How come Bluegreen MF vary? I can't figure out why some are more/less for same points

[molonlabe]

Looking to buy/inherit about 9-11K annual Bluegreen points, and on ebay, some listings have higher or lower MF for the same points package. As I understand, 'points is points', so what does it depend on? I don't really care which resort is the home resort, because we'll be using the points to go all over, and even use the RCI membership for last-minute weeks, etc.

At this point, I'm looking for the absolute cheapest yearly MF - any pointers or suggestions would be welcome.

 

[theo]

Some alleged thoughts..

Looking to buy/inherit about 9-11K annual Bluegreen points, and on ebay, some listings have higher or lower MF for the same points package. As I understand, 'points is points', so what does it depend on? I don't really care which resort is the home resort, because we'll be using the points to go all over, and even use the RCI membership for last-minute weeks, etc.

My limited understanding comes from conversations with a fellow owner at one of my facilities, whose ownership there (unlike mine) involves BlueGreen points. The resort is the "basis" for his (and for a very few others there as well, I'm told) BG points. I don't know the history of how BG became briefly involved there at all in some very limited way in the distant past, but his maint. fees are the same as mine (I have no association with BG and never did; I simply own a few deeded fixed unit / weeks there) so I therefore interpret and assume that BG points mf's are directly tied to the (per week) mf's of the "base" resort.

If that understanding is correct, then the "base" resort obviously determines the associated maintenance fee amount, regardless of whether or not you ever have any interest in using that "underlying" resort.
"Points are points", BlueGreen or otherwise, but that just ain't so for the associated maintenance fees.
At facilities where ownerships include both deeded fixed unit / weeks and RCI Points ownerships, mf's are exactly the same for both types of ownerships, per week "owned". Yet, an identical number of RCI points involves very different maintenance fee amounts at various other resorts.

I believe that the above observations are entirely correct, but perhaps a BlueGreen veteran can elaborate further, based upon his / her direct, first hand BlueGreen "points" experience.

The short summary is to get the number of BG points you need with the lowest associated mf amount, which is the seemingly eternal quest of all "points" people, regardless of the points "brand"...

 

[molonlabe]

I believe that the above observations are entirely correct, but perhaps a BlueGreen veteran can elaborate further, based upon his / her direct, first hand BlueGreen "points" experience.

The short summary is to get the number of BG points you need with the lowest associated mf amount, which is the seemingly eternal quest of all "points" people, regardless of the points "brand"...

Thanks, I appreciate the info. Yes, that's what my goal is, to get the absolute lowest MF, regardless of where the home resort is. In the meantime, I'm following a seemingly-reputable ebay seller and will pull the trigger at the right deal.

 

[tschwa2]

Every time I've looked at BG it seems like the MF is too high for what you get. There are at least 4 different trusts. Each has a different way to determine the cost of MF's. OY at timeshareforums.com there is more BG info as well as a yahoo group. Some ebay sellers also have incorrect info as it pertains to MF's.

 

[chriskre]

Thanks, I appreciate the info. Yes, that's what my goal is, to get the absolute lowest MF, regardless of where the home resort is. In the meantime, I'm following a seemingly-reputable ebay seller and will pull the trigger at the right deal.

I can understand your thinking in wanting the absolute lowest MF's in the system but I can tell you from experience that that might not necessarily be the best long term plan. I own a BG multi weeks resort and was hit with a huge special assessment because the MF's were so low for so long and no money was put into reserve to upgrade and maintain the units properly so now we are facing a 3K assessment payable over 3 years.

So do your due diligence and make sure that the home resort you purchase in isn't facing deferred maintenance issues. Another thing to consider is that within BG system, if you purchase resale you only get "Bonus time" with your home resort so if you plan on returning again and again to a local favorite resort that may be a reason to buy into a certain resort as opposed to just owning the cheapest thing you can find. If you like to do short getaways and have a favorite resort nearby that you enjoy this may make sense to own in that resort as opposed to somewhere else where you'd own more BG points but then be stuck with more points than you needed when you could have just paid the cash equivalent and had the same or more vacation opportunities.

And like tschwa2 said, that other forum has lots of happy BG owners who would be happy to help you make an informed decision on the right package to purchase resale.