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New do-it-yourself deed transfer service for $25

DeniseM

DeniseM

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Resorts Owned
WKORV, WKV, SDO, 4-Kauai Beach Villas, Island Park Village (Yellowstone), Hyatt High Sierra, Dolphin's Cove (Anaheim) NEW: 3 Lawa'i Beach Resort!
TS Transfers is now offering do-it-yourself transfers for $25.

For $25 he will advise sellers, who don't mind doing their own typing, what is required for each county, provide recording fees and address for County Recorders and review each deed prior to recording for format and correctness. This should be interesting to those who are giving away timeshares, or just want to save $50 - his regular fee is $75.

TS Transfers is owned by Tugger ttt (Alan) and I have transfered a deed with him, myself.

Before all the self-appointed Mod's ask: YES - I am absolutely in cahoots with Alan! :D - For every referral I get before midnight tonight, he is doubling what Brian pays me - please patronize his business! ;)
 
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Alan and Barbra have done several deed transfers for me. I'm too lazy and I would rather pay them $50 extra ($75 total) to take care of deed prep for me. :D
 
Per his Business Rating on TUG:

Type of Business: timeshare deed prep and recording service
Click to expand...

Very few counties require an attorney to do a deed transfer.
 
You may want to check on the accuracy of this statement...

DeniseM said:
Per his Business Rating on TUG:

Very few counties require an attorney to do a deed transfer.
Click to expand...

:ponder:

You may want to ask about that... Being a respected TUG member is wonderful, but last time I checked didn't qualify as a right to practice real estate law..

I'm not trying to bash his business, just recommending caution and due diligence by those who would choose to purchase it... Your opinion is respected in this venue- perhaps more than it should be by newbies, who likely would simply take your post as gospel and not question anything.

You push this business all the time, and I'd hate to see it end up being another black eye for TUG!

Alan may well be a tremendous value, but if he isn't licensed to practice law in the state where the property is located (and as a result have both oversight and protection for the client's funds held in escrow), there may well be some risk for his clients. If they understand and accept that risk- fine.... But haven't we already seen what can happen when people simply accept in good "faeth" that everything is ok with a TUG recommended closing agent without doing their own research..
 
DeniseM said:
TS Transfers is now offering do-it-yourself transfers for $25.

For $25 he will advise sellers, who don't mind doing their own typing, what is required for each county, provide recording fees and address for County Recorders and review each deed prior to recording for format and correctness. This should be interesting to those who are giving away timeshares, or just want to save $50 - his regular fee is $75.

TS Transfers is owned by Tugger ttt (Alan) and I have transfered a deed with him, myself.
Click to expand...

So... how can I apply that? Just contact Alan (ttt)?
I have one timeshare which I am getting for free (virtually) and $25 is a great bargain!
 
Richard - As a TS owner I have the same right as anyone else on TUG to recommend a business that I have personally used and been happy with, and I don't appreciate your comments.

If you did a little research, you would know that Alan doesn't provide escrow, or claim to, so he has nothing to do with client's funds.

I also see that you work in the TS resale industry, so your negative comments about people doing their own sales and transfers sounds like sour grapes to me...
 
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yumdrey said:
So... how can I apply that? Just contact Alan (ttt)?
I have one timeshare which I am getting for free (virtually) and $25 is a great bargain!
Click to expand...

See the link in the first post to their TUG rating.
 
Speaking of sour grapes..

DeniseM said:
Richard - As a TS owner I have the same right as anyone else on TUG to recommend a business that I have personally used and been happy with, and I don't appreciate your comments.

If you did a little research, you would know that Alan doesn't provide escrow, or claim to, so he has nothing to do with client's funds.

I also see that you work in the TS resale industry, so your negative commets about people doing their own sales and transfers sounds like sour grapes to me...
Click to expand...

I'd expected a much better response from you than the above.. As a moderator, one of your primary concerns should be the education of others.. Much of that education is delivered by discussion.

Refusing to discuss the subject doesn't make it go away. You certainly understand what happened to Tug members who used Faeth Closing Services and the subsequent problems that happened, I've seen your posts on the thread: http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71548&highlight=faeth

Whether you appreciate my comments or not doesn't make a ton of difference. Before using any closing agency, an individual should ensure they make a researched decision!
 
Richard - I haven't refused to discuss anything, so frankly, I don't know what you are talking about.

Please don't lecture me about my roll as Moderator or what I may or may not post on TUG - your posts are close to violating the TUG rule of courtesy.

If you have anything else to say about me - send me a private message.

And just for clarification - I have also recommended someone from your office on TUG in the recent past.
 
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Perhaps Alan will join in the discussion.. Forums rules don't allow direct advertising, but I think we've gone far enough into this to give him an excuse to jump into the thread.

This could be the perfect time for him to provide specific info about the services he provides, and put to rest the entire conversation.

