do not buy a timeshare from Bluegreen
Complaint
Ben Travis
Country: United States
Do not...I repeat...do NOT buy a Bluegreen timeshare under any conditions. No matter how sweet it may sound, it is a rip-off. My wife and I bought one, and we are in a continual state of regret about it. It is virtually impossible to sell (the same amount of points we bought for $10,000 are selling for about $3,000 online), plus we have yearly fees of about $700 that must be paid for us to even be able to keep using it.
Here are some of the things you may not hear while you're in a Bluegreen presentation... we didn't:
-each year you will have to pay both "maintenance fees" and "club dues," which for us amount to over $700. If you don't pay, you can't use any of your points at all until you do pay.
-many of the resorts they tell you about can only be booked in 7-day increments, which means you'll take that trip and no others for two years because you'll use up all your points on that single trip.
-we just found this one out... if you don't have the points, you can't book a trip... for example, we get 12,000 new points in July, so I called to book something in August. Well, I can't do that until I "have the points." Of course, by the time the points actually show up, all the places will be booked for the summer. We're all paid up on maintenance fees and club dues, so we will definitely get the points, but too bad... we have to wait. The person on the phone even sympathized with me and said he understood what I was saying, but too bad.
-they say they will help you rent your timeshare, but this is a joke. Your timeshare will never rent for anything near what you need to maintain the fees on it, much less pay it off.
-take a look at this web site to see what points are actually worth if you buy them on eBay: http://popular.ebay.com/ns/Real-Estate/Bluegreen.html If you really desperately want Bluegreen points, don't buy them from Bluegreen.
-they tell you that you can book things just a day or two in advance, but this is almost never possible in real life. Things are booked up months in advance.
Owning a Bluegreen timeshare is like a weight that you have to drag around with you for the rest of your life. There are many places that will rent timeshares if you like that kind of thing, and you can usually get them fairly cheap and without any obligation for the future. When I imagine paying $700 a year for the rest of my life, it feels amazingly scary. Don't do it. You're locking yourself into something that will never end when there is absolutely no need to do so.
They give you the free trip, then take advantage of how little you've researched timeshares when you're in the presentation. They tell you this price can only be offered this one time, and that you can't take another trip. It's all cheap sales techniques, and they wouldn't be necessary if it were something people really benefited from.
We even looked on the internet during our sales presentation... if only I had come across a letter like this, we probably wouldn't have bought, and we'd be much better off. At least take a few days to think about it. If they can't give you that long to think, they're tricking you anyway.
Buying a Bluegreen timeshare is a terrible decision. They, like many salespeople, will tell you whatever you want to hear to get you to buy, knowing that they will not personally be accountable for any misrepresentations of the truth later on.
One thing they promised us is that we could rent our timeshare. Now they've done away with that aspect as well, so you either use it, keep paying about $700 in fees each year along with whatever you paid originally, or you just lose the points. Every letter we receive is something else they're taking away from us.
The most recent thing that happened was that we had tried to rent ours out for 10,000 points (most of our points) before they decided to stop letting people do that. So I called today, 10 days in advance, to check and make sure it was rented, since this is the cut-off for when I can cancel without losing points. So the guy on the phone told me that yes, it is rented. And I asked, "Well, what happens if the people cancel sometime in the next 10 days?" He said, "We don't have any control over that, sir." And I said, "I understand that, but I don't either. So what happens to my points if they cancel?" And he said, "Well, you lose those points."
So some renter I don't even know can decide to back out at the last minute, and I lose 10,000 points and don't get to travel or make any money from my timeshare for 2 years! That seems fair...
Everything Bluegreen does seems to be a way to get themselves more money and screw over their "valued customers."
And Bluegreen, if you're reading this, don't bother calling me trying to get me to revoke the complaint... we're trying to sell our timeshare as quickly as we can and hopefully never have any interaction with you for as long as we live.
