I have been asked a question the answer to which I think will be interesting to other TUG members. The question refers to the type of deed we have at the Royal Resorts in Can-Cun. (The Royal Resorts are Vacation Clubs International, Royal Mayan, Royal Islander, and the Royal Caribbean, all in Cancun.)

Originally, when Vacation Clubs was first sold in 1977, we bought a 30 year membership at the end of which we would have nothing. A few years later, for whatever reason, the developers decided to give the members who had bought up to that point the option to pay an additional amount, which would give us a guaranteed residual value at the conclusion of the 30 years. It would also give us an interest in the appreciation of the property, as outlined below.

From then on, all memberships at Vacation Clubs, and later on at the other Clubs which were to be built, were sold only WITH the residual value included in the price of membership. Some of the members of Vacation Clubs opted to pay the additional amount to have residual value included in their deeds, and some opted not to pay it, for which reason if you want to buy a resale at Vacation Clubs it is important to clarify whether or not it includes the residual value.

In addition, the guaranteed residual value is fixed, and the resale price might be more or less than the residual value... so today you might buy a membership of, for example, $10,000 and have a guaranteed residual value of less, $8,000 (or perhaps a price is agreed that is more than the residual value.)

What is going to happen is that at the end of the 30 years period the resort will theoretically be sold to a third party. At that point, in the first place the members are guaranteed the first return on their residual value... in the second place the developers will receive an amount equivalent to the residual value... and thirdly, if there is any more in the kitty, then it will be split down the middle, fifty/fifty for the member and the developers. So, for example, if you have a residual value of $10,000 and the property is sold and $15,000 corresponds to this particular membership, then the member gets the first $10,000 and the developers get the remainder. If it is sold for $8,000 then the member gets all and the developers receive zero. If it is sold for more than $20,000 then the member will receive more than his guaranteed $10,000 and the developers will also receive the same amount.

This means that the developers have a continuing interest in the property. The developers will not receive anything at the end of the 30 years if the property has depreciated, or they might make a fortune if it is well maintained. And, since the members pay the maintenance fee and the developers don't pay any maintenance fee, therefore the developers have a real interest in making certain that the properties are maintained to their maximum. This is, in fact, what has happened, and maybe this explains how and why I.I. and R.C.I. and TUG members and just about everybody agrees that the Royal Resorts are superbly maintained, and have superb service.

I think it's almost certain that we will receive the guaranteed residual value on Vacation Clubs memberships in the year 2007, but there is also a good chance that we might even receive more than the guarantee. As seen above, this could occur if the interval is resold for more than twice the residual guaranteed in 1980.