Anyone Familiar with Timeshares United?

Anyone have an opinion on this company?

They contacted me recently by phone about listing my Sheraton Vistana Resort week for sale through them... for a $499 fee, of course. Such phone calls are usually cut short when they use the f word (fee) but this lady was prepared.

Having been burned by resale scams before, I'm now a harder sell when they ask for money up front. She proceeded to give me their company background and bio's along with their ongoing effort to help clean up a tarnished industry. They donate 5% of gross profits to charity. The company's founder volunteer coaches a lacrosse team in Tampa, etc...

She gave me her phone extension number, their website address (www.timesharesunited.com) and invited me to do some further research on my own. They seem to have nothing to hide.

I've found only one negative hit toward them via BBB Orlando, which is surprising for that type of business. But they are relatively new, having started in August, 2005. The caller was careful not to guarantee success with the sale, citing government regulations, but did guarantee my satisfaction with their company, money back. I have visited their web site and find nothing to cause alarm...so far.

Anybody been there, done that, got the t-shirt?

See my advice to you on your other thread --- NEVER EVER pay an upfront fee to anyone to sell your timeshare.

yes i have worked for them do not do anything with them they will screw you and they dont sell your timeshare they will get your money and then fill your head with bs hope this helps

bruce727 wrote:

Anyone have an opinion on this company?

They contacted me recently by phone about listing my Sheraton Vistana Resort week for sale through them... for a $499 fee, of course. Such phone calls are usually cut short when they use the f word (fee) but this lady was prepared.

Having been burned by resale scams before, I'm now a harder sell when they ask for money up front. She proceeded to give me their company background and bio's along with their ongoing effort to help clean up a tarnished industry. They donate 5% of gross profits to charity. The company's founder volunteer coaches a lacrosse team in Tampa, etc...

She gave me her phone extension number, their website address (www.timesharesunited.com) and invited me to do some further research on my own. They seem to have nothing to hide.

I've found only one negative hit toward them via BBB Orlando, which is surprising for that type of business. But they are relatively new, having started in August, 2005.

The caller was careful not to guarantee success with the sale, citing government regulations, but did guarantee my satisfaction with their company, money back. I have visited their web site and find nothing to cause alarm...so far.

Anybody been there, done that, got the t-shirt?

I was contacted by them also. They wanted $2000 to guarentee 3 offfers to rent per year. I am skeptical also Any one have a comment

kenta10 states / asks, perhaps rhetorically: >> They wanted $2000 to guarentee 3 offfers to rent per year. I am skeptical also. Any one have a comment?<< ==============================================

Sure --- since you've asked, here's my comment:

NEVER pay an upfront fee at ANY time under ANY circumstances to ANY company for ANY reason, regardless of any empty promises or other meaningless reassurances which they may falsely spew forth. The only "help" they provide is "helping" reduce your bank account balance.

If you CHOOSE to pay these parasites anyhow (or any other one like them) despite having been provided sound advice in advance to NOT do so, please don't later claim "I'm a victim". If you VOLUNTARILY CHOOSE to give parasites like this your money, then you are NOT a victim --- you are a willing VOLUNTEER!

Old saying "if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is"

I started this thread 2 years ago, tongue-in-cheek I must admit. I got these parasites some "free" publicity since the caller "invited me to research them".;-)

I just "re-googled" them today to find the link to this very thread still exists and their URL is apparently up for sale.

Their now abandoned website appears to be nothing more than advertising links now.

Hopefully the financial casualties they inflicted were minimal. The lingering question is: what new name are they operating under now???

For many years now, these types of parasites routinely "close up shop" and disappear at some point, only to resurface later (from a different hole in the ground), sporting a new name, using some new players --- and having a clean BBB slate (since they have no detectable "history" with their brand new name).

