Genius Exit - The Ethical Timeshare Exit Company

[Austin1981]

1) It's clear that @Austin1981 isn't running a TS scam. He's upfront and honest about using the viking ship model, which is legal, although most of us will probably disagree with the ethics. My question for him is if resorts reject the transfer to a company (which they have been increasingly doing particularly Diamond, soon to be Hilton Vacation Club, and Westgate), what happens to the $3k? I know you did the legal work and attempted transfer, but you didn't get the result the client wants. I suppose you still bill them $3k for the legal work.
2) I think it's puffing and embellishing that if @Austin1981 persuades clients to retain the firm with the reasoning that their children will inherit the burdened TS. Intestate laws differ state from state. Even in NY, the executor can simply let the burdened TS foreclose, although the creditor of the TS foreclosure balance can go after the estate assets in probate court. Unless children foolishly inherit the TS (which the OP may have done), children have no legal obligation to inherit their parents' burdened real property.

As to 1, the terms of the CC&R (or whatever you want to call the master timeshare plan) govern, so as to set forth the requirements and restraints on alienating an interest. It's not voluntary, but rather contractual. So you are asking what we do when the resorts fail to honor the terms of their own agreements? That's an odd question, given that the timeshare agreements typically do not provide them with veto rights (except with regards to transferring to a direct competitor), but rather the right of first refusal (if anything). In any event, what happens if you had any other contract that provided a means for you to get rid of it, and after following all of the steps, the company refuses to acknowledge your actions and continues to bill you? I'd consider suing them.

Nevertheless, let's assume the resort has the right to refuse the transfer to a company. Why wouldn't I just find someone (outside the US) amenable to accepting title? In any case, if we can't get you out, you get your $3k back, as we guarantee results, and not just that we'll try super hard. That's one difference between GeniusExit and a law firm: a law firm cannot guarantee results, but we do. Just to be doubly clear, GeniusExit isn't a law firm. You don't need a law firm to exit a timeshare.

As for 2, many people die without a will, meaning there's no executor to let the TS foreclose. If you die without a will, your real property devolves to your heirs, automatically, as a matter of law, and they must take formal action to avoid it via disclaiming/renouncing same within a certain period of time. Moreover, I'd caution against the potential to overestimate the wherewithal of executors and their counsel. At the same time, I agree that the resort may go after the estate (perhaps to the point of pursuing the executor to recapture assets distributed prematurely). I'm not saying you cannot disclaim/renounce the asset, but rather that most will not take the steps required to do so, and are apt to find themselves in a situation where it's too late to disclaim it.

With all of that, it would be insincere for anyone who attended law school to discount the potential for puffery, and I'm not here to change hearts and minds on the virtues of the Viking Ship model. I think it's fair to say that it's a ridiculous answer to an even nuttier problem. As for the warnings against entering the timeshare exit industry, I get it. It's very easy, apparently, to get sued (and apparently quite tempting to be a scam artist). I've dealt with plenty of suits, as no one likes the bank's attorney on a contested case, and I am a maestro at managing a volume-based practice. My plan for GeniusExit to avoid the pitfalls of the industry: stay boring, keep to the fundamentals (including appropriate staffing for production support), and keep a prudent reserve for refunds. I mean, it'd sure be nice if I never needed to issue a refund, but much of the competition works like a Ponzi scam, as they keep nothing in reserve to cover outstanding exit obligations.

Allow me to be perfectly honest. I've wanted to start an exit company pretty much since I first learned of them. For me, it's personal. I didn't come from wealth, and I remember how my parents were suckered into a timeshare in Lee, MA. More vividly, I remember that Saturday in '98 when we drove the three hours to the resort following a timeshare "upgrade" which left them struggling harder to meet bills that they already couldn't afford. They were going to give that timeshare back to the resort! I couldn't imagine what was going on as I waited in the minivan, but after more than 5 hours, my parents returned... with another upgrade! Additionally, they then paid a scam artist $5-8k about 10 years ago to "get them out", but got no results.

