Original Message:
Spinnaker at Waterside Hilton Head charging $1500 to sell or transfer as of Jan 2011 (by Lance C.):
judyl227 wrote:We did check at the Southwind Mgt. Company and this is their answer. They feel that the $1500 will be the new owner's two next year's maintenance fee.
I do understand your frustration. And, as much as I disagree with Southwind instituting this policy, there is a benefit to owners there. Unfortunately, the policy is likely in response to escalating timeshare fraud (specifically Post Card Companies).
These postcard companies charge owners a large fee, around $2500, to take the timeshare off the owner's hands. What some post card companies then do is transfer the unit to a shell company and stop paying maintenance fees.
They hold on to the unit until it's foreclosed upon. The problem here, besides the obvious fraud, is that other owners at the resort have to absorb the resort operating expenditures and, in essence, pay what the postcard company is not paying.
So, as angering as it is to some owners who are trying to sell, it protects current owners from maintenance fees rising due to fraud.