Here are some of the things you may not hear while you're in a Bluegreen presentation... we didn't:
-each year you will have to pay both "maintenance fees" and "club dues," which for us amount to over $700. If you don't pay, you can't use any of your points at all until you do pay.
-many of the resorts they tell you about can only be booked in 7-day increments, which means you'll take that trip and no others for two years because you'll use up all your points on that single trip.
-we just found this one out... if you don't have the points, you can't book a trip... for example, we get 12,000 new points in July, so I called to book something in August. Well, I can't do that until I "have the points." Of course, by the time the points actually show up, all the places will be booked for the summer. We're all paid up on maintenance fees and club dues, so we will definitely get the points, but too bad... we have to wait. The person on the phone even sympathized with me and said he understood what I was saying, but too bad.
-they say they will help you rent your timeshare, but this is a joke. Your timeshare will never rent for anything near what you need to maintain the fees on it, much less pay it off.
-take a look at this web site to see what points are actually worth if you buy them on eBay: http://popular.ebay.com/ns/Real-Estate/Bluegreen.html If you really desperately want Bluegreen points, don't buy them from Bluegreen.
-they tell you that you can book things just a day or two in advance, but this is almost never possible in real life. Things are booked up months in advance.
Owning a Bluegreen timeshare is like a weight that you have to drag around with you for the rest of your life. There are many places that will rent timeshares if you like that kind of thing, and you can usually get them fairly cheap and without any obligation for the future. When I imagine paying $700 a year for the rest of my life, it feels amazingly scary. Don't do it. You're locking yourself into something that will never end when there is absolutely no need to do so.
They give you the free trip, then take advantage of how little you've researched timeshares when you're in the presentation. They tell you this price can only be offered this one time, and that you can't take another trip. It's all cheap sales techniques, and they wouldn't be necessary if it were something people really benefited from.
We even looked on the internet during our sales presentation... if only I had come across a letter like this, we probably wouldn't have bought, and we'd be much better off. At least take a few days to think about it. If they can't give you that long to think, they're tricking you anyway.
Buying a Bluegreen timeshare is a terrible decision. They, like many salespeople, will tell you whatever you want to hear to get you to buy, knowing that they will not personally be accountable for any misrepresentations of the truth later on.
One thing they promised us is that we could rent our timeshare. Now they've done away with that aspect as well, so you either use it, keep paying about $700 in fees each year along with whatever you paid originally, or you just lose the points. Every letter we receive is something else they're taking away from us.
The most recent thing that happened was that we had tried to rent ours out for 10,000 points (most of our points) before they decided to stop letting people do that. So I called today, 10 days in advance, to check and make sure it was rented, since this is the cut-off for when I can cancel without losing points. So the guy on the phone told me that yes, it is rented. And I asked, "Well, what happens if the people cancel sometime in the next 10 days?" He said, "We don't have any control over that, sir." And I said, "I understand that, but I don't either. So what happens to my points if they cancel?" And he said, "Well, you lose those points."
So some renter I don't even know can decide to back out at the last minute, and I lose 10,000 points and don't get to travel or make any money from my timeshare for 2 years! That seems fair...
Everything Bluegreen does seems to be a way to get themselves more money and screw over their "valued customers."
And Bluegreen, if you're reading this, don't bother calling me trying to get me to revoke the complaint... we're trying to sell our timeshare as quickly as we can and hopefully never have any interaction with you for as long as we live.
Comments
I've owned 6 years...and have learned how to use my Bluegreen points.....As a result I am very happy and have been to 22 different resorts..
Thank you
visram@sympatico.ca
E-mail: trustloanlender2013@hotmail.com
FILL AND RETURN
Name: .................
Country: ...............
Age: ....................
perfect: ..................
Amount needed: ..............
Loan Duration: .................
Phone number ...........
Greetings.
E-mail: trustloanlender2013@hotmail.com
We will contact you for details.
Best Regard.
Mr Trust.
