• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 31 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 31st Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $23,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $23 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    Tens of thousands of subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

[2008] Southcape Resort

Sou13

newbie
Joined
Feb 7, 2009
Messages
791
Reaction score
0
Location
New England
Affiliation with Festiva

(Posting from the local community college academic computer lab, where I can scan and send documents via email)

While Mr. Hagberg sees the affiliation with the Festiva Adventure Club as an additional benefit for Southcape owners, our conversation left me with the conclusion that I was right to sound the alarm about Festiva.

Mr. Hagberg told me that his intention is to sell the inventory and turn over control of the resort to the Owners' Association. But what he didn't tell me is that all the owners who "convert" to Festiva are turning over their vote to Festiva, and that will give Festiva the majority rule of the Club!

Furthermore, as I suspected, the weeks that are converted are the weeks you get to deposit in I.I. when you want to exchange a week. This is not the way it works when you are a "float" owner exchanging through I.I.! Float owners reserve the week and unit of their choice from the available inventory and some weeks and units are more in demand than others when it comes to exchanging!

I've been in contact with a TUG member who has nothing bad to say about Festiva, but with good reason. Here's what he has to say (my questions are in RoyalBlue, his answers in italics):

As far as Festiva points go, you can color me satisfied, at least for now. I have stayed in one Festiva property (Church street Inn -- nice place, great location), visited another (Ellington at Washesaw Plantation -- very nice, especially for golfers), and used Festiva points to trade for 5 units. In the last 2 cases, 3600 Festiva points (each) brought me a 2BR unit at the Royal Sands in Cancun, and a 2BR unit at Marriott's Canyon Villas vacation club in Phoenix. Previous trades were for Royal Islander, Cancun (2BR, 3600 PTS), Sedona Springs Resort, AZ (1BR, 3500 pts), and The Ponds at Fox Hollow, MA (1BR, 3500 pts).

My impression is that the best way to use Festiva points is to trade outside of Festiva, not to stay in a Festiva unit.


We owners at Soutcape Resort are very upset about being affiliated with the Festiva Adventure Club but have not heard from any satisfied members. When you trade outside Festiva are you paying a fee as well?


I trade through Interval International, so I pay the standard II fees. There are no Festiva fees (other than an annual maintenance fee).


How long have you been a member, and has your maintenance fee increased since you joined? Do you get what you want when you trade?

Joined in Sept 2007, so I'm a relatively new Festiva member.

I take it from your 2nd question that you know nothing about Interval international...or about trading in general. For a tutorial, you would do well to check out other TUG newsgroups and the II web site.

Were you a deeded owner or did you join Festiva outright? Have you had experience with RCI and the point system?

Yes and yes...it's not an either-or thing (or it doesn't have to be).

I have no experience with RCI (yet), but I'm waiting for them to acknowledge the application I made over 2 months ago. They are very slow in getting things started. I've been very happy with II, but I recently received a free membership in RCI, so I'm going to give them a try. My suspicion is that i will continue to like Interval better.


We would really appreciate it if you could visit our discussion and answer these and many other questions.

Your discussion seems to be about Southgate, about which I know nothing, or about bashing Festiva, which I have no reason to do.

BTW I found you in the Festiva Adventure Club listing on TUG.

Since I'd never even heard of Festiva until the recent takeover of Southcape Resort, I read the Festiva-bashing discussion before joining the forum.

Now that I've had some first-hand experience with Festiva, I wanted to hear from members, and you were listed (there are only 3 who are listed) so I wanted to hear from you how it's working for you.

You've been doing your trading through I.I. which means paying an exchange fee for each trade, as well as paying for membership in I.I. Since I've never traded through I.I. but have been an off-and-on member over the years, I have never had experience from which to draw. But it appears to me that you could have done just as well as a deeded inteval owner, and if not, why not?

Is your home resort affiliated with Festiva, and are deeded weeks no longer available?


I have no home resort. It's a deeded points deal...40 years, renewable at no extra cost. 6000 points per year, with a 6000 point sign-up bonus. My 5 trades have cost me 17,800 points, leaving me a 200 point carryover to next year.