Trying to track these parasites down into their holes in the ground and /or trying to track where they emerge again later (...or under what newly invented name) is a tedious and time consuming exercise of dubious merit and results. Instead, the approach which I repeatedly recommend is to ALWAYS just summarily ignore and stay FAR away from ANY AND EVERY entity on Planet Earth which seeks ANY form of "upfront fee" payment in ANY amount. Real simple, real easy...

i am the former owner of Timeshares United Inc. I sold the company in feb. 2007. The reason was a vey messy divorce. It still operates under the same dba but has a new parent company(TSU Travel Inc). TSU website domain was unfortunately acquired by a squatter and TSU is seeking legal action against them. TSU does have a guarantee to bring 3 legimate offers to their clients now within 12 months or there is a 100% money back return. TSU believes why pay for a service if that service doesn't work and sell/rent your timeshare. This is why TSU doesn't bring on every property that comes past the table.

To answer chrish work worked for me back in 2005 when i started this company work for me for a period of a month or so. He was then let go by the company.

I took every precaution when I started the company to help the owners the best way I knew how. I still am with the company as an advisor and consultant.

If anyone doesn't feel comfortable doing business with TSU, then don't. TSU does not push anyone into our services, many companies in the industry do, including the resorts themselves.

Since I have been in this industry I have seen a lot, good and bad. Almost every company charges an upfront fee or some sort, including Redweek. Either a membership fee, listing fee, ad fee, and so on.

I agree with a lot that is said in these forums, including Redweek. But not every company is a scam or fraud but a lot are.

It is very easy to look at the past through the BBB. Since the dba is the same,TimeShares United, it still shows the old files with them. I agree that many companies do shut down then re-open under different names to clear their history, but TSU has not done that. It is very easy to see all the history of the dba with TSU.

As I stated earlier, a squatter acquired the domain. TSU is seeking legal action. But if you looked just a few more numbers down on google you would have seen the title"TimesharesUnited:Home". Then you would have seen that TSU didn't go anywhere.

So my advice is do a little more research before you attempt to slander the company name and make cooments that unjust.

Please understand that I am aware of the vicious practices in this industry that many companies use.

Since TSU is bonded, the fact is, the state has this money to give to clients if anything ever happens to TSU.

I hear all the time about other companies ripping them off and never answer the phones and so on. I understand this and so does TSU. That is why TSU put this money back guarantee to the client into their contract.

Again, If you or someone else doesn't feel comfortable doing business with TSU, then don't.

patrickd85 wrote:

Almost every company charges an upfront fee or some sort, including Redweek. Either a membership fee, listing fee, ad fee, and so on.

You are correct, but the last time I looked Redweek fees were very minimal as opposed to the hundreds or thousands of dollars "upfront" fee companies charge.

Instead of charging big bucks for that "lifetime listing", why don't you charge a small fee, then if people try and don't like your service, they just don't renew. For the most part all the upfront fee companies do is list the timeshare on a website and hope someone sees it.

Years ago I was solicited by an upfront fee company and their sales pitch was that they advertise USA Today, NY Times, etc. They made it sound like they advertised MY timeshare in those papers. No...all they had was a tiny ad for their company. That doesn't really "market" my unit now does it.

patrickd85 wrote:

Again, If you or someone else doesn't feel comfortable doing business with TSU, then don't.

When you solicit someone or if someone contact you, are you honest enought to tell them that it costs $xxx.xx, and we'll put a listing on our website. We do NOT have any buyers waiting with cash in had, and buy the way your timeshare is only worth $500.

Most companies tell people their unit is worth thousands more than it really is or that a buyer is ready if you just send us $2000 more. That is outright fraud.

mike1536 wrote:

patrickd85 wrote:

Almost every company charges an upfront fee or some sort, including Redweek. Either a membership fee, listing fee, ad fee, and so on.

You are correct, but the last time I looked Redweek fees were very minimal as opposed to the hundreds or thousands of dollars "upfront" fee companies charge.

Instead of charging big bucks for that "lifetime listing", why don't you charge a small fee, then if people try and don't like your service, they just don't renew. For the most part all the upfront fee companies do is list the timeshare on a website and hope someone sees it.

Years ago I was solicited by an upfront fee company and their sales pitch was that they advertise USA Today, NY Times, etc. They made it sound like they advertised MY timeshare in those papers. No...all they had was a tiny ad for their company. That doesn't really "market" my unit now does it.