I understand that some people adore their timeshares. Most people we speak with don't truly regret buying it, but rather they can't use it anymore, and they are tired of the fees. Resorts should be obligated to take those deeds back, without question. If they made that sensible change, the exit industry would cease to exist.

My advice to @Austin1981 . Although not for GeniusLaw, you have done great legal work, for which I respect and envy. My advice is to get out of the TS exit game. Just like for DC Capital Law, Best Defense Law Team, Alan Campbell Law LLC, Castle Law Group, Molfetta Law, Del Mar Law Group, Carlsband Law Group, Privett Law, SGB Law, Michael Finn Law, etc, the resorts will eventually sue Genius Exit. Possibly Diamond, soon to be Marriott Vacation Club, or Westgate may sue Genius Exit. That's a lot of lost time and money spent litigating those lawsuits.

Thank you for the props. I have no plans to start a timeshare exit law firm, as that just sounds abusive and unnecessary (like they are compensating for something).

At the end of the day, we know we're not welcomed here, and there's nothing wrong with that. Moreover, given the state of the exit industry, the skepticism regarding GeniusExit makes sense. That being said, we're not doing anything new. Instead, the only things that really make us different from most exit companies are that we complete the work, and we don't pretend that it's a secret or proprietary process.

 

[Grammarhero]

As to 1, the terms of the CC&R (or whatever you want to call the master timeshare plan) govern, so as to set forth the requirements and restraints on alienating an interest. It's not voluntary, but rather contractual. So you are asking what we do when the resorts fail to honor the terms of their own agreements? That's an odd question, given that the timeshare agreements typically do not provide them with veto rights (except with regards to transferring to a direct competitor), but rather the right of first refusal (if anything). In any event, what happens if you had any other contract that provided a means for you to get rid of it, and after following all of the steps, the company refuses to acknowledge your actions and continues to bill you? I'd consider suing them.

Nevertheless, let's assume the resort has the right to refuse the transfer to a company. Why wouldn't I just find someone (outside the US) amenable to accepting title? In any case, if we can't get you out, you get your $3k back, as we guarantee results, and not just that we'll try super hard. That's one difference between GeniusExit and a law firm: a law firm cannot guarantee results, but we do. Just to be doubly clear, GeniusExit isn't a law firm. You don't need a law firm to exit a timeshare.

Within the past two years, I believe Diamond and Westgate have clauses that give them the rights to reject transfers to viking ships. Granted, most TS won't have these anti-viking ship transfer clauses

States are imposing laws to limit viking ships. Just beware it's harder to offload a TS to a viking ship nowadays.
Legislature passes law to help time-share industry - Orlando Sentinel
Protecting Resorts and Owners from Timeshare Transfer Companies (gcglaw.com)

 

[Grammarhero]

As for 2, many people die without a will, meaning there's no executor to let the TS foreclose. If you die without a will, your real property devolves to your heirs, automatically, as a matter of law, and they must take formal action to avoid it via disclaiming/renouncing same within a certain period of time. Moreover, I'd caution against the potential to overestimate the wherewithal of executors and their counsel. At the same time, I agree that the resort may go after the estate (perhaps to the point of pursuing the executor to recapture assets distributed prematurely). I'm not saying you cannot disclaim/renounce the asset, but rather that most will not take the steps required to do so, and are apt to find themselves in a situation where it's too late to disclaim it.

Okay. Would you agree that someone in this situation is more aptly served by a probate lawyer than a TS cancellation lawyer, possibly to write detailed instructions about TS disclaiming/renouncing in his/her will? I can see a situation in which, after the estate has closed and someone unwisely inherited a TS (such as possibly the OP), they might need TS cancellation services or a lawyer.

 

[Grammarhero]

Allow me to be perfectly honest. I've wanted to start an exit company pretty much since I first learned of them. For me, it's personal. I didn't come from wealth, and I remember how my parents were suckered into a timeshare in Lee, MA. More vividly, I remember that Saturday in '98 when we drove the three hours to the resort following a timeshare "upgrade" which left them struggling harder to meet bills that they already couldn't afford. They were going to give that timeshare back to the resort! I couldn't imagine what was going on as I waited in the minivan, but after more than 5 hours, my parents returned... with another upgrade! Additionally, they then paid a scam artist $5-8k about 10 years ago to "get them out", but got no results.

