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UVC International

ProTurbo

TUG Member
Joined
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Location
Ontario, Canada
Hi, Im new to timeshare, and before I buy, I want to learn as much as possible.

We are looking to buy a timeshare in Cabo. Villa Del Palmar come to mind because you can travel all there resort with a gold membership.

Any suggestion if is a good way to go or buy something alse and use an exchange firm.



Thank you

Dan
 
The usual TUG wisdom is to buy where you want to go. But the exception to that rule is to NOT buy in Mexico. Rentals are SO easy and often cheaper than Maintenance Fee. Also no big exit fees or predatory sales to contend with.

Buy a nice U.S. based TS that exchanges with the big exchanges- or don't buy at all. Take a look in the TUG Marketplace (in the red stripe above).

Welcome to TUG.

Jim
 
I see your point and I hear that often you cannot get anything for it, if you buy. What do u mean by "predatory sales to contend with"

Thx Jim

Dan
 
I see your point and I hear that often you cannot get anything for it, if you buy. What do u mean by "predatory sales to contend with"

Thx Jim

Dan

Most of us have better things to do on vacation than sit in a boiler-room being brow-beaten by lying salesweasels who will say anything to make a sale. If you go to a resort on exchange, or as a renter (with all the perks of the owner) it's pretty easy to side-step the 'presentation'. Mexican law is very different than U.S. or Canadian law, and the principles of 'truth' and 'fairness' are foreign concepts.

I am certainly not saying that the system you mentioned are not good resorts, they are. But if you own there, you better like them. A lot. Because it's much more difficult to exchange an ownership week there to somewhere else, than vice-versa.
 
Most of us have better things to do on vacation than sit in a boiler-room being brow-beaten by lying salesweasels who will say anything to make a sale. If you go to a resort on exchange, or as a renter (with all the perks of the owner) it's pretty easy to side-step the 'presentation'. Mexican law is very different than U.S. or Canadian law, and the principles of 'truth' and 'fairness' are foreign concepts.

I am certainly not saying that the system you mentioned are not good resorts, they are. But if you own there, you better like them. A lot. Because it's much more difficult to exchange an ownership week there to somewhere else, than vice-versa.
I hear ya, well that's what Im here for, talking to people who knows what going on and help people like me that never did buy or rent a timeshare.

I tell ya, I learned a lot already, we are going to Villa Del Palmar Cabo on Feb 5. 2015 for a week. We booked from BookVIP and had to agreed for a Timeshare presentation. I wanted to be ready for them..

Thx Jim

PS: Would Hawaii be consider a nice U.S. based TS that exchanges with the big exchanges ?
 
I hit CABO every year for my birthday and whale watching in January, exchange into different resorts to avoid 1/4 rule. Have done around a dozen sales pitches as for $300 cash I will rent my soul to the Devil.Also, scope out where I will stay next year!

They will start you with nice $20+ breakfast where the sales person strips you naked. Then they try and stiff you with tip and advise the 1 hour "eating" does not count against 2 hours.

They and their cohorts will then proceed to royally rape you. If you can get out in less than three hours a miracle, as they only do one a day. Never happened to me but people I have talked with said refused gifts if did not stay until released.

If you do not buy forget about free cab ride back to your resort. No one "hable inglish"!

My out after a couple hours is GF has terrible credit and CC with $1,000 limit maxed out so we give them this and they run and give up. Tell them I don't use CC and my money is in a Trust Fund and I have limited access!

Why don't you scroll down and read Mexico forum.

Whole different world and USA laws do not apply , just like car insurance!
 
Hi, Im new to timeshare, and before I buy, I want to learn as much as possible.

We are looking to buy a timeshare in Cabo. Villa Del Palmar come to mind because you can travel all there resort with a gold membership.

Any suggestion if is a good way to go or buy something alse and use an exchange firm.



Thank you

Dan

I love going to Mexico but getting into VDP Cabo, Puerto Vallarta and Nuevo Vallarta, Loreto is relatively easy so unless you plan to not exchange, I would buy something else that gives you more flexibility.

Also, if you buy a Cabo resort, you can't exchange into the Pueblo bonitos in Cabo via RCI due to a regional block.
 
Dan, buying in Hawaii exposes you to the highest MFs in timesharing. Not to mention that every year airfare to/from Ontario is pretty dear. If it was me, I'd look into a resale perhaps in coastal (non Orlando) Florida, or if you can swing it, New Orleans Mardi Gras or Spring Break time. Perhaps a good size contract (over 160,000 points) with Wyndham.

