[ 2018 ] HELP - New owner looking for options to get out of Welk timeshare

[setzergabbiani]

Looking for some advice on what to do. After browsing through this forum, I am so disappointed I didn't find out about this great group last August, so I could at least rescind my contract.

In Aug 2017, we sat through a Welk presentation and everything sounded "good" so we decided to try it out. However, now, 4 months in, given the way we like to travel, the product and services offered by Welk (and now RCI) don't match up to anything they told us during the presentation. Even the Experiences by Welk site is severely underwhelming that I might as well stick with Expedia. It sounded like it was really easy and availability was fairly easy to book. This has not been the case and as we like to travel around to different parts of the world (planning a central Europe trip in April 2018), but RCI doesn't have any properties even in major cities like Prague, Vienna (at least none with availability) and we'd have to book 7 days at a time, giving very little flexibility when traveling. We were sold on this for the options of Interval International (now switched to RCI), but this is way more difficult and more costly than doing it on our own.

Anyway, I know much of this has to do with our travel preferences, but now, we find it really difficult to justify both the cost of the timeshare (still owe $18K) and the annual MFs and the RCI booking fees to consider any of this a "bargain" or even at face value.

What can I do now, to off-load this timeshare, now that I presume has passed the rescind period? Any help or advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[geist1223]

As you still owe Money you have 2 choices. 1. Spend a lot of time and learn how to make Welk work best for you. 2. Default and take a hit on your Credit.

Do not listen to any of the people or companies that claim they can get you out of the Timeshare for only a few thousand dollars up front.

 

[setzergabbiani]

Thanks @geist1223. I was hoping to see if there was a hidden 3rd option of a secondary marketplace for people interested in buying timeshares who wouldn't mind a lower buy-in (say, even at $10K and I'll eat the rest) to buy it off me.

While option #2 has been tempting, the hit on the credit seems to be a bad idea (long term).

 

[TUGBrian]

welcome to TUG! we also wish you'd found us sooner


sorry we dont have any of the news you were looking for...but to address your option 3...it does exist...but unfortunately the resale price of most welk weeks is far...far below your payoff amount.

most resale timeshares sell for between 0 and 10% of their original purchase price...and depending on what welk ownership you purchased, it could be likely its more towards the zero...than the 10

 

[WalnutBaron]

To the OP: really sorry that you are in this predicament, but the advice you've received so far is accurate. If you want to get an idea of what your Welk ownership is worth on the secondary market, you can look at the TUG Marketplace or Redweek.com for listings. I can tell you, for example, that there is a listing now for 300,000 points for $4,500 asking price. I'm afraid that's pretty disappointing to you, but it is reflective of the true resale value of what you own.

 

[nuwermj]

I was hoping to see if there was a hidden 3rd option of a secondary marketplace for people interested in buying timeshares who wouldn't mind a lower buy-in (say, even at $10K and I'll eat the rest) to buy it off me.

Welk Platinum points sell for about one penny each on the resale market.

 

[setzergabbiani]

Thanks for everyone's advice. I'll continue to try to follow threads on this forum to better learn how I can maximize Welk and make it work for us. I presume taking the hit on the credit (Option #2) is really bad (or so I've heard) and I'd rather avoid lawyers (or "lawyers") and pay more unnecessary fees to shed the debt and program.

As a newbie, is there any specific series of threads on TUB specifically for Welk that I can learn how to better use it, since it seems like I'll be "stuck" with this for a while? Thanks! Really grateful for the community here. I'm just trying to find the silver lining in all this, especially knowing I could have paid probably 1/10 of the cost on a resale marketing instead of direct.

 

[Passepartout]

We are sorry you bought for retail, that which be acquired for pennies. Whip yourself real good. OK, now that that's over, lest move on. What you've done is just overspend. We've all done it sometimes. It happens. If you were planning to go to Europe next Summer, GREAT! That you've now found out That you can't do major cities with timeshares, Yup. Thats the reality. Europeans LIVE in the big cities, so when they want to vacation, they head out into the countryside.

You'll need to adjust how you use this timeshare week. Use it as it's designed to use. It looks like you bought at Tahoe, so plan to use it at Tahoe- at least until you have it paid off. If you can, get a home equity loan, or borrow against insurance, or use savings to pay this loan off. That will make you forget the monthly payment, and the reminder of what you did. Then book your time at Tahoe at the highest value week(s) you can we get in advance as they will allow. Rent this use time to somebody else, and apply the cash to either the loan, or to go somewhere else. Simply exchanging via RCI is costly. You use your week + they charge you another $300 to take from you + the membership cost + traveling cost. You shouldn't afford this yet. Maybe later, but not for a while.

