Red Week now offers full service Rentals

[TheTimeTraveler]

I see that Red Week now offers their customers full service rentals of customers weeks as an option when placing an ad. Their fee for this is $99 (but only if the week actually rents). They take care of all the details including obtaining the funds and doing all the paperwork (which can eliminate a lot of headaches for both the owner and the people who actually rent the week).

It sounds like an interesting concept so my question is has anyone successfully used this service yet?

I noticed their ads now highlight "Redweek Verified" for these full service rentals. Will this mean people could look at these ads first and rent these weeks first (not wanting to deal with ads which are not "Redweek Verified") ?

I would like to have feedback from TUG folks about this new service as I am thinking about trying it out (as an owner renting my week out).




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[theo]

I see that Red Week now offers their customers full service rentals of customers weeks as an option when placing an ad. Their fee for this is $99 (but only if the week actually rents). They take care of all the details including obtaining the funds and doing all the paperwork (which can eliminate a lot of headaches for both the owner and the people who actually rent the week).

It sounds like an interesting concept so my question is has anyone successfully used this service yet?

I noticed their ads now highlight "Redweek Verified" for these full service rentals. Will this mean people could look at these ads first and rent these weeks first (not wanting to deal with ads which are not "Redweek Verified") ?

I would like to have feedback from TUG folks about this new service as I am thinking about trying it out (as an owner renting my week out).
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"RedWeek verified" ad status can be obtained (for a fee, of course) without utilizing the whole "full service" package. It's really nothing more than RedWeek independently verifying directly with the resort that the advertiser and the owner are, in fact, one and the same person(s) --- and that the unit, unit size and reserved week are, in fact, the same as reflected in the ad. I dunno how much additional confidence an ad being "verified" provides to a prospective tenant. Personally, I've never had any difficulty at all renting out an occasional week on RedWeek without choosing (or paying) to be "verified".

Have never used the "full service" RW package and never would. I frankly prefer to utilize my own carefully crafted rental agreement, with detailed cancellation and refund policy clearly and precisely spelled out to my liking --- although no renter has ever actually objected to any of those terms and conditions.
Receiving rental payment only after a rental has already been completed (as per the RedWeek "full service" option process) is IMnsHO simply unacceptable.
For as rarely as I might rent out a week, I guess I just don't need or want any unnecessary and avoidable "middleman" involvement at all. YMMV.

To answer another question you posed, a RedWeek member / prospective renter can freely pick and choose which specific ads s/he responds to. An ad being bolded, "RedWeek verified" or "full service" certainly does not in any way "steer" or "prioritize" ad inquiries; all such inquiries are solely at the individual choice and selection of the inquiring member, whether the ad is bolded, "RedWeek verified", "full service" or none of those things.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

For me it's a horrible option for several reasons but a big one is not getting paid until after the stay has occurred. For example last January I rented out a week 51. Obviously I had to pay the maintenance fee by January as well. It was nice to get paid back so quickly. Why would I want want to pay someone else $99 in order to wait a full year to get my rental revenue? Renters never seem to mind paying up front in full without the ability to cancel.

Another issue is Redweek can't negotiate and doesn't have all the answers. Someone asks questions or offers a lower price and Redweek relays the message. You respond and they relay it back. Why pay a fee just to have someone in the middle that doesn't know as much as you do?

The full service benefits the renter because of the added guarantee but does little for the owner.

I have used the Redweek Verified option but it doesn't seem to make any difference. When I don't use it I still get the same demand as when I have used it so I stopped paying the additional fee.

 

[DeniseM]

Redweek has been offering these services for months. I think they are designed for newbies.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

Redweek has been offering these services for months. I think they are designed for newbies.

My thinking was that this service was in part designed to eliminate scammers......

Maybe I have too much negative thinking, lol.


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[DeniseM]

Nah - It is just another way for Redweek to make $$$. It doesn't eliminate scammers, because scammers would never use either service.

 

[theo]

My thinking was that this service was in part designed to eliminate scammers. <snip>

I frankly don't think that RedWeek is particularly fertile ground for scammers anyhow, completely apart and aside from those questionable "extra services".
The paid RedWeek membership requirement to either post or respond to RedWeek ads surely deters most would-be scammers right from the git go, since scammers neither want to "pay to play" nor do they ever want to leave behind an easily traceable "paper trail". Accordingly, "scams" involving RedWeek members seem largely confined to "hacked" email accounts (hacked outside of RW, btw), a matter over which RedWeek obviously has no influence or control.

