# Timeshare relief, inc.



## anapier

Has anyone used this organization for selling a timeshare?  Comments please.


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## AwayWeGo

*Never Used Them.  Never Going To Use Them.*

That's 1 of those companies that take big bux from timeshare owners who want to shuck off timeshares they no longer use & no longer want, right? 

The M.O. is to convince the tired-of-it owner that the timeshare is worthless & so therefore the only way to get rid of it is to pay the company several thousand dollars to take it off the owner's hands, correct? 

I'm sure it's all perfectly legal, but any way you shake it it's nothing but fast-talking people out of perfectly good timeshares that they can sell themselves if they get tired of'm -- if the owners only knew how. 

I mean, shux, giving it away or selling it for $1 on eBay is lots cheaper than _paying_ somebody to take it.  

The "relief" companies make it sound like such a big impossible task that they're doing the owner a favor by collecting those big bux plus the deed from the owner.  All they're doing is taking advantage of people's inexperience & lack of knowledge about other options.

Sheesh. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## rickandcindy23

They don't sell timeshares, they charge owners about $3K to take your timeshare off your hands.  And people actually do it.


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## anapier

*timeshare relief poster*

Thanks to both of you who replied. You are telling me what I suspected and was on the verge of finding out. Thanks for your validation.  Arvin


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## Dave M

If you really want to sell your timeshare, start by carefully reading the "how to sell" article located at the top of the list of topics for the Buying, Selling, Renting forum. It contains practical advice for generating a successful sale without getting taken in by upfront-fee and other costly gimmicks.


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## anapier

*Dave the Moderator*

Thanks for your suggestion on where to look for selling a timeshare advice.  Will do. Arvin


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## JoeMid

Not knowing what you own, I can't give you any advice.  There are timeshares that won't sell at any price and Timeshare Relief and its clones may be the answer for those who want out.  It's a fee for a service.


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## T_R_Oglodyte

JoeMid said:


> There are timeshares that won't sell at any price and Timeshare Relief and its clones may be the answer for those who want out.  It's a fee for a service.



Timeshare Relief (and its spawn) don't want those either.  

If they see right away that it's a worthless timeshare, they will probably refuse to accept it.  Should they misjudge and wind up "accepting" a worthless timesahre, they're still covered because they don't actually take title.  Instead they collect their $3500 (or whatever), and when it doesn't sell the owner still ends up stuck with the fees and assessments.


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## e.bram

does anybody have personal(not anecdotal) knowledge of Timeshare Relief or others having taken the money and not taking ownership of the TS?


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## rickandcindy23

There was a thread about We Collect Timeshares, where Janie666 who worked for the company was fielding calls from people who were in that very boat.  It was back a few months ago, and the company was in trouble for not doing what they said they would do.  

Also, I know that these companies don't pay maintenance fees that they have us reimburse for, as the buyers, then when the closing is done, title is transferred, they take their own sweet time about paying the fees.  Twin Rivers has some owned by VINinc that have not transferred and have unpaid maintenance fees.  It hurts the resort.  This is not anecdotal, it is fact because I am a board member. 

There are LOTS of complaints about these companies on the BBB websites and with various real estate commissions.


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## bnoble

For what little it is worth, I recently bought a week from the Resort Access Network/Timeshare Freedom folks.  The deed transferring the week from the original owner to RAN/TF had been recorded about five weeks before it was listed on ebay, give or take a week.  I know because I asked for a copy of the estoppel, and they included the recorded deed as well.

So, that particular PCC, for that particular week, actually did what they promised they would do.

On the other hand, they didn't pay the MFs on the week until I "reimbursed them," so the record isn't all good...


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## anapier

*Timeshare relief poster April 14*

Several folks made responses for my plea for info on Timeshare Relief. Thanks to all. I am a Newbie and found the service very helpful. I have a place to begin!


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## AwayWeGo

*Which 1 ?*




anapier said:


> I am a Newbie and found the service very helpful.


Which service was helpful ? 

TUG-BBS ? 

Timeshare Relief ? 