After the loan is paid off and you have used your TS a few times, THEN you might consider unloading it, but not right away.

We took a poll here on TUG a while ago, asking where WE had bought out first timeshares an it was almost exactly 50/50% developer/resale. So half of us did what you did,and lived to tell the tale. The reasons you saw at the presentation that caused you to buy are still valid. The memories you can have and share with family are still wonderful. We can't erase the exaggerations that the salesweasels told you, but all in all, timeshares are a good, but often misrepresented way to vacation.

Welcome to TUG!

Jim

 

[setzergabbiani]

@Passepartout Thanks for the breath of fresh air. I'm sure many invest in a timeshare with full intentions to use it for themselves (and marked as a travel cost in their personal budgets), but given that others can buy these for pennies (per Welk point) on the resale market, would it be foolish of me to consider that I could break even (or profit slightly, given the annual maintenance fees) by finding someone else to rent out my week if I was to take your suggestion?

 

[Passepartout]

....given that others can buy these for pennies (per Welk point) on the resale market, would it be foolish of me to consider that I could break even (or profit slightly, given the annual maintenance fees) by finding someone else to rent out my week if I was to take your suggestion?

Hope springs eternal. Don't you think that if Welk could rent the weeks profitably, they wouldn't bother having a sales force to lie, stretch the truth, obfuscate to sell the intervals to folks like you? You MIGHT make a few bux- especially if you book PRIME + time. Great snow, holiday week, rest of the area resorts fully booked, & you advertise in San Francisco. But really, how often will that happen.

My primary point with this suggestion was to at least slow the financial bleeding. If you bought this with disposable income, all is well, but I suspect not, because (a) you financed it, and (b) called it an 'investment', which a timeshare isn't. It's a pure luxury that you are unlikely to EVER make a nickel from- in fact, I'll go so far as to say that in the end, you'll lose every cent you paid for it and what you will pay to use it. And then you'll give it away and be glad it's gone when you do.

But anyway, stick around. Read. Learn. Travel vicariously. Timesharing is the worst financial decision that you will love the more you use it.

Jim

 

[WalnutBaron]

We are sorry you bought for retail, that which be acquired for pennies. Whip yourself real good. OK, now that that's over, lest move on. What you've done is just overspend. We've all done it sometimes. It happens. If you were planning to go to Europe next Summer, GREAT! That you've now found out That you can't do major cities with timeshares, Yup. Thats the reality. Europeans LIVE in the big cities, so when they want to vacation, they head out into the countryside.

You'll need to adjust how you use this timeshare week. Use it as it's designed to use. It looks like you bought at Tahoe, so plan to use it at Tahoe- at least until you have it paid off. If you can, get a home equity loan, or borrow against insurance, or use savings to pay this loan off. That will make you forget the monthly payment, and the reminder of what you did. Then book your time at Tahoe at the highest value week(s) you can we get in advance as they will allow. Rent this use time to somebody else, and apply the cash to either the loan, or to go somewhere else. Simply exchanging via RCI is costly. You use your week + they charge you another $300 to take from you + the membership cost + traveling cost. You shouldn't afford this yet. Maybe later, but not for a while.

After the loan is paid off and you have used your TS a few times, THEN you might consider unloading it, but not right away.

We took a poll here on TUG a while ago, asking where WE had bought out first timeshares an it was almost exactly 50/50% developer/resale. So half of us did what you did,and lived to tell the tale. The reasons you saw at the presentation that caused you to buy are still valid. The memories you can have and share with family are still wonderful. We can't erase the exaggerations that the salesweasels told you, but all in all, timeshares are a good, but often misrepresented way to vacation.

Welcome to TUG!

Jim

Really well said, Jim--gracious, encouraging, realistic, and insightful. I think you did a great job of properly setting the OP's expectations, which were--unfortunately but not uniquely--unrealistically set by the sales weasel who sold him the original package.