You know your finances better than we do, but these can be had fairly reasonably.

Others know more about the nuts and bolts of those systems than I do. There are lots of questions answered in the stickies.

Jim
 
We purchased Villa Del Palmar years ago and are now trying to sell as we don't use it as much as we anticipated. This is our first sale so not sure if this is challenging because it is mexico or sale is just challenging.
 
Have you listed it on TUG? Or anywhere else? I just noticed this today, I saw that you got a transfer form from the resort. How much do they ask for the transfer? When does the RTU expire? In Mexico, there is no deed, so it's just a matter of the resort changing the names on the Right to Use. Have you read the 'How to sell your timeshare' in the stickies above this thread?
 
Dan, buying in Hawaii exposes you to the highest MFs in timesharing. Not to mention that every year airfare to/from Ontario is pretty dear. If it was me, I'd look into a resale perhaps in coastal (non Orlando) Florida, or if you can swing it, New Orleans Mardi Gras or Spring Break time. Perhaps a good size contract (over 160,000 points) with Wyndham.

You know your finances better than we do, but these can be had fairly reasonably.

Others know more about the nuts and bolts of those systems than I do. There are lots of questions answered in the stickies.

Jim
Ya very expensive to go the Hawaii , but the U.S. is not were we want to spend our vacation,

How about in the Caribbean, like st-kitts or anywhere else then mexico, there must be so good place. And good exchange place ?
 
I hit CABO every year for my birthday and whale watching in January, exchange into different resorts to avoid 1/4 rule. Have done around a dozen sales pitches as for $300 cash I will rent my soul to the Devil.Also, scope out where I will stay next year!

They will start you with nice $20+ breakfast where the sales person strips you naked. Then they try and stiff you with tip and advise the 1 hour "eating" does not count against 2 hours.

They and their cohorts will then proceed to royally rape you. If you can get out in less than three hours a miracle, as they only do one a day. Never happened to me but people I have talked with said refused gifts if did not stay until released.

If you do not buy forget about free cab ride back to your resort. No one "hable inglish"!

My out after a couple hours is GF has terrible credit and CC with $1,000 limit maxed out so we give them this and they run and give up. Tell them I don't use CC and my money is in a Trust Fund and I have limited access!

Why don't you scroll down and read Mexico forum.

Whole different world and USA laws do not apply , just like car insurance!
Right on, thx for the information Paco, I really like cabo. I know its not really an investment and probably will rent.

PS: will bring cab money..lol

Dan
 
I love going to Mexico but getting into VDP Cabo, Puerto Vallarta and Nuevo Vallarta, Loreto is relatively easy so unless you plan to not exchange, I would buy something else that gives you more flexibility.

Also, if you buy a Cabo resort, you can't exchange into the Pueblo bonitos in Cabo via RCI due to a regional block.
More flexibility like what? this is not bad give you 5 resort to go 2 week a year. what is your idea or more flexibillty is I do not exchange?

And I do not know anything about RCI, I will have to read up on it

Thx

Dan
 
Have you listed it on TUG? Or anywhere else? I just noticed this today, I saw that you got a transfer form from the resort. How much do they ask for the transfer? When does the RTU expire? In Mexico, there is no deed, so it's just a matter of the resort changing the names on the Right to Use. Have you read the 'How to sell your timeshare' in the stickies above this thread?
There no deed at all in Mexico, just rent to use??? for sure??

Dan
 
There no deed at all in Mexico, just rent to use??? for sure??

Dan

Yup. There may be exceptions I am not aware of, but every Mexican TS 'ownership' we've heard of is a RTU. A 'Right to Use' X number of weeks for X number of years. On some you just walk away, or you can re-up for another period. And frequently there is a scheduled 'Special Assessment' of several MFs for refurbishment that pops up every few years. In order to sell or transfer your week to a new owner, you pay the resort up to as many as 5- to 10X MFs just to change a name. And as owners, you have no control over the amounts of MF increases, or if the place is all inclusive, what they charge you for those watered down margaritas and meals.

Oh, you said you are thinking Caribbean. They have hurricanes there. Be careful about your season of ownership, and how well insured the place is.

I am not really trying to rain on your parade. Just making you aware of some of the realities of tropical timesharing.

