Get out of Westgate Resorts

Depending on what you own in Williamsburg Westgate really depends on a lot. Here’s the thing their will be a lot of skeptics out their and tell you this and that but you know what I believe is money and facts and I have made over 135K every year since I became and owner with Westgate back in 2016. Nobody in my family is laughing at me now. I’m now on the list to buy Las Vegas Westgate. What people don’t realize is how to use these programs and let them work for you to enjoy yourself and the money.

jessicaw272 wrote:

My boyfriend and I went on a tour of the Westgate Resort in Williamsburg a few years ago. Then we were pressured into buying at the resort, which regrettably we did. We are looking to get out of it. Anyone have any ideas? We haven’t used it at all. We just make payments and pay the maintenance fees. I really do not want to keep paying for something I do not use. Please any suggestions are welcomed.

chrisb1441 wrote:

Depending on what you own in Williamsburg Westgate really depends on a lot. Here’s the thing their will be a lot of skeptics out their and tell you this and that but you know what I believe is money and facts and I have made over 135K every year since I became and owner with Westgate back in 2016. Nobody in my family is laughing at me now. I’m now on the list to buy Las Vegas Westgate. What people don’t realize is how to use these programs and let them work for you to enjoy yourself and the money..

Nonsense. I have no idea what this lame and nearly incoherent post attempts (very poorly, I might add) to convey, but anyone claiming to “make over $135K every year” from any Westgate ownership anywhere on earth is either delusional or simply full of $h1t. Alternatively, maybe this is a weak, unsuccessful attempt at humor on this 2022 New Years Day.

The simple and straightforward truth is that Westgate timeshare ownerships become essentially worthless in the resale market immediately after being purchased and they usually cannot subsequently be given away even for free. Any claim suggesting that big money can be magically made from a Westgate ownership in Williamsburg, VA (or from any other Westgate property or any single timeshare property on this planet, for that matter) is certainly a very creative and humorous assertion, but is nonetheless just plain ridiculous.

Thank you however, for providing us with a smile and a good chuckle by your posting this ludicrous and utterly absurd (but also mildly entertaining) fairy tale here on this 2022 New Years Day!

KC - Ditto - I get tired of victim-blaming. I heard from three members of the same branch of our armed forces in a week. They bought from three different developers. One was Westgate. I also received a complaint yesterday from a Westgate buyer that did their part after being promised the investment opportunity. They even launched a Facebook page to recruit "Getaway Buyers." The service member is in danger of losing his security clearance. Just the two of them were sold a Westgate 4 BR 4 bath as an investment. If you spend a large portion of your time protecting our national security, you probably don't have time to go into business renting out many timeshares. And before anyone tells me the buyer should have known better, read AARP staff writer Doug Shadel's book, "No One is Smart Enough to Outsmart a Scam Artist." Also, it's hard to make money on a Westgate timeshare when you are 90 years old. Westgate would not take back his timeshare if they paid the broker who sold it for them for $500 his $800 commission. And this is how these people live: The King and Queen of Versailles, "And when the housing market crashed, MY children had to fly on commercial airlines!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqDreqlPe98

And, there are 45 licensed timeshare brokers across the country I surveyed in 2016. I've gotten to know several of them, all the Florida brokers. They will not even accept a listing for Westgate timeshares because these disgustingly rich people have written into their contracts that Westgate gets 50% of the broker's commission. The other listings they won't accept is Diamond, because what is sold is not what is bought. If I buy 20,000 Diamond points from you, I have to buy 10,000 from Diamond for $30k to $40k in order to clean the "dirty" points. The developers have done a great job suppressing the secondary market.

irenep59 wrote:

The developers have done a great job suppressing the secondary market.

I agree with this observation, particularly in regard to the unlimited greed of slimy Westgate. In my personal opinion, they are simply the worst of the worst in the U.S. Only in Mexico could you find sleaziness at the Westgate level. What relatively little I know about DRI certainly isn't good, but maybe DRI practices will change for the better with their recent acquisition by HGVC; Hilton is a comparatively respectable operation (for a developer, anyhow). I guess time will tell...

