Original Message:
Re: Is Montecristo Estates sold out & what Pueblo Bonito was selling the last units for (by Kerry D.):
We bought a month in villa 15 from someone else who bought it in late 2004. Maintenance fee for us in 2006 was $4409 (4 weeks) including the 10% Fed VAT and 2% tourism tax (in 2007 the tourism tax went to 3%). Not entirely sure why a maintenance fee would be subject to value added or tourism tax but it is. Yesterday I paid $5200 (~185 per night) which is more than the year before but can't remember exactly by how much. So yes they are taking every opportunity to raise the maintenance fees 6% every year.
Maybe our buddy Dirk can answer if everyone is getting an equal percentage increase every year or if it is just the people with lower Maintenance fees. But I suspect that everyone is being hit on the increases? Would also be curious to see if Mexican owners in MC also pay the VAT and Tourism taxes.
But it is really all academic. What would you do? Take them to court in Mexico for a couple hundred bucks? They know that you won't. The number of lies associated with our ownership already has been really quite remarkable. Especially in regards to the golf. I go to the Quivera wine and cheese every year and am totally amazed that they ask me to trade up wiht a serious face. However, we jumped into this bed so I agree that we have no choice but to hang on. I lost a rental just the other day because the guy found out that he could swap his timeshare into MC for less than my maintenance fee. It would be nice if Ernesto and his sales mafia would accept some of the loss internally. But I really don't see that happening anytime soon. I guess I am fortunate that I bought in the aftermarket for considerably less than others.
If annamarie's numbers are correct phase 2 is almost twice what I am paying per week. 185 vs 350. So as MR T would say "I pity those souls" cause that is $127,400 per unit per year at minimum.