NFR Time Share Exit Advice?

[Irafly]

My wife and I made the mistake of allowing a high pressure, not exactly truthful salesman talk us into a Vacation Rental property in Florida during our honeymoon some 20 years ago.

We would like out and honestly after a lot of reading up on it, I can’t figure out a safe exit strategy. I’d love the PNW brain trust to help me out.

 

[Dustin Chromers]

Burn it. Make it look like an accident. I suggest a burned out RV in close proximity to get suspicion off of you. It's Florida so there's no shortage of nefarious redneck know how at your disposal. I got a set of mud tires you can use to bargain with them. Remember the longer the mullet the more the know how in the dark arts of arson.

 

[Stonedfish]

There are companies that advertise getting you out of timeshares. Don’t know how legit they are. Their commercials sound a bit sketchy in my opinion.
One of them has been advertising their services quite a bit here locally lately.
Good luck with this.
SF

 

[Evan B]

There are companies that advertise getting you out of timeshares. Don’t know how legit they are. Their commercials sound a bit sketchy in my opinion.
One of them has been advertising their services quite a bit here locally lately.
Good luck with this.
SF

I've never been on either side of this debacle, but I've heard the exit companies are as big or bigger scams than the timeshares themselves.

 

[Dustin Chromers]

I've never been on either side of this debacle, but I've heard the exit companies are as big or bigger scams than the timeshares themselves.

This is why arson is attractive. I can't believe these companies can operate legally. I can't believe people still sign on for it. I sat through one of their bullshit deals in Hawaii to get deals elsewhere and it was comical. They let me and my lady go rather quickly as I explained I would sign nothing and was in fact there to scam them. I made it known my goal was to make them spend as much energy while I stroked them for as long as possible. I made it clear that was my kick. I got off on watching their eyes light up when I picked up the pen and asked where to sign then put it down to ,"I just don't know". We were out of the in minutes.

 

[SurfnFish]

My oldest son went through this, brought the contract to a real estate lawyer where he lives in the bay area for a consultation who ended up representing him. The lawyer negotiated a buy-out fee on his behalf to walk away.

 

[Jake Watrous]

I assume you’ve already checked about deeding it back, but if you don’t have a loan for it you could consider stopping paying the maintenance and other fees as a way to pressure them to let you surrender it.

 

[Mossback]

Definitely consult an attorney, at least get a sit down with one. My folks had a time share, wanted out and ended up being let out by the time share company who did not want to do the court case their attorney suggested. Every situation is different, as is every company...even state by state rules can differ.

 

[Stonedfish]

I've never been on either side of this debacle, but I've heard the exit companies are as big or bigger scams than the timeshares themselves.

Yep, that is why I mentioned it possibly being sketchy. The commercials sound eerily similar to the ones advertised debt consolidation or cancellation.
SF

 

[RCF]

This may help?

3 Proven Strategies to Exit a Timeshare

Finance expert Jean Chatzky helps frustrated timeshare owners unload an unwanted â©vacation contract without needing an expensive timeshare exit company.

www.aarp.org

 

[Billy]

This is why arson is attractive. I can't believe these companies can operate legally. I can't believe people still sign on for it. I sat through one of their bullshit deals in Hawaii to get deals elsewhere and it was comical. They let me and my lady go rather quickly as I explained I would sign nothing and was in fact there to scam them. I made it known my goal was to make them spend as much energy while I stroked them for as long as possible. I made it clear that was my kick. I got off on watching their eyes light up when I picked up the pen and asked where to sign then put it down to ,"I just don't know". We were out of the in minutes.

bro

 

[Josh]

but I've heard the exit companies are as big or bigger scams than the timeshares themselves.

I have heard this as well.

Honestly @Irafly, I'd talk to a decent lawyer to start with. Probably a real-estate specific lawyer. But not someone who claims to be connected in any way to the timeshare industry.