In my several decades of timeshare ownership, I have always refused to become associated with any developer / "chain". At least with resale timeshare purchases at smaller "independent" resorts, the hungry, salivating corporate greed is long gone from the property and the resort HOA is now comprised solely of actual (unpaid) fellow interval owners — not a bunch of paid stooges beholden to a corporate employer, as is always the case with “chain” situations.

That said, ownership at "independents" certainly doesn't mean that it will be easy to part with that ownership later; in the end it's all about supply and demand, but at least resale ownership at (and later departure from) "independents" doesn't involve the loss tens of thousands of dollars --- as is so often the case with developer-direct purchases.

There is a new Facebook called Westgate Timeshare Hostages. I encourage Westgate owners to join. Gallows humor - the admin is Benn Dover. https://www.facebook.com/groups/westgatehostages/

Westgate is listed as a founder of ARDA's Responsible Exit Website, yet I constantly receive complaints, even from those with no loans and debilitating health issues, told no. When you click on the Westgate box it states, "The only industry-guaranteed exit. Resort Trades published the article that says Westgate is one of the founders of ARDA's Responsible Exit Program. At least don't be on the website. That would be transparent.

irenep59 wrote:

There is a new Facebook called Westgate Timeshare Hostages. I encourage Westgate owners to join. Gallows humor - the admin is Benn Dover. https://www.facebook.com/groups/westgatehostages/

Westgate is listed as a founder of ARDA's Responsible Exit Website, yet I constantly receive complaints, even from those with no loans and debilitating health issues, told no. When you click on the Westgate box it states, "The only industry-guaranteed exit. Resort Trades published the article that says Westgate is one of the founders of ARDA's Responsible Exit Program. At least don't be on the website. That would be transparent.

I have absolutely no use for Westgate, which is (in my personal opinion, anyhow) by far the slimiest and sleaziest of all timeshare developers in the U.S. Only in Mexico are timeshare operations as slimy (again, in my personal opinion).

That being said, Westgate has a "deedback" program which they call "Legacy" (...maybe it should be called "Larceny" instead, but that's not quite as "catchy"). "Legacy" is expensive to use (reportedly costing well over $1,200 per deed) but it is nonetheless an available "exit" option, as long as the ownership has no unpaid loan balance and there are no maintenance fees in arrears. Are you suggesting in your post above that Wastegate may actually be denying owners the option to deedback via "Legacy"? I am not arguing or challenging your input, just seeking a better understanding.

KC Westgate absolutely picks and chooses what they will take back . If they like your inventory, they will immediately take your unit back. Two of the following three examples I included in my article Senior Defaults. Example 1) The husband and wife both had cancer, could not drive to Branson. I referred them to Legacy. They were transferred to a supervisor who said, "We don't take them back and that's not our website (despite the Resort Trades article listing Westgate as one of the founders of ARDA's Responsible Exit website). The couple was released only because I noticed a Westgate vs Timeshare Ext Team lawsuit. I submitted their report to TET. TET listed them as a witness. Westgate called the couple the day they saw the name on the witness list and took the unit back. The husband was infuriated at the amount and intrusiveness of the medical date he was required to produce. He said Westgate didn't want it back because it was in Branson, hence he had to prove medical hardship. Example 2) The back-up admin for the Westgate Timeshare Hostages Facebook Group, her mom age 69, a pipe fitter. She had 4 work-related surgeries, her 2nd shoulder replaced. Her company paid for the surgery, not lost wages. They had only used the timeshare once in decades. They would not take it back because it was a 1 BR. I submitted her to TET too to be a witness in the lawsuit. The daughter was deposed, but the lawsuit settled. Her mom is in default Example 3) The husband age 90. A resale broker found a buyer for $500. His commission was $800. Westgate would not take it back if they paid the broker his commission. They were forced to default. I know several other examples. ARDA's Responsible Exit is a smokescreen for lawmakers and Wall Street, in my opinion. The daughter of the 90 year old, a prominent attorney, contributed to my article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/senior-timeshare-defaults-irene-parker/ And Benn Dover has no outstanding loan, one of many who reported that they were told they could offset maintenance fees by renting. One actually launched a Facebook page to do so. And this is how these people live. I'm sure you've seen the Queen of Versailles: Wealth run amuck: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqDreqlPe98