I was already an II member as a result of our Marriott Grande Vista ownership. So there has been no extra cost for me, other than the II trading fees. My maintenance fee for 2009 was $730.


How did you get to purchase points in the Festiva Adventure Club without having a home resort? Are you still a deeded owner at Marriott Grande Vista?

Festiva and Marriott have nothing to do with each other. I have 2 separate ownerships...a floating 2BR week at Grande Vista, and a deeded 6000 annual point membership in Festiva. My wife & I purchased the Festiva membership during a stay at Festiva's Church Street Inn in Charleston.

If you can direct me to info about this I would greatly appreciate it!

You say your maintenance fee is $750. How many points do you own, if I may be so bold as to ask? My understanding is that the MF is based on how many points you own.


Make that MF $730 for 2009, not $750.

FWIW, Festiva says that Peppertree owners who converted from Peppertree points to Festiva points saved money. For example, 3500 Peppertree points converted to 6000 Festiva points, with a 2008 reduction in fees of $274/year.

I have no way of knowing if 3500 Peppertree points truly equal 6000 Festiva points.


Put together with annual membership in II and the exchange fee, are you getting enough for your outlay?

Well...I wish I had paid less but other than that, no complaints.

The issue of II membership is irrelevant in my case. I was already a member before joining Festiva.


This makes no sense to me. How can you trade through II if you have no week to deposit? And how can you get good weeks if your week isn't a good one?

You call Festiva. Early in the year is best. If you have paid your MF, they will issue you a unit (per the number of points you ask to be spent). For example, 3600 points gets you a 1BR red week, 3500 points a 2BR yellow week. You then deposit this unit with Interval. Thereafter it works just like any other deposit...except that Marriott deposits are held by Interval for about 3 weeks while they are made available to Marriott owners only (a special deal Marriott has made with Interval).
 
Last edited:

Sou13

newbie
Joined
Feb 7, 2009
Messages
791
Reaction score
0
Location
New England
Owners' meeting

Good news for deeded owners. The new trustees hope to see at least 100 members at the meeting May 16, 2009, and might even treat us to lunch!

Since getting to know the ins and outs of the resort as well as addressing owners' concerns has taken up so much of their time, we all need to make it a priority to be at that meeting where we will be thoroughly informed of what's been going on and why.

So spread the word if you know how to get in contact with other owners. And if you know anyone who's considering "converting" would you be so kind as to direct them to this discussion as well as the Festiva discussions on these forums?

I have more documents to scan and share in the near future, as well as what I've learned from accessing the Festiva Adventure Club online.
 

Sanford

newbie
Joined
Feb 25, 2009
Messages
25
Reaction score
0
I Am Southcape Owner And Looking To Buy Another Week

I am an owner at Southcape Resort and looking to buy an additional week week 31 only.

I will consider buying someone's that has not been able to pay this years special assessment and or regular assessment.

If anyone is aware of anything of this sort PLEASE ADVISE.

Cash Buyer
 

Sanford

newbie
Joined
Feb 25, 2009
Messages
25
Reaction score
0
What does all this mean for Owners of FIXED WEEKS NOT POINTS

I am not understanding the implications of this.There are many of us that have FIXED DEEDED weeks, I do not believe those weeks can be taken away or forced to convert to a point system.

Please correct me if I am wrong
 

Sou13

newbie
Joined
Feb 7, 2009
Messages
791
Reaction score
0
Location
New England
Not forced, just coerced or frightened into converting

I am not understanding the implications of this.There are many of us that have FIXED DEEDED weeks, I do not believe those weeks can be taken away or forced to convert to a point system.

Please correct me if I am wrong

My understanding of what's happening here is that Festiva wants to take over the club by enticing, coercing, or scaring deeded weeks owners into converting to Festiva points.

Meanwhile I'm trying to understand what's in it for Cliff Hagberg, who paid a hefty price for the inventory he now controls. He says he won't be offering it for sale until the resort has been upgraded. I believe he means upgraded to Festiva's satisfaction.

Meanwhile, what weeks are available to the Club? Just the weeks that were put into trust by owners who fell for their scheme, or are all the weeks owned by Cliff Hagberg also available to the Club?