Jim
 
Yup. There may be exceptions I am not aware of, but every Mexican TS 'ownership' we've heard of is a RTU. A 'Right to Use' X number of weeks for X number of years. On some you just walk away, or you can re-up for another period. And frequently there is a scheduled 'Special Assessment' of several MFs for refurbishment that pops up every few years. In order to sell or transfer your week to a new owner, you pay the resort up to as many as 5- to 10X MFs just to change a name. And as owners, you have no control over the amounts of MF increases, or if the place is all inclusive, what they charge you for those watered down margaritas and meals.

Oh, you said you are thinking Caribbean. They have hurricanes there. Be careful about your season of ownership, and how well insured the place is.

I am not really trying to rain on your parade. Just making you aware of some of the realities of tropical timesharing.

Jim
No no, for sure I must know I want to know what is the bad and the goods, sure looks like will be renting in Mexico then, I do see all your good point and thank you for it.

My only concern is will have to pay for food and drinks, since TS is not all Inclusive. The wife will not cook that's for sure..lol. What do you guys all do COOK???
 
Im up to 4 weeks at Villa del Palmar all bought on ebay. The last one was a two bed unit that had a free bankable year, free closing cost , free transfer fee and only cost me $1. UVC allows you to reserve at any of the Villa Group Resorts. There a a few newer resorts and a couple of older resorts. VDP Cabo and VDP Puerto Vallarta are the two older ones. Flamingos in Nuevo , Villa del Arco in Cabo, Villa del Palmar in Loreto and Villa del Palmar in Cancun are all newer.

If you buy a resale, which is what all mine are, buy winter weeks. It not likely you will find a winter week premiere membership with the lowest mf anymore but gold memberships are really good. The minimum size unit to purchase would be a one bed room unit. Look at the rtu. Mine all expire in the next 11 - 13 years which is my exit plan.

Take a look at the faq for the different membership perks and other interesting UVC facts. BTW, all inclusive is only mandatory in some II getaway weeks from what I can tell.

Bill
 
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My only concern is will have to pay for food and drinks, since TS is not all Inclusive. The wife will not cook that's for sure..lol. What do you guys all do COOK???

There will be plenty of excellent restaurants wherever there are tourists to support them. Trust me. You won't go hungry- and unless you drink like a fish, at much lower cost than AI.
 
Im up to 4 weeks at Villa del Palmar all bought on ebay. The last one was a two bed unit that had a free bankable year, free closing cost , free transfer fee and only cost me $1. UVC allows you to reserve at any of the Villa Group Resorts. There a a few newer resorts and a couple of older resorts. VDP Cabo and VDP Puerto Vallarta are the two older ones. Flamingos in Nuevo , Villa del Arco in Cabo, Villa del Palmar in Loreto and Villa del Palmar in Cancun are all newer.

If you buy a resale, which is what all mine are, buy winter weeks. It not likely you will find a winter week premiere membership with the lowest mf anymore but gold memberships are really good. The minimum size unit to purchase would be a one bed room unit. Look at the rtu. Mine all expire in the next 11 - 13 years which is my exit plan.

Take a look at the faq for the different membership perks and other interesting UVC facts. BTW, all inclusive is only mandatory in some II getaway weeks from what I can tell.

Bill
Got it for a dollar without all those fees, that is good, but it was a RTU and how much for your maintenance fee if you don't' mind me asking. I did check ebay but cannot find something like that. what is the best way to find a cheap deal like you did on Ebay, what you searching for?

Thx for the information easyrider
 
Got it for a dollar without all those fees, that is good, but it was a RTU and how much for your maintenance fee if you don't' mind me asking. I did check ebay but cannot find something like that. what is the best way to find a cheap deal like you did on Ebay, what you searching for?

Thx for the information easyrider

MF is the same whether bought from the developer or resale, though I don't know what that number is. Obviously the best way to find a deal on eBay is to shop on eBay. You can email some of the sellers, they don't always post everything they have, but then you might be opening yourself to paying the 'Buy it Now' price. Another way might be to check the completed auctions, and offer a few bucks to those sellers that got no bids on units you want. A caution here: units that get no bids often have something wrong with them. Too small, wrong season, parking lot view, high AI fees could be examples. The TUG Marketplace as another place to shop for resales.

Be open to other resorts. Mini systems often allow low cost exchanges within the system, even though they are weak traders in the large exchanges. Pueblo Bonito comes to mind as well as UVC. Personally, I'd steer clear of Vida (Grupo Mayan). Nice resorts, but predatory sales practices and they have prejudicial practices against resale buyers and owners of their 'lesser' properties. They always press owners to upgrade.

