For a discussion of how the Festiva Adventure Club has taken over the Community Association, go to http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85788&page=2
and learn how this has happened at the Sandcastle and other resorts now affiliated with the "Club"!

 

[Sou13]

"Why We Need a Special Assessment "

Here is the letter that accompanied the $400.00 "Special Assessment"

Why We Need a Special Assessment​

Southcape Resort enjoys its great reputation as a vacation resort serving the needs of owners, exchange and rental guests as well. We have thousands of people coming through our doors each year and meeting the wants and needs of that many is a never-ending challenge.

We've recently made great strides at Southcape. We're adding wireless internet throughout the resort, installing a new computer system, replacing the old and outdated telephone system and replacing the old work-out equipment. Our collection activities have brought in tens of thousands of dollars in delinquent maintenance fees and those activities are continuing.

Over the past twelve to eighteen months, the Resort's comment cards as well as comments received from the exchange companies and owners have held a common theme and that is: The Resort is showing it's age-with respect tothe-condominium interiors and exteriors in Condo 1 and the exteriors in Condo II. While the majority of the comments are complimentary to the overall vacation experience, it is the other comments that cannot be ignored. In addition, there is a fair.~unt of deferred maintenance that has not been able to be remedied out of the maintenance fees. It is imperative that the Resort retain the reputation it has earned by the Association focusing on the wants and needs of owners, exchange guests and rental guests.

The value of each owner's method of use is directly affected by the quality of goods in the condominiums and the overall appearance of the Resort. An owner's use and enjoyment is the easiest to understand. We must keep up the resort's standards for the benefit of our owners. The Resort's rating by the exchange companies is based on comment cards received from people that have stayed at Southcape Resort and is the number one criteria for Southcape owners wishing to exchange out. From a rental perspective, the overall condition of our Resort is what drives the rental rates and repeat business.

Above and beyond the regular capital improvement projects, many additional improvements must be made in order to keep up with the resort industry standards. Those improvements to the Resort need to include, but not be limited to, such projects as:
Replace furnit~~-~d fixtures iQtbeinteriors --- New carpeting and flooring
Replace rotting siding on four buildings Replace leaking roofs in four buildings
Paint and repair trim work throughout the Resort
Upgrade existing septic systems to conform to DEP regulations

The need for these renovations is real and the cost associated with each project will not go down. The longer the improvements are delayed the greater the cost in the future. Your Board of Trustees, keeping their fiduciary responsibilities foremost in mind, has discussed, voted and approved a Special Assessment of $400.00 per interval. The Special Assessment and payment options are included on the. enclosed invoice which is due by March 1, 2009 to permit us to begin the exterior work before the start of the summer season. Thank you again for your continued support of Southcape Resort.

 

[Sou13]

Annual Owner's Meeting Minutes: May 17, 2008

Southcape Resort & Club

Annual Owner's Meeting Minutes: May 17, 2008
12:00 Noon, SouthCape Resort.​

Present:
14 owners attended the meeting.

Proceedings :
Meeting called to order at 12:00 Noon by Robert Woods, trustee.

Review of 2007 financial statement.
It was noted that there was an increase in real estate taxes of approximately $10,000. There was also a significant increase in utility charges.
-.:...
Outline of renovations completed since the last meeting: interior and exterior of units 25 -31 completely renovated. Pre-dipped, high-grade shingles used on exterior. All decayed
(trim replaced and painted. Interior refurbished in "beach-cottage" style with higher end furnishings.

Outdoor pool furniture was replaced for the upcoming season.

DVD players have been purchased and will be placed in all units during the upcoming weeks.

Whiskey barrels, used as flower planters, are in the process of being replaced throughout Condo I.

Upon a review of rental income, it was noted that 2007 was an exceptionally good year. We are, however, experiencing a drop in demand for 2008. This appears to be the current general experience of the hospitality industry on Cape Cod.

The Town of Mashpee is not allowing timeshare owners to purchase seasonal resident beach permits this year. Several owners present intended to call the town to voice their disapproval.

The meeting was concluded with a walk-through of units 25-31. All present were pleased with this year's renovation project.

The meeting was adjourned at 1: 10p.m.

The Town of Mashpee has since revised its position on beach permit purchase, to allow timeshare owners to purchase resident stickers.

 

[gravityrules]

A little detective work ...

Take a look at that Denton, TX address on Google maps street view:

135 E. Hickory Denton, TX 76201

Here's the Denton County Appraisal District info can be found at: http://www.dentoncad.com

The owner is shown as Outfield Marketing Ltd with a 2008 appraised value of $1050, description as 'personal property, sales office' ...

The actual property is:

Owner Name
Major League Development, Ltd
Situs Address
135 E Hickory St
Legal Description
Alsup Addn Blk 1 Lot 2
2008 Certified Appraised Value
$172,466

From http://216.60.44.74/TX/Denton/default.aspx
you can find that the property was acquired by Major League Development, LTD a Texas limited partnership in 2003, with STEM Management LLC as General Partner.