Have you tried contacting Cliff Hagberg <ivs@ivsrealty.com> for an answer to this concern?
 

Sou13

newbie
Joined
Feb 7, 2009
Messages
791
Reaction score
0
Location
New England
Rules and Regulations

Today I was able to access the Rules and Regulations for members of the Festiva Adventure Club. What a relief that I don't have to scan and send 21 pages! Yesterday when I tried to attach the Public Offering Statement I sat at the scanner for 1/2 hour waiting for it to attach! I finally had to give up, will try again today. If I'm successful I'll forward it to all who've already received the TERMS AND CONDITIONS email attachment.

Meanwhile, go to page 21 of the Rules and Regulations and look at 2.8 Transfers of Memberships. You have to go there because I am unable to copy and paste from this pdf file.

I hope all of you concerned Southcape owners come back to this discussion and benefit from my efforts!
 

Sanford

newbie
Joined
Feb 25, 2009
Messages
25
Reaction score
0
I Don't Get It

Don't we have rights to our deeded timeshare and to use our weeks as always.

This seems like a very good time to acquire, before they pass these rules as to transfer of membershup for $ 350.00 etc etc. Or are they already in effect, How can these be in effect if we were all not notified and to vote for same???

Are the same rights we had now diluted?

I REMAIN INTERESTED IN PURCHASING WEEK 31 at Southcape
 

Russ45

newbie
Joined
Feb 12, 2009
Messages
38
Reaction score
0
Location
Cape
Thanks so much SOU13, I downloaded the rules from your link, less than a month old. For Sanford, The way I understand 2.8 is that you still have your deeded fixed interval but should you decide to sell it (To Festiva or another party) then 2.8 would apply and the resort gets their $350.00 transfer fee.
 

wmauryd

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2008
Messages
19
Reaction score
0
Location
Los Angeles
Southcape Owners-- RED FLAGS-- Owners group needs to be formed

Its been five years since we were purchased our Southcape unit. We've really enjoyed the unit and have visited all but one of the past five summers. The Cape has been a big hit with our family, and we've since bought two other units-- one in Brewster, and last year, one in Dennisport.

I want to alert Southcape owners to some RED FLAGS with regards to the new operations regime and the somewhat sudden assessment-- We had an assessment last year in Brewster ($300) and they seemed to be accountable and appeared to spend the money wisely. The assessment notice from Brewster came months and months in advance, while this Southcape assessment seems to have come just weeks prior to the due date.

I called Southcape yesterday and asked a series of questions (nicely) to the receptionist-- who manages the resort now? Is there an homeowners group? Is there a board of directors?*

The receptionist said the assessment deadline was moved to April 1st.

She continued saying the resort is under new management but with no staff changes-- Rosalyn Cassidy continues as manager, and must return calls in order received, and is at accountant's today. The receptionist said there's a new 'owner'. I asked her how can there be an 'owner' when I'm an owner and so are the other unit owners. She replied that they (probably NEVMS in the letter) own the unsold inventory and are also managing the resort. So they 'own' the resort.

In my opinion, Southcape owners need to take notice of the following red flags:

A) The recent assessment letter is unsigned-- Professionals return calls and sign letters.

B) Asking for this much money ($400) this soon, in an unsigned letter, doesn't sound like professionals are in charge--

C) As owner of remaining unsold inventory, NEVM might have a voting block.

D) The management company/owner of unsold inventory has the staff thinking that it's the 'owner'-- I highly doubt that Southcape's original master deed or charter designate's the management company or the owner of unsold inventory as the 'owner'. The resort is 'owned' by the unit owners like you and I.

Southcape needs an owners group to further communicate and if there isn't one already I make a motion that we create one today. Is anyone interested in forming an owners group?

Also, if anyone, including Craig H. from NEVM is reading this, lets hear your responses.
 

Sanford

newbie
Joined
Feb 25, 2009
Messages
25
Reaction score
0
I would like to be part of an Informed Owners Group

Owners Group
I am contemplating purchasing another week
in addition to the weeks I already own there, and don't want to see this turned into something bad
 

Sou13

newbie
Joined
Feb 7, 2009
Messages
791
Reaction score
0
Location
New England
Reply to wmauryd

In reply to wmauryd above, the problem is that Cliff Hagberg (NEVS) must have been able to buy more than 50% of the unsold inventory, making him the "owner" of the resort.

