Just visited a sales presentation.

[martinav Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close martinav]

Friends,

My wife and I just viewed a BG sales presentation. I will not say it was high pressure, but the main sales presenter knew his stuff to make his pitch... He appealed to pathos, ethos, and logos. He poured it on! Props to him for knowing his trade... But despite it, and what did make sense about it... we turned it down. Even said no the final offer on the final building on the way to get our gift cards and headed out. Actually, if he would have stayed with us a bit longer, he might have got us on the last one... but I think I had already written us off and wanted to get to the next on.

Anywho, I cannot really believe that the charter membership is not available in the future. Yes, we signed the document saying we turned down the offer, but if you show up with a fist full of cash, will they really refuse you? Just curious...

I did like the basic plan, but wow, it was expensive. $32,900 for 16,000 points. The last presentation we went to with Spinnaker was like 25% that cost for similar. The maintenance and other fees were a bit much too.

We have always liked the idea of timeshares, but we have pretty much just done the travel club thing where you pay 600-800 for a 7 night stay in an unused week kind of arrangement.

Anyone have any insight on what benefits you are really getting with BG over others???

Thanks!

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

First rule buy on the 2nd hand market you will get it most of the time 75% offis and always research what you are buying, Next is what most prefer to do which is buy something that is easy to get to and you can use it every year. If the resort has a rental program that makes it that much better

[martinav Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close martinav]

Roger that... Also, what about the "perks" they offer in the "charter" membership? Some of those are what we would use as well. Such as finding something available in a completely different area that we can use points for, and pay the transfer fee.

Also, with BG, they offer really cheap rentals to owners they call "bonus" days. So, like $89/night for a two room suite and not use points.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

There are other companies you can exchange with, http://www.timeshareforums.com/forum...ange-Companies

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

All the great things you heard at the presentation are probably best case scenarios. Bonus day are probably off season empty resort specials.

For some good information on BG read the BG forums and many or most of your questions will be answered. If not just post a question you have.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Roger that... Also, what about the "perks" they offer in the "charter" membership? Some of those are what we would use as well. Such as finding something available in a completely different area that we can use points for, and pay the transfer fee.

Also, with BG, they offer really cheap rentals to owners they call "bonus" days. So, like $89/night for a two room suite and not use points.

The biggest perk of getting "charter " benefits is bonus time at all Bluegreen resorts.
Pinnacle is the authorized reseller of BG. You can buy 2,000 points with charter benefit thru them for. A Few thousand dollars and then add resale points for $0.10-25 per point. http://www.pinnaclevacations.com
I like BG because I enjoy the flexibility of booking what unit size I want for the number of days I want.

[martinav Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close martinav]

My presentation said that buying specific "weeks" was old school. What I see in the Pinnacle web site are points, and an actual week and unit number. Also, nothing mentioned about charter membership. I am leery of contacting anyone because of the "first time" threat that you always get. I still have a hard time believing that they wont entertain your cash for the same deal... but, anyway... Are you buying a unit and number PLUS points? What is the meaning of the specific unit and week you are buying?

My presenters were on-site, and said they were BG employees. Did something change? Or, are they just not saying everything?

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

Happy New Year! Revel in the the thought that you did not buy from the developer. Buy resale for cash and put what you didn't pay in the retirement fund.

[rapmarks Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close rapmarks]

Even some bluegreen owners want specific high demand weeks because they want to be sure to go to a specific week to a specific place, but the majority do not care. If you buy a small package through pinnacle, you will get bonus time. You can buy resale once you have that package that gave you bonus time.
It is funny because my last three exchanges had about ninety percent of those present who were weeks owners and owned several weeks in the same place, including a bluegreen resort. The club is more flexible, you can go for weekends or weekdays. Just keep reading about it. Just remember, whatever you spend to purchase, odds are you won't get back. You will enjoy what you buy, vacations are in great places in nice accommodations.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

Even if you own points you will be deeded a week or a partial week at a specific resort.
That is just the way timeshares are sold.

You will be given the equivalent of a certain number of points for the week you buy.
Higher demand weeks get more points than lower season weeks.

Although it seems too good to be true, you really can get what you want on the resale market.
Listen to GrayFal, she's an expert on BG points.

I own multiple weeks in BG but not in points.
It works for me although I do see the value of points.
I own several other points systems like Disney, Wyndham, Hilton and RCI.
Points can be a great thing but so can the weeks system if you use what you own.

[motomem Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close motomem]

I have 13000 annual points. I got in to Bluegreen in a roundabout way - bought a fixed Dec week, off eBay, at a BG resort in Daytona. First visit I went to an owner's update and they offered to take my fixed week for points if I bought more points. I did the trade and bought more points for a total of 13K points. I think what I bought was 5000 more points for around $7K. This was my "developers" purchase. They gave me 8K points for the fixed week. My total cost for the 13K points is about just under $10K.

I do recommend making some kind of "developer" purchase, even if it's a small amount of points. My thinking is this helps develop more units that are available. In everyone just buys resale I wouldn't think there would be much growth in the BG system.

All points are deeded against actual time at a resort, to a particular unit, but you use the points anywhere you want in the system depending on availability. My 13K points consists of two deeds. I have not added any more points as I seem to never use all the points each year and have to save points each year (you can save unused points for one more year of use).

I have enjoyed the BG system and hope to many more years.
I think the two main "charter" perks are bonus time and Traveler's Plus.

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

And yet, I have never used bonus time.
I have never used the free weeks.

With a wife who is a teacher, we get to vacation when she has her time off. With her summer programs, that time is really limited. We have so many points, no need for bonus and can't really use the free weeks.

[rapmarks Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close rapmarks]

We were in that same situation, I remember our first fall trip, four weeks in the Carolinas. And I forgot to pay the second installment of our tax bill, our name was published in the paper as delinquent.

[Spence Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Spence]

(you can save unused points for one more year of use)....I think the two main "charter" perks are bonus time and Traveler's Plus.

For about a $50 fee you can save points to the following year, they can only roll once.
Travelers Plus is the overarching benefit that supposedly has an initiation fee of $1349 and an annual fee of about $50 depending on how you pay it. Developer purchases get it thrown in 'free' along with first year fee paid. Unlimited Bonus time is one of the Travelers Plus perks, as is Hot Weeks, Travel Services, Cruises, Grand Yacht Club, etc., etc.