From BBB:

Business Contact and Profile
Name: Outfield Marketing
Phone: (940) 566-5127
Address: 135 E Hickory St
Denton, TX 76201-4215
Principal: Larry Fritz, Vice-President
File Open Date: January 2008
TOB Classification: Management Consultants
BBB Accreditation: This company is not a BBB Accredited business.

BBB Rating

Based on BBB files, this business has a BBB Rating of B-.
Reasons for this rating include:

* BBB does not have sufficient information to determine how long this business has been operating.
* BBB does not have sufficient background information on this business.

Hmmm, hard to miss the baseball theme.
And this is a long way from New England ...

 

[Sou13]

Thanks!

Thanks for the detective work! This is something I need help doing, and all the help we can get.

 

[judyjht]

My brother owns a good red summer week at Southcape - they plan to use it every year - should he be worried about the maintenance fees jumping on a regular basis - not the assessment - the regular maintenance fees.

 

[Sou13]

In Unity There Is Strength?

My brother owns a good red summer week at Southcape - they plan to use it every year - should he be worried about the maintenance fees jumping on a regular basis - not the assessment - the regular maintenance fees.

First we need to find a way to connect with other interval owners, then we need to make it a priority to be present at the next Community Association meeting. I hope that there are others in this Timeshare Users Group who are active in their owners' association and know how to advise us.

So far I've located three other interval owners, out of thousands who are coughing up the cash or converting to "points" and don't realize what that means to the future of Southcape Resort.

I was told by Greg Hughes, Outfield Marketing on-site sales rep, that owners can expect to see ever-higher maintenance fees and "special assessments" which is how he scares or dupes owners into "converting" to "points" by misleading them into believing they will be better off with Festiva.

I can't do this alone. I have more documents to scan and copy into this discussion, some of which might get me into trouble. I read the 12-page discussion Festiva is now managing my resort, how bad is it going to get and searched for other Southcape discussions before committing my time to this project. I wish I'd joined this Group 15 years ago!

Stay tuned!

 

[Scott_Ru]

Thanks for your efforts Sou13. Given the weekly nature of time sharing there are LOTS and LOTS of owners and if we can get together we can influence things. My observation is that Southcape does need a lot of renovation and improvement. So I am not that upset with the Special Assessment if it is used well ... and I own 3 weeks there!

 

[Sou13]

Letter from Cliff Hagberg

Dear Southcape Owner

We have a lot to tell you about this year and we hope you'll take the time to read this newsletter so that we can bring you completely up to date.

First, we'd like to inform you that New England Vacation Services, LLC has purchased the unsold inventory at the Southcape from Vince Earth and Robert Woods. New England Vacation Services, LLC is made up of a group of experienced timeshare professionals with solid backgrounds in resort management, sales and marketing.

We have been trying to purchase the inventory for many years and we're very excited about the future of Southcape Resort. The resort will be managed by New England Vacation Management Services, LLC and we intend to make substantial improvements to the resort both physically and operationally. My name is Cliff Hagberg and I'm the Managing General Partner. I'm a native Cape Codder and I have been involved in managing resorts across the U. S. and Europe for the past twenty years. I have been an owner at Southcape myself so I'm intimately familiar with the resort. In this newsletter, I want to talk with you about our plans for the resort.

As part of our continuing effort to keep you informed about new things at Southcape, we're delighted to inform you that we have affiliated Southcape Resort with one of the premier vacation companies in the country - Festiva Resorts. We are in the process of afflliating the entire resort with RCI Interval International and Festiva Resorts to give you as many vacation opportunities as possible.

We will be happy to answer any questions you may have about these exciting, new vacation options and Outfield Marketing will be contacting you directly to explain the new benefits and what they mean to you as an owner. When Outfield contacts you, please know that they are working directly with resort management for your benefit. Outfield will also be able to update you on the financial situation at Southcape Resort.​

We need to talk about the realities of the financial situation at Southcape Resort. The fact of the matter is that the current maintenance fees do not cover the operating budget of the resort. The main reason for this is that we have a large number of owners who do not pay their maintenance fees. We have a plan in place to deal with this effectively for the first time. We have contracted with Monterey Financial Services to begin a professional collection effort with the delinquent owners. Those collection efforts have already begun. We need to do this to generate income for the resort.

For years, the resort operated without a real budget. Without a budget, it is impossible to calculate what the maintenance fees should be. For the past few years, the resort only increased maintenance fees a small amount and the result has been that there is not enough money to pay the bills. For 2009 we have created a detailed budget that will pay all of the bills for the entire year. With NEVMS, Southcape Resort will have a professional management company assisting resort management with controlling the operating budget.

While we realize that this years maintenance fee represents a significant increase, it is still lower than many similar resorts. For example, Brewster Green maintenance fees are as high as $740.00 and the Ponds at Foxhollow are as high as $811.00. Holiday Estates is $680.00 so the new maintenance fees are not at all out of line with other resorts. Maintaining a resort can be expensive and the new maintenance fees will allow us to do that.