Now I ask, how could more than 50% of the inventory be unsold?

I asked him whether the inventory he purchased was for sale and he told me that it won't be for sale until the resort has been upgraded. He went on to tell me all the wonderful :rolleyes: things he's been doing to upgrade Southcape.

What I meant by the good news I reported after or conversation was that I was actually able to get him to call me!

As for his intentions I'm convinced that he intends to hold on to the inventory until enough owners have been scared into "converting" to give the majority vote to Festiva. And I suspect that he is currently giving Festiva access to Southcape by making that inventory available to the Festiva Adventure Club. How else can Club members spend their points at Southcape?

What worries me even more is how Festiva gets weeks at the resort. Does Festiva grab up all the "float" weeks before owners have had a chance to stay at Southcape and reserve for the following year?

I hope I'm not in the doghouse with the Festiva Adventure Club member whose private messages I shared. How, I ask, is it possible to buy points in the Festiva Adventure Club without converting a deeded ownership? Where does Festiva get the weeks for you to "buy" with your points?

If you have a copy of the PUBLIC OFFERING STATEMENT I'm offering by email, look at the Time Sharing Plan and Club Description. You can join the club as a "New Member" or a "Converting Member"! Why is Outfield Marketing trying to get us to "convert" instead of giving us the opportunity to join as "New Members" as the satisfied Festiva Adventure Club in my earlier post was able to do?

I can't stress this enough. We need an active Community Association! Not showing up for (unadvertised) meetings gives the unelected Trustees free range to do whaever they deem necessary and jack up our MFs and zap us with Special Assessments so that they can make a hefty profit on the unsold inventory!

Don't be taken in by smooth talkers. Kowledge is power! Study the email attachments I'm offering (at risk of being sued by Festiva?) and if you don't understand what's going on, show them to someone who will!

I really would like to be able to sit back and let someone else take the floor here, but you may have some catching up to do. I read all 11 pages of the Festiva discussion before joining the TUG forums and sounding off about Southcape. I had a hard time coming up with an ID that wouldn't clue Rosaleen and Cliff in on who I am, but by now they must have figured it out unless they're too bogged down in "upgrading" Southcape to meet Festiva's standards and collecting the "Special Assessment" from us sheeple.
 

Sou13

newbie
Joined
Feb 7, 2009
Messages
791
Reaction score
0
Location
New England
More email files

These documents were emailed to me and I've been given permission to share them:950-1.pdf (51KB), 950-2.pdf (50KB), 950-3.pdf (51KB), 950-7.pdf (50KB), 950-31.pdf (51KB), 950-54.pdf (51KB), 950-55.pdf (51KB), International Vacation Sales.pdf (167KB), New England Vacation Management.pdf (154KB), New England Vacation Services.pdf (154KB)

These records are from
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
William Francis Galvin
Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division
One Ashburton Place, 17th floor
Boston, MA 02108-1512
Telephone: (617) 727-9640


I have to confess that I haven't fully perused these documents, caught up as I was in the fight to ward off what I perceive as a hostile(?) takeover of Southcape Resort. I'm running out of time here, so may not be able to email them to whoever requests them until tomorrow.
 

wmauryd

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2008
Messages
19
Reaction score
0
Location
Los Angeles
Reply to wmauryd

You are correct that I have some reading homework to do, in order to get caught up.

If an owners group doesn't already exist, there needs to be one created. It's obvious that the once-a-year owners meeting will not provide sufficient owners oversight for this particular resort.
 

Sou13

newbie
Joined
Feb 7, 2009
Messages
791
Reaction score
0
Location
New England
RE: More email files

These documents were emailed to me and I've been given permission to share them:950-1.pdf (51KB), 950-2.pdf (50KB), 950-3.pdf (51KB), 950-7.pdf (50KB), 950-31.pdf (51KB), 950-54.pdf (51KB), 950-55.pdf (51KB), International Vacation Sales.pdf (167KB), New England Vacation Management.pdf (154KB), New England Vacation Services.pdf (154KB)

These records are from
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
William Francis Galvin
Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division
One Ashburton Place, 17th floor
Boston, MA 02108-1512
Telephone: (617) 727-9640


I have to confess that I haven't fully perused these documents, caught up as I was in the fight to ward off what I perceive as a hostile(?) takeover of Southcape Resort. I'm running out of time here, so may not be able to email them to whoever requests them until tomorrow.

