Post reply

Re: Getting rid of your timeshare (by Dr. K.):

jayjay wrote:

It's so odd to me that people will spend thousands of dollars on something (a luxury product .... a timeshare at a resort) that they know absolutely nothing about.

I don't understand why it seems so odd to you when you admit doing the very same thing. Unfortunately far too many people do the same as you did. However, they may not have the same circumstances or skills or luck you've had in getting rid of your timeshares. Berating them is really bad form after the fact.

If the timeshare is so valuable and the owner is willing to give it back to the resort for free that's like any merchant getting free product to sell over and over again. So, why won't the majority of resorts take it back after it's been fully paid for?

donp196 has a good point. It would be a good thing if more people belonged to national organizations designed to help their members, like timeshare owners. However, would that really induce the resorts to deal fairly with distraught owners? Would it bring the awareness of potential problems to the vast number of inexperienced buyers fed through the resort sales mills?

In today's market telling someone they have to suck it up and live with their bad uneducated decision or telling them to simply sell it fails to help those that are stuck and have tried. It would be better served to give details on how to get rid of a timeshare than to solely deride those that offer solutions. What do you tell someone that has already tried unsuccessfully listing it in the bargain basement of RedWeek.com? What should they do next?

We all understand that you don't like how we receive $500 at the end of the title transfer when the owner is finally free. That's legitimate and legal regardless of what you think. We're not the only charity doing it this way because charities don't have a magic way to sell most timeshares for cash. Do you feel the same way about Donate For a Cause who charges even more? Have you ever checked with Resort Closings, Inc. who handles thousands of timeshare transfers a year (and most of ours)? They, also, run a charity that does what we do and services other charities that do as well. When will someone actually contact them and report what they say and do? (Oh, I forgot christine514 did that two pages ago.)

This thread was probably set up originally to provide advice on how to get rid of a timeshare. How about refocusing on that? Do you have any detailed suggestions owners can use?