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Re: Getting rid of your timeshare (by R P.):

garym480 wrote:

jayjay seems to have a problem following Redweek’s criteria for being respectful/truthful and avoiding abusive or harassing language. Ill give her a pass as Im feeling ‘charitable’ today. There is something though she has said I completely agree with, but what I’m about to explain will likely cause her head to explode, as I’m certain, she won’t get the point.

If an owner stops paying maintenance fees, voluntarily or not, Im sure that a resort has no choice but to increase fees to the remaining owners. Id like to believe also that they would try limiting those increases by reducing operating cost via contract renewal terms with vendors that supply services. Not always the case but a prudent thing to do. It can’t go too far as the expectation of the owners are that the grass is cut, appliances work, repairs made, etc per the resorts responsibility. Now, not paying MFs has been attacked as a lack of integrity and ethics (which depend on who you ask) yet we see this scenario played out every day as intrinsic to our capitalist culture. One of the too many to mention examples: There are at least 3 states currently on the path to increasing gasoline taxes, following several states that most recently already have. They do this because of the ‘feed the beast’ syndrome of needing enough money to cover expenses for running the government and providing services to us peasants. In a static world this wouldn’t be necessary as things wouldn’t change. But lo and behold, we keep having babies, demand more entitlements and expect potholes to be filled. (most people reading this will know where I’m going by now). But why gas taxes? Well some folks doing their civic duty want to contribute to a 'better world' and purchase high mileage cars or heaven forbid, an electric one. Less gas is purchased and state revenues go down. States raise gas taxes as a result, as they will not/cannot reduce services or become more efficient and still get elected. Is it right that people that drive trucks (me) and SUVs, be required to take up the slack by paying more, while those deadbeats who bought the Prius get a pass? Doesn’t that imply that an Power Wagon is more ‘ethical’ then a Leaf? Or is it the other way around? now im confused. Why should a Volt owner pay fewer taxes, driving the same roads and miles I do?

There is no attempt here say that in all ways TS maintenance fee structures are exactly the same as gas taxes or discuss reasons why someone wants a fuel efficient car. Maybe though, it’s the same reason someone doesn’t want to pay ever increasing MFs for the same product? Im only pointing out the one of thousands of circumstance where adaptation is required to operate a successful enterprise. Things change. Lives change. Theres a lot of points relevant to this but Im not here to argue or agree with everyone. It only takes a conscious mind to understand that if the comparison (and that’s all it is) weren’t true, then the dollar you have today, would be worth the same as it was 100 years ago.

It's called inflation, duh. Have you been to a supermarket lately .... the prices of groceries have gone out of site. Have you hired someone to mow and maintain your lawn lately? Have you hired a housekeeper lately? Have you hired maintenance workers to see that your home is kept up to your standards? Have you hired painters to paint you house lately (we did last year and it wasn't cheap). Have you hired someone to check your heating and cooling system lately? Have you checked insurance rates lately? The prices for these products and services are NOT GOING DOWN .... they are fast rising each and every year thus the rise in maintenance fees.

I didn't like the ongoing rise in maintenance fees when we owned timeshares but I have enough sense to realize that if the resorts weren't maintained to my (and other owner's) satisfaction then I would become a very disgruntled owner.

Bottom line .... maintenance fees keep a resort updated and refurbished.