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Donating our timeshare (by Dr. K.):

rond168 wrote:

Sorry...I didn't mean to start this flame. I'm just trying to find folks that have actually done business with a timeshare reseller that will give a positive comment. I can't even tell who the two parties in the flame are. It's nigh impossible to tell the scams from the honest businesses. You can't trust self promotion, and nobody will just state planely that they had a good or bad experience with a company. I have paid two companies to resell my timeshare weeks without success, so I'm leary. My criteria now is whether the reseller behaves like a real estate salesman, promoting a contract to sell for a fee at closing. The scams are so sophisticated with license #s (from unknown entities) and false promises that I'm completely confused. I think that some licensing is needed for the industry. Even the seemingly reputable RCI came across as a flim flam artist with its complex mumbo jumbo. The overly complex contract to try to sell, followed by a deed transfer after the sale seems contrived, and of course, the selling of the property is conveniently forgotten by many resellers once their up front money is collected.

We are a charity that actually takes the deed into our company name generally without the intent to use it or pay it. Since we don't resell it we convert the process to cash for us by charging a $500 service fee paid to us by the title company at closing. You don't pay us anything up front. We don't do any of the paperwork, try to promise anything other than when it's completed you will be free. We use the law to fight the collection hounds the resorts hire.

The best way for you to do some checking is to talk to someone in charge at Resort Closing, Inc. or Trejesto Title Transfers. Both are on the Internet and easily found. They are the title companies that are expert handlers of timeshare deed transfers. Because it is an actual deed it is defined as real estate and must be handled according to legal requirements for houses, farms, bare land, commercial buildings, apartments condo, etc. Money is deposited with the title company to cover estimated closing costs. They charge their fees for their work and know we have a charge of $500 due us when the deed is finally sent to us. That is a form of a closing cost and not paid to us unless the transaction actually goes through. That money is held in escrow and given back to you, by law, if the deal doesn't go through. The title company make sure everything is done right and you have no lingering threat or concern once the deed is transferred.

You'll hear lots of wild and nasty claims of fraud, scam, crook, etc. from a few people I've come to believe work for the resorts. However, your best course of action would be to contact a couple of title escrow companies, ask then what the process is, how you're protected, and how closing expenses can range from a low to a high. Then select a charity that follows what the title escrow company tells you to be safe. After all, they're the ones under the close eye of the law and don't want to lose their license.

I hope this helps.