I have read of numerous instances of Westgate "cherry picking" deedbacks. It's remarkably ironic that Westgate was so ready and willing and eager to aggressively sell their "product" to people for truly obscene amounts of money, but later often won't even accept that "product" back at all, knowing as they surely do that the “product" is nearly worthless.

Good on you for trying to help those poor souls trying to escape the sleazy and slimy clutches of greedy Westgate. In my personal opinion, Westgate is simply the worst of the worst. I can only hope that there is a special, awful place in the afterlife for the likes of Westgate CEO David "Sea Gull" and his assorted hungry and greedy minions and jackals.

As far as ARDA goes, it's certainly no secret that the "RD" in ARDA stands for Resort Development. In my personal opinion, it's just a manufactured PR illusion that ARDA cares much (if at all) about timeshare owners. ARDA looks out for (and ARDA lobbys for) itself — not for timeshare consumers.

KC Did you see this Westgate Training video with the Siegels grandson, in which he describes those who attend presentations as "moochers" because of the free gifts? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSQ-2ZIQayo

I refuse to view anything having to do with sleazy and slimy "Wastegate" ----- or any of the "Sea Gull" family members. In my opinion, they are all just predatory and hungry jackals, woefully and completely lacking in ethics or conscience.

I did manage to somehow endure watching "The Queen of Versailles" a few years ago, out of morbid curiosity; it made me sick to my stomach. The "Sea Gulls" are just greedy, entitled parasites in my opinion, their massive wealth having been acquired on the backs of hard working people who bought into the "vacation dream" lies and misrepresentations of the deceitful Westgate sales weasels. "Wastegate" is just a sorry enterprise from top to bottom, in my personal opinion.

I don't intend to buy anything, what I want to know is, can I leave the presentation? I've gotten free gifts or stays for watching other time share pitches, once bringing a baby, so they gave me the gift without attending. This Westgate pitch is offering a stay in Gatlinburg for a family. What if I don't medicate my ADHD 14 yr old, and tell them I can't leave him alone? My son is willing to be purposely annoying.

lizh207 wrote:

I don't intend to buy anything, what I want to know is, can I leave the presentation? I've gotten free gifts or stays for watching other time share pitches, once bringing a baby, so they gave me the gift without attending. This Westgate pitch is offering a stay in Gatlinburg for a family. What if I don't medicate my ADHD 14 yr old, and tell them I can't leave him alone? My son is willing to be purposely annoying.

Do you really want to subject yourself (and / or other family members) to the lies, overly aggressive behavior and endless misrepresentations of those lying sales weasels, just to receive a few "gifts" of relatively low value? That's certainly your prerogative, but life is short --- you will never get back whatever amount of time you spend (and waste) with those hungry, deceitful parasites.

The gifts are not free. They are factored into the purchase price of everyone who buys a timeshare.

I have a timeshare with westgate and I’m up to date with my maintenance and fees. I have not called the legacy program as of yet but I want to get out of my timeshare with them. I do plan on using my deeded week so I don’t give them anything extra. But what are the fees currently westgate charges to deed back the property to them?

jamalb13 wrote:

I have a timeshare with westgate and I’m up to date with my maintenance and fees. I have not called the legacy program as of yet but I want to get out of my timeshare with them. I do plan on using my deeded week so I don’t give them anything extra. But what are the fees currently westgate charges to deed back the property to them?