Both ? 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## anapier

*Timeshare relief poster*

I found TUG BBS and the comments of respondents very helpful in my search.  Thanks


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## elioness

*Has anyone actually used them?*

Has anyone actually used them?  What is your experience with them?
Thanks.


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## Bill4728

elioness said:


> Has anyone actually used them?  What is your experience with them?
> Thanks.


It is unlikely that there is anyone here who has used them.  The people who may have used them are people who want to get rid of their TS so badly that they pay a stranger $3000-$4000 with no assurance that that stranger will do anything. Anyone willing to do that doesn't hang around a site which main purpose is to talk about their TSs.


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## Bill4728

e.bram said:


> does anybody have personal(not anecdotal) knowledge of Timeshare Relief or others having taken the money and not taking ownership of the TS?


I'll see if I can find the thread, BUT YES!! there are reports of the PCC taking the money and not ever transferring the TS into either their own hands or the hands of a new owner. They just took the money from a bunch of people then declared bankruptcy and all the people who paid them were out of luck.


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## JoeMid

Bill4728 said:


> It is unlikely that there is anyone here who has used them. The people who may have used them are people who want to get rid of their TS so badly that they pay a stranger $3000-$4000 with no assurance that that stranger will do anything. Anyone willing to do that doesn't hang around a site which main purpose is to talk about their TSs.





elioness said:


> Has anyone actually used them?  What is your experience with them?
> Thanks.





Bill4728 said:


> I'll see if I can find the thread, BUT YES!! there are reports of the PCC taking the money and not ever transferring the TS into either their own hands or the hands of a new owner. They just took the money from a bunch of people then declared bankruptcy and all the people who paid them were out of luck.


TR-Timeshare relief is the Best of the Bunch, been in business longer than most though that is not a guarantee that they couldn't go bankrupt in these troubled times.  This company has come a long way in the last few years, toned down their sales presentation quite a bit, and they do what they say they'll do.  Ask for Sam.


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## timeos2

*Not a good move. Great to reopen it*



JoeMid said:


> TR-Timeshare relief is the Best of the Bunch, been in business longer than most though that is not a guarantee that they couldn't go bankrupt in these troubled times.  This company has come a long way in the last few years, toned down their sales presentation quite a bit, and they do what they say they'll do.  Ask for Sam.



In NO CASE should you give up $3000+/- to anyone unless they are taking the title - thus all future fee obligations - off your hands. Anything less and there is a great chance you just threw $3000+/- in the toilet and will eventually be on the hook for all the past due fees as well as out your $3000+/-.  DO NOT PAY ANYONE thousands of dolars on the CHANCE they will actually get rid of your week. They ave to do it or keep your money in your pocket. A promise or best effort is worthless and you will regret another $3000+/- expense on your timeshare that still haunts you.  

Beware and don't take hollow promises. Don't pay to "maybe" be done with your timeshare.


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## Stormron

I went to the Timeshare Relief presentation and indeed, they do charge very big fees for their "service", i.e., deeding your property to what I take to be one of their companies.  Unfortunately - in the real world, there is little market for many timeshares.  If you could sell or give it away - check ebay - that would be the best way but who will take it is the question.  There are few - if any - $1 bids.  Even organizations that accept donations require that you pay the fees until is it "sold".
   I had one timeshare that I couldn't sell after multiple attempts and I did a Quitclaim Deed back to the resort.  They took the deed and turned it over to a collection agency which reported it to the credit bureau.  Their best weapon is to do damage to your credit.  
   There has to be a better way to deal with the resorts since - according to TS Relief, less than 4% of timeshare owners are able to sell their weeks!!


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## theo

*Bad move on your part...*



Stormron said:


> I had one timeshare that I couldn't sell after multiple attempts and I did a Quitclaim Deed back to the resort.  They took the deed and turned it over to a collection agency which reported it to the credit bureau.



No small wonder....

You can't just unilaterally decide to deed a timeshare ownership to anyone (including "back to the resort") without their knowledge, consent and overt acceptance. Any such unilateral action deed is not legally valid, so the collection agency referral was both inevitable and appropriate.