I understand the personal cause. Half of tuggers here bought retail/developer TS. However, how they "get back" at the resorts was buying resale, using their TS vacays, and going on as many TS presentations and collecting gifts without any intention to buy. Although I understand your personal cause, I disagree with how you're going about it.

 

[Iggyearl]

Austin, you seem to have some personal motivation in your efforts, and you have some righteousness in your tone. You do refer to others as your "fraudulent competitors." Many people on Tug use the existence of new faces to do a little digging - in an attempt to see what's really going on. There are 2 or 3 distressed new owners on this site every week.

That being said, I looked up Geniusexit.com on Trustpilot on 4/18/21. There were numerous 5* reviews with glowing comments about your great work. They were all in February. There WAS also a reference to helping thousands of customers (since your website started last December). The complete Trustpilot thread on Geniusexit is GONE. How could THAT happen?

Additionally, your site refers to an affiliation with Geniuslaw.com. Geniuslaw has 18 reviews on Trustpilot - all in the period from 1/29/21 to 2/10/21. There are NO reviews in the last 3 months. How can THAT happen? I say this because you are professing to be a white knight to timeshare owners, but your promotion methods appear a little suspect. Just sayin'

Also, I don't know how long you have studied the exit industry, but as Grammerhero has pointed out, anybody who gets a level of success will be sued by one of the majors.

 

[Austin1981]

Within the past two years, I believe Diamond and Westgate have clauses that give them the rights to reject transfers to viking ships. Granted, most TS won't have these anti-viking ship transfer clauses

States are imposing laws to limit viking ships. Just beware it's harder to offload a TS to a viking ship nowadays.
Legislature passes law to help time-share industry - Orlando Sentinel
Protecting Resorts and Owners from Timeshare Transfer Companies (gcglaw.com)

May we wonk out, ever so quickly, as attorneys on this? How does a state legislature overcome the contracts clause? Police powers? Seems flimsy... although arguing conlaw is never a good thing.

Okay. Would you agree that someone in this situation is more aptly served by a probate lawyer than a TS cancellation lawyer, possibly to write detailed instructions about TS disclaiming/renouncing in his/her will? I can see a situation in which, after the estate has closed and someone unwisely inherited a TS (such as possibly the OP), they might need TS cancellation services or a lawyer.

I'm duty-bound to say you need an attorney. It's reflexive. Do I honestly believe that a probate lawyer is the right way to go? It depends on the attorney, as some are quite good, but at the same time, the dullest/least-skilled attorneys I met outside of NYC were most often T&E.

I understand the personal cause. Half of tuggers here bought retail/developer TS. However, how they "get back" at the resorts was buying resale, using their TS vacays, and going on as many TS presentations and collecting gifts without any intention to buy. Although I understand your personal cause, I disagree with how you're going about it.

I get it. Not trying to convert.

Austin, you seem to have some personal motivation in your efforts, and you have some righteousness in your tone. You do refer to others as your "fraudulent competitors." Many people on Tug use the existence of new faces to do a little digging - in an attempt to see what's really going on. There are 2 or 3 distressed new owners on this site every week.

That being said, I looked up Geniusexit.com on Trustpilot on 4/18/21. There were numerous 5* reviews with glowing comments about your great work. They were all in February. There WAS also a reference to helping thousands of customers (since your website started last December). The complete Trustpilot thread on Geniusexit is GONE. How could THAT happen?

Additionally, your site refers to an affiliation with Geniuslaw.com. Geniuslaw has 18 reviews on Trustpilot - all in the period from 1/29/21 to 2/10/21. There are NO reviews in the last 3 months. How can THAT happen? I say this because you are professing to be a white knight to timeshare owners, but your promotion methods appear a little suspect. Just sayin'

Also, I don't know how long you have studied the exit industry, but as Grammerhero has pointed out, anybody who gets a level of success will be sued by one of the majors.