I personally send out a list of possible closing agents to between ten to twenty people each day. I'd imagine that Jim and the other agents average close to the same. Currently, Alan's company is not on these lists.

These lists provide no income potential for a real estate associate, as referral fees paid by a closing agent would be a RESPA violation. The lists are simply given to provide a starting point for individuals to research and hopefully make an informed choice of closing agent. (Clients that do their own research and use their choice of escrow agent don't turn around and blame the sales associate if the closing turns out to be more difficult than expected!)..

If Alan can provide confirmation that his process is legally accepted in specific states, and that his escrow account is subject to third-party review and guarantee- I'd love to add his company to the list. Lower closing costs lead to happier clients!

However- before I can do so, I have a duty to ask certain questions.

Perhaps my manner of asking these questions has upset you, if so please accept my apologies. Or if you choose not to accept my apology, please don't allow that to reflect on anyone but me! I have no desire to cost Jim future referrals- he's one of the brightest Starwood agents in the business.
 
TUG rules do not permit members to promote their business on TUG, so if you have questions, I suggest you contact Alan yourself. (And if I was Alan, I certainly wouldn't want to post in such a hostile thread!)

As I have already stated in this thread: ALAN DOESN'T ADVERTISE, OFFER, OR PROVIDE ESCROW - he offers a no-frills deed preparation service.

Please see the link in the first post for more info.
 
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All posters are equal, however "a la G. Orwell" some posters(moderators) are more equal than others.
 
While I would never use the service myself - I would gladly pay the extra money to save myself the headache - I really don't see why it is such a problem for Denise to simply let people know that the service IS available.
 
[DeniseM]TUG rules do not permit members to promote their business on TUG, so if you have questions, I suggest you contact Alan yourself. (And if I was Alan, I certainly wouldn't want to post in such a hostile thread!)


I didn't see the thread as hostile at all, but maybe the people at the keyboards are getting upset.
 
During the last 2 years, I have seen many tuggers recommended closing co. or brokers through their experiences. I believe good information should be shared by others, that's what makes TUG great.
I was very happy to see this thread in the morning, because I was thinking how could I reduce the closing cost for this free timeshare which doesn't need escrow or title search. I always appreciate the good info.
I also used JRA Services for my other timeshares before because it is one of the most recommended closing co. on TUG.
On the other hand, we always post "not-recommendable" companies on TUG too. What's different? New and old tuggers get benefit from those posts.
If a new TUG guest (not member) recommend a certain company for the very first post, I would suspect it's shill, but if experienced and long time TUG members recommend a certain co., I always read and check myself.
 
I used TS Transfers (I was the seller) a couple of months ago. My buyer was unwilling to pay $300+ for closing when the timeshare wasn't worth $300. Obviously, this isn't an option when more money is involved, but it works well when little or no money is changing hands. When I purchased the timeshare three years ago, I paid over $500 for closing and recording fees. Other than the fact that there was no escrow, I honestly didn't notice a difference between the service and process.
 
Let me offer my own non-moderator personal experience here:

I am currently using Alan's company to provide closing services for a timeshare I'm selling. I am extremely impressed with the service I've received so far, and nobody could want better communication or faster service. His company is earning not only my money, but my respect and future business, as well.

I heartily recommend him. Some of the other closing companies I've used in the past? Not even close.

Dave
 
As a Moderator here on TUG:

Any TS closing service may provide a variety of services.

They can help provide you with:

-Full service :
..... TS sales contract
...... Deed prep (by a licensed attorney in the state the TS is located)
{or .. Deed prep by a non attorney}
...... Deed filing at the county
...... Escrow
...... Record the TS transfer with the resort /TS system
OR
Partial services:
-How to do your own deed prep and filings
-Do simple deed prep and filings
-Do full deed prep & Filings and provide escrow services
... All the above still need to have the transfer of the TS acknowledged by the resort.

As a Seller or Buyer you will need to decide which service you want and at what price you are willing to pay to have these services provided to you.
 
richardm said:
:ponder:

Being a respected TUG member is wonderful, but last time I checked didn't qualify as a right to practice real estate law..

Alan may well be a tremendous value, but if he isn't licensed to practice law in the state where the property is located (and as a result have both oversight and protection for the client's funds held in escrow), there may well be some risk for his clients.
Click to expand...

richardm said:
If Alan can provide confirmation that his process is legally accepted in specific states, and that his escrow account is subject to third-party review and guarantee- I'd love to add his company to the list. Lower closing costs lead to happier clients!
Click to expand...

With respect, I recall you've addressed this point before in the past when Alan's business has come up on the board and Denise has put in a recommendation based on her experience. Both in the past and here you post about practicing law and escrow and dangers of having someone not licensed offering escrow, and Denise and others would keep saying Alan doesn't offer escrow and no one has ever claimed that Alan is an attorney who offers escrow.

