do not buy a timeshare from Bluegreen

ComplaintsHotelsBluegreen Resorts

Complaint

+2
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.

Comments

  • 0
    Gerard Thompson
    Before buying a timeshare, calculate the total cost of the timeshare, including mortgage payments and expenses, like travel costs, annual maintenance fees and taxes, closing costs, broker commissions, and finance charges. Then compare these costs with the cost of renting similar accommodations with similar amenities in the same location for the same time period. And remember, a timeshare is not an investment for profit or an interest in real estate that will likely appreciate over time. And if you try to resell your timeshare, it is unlikely you will get any way near what you paid for it. This is a good article on how to buy a timeshare: http://goo.gl/z3cRu
  • 0
    Heidi
    I have 6000 points I will sell for $6000.....that's half the going price per share.
    Anyone interrested.
    Maintenance fees and club dues are fully paid till June 2014.
    Contact me...mustangmomma03@att.net
  • 0
    Mary Thomas
    There are good timeshares out there, as well as there are people who feel happy about their timeshare purchases, especially those who enjoy to vacation at the same place and are not spontaneous travelers. Unfortunately, due to the big number of timeshare scams being committed against many vacationers, the industry has gained a terrible reputation. http://www.timesharescam.com/blog/159-how-to-buy-a-timeshare/
  • 0
    Mia Thompson
    Cancel a timeshare: This is the best solution to get rid of a timeshare efficiently. When a timeshare is properly cancelled, the financial obligations attached to the resort will be gone: no more threatening calls, no more debt, and no more maintenance fees.   It is important, however, to cancel your timeshare agreement through the right professionals in order to avoid being scammed. Is important that people know the scammer resorts to avoid them: http://www.timesharescam.com/timeshare-complaints-resorts-black-list/2-villa-del-palmar-timeshare-complaints/
  • 0
    Linda
    We  have purchased 12,000 every-other-year points in the last 2 years from The Wilderness Club in Branson.  The maintenance fees, at this point, are $856 a year.  We will be moving back to WA state in a few years and there are no Bluegreen resorts out west - we know, there is RCI, but very few.  Our income as gone down so we really cannot afford to keep this plan.  We wish we could sell our points for $8,000 but have no idea what you have to do legally to make it legal.  A lot of paperwork I am sure.  We went to the Ozark Liquidators seminar yesterday in  Joplin and they will get you out of your contract for $3,000-$5,000 dollars they said.  They do not buy your points, they just have the lawyers that know how to do this get you out.  They, in turn, give your points to corporations that give them as benefits to their employees - so they said.  We also learned your children inherit your contract whether they want it or not - along with the maintenance fees which will continue to go up each year.  I will say we have used up our points each year, but it has taken me hours on the computer with a calendar on hand to find days we could go down to Branson for a few days.  It is a lot of work!
  • 0
    Jlpool
    I would be willing to sell my 12,000 pts if someone is interested. We have not had any issues but we are in the process of buildng a new home and could use the extra money. Please contact me at jlpool@ptci.com.
  • 0
    Dana
    | 1 reply
    I LOVE my Bluegreen!
    • 0
      dana replies to Dana
      Linda, are your fees always so expensive?
  • 0
    Vania
    Hello,
    I have 10,000.00 point, I am selling for $4500.00 or BO, if interested please text 803-394-4974
    Thank you !
  • 0
    Mark Engle
    | 1 reply
    In June my wife and I attended a  sales seminar in Branson, Mo at a Bluegreen property The Falls resort.  After almost 3 hours of high pressure talk with representatives Veronica & Greg we settled by purchasing a "Sample package".  This package requires that our bank account is debited $114.00 a month for 5 months and we received 4000 points to use "as we wish".  As we wish, right?  Wrong!  Recently my wife tried to reserve a 2 night stay for herself and our grandkids. My wife was then told, by Felicia at the Falls Resort, that her spouse had to stay the 2 nights as well and that we both would have to attend a 1 hours presentation.  Since I was unable to go along she was unable to book the reservation.  My problem is this, so far we have paid out almost $230.00 to BlueGreen properties since we purchase our sampler package and have not benefited in any way.  We would have been much better off to have not purchased the package and paid the $230.00 on a regular hotel room.  If we had gone that route my wife and grandkids would be enjoying a weekend in Branson this month.  If this is the way a company does business I hope they aren't surprised when our sampler package expires and we DON'T purchase any property .  In fact I would most definitely discourage anyone thinking of doing so!!
    • 0
      Sarah replies to Mark Engle
      Mark
      The first time you use it you both do have to be present, they should have told you that. And guess what if you dont buy it every time you use it after that they will call you while your there wanting you to come down for another 1 hour presentation.
  • 0
    Mia Thompson
    It’s a classic situation: You are on vacations, walking on the beach, when suddenly you get approached by an enthusiastic salesman. He offers you a free breakfast, discount coupons and a city tour, all you have to do is to attend a 90-minute timeshare sales presentation. You immediately accept the offer; after all, what could be wrong about that? http://www.timesharescam.com/blog/160-how-to-give-away-a-timeshare/
  • 0
    mel
    has anyone had any luck selling their points? I still have a mortgage and cant afford it. any way to get out of it or will some one buy it?
  • 0
    MTCMSC
    Looking to sell 7000 biannual points for Even year.... Celsius001@aol.com
    Serious Inquiry Only. Accepting Offers.

    Thank you.
  • 0
    Ann
    If ANYONE would like to purchase my parent's timeshare, we'll take nearly any offer.  you can email me at annteeters@embarqmail.com
  • 0
    David
    | 3 replies
    For those who have been on multiple bluegreen vacations, which 2 or 3 stand out as the most enjoyable?  I will be using my future wife's parent's points and am looking to book something in December.
    • 0
      Bob replies to David
      | 1 reply
      It depends on what you like.  If you ski, Mountain Run at Boyne.  Beach experience, La Cabana in Aruba, Tradewinds on St. Pete Beach, Casa Del Mar in Ormond Beach or Daytona Seabreeze in Daytona Beach.  If you live in the frigid north and just want some warmer weather, either of the resorts in Orlando would work.  It's really a little late to be booking December so you might need a few options when you attempt to make your reservation.
      • 0
        David replies to Bob
        Thanks, Bob.  How about St. Augustine?  We are seriously considering that location.  They have a Christmas light show that runs through January.
    • 0
      r. ford replies to David
      Gatlinburg is always nice at the holidays
  • 0
    fbgirl3204@yahoo.com
    I am selling 70,000 points. 35000 annual. maint dues paid. $45,000.00 willing to negotiate. Let me know if you would like to make a purchase.

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