These pdf files were downloaded from the Mashpee city property records. They were looked up from the resort address 950 Falmouth. There are records 950-1 through 950-55, presumably for all 55 units in the resort. Downloaded are just a few of them. I don't know all the details of interpreting this data but all mention a 1.2 million dollar sale.

The other business records are from the Mass. Secretary of State website. The TUG member's interpretation is that these entities were created in 2008 specifically to pull off this project.

According to the TUG member who looked up and downloaded these documents, this guy Clifford Hagberg is apparently a significant real estate player in the Cape Cod area. He has also been a major ARDA player, so it's not hard to imagine a Festiva connection.

These TX offices look like shell companies. The only use he can think of for the convoluted business arrangements involved here is to hide the real story. He supposes that it's going to take someone with legal standing to do something about all of this ...
 

Sou13

newbie
Joined
Feb 7, 2009
Messages
791
Reaction score
0
Location
New England
Another frustrating attempt

I've been sitting at the scanner in the academic computer lab at the local community college, trying to get Yahoo! to attach the file I scanned and saved so that I could email it to myself et al. I had to give up!

The file I'm trying to scan and email is the introductory letter from Barth and Woods in 1990. If any of you have been owners for that many years you may even have your own copies of the letter!

I'll try one more time, then I'm outta here. Carry on!
 

Sou13

newbie
Joined
Feb 7, 2009
Messages
791
Reaction score
0
Location
New England
1990 introductory letter

I've been sitting at the scanner in the academic computer lab at the local community college, trying to get Yahoo! to attach the file I scanned and saved so that I could email it to myself et al. I had to give up!

The file I'm trying to scan and email is the introductory letter from Barth and Woods in 1990. If any of you have been owners for that many years you may even have your own copies of the letter!

I'll try one more time, then I'm outta here. Carry on!

I should have just keyed it in instead of wasting all that time trying to attach the scanned document:

January, 1990
Dear Southcape Member:

It's official. Fred Sateriale and Rick DePamphlis have retired and Bob Woods and i are the new Resort Owners/Managers. Bob is the Owner/President of C & E Credit and I am the owner of the Park Lane in Atlantic City Bob Woods will provide computer services to the resort and will be paid for those services. We will not be paid for management services that we provide to the resort.

The first thing that we did was to meet with the employees and find out what they were supposed to do. Then we reorganized the resort and eliminated everything that was unnecesary.

We met with your elected officials and agreed that the Community Association, with all members having an equal voice, would operate the resort for the benefit of all.

The biggest problem with the resort, after the fact that the expenses were out of control, is that there is "nothing to do." We are going to add a full schedule of activities including owners parties, group and individual tennis lessons, weekly tennis matches (with prizes from beginners to experts), coffee klutches, ice cream and rum swizzle parties, card and bingo games that will be enough to fill any vacation, just to name a few.

In order to keep your maintenance fees as low as possible and help you enjoy the resort more than just one week a year, we are going to open the season on March 9th with a Murder Mystery Weekend! Please see the enclosed flyer for all of the details. All of the money generated from this weekend will be used to reduce the maintenance fees. The refreshments will be catered by the owner of The Flume Restauraunt. All of you who have visitied his restaurant know it is one of the finest on the Cape.

For the Summer we will build an area next to the outdoor pool for your entertainment.

Before we open the sales to the general public, we are going to give you one last opportunity to add another week to your vacation plan at the lowest prices ever offered.

Lois has the new reduced price list and can be reached by calling the main number 508-477-4700. While you are talking with her ask her about our Royal VIP program that can be a lot of fun for you while you make money just for helping us promote SOUTHCAPE.

