Okay well here goes....my timeshare presentation at the infamous Belair in PV.
Got up very early for vacationers to meet timeshare street person at McDonalds in Marina. Found him no problem. He promised 4500 pesos for attending presentation. Then told us his buddy who was going to take us said Belair only offers 4000 pesos, we said okay adios...he handed us 500 pesos. So far so good. Least I am getting paid for my time and getting up so early, I am a night owl, mornings are not for me LOL.
The 3 of us, me, hubby, and timeshare street seller climb in our car and head to Belair. Of course we have already been in area for a week and 2 days. Nothing has changed at Belair, still 5 guys working with shovels on a retaining wall ( well sometimes working) and machinery on site remains as still as ever. The water bottle remains on its side empty and abandoned on property. Guess those workers do not drink water, since usually builder provides water garafons ( 20 liter water bottles) for workers. Okay we park and enter property.
We are seated at an outdoor table, then we are processed, have to show ID's and 2 major credit cards and our paper showing we are owed 4000 pesos after presentation. We are left to sit with coffee for about 20 minutes and finally we are taken in by a salesman. Now you will not believe this but I cannot remember his name( he did tell us his relative or something was a diplomat and he did not like US.) He brings us into nice restaurant, lots of glass etc. Model of development etc. etc. We have our breakfast, quite good I might add. Then being a smoker I tell him I would like to sit outside to smoke, so we move to a table outdoors behind restaurant, overlooking, golf course and a pond thing with a live crocodile on the side. My husband says who would golf here with loose crocs. The salesman says oh there are only about 4 of them and we feed them very well. Oh okay, if you say so!!! LOL.
Now the saleman proceeds to ask us what we might be interested in buying for time...like full time, half year, quarter year, month etc. We ask how much for full time 1.8 million. I laugh and tell him you have to be kidding, I can build a house on the ocean for that. He says well probably but people like our concept due to no maintenance. ( Oh I am sure they do since there are no units to live in LOL. ) So we tell him how about a month, well at preconstruction prices that is only 149, 000 for 400 weeks ( wow what a deal). He tells us we will never have to pay maintenance fees again, never have to spend another dime. Then he says he wants to take our current timeshares as downpayments, we give the no way to that one. All right then if you just give me $45, 000 now or some now and then pay in full the $45,000 in 4 months, 400 weeks are yours. He then tells us that when construction is complete he will buy back our unit at 75% of current market rate which will be more than we invested of course as the market always goes up. My husband says oh really have you seen what is occurring in the states right now, he ignores the comment. Proceeds to show us a Conde Nast book as a trading book and also some book by a company with name Johanna;s ( never heard of it), anyway says we can trade in with these companies till construction completed. My husband says and when will that be....he says about 18 months. Also tells us we can trade in our weeks for airline tickets, tickets to the Patriots ( we are from New England) ( really they are always sold out hmm..) , hotels, restaurants on and on....okay so I say I never heard of those exchange companies.....oops guess wrong track for salesman changes subject....tells us when you use your unit you just pay $399-$499 USE fee, and $66. per person per day for mandantory all inclusive in their restaurant and also (are you ready???? LOL) EVERY Restaurant in the Marina!!!! ( This guy must think we just got off the boat from never, never land). I say to him well why AI, do the units not have kitchens??? He says oh yes, beautiful ones, do you want to see a unit....duh....you think I am going to pay you a dime and not see anything....this is really quite comical to me and hubby!
Off we go to top floor of restaurant......view units. Kitchens and such are definately state of the art, absolutely beautiful units.....just no water, no faucets, etc. Okay we tell him yes they are very nice. He says what size unit would you like, we tell him a one bedroom, oh that is price he gave us...okay lets get back to table with questions and such. On way down we pass an area of glass enclosed room with many about 20, computers running, all manned by a person. I find this strange since they have no units, all these computers running and such. I say to hubby quite the operation in there huh...salesman's ears perk up he says WHAT? My husband thought I was talking about A/C units so he says she said great A/C operation. I repeat my statement to my husband and now he gets it and the salesman again gets all nervous, hubby just repeats same thing to him. This is all too weird to me...
Back at table, my husband says look I am a bit confused.....you have not one functioning unit, no faucets, and only 5 men working. The saleman asks me would you be comfortable in one of the units I showed you, I replied well yes of course if they were functioning. He says well some people would not as they are afraid of breaking anything or they feel too elegant. I told him well they are not too elegant for me. He proceeds to tell me how each unit will also have a storage garage type area for things they want to store there like photos etc. (Hmmm...wonder where those will go and where they will fit.) Since the salesman ignored my husbands question he repeats to him and also points out not on beach and well we like the beach. Oh no problem, we are going to have a private beach club and each owner or unit will have its own golf cart to go there. Hubby says really well how do you plan to do that, where will you store them, a few hundred golfcarts require quite a bit of parking and how will you access a private beach club and where will it be, he of course points down golf course.....so hubby points out well the development next door's pool is abutting the golf course so did you buy a portion of golf course . Salesman says no, but we bought right of passage and will ba making a small road....hubby says well then some of it will be right on golf course, salesman says no. Hubby points out well then you have a problem cause at some point over there you will have less than 2 feet, must be very skinny golf carts. Salesman says no problem we have it all worked out. Okey dokey!!! Then my husband asks him and where is the pool going, your model shows a pool. The saleman replies oh the pool will have sand around it and all to make it like a beach...oh good but where is it going to be we ask? He says well..This existing building ( where the Bagotti Restaurant is), is going to be torn down because we are sitting on the pool area! I repied oh well what a waste.....he said oh no we will be resourceful....(Oh I bet they will).
