Festiva takes over resort

[bull2671]

Tombo,

I'm so glad that I am a member of TUG, otherwise I would have regretted my decision. This site is truly a blessing to all timeshare users, especially at moments like this. The time spent last night reading all the posts was a life saver for me.

Thank you for your help.

 

[tombo]

You are so welcome. Welcome to TUG. I am sorry that I didn't notice before that you had already joined.

There are many great sections on TUG. The sightings section is where people list available exchanges on II and RCI as soon as they appear. Often a resort will deposit a bulk banking and there are TUG members who peruse the site constantly all day and night who will let you know so you can grab one before it is gone.

The last minute rentals here are rentals for $700 or less for a week. It is a great place to pick up some great weeks if you can travel last minute.

The resort ratings will give you an idea of what any resort you are interested in visiting is like. There are reviews detailing the resorts and rankings based on owner reviews. Treat it kind of like they do gymnastic scores (throw out the lows and highs). Some people will give a resort a low rating because they got mad at a front desk person and the resort is actually great, and some people will give really high scores because they own there. I try to go with the majority view to pick a resort.

Ask questions here about resorts, destinations, what to do, where to eat, etc. I am typing this from the Sheraton Vistana in Orlando where I am staying on RCI trade. There are many sections and so I asked TUGGERs which section I should stay in. I got many suggestions and chose what the majority seemed to like. What everyone told me was that I needed to get a renovated room. I called the resort about a month in advance, I asked for the Lakes section in a renovated room, and when I checked in I said I was hoping you could get me a renovated room in the Lakes section, and she said I see that in the notes, let me see what I can do. I am sitting in a wonderful renovated room in the Lakes section. Without TUG I can assure you that I would have been in an older room because I wouldn't have known to ask for the renovated room in advance. The 2 bed room unit is huge, sleeps 8, has 3 flat screen TV's, is impeccably decorated, and the resort is a place I wish I could come back to next year (can't come back for 4 years because of the 1 in 4 rule). Thanks to TUG I am in a fantastic room and a great section of the resort.

E-bay is the best place to buy weeks currently IMO, and wherever you buy another week, buy t resale, never buy from a developer. If you would like another week somewhere, you can buy good weeks at good resorts on E-bay currently from $1 to $500. Ask questions here on how to buy on e-bay, who to buy from on e-bay, and what is a good price for a particular resort during certain dates. Many here can help. Just be careful because it can become addictive. They are so cheap to buy that you can overbuy like I did. I have weeks in the mountains, on the beach, in the carribbean. Heck I have more weeks than I can use and am still tempted to buy more so I try not to even look at timeshares for sale on e-bay lest I buy another.

Welcome and feel free to ask me or anyone else here any questions. Most will gladly help and everyone has different areas of expertise. I know a lot about Festiva (and it is all bad) because I own at Blue Ridge Village and I have researched their actions at other resorts, but I don't own any points of any kind so I know very little about other points. Some TUGGER own millions of Wyndham points, tens of thousands of RCI points, hundreds of DVC points, etc. There are people here who know so much about how points work that they can talk circles around timeshare salesmen.

Read, learn, enjoy, and once again welcome.

 

[Sou13]

Be glad you found us!

I believe in the long run you will be glad you found us, bull2671! I've made a personal project of keeping these Festiva discussions near the top of the Search Results because I didn't know about Festiva when I met with the Outfield Marketing sales rep onsite at Southcape Resort.

In the long run you may come to view that $48 as a good investment. I have yet to hear from any happy Festiva club members who joined for the same reasons you did!

 

[mayorpw]

Is it OK to launch a discussion here of what kind of offers Outfield Marketing is making to deeded interval owners? Why and how is it possible to join the Club as a "New" member? Is it OK to post how much it costs for how many points as opposed to how much it costs to convert?

you really have no clue to how it all works do you?:

 

[Sou13]

And you have no clue why we're worked up about it.

Since you haven't given up a deed in exchange for Festiva points, you're in no position to cast insults at those of us who see through this scam.

 

[e.bram]

Octoman now Decoman strikes again.

 

[tombo]

Octoman now Decoman strikes again.

Decoman is probably a little low but more appropriate currently than Octoman. Centuroman can not be far away with the frequency of those new guest appearances. I guess if he invents enough fake posters, one might slip in under the radar and be believed to be a real person.

Keep trying Cliff. I assume you have plenty of time to invent posters since Festiva/Southscape/Sandcastle sales are so slow.