I started laughing when I read yet another post from you on this thread referring to Alan needing to prove he can handle escrow funds and Denise and others saying again that Alan doesn't offer escrow! You are going around in circles. So it appears that no one can possibly address your question to your satisfaction because you don't seem to accept the answer that Alan doesn't offer escrow. Then it seems really unfair for you to charge Denise "refusing to discuss the subject" because she has; you just appeared to miss her answers.

I am curious with respect to one point you've identified. Does one have to be an attorney to prepare and record deeds without doing anything more like offering escrow? That really seems to be the heart of the inquiry. I recall reading here that one of the Carolinas -- is it South Carolina? -- requires attorneys to handle timeshare transfers; but that seems to be it. (I would be interested in knowing whether there are other state laws that require an attorney to handle simple deed prep.) Since I have never seen anyone represent Alan (or he himself in the past) as an attorney, the real question is whether Alan has prepared deeded or claims to be able to prepare deeds for states that require attorneys to do the work. Can someone answer this question?
 
I have found timeshare deed transfers are usually very easy and for a low cost timeshare the do-it-yourself method has a lot of merit. The $25/$75 service could be a very good option for many buyers and sellers. Over the years I have bought eight timeshare weeks and sold two. This limited experience doesn’t qualify me as an expert by any means but I found the process straight forward and easy to accomplish.

Timeshares sold
The person who bought one of the timeshares from me did his own deed transfer. It seemed so easy that I did the deed transfer on the second one that I sold. It saved the buyer from having an extra closing fee.

Timeshares bought
We did our own closing on two timeshares that we bought. We used a closing company on five closings at a cost of $300 - $500. One ts was bought from a developer a long time ago.

Having used the do-it-yourself approach a couple of times, I would not hesitate to use the service identified by Denise. And I agree with Lisa that to have Alan do the whole job for an extra $50 is worth it most of the time.

It may not be the best option for expensive timeshares but expensive resales are a rare breed these days.
 
Amy said:
With respect, I recall you've addressed this point before in the past when Alan's business has come up on the board and Denise has put in a recommendation based on her experience. Both in the past and here you post about practicing law and escrow and dangers of having someone not licensed offering escrow, and Denise and others would keep saying Alan doesn't offer escrow and no one has ever claimed that Alan is an attorney who offers escrow.

I started laughing when I read yet another post from you on this thread referring to Alan needing to prove he can handle escrow funds and Denise and others saying again that Alan doesn't offer escrow! You are going around in circles. So it appears that no one can possibly address your question to your satisfaction because you don't seem to accept the answer that Alan doesn't offer escrow. Then it seems really unfair for you to charge Denise "refusing to discuss the subject" because she has; you just appeared to miss her answers.

I am curious with respect to one point you've identified. Does one have to be an attorney to prepare and record deeds without doing anything more like offering escrow? That really seems to be the heart of the inquiry. I recall reading here that one of the Carolinas -- is it South Carolina? -- requires attorneys to handle timeshare transfers; but that seems to be it. (I would be interested in knowing whether there are other state laws that require an attorney to handle simple deed prep.) Since I have never seen anyone represent Alan (or he himself in the past) as an attorney, the real question is whether Alan has prepared deeded or claims to be able to prepare deeds for states that require attorneys to do the work. Can someone answer this question?
Click to expand...


To involve an attorney in a simple timeshare deed transfer has to be overkill in most cases. The attorneys might disagree but I view there usage as an unnecessary expense for the vast majority of transactions.
 
richardm said:
:ponder:

You may want to ask about that... Being a respected TUG member is wonderful, but last time I checked didn't qualify as a right to practice real estate law...

Alan may well be a tremendous value, but if he isn't licensed to practice law in the state where the property is located (and as a result have both oversight and protection for the client's funds held in escrow), there may well be some risk for his clients. If they understand and accept that risk- fine.... But haven't we already seen what can happen when people simply accept in good "faeth" that everything is ok with a TUG recommended closing agent without doing their own research..
Click to expand...

As others have stated, Alan does not practice real estate law. He does TIMESHARE DEED PREPARATION. Can you point it to us where the law says you have to be an attorney to prepare a timeshare deed?
 
LisaH said:
As others have stated, Alan does not practice real estate law. He does TIMESHARE DEED PREPARATION. Can you point it to us where the law says you have to be an attorney to prepare a timeshare deed?
Click to expand...
Carolinian has on numerous occasions pointed us to a provision in North Carolina that prohibits anyone who is not an attorney licensed in North Carolina from preparing a deed. Apparently North Carolina has also taken action against some outfits that were doing timeshare closings including deed preparation on North Carolina timeshares without using a NC attorney to prepare the deed.

Presumably an individual in North Carolina could prepare their own deed. However, preparing a deed for another person would be covered under the law. Also I would imagine that counseling someone on how to do it themselves would also be proscribed if the counseling activity occurred in North Carolina. (I don't see how they could claim jurisdiction over counseling activities that occurred out of state.)

North Carolina is the only state I am aware of for which specific information about using an attorney has been posted here.
 
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