Now saleman says so what do you think want to get in on this deal. My husband says I am a builder and well frankly I do not buy preconstruction, I have seen many builders go under without completing a project. Salesman assures us oh not here. I will show you contract and all we are covered by Sector and of course Profeco ( red light), then he says but of course Profeco can only do so much then you have to go to mexico's Supreme Court, and pay expensive lawyer fees and all. ( are we really hearing this right?) Contract is given to my husband and he glances through it, it is over 8 pages long, my husband points out that it states something about buyer not owning any of land, building and other such stuff...salesman says oh do not worry about that we are covered for everything. (Oh I bet he is but what about buyers, all they are buying is the right to use land, buildings and such) ( this is not sounding good). Husband asks me do I want to read contract , I declined and said I am not reading all that and I am confused on this whole offer, as well as the fact I heard this place was under construction for over 2 years now and this is all that is done? Plus you tell us it will be complete in 18 months well I know Mexico and that is quite quick especially with a crew of what 5 guys you have. Now the saleman proceeds to tell us well they had problem, as they found out they have to go forty feet or something in to ground, as it is different here, the ground is different etc. My husband says and you did not know this when architect drew up plans and you got permits etc. So salesman proceeds to tell us no so next week we have machines going to be putting in pilasters ( sorry if incorrect name, husband not here to help me and no I did not write it down oops). Husband mentioned yes, I see that machine but it has been sitting in same place for whole time we have been here. So saleman tells us, yes we are starting next week cause we had problem with developer so now we have a builder/developer from Spain called IDOM. They will complete project in 18 months. They are all brains and they are the only company in the world that can build nuclear plants in Europe. I said well you are not building a nuclear plant! He said well I just want you to see how smart they are. Oh okay. I proceed to tell him I thought you had to hire Nationals, you know Mexicans for labor. He said oh yes we will and are, we are just using IDOm for the brains end, you know the big guys.
At just this moment a plane goes over head and my husband looks up.....so salesman says...( are you ready for this one???) , oh do not worry about that as they are going to be moving the airport. I said what? they are moving airport where? He said well the airport will still be there but just for small planes, but they are building one airport about 15 miles from here to the north, to NV. ( Hmm...I think that is just about where the militarty camp is), and they are building another airport on the south side of PV ( again hmmm...on the mountainside, cliff). He tells us you know the way to NV is prime building area and they will also be putting in a road to NV to bypass the traffic problem so that it will take no more than 3 minutes to get to Nuevo Vallarta. ( I really think I am being told some tall tales, but I'll say nothing and play the game). He then tells us the timeshare people will all be taken out of the airports, the new ones ( okay that would be good heheh) and also street timeshares salespeople will also be removed and gotten rid of so there will be no more of that. ( okay if he says so, but I'll believe it when I see it).
So he says, so what do you think? My husband says I think I do not buy preconstruction as I told you, I also feel as though this all sounds too good to be true and well in US we say if it sounds too good to be true it is!!! RUN!! He says well it is not too good to be true let me re-explain.
$145,000US for 4 weeks /year total of 400 weeks, this includes a 15% discount, no taxes, no closing costs. $25. charge for GOLF anywhere in the world, "do you golf?" ( we say NO). down payment of $35,000 with 4 months to pay, or you can get a corporate card thur us to pay with 3% interest. Do you like spas? ( we say yes), oh it also includes any spa anywhere in world as much as you want including massages for just $75./day. ( sounds too good to be true) Guaranteed $2000.US per week rentals and the money can be put in LLoyds of London here in Mexico which is an offshore account to avoid taxes. ( Now there is a Lloyds in Mexico, and investment company but I do not think it has any affilaition with Lloyds of London??) In 2 years we will buy back your unit at 75% of what you paid but at current inflation rate, so you WILL make a lot of money, and then you will be asked if you want to invest in our next project, cause we will be doing them in Cabo, Mayan Riviera, Huatulco, and somewhere else. Rememebr we are regulated by Sector and of course profeco. We are members of USA, Canada & Spain Better Business Bureau. ( I had to ask and not Mexico?, he said well of course Mexico Better Business Bureau too).
Do you understand now, he asks us. We answer yes. You have 5 men working, you have machinery that does not move, you have already had a 2 year delay, you have no functioning units and you show us trading companies we have never heard of and you want a lot of money with nothing to give right now in return, and the only building you have you are going to tear down, And we do not buy preconstruction. So we are not interested but we will be back in July to Puerto Vallarta and we will check it out then. cont..