In most situations the timeshare company will try to collect on the unpaid balance and suspend your usage rights. Owners should expect collection calls, negative marks on their credit reports, a decrease in credit score, and potential legal action.
Recently we have seen some owners seeing none of this activity despite being years behind on maintenance fees. This appears to be a desperate attempt by timeshare companies to avoid reporting bad accounts to their stockholders for fear of stock price decline.
The only reason a timeshare exit can affect your credit score is if you decide to or are forced to stop making payments. Beware as many timeshare exit companies and attorneys will advise you to stop making payments. This is not ethical advice. Whether you pay the timeshare company or not is your decision, and your decision only. Centerstone Group and our staff will never advise clients to stop making payments to the timeshare company. If Centerstone Clients elect to stop paying or have already ceased payments, our team will sign you up for a complimentary service that helps mitigate the impacts of that decision.
Timeshare exiting is the process of permanently getting out of your timeshare and the ongoing obligations to include future mortgage, maintenance fees and special assessments. Exiting a timeshare is different from transferring a timeshare to a 3rd party. You should expect to pay an exit firm to execute the detailed steps required to in timeshare exiting. Beware exit companies that cannot or will not tell you the steps they take to execute your timeshare exit.
Unlike other real estate, timeshares do not appreciate over time. In most states it is illegal for a timeshare company or their salespeople to claim a timeshare is similar to real estate, is a sound investment, or that the timeshare will appreciate in value. Most timeshares have little to no value outside of the usage rights of the owner. Even then, many timeshares are cheaper to rent on the internet than own.
The reality is the price of a timeshare is set by timeshare companies. The high-pressure sales process is then developed to justify this price. Too often these sales presentations are full of lies and omissions that are designed to trick good people into purchasing their timeshares. This is why over 85% of timeshare owners regret their purchase and want to pursue a timeshare exit.
If you own a timeshare, you were most likely lied to by the timeshare salesperson to fool you into buying their timeshare. Below are the 5 most common lies our clients tell us their timeshare told them
Lie 1: You can rent the timeshare for a profit.
Many timeshare salespeople tell potential clients that the timeshare can be rented out for a profit, but many timeshares block owner rental, and it is usually much more difficult than the salesperson makes it seem. Even if you can rent your timeshare, you will be competing with your timeshare company that rents out the resorts at shockingly low prices so your chances at a profit are very unlikely. Additionally, most of the timeshare companies charge owners fees for the right to rent out their week.
We are hearing from owners that have had their accounts frozen for suspicion of rental activity. While this sounds like a welcome outcome, know that these owners are still obligated to pay their mortgage and maintenance fees but are blocked from using the timeshare. That is not a timeshare exit.
Lie 2: Timeshares are a sound investment
This is one of the most common and worst lies they tell buyers. A timeshare is never a worthwhile investment outside of the value it provides through lower accommodations prices. As the vast majority of timeshares are not even a good value, this is not even an acceptable “spin” on the investment lie. We know this is unacceptable because many states have laws precluding timeshare companies and their representatives from making the claim the timeshare is a sound investment or appreciates in value. It only takes about 2 minutes to research how inexpensively non-owners can rent your unit compared to the price you are paying as an “owner”.
Lie 3: You can sell the timeshare if you no longer want it
As covered in the above FAQ, timeshare values are based on the savings owners are able to achieve over other accommodations options. A simple internet search dispels any value proposition so who would buy it from you? Unless an owner is prepared to engage in the same high pressure, misleading and unethical sales process the timeshare company, there is no selling your timeshare. Check the listings on eBay or Craig’s list to see thousands of timeshares offered for $1 with no bidders/offers. Outside of a timeshare sales center, timeshares have no value.
Lie 4: You will be able to use the timeshare whenever you want
This is patently false for obvious reasons. Supply and demand theory tells us that there is a limited supply of units during a holiday weekend but there is a high demand. This means that the only way an owner is getting time during these peak periods is to book a year or more ahead. Even then it may be impossible because your timeshare company is in the rental business and books these peak periods for their own rental business prior to the reservation window opening to regular owners. They do this because they can rent these peak periods for a higher profit, which we all know is the only thing your timeshare company cares about. Even if you want to book non-holiday weekends, these are in more demand than mid-week stays so you will need to book months ahead of time to secure a basic weekend stay. Lack of availability is one of the top reasons our clients seek our timeshare exit services.
Lie 5: Your timeshare company will take back your timeshare if you ever want out
Even if this was true, which it never is, you would have to have paid off the mortgage and stay current on all fees just to get on a list that is years long. Knowing that 85% of timeshare owners regret the purchase and want out, it’s easy to understand why timeshare companies cannot let owners out without a fight. It would put them out of business, and they will do anything to survive and make profits for their stockholders and greedy executives.
Cancelling a timeshare may be possible if you were a victim of fraud, high-pressure sales tactics, or misrepresentation during the timeshare sales process. You may also qualify if your timeshare mortgage is paid off and your timeshare is eligible for our transfer services. We will need to analyze your case to determine eligibility. Contact us today for a free consultation to get started.
Getting started is simple. Just give us a call to speak with one of our Intake Specialists who will guide you through the process. The Intake Specialist will collect key information from you such as whether your timeshare qualifies for our transfer services, the date you purchased the timeshare and the sales tactics used during the presentation. If you do not have this information handy, our Intake Specialist may be able help you locate it.
Unlike other timeshare exit companies you may have researched; we do not believe that you should have to choose between your credit score and ridding yourself of your unwanted timeshare. The vast majority of our clients see no impact to their credit and if there is an impact, we will work with you to make sure that your credit is protected and repaired if anything transpires.
The cost of the service varies based on a variety of factors, for example which of our programs you qualify for, the details of your situation, how long you have owned the timeshare and what state you reside in. We have found that we are very price competitive and are confident that we offer the best value in the timeshare relief business. Whatever the cost of getting out of your timeshare is, it will always be a small fraction of the cost of staying in your timeshare!
Centerstone Group is the only timeshare exit firm that utilizes our proprietary 3-pronged process. Additionally, we successfully negotiate releases with clients in as short as a month, however timeframes vary based on which of our programs your timeshare qualifies for. Overall, Centerstone Group delivers quicker resolutions than any other timeshare exit company or law firm.
If you purchased a timeshare in Mexico, you will be best served by a Mexico legal process as the best course for exit from your timeshare. There is nothing a US process or US based attorney can do to exit you from a timeshare purchased in Mexico. Centerstone Group is the only US based timeshare exit firm with a proprietary Mexico exit process. Our process yields quick and effective results for our clients. Beware of timeshare exit solutions for timeshare purchased in Mexico that do not utilize processes that are not based on Mexico law and consumer protection agencies.
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