 

[tombo]

you really have no clue to how it all works do you?:

Unfortunatelly for Cliff/you/Festiva/Outfield, sou has learned a lot about how it works. You have retrieved an old post from when you were shrouded in secrecy. Now thanks to TUG and the internet the smoke and mirrors are being replaced by facts. Anyone googling Festiva/Outfield can read many owners complaints and many details about how Festiva takes over resorts, raises MF's, assesses, and takes valuable weeks from owners (plus cash) replacing them with Festiva points that are basically worthless.

Yes the good old days (for you) when Sou didn't have a clue how Outfield/Festiva/Cliff operated are long gone. Perhaps you should quote from some of Sou's new posts instead of these old posts from the past. The new posts are the ones that have you scared because the new posts are detailing all the things Sou has found out about, and now many of us know how it all works (much to your dismay).

 

[Sou13]

Return of FestivaRep

FestivaRep has returned but not to this discussion. There are some FestivaRep posts that need to be reviewed.

 

[rhonda3]

Any help would be appreciated

Total newbie here, but I'm under a time constraint and hope you will forgive any mistakes I make (or things that I should have looked at but didn't know about!).

History: I bought 2 fixed weeks at Peppertree Atlantic Beach more than 20 years ago but have never been back to the resort. I had a wonderful experience trading these weeks via RCI while free and single, but now that I'm a mom of 3, we could never get the unit we needed in a place we wanted to go when we wanted to go. So...my husband and I purchased Sunterra points (specifically for the internal exchange option) and had several good years there, moving our Peppertree/Equivest/Festiva weeks to the Sunterra/Diamond Club Select and getting the extra points we needed to take the vacations we wanted.

We've gotten the push to change to Festiva points, were seriously considering doing this, but now are reconsidering (what I've read here has been eye opening). Due to several things that have happened in our lives, the decision was pushed to the back burner for several months. It's been on the front burner for a couple weeks, but we still couldn't make the decision. So here's where I'd love some expert advice:

It looks like we do NOT want to make the switch from fixed weeks to points in the Festiva system--unless I'm reading all the posts incorrectly (any additional info here would be welcome). The only thing is, we cannot use our fixed weeks as school is in session for the kids (ages 8, 10, 12 so we've still got a while).

This year, our first week starts 9/5 and I can't get it into Club Select to use it in the Diamond internal exchange (which, on a totally different note, I'm having problems with availability in some geographical areas now that Diamond has taken over--and I'm not sure why). Is renting the 9/5-Labor Day week really an option? Since I've not been able to find an exchange that works with RCI in many years (and I'm sure depositing now wouldn't give me much "power"), I don't think that's a viable option. Any suggestions would be welcome.

I look forward to getting to know TUG better, as it seems like a fabulous resource for those of us who want to continue in timeshare.

 

[tombo]

It is hard to exchange for prime summer weeks through RCI, but paying to join Festiva Adventure Club will increase your costs while probably decreasing exchange availability. At most Festiva resorts they own very limited amounts of prime inventory since most owners keep those weeks. If you were to join Festiva, your points can't be traded for weeks that Festiva doesn't own. Festiva can't deposit prime weeks with II that they don't own either. I would assume that about 100% of Festiva's limited number of prime weeks are used internally for members to use with points.

Do not join Festiva for any reason. It is expensive and not worth it. You can possibly sell the week(s) you own, but you will be stuck with Festiva points for 30 years. Those are worthless. Run screaming the other way from the salespeople and don't let them scare you or intimidate you. Everyone is not going to points, everyone is not giving up their deeded weeks, RCI is not dumping your resort, Festiva points will not get you any week you want at any festiva location you desire, and your deeded week will not become worthless and unuseable. They tell lies and half truths, don't even sit down to talk with them because you can't beleive a thing they say.

Redweek.com, TUB bulletin board, myresortnetwork.com, and a couple of other sites provide good rental opportunities. When you list you week make sure that you are no more expensive than the cheapest lsiting for a comparable week. The lowest priced 2 bed for labor day will obviously rent first. Go to the rental threads here on TUG and read about how, when, and where to rent your weeks. Also which resort(s) do you own at that you are needing to rent? Some owners at your specific resorts might be more helpful with rentals at your resort than most.

Welcome to TUG. Peruse the TUG forums to help you decide what you want to do with your weeks, to learn, and to enjoy, but whatever you do don't give up your deeded weeks for Festiva points that are worthless (IMO).

