Sellmytimesharenow.com, Jonathan Lacomb and Timeshare Closing Services

[heckp]

I know lots of TUGGers must have asked about SMTN. I particularly want to ask about Jonathan Lacomb if someone had experience buying from him already. Interested in one of their listings and I inquired. He called me (seems like a nice guy). Has anyone had a recent success in buying from them? How did the transaction with them? What about TCS the closing company. I read that fees are high, can't negotiate it? Any advice if I decide to deal with them? They have a listing that fits exactly what I am looking for.

 

[TUGBrian]

as far as I am concerned, its a buyers market...if you want to buy someones timeshare as the buyer you reserve the right to use any licensed closing company you want to to handle the transaction.

from past reports, there are plenty of padded fees within sales transactions and closing costs if you chose otherwise...but paying those padded fees may be worth it to you if you are getting exactly what you want when you want it.

 

[icydog]

I know lots of TUGGers must have asked about SMTN. I particularly want to ask about Jonathan Lacomb if someone had experience buying from him already. Interested in one of their listings and I inquired. He called me (seems like a nice guy). Has anyone had a recent success in buying from them? How did the transaction with them? What about TCS the closing company. I read that fees are high, can't negotiate it? Any advice if I decide to deal with them? They have a listing that fits exactly what I am looking for.

Are you getting the price you want (because you must know their listings are seriously overpriced and overvalued).

That being said, since I assume you've done your due diligence, I don't see any reason not to buy from them.

But

TCS is a very difficult to work with closing company. It takes forever for them to close anything. I, personally, would not use them again. The timeshare is cheap because they're able to pad the closing costs with Timeshare Closing Services.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Although I know the company is legitimate, just as icydog stated, the timeshares there are overpriced. The owners pay a lot of money to list timeshares with SMTN. I know because I have received calls from them over the years. I think I filled out a form once, so now we have a relationship, apparently.

Anyway, TCS is a decent closing company but not cheap, and if I am paying for something, I want the best price. Legal Timeshare Transfers is recommended on TUG. The company is in Georgia and does a great job for TUG members, and it's like 1/3 the price.

 

[heckp]

Thank you! also after reading about what tuggers say about their listings, how will I ensure that the listing is is actually what I am buying. I want to make sure, before I even start putting effort and time to it. Is there something I can look at or ask for prior to starting?

 

[theo]

Although I know the company is legitimate, just as icydog stated, the timeshares there are overpriced. The owners pay a lot of money to list timeshares with SMTN. I know because I have received calls from them over the years. I think I filled out a form once, so now we have a relationship, apparently.

Anyway, TCS is a decent closing company but not cheap, and if I am paying for something, I want the best price. Legal Timeshare Transfers is recommended on TUG. The company is in Georgia and does a great job for TUG members, and it's like 1/3 the price.

While I agree completely with this input and recommendation, the fact is that SMTN may not actually allow or entertain the use of a different closing company like LTT. After all, SMTN and TCS likely have a standing (..ahem) "arrangement" in place that is of "mutual benefit".

In the end however, if the OP believes that s/he has a handle on a smoking hot deal for something s/he truly wants and the price is right, it might be worth it to "bite the bullet" and pay the inflated TCS closing costs. That being said, I also hope that the OP is able to perform full due diligence for the "product" under consideration, particularly regarding any possible loss of value or benefits in a resale. Examples include a points week that may revert back to the underlying deed week --- with no points --- upon resale, or perhaps some undisclosed reservation restrictions (e.g., a floating week offering only very limited and specific weeks to ever reserve), or perhaps the worst possibility of all --- a Westgate product in which the prospective buyer does not know about or fully understand the onerous limitations of Westgtae's punitive resale product policy (60 days in advance only) for reservations.

 

[theo]

Thank you! also after reading about what tuggers say about their listings, how will I ensure that the listing is is actually what I am buying. I want to make sure, before I even start putting effort and time to it. Is there something I can look at or ask for prior to starting?

You could ask for a resort-issued (not just seller "self-prepared"), signed and dated estoppel, which will at least identify the unit and the current account status (they may redact owner i.d. details, about which you don't care anyhow). SMTN may not be willing to obtain or provide estoppel, however. Even if they do, further due diligence will still be required (input perhaps best obtained directly from the resort itself) to verify / refute some of the possible scenarios I mentioned already in the post directly above this one.