 

[Josh]

How Timeshare Exit Scams Work â and How to Avoid Them

Scammers pretend to help owners get out of their contracts while taking their cash

www.aarp.org

Timeshares, Vacation Clubs, and Related Scams

If you’re thinking about buying a timeshare or joining a vacation club, make sure you know exactly what you’re getting into.

consumer.ftc.gov

Also, this is a great piece on the timeshare industry. Even touches on the timeshare exit scams at the end:

 

[Josh]

I rewatched that John Oliver segment again after posting. And I gotta say, we all should send that to everyone we know who might stumble into a timeshare pitch or be tempted by it.

Such a terrible industry.

 

[Brian Miller]

My wife and I made the mistake of allowing a high pressure, not exactly truthful salesman talk us into a Vacation Rental property in Florida during our honeymoon some 20 years ago.
We would like out and honestly after a lot of reading up on it, I can’t figure out a safe exit strategy. I’d love the PNW brain trust to help me out.

Burn it. Make it look like an accident. I suggest a burned out RV in close proximity to get suspicion off of you. It's Florida so there's no shortage of nefarious redneck know how at your disposal. I got a set of mud tires you can use to bargain with them. Remember the longer the mullet the more the know how in the dark arts of arson.

Um, if you decide on this approach, ask the mods to delete this thread. Well, then again that would make it an even larger conspiracy.

 

[Brian Miller]

...I sat through one of their bullshit deals in Hawaii to get deals elsewhere and it was comical. They let me and my lady go rather quickly as I explained I would sign nothing and was in fact there to scam them. I made it known my goal was to make them spend as much energy while I stroked them for as long as possible. I made it clear that was my kick. I got off on watching their eyes light up when I picked up the pen and asked where to sign then put it down to ,"I just don't know". We were out of the in minutes.

I did the same thing to get a discount on a 4-night stay at a resort on business trip for training in Las Vegas, then going on to Tucson to visit with family where my wife accompanying me and the Tucson leg couldn't be expensed.

This thread is quite the coincidence. My brother has gotten a lot of use out of his Timeshare. His extended family and friends; sometimes upwards of 2 dozen people have accompanied him and my SiL on trips to some cool places, taking the same flight, and all stay at the timeshare location for what he says is a fraction of what it would cost everyone at a regular resort. He must be arranging some sort of sublet deals with other "owners" desperately trying to recoup some of their costs. I'm going to EWA rockhounding with him this weekend and will ask.

 

[mcswny]

I know nothing about this industry other than my dad is part of some sort of timeshare/points situation with Wyndham Hotels. He uses it all over, from Mexico, to Spain and in Portland when he visits.

Curious if it’s a scam or not.

 

[Porter2]

If it’s to good to be true don’t !!!!

No one wants to make you happy other than the fly shop where you spend 3K every year. Believe me.

 

[Porter2]

oops

 

[jasmillo]

This is why arson is attractive. I can't believe these companies can operate legally. I can't believe people still sign on for it. I sat through one of their bullshit deals in Hawaii to get deals elsewhere and it was comical. They let me and my lady go rather quickly as I explained I would sign nothing and was in fact there to scam them. I made it known my goal was to make them spend as much energy while I stroked them for as long as possible. I made it clear that was my kick. I got off on watching their eyes light up when I picked up the pen and asked where to sign then put it down to ,"I just don't know". We were out of the in minutes.

I did the exact same thing in HI. I think it was something like 50% off a helicopter tour. I just kept saying, “sorry not interested, just here for the discounted rates”. I must have said that two dozen times as they threw every pitch they had at us. Started friendly with the usual bullshit selling points, which quickly morphed into the usual sleazeball high pressure tactics; questioning your intelligence for not making this “no brainer” deal to questioning my finances “well, obviously you cannot afford this now”. All of which was met with a shoulder shrug from both of us and me saying “we have no interest, just here for the discounted rates”. In the end, doing it that way got us out of there faster than anyone else who showed up and as a bonus, really seemed to piss off the sales guy. I’m normally not that type of person. Dude was there trying to make some money. Who am I to judge. We wanted out of there fast though. First trip and we did not want to wast a lot of time. I actually felt bad at first but as the pitch progressed and became more aggressive, I have to admit I found lots of joy in repeating that phrase the last 8-10 times I did .

Sorry, can’t help you @Irafly but hoping you find a reasonable solution.