 

[FestivaRep]

I am following this thread as well as two others that are currently active (Southcape & Sandcastle). Please note that I will not be able to be as active on the board as I was several months ago as my job responsibilities have expanded and most of the time I've spent on here is after work hours on my own time. I expect to be able to catch up on the board once every week or two. If you have specific questions, you may get a faster answer if you e-mail them directly to me at comments@festivaresorts.com, and you can post my response(s) here publicly if you wish.

FestivaRep has returned but not to this discussion. There are some FestivaRep posts that need to be reviewed.

 

[tombo]

This ad on ebay for 2600 Festiva Points ended after being listed for 25 days with no bids even though the starting bid price was only $1. When we say in these forums that Festiva Points are worthless, we mean just that. I hope nobody else ever pays Festiva $3000 or more and gives Festiva their deeded week for Festiva Adventure Club points that can not even attract a bid of $1 on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...RRENCY=0&_sop=12&_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_fvi=1&_rdc=1

Anyone who is considering Festiva membership and finds this site, DO NOT BUY OR SWAP YOUR WEEK FOR FESTIVA POINTS!!!!! If you do you will regret it for the next 30 years IMO.

 

[Carolinian]

I just notice Intercity Escrow Services on the Dare County website's land transfers page. Since this is the entity connected with conversion downgrades to Festiva points on Cape Cod, I pulled up all transfers that had gone into this entity. Apparently, these Festiva con artists have been working Outer Banks Beach Club and Outer Banks Beach Club II for about a year. Given the extremely frosty relationship the HOA and management company have had with both Peppertree/Equivest and with Fairfield/Wyndham at these resorts, I can't imagine that these activities have been with the approval of the resort. I suspect that most or all of them are people who were previously conned into converting to the dying Peppertree/Equivest points system and are now grasping at anything to get themselves out of that mess. These resorts have had enough negative history with points system cons that I suspect the leadership there and most members would steer as far away from new conversions as possible. However, when I am back in the states, if I get down to the OBX, I will make some inquiries.

 

[Carolinian]

I don't know who controls the resort HOA at Atlantic Beach, but my question would be if you are fixed week owners, who have never previously converted to Peppertree/Equivest points, is how did Festiva get your name and contact information? The HOA should not be giving or selling that to scoundrels like Festiva. I wonder if Peppertree gave it to them as part of the sale of whatever they had left at that resort. If so, that would probably be illegal. I suspect you probably have a homeowner run board, as one of the things Peppertree was good about was doing the right thing and turning over resorts to their timeshare owners at the appropriate time.

Total newbie here, but I'm under a time constraint and hope you will forgive any mistakes I make (or things that I should have looked at but didn't know about!).

History: I bought 2 fixed weeks at Peppertree Atlantic Beach more than 20 years ago but have never been back to the resort. I had a wonderful experience trading these weeks via RCI while free and single, but now that I'm a mom of 3, we could never get the unit we needed in a place we wanted to go when we wanted to go. So...my husband and I purchased Sunterra points (specifically for the internal exchange option) and had several good years there, moving our Peppertree/Equivest/Festiva weeks to the Sunterra/Diamond Club Select and getting the extra points we needed to take the vacations we wanted.

We've gotten the push to change to Festiva points, were seriously considering doing this, but now are reconsidering (what I've read here has been eye opening). Due to several things that have happened in our lives, the decision was pushed to the back burner for several months. It's been on the front burner for a couple weeks, but we still couldn't make the decision. So here's where I'd love some expert advice:

It looks like we do NOT want to make the switch from fixed weeks to points in the Festiva system--unless I'm reading all the posts incorrectly (any additional info here would be welcome). The only thing is, we cannot use our fixed weeks as school is in session for the kids (ages 8, 10, 12 so we've still got a while).

This year, our first week starts 9/5 and I can't get it into Club Select to use it in the Diamond internal exchange (which, on a totally different note, I'm having problems with availability in some geographical areas now that Diamond has taken over--and I'm not sure why). Is renting the 9/5-Labor Day week really an option? Since I've not been able to find an exchange that works with RCI in many years (and I'm sure depositing now wouldn't give me much "power"), I don't think that's a viable option. Any suggestions would be welcome.

I look forward to getting to know TUG better, as it seems like a fabulous resource for those of us who want to continue in timeshare.

