What about companies that claim to have a buyer for my timeshare?

Ask the Timeshare Crusader / June, 2011

I always read your forum here on RedWeek.com and you're always going on about staying away from companies that call or send letters about having a buyer for my timeshare. Is there anything really wrong with these companies? There must be a lot of people who want a timeshare but can't afford one from the resort. So why all the fuss?

Thanks for your question. The easiest way to really expose this practice for what it is, is to change the word "timeshare" to "automobile." Sure, there are a lot of people who want a car, but can't afford a new one. But if you got a call or a letter in the mail from a company that you had a) never heard of and b) never contacted, and they said they had a buyer for your car but didn't know the make, model, year or even color of the car, would you do business with them? I don't think so.

I'm not quite sure why ordinarily smart consumers lose some of their smarts when dealing with timeshare issues, but they do. There are a number of reputable places and organizations that can assist in selling your timeshare. YOU should make the first contact, YOU should maintain as much control as possible over the dealings, and YOU should get everything in writing.