You would do well to rent- at least for your next vacation or two. Hang around TUG Learn the ins and outs of TS ownership. The last few years, while the economy has improved, so have TS defaults, so owners have been faced with rapidly increasing MFs to pay what the deadbeats don't. Hence, rentals are low in price, while MFs are high. Consequently you can often rent for lower cost than the owner is paying in MF.
 
MF is the same whether bought from the developer or resale, though I don't know what that number is. Obviously the best way to find a deal on eBay is to shop on eBay. You can email some of the sellers, they don't always post everything they have, but then you might be opening yourself to paying the 'Buy it Now' price. Another way might be to check the completed auctions, and offer a few bucks to those sellers that got no bids on units you want. A caution here: units that get no bids often have something wrong with them. Too small, wrong season, parking lot view, high AI fees could be examples. The TUG Marketplace as another place to shop for resales.

Be open to other resorts. Mini systems often allow low cost exchanges within the system, even though they are weak traders in the large exchanges. Pueblo Bonito comes to mind as well as UVC. Personally, I'd steer clear of Vida (Grupo Mayan). Nice resorts, but predatory sales practices and they have prejudicial practices against resale buyers and owners of their 'lesser' properties. They always press owners to upgrade.

You would do well to rent- at least for your next vacation or two. Hang around TUG Learn the ins and outs of TS ownership. The last few years, while the economy has improved, so have TS defaults, so owners have been faced with rapidly increasing MFs to pay what the deadbeats don't. Hence, rentals are low in price, while MFs are high. Consequently you can often rent for lower cost than the owner is paying in MF.
I did find some 1 dollars web site, also some at ebay too like the Pueblo Bonito. I did not know Pueblo Bonito was a UVC.

there info:

Universal Vacation Club was organized as a California Corporation in May 1984. The Club is responsible for the maintenance and operation of the common areas of five condominium vacation resorts. The two resorts in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico are Villa Del Mar and Villa Del Palmar. The two resorts located in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico are Villa del Palmar Cabo and Villa Del Arco. Villa del Palmar Flamingo is located in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Each membership in the Club entitles the owner the right to use either a specific property or any of the properties depending on the type of membership.

Im I missing something

And this is the resort I found for a dollar, but I notice all these fees, waonder what ther are?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pueblo-Boni...o-Free-Closing-/161266380227?autorefresh=true



Thx for the information how to get the cheapest on BTW, I will definably learn more here everyday for a little while before I buy..
Dan
 
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I did find some 1 dollars web site, also some at ebay too like the Pueblo Bonito. I did not know Pueblo Bonito was a UVC.


Im I missing something

And this is the resort I found for a dollar, but I notice all these fees, waonder what ther are?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pueblo-Boni...o-Free-Closing-/161266380227?autorefresh=true



Thx for the information how to get the cheapest on BTW, I will definably learn more here everyday for a little while before I buy..
Dan

Pueblo Bonito is not UVC. Separate entity. They have (I think 3-4) other resorts. What other fees are you asking about. It's pretty well spelled out. MF and use are every other year. The unit is a Jr. Suite (think hotel room with mini kitchen) The use ends in 2105 (or put another way, 45 more MF payments - almost $24,000 without increases). The 'fees' are all being paid by the seller. You'd owe the bid amount, plus $530.93 and be able to use it in 2015.

We exchanged into Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay (Mazatlan) a few months ago. A 1 BR cost me about 1/2 of my annual RCI points I get for $750. So my costs were roughly $375 to 'rent' a bigger unit than the one you showed from eBay.

That one doesn't look as good now, does it?
 
Pueblo Bonito is not UVC. Separate entity. They have (I think 3-4) other resorts. What other fees are you asking about. It's pretty well spelled out. MF and use are every other year. The unit is a Jr. Suite (think hotel room with mini kitchen) The use ends in 2105 (or put another way, 45 more MF payments - almost $24,000 without increases). The 'fees' are all being paid by the seller. You'd owe the bid amount, plus $530.93 and be able to use it in 2015.

We exchanged into Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay (Mazatlan) a few months ago. A 1 BR cost me about 1/2 of my annual RCI points I get for $750. So my costs were roughly $375 to 'rent' a bigger unit than the one you showed from eBay.

That one doesn't look as good now, does it?
I was talking about the "GO Properties Inc. Closing Costs" what is that ?

I will look into that resort in the future for sure if she has others we can go.

> MF and use are every other year

MF 530/per year or 1160 EOY and what is the USE your talking about, what do I have
to pay also EOY (USE ?)

>That one doesn't look as good now, does it?

Nope, but I'm sure there be other one :)
 
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