Report Abuse

Licensed brokers can sell timeshare. They can also take an advertising fee up front if all proceeds are utilized to advertise and promote the timeshare. What they are not allowed to do is take a fee to appraise a timeshare since many years ago it was determined by law that accurate appraisal of timeshare is virtually impossible. Timeshare Broker Services does not take advance fees. What they would be guilty of is written in my original post. My post states that they have used their resources to actually place ghost ads on the websites that directly compete with their own client's listings. As a matter of fact, those properties, in many cases, are the exact same property. This means TBS posting an ad for the exact same unit and week for less money than the seller has agreed to price their unit. TBS agents will price a ghost ad at a price $500 to $1000 below the lowest listed on the websites. TBS does this in order to attract offers first. They will then take the offer to one of the other sellers on the website or to another broker that might have a unit available for that price range. Sound like a good idea? For TBS to make money, yes.... for the SMTN advertiser (since TBS and SMTN are affiliated) or the TBS clients under seller agreement contracts, NO!! Actually, since TBS has a legal responsibility to its contracted sellers, they would be in direct violation of Florida Real Estate law by doing something that is actually harming the sale value of their clients' properties. This type of activity drives the sellers' values down as TBS agents leave these ads on the websites and place others on the websites at even lower prices. There are other questionable practices by TBS as well. These are included in my original post. Read it carefully and decide for yourselves.