Maintenance Fees speculation?

[kendzee94]

I see a lot of resales on the market right now. For those of us looking at buying some of those resales (I own at SSR 200 and AKV 150 already and would like another 50 or 100 points) What are the chances that the MF's at places like OKW will stay low(er) when they are the oldest DVC hotels? Will the MF's jump higher than the others due to the need for more maintenence? Also ,will the MF's jump at AKV when Kadani is opened due to the cost of more animals?

The 11 month booking window is not a huge factor for me, as I want to stay at all of the resorts eventually. My seriously planned trips (11+ months out allow me to have dates planned so I have been able to get what I want at 7 months out if not at my home resort) For my last minute trips, it's take what you can get OKW or SSR, usually. Do other's look at MF's as a deciding factor as to which DVC to choose? I know most of you say buy where you want to stay. Since I already own at two resorts should I diversify or just add more to the two resorts I already have? Any opinions? Thanks for your help!!

 

[dianeschlicht]

If you look at the dues history:
Here is the history of DVC annual fees at all of the resorts:

Year OKW BWV VB VB(sub) HH VWL BCV SSR AKV BLT

2009 4.73 5.21 ---- ---- 5.36 5.04 5.00 4.34 4.85 3.67
2008 4.56 5.04 6.04 4.71 5.16 4.87 4.80 4.21 4.71
2007 4.40 4.85 5.63 4.39 4.98 4.73 4.63 4.12 4.62
2006 4.24 4.69 5.27 4.12 4.34 4.61 4.48 3.98
2005 3.86 4.41 4.87 3.84 3.86 4.35 4.27 3.83
2004 3.68 4.25 4.67 3.67 3.70 4.22 4.18 3.80
2003 3.49 4.11 4.37 4.37 3.69 4.05 3.97
2002 3.22 3.92 4.17 3.33 3.49 3.80 3.77
2001 3.13 3.83 3.98 2.70 3.32 3.63
2000 3.16 3.94 4.07 2.87 3.25 3.62
1999 3.16 4.02 3.99 2.82 3.18
1998 3.17 3.94 ---- 2.76 3.20
1997 3.14 3.84 ---- 2.90 3.16
1996 2.99 3.70 ---- 2.82 3.16
1995 2.84
1994 2.70
1993 2.63
1992 2.56
1991 2.51

You can see that OKW has stayed on the lower end of dues fees throughout the 16 years of DVC. I would think if maintenance was going to jump because of refurbishments, it would have done so by now. OKW is constantly refurbing, so each unit has probably already been done several times by now without too big of a jump on dues.

 

[Caskbill]

Maintenance fees at all resorts include reserves for future expenses such as new furniture, appliances, or any repairs (such as roof repairs) or other refurbishments/upkeep.

Thus fees should not jump unless when the time comes for refurbishments, the fees collected were short the actual expenses.