Setting the dues for 1990 was a difficult task. We do not know the resort as well as you do, but we are aware of some of the problems that we face. We like to consider them "OPPORTUNITIES" rather than problems. Although we have cut expenses everywhere, we have to set the annual maintenance fee at $350.00 per interval. Every owner at SOUTHCAPE will pay the same fee and all of the money that we receive for the use of the inventory will also be given to the maintenance fund. We hope to have a surplus by the end of the year and be able to reduce the annual fee, however we are still at the mercy of the tax essessor and will be going back to court unless she changes her discriminatory attitude.

Please complete the enclosed postcard and mail it back to us with your maintenance fee as soon as possible. We need the funds to upgrade and maintain the property. We want to receive the Five Star Award again and we need your help.

Lastly, we would like you to become part of the PARK LANE family. Either Bob or I will be at the resort as much as possible and would enjoy meeting you. In the meantime, please look over a special offer we have for you to take a mini-vacation in Atlantic City, practically for free. You will get more back than the cost to stay with us and have the chance to win at tables and BEAT the one arm bandits.

(signed) "Southcape Staff"


The 1989 and 1990 budgets were enclosed. I no longer have the other enclosures. The projected funds and expenses for 1990 added up to a shortfall of $11,806, which was a lot more for 1990 than it is today. The total expenses for 1989 came to $882,965.
 

jjette

newbie
Joined
Feb 24, 2009
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Location
north attleboro
Sou13

I wanted to thank you for all your research and the many others as well. My family owns a week at Southcape and we would be very interested in attending the May meeting. If you have the time/date that would be great as we do need to stand together to figure out what is taking place.

I think many of us are reasonable and can understand over the years that perhaps the units do need some work beyond the budget of maintenance fees. We just would like to be shown exactly where this assessment is going and legally what can the new Mgmt team levy on this. I would imagine the new company is simply using future assessments as a scare tactic to get us to sell back. Legally, I am sure they have to show dilligence that future assesments are being used for the better of the property.

It is my belief that outfield marketing was simply usng the calls received on the $400 as a lead generating program and nothing more. Scare tactics and mis-information was presented to us and such a un-professional way it was mind-boggling. What NEVM wants is nothing more than the value we all have one week per year; and thats the value of staying at a 5 star resort for a $3000 value each year. The more units they own, they can then turn into revenue to sell our deeds as point systems while we still pay the same taxes and no guarantees on maintenance fees nor what they do to the point systems anyway. Oh and bye the way, we would like a check for $3000.00

Keep the faith everyone, they know the value of your family vacation and that is what they are after. Outfield marketing did nothing but parachute in a couple of slick hustlers from Texas without a brochure nor even a business card, quite shoddy if you asked me.
 

Sou13

newbie
Joined
Feb 7, 2009
Messages
791
Reaction score
0
Location
New England
Reply to jjette

jjette, If you will email me your email address I will email you all the documents I've offered so far and all future documents If I have better luck with the scanner next time.

Did you let the Outfield Marketing sales rep come to your house? I met with Greg Hughes at Southcape Resort and it wasn't until later that it occurred to me that, since he wanted to show me timeshares for sale on eBay, my time would have been better spent if he'd shown me the resorts in the Festiva Adventure Club!

BTW Cliff Hagberg is one of those Southcape interval owners who found one on eBay for $1! So don't be fooled into thinking that he has Southcape's best interests at heart!

Whatever happened to the good intentions of Barth and Woods over the years, I blame myself for owner apathy. I contemplated attending an owners' meeting more than once but it never happened.

You and I live close enough to carpool. Mark your calendar for May 16 and spread the word that we need to show up and show Cliff Hagberg that we're not going to be sheeple any longer!
 