Can't argue with you there: it's personal, and I'm guilty as charged on my tone and penchant for self-righteousness (professional hazard). I'm also the second or third most arrogant person I know, and I know a LOT of attorneys.

We need to have trustpilot restored to GeniusExit.com, as the website was just redesigned, and it seems it was omitted. No GeniusLaw reviews since 2/10 is easy to explain: we signed up with Trustpilot (probably on 1/28 or thereabout), sent out the review invites to former clients, and that's when the last of them entered it. There's not much activity on the foreclosure-defense front, so that makes it a bit of a challenge to get more reviews (I mean, look at the total flop with our shilling efforts here). As such, our marketing efforts on GeniusLaw took a backseat, momentarily, due to the Covid moratorium.

I feel like the more I type here, the more it comes across as fishing for leads, and that's not appropriate. At the end of the day, I saw the company I helped found maligned as a scam, and I'm honored I was given a chance to respond. That's much more than I expected, and more than fair. Out of respect for this community, it's likely best I plan to disengage (as the last thing TUG likely needs is active participation from an exit company). As an aside, I do appreciate the extensive amount of knowledge contained on this site. I direct my teammates here, consistently, as we consider TUG the most reputable source of information on TS.

As such, thank you everyone for at least giving me a chance to be heard.

 

[Iggyearl]

"I mean, look at the total flop with our shilling efforts here."

You have a great sense of self and a good sense of humor. I am sure that some members here will track your success (or lack thereof). Many, many people have been mis-sold a retail timeshare (your parents included) so your mission is understandable.

 

[dioxide45]

Sadly, I think many of these exit companies start with good and perhaps ethical intentions. Aside from the pure scam companies, I am sure all the timeshare exit companies beleive they are being ethical and following the letter of the law. However, as time passes the lure of more money overtakes them and they start to realize that to run profitably and make money really isn't conducive to also running ethically and legally. So they all seem to fall down the same hole. Things go bad somewhere along the way and they simply turn into outfits fleecing uninformed timeshare owners of money in the same way the timeshare companies did when they sold them the timeshare. An exit company can't run their operation the same way that a timeshare developer does and call them unethical but their own company ethical at the same time.

Why is it that timeshare exit outfits don't list their fees on their websites? Timeshare developers don't do that either. In order to find out about timeshare exit you have to either attend a presentation or have some consultation. They even entice you with a free dinner at a restaurant. Sound familiar? They hope to get the timeshare owner in there, give them little time to decide after being told a boatload of half truths and embellishments. Just like the timeshare salesperson did many years earlier.

 

[Patri]

What the heck, I went to the website.
1. Baulk is the archaic spelling of the word.
2. Name those billion dollar companies and what did they use you for?
3. The team has "decades of experience" but at doing what?

 

[Sandy VDH]

The law in Canada may differ from the laws in the US, or other countries. Just saying....

But paying upfront fee for something you could often do yourself for little or no charge is a scam.

 

[LannyPC]

He's upfront and honest about using the viking ship model, which is legal, although most of us will probably disagree with the ethics.

Thanks for clarifying that.

 

[Fried_shrimp]

My advice to @Austin1981 . Although not for GeniusLaw, you have done great legal work, for which I respect and envy. My advice is to get out of the TS exit game. Just like for DC Capital Law, Best Defense Law Team, Alan Campbell Law LLC, Castle Law Group, Molfetta Law, Del Mar Law Group, Carlsband Law Group, Privett Law, SGB Law, Michael Finn Law, etc, the resorts will eventually sue Genius Exit. Possibly Diamond, soon to be Marriott Vacation Club, or Westgate may sue Genius Exit. That's a lot of lost time and money spent litigating those lawsuits.