The next financial issue we need to tell you about concerns the resort's reserves for capital expenditures. Simply put, there are no reserves. Improvements to the resort have been paid out of the operating budget. This has not only resulted in a shortfall in operating income but has caused the resort to make improvements in a piece meal fashion without an overall plan. We are changing that situation immediately.

We need to fund the reserve accounts so that, when a major repair is needed, the money will be there. We have begun that process by including a payment into the reserve account to begin building up the resort's reserves. You will notice that by basing the budget on the number of owners who are current in their maintenance fees, when the weeks from the delinquent owners begin paying, we can deposit that money right into a reserve account to fund the improvements. This will take some time but it is part of our overall operational plan.

The final fmancial area we need to address is the timely payment of maintenance fees. Currently, the maintenance fees are due when received. As of January 31, 2009, a late fee of $50.00 will be added to accounts that are not paid. After March 1, 2009, if the maintenance fee bill is still unpaid, the account will be turned over to Monterey Financial and additional collection fees will be added to the outstanding balance and your account will be blocked from usage. While we are reluctant to do this, it is critically important for budgeting purposes that we know, as early as possible, how much money we will have to run the resort every year. Owners who are late in paying their maintenance fees seriously affect that budgeting process so it is very important for you and the resort to pay your maintenance fee when it is due. Your cooperation in paying your maintenance fee bill when received will greatly assist us in bringing financial stability to Southcape Resort and we sincerely thank you for you continued cooperation.

Over the coming months, we will be developing a detailed plan of improving the resort and how we can complete the upgrade of the resort. When that process has been completed, we will be sending you a copy of that plan. While it's impossible for us to take phone calls from thousands of owners, we will be setting up a brand new web site for Southcape Resort. As part of the website, there will be a special area just for owners where you can go to get current information on exactly what's going on at Southcape. We will give you the information on the new web site in our next update.

The area we're most excited about is bringing to Southcape something it's never had before. With the help of Outfield Marketing, Southcape Resort will now have the services of a professional sales and marketing company. This is critically important in order to bring in new owners and generate maintenance fees.

Over the next several months. vou will be hearing from us on a regular basis as we introduce new plans for the improvement of the resort. We firmly believe that Southcape Resort can be one of the premier resorts in New England and we're dedicated to making that happen. While we know that you may have questions, if at all possible, please email them to us at rcassidy@southcaperesort.com. With thousands of owners, it is just physically impossible for us to speak with all of you and email helps us respond to you in a timely fashion.

Thanks for your continued support and all of us here at Southcape look forward to welcoming you back next year.

Sincerely
Cliff Hagberg
New England Vacation Management Services, LLC

 

[Aussiedog]

First, we'd like to inform you that New England Vacation Services, LLC has purchased the unsold inventory at the Southcape from Vince Earth and Robert Woods. New England Vacation Services, LLC is made up of a group of experienced timeshare professionals with solid backgrounds in resort management, sales and marketing.

Just a question - is the assumption here that the unsold inventory was of sufficient size to give them some kind of super-majority on the HOA board, and that is how they are able to take over?

That is amazing to me - that a resort that has been around this long has this much unsold inventory. Although for all I know this is a typical control strategy by developers of non-chain resorts.

Ann

 

[Laurie]

In case anyone has missed the connection, Southcape's situation is the same as Sandcastle's, and you can read more here:
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85788

 

[theo]

Not exactly...

In case anyone has missed the connection, Southcape's situation is the same as Sandcastle's...

Actually, the two situations are really not the same, except for the common experience of the appearance of Festiva into their pictures.

With far fewer unsold / foreclosed weeks existing at Sandcastle for Festiva to acquire and / or just "take over", Festiva will have a much steeper hill to climb at Sancastle in order to gain a controliing interest (assuming, of course, that deeded owners at Sandcastle don't fall for the "give up your deed, convert to Adventure Club points --and pay us a few grand to do so" scheme, and instead choose to hold on to their deeded ownerships).
At Southcape, I personally tend to believe that it will be much easier for Festiva to gain the upper hand and a controlling interest there.

 

[Russ45]

Special assessment

I own one interval at Southcape and bought it two years ago. I received the special assessment notice too but a couple of things struck me as odd, first there was only an invoice and a generic letter which was unsigned and not on letterhead with no supporting documents attached, which is not what I would expect from an actual property manager, or any business for that matter. I emailed rcassidy to question the legitimacy of this letter and asked for the by-laws, meeting minutes of the board and board member names, but have not heard back yet. Frankly, my first reaction was that this was a scam as some sort of phishing expedition because of the lack of identity and the short period they gave to pay or else! If it isn't a scam, I am not planning on paying for a special assessment unless I see some sort of guarantee this money will be used on the resort itself and the meeting minutes and by-laws. If I can't get any information or at least acknowlegement from NEV I will probably have my lawyer look into it or turn it over to the AG's office. Their special assessment is 67% of the entire yearly operating budget which is very suspicious and I would like for them to show me they are putting in $500,000 to $1,000,000 worth of improvements this year, which is what they would collect if everyone pays this. Anyone else get the feeling that this isn't quite legit?