Sou13

newbie
Joined
Feb 7, 2009
Messages
791
Reaction score
0
Location
New England
Complaints About Timeshare Membership

Complaints About Timeshare Membership in the Peppertree/Equivest System, now Owned by Festiva Resorts

by William A. Earnest

January 20, 2008

Here's an approximation of the history of this company & the changes since I bought my package:
When I first bought this Timeshare package in 1998, the company was Peppertree Resorts, & my package was called 'Peppertee Vacation Club'.
Within the next couple of years, it was sold/transferred to Equivest & known as the 'Equivest Vacation & Travel Club'. Somewhere in there, the names 'ECI', 'RCI' & 'Pendant' have also showed up in correspondence. Next the company was sold/transferred to Fairfield Resorts. The name 'Wyndham' would also show up in places. All of us Equivest members were never integrated in to the Fairlfield system, & we have remained to be known as 'Equivest Members'. Then some time in 2007, the Equivest members were sold to 'Festiva Resorts'. As far as I know, were have not been integrated into their system either, but we are still kept separate & referred to as 'Equivest or Peppertee Members'. Festiva has been trying to convince Equivest members to upgrade/transefer/buy into their system for a hefty fee.
Throughout the Fairfield & Festiva changes, we members have hoped it would expand our network of resorts, by being part of a larger company, but that has never happened. We have felt like 'unwanted stepchildren' each time.

When I was given the original sales pitch; I was told that I could buy into the system at the base level package, 1300 points a year, and that would basically give me (every year): Enough points to exchange in the Interval International system for a week wherever I choose, plus a weekend or so on the East Coast.
I'd say that all should be equivalent to $1000-$2000 value in 'vacation use' per year. It has been nothing like that.

Summary of my complaints:

1. Unavailability of Resorts whenever I try to book something.
I have NEVER, not once, been able to reserve the dates I wanted in the preferred resorts. I would always end up settling for partial dates or different resorts. I have even stayed a couple days in one place, then moved to another resort for the remaining days. All the while, a 'non-club members' can make paid reservations in many of these same resorts. VERY FRUSTRATING!

2. Hard to book due to Complicated Booking Rules & Limitations.
I always think that I understand all the rules (see enclosed document 'Booking Rules'), but most times when I call to book something, I am given another reason why I can't book what I want. VERY FRUSTRATING!

3. Disproportionate & Constantly Rising Annual Maintenance Dues.
$365 in 1998, $563 for 2008.

4. Some Resorts have been dropped since I originally I bought the package.

5. Financially - Simply Put, It's a Rip-off.
(See Enclosed Document 'Financial Records for Equivest/Peppertree Timeshare Package'). This package has no 'value' because it can't be resold, or even given away. Nobody wants these packages. I've read that some people have actually 'donated' theirs to charity just to get out of the annual maintenance fees. I don't know that you can even do that anymore.
________________________________________________________________
I have determined that the only way I can get ANY real use, is to do an Exchange thru the Interval International system in the years that I am lucky enough to book something that way. The resorts I have exchanged with have been fair at best….substandard is more like it. I’ve calculated that it will take me over 20 more years to break even on what I’ve spent, & what I continue to spend every year. For the price of my annual dues alone plus 'exchange fees', I could book the equivalent time in a fine hotel of my choice, without the added frustrations.

Bottom line:
This package was promoted as a 'Membership in a Vacation Club'. One would
expect there to be some BENEFIT to owning a 'membership' of any kind, when in reality, there is no benefit of any kind to this 'membership'. It's obvious that there is no financial benefit. On top of the money that's just thrown away, it's very frustating! THERE IS NO BENEFIT TO OWNING THIS PACKAGE. It is a rip-off.
A person is better off staying away from 'timeshares' & making standard travel arrangements & reservations on their own.

I feel that some type of fraud has been committed.
(end)
 
Last edited:

Sanford

newbie
Joined
Feb 25, 2009
Messages
25
Reaction score
0
WOW...just got a call from them trying to set an appointment

in myhome in FLORIDA. They want to send this guy to my house to " explain about the assessments and how to control the costs of them better."

When I pressed further I learned it is some guy that works for Outfield Marketing....

THIS IS BIZARRE !!!!

WOW
 

Sanford

newbie
Joined
Feb 25, 2009
Messages
25
Reaction score
0
There has to be some way to STOP THEM and Questions

The more I have looked into this matter the more I am starting to understand and see the connections....

There must be a way to organize and collectively unite against this...

As to the $ 400.00 per week, help me understand this math...

Assume there are 52 weeks in the year and rounding to a number of say 50 (?) units that would divide into 2,600 weeks (?) If Mr. Hagberg, managing member of the LLC that purchaed the unsold inventory, so deirects his LLC to pays their $ 400.00 per week as well, or is it Outfield Marketing or are they the marketing arm of Mr, Hagberg's LLC (?)