Diamond Resorts sues Lake Mary timeshare cancellation attorney - Orlando Sentinel
Diamond Resorts & Timeshare Owners Warn of Newton Group & DC Capital Law's Timeshare 'Exit' Scams
Resort company sues local lawyer over timeshare exits | Legal | nashvillepost.com
Diamond Resorts Files Lawsuit Against Timeshare Freedom Group, Molfetta Law & Others in Timeshare 'Cancellation' Ring for Allegedly Scamming Consumers (yahoo.com)
Diamond Resorts : Files New Claims Against Carlsbad Law Group, Timeshare Compliance & Resort Advocacy Group for Operating Nationwide Consumer Scam (marketscreener.com)
Timeshare Company-v- Lawyers US Motion to Dismiss denied (in part) | TETLI - The European Timeshare Law Institute (tetli-institute.com)
Orange Lake, Diamond Resorts sue timeshare cancellation attorney - Orlando Sentinel

HGVC, not MVC.

 

[LannyPC]

I'm one of the real estate litigation attorneys (NYS Bar #4986634) who founded GeniusExit, and I'd like a chance to clear a few things up, if you'd allow me. Before I do, let me give you some background on me. I'm a trial and appellate litigator by trade, and an expert in real property law. I have over 50 published judicial opinions citing me as counsel of record, and here is my most recent appellate win, reversing the trial court (on an issue of fact, following a hearing!!!!!), http://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/3dseries/2021/2021_02562.htm. I'd still be perfecting appeals, but-for Covid, and yet instead I was able to join forces with a legal tech company, GeniusLaw.

GeniusLaw's primary focus is aiding in the delivery of unbundled legal services for mortgage foreclosure defense, and facilitating loss mitigation efforts. We began to notice an influx of people looking for relief from their timeshare, so we investigated the industry and learned what people here already know: most exit companies are scams that do nothing for their clients except take their money and ruin their credit. At the same time, the perils of timeshare ownership may be relieved with a simple transfer of title. Thus, less than a year ago, we partitioned our timeshare resolution operations under GeniusExit as a direct subsidiary of GeniusLaw.

We know we're not winning anyone over on this forum. Many people here truly love their timeshare, and companies like GeniusExit make it more expensive, as each owner we exit increases the yearly fee for everyone left owning it. That's right: we use the Viking Ship model, which means, if your resort won't take it back, we'll exit your paid-off timeshare by transferring it out of your name. You can read @TUGBrian's critique of it here, https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/story-on-viking-ship-llc-companies.218629/#post-1688020, as he explains that the only problems he has with the Viking Ship model are that (1) that the exit companies lie about it, or (2) they take your money without doing the work. We're honest about being a Viking Ship, and we do the work (transferring a deed after reviewing CC&R et al. is child's play for someone who knows what they're doing).

It's a fact that many (if not most) in the "exit industry" simply don't do the work. Please, stay skeptical of exit companies. This industry is completely unregulated and overrun by bad actors. More to the point, we agree that the exit industry SHOULD NOT exist. It is an insult and slap in the face to both resorts and timeshare owners. We agree with Brian, in that resorts should accept paid-off timeshares, without question or objection, and without a "transfer" fee. If they did that, no one would think about paying thousands to exit a timeshare.

That being said, the fact that the exit industry exists speaks to the difficulty, if not utter impossibility, in exiting a timeshare by yourself. To be sure, if it was as simple as giving a timeshare away, who in their right mind would pay $3000 or more to help them "exit?" Nearly every client of ours tried on their own to get out, but was unable.

Nevertheless, allow me to be emphatic: before you contact GeniusExit or anyone about getting rid of your timeshare, call your resort, as there's a chance they will treat you with the respect you deserve, and take your deed back without any hassle. If that fails and you want to waste some more time, please feel free to try to resell it. When that doesn't work, meaning when the resort won't take it back and you can't give it away, then consider giving us a call. Here's the thing, most timeshares are worthless and can't be given away, but so long as you own it, they have you on the hook for maintenance fees and more. At that point, if you're not keeping it, you must either incorporate your own legal entity to accept the title, pull the land records to comply with the CC&R, draft real property instruments in recordable form, and file them with the appropriate clerk, or you hire GeniusExit to do it for you.