Some (...but not too many) resorts will accept a "deed in lieu of foreclosure" *if* the fees are current and *if* the matter is discussed and mutually agreed in advance, but no resort is going to tolerate any such attempted "end run" of a quit claim deed generated without their knowledge, consent and overt acceptance. If there was any previous chance of that resort accepting a "deed in lieu of foreclosure", you've probably now closed that door forever with that particular furtive act....


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## rickandcindy23

Timeshare Relief is trying to get $3,500 from you, so they will tell you anything to get you to sign.  They are still selling you something--the right to YOUR timeshare, so they can relieve you of your burden, then they DO sell it on eBay.  They do not accept un-saleable timeshares.  They have a full list of timeshares they will not touch.


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## Vertrag

*Timeshare Relief actually does this*



timeos2 said:


> In NO CASE should you give up $3000+/- to anyone unless they are taking the title - thus all future fee obligations - off your hands. ...
> Beware and don't take hollow promises. Don't pay to "maybe" be done with your timeshare.



That's exactly what they do - take title off you and relieve you of all future obligations - that's the only reason it's worth it.

I don't know about others, and I'm pretty angry about buying my timeshare, but I was guaranteed that they would take title, and they did. I talked with a reputable closing company which I checked out (BBB A+ rated) immediately. The paperwork wasn't we'll maybe sell your timeshare, or we'll put ads out there for you, etc. etc. etc

I know some of you probably think I'm an idiot, but I tried listing my timeshare on eBay, I tried to use my timeshare, but just couldn't and with what I would be paying in January 2010 on my maintenance fee I'm here looking how to "rent" someone else's timeshare. I listed it on craigslist for $1,000, $100, and then finally $10...no one offered to buy it at all. The only responses to my ads were people trying to charge me $500+ to sell it for me.

In my opinion it is the best of a lot of evil options that you have when you want to get rid of your timeshare and can't even get anybody to take it.


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## rickandcindy23

Vertrag said:


> That's exactly what they do - take title off you and relieve you of all future obligations - that's the only reason it's worth it.
> 
> I don't know about others, and I'm pretty angry about buying my timeshare, but I was guaranteed that they would take title, and they did. I talked with a reputable closing company which I checked out (BBB A+ rated) immediately. The paperwork wasn't we'll maybe sell your timeshare, or we'll put ads out there for you, etc. etc. etc
> 
> I know some of you probably think I'm an idiot, but I tried listing my timeshare on eBay, I tried to use my timeshare, but just couldn't and with what I would be paying in January 2010 on my maintenance fee I'm here looking how to "rent" someone else's timeshare. I listed it on craigslist for $1,000, $100, and then finally $10...no one offered to buy it at all. The only responses to my ads were people trying to charge me $500+ to sell it for me.
> 
> In my opinion it is the best of a lot of evil options that you have when you want to get rid of your timeshare and can't even get anybody to take it.



Why couldn't you use your timeshare?  What stopped you?  Don't you get any vacation?  Do you vacation in a different place than your timeshare is located?  You could have exchanged your week.  Even the lowest timeshare in RCI can see 80K+ weeks available for exchange.  

I will never understand this choice, but it was your choice to make.  I guess the first thing I want to ask is why you bought the week in the first place.  It seems rather odd to buy a timeshare in some place where you never want to go.   

How long did you own it?  What did you pay for the week originally?  Where is it located?  Was it a low-end timeshare?  Just curious.....


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## Vertrag

rickandcindy23 said:


> Why couldn't you use your timeshare?  What stopped you?  Don't you get any vacation?  Do you vacation in a different place than your timeshare is located?  You could have exchanged your week.  Even the lowest timeshare in RCI can see 80K+ weeks available for exchange.



Money - we didn't take any vacation - other than visiting the parents. And with a lost job and a period of unemployment - it was too much. 

I searched for timeshare closing services travel club and found this board - but I was really looking to see if I could find the club they talked to me about when I paid to get rid of that pos. Now that we can afford to take a vacation I want to make it a good one. 

