# Thank You, TUG!!!  Successful Westgate cancellation.



## stratcats (Dec 22, 2015)

After enduring the Westgate Town Center presentation, we asked about foreclosures.  The sales manager came back with a 4bed/4bath lockout for about $41k in Building 5800, top floor.  This was a week,yearly, floating.  Compared to the price they were asking for a 2 bed, it was a steal.

After wasting the first day of our vacation getting everything done, we realized that even though it was a reasonable price (comparatively), it made no sense for us to be buying it as the airfare from home to Florida would negate any savings.  We'd rented the unit for way less than the cost of even the maintenance fee, let alone the principal payments.

Thanks to TUG, we found all we needed to cancel.  We rescinded within a couple of days.  We bought on Nov 27 and sent the certified rescission letter on Dec. 4.  Today we received the official cancellation letter.  We never received a phone call or letter from any of the sales team trying to get us to change our mind.

I think I've read almost every post about Westgate, but I've not found what needs to be included in the return of the portfolio and tablet. The contract isn't specific as to what should be included other than "the Owners Kit excluding the Public Offering Statement." We've never opened the tablet as I have much better ones, but as to the portfolio, do they get back the copies of paperwork that were in the hidden compartment and the CD?  They gave us some cruise gift cards, which we'll return in the portfolio.  I don't want to pay to return the Interval catalog, although I will if necessary.

We also fell for the "travel agent" pitch.  I've found nothing where we can cancel that.  If we're only out that $99, I'll consider ourselves lucky.

I can't thank you and your contributors enough for saving us a lot of money!  We learned a very valuable lesson.  The advice was dead on.  I hope everyone who's considering purchasing from Westgate realizes their mistake in time!


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## TUGBrian (Dec 22, 2015)

wow, 41k...thats amazing!!!

cant wait to see your vacations over the next few years with that sort of change put back in the bank!

Welcome!


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## stratcats (Dec 23, 2015)

Considering that the cost of a 2bed was $55k, getting the 4bed for half price was tempting. After getting a decent internet connection (at 2A), we found this site.  The hidden pocket was the turning point as the closer told us that all our docs were on the CD.  Once we found the papers and went over everything, it was clear that despite the fact that it was less than 50% of current pricing, it was still a ridiculous investment.  

The $800+ monthly payment was bad enough.  It was easy enough to figure that over $9600/year could buy us a pretty decent vacation.  Too bad we don't have that kind of  money to afford one.  

When we decide to go for one, it will be on the secondary market and it won't be Westgate.

Once again - THANK YOU!!!


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## theo (Dec 23, 2015)

stratcats said:


> <snip> I've not found what needs to be included in the return of the portfolio and tablet. The contract isn't specific as to what should be included other than "the Owners Kit excluding the Public Offering Statement." <snip>



I would not bother returning the (financially worthless) printed Interval International-affiliated resort directory, but because it is Westgate  I would certainly recommend returning *everything* of any monetary value (i.e., the tablet and the gift cards) as well as the owner kit and the infamous "hide and seek" binder. 

Westgate has reportedly imposed charges upon rescinding buyers for failure to return the owner kit / binder, so it can be reasonably assumed that they would also very likely attempt to charge a rescinding buyer the full retail value of the tablet if you failed to return it --- likewise for the gift cards. 

It would have been a terrible mistake to pay $41k for something of essentially *zero* monetary and / or resale value 10 days later when the rescission period expired. 
Congratulations!


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## TUGBrian (Dec 23, 2015)

stratcats said:


> Considering that the cost of a 2bed was $55k, getting the 4bed for half price was tempting. After getting a decent internet connection (at 2A), we found this site.  The hidden pocket was the turning point as the closer told us that all our docs were on the CD.  Once we found the papers and went over everything, it was clear that despite the fact that it was less than 50% of current pricing, it was still a ridiculous investment.
> 
> The $800+ monthly payment was bad enough.  It was easy enough to figure that over $9600/year could buy us a pretty decent vacation.  Too bad we don't have that kind of  money to afford one.
> 
> ...



are most welcome, and thank you for reporting your success...we can only hope that more owners find this thread in the near future and follow in your footsteps!


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## stratcats (Dec 23, 2015)

I have the binder, discount cards, tablet boxed up.  I'm just not sure if we have to return the docs/CD.  Since there's so much personal info on there, I don't want to take the chance that the box ends up in the wrong hands.  The contract specifies "Westgate Owners Kit" but doesn't list what it includes.

I'll include the Westgate Travel Partners kit as well.  That's likely money gone, but if we're not an owner, then it's not something we can use.  It was never opened, so we can try.  In the meantime, I'll dispute the charge with our credit card company.


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## LannyPC (Dec 23, 2015)

stratcats said:


> The sales manager came back with a 4bed/4bath lockout for about $41k in Building 5800, top floor.  This was a week,yearly, floating.  Compared to the price they were asking for a 2 bed, it was a steal.
> 
> We'd rented the unit for way less than the cost of even the maintenance fee, let alone the principal payments.
> 
> ...



That's a very common ploy in these sales presentations.  The sales people try to make it look like you were in the right place at the right time to get this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and the steal of the century.  But, as you wisely concluded after having time to think clearly, this is no bargain and,  once you add in all the peripheral costs of traveling, it can be a financial burden.

The idea of renting for less than what an owner pays in MFs is something these sales people somehow conveniently forget to mention.  Or they somehow twist the truth (or outright lie) about what it costs to rent.

Also, consider yourselves one of the fortunate ones who did not receive a phone call from the sales people urging you to change your mind about rescinding.

And BTW, what was the "travel agent" pitch?  Was it something where they promise that you have some sort of membership that promises huge discounts on various aspects of traveling such as airfare, car rental, accommodations, and/or theme park admissions, etc.?


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## stratcats (Dec 23, 2015)

The travel agent program is like the owners' referral on steroids.  For the $99 fee, they give you marketing materials, a web site, etc, where you send people to book their 'free' 3 day vacation as long as they agree to the presentation.  It was a $99 fee but supposedly comes with an actual travel agent license.  Again, something that makes a lot of sense when you're trying to recoup some of the money you just spent on a timeshare.

There are also cards to hand to friends, posters, posts for Facebook, Twitter, etc. The travel agent license appealed to me as I have a lot of experience in arranging corporate events, but realized that all I'd be doing is adding to the spam problem.  

No, thanks!


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## stratcats (Dec 23, 2015)

BTW, I asked about the foreclosures.  The sales agent had no idea what I was talking about and had to go ask the sales manager.  I asked a lot of questions that the agent couldn't answer, but the sales manager could.  From the look on the agent's face, I don't think he was acting.  He got very flustered when I gave him the figures he was trying to add up for the 'total cost of vacations.'

We consider ourselves lucky, but it would have been an entirely different story if I hadn't found this site.


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