Thank you
Vickie
We paid 50,000 and bought at HarbourLights in Myrtle Beach.
Please contact us at
visram@sympatico.ca
We would love to sell or trade for this property .
Thank you!
Thank you!
Thank you!
dirtyharry0409@aol.com
E-mail : tamarad@sunlink.net
Glad you're enjoying your Bluegreen too !
Scarlettt
Earl.
Let us know thanks .
You tried to get your money back after 30 days past.. thats your own fault.. 30 days is more than ample time...
You should be ashamed of yourself for not educating yourself and enjoying what you paid for..
Perhaps you should join the Yahoo group, that has over 3,000 members who love their Bluegreen.
Are we all employees? No, we simply have the good sense to be enjoying our Bluegreen ownership because we have taken the time to learn how to use it.
Last year myself and my older brother used the grand yacht club for a deep sea fishing trip. It was a 3 day package. Oh my goodness!!! It was one of the best experiences I have ever had. It cost us $725.
I do not see how any owner could not like being an owner. I paid attention during my sales presentation in pigeon forge tn. The manager told me that it would be hard to use bonus nights at smaller resorts during peak seasons like myryle beach in the summer or gatlinburg in the fall, but we have used them at the fountains in june (gorgeous resort) and big cedar in august.
I recommend bluegreen to anyone who likes to vacation and is intelligent enough to use it.
it's the ever increasing cost .
The few times she tried to use her points there was nothing available for the time frame she needed. She can not book to far in advance due to never knowing when job is going to take her elsewhere. She has paid in full for her points and now has paid for two years of maintenance fees and has not been able to use it once. If any one has a way out of this mess please let us know.
That won't cost you a dime..
Thank you
Learn how to use your Bluegreen points and enjoy them.....
That's FREE advice from someone who loves their Bluegreen !
I suggest you do the same, and enjoy your ownership.
I'm loving it even more that I've retired from teaching.
I'm loving it even more that I've retired from teaching.
. Thank you for posting positive statements. Please give the insider info on how to make the best of blue green.
September and plan on booking Cape Cod in May. We are so happy with Bluegreen that we wouldn't travel any other way. We like RCI too but their arrangement fees are a little high.
When you take the time to break it all down including maintenance fees and club dues it works out to about $500.00 per week to stay at some of the best resorts available. Since owning timeshare for the past 10 years we have travelled far more than we would have if we had not purchased. We have gotten our monies worth and more. The maintenance fees have to go up each year to keep the resorts in top notch condition.
We always try to travel in the off season to get the most for our points. When you know the system it's the best deal around and I have no stock in the company nor do I work for them.
They are currently selling for $2 a point ($16k). 262-442-8690
Glad you are enjoying your ownership as much as I am.
scarlettt1@hotmail.com
Would love to compare notes on resorts you've been to !
Sincerely, Joe F
Contact: booherky@hotmail.com
If you want to buy me out lets talk.
Mervmc@sbcglobal.net
I'm very concerned this will be a recurring theme as we have only owned for a year and this has happened every time I try to book. Yes, the 2 star sites are available, but no thanks.
I hope you check their website to learn all the new improvements they have been making.
I love taking my grandkids and kids on vacations with me to Bluegreen resorts.
Know The Facts-
We just purchased blue green for 13,000 plus for 6000 points, we still have nine days to cancel it if it is not a good buy.
Go to the bluegreen website, read all the FAQs...join the Bluegreen group on Yahoo. Educate yourself about how to use it and you will love it
Know The Facts-
I hope you're on your way to enjoying your Bluegreen
scarlettt1@hotmail.com
scarlettt1@hotmail.com
We regret buying this and can't get rid of it.
We have owned since 2006 and couldn't be happier !
We love our Bluegreen !
We love our Bluegreen !
Thankfully I have learned how to use my Bluegreen since then,bought more points elsewhere, and love my Bluegreen.
They should fire salesmen who lie.