As to why we bought in the first place, we were offered a free vacation for a couple nights, we wanted to get away from the kids for the first time since our oldest was born. And it sounded like such a good deal, we could afford it at the time, we used it a couple years, it was a place we liked, but frankly I think they just wore me out - looking back I definitely wouldn't do it again. But I'm not sure if I would have done it in the first place if the presentation had only been the 60-90 minutes we were promised. 

I'm not sure what you mean by low-end but it seemed expensive to me.


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## DeniseM

> I'm not sure what you mean by low-end but it seemed expensive to me.



These days an expensive developer purchase runs $50K - $100K.  Since you couldn't even give your week away, I'm guessing you didn't pay that much for it.  But that's a good thing since you paid someone to take it off your hands.


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## calgarygary

Vertrag said:


> That's exactly what they do - take title off you and relieve you of all future obligations - that's the only reason it's worth it.
> 
> I don't know about others, and I'm pretty angry about buying my timeshare, but I was guaranteed that they would take title, and they did. I talked with a reputable closing company which I checked out (BBB A+ rated) immediately. The paperwork wasn't we'll maybe sell your timeshare, or we'll put ads out there for you, etc. etc. etc
> 
> I know some of you probably think I'm an idiot, but I tried listing my timeshare on eBay, I tried to use my timeshare, but just couldn't and with what I would be paying in January 2010 on my maintenance fee I'm here looking how to "rent" someone else's timeshare. I listed it on craigslist for $1,000, $100, and then finally $10...no one offered to buy it at all. The only responses to my ads were people trying to charge me $500+ to sell it for me.
> 
> In my opinion it is the best of a lot of evil options that you have when you want to get rid of your timeshare and can't even get anybody to take it.



There are many that consider this option worthwhile however there has been a huge issue for those that follow this route.  Many of these companies that promise in their paperwork to change title do not.  The individuals that pay these huge fees often find themselves still on the hook for mf when they become due the following year.  Think about it, if your ts really is worthless, what is a company going to do with it?  Their business model is often based upon loading up with these worthless ts and then closing shop leaving hundreds/thousands still on the hook for their mf.  If I were considering using such a method, I would offer to pay their fee only after proof that title has been changed and transfer accepted by the HOA.


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## Jya-Ning

e.bram said:


> does anybody have personal(not anecdotal) knowledge of Timeshare Relief or others having taken the money and not taking ownership of the TS?



I have purchased 2 from them, all using POA.  One of them the resort was first refuse it, and after 3 month, they recontact me asking if I am still interesting on that.

Jya-Ning


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## Rent_Share

Yes it is a fee for a service, but the PCC's take them with the intent of selling them not holding them.

With a cost of 7 X's the maintenance fee, giving it away, even if it takes 6 years to do it is certainly cheaper than paying that level of service fee. 

Partuicularly since it's extorted with exagerations of the potential downside of not acting now.

On a side note - If you use one of the mega-craigslist search engines for "free timeshares" you will find them flagged by people with a competing interests

Dillusional sellers who want to profit on the appeciated value
Upfront listing fee companies
PCC type service Companies
Thus making it hard for the people who just want out to connect to the general public


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## tjsmolich

*Have you been in the position that you had to sell your timeshare ?*

R U talking from experience or just talking ??  I would be curious to know how many timeshares you have sold on your own or thru an organization ?   I have one to sell and have not been able to.




AwayWeGo said:


> That's 1 of those companies that take big bux from timeshare owners who want to shuck off timeshares they no longer use & no longer want, right?
> 
> The M.O. is to convince the tired-of-it owner that the timeshare is worthless & so therefore the only way to get rid of it is to pay the company several thousand dollars to take it off the owner's hands, correct?
> 
> I'm sure it's all perfectly legal, but any way you shake it it's nothing but fast-talking people out of perfectly good timeshares that they can sell themselves if they get tired of'm -- if the owners only knew how.
> 
> I mean, shux, giving it away or selling it for $1 on eBay is lots cheaper than _paying_ somebody to take it.
> 
> The "relief" companies make it sound like such a big impossible task that they're doing the owner a favor by collecting those big bux plus the deed from the owner.  All they're doing is taking advantage of people's inexperience & lack of knowledge about other options.
> 
> Sheesh.
> 
> -- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## DeniseM

Hi tjs and welcome to TUG!  