 

[elaine]

Festiva manages Atlantic Beach

Festiva manages Atlantic Beach, and all maintenance fees go via Festiva now--so they have all owner information. I have gotten multiple calls. Sometimes, I have gotten 2 calls on the same day. Here's what I do "JUST SAY NO--I love my week"--it take me about 5 seconds. I have a fixed summer week--there is no way I would ever consider any conversion, even if free. Elaine

 

[Carolinian]

Festiva manages Atlantic Beach, and all maintenance fees go via Festiva now--so they have all owner information. I have gotten multiple calls. Sometimes, I have gotten 2 calls on the same day. Here's what I do "JUST SAY NO--I love my week"--it take me about 5 seconds. I have a fixed summer week--there is no way I would ever consider any conversion, even if free. Elaine

Who controls the HOA? On the Outer Banks, one thing that Peppertree / Equivest did very properly was to turn over the HOA board to homeowners at what was then Peppertree Outer Banks Beach Club I and II. The HOA boards continued to let Peppertree manage the resorts, but when they sold out to Cendent / Fairfield, both boards balked at being connected to them, and so did not allow them to assume the management. Both HOA boards working in tandem, hired a well-regarded management company out of Myrtle Beach and even took the ''Peppertree'' designation off of the resorts.

OBBC I and II were sold out when the sale of Peppertree / Equivest took place, but my understanding was that Cendent / Fairfield took over unsold inventory and assumed management where they could. They did not take Peppertree / Equivest's points club into their own but left it twisting in the breeze as membership declined. The points club was, to my understanding, what Festiva bought, not management at resorts or unsold inventory. I am curious as to how Festiva ended up managing your resort. That is NOT a good sign.

Peppertree / Equivest's finances were not good in their last days. They had purchased a tract off the beach on the OBX to build another resort but that got sold at the Dare County courthouse door to pay off some judgments against them.

If the HOA board at Atlantic Beach is either Festiva employees or gullible owners who have been snowed by them, or a combination, then your resort needs its concerned owners to get together and elect an owner-oriented board to rein in Festiva or perhaps give them the same treatment that Outer Banks Beach Club gave to Fairfield / Cendent. If not, the more of these owners they con into downgrading and converting, the more uphill the battle will be later to try to take your resort back from Festiva.

 

[Jya-Ning]

The points club was, to my understanding, what Festiva bought, not management at resorts or unsold inventory.

They also bought management right and unsold inventories.

It was owner controlled HOA. If I remember right, last election, there is a candidate from the Festiva. But don't know what the election result.

Jya-Ning

 

[Carolinian]

They also bought management right and unsold inventories.

It was owner controlled HOA. If I remember right, last election, there is a candidate from the Festiva. But don't know what the election result.

Jya-Ning

A management ''right'' can only be sold if an HOA is foolish enough not to put a clause in the management contract that requires the HOA's consent to a transfer management to a third party. That allows an HOA to remain in the drivers seat. Too often, that does not happen, unfortunately, and the HOA must wait until the contract comes up for renewal. Outer Banks Beach Club was fortunate in that regard.

When management tries to obtain board seats that is a huge red flag that you need to get rid of that management. Management should be the hired hands, and when they try to get their hands on the board that is their boss, that is a huge conflict of interest. In fact, there ought to be legislation to flatly prohibit that.

So Fairfield did not keep any unsold inventory at Atlantic Beach? They would have loved to have had their hands on some at Outer Banks Beach Club. All they really got was the former sales office across the street, which they tried to reopen for a while selling Fairfield points. The Beach Club HOA would not let the Fairfield salesmen on the premises to sell, so they had to take prospects several miles away to Seascape, where they paid the HOA to let them tour prospects. That did not work so well, so they finally just sold off the sales office, which was torn down by the buyers and whole-ownership condos (Victoria Place) put up in its place.

 

[Jya-Ning]

A management ''right'' can only be sold if an HOA is foolish enough not to put a clause in the management contract that requires the HOA's consent to a transfer management to a third party. That allows an HOA to remain in the drivers seat. Too often, that does not happen, unfortunately, and the HOA must wait until the contract comes up for renewal. Outer Banks Beach Club was fortunate in that regard.

When management tries to obtain board seats that is a huge red flag that you need to get rid of that management. Management should be the hired hands, and when they try to get their hands on the board that is their boss, that is a huge conflict of interest. In fact, there ought to be legislation to flatly prohibit that.

Most HOA is set up by developer first, than based on the real estate rule, turn over to owner at certain point. Thus, to expect it will contain a clause not to allow themselves to sold the right will be very unlikely.

