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Upfront fees redux... (by KC):

loisb156 wrote:

Ken, thank you for your detailed and very fast response. I must say that I have been researching this for a while and I have noticed that you seem to post on almost all of the resale boards always bashing the company. How do I know that you dont work for redweek who also advertises or for that other company you have just mentioned. I would love to see you as a credible source but how can you possibly have so much time on your hands to reply so fast? Please dont take it the wrong way its just that you have to understand our side . When we purchased we were told all sorts of things that weren't true from the sales rep so it seems like everything that has had anything to do with timeshare has been far from the truth. I will look into your company that takes at least 1500 like you say and a commission but do you know if they work with all resorts or just some? Also have you ever paid a company upfront yourself? Thanks for your help and good luck with getting rid of your timeshares as well if you still own any.

You are wise to be careful and suspicious about anyone and everyone swimming around in the murky and financially dangerous waters of "timeshare world".

I am retired and I do not work for or represent ANYONE. I am merely a subscriber to RedWeek (for about 10 years now), with no other affiliation and no "agenda". I briefly met the previously mentioned Tom Tubbs while I was on vacation in Florida for a few weeks this past winter; he was a speaker at a timeshare owner's group meeting that I attended on 3/20/17, as was a local attorney named Michael Finn and a management company representative whose name I don't recall. You could always just call Mr. Tubbs and talk to him directly --- don't just take my word for anything. Tubbs will tell you bluntly and honestly whether or not he would even take your listing AT ALL; he might not. In any event, he certainly won't be asking you for any money, so you have nothing to lose by just talking to him. It's your decision and certainly of no impact on me one way or another. I simply recommend NOT paying ANY upfront money to ANYONE --- to do NOTHING useful.

I don't usually have this much time on my hands to be on these forums. This week, I am in "recovery" mode after knee surgery, so I've been spending a few hours a day on the computer or reading, with one leg resting extended on a pillow covered hammock. Keeping my mind busy distracts me from pain --- I won't touch opioid-based pain killers under any circumstances. I can assure you that my input in these forums will be considerably less frequent once I am back up on two feet and mobile and can rejoin my life --- and drive again. Whether or not you choose to believe ANY of my input here is entirely up to you and makes no difference to me..

I've been a timeshare owner for many years and I currently sit as a (unpaid, elected) Board of Directors member at a small independent timeshare resort where we still own and use a few weeks each year. Aside from that, I have absolutely no affiliation with any person or business or organization of any kind associated in any way with the timeshare industry --- an industry which is unfortunately riddled with far too many thieves and liars and assorted other deceitful opportunists, parasites, scoundrels and weasels.

Good luck with selling your timeshare, however you ultimately decide to try to do so.

Oh, I forgot to answer one of your questions --- No, I have never paid an upfront fee to ANY entity to sell a timeshare (nor would I EVER consider doing so). I sold off (it certainly took some time) SEVEN timeshare weeks on my own since 2009 as we drastically reduced our ownerships. All had been resale market purchases --- we have never purchased directly from any developer. We STILL lost some money on four of the seven resales anyhow and approximately "broke even" on the others. I advertised for myself (yes, including paying for ads placed here on RedWeek). I also posted ads on Timeshare Users Group (no ad fees for TUG members). I paid closing costs using closing entities that I trust, one of which (JRA Services) closed down just last year when the principal made a career change. I won't even name the others, as you might then somehow think that I'm "promoting" them (I am not). Besides, you first need to find a willing buyer before you need to even begin to think or worry about "closing" details.