I don't know how much research you've done, but because of the economy the timeshare resale market has tanked and many, many people are trying to dump their timeshares because they can't afford the maintenance fees or to travel.

It's a tough pill to swallow, but most timeshares are worth 0-10% of their original purchase price these days. Right now there are over 200 timeshares for sale on ebay for $0 - $100 and most of them have no bids. If you own one of the very top timeshares (Marriott, Hilton, Starwood, Hyatt) it may be worth as much as 40% - but those are the exceptions. 

If you find that you are in the 0-10% category you may just want to give it away (and do it yourself) to get out from under. I would consider that option first, because it is the lowest cost option.

There are two places on TUG where you can give away your TS's for free (no charge for the Ads.) There are also other low cost options on the web.

TUG Marketplace - the only cost is your TUG membership - $15 (List it for $1 and it will automatically go in the Bargain Basement Ads.)

Bargain Deals - just write a simple post with all the pertinent info. (zero cost-no membership required)

To make it more attractive I would:

1) Pay 2010 maintenance fees

2) Pay for the title transfer (you can get a simple professional transfer for about $100)
I've used this company and the owner is a Tugger.

3) Reserve a popular holiday week in 2010 for the new owner​
Good luck!


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## AwayWeGo

*Just Talking.  That's All I Ever Do.  (Well, Typing Also.  Same Thing.)*




tjsmolich said:


> R U talking from experience or just talking ??  I would be curious to know how many timeshares you have sold on your own or thru an organization ?   I have one to sell and have not been able to.


We sold one -- _1_ -- timeshare.  For $3*,*500.  Same as we paid for it.  Bought it in 2002.  Sold it in 2003, via TUG classified ad.  Haven't sold or tried to sell any since.  

Also, we have not ever been hornswoggled by any of those _Up Front Fee_ timeshare "sales" companies & we have not ever been bamboozled by any of those _Pay Us To Take It Off Your Hands_ relief-type companies. 

Just because I'm just talking doesn't mean I don't know what I'm talking about. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## T_R_Oglodyte

tjsmolich said:


> R U talking from experience or just talking ??  I would be curious to know how many timeshares you have sold on your own or thru an organization ?   I have one to sell and have not been able to.


I've sold four.  All through ads.

The key is pricing your unit properly, writing a good description, and posting the ad in places where it will be seen by people who are interested in buying timeshares.

+++++++++

Let me elaborate on that last point a bit.  No one, let me repeat, *no one*, buys a resale timeshare because some outfit lays a sales pitch on them.  The only people who buy a resale timeshare are people who are already in the marketplace to buy a resale timeshare.  

That's important because *that fee that you pay upfront does not increase the pool of people who are potential buyers for your timeshare.*  The most that those upfront fee companies can do is make it easier for you to connect with a buyer.

But that is where those outfits fail to deliver.  The preponderance of people who are interested in buying timeshares are looking at listings on eBay, sites such as TUG, TS4Ms, RedWeek, and a handful of other sites (all of which charge only nominal listing fees).  Buyers don't troll around sites maintained by the upfront fee companies.  Which means that even if you could list at those sites for free, those sites still wouldn't be good places to list your timeshare.  If you add an upfront fee to the picture, it simply gets worse.

That is why those sites can never be anything but a waste of money - they don't attract any attention to your timeshare that you wouldn't already get yourself by listing it yourself in popular resale venues.  Heck - the only promotion of your timeshare that will be done by many of those large upfront fee sites is simply to list the timeshare at one of those  venues - in a generic ad that will be less helpful than an ad you prepare yourself.

======

Too many people want to drink the Kool-Aid of belief that there is some magic means of getting rid of their timeshare and cashing in on its value.  So when those outfits call, those people are all to ready to believe that they have found the outfit that has that magic potion that will dispose of their timeshare and give them cash in hand to boot.

It's not a potion; it's Kool-Aid.  But a lot of people don't realize that until after they've drunk deeply of the draught - sometime three or four or five times.


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