Before you pay a timeshare exit company thousands of dollars, this Bluegreen Vacations review discloses what a former timeshare contracts specialist has learned about getting owners out of unwanted timeshares.
For the past 10 years, I’ve been helping people get out of timeshares they thought they could never escape. Many had been told that their contracts were permanent, that cancellation was impossible, or that their only option was to pay a timeshare exit company thousands of dollars. My 25 years experience researching the industry and working with timeshare owners has taught me that there are often options people simply don’t know exist.
Before I began helping owners cancel, I spent 15 years working inside the timeshare industry, including as a contracts specialist and in sales and marketing management. I know how timeshare contracts are written, what provisions are buried inside them, and how difficult some resorts can make it for owners to understand their rights and obligations. I’ve also seen how much more complicated things can become when owners ask to leave.
That experience led me to spend years researching the timeshare cancellation industry.
I originally wrote my book series, Everything About Timeshares: Before, During, and After the Sale, because I wanted consumers to understand the truth about the timeshare industry, including the things resorts and their salespeople would rather buyers and owners didn’t know. After spending 15 years working inside the industry, I knew how timeshares were sold, how contracts were written, and how important information could be overlooked or downplayed during sales presentations. My goal was to give consumers the inside knowledge they needed to make informed decisions before purchasing and to understand their rights and obligations afterward.
But something unexpected happened. After reading my books, owners began contacting me with the same question: “How can I cancel my timeshare?” Many believed they were trapped in contracts they could never escape, while others were considering paying timeshare exit companies as much as $15,000 to help them get out. Their questions led me to spend years researching the timeshare cancellation industry, examining contracts, and developing methods that ordinary owners could learn to use themselves. I wanted to find out whether people could successfully cancel their timeshares without paying those enormous fees.
Rather than simply writing about my research, I decided to put it to the test.
My Timeshare Cancellation Training – It Worked!
I developed timeshare cancellation training courses designed to teach owners how to examine their agreements, prepare the necessary documents, and pursue cancellation using methods I had researched and developed. More than 250 families participated in that training and reported successful cancellations without damage to their credit. None subsequently contacted me to report that they had failed to cancel their timeshares.
Those results gave me confidence that my research could help other owners. They became the foundation for the document-preparation service I offer today. While no method can guarantee cancellation in every case, I had demonstrated to my satisfaction that owners could often pursue cancellation without paying the extraordinary fees charged by some timeshare exit companies.
Are You A Bluegreen Vacations Owner Who Wants Out?
If you own a Bluegreen timeshare and want out, I encourage you to read this article carefully.
Why would someone willingly give away a timeshare they once paid thousands of dollars to own? Why are some owners so desperate to get out that they’re willing to spend as much as $1,000 annually just to advertise their timeshares for sale, sometimes for as little as $1, and even offer to pay all the closing and transfer costs ($750 – $1,500) themselves? Think about that. These owners aren’t trying to recover their original investment anymore. They’re actually willing to spend even more money just to find someone willing to take their timeshares off their hands. Why? Because for many, the continuing burden of annual maintenance fees and other financial obligations has become more expensive than walking away from everything they’ve already invested. And that raises an even more troubling question: Why is it so easy to purchase a timeshare, yet so incredibly difficult to get out of one?
After 15 years inside the industry and another decade helping owners pursue cancellation, I believe these are questions every Bluegreen owner deserves to have answered.
Let’s examine what may be keeping you tied to your Bluegreen timeshare, what your contract actually means, and what options you may have to finally get out.
The Bluegreen Timeshares Advertised for $1: What Does That Tell You?
One of the first things I encourage Bluegreen owners to do is visit a timeshare resale website, i.e. Sellmytimesharenow.com, and look at what other owners are asking for their memberships. What they discover can be quite a surprise. Bluegreen timeshares that may have originally cost thousands of dollars are sometimes advertised for as little as $1. Others are offered free to anyone willing to take over the ownership.
Think about that for a moment. Someone may have purchased a timeshare for $20,000 or more, made payments for years, and eventually reached a point where they are willing to give it away. Why? In many cases, the owner simply wants to stop paying maintenance fees and get out of an obligation they no longer want.
Now, an advertised price is not the same as a completed sale, and not every Bluegreen ownership has the same resale value. But these listings reveal something important about the timeshare industry. The price someone pays during a resort sales presentation may have little relationship to what another person is willing to pay for that same ownership on the resale market.