Sorry, my friend, but that's not how inheritance or real property law works. As all first-year law school are taught: there's no such thing as real property without an owner. If you own it at the time of your demise, it devolves to your heirs at law, automatically and immediately at the moment of death via the rules of intestacy, unless addressed in a will. This is a fancy way of saying, whether it's a farm, cottage, or timeshare ownership, any real property interest that remains in your name when you die automatically passes to your heirs (absent a will). That's just how the law works. Can you pay an attorney to handle it, instead of GeniusExit? Sure, for a mere $400+ an hour, but, either way, you still have to address the automatic vesting of that real property interest, attorney or not.



As an attorney, I completely agree with your advice to consult an attorney (and I appreciate the job assurance which attends such advice). If they can do it for less, hire the attorney (of course, you'd need to pay 100% upfront via a retainer). Moreover, we could not agree more: there is no "secret recipe" for exiting a timeshare. It takes tenacity and resilience, not good luck or a silver bullet. We tell our clients that they could do it themselves, likely, it just is apt to take a lot of work. That's what we get paid to do: the work to get you out. We make dozens and dozens of calls in order to fight through the gatekeepers to a decision-maker with the power and authority to approve an exit. Our team excels at getting positive results, but perhaps only as we have the resources and competence to back it up via the Viking Ship exit.



We haven't helped thousands of people exit their timeshares, nor have we claimed to: we haven't been in business for more than a year. We have extensive experience assisting consumers fight institutions for financial equity, with our team having helped thousands, but it will take a little time before we may boast of helping "thousands exit their timeshares." That being said, the methodology we rely on is tested and true, and we have the expertise to make quick work of it.

As for the balance... I registered the domain name, myself, using a standard provider, and all domain names are registered via private third parties (we can't all be ICANN). People stopped leaving personal details on whois registries during the late 90's, given that no one (who isn't trying to spam you) gets your contact details from a domain whois query.

Well, I'll give you an "A" for honesty.

 

[Austin1981]

Sadly, I think many of these exit companies start with good and perhaps ethical intentions. Aside from the pure scam companies, I am sure all the timeshare exit companies beleive they are being ethical and following the letter of the law. However, as time passes the lure of more money overtakes them and they start to realize that to run profitably and make money really isn't conducive to also running ethically and legally. So they all seem to fall down the same hole. Things go bad somewhere along the way and they simply turn into outfits fleecing uninformed timeshare owners of money in the same way the timeshare companies did when they sold them the timeshare. An exit company can't run their operation the same way that a timeshare developer does and call them unethical but their own company ethical at the same time.

Why is it that timeshare exit outfits don't list their fees on their websites? Timeshare developers don't do that either. In order to find out about timeshare exit you have to either attend a presentation or have some consultation. They even entice you with a free dinner at a restaurant. Sound familiar? They hope to get the timeshare owner in there, give them little time to decide after being told a boatload of half truths and embellishments. Just like the timeshare salesperson did many years earlier.

We stay away from half-truths like the plague and we have stumbled enough along the way to have learned a fair measure of humility. I am excited about timeshare resolution and GeniusExit's ability to add true value to this sector, and yet GeniusExit's prosperity is reinvested in our company's larger vision. We're not an exit company, so much as we're a legal tech company that created an exit division to drive expansion and development via self-funding through generating our own revenue rather than attracting outside investment. It turns out that legal nerds can make child's play out of exiting unwanted timeshares, and that fighting a resort feels more exciting than pitching to venture capitalists!

To your point on exit transactions mirroring the timeshare sale, while I appreciate your comment, I ask, as a business owner, should I act ignorant of the manner in which my clientele made their purchasing decisions? It seems painfully arrogant, counterproductive, and patronizing to "reinvent the wheel" on conducting business with our core demographic, rather than honoring our clients by communicating in a way that resonates best. Let's be honest, that consultation and discussion is how we give you enough information to decide if you may trust GeniusExit. That's really the only question, as you decided to exit your timeshare before you called us, but trust is something that takes more than three minutes to establish. That being said, if you think people might buy exit services with 1-click purchasing, we'd consider putting up a listing on Amazon.