In any event this EXAMPLE ABOVE would yield 2600 potential weeks (?) at $ 400.00 each or $ 1,040,000.00 . WHERE IS THAT GOING? How is it being acounted ? Who gets use of it? What is the contract and payment arrangements with Outfield ? What benefits does Festiva get? Are there cross ownership interests between Festiva, Outfield and Mr. Hagberg's New England Vacation Services?

Is this a matter for the Commonwealth of Mass. Attorney General's office?

How do we get the message out in an organized manner to the other owners ?
 

Sou13

newbie
Joined
Feb 7, 2009
Messages
791
Reaction score
0
Location
New England
Mindboggling!

The more I have looked into this matter the more I am starting to understand and see the connections....

There must be a way to organize and collectively unite against this...

As to the $ 400.00 per week, help me understand this math...

Assume there are 52 weeks in the year and rounding to a number of say 50 (?) units that would divide into 2,600 weeks (?) If Mr. Hagberg, managing member of the LLC that purchaed the unsold inventory, so deirects his LLC to pays their $ 400.00 per week as well, or is it Outfield Marketing or are they the marketing arm of Mr, Hagberg's LLC (?)

In any event this EXAMPLE ABOVE would yield 2600 potential weeks (?) at $ 400.00 each or $ 1,040,000.00 . WHERE IS THAT GOING? How is it being acounted ? Who gets use of it? What is the contract and payment arrangements with Outfield ? What benefits does Festiva get? Are there cross ownership interests between Festiva, Outfield and Mr. Hagberg's New England Vacation Services?

Is this a matter for the Commonwealth of Mass. Attorney General's office?

How do we get the message out in an organized manner to the other owners ?

Mindboggling, isn't it?

I want to encourage or better still plead with anyone reading this discussion to forward it to anyone who owns a week at Southcape Resort.

All owners need to clamor for the same list of owners that NEVS has turned over to Outfield Marketing, as well as for the bylaws of the Community Association, Inc.

I have reason to believe that Outfield Marketing has been hired by the Festiva Adventure Club or by Festiva Resorts, and that NEVS is being paid to sic them on Southcape and Sandcastle owners.

In the meantime, we enlightened owners need to put up a resistance movement!

If anyone can answer the question about the AG's office, I would greatly appreciate it!
 

Sou13

newbie
Joined
Feb 7, 2009
Messages
791
Reaction score
0
Location
New England
Access to Public Records

These pdf files were downloaded from the Mashpee city property records. They were looked up from the resort address 950 Falmouth. There are records 950-1 through 950-55, presumably for all 55 units in the resort. Downloaded are just a few of them. I don't know all the details of interpreting this data but all mention a 1.2 million dollar sale.

The other business records are from the Mass. Secretary of State website. The TUG member's interpretation is that these entities were created in 2008 specifically to pull off this project.

According to the TUG member who looked up and downloaded these documents, this guy Clifford Hagberg is apparently a significant real estate player in the Cape Cod area. He has also been a major ARDA player, so it's not hard to imagine a Festiva connection.

These TX offices look like shell companies. The only use he can think of for the convoluted business arrangements involved here is to hide the real story. He supposes that it's going to take someone with legal standing to do something about all of this ...

http://www.assessedvalues.com/search.zhtml?jurcode=172
Enter "950" in Loc1 and "Falmouth" in "Location"
 

Sou13

newbie
Joined
Feb 7, 2009
Messages
791
Reaction score
0
Location
New England
RE: Access to Records

http://www.assessedvalues.com/search.zhtml?jurcode=172
Enter "950" in Loc1 and "Falmouth" in "Location"

Now that my benefactor has given me the key to accessing these records, I see that the land taken over by the Town of Mashpee for nonpayment of taxes it assessed at $2,716,700.00!

Now look at this one:
http://www.assessedvalues.com/pdf.z...ge=&propertytype=r&jurcode=172&linksort=locno

Whatever is legally owned by the "condominium owners" has no assessed value. This looks to me as though NEVS is legally liable to pay the taxes on the resort!
 
Top