A Timeshare Is Still An Investment – Your Timeshare, Money, and Lifestyle
During my years in timeshare sales and management, I saw how much emphasis was placed on the vacation experience. Sales presentations focused on attractive resorts, beautiful accommodations, travel flexibility, and the memories families could create together. What received far less attention was what might happen if the buyer eventually wanted to sell or cancel.
A timeshare can seem like a wonderful purchase when you’re sitting in a beautiful resort listening to a polished presentation. Years later, when the maintenance fees continue arriving and your circumstances have changed, the same purchase can look very different.
There is another problem with trying to sell a Bluegreen timeshare for $1. Someone still has to be willing to accept the ownership. That person must consider the maintenance fees, transfer costs, reservation restrictions, and other obligations associated with the membership. Giving away a timeshare is not necessarily as simple as handing someone the contract.
This is why I believe owners should investigate all their options before spending money advertising a timeshare for sale or hiring someone who promises to find a buyer. I can help.
Why Bluegreen Owners Want to Cancel Their Timeshares
People generally don’t purchase timeshares intending to cancel them. They buy because they believe the membership will improve their vacations, save money, or provide travel opportunities they might not otherwise enjoy. Unfortunately, what sounds attractive during a sales presentation doesn’t always remain attractive ten or fifteen years later.
Some Bluegreen owners become frustrated with reservation availability. Others discover that the destinations or travel dates they want require more points than expected. For some, the problem is financial. Maintenance fees and other expenses continue even when the owner hasn’t taken a vacation in years.
Bluegreen has also been the subject of numerous consumer complaints involving sales representations, fees, reservations, and difficulties exiting ownership. The Better Business Bureau maintains complaint records concerning the company. Although individual complaints should not automatically be treated as proven facts, they offer insight into issues that have concerned some consumers.
I have always believed that one of the most important questions a timeshare buyer should ask is also one of the questions least likely to receive attention during a sales presentation: What happens if I no longer want this membership?
People retire, become ill, lose spouses, experience financial difficulties, or simply change their vacation preferences. A membership that worked well for a family twenty years ago may no longer make sense today.
Yet the contractual obligations don’t necessarily end when the owner’s interest in traveling ends. That’s what makes timeshare cancellation such an important subject.
The Financial Burden of Bluegreen Maintenance Fees
For many owners, the original purchase price is no longer their biggest concern. They’ve already paid that money, and in some cases, the loan has been paid off for years. What frustrates them now is the continuing obligation to pay annual maintenance fees.
Let’s assume your maintenance fees are $1,500 annually. Over five years, you’ll pay $7,500. Over ten years, that’s $15,000, even if the fees never increase. If annual charges rise, the total will be higher. Those payments are in addition to whatever you originally paid to purchase the timeshare.
I encourage owners to calculate how much they’ve actually spent on their membership, including the purchase price, financing charges, annual fees, and any other expenses. Then compare that figure with the vacations they’ve taken and what similar accommodations might have cost if booked independently.
Some owners are satisfied with their memberships and feel they’ve received good value. That’s their decision. But if you’re paying substantial annual fees for a membership you seldom use, it’s reasonable to question whether continuing ownership makes financial sense.
The problem is that deciding you no longer want the membership doesn’t automatically relieve you of those expenses. Until your ownership and financial obligations are properly terminated, the bills may continue.
Can You Legally Cancel a Bluegreen Vacations Timeshare?
Yes.
This is the question that brings many owners to my website. They want to know whether they’re legally entitled to cancel a contract they signed years ago, particularly when they’ve been told that timeshare ownership is permanent.
You must understand that your timeshare is not like a house, a car, or some expensive asset you’ve taken away from the resort. The resort still has complete control over the property, and every unit remains exactly where it was before you purchased your timeshare. You’re simply paying for ownership rights or access to accommodations that the resort continues to manage and operate. Unlike a car or a house, you haven’t physically taken anything away from the developer that needs to be returned.
Over the past 10 years, I’ve learned that there are ways to pursue cancellation of virtually any timeshare contract, but understanding how to approach the process legally makes all the difference. If your timeshare is paid in full, getting out is easy because there is no outstanding purchase loan to resolve. A properly completed surrender or cancellation can often be accomplished without affecting your credit score. However, even when there’s an outstanding balance, owners should not automatically assume they’re trapped with no way out.