 

[heckp]

While I agree completely with this input and recommendation, the fact is that SMTN may not actually allow or entertain the use of a different closing company like LTT. After all, SMTN and TCS likely have a standing (..ahem) "arrangement" in place that is of "mutual benefit".

In the end however, if the OP believes that s/he has a handle on a smoking hot deal for something s/he truly wants and the price is right, it might be worth it to "bite the bullet" and pay the inflated TCS closing costs. That being said, I also hope that the OP is able to perform full due diligence for the "product" under consideration, particularly regarding any possible loss of value or benefits in a resale. Examples include a points week that may revert back to the underlying deed week --- with no points --- upon resale, or perhaps some undisclosed reservation restrictions (e.g., a floating week offering only very limited and specific weeks to ever reserve), or perhaps the worst possibility of all --- a Westgate product in which the prospective buyer does not know about or fully understand the onerous limitations of Westgtae's punitive resale product policy (60 days in advance only) for reservations.

Thank you! It is a Starwood timeshare. The concern I have is if the listing is truly what I'm buying. What do I need to ask for?

 

[heckp]

ooops we posted at the same time

 

[theo]

Thank you! It is a Starwood timeshare. The concern I have is if the listing is truly what I'm. What do I need to ask for?

Personally, I know absolutely nothing about Starwood, beyond the fact that their timeshare operations were bought out in 2016 and subsequently folded (along with some Marriott hotel arrangement) into a new entity called "Vistana Signature Experiences".

Consider posting an inquiry in the Starwood / VSE forum to more directly target and access the most knowledgeable TUGGERS concerning that new VSE entity. They can surely answer the "what do I need to ask for / about" question, as well as address any other potential "loss of benefits upon resale" concerns that you might have, better than anyone else. That being said, my previous estoppel recommendation still stands.

 

[cubigbird]

It was mentioned above. Your best bet is to get the Resale Information Sheet or "Estoppel." I wouldn't accept anything less. If they don't provide it, then I'd walk.

 

[theo]

Your best bet is to get the Resale Information Sheet or "Estoppel." I wouldn't accept anything less. If they don't provide it, then I'd walk.

To reinforce an important point, said estoppel should originate from the resort and be current, dated and signed by an authorized resort representative. Any substitute document "created in house" by the reseller is not a legitimate estoppel at all and is not worth the piece of paper on which provided.

 

[heckp]

Ok now I have to now answer my own question
Beginning of May when I asked this question. I am now reporting back with my experience. I saw a WKV listing on SMTN and emailed them expressing my interest. Jonathan LaCombe responded he also reiterated that he does not work for SMTN but for Timeshare Broker Services. I was able to negotiate the price that we wanted and started paperwork around May 20. We put a deposit in escrow. June 7th we received papers to be completed from Timeshare Closing Services and a request of course for the balance $$. We mailed all the papers back to TCS on the 9th. Called TCS for an update today and was told that the deed is recorded under our names and the papers are submitted to Vistana to be transferred to our names. I checked Maricopa County for the deed and it is recorded to ours May 15th.
Now just waiting for VSE to transfer to our names.
That was really fast. Fastest amongst our 3 previous purchases.

 

[icydog]

If you don't mind, what exactly did you buy, Westin Kierland Villas? What season and villa size? What was the final price for the week and price for TCS?

 

[heckp]

If you don't mind, what exactly did you buy, Westin Kierland Villas? What season and villa size? What was the final price for the week and price for TCS?

pmd you

 

[media4u2]

heck,

I bought a Marriott timeshare about 8 years ago for a VERY low price from SMTN. A couple of years later, I tried to buy another Marriott timeshare (both Grande Vista and Harbour Lake, both in Orlando). Marriott has ROFR (Right Of First Refusal), and they exercised it FOUR times on four consecutive purchase attempts on my part. Marriott, I believe, has my name starred, and they are NOT going to let me purchase a timeshare from a third party again. (At least, that's what I think.) I already purchased several weeks through Marriott starting in 2008, but once this deal went through, they've scooped up every unit I've tried to purchase since then.

The long-suffering folks at SMTN stood by me at every turn. Their sellers got their price, but not from ME--from Marriott. My deposit money was moved from one bid to the next smoothly, and when we finally decided to call it quits after four ROFR events, they refunded my deposit money in full. I have nothing but good things to say about the folks at SMTN.

LT