Original Message:
Re: selling time shares without using a title company (by R P.):
carvana wrote:I personally do not consider a call to a resort "asking if the seller WAS the owner and if they had any liens or past due maintenance fees" to constitute "due diligence". A title search requires a visit (or call) to the court house and examining a title is a legal function. As has often been said, "The person who represents himself in a legal matter has a fool for an attorney". Typical title insurance on the sale of a timeshare is $130-$150 based on my experience. This is a small price to pay for peace of mind especially when one pays >$15,000 to a developer.
Sorry, but I respectfully disagree. If one calls the resort to verify that the seller is the owner then that constitutes that he/she has a clear title. Otherwise the timeshare and title wouldn't be in the seller's name at the resort.
Also, one can do a title search themselves by calling the county deed department where the timeshare/resort is located. No need to throw away good money for a title search when that's something you can easily do yourself.
And, why would anyone feel the need to do a title search for a developer bought timeshare?