About Those Collections Agencies
During my years researching the timeshare cancellation industry and helping owners get out of unwanted contracts, I’ve found relatively few cases in which resorts actually followed through with lawsuits over unpaid timeshare obligations. More commonly, delinquent accounts are turned over to collection agencies, where owners may receive a steady stream of threatening letters, telephone calls, and warnings about possible legal action. In my experience, many of these warnings are intended to pressure owners into paying, and some never progress beyond threats. That doesn’t mean every warning should be dismissed, but owners need to understand the difference between a collection agency threatening legal action and a creditor actually filing a lawsuit. Even with a lawsuit, the most they can do is “negotiate a payoff.”
Once an account reaches collections, there may be opportunities to negotiate a reduced settlement, resolve outstanding charges, or reach an agreement that allows the owner to move forward. Collection agencies are often interested in generating a profit, and a negotiated settlement is more practical than pursuing lengthy and expensive collection efforts.
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that timeshare owners should understand their rights rather than allow threats and intimidation to dictate their decisions. A threatening letter is not a court judgment, and a collection agency’s demand for payment doesn’t automatically mean that every amount claimed is accurate or legally enforceable. Owners should take collection notices seriously, verify the debt, document all communications, and understand their options before making decisions out of fear.
Credit Scores Are Not A Life Sentence or a Death Threat
I also encourage owners to consider how much their credit scores actually matter to their personal circumstances. For example, if you’re a senior citizen, already own your home and vehicle, and have no plans to apply for a mortgage, automobile loan, or other major financing, a temporary reduction in your credit score may have less practical significance than it would for someone planning to borrow money soon. That doesn’t mean credit damage should be ignored. Credit reports can also affect insurance costs, rental applications, and other financial matters, and negative information may remain for years. But the decision should be based on your circumstances rather than fear alone.
What I’ve learned is that many owners are frightened into believing the worst possible outcome is inevitable. A resort cannot simply take your house or car because you request cancellation, although a creditor may have legal remedies if a debt remains unpaid. Owners deserve to understand the realistic risks rather than make decisions based on threats or assumptions. My approach is to begin by reviewing the contract and making documented attempts to resolve the ownership directly with the resort. If those efforts fail and the account eventually goes into collections, negotiation or settlement will usually provide another opportunity to resolve the matter.
The important thing is to understand your options, the potential consequences, and the financial trade-offs before deciding how to proceed. You may have more choices than the resort has led you to believe, and you shouldn’t have to make those decisions out of fear.
Most Owners Never Examine The Contract
As a former timeshare contracts specialist, I place considerable importance on examining what the contract actually says.
Over the years, I’ve encountered owners who had never carefully examined their agreements after purchasing. Some didn’t remember receiving all the documents, while others relied entirely on what they recalled being told by a salesperson.
My recommendation is to begin with the contract rather than assumptions about what the resort will or won’t allow. There may be an available surrender program, a transfer option, a negotiated release, or another legitimate path to ending ownership.
The objective is not simply to send the resort a letter demanding cancellation. It’s to determine which approach is appropriate for your particular contract and how to obtain a documented release from the obligations you want to end.
My Approach: Don’t Simply Ask to Cancel Your Timeshare. Take Control of the Process.
After spending 15 years working inside the timeshare industry and another decade researching cancellation methods, I developed a different approach to helping owners get out of unwanted timeshares. I don’t believe owners should spend years begging a resort to release them from a membership they no longer want. My approach is to examine the contract, determine the appropriate grounds for cancellation, prepare the necessary documents, and take decisive action.
If your timeshare is paid in full
My approach is to make a formal demand for cancellation rather than simply asking the resort for permission. There is no outstanding purchase loan to negotiate, which generally makes the process easier. After reviewing the contract and the owner’s circumstances, I prepare formal documents notifying the resort that the owner is seeking to terminate the relationship and demanding that the company address the cancellation. I don’t begin by asking the resort whether it would be convenient to let the owner leave. I begin by asserting the owner’s position in writing and requiring a response.
However, I also understand that sending a cancellation notice doesn’t automatically extinguish a deeded ownership interest or every contractual obligation. A legally effective termination may require a deed transfer, an agreed surrender, a valid statutory right, or another recognized legal procedure. That’s why understanding how the contract is written is so important. My objective is not simply to send a forceful letter; it is to pursue a documented release from the owner’s obligations.
When there’s an outstanding balance
I take a different approach because the debt must also be addressed. In these situations, I examine the financing arrangements and the owner’s circumstances to determine whether a negotiated payoff, reduced settlement, or another agreement may be possible. Financial hardship, health concerns, and other legitimate circumstances can sometimes provide a basis for requesting more favorable settlement terms, although they don’t automatically eliminate a contractual debt.
