Trying to buy BlueGreen

[dioxide45]

What is it about Bluegreen that has you so attracted to the product? I get that they might have some great resorts in some great locations, but are there not some other brands you could consider that offer something the same or similar?

 

[fredmotola]

It technically isn't final but they won't give you the $500 back so if you decide to try again later it will cost another $500.

Easiest way to get that back is to fold it into the sales price and have the seller pay the fee when submitting on the website. If BG ROFR, the seller gets reimbursed via the sales price that BG pays or the buyer pays. Non-refundable is then moot.

 

[fredmotola]

What is it about Bluegreen that has you so attracted to the product? I get that they might have some great resorts in some great locations, but are there not some other brands you could consider that offer something the same or similar?

If you buy your points resale, BG is a pretty decent price point if you own enough points to bring down your MF/point cost. Buying resale takes out any major costs upfront and you dont have to worry that you spent $25K or more. Assume you have 30K points. Your annual cost is about 8.9 cents a points. If you book a week in a 2BR at 10K points, it'll cost you $900 a week ($128/night) to stay in a 2BR condo somwhere - that's pretty hard to beat. But own less total points, say 15K points, and that same 10K point week is going to cost you $1066. So BG scales pretty good, so if you're planning on 2 or 3 weeks of vacation a year and owning 30K+ points, and willing to pay $2500+ in MF a year, its not a bad deal if you look at it in terms of daily expense. Of course this is just an example, there are much more effcient ways to use ones points.

 

[BagsRpacked]

Just an update on my journey with this...I am tentatively buying through Pinnacle Vacations. 15,000 points for 2600 bucks....after taxes and transfer fees it came to 3170.00. I'm assuming everything went through as I have forwarded everything to a closing outfit that they work with...It's still all very analog, but I guess that's how they keep costs down... (eye roll). Anyway, I'm waiting for the points to post to my account. I don't really have any idea what the status is. The process was fairly straightforward with Pinnacle, although trying to contact them via email at first using their website was unsuccessful. Had to call on the phone. I guess the less in writing the better.... I'm buying straight up points, no "charter membership" so I'll only be able to use bonus time in St. Augustine. I really don't care about bonus time..per se. Maybe that will change as time goes on.

 

[BagsRpacked]

Easiest way to get that back is to fold it into the sales price and have the seller pay the fee when submitting on the website. If BG ROFR, the seller gets reimbursed via the sales price that BG pays or the buyer pays. Non-refundable is then moot.

Brilliant Idea. I feel bad for the person who is the seller, she's only going to net 500 bucks, which is probably going to BG.

 

[BagsRpacked]

So. In case anyone is following along, I finally got my blue green points through pinnacle. Total cost was 3170.00 for 15k annual points deeded in st Augustine. Account came with 30k points, 15k saved and 15k needing to be used by October. I think that’s an ok deal.

 

[BagsRpacked]

So now, the next step...trying to set up the RCI EXCHANGE THING. I was told by the Bluegreen rep that I had to go through RCI to get set up. RCI says through bluegreen. Any thoughts anyone???

 

[rapmarks]

So now, the next step...trying to set up the RCI EXCHANGE THING. I was told by the Bluegreen rep that I had to go through RCI to get set up. RCI says through bluegreen. Any thoughts anyone???

do you have anything deposited with RCI? you need to do that with Bluegreen, to book something and ask them to deposit with rci and then you can exchange it.

 

[xzhan02]

do you have anything deposited with RCI? you need to do that with Bluegreen, to book something and ask them to deposit with rci and then you can exchange it.

This is not true anymore. You can use your current points to directly find exchanges on the RCI portal on BG website, which is RCI point inventory. In fact, the only weeks that can be deposited to RCI weeks account individually are the free Blue/White weeks premier owners are awarded. For those the premier owners can choose which week to deposit, but only certain weeks at certain resorts are eligible.

 

[BagsRpacked]

This is not true anymore. You can use your current points to directly find exchanges on the RCI portal on BG website, which is RCI point inventory. In fact, the only weeks that can be deposited to RCI weeks account individually are the free Blue/White weeks premier owners are awarded. For those the premier owners can choose which week to deposit, but only certain weeks at certain resorts are eligible.

Thank you for this information. As a secondary market owner my readings are I still get rci membership. I wonder if it doesn’t kick in until I pay my first yearly dues?

 

[xzhan02]

I believe you should have RCI membership but I don't have direct experience (bought from BG years ago). RCI membership should be part of the club due, but on the website, we access it through traveler plus/resort stay/RCI nightly stay. So I am not sure whether it is related to Travelr plus. Can you log in BG website yet? What do you see under these tabs?

 

[BagsRpacked]

Yes. There is a Dropdown for rci exchange. It takes you to rci’s website and then says error and to call blue green. Blue green told me I had to sign up for membership with rci. And rci said bluegreen has to turn on my access

 

[tschwa2]

Yes. There is a Dropdown for rci exchange. It takes you to rci’s website and then says error and to call blue green. Blue green told me I had to sign up for membership with rci. And rci said bluegreen has to turn on my access

It sometimes takes an additional 4-6 weeks before the rci account is set after you get your bluegreen account set up.