Reports vary, but somewhere between $1,200 and $1,800 (per deed) seems to be the generally reported cost range over about the past year. That is obviously just "legalized larceny" by any reasonable standard or measure but, if still accurate, no particular surprise (...not to me, anyhow) when greedy and slimy "Wastegate" is involved.

Also, be aware that Westgate reportedly "cherry picks" what they will accept back under their Legacy program, even with their larcenous deedback fee. In other words, there is no guaranty that your particular Wastegate ownership will actually be accepted for Legacy, even if you are willing to pay the exorbitant deedback fee. Westgate corporate reps handling Legacy matters will determine the "eligibility" of your particular ownership if / when you decide to inquire.

A Facebook Group called Westgate Timeshare Hostages was launched a few months ago by those not cherry-picked for a deed-back. As one couple reported, with significant medical issues, the husband and wife both diagnosed with cancer, they were told after I directed them to ARDA's Responsible Exit website, were transferred around and told, "We don't take them back and that's not our website." In a Resorts Trades article, Westgate was listed as one of the website's founders!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/westgatehostages

I completely agree with you, and can’t believe she has the nerve to film this reality show.

Radio talkshow host #JustJenny, is advertising her excitement to be interviewing Jackie Siegel on an upcoming radio show, while Jackie shares her (“awesome”?!) Queen of Versailles story.

The saying that comes to mind is Marie Antoinette’s, “let them eat cake”.

The Parisian gold fixtures, for instance, that are being paid for on the backs of the plethora of unsatisfied, “FEE-D (fees) up!” timeshare owners, (many in financial hardships and concerned with their credit score is being greatly reduced if unable to pay), in order to vacation 1 week a year, while riddled with hidden fees, is shameful.

Owners deserve a REAL option-out.

Owners don’t deserve the illusion of Westhate Legacy, where every WR Legacy Representative will surely agree, that the deed-back/transfer process is lengthy and often rejected by Westhate.

An owner first has to find a buyer on their own (WR disallows sales via realtors, nor any agent who would earn a profit).

Then the owner must draw up one’s own Purchase & Sale agreement (Westgate Legacy’s instructions are to buy the forms from a local “Office Max”), and have all parties sign.

NEXT in the lengthy process, is to submit the signed P&S agreement to Westgate Resorts for their “Right of First Refusal”, which actually means that WR can refuse to allow the owner to sell/get out of the “deed” (for basically a larger hotel room with a kitchen).

After all that, Westhate Legacy often disapproves the sale/deed transfer.

1. One reason for WR blocking the sale, is if the new potential owner (s) credit score is low, (or if there appears to be any risk of NOT being able to pay the maintenance fees, property tax or assessments).

2. The developer wants to sell the units, (especially now that Westgate Resorts in Cocoa Beach has been approved by the City of Cocoa Beach to actually expand!)

Thus WR has no incentive to allow owners to sell and get out this lifetime (& beyond…the estate will still be responsible…heirs have to go to Probate Court to request the removal and hope for subsequent court approval, from future financial obligations).

It’s a business-hostage situation, that for some reason (tourist dollars? campaign donations?), our “consumer protective” government officials are allowing to happen, here in the United States.

It has been brought to their attention but they turn a blind eye. 😒

For all that are wanting out of Westgate ownership, I suggest these steps: 1) contact the legacy department, chances are they will deny deed back but it is always worth a shot, and Westgate can not come back and say they were not aware there was a problem. 2) file complaints anywhere and everywhere you can- make any unethical practices known. 3) post reviews and again make any unethical practices known.

I need some advice. I owe 16 thousand on my timeshare and I haven't paid in 4 years. I recently just started getting letter in the mail to do a lieu of deed or give it back among other options. I'm not sure if I used the right terms, but it would cost me 2400 to release it back to Westgate. So far, it has not hit my credit and phone calls are a minimum. Should I pay the fee or just ignore and hope for the best. I don't want my credit to get dinged if possible. Thank you