What the heck, I went to the website.
1. Baulk is the archaic spelling of the word.
2. Name those billion dollar companies and what did they use you for?
3. The team has "decades of experience" but at doing what?

1. If practicing law required spelling proficiency, I'd have been disbarred the first month. True story, during law school orientation we had simple quizzes, like during college orientation. I was accused of plagiarism, as, in one of my responses, I wrote 'judgement' (they assumed someone studying to become an attorney should know we spell judgment). I also remember misspelling 'of' in my undergrad conlaw final... ov.
2. Mostly big banks. I don't feel like reviewing my NDAs to see what I can't say, but it's public record that I won multiple appeals as counsel of record for Chase, FNMA, Nationstar, Bank of America, Wells Fargo. I guess some of those are trillion-dollar institutions. I handled hotly-contested litigation, typically at trial or on appeal. I'm actually one of the foremost authorities on eNotes, given that I'm the only attorney in the country to ever prepare for a trial to defend the legitimacy of one (we settled before testimony began).
3. Resolving mortgage defaults on behalf of the lender. The similarities in these market sectors were driving forces on our expansion into timeshare resolution. We made a name for ourselves in helping homeowners get relief and avoid foreclosure in a marketplace rife with fraud and abuse, so we see market conditions in timeshare resolution as particularly inviting. Our proven competitive advantage is being boring, honest, and hard-working.

Just to be clear, not everyone who wants out of their timeshare needs an exit company. One of my managers brought a recorded call to my attention today and assured me she would retrain our associate. In response to hearing the call, she made clear, "if he has a deed back [offer from the resort] for $1k, he needs to take it! [The associate then] has an opportunity to do the right thing and ask for a referral[, but should not have tried to sell them an exit]." GeniusExit's competitive advantage is our integrity.

In all sincerity, I hope things continue to improve and COVID restrictions are eased, so that the many people on here who love their timeshares may finally start enjoying them, again.

 

[RX8]

I was searching something else and came across this thread. As exit companies come and go constantly I thought I would check this one. It appears that Genius Exit is no longer in business as their website does not come up.

 

[TUGBrian]

bet dollars to donuts the folks behind it are simply using another name by now.

too much money to be made in that field for those with no morals.

 

[RX8]

too much money to be made in that field for those with no morals.

But they were supposed to be different! They were the “ethical” exit company. Maybe they figured they couldn’t do it ethically and started a new exit company with the time proven business model of upfront fees, easy exits for positive reviews (using methods they don’t tell their customers they could do themselves, including foreclosure/defaults), and for everything else use stall tactics that drag on for years.

 

[4TimeAway]

I really feel bad for Developer Purchasers who bought something worthless or less than worthless.

I don't see a way around them paying more to exit and I don't see how anyone can help them sell for free.


Can you imagine you spent let's say $12,000 at 12% interest over 5-10 years on an EOY with an average MF of $550/yr? Basically, you are paying $2,000/yr for an off-season week every other year, so $4,000 for the week offseason of use. Those happy weeks of a three bedroom on the beach you were promised are studio overlooking the parking lot when schools in session. When you finally realize what a terrible mess you are in its always too late and the sure the salesperson lied, confused you, etc. and that hate is cast in stone.

Say resale value a high $100 (probably would need to pay someone to take it) and seller has to pay all closing costs and commissions. What's that an additional loss of $3,000?

I think that selling a timeshare as a service in general is worth $1,000-$2,000. There's marketing, staffing, paperwork, drama, etc. The level of trust for a selling agent is zero. The seller wants to get out for "free" and a real agent can't work for free, so I just don't see happy outcome.

With lager real estate transactions there's enough money to litigate to collect. With a worthless timeshare, it's just not worth the cost. I see no alternative to charging upfront fees for services.

If I was an agent, I would not help sell zero value timeshares. Maybe the buyers of resale can justify the cost of the MF, but the Sellers will never say Thank you.


Thank God, I'm not selling or reselling timeshares.


All TUG can do is raise awareness of sales tactics and the resale market.