I agree with you, that there out to have rule that once the resort satisfy the status quo and turn to owner, some restriction should be there to which group can not be on HOA. Probably the Management company and its arm length employee/employer. So it can protect both sides. Otherwise, in this case, once resort starts need to foreclosure the unpaid unit, there is no way managemnet company will not involved. And I believe the PepperTree vacation club also own some units there, and the owner has no say on that club. So, it will be very hard to not to have Festiva want to add someone to HOA and very hard for owner as a group to constant make sure it will not happens.

Jya-Ning

 

[Carolinian]

Most HOA is set up by developer first, than based on the real estate rule, turn over to owner at certain point. Thus, to expect it will contain a clause not to allow themselves to sold the right will be very unlikely.

I agree with you, that there out to have rule that once the resort satisfy the status quo and turn to owner, some restriction should be there to which group can not be on HOA. Probably the Management company and its arm length employee/employer. So it can protect both sides. Otherwise, in this case, once resort starts need to foreclosure the unpaid unit, there is no way managemnet company will not involved. And I believe the PepperTree vacation club also own some units there, and the owner has no say on that club. So, it will be very hard to not to have Festiva want to add someone to HOA and very hard for owner as a group to constant make sure it will not happens.

Jya-Ning

Once owners contol an HOA they can write a management contract, and should always insert that clause about selling the contract. You are right thet developer-controlled HOA's, looking out for the developer's interest, probably do not.

Foreclosures should not bring a management company into ownership. It is the HOA that back m/f's are owed to, and thus the HOA that should be the buyer, for those back m/f's at the foreclosure sale. If a management company is acquiring ownership, it is a clear sign that something is very rotten.

As to Festiva voting the Peppertree points club weeks, thanks to Outer Banks Beach Club, there is already case law in North Carolina that they cannot do that. The North Carolina courts have ruled that those votes belong to the owners of the underlying weeks, NOT to Peppertree or Festiva. Festiva has to be aware of that and if they are violating established North Carolina law in the way they operate at Atlantic Beach, then they ought to be nailed on it and nailed hard. Scoflaws like that ought not to be managing resorts.

SPM Resorts has done a very good job of managing Outer Banks Beach Club. They aren't control freaks like Festiva. Maybe Atlantic Beach chuck out overbearing and self-serving Festiva and bring in SPM, or some other company that doesn't have a points club attached.

 

[Sou13]

Clarification?

Could you clarify that just a bit? Are you saying that when NC owners convert to points they can still vote? Or are you referring to owners who choose not to convert?

 

[Sandy VDH]

Why is the SA the same regardless of the unit size you own. Shouldn't the SA be tied to that. Studio owners pay less than 1 BR owners, etc.

The paperwork says that the SA is X $$ for every owner.

What are people doing about the SA?

 

[Sou13]

Festiva sued by owners, backs down, regroups to try again!

News just in today on Festiva's activities:
Festiva sued by owners, backs down, regroups to try again!

 

[Sou13]

From the Southcape Resort discussion

TomBenoit wanted NEVMSLLC to answer these questions:

NEVMSLLC - Perhaps you can answer some questions

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I had asked these before but really need specific answers before I decide on any course of action:

Who is Jonathan Brown and did he tell us the truth?

He showed up at our house with a copy of our deed to Southcape back in December 2008. He informed us that (some is on paper):

1) Festiva had purchased Southcape
2) Maintenance fees were going to $750/year
3) The ENTIRE septec system needed to be replaced for $5-10mm
4) There would be a $500/yr assesment for at least 5 years until
a) Septic is paid off
b) There is a $2mm reserve
5) All of Soutcape was switching to II
6) We could avoid the increased maint/assesments by 'upgrading' to Festiva
a) Year 1 of II would be included
b) Year 1 of Festiva maint would be included
c) We could 'opt out' of Festiva without penalty - anytime

We are now hearing some very conflicting information regarding the situation and implying that the individual (in my mind, in some way shape or form, an agent of Festiva) may not have been totally honest.​

His reply was

I am no longer engaging in debate or dialogue in this forum. It's pointless. I will correct untruths that are posted here. If you or any other owner would like answers to your questions, please email me at nevmsllc@gmail.com

Cliff​

My reply was

I believe TomBenoit is asking you to do just that. So does that mean that what Jonathan Brown told him is true?​

to which he replied

My private communications with owners are exactly that - private.​

to which I replied

I contend that we'd all be better served if you answer his questions publicly so that you don't have to use up your time valued at $1,000 per month charged to us answering these important questions privately.​