Any experience with Vacation Experts?

So I received a call from Vacation Experts International over the weekend, they are out of Tennessee. They wanted to give me an equity exchange for my timeshare at Wyndham Cypress Palms and I would then have to pay a fee to become a holder of their vacation license. They are with the BBB and I asked for their license numbers with the state, and they did oblige. Anyone have any experience with this company in particular?

The fact that you received a call from them (unsolicited, I assume) and that they are asking for a fee are huge red flags for me.

lancec13 wrote:

The fact that you received a call from them (unsolicited, I assume) and that they are asking for a fee are huge red flags for me.

I can only imagine what the fee is to join their vacation club .... and it's not a given that this outfit would take ownership of your timeshare week and it might still be in your name after they've received your large fee for joining their socalled club. There are so many timeshare scams out there that one has to be especially cautious these days.

Did you not click on an internet link or did they just call you out the blue?

My wife and I signed a contract with VEI sometime in September, 2017. We paid them about $3k and they agreed to transfer the ownership of our Welk Lodges at Timber Ridge in Branson, MO. They also agreed to provide a one year membership in their travel club.

We just received an e-mail last week, that the transfer is now complete. I verified that our account at Welk has been closed.

The good news is that they did transfer our ownership. The bad news is that, despite numerous requests, I have never received any information that would allow me to use their Vacation Club.

I have seen a number of complaints about VEI, but in our case, even though it took much longer than I anticipated, they did what they said they would do. Also, a part of our agreement was that VEI would be responsible for any Maintenance Fee or Ownership assessment beginning January 1, 2018. I did receive a Maintenance Fee Bill from Welk. I sent it to VEI and they took care of it.

I hope this helps.

johnb3039 wrote:

Also, a part of our agreement was that VEI would be responsible for any Maintenance Fee or Ownership assessment beginning January 1, 2018. I did receive a Maintenance Fee Bill from Welk. I sent it to VEI and they took care of it.

I would be a little leery about this part. What some of these companies do when you receive your maintenance fee bill is say, "Oh, ignore it (or send it to us),. We'll take care of it." They do nothing.

Then you get a the maintenance fee bill again a few weeks or months later because it hasn't been paid. The company again says, "Oh, ignore it. We'll take care of it." You receive the bill again, this time with late penalties. You contact the company again about the problem. Same response.

Finally, the resort forecloses on you for not paying. You contact the company mentioning what happened. The response? Well, you are no longer the owner. Isn't that what you wanted? We did our job.

Just got a call today saying they would buy my timeshare. I had to watch a 30 minute video and call back for my appraisal. When I called back they offered 12200 but their vacation club was 15500. I would have to pay the difference plus 199 annually. I offered to throw in a second timeshare to cover the difference but they refused. They said that was the max

Their fee is 15000 or so minus what they appraise your timeshare at. Annual dues are 199 guaranteed never to go up

It's a SCAM !!! All they want is your upfront money .

douglasw169 wrote:

When I called back they offered 12200 but their vacation club was 15500. I would have to pay the difference plus 199 annually.

Who in the timeshare business would offer to pay someone over $12,000 for a timeshare when he knows that thousands could be had on the resale market for $1000 or less, many of them free?

douglasw169 wrote:

Just got a call today saying they would buy my timeshare. I had to watch a 30 minute video and call back for my appraisal. When I called back they offered 12200 but their vacation club was 15500. I would have to pay the difference plus 199 annually. I offered to throw in a second timeshare to cover the difference but they refused. They said that was the max

That's all just smoke and mirrors nonsense. They are not "buying" any timeshares. Your timeshares (like most) probably aren't worth much at all and the so-called "membership" is essentially worthless. They toss those big numbers around to appeal to greed and to manufacture a false atmosphere of business legitimacy, but it all basically amounts to "Send us $3,200 for a worthless membership. We probably won't do a thing with your unwanted timeshares, so you'll still end up owning them anyhow, but thanks for the cash. Don't worry about the $199 per year either; we will probably have completely disappeared into thin air by this time next year anyhow. Thanks again for the money!"

Does this potential scenario sound attractive to you?

No problems for me. They got my timeshare deed transferred out of my name. They were very helpful and up from with everything. Yea for me! No more Maintence fees.

How long did It take? I've been involved with them since 3/21 and keep getting lots of excuses as to why it's taking so long. I was told 12-16 weeks, I'm now way past that.

edwarda219 wrote:

No problems for me. They got my timeshare deed transferred out of my name. They were very helpful and up from with everything. Yea for me! No more Maintence fees.

They say they put in writing they will take timeshare in exchange. And if they don't get it out of your name then you can get all your money back. I use to sell timeshare. It's hard to get rid of so I plan on doing this. Tired of mf going up. Travel club is the way to go.

rennias1 wrote:

They say they put in writing they will take timeshare in exchange. And if they don't get it out of your name then you can get all your money back. I use to sell timeshare. It's hard to get rid of so I plan on doing this. Tired of mf going up. Travel club is the way to go.

Who are "they"? If you want to get rid of your unit, you don't need a company to do it for you. Just ask the resort's Homeowners' Association or the timeshare company to take it back.

rennias1 wrote:

They say they put in writing they will take timeshare in exchange. And if they don't get it out of your name then you can get all your money back.

In my own (several decades of) experience in the timeshare world, I have NEVER known of ANY timeshare related entity anywhere, EVER returning money, except in specific instances when required by state contract rescission law (which only applies to contract cancellation 3-10 days after signing, depending on the individual state). Any other “promise” that “you can get all your money back” is somewhat amusing, but completely false.

P.S. The “we will take your timeshare in exchange” claim is also completely false. It’s a common tactic used in Mexico by sales weasels there. They assign a grossly inflated (but completely meaningless) “dollar value” to a “trade in” to make people think they are getting a “good deal”. The problem is that they never bother to even try get the alleged “trade in” out of the current owner’s name . It’s just an empty promise to “seal the deal” and get money from the “lucky” customer / sucker. Don’t fall for any of that nonsense in the U.S. or in Mexico — or anywhere else. It is simply not true.

There is an old saying that “A fool and his money are soon parted”. Be smart. Do not become another person who proves once again that the old saying is true.

Strange call, may be sit on it for a while, no urgent responses until you know more

amandah233 wrote:

So I received a call from Vacation Experts International over the weekend, they are out of Tennessee. They wanted to give me an equity exchange for my timeshare at Wyndham Cypress Palms and I would then have to pay a fee to become a holder of their vacation license. They are with the BBB and I asked for their license numbers with the state, and they did oblige. Anyone have any experience with this company in particular?

AVOID THEM. I have had personal dealings with them but not related to their "license" proposal. . When you realize they did not do basic steps they stop returning phone calls. The resort that they claimed to have called and provided documentation to said they had never heard from VEI. When I asked VEI for copies of the emails they claimed to have sent to the resort they never provided despite numerous requests. Their "vacation license" offers less than a basic RCI membership.

Paid VEI $4369.00, got notice from time share my maintenance fees are past due and sending to a collection agency. Cannot reach VEI at any number. All a scam!