DeniseM has it exactly right --- it's "easy money" for RedWeek to charge timeshare owners just to handle the relatively simple details of a timeshare rental. Clearly, it's a (too expensive, IMnsHO) convenient "service" available to interval owners who don't want to (and / or don't know how to) effectively rent out an interval entirely on their own.

 

[pedro47]

Sounds liked they have found a legal way to rent time share weeks.

 

[DeniseM]

When was it "illegal" to rent timeshare weeks?

 

[vacationhopeful]

When was it "illegal" to rent timeshare weeks?

In most states, if you don't own the real estate ... renting it for another owner is called "Brokering" ... and if not a licensed real estate person in the home state of where the property is, is not legal.

 

[DeniseM]

It is my understanding that "classified" websites do not fall into this category, because the owner is handling the rental/sale.

 

[vacationhopeful]

It is my understanding that "classified" websites do not fall into this category, because the owner is handling the rental/sale.

Full service is 'brokering' the deal ... getting contracts, collecting & dispersing funds and dealing with the owner & renter .. keeping both at arms length.

The original Redweek is a classified ad site. Full service Redweek functions as a real estate broker.

 

[DeniseM]

Yes, but that just means that either way, it is legal. Adding a brokering service did not change the legality.

 

[MOXJO7282]

They don't even do a god job with the full service ads. Case in point they have ads for a specific resort that has fixed units that really could have an impact on the success of the ad and they don't even reference the unit number or add any description or pics to improve the listing.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

Yes, but that just means that either way, it is legal. Adding a brokering service did not change the legality.

Brokering does change the legality because you cannot broker in many states without a license. Redweek has licensed real estate brokers in every state where required. They are probably not doing it illegally but on the rental side it might be questionable if it is not a licensed broker or associate that is handling the communication.

 

[DeniseM]

Redweek doesn't do any research on the info for the Ads - they only use what the owner provides. Garbage in = garbage out.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

The fee for a full service rental is $178.99, not $99. You pay 79.99 up front whether the unit rents or not, and then another $99 when it rents. Even for a high end timeshare that is ridiculously expensive for what you get. For lower end timeshares that regularly rent for under $1,000 it is out of the question.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

Redweek doesn't do any research on the info for the Ads - they only use what the owner provides. Garbage in = garbage out.

Perhaps but that is certainly not what they advertise.

• Professional help verifying your reservation details
• Professional inquiry management
• We help with every step of the process — from advertising to the lease & payment.

I am not arguing your point but just stating the service they are advertising. I don't think they really do what they offer which is why I don't think it is worth it, even for a newbie.

 

[DeniseM]

AGREED!

 

[MuranoJo]

In a different thread some time ago, I mentioned the 'Redweek Verified' irritated me--because they're competing against their members who pay to post ads. (Yeah, so what's new--exchange companies compete with those who deposit.)

I refuse to pay for the 'service.' I always supply confirmation of my reservation--why do I need them?

 

[Tank]

They over doubled the money if they rent it or not. Putting in the info, and numbers you give them and price. Have not seen a positive post on this yet.

I will use the " Redweek verified" only if a lot of rentals show, you do stand out.

Some people, as easy as it is, just do not wan't to deal with people. I think it is a good service , and finding another way to make some money gives another person a job.

Dave

 

[Saintsfanfl]

You still have to deal with people, but now it's a Redweek rep instead of the renter. It's the worst of both worlds because you have a middle guy that knows less than either party about their specific situations.

 

[dioxide45]

I will use the " Redweek verified" only if a lot of rentals show, you do stand out.

I find the Redweek Verified flag to be rather annoying actually. I guess for newbies renting, they may take comfort in them, but for the veteran I think it is rather meaningless. When looking at resale ads, I am looking more for details like deeded week and unit instead of just a floating unit and season. I want to do my due diligence and details are what are important. I find Redweek Verified ads lacking these details just as much as unverified ads.

 

[icydog]

How about Redweek's Escrow Service. Their Escrow advertisements have cost me two rentals so far. I'll be darned if I'll wait until my renter's check-in date to get my money. But since Redweek touts this service, newbies think it's a necessity!

 

[Saintsfanfl]

How about Redweek's Escrow Service. Their Escrow advertisements have cost me two rentals so far. I'll be darned if I'll wait until my renter's check-in date to get my money. But since Redweek touts this service, newbies think it's a necessity!

I could buy into escrow if I had to but only if I was guaranteed payment if I delivered under my own control and that means full payment even if a hurricane hits and the resort closes. Otherwise the timeshare rental business wouldn't be worth it. Right now it still seems like people are still willing to get a good deal and pay up front.