 

[BagsRpacked]

Good to know. I’ll chill out and take a look then. I’m just wanting to see what works and what doesn’t

 

[Jeddy]

BagsR, keep us posted on how many of your eBay wins get ROFR'ed, and at which resorts.
I'm a BG owner (both property-from-developer and shares), and I'm generally pleased with how BG is trying to manage the business.
Yes, their developer salespeople are the late-night TV high pressure variety ("But wait, there's more!"), but that's almost to be expected.
I hope some of your eBay wins come through to you. Not sure how belonging to the BG 'family' works without having bought something from the developer and having an owner number that way (I have bought in the aftermarket, too).
Please do keep us posted as to your progress.

 

[BagsRpacked]

BagsR, keep us posted on how many of your eBay wins get ROFR'ed, and at which resorts.
I'm a BG owner (both property-from-developer and shares), and I'm generally pleased with how BG is trying to manage the business.
Yes, their developer salespeople are the late-night TV high pressure variety ("But wait, there's more!"), but that's almost to be expected.
I hope some of your eBay wins come through to you. Not sure how belonging to the BG 'family' works without having bought something from the developer and having an owner number that way (I have bought in the aftermarket, too).
Please do keep us posted as to your progress.

They all did. And it waisted a lot of time. Some thoughts I have is that BG doesn’t need to be so passive aggressive with people. If they are going to reject the deal AND be able to recoup the deed at a ridiculously low price, then do so from the get-go instead of leaving the buyer and seller in limbo for a full waiting period. Exercising their rofr on the last day is almost mean spirited.
Secondly, they have said at every owner update I have been to, “Oh but you own this, you can even will it to someone when you die…”(or some version of this statement). To me if I OWN something it’s mine to buy and sell as I please (assuming the buyer can pass the checks to otherwise be an owner).

the salespersons emphasize value during their presentations. So they obviously do not focus on the negatives. And have been honest when asked about ROFR.

But honestly, the more informed a person is the less likely they are going to buy direct from the developer. It’s all quite silly sometimes because they make it seem like you can dash away in your private jet without a care in the world to the land of infinite availability and unlimited points. They’re flashing so many figures and happy smiling families and palm trees that for a second you just might believe it…..

 

[tschwa2]

But honestly, the more informed a person is the less likely they are going to buy direct from the developer. It’s all quite silly sometimes because they make it seem like you can dash away in your private jet without a care in the world to the land of infinite availability and unlimited points. They’re flashing so many figures and happy smiling families and palm trees that for a second you just might believe it…..

Do you have everything set up- your bluegreen and rci accounts? Everything as good as you hoped? I am waiting for ROFR to pass. I may try a 3rd time if this one doesn't work or I may not.

 

[sponger76]

Do you have everything set up- your bluegreen and rci accounts? Everything as good as you hoped? I am waiting for ROFR to pass. I may try a 3rd time if this one doesn't work or I may not.

My understanding is that none of his passed ROFR, therefore no BlueGreen/RCI.

 

[tschwa2]

My understanding is that none of his passed ROFR, therefore no BlueGreen/RCI.

I thought he got the last one through that he bought through Pinnacle- July 11. 2022 postl.

 

[BagsRpacked]

Yes buying from pinnacle worked. No wonder since they are owned by blue green. They provided zero notification that the deal had went through. Just one day logged into my account and the points were there. They also waited until the last day to take the deal. It seems so bizarre to wait until the last day and have people hanging. I guess they are in no rush to give you the points as they make more money by selling you “saved point opportunities” when you can’t use them all by the anniversary date. Still no access to the rci website. Which is annoying but I didn’t have any current plans to use that feature. I just wanted to see what it was all about. All in all bottom line is I got 15k points for 3600 bucks or something like that. I’m headed to a resort next weekend in Shenandoah. Then Christmas at the fountains and a fall get away at cashiers, NC. I think it’ll work for me.

 

[sponger76]

I thought he got the last one through that he bought through Pinnacle- July 11. 2022 postl.

Sorry, I misread it. Sucks that the notification was nonexistent for him.

 

[BagsRpacked]

it was a very arcane paper-based process. No e documents, all print and mail. Whatever. I suppose it keeps costs low for members. Haha. Oh I forgot…they charge closing fees plus a transfer fee.

 

[rapmarks]

My friend owns in the permanent rv sites at Christmas mountain. These were sold before Bluegreen bought Christmas mountain. They wish they weren’t there. Anyhow, my friend has a buyer for her park model. The buyer insists on going through Bluegreen to close, so they have to wait sixty days to see if Bluegreen will exercise rofr .

 

[CharlesS]

The important thing to know is MFs are based on size rather than season and point values are based on both size and season. So you can get a bad season 2 BR and get 3500 points or a prime season 2 BR for 11000 points for the same MFs.

This is true for some timeshare systems but not for Bluegreen. BG's MFs are based on points! So if you buy a 6000 point one bedroom and a 7000 point one bedroom both in mud season and your friend buys an 11000 point two bedroom in prime season, you both pay the same MF (assuming all points are in Trust Fund E and most are) and you both have access to the same inventory!

We have owned since 1998 and BG serves us well. Of course, we are planners which is critical for some reservations and not for others. BG has a variety of resort locations, unit types, and unit point values. Some of our reservations are high red points and some are low blue points. (color refers to seasons)

Charles

 

[Sn0wbird]

So. In case anyone is following along, I finally got my blue green points through pinnacle. Total cost was 3170.00 for 15k annual points deeded in st Augustine. Account came with 30k points, 15k saved and 15k needing to be used by October. I think that’s an ok deal.

Congratulations! It's a good thing that you bought it before BG started exercising ROFR on purchases through Pinnacle 2 months ago.