You are right about the fraud.We do not and will not tell anyone that we have a buyer waiting for them or have a renter already in existence when we are talking to them. That is against the law, plus it is not true. We do state the price and what they will receive. We don't make false claims at all. Before any client is charged, they must go through a state approved verification which is recorded. In the script, it tells the client that we do not have buyers for their property and/or renters. that there is a 7 day period to change their minds and that if we do not bring them a minimum of 3 legit offers will will refund the fee, 100%. TSU doen't tell anyone we advertise in USA Today, etc because we don't. Yes a little ad in the paper doesn't market you at all. Companies out there make you believe that your property will be listed and market in all these papers, when in fact, they advertise the company and most don't even put the company name on it.

The person with the $2000.00 fee is for our lifetime rental. We do have a a one-time rental fee that is much much less, and many clients opt to do this to see how we work. I agree that one should only invest and should do what they feel comfortable with. I won't bring on a client who is paying the fee instead of paying their bills or if its taking food off their table.

You may believe me or not.

Some properties out there are worth $500 or so. We don't touch them, because its not worth it to pay for advertising. Personally, I would and have told people to use Redweek.com or Bidshares.com-which by the way is free!!!

Regardless of where an owner want to list their timeshare, be it on Redweek, with a broker who accepts works on commission, or even (gulp) with an upfront fee company like Timeshares United, make sure you know exactly how much more timeshare is worth.

Don't let anyone mislead you as to the value of your unit. Don't fall for any lines that your unit will sell within 3 months, or a buyer is waiting. Whatever route your choose, your unit will be listed on a website and there it will sit waiting for potential buyers to find it. Consider ANY fee you pay as money spent. As Ken has said, you voluntarily chose to pay an upfront fee company hundreds of dollars to list your unit. You have been warned about their tactics.

Yes you should always look at it monies spent. That is common sense. Please understand that when you group Redweek alone from upfront companies, you are actually not telling the complete truth. Since an owner has to pay UPFRONT on Redweek to list their property on the redweek website. I have nothing against Redweek and the business plan they have chosen. They have done very well with over a million members paying dues each year and those who want to advertise their property for sale/rent, those upfront fees as well. I am not one of those types that attack a business for doing what they say...some of those out there do. I will attack a person or company is not doing what they say..There is a difference.

I strongly agree with you Mike that no one should ever believe that the property will sell/rent in 3 months, some do, but it usually takes 6-12 months to move a property, if priced right. And everyone i ever spoke with and speak with, I explain that to them. And since our performance guarantee also explains that too, so TSU is clear on what it does and how long it could take and if we don't don't perform we refund the money.

Here's the thing... when we contact current timeshare owners and the first thing we ask is.."Do you want to buy more?" There are many that do, at the right price. Not everyone is upset with their timeshare and love to travel using timeshares. Also TSU gives back to the community and sponsors local events and does give-a-ways to various resort destinations, this also helps in aiding the sale/rental of the properties.

Its unfortunate that the companies out there in our industrry past and currently are using tactics that lie to gain clients, but not every company is.

patrickd85 wrote:

The person with the $2000.00 fee is for our lifetime rental.

Gosh ONLY a mere $2000 fee when you take someone's rental and add it into a database that nobody will ever see. It's people like you (upfront fee parasites) that gives timsharing rentals a bad name.

And how in the world can you compare Redweek's nominal classified ad fees to $2000 ? Guess it makes you feel better or justified, BUT due to timeshare forums on the internet like Redweek, the word is getting out about upfront fee scams.

For all upfront fee parasite companies, why don't you take your fee after you rent or sell, why before when you have done absolutely nothing to earn that fee ? If my conscience would let me, I'd love to start an upfront fee company for the easy money, but my conscience would eat my alive as I could not outright lie to anyone for money ... what goes around, comes around in the universal truth.

patrick, all your defensiviness and justification of your upfront fee company doesn't hold an ounce of water. IF YOU CHARGE AN UPFRONT FEE IN THE HUNDREDS/THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, then it is a SCAM, period.