I believe negotiations should be approached from a position of preparation rather than fear. The objective is to resolve both the timeshare ownership and any remaining financial obligations, ideally through a written agreement specifying the settlement amount, payment conditions, release of ownership, and treatment of any remaining balance.
This is the approach I’ve developed through years of research and experience helping timeshare owners. I don’t want clients endlessly waiting for a resort to decide whether it feels like releasing them. I want them to understand their contracts, assert whatever rights they have, and pursue a definite resolution.
My philosophy is simple: Take control of the cancellation process instead of allowing the resort to control every step.
My Document-Preparation Service for Bluegreen Owners
If you’ve investigated your options and would like assistance pursuing cancellation, my service begins with a free review of your situation.
Protecting Your Credit and Addressing Collection Agencies
One important part of my document-preparation service is helping clients respond to credit reporting and collection issues that may arise during the cancellation process.
In addition to preparing documents for the timeshare resort, I prepare appropriate correspondence for the three major credit reporting agencies—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—as well as any financial institutions or collection agencies involved in the account.
These documents may include credit reporting disputes, debt validation requests, cease-and-desist communications where legally appropriate, and correspondence addressing disputed balances or negotiated settlements. The specific documents depend on the client’s circumstances and the rights available under applicable law.
My objective is to help clients respond to collection activity, challenge inaccurate credit reporting, document disputes, and pursue a resolution of outstanding obligations. Proper documentation is especially important when a timeshare account is referred to a third-party collection agency.
I want clients to understand that they’re not simply paying me to prepare one cancellation letter. My service includes preparing the appropriate supporting documents and providing ongoing guidance throughout the cancellation process.
Although no one can guarantee that a legitimate debt will disappear or that a credit score will remain unaffected, I believe owners should be prepared to assert their rights and address problems as they arise.
My philosophy is straightforward: Understand the contract, prepare the proper documents, take control of the process, and pursue a complete resolution instead of allowing the resort to dictate every step.
For accepted cases, I prepare cancellation-related documents for the owner to review, sign, and submit through the appropriate channels. I also provide ongoing guidance as the process develops, including helping clients understand communications they receive and identifying when an issue may require legal assistance.
My Costs To Prepare Your Cancellation Documents
My document-preparation service for paid-off timeshares is $1,495 total with a 90-day money-back guarantee subject to the terms of my written service agreement. Cases with an outstanding balance are priced at $3,500 total with a 180-day money-back guarantee subject to the terms of my written service agreement.
I am not a law firm, and my document-preparation service is not a substitute for legal advice or representation. If your situation involves a contested legal claim or requires legal action, consultation with a qualified attorney may be appropriate.
I also want to make something clear: If an owner can obtain an affordable and satisfactory exit directly through Bluegreen, I encourage that owner to investigate it before paying me or anyone else.
My objective is to help people understand their options and avoid spending more money than necessary.
REQUEST YOUR FREE TIMESHARE CANCELLATION REVIEW
My Final Advice: Don’t Spend Another Dollar Until You Understand Your Options
After 15 years working inside the timeshare industry and another decade researching cancellation and helping owners, I’ve reached one conclusion that I believe every timeshare owner should understand: You should never assume that the first answer you receive from a resort or an exit company is the only answer available.
That doesn’t mean every contract can be cancelled on demand or that there is a secret loophole that works for everyone. It means owners should understand their agreements, investigate legitimate exit opportunities, and make informed decisions before committing additional money to a problem they already want to escape.
I’ve devoted years to helping people understand an industry I once worked inside. I know how timeshare contracts are written, how sales presentations can influence buyers, and how overwhelming cancellation can seem to someone who has been told they cannot get out.
If you would like me to review your Bluegreen situation, I invite you to request a free timeshare cancellation review. I’ll examine the information you provide and explain whether my document-preparation service may be appropriate for your circumstances.
REQUEST YOUR FREE, NO-OBLIGATION TIMESHARE REVIEW
Wayne C. Robinson
Former Timeshare Sales & Marketing Executive and Contracts Specialist
Author of Everything About Timeshares
U.S. Navy Veteran Journalist
Disclaimer: This article is intended for consumer education and does not constitute legal advice. Cancellation rights, developer exit policies, and financial obligations vary according to the contract, ownership structure, and applicable law. Past client or student experiences do not guarantee future results.