 

[WalnutBaron]

My primary point with this suggestion was to at least slow the financial bleeding. If you bought this with disposable income, all is well, but I suspect not, because (a) you financed it, and (b) called it an 'investment', which a timeshare isn't. It's a pure luxury that you are unlikely to EVER make a nickel from- in fact, I'll go so far as to say that in the end, you'll lose every cent you paid for it and what you will pay to use it. And then you'll give it away and be glad it's gone when you do.

But anyway, stick around. Read. Learn. Travel vicariously. Timesharing is the worst financial decision that you will love the more you use it.

Jim

A timeshare, as Jim said, is most certainly NOT a financial investment. There is an almost zero chance of any positive return, especially if you bought retail from the developer. But the reason so many of us love our timeshares is that they have encouraged us to make a different kind of investment--an investment in memories, relationships, family time, and experiences that we will treasure. In that sense, then, timeshares offer an outstanding investment in things that are intangible. You'll enjoy accommodations that are very nice (Welk ranks right up there with Marriott, Hyatt, Vistana, and Hilton for excellent quality), much larger and more accommodating than hotel rooms, and built in a resort-style setting with tons of activities either on-site or nearby.

Jim is right: take time to enjoy what you have, chalk up the financial pain you're feeling now to a "fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me" kind of lesson, and settle back and make the most of your Welk ownership. My bet is that three years from now, you'll look back and say, "It wasn't as bad as I'd feared, and we've enjoyed some pretty nice vacations since then".

 

[nuwermj]

would it be foolish of me to consider that I could break even (or profit slightly, given the annual maintenance fees) by finding someone else to rent out my week if I was to take your suggestion?

I assume you bought points, I don't think Welk sells deeded weeks for the Tahoe locations. You can reserve a two bedroom unit at Welk Villas in Escondedo for 240,000 points. Last summer that week rented for $1,300 to $1,500. If you own only 240,000 points, the annual fees last year were $1,290 ($630 plus $0.00275 per point). Fees increased a bit this year but I don't have the exact numbers now.

 

[Pranjal Patel]

Hi All,

I am new to the forum and like the initial poster wished I knew about this site before buying our timeshare. My husband and I went into the timeshare presentation promising each other we wouldn't buy anything and got sweet-talked by all the benefits (RCI, Interval International, etc). We are having the same issues where we can't really book since most of the dates are booked before they open up to us. We bought it for use in Tahoe during the winter, but unfortunately everything is booked before we are able to access it.

We have already paid in full for our timeshare without having been able to use it once yet. Is it easier for us to get out of it given we have paid it off?

Thanks in advance!

 

[CPNY]

Looking for some advice on what to do. After browsing through this forum, I am so disappointed I didn't find out about this great group last August, so I could at least rescind my contract.

In Aug 2017, we sat through a Welk presentation and everything sounded "good" so we decided to try it out. However, now, 4 months in, given the way we like to travel, the product and services offered by Welk (and now RCI) don't match up to anything they told us during the presentation. Even the Experiences by Welk site is severely underwhelming that I might as well stick with Expedia. It sounded like it was really easy and availability was fairly easy to book. This has not been the case and as we like to travel around to different parts of the world (planning a central Europe trip in April 2018), but RCI doesn't have any properties even in major cities like Prague, Vienna (at least none with availability) and we'd have to book 7 days at a time, giving very little flexibility when traveling. We were sold on this for the options of Interval International (now switched to RCI), but this is way more difficult and more costly than doing it on our own.

Anyway, I know much of this has to do with our travel preferences, but now, we find it really difficult to justify both the cost of the timeshare (still owe $18K) and the annual MFs and the RCI booking fees to consider any of this a "bargain" or even at face value.

What can I do now, to off-load this timeshare, now that I presume has passed the rescind period? Any help or advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

It’s a tough spot you’re in. Try and make it work for you best as you can. You’re on the hook for the remaining 18K. The developer purchase I made years ago just left my account today. I paid 39K all in, and gave it away for -$850 I paid doc prep and closing to get out. I still have others in the vistana system but the one I gave away was nearly impossible to do.

 

[RX8]

Hi All,

I am new to the forum and like the initial poster wished I knew about this site before buying our timeshare. My husband and I went into the timeshare presentation promising each other we wouldn't buy anything and got sweet-talked by all the benefits (RCI, Interval International, etc). We are having the same issues where we can't really book since most of the dates are booked before they open up to us. We bought it for use in Tahoe during the winter, but unfortunately everything is booked before we are able to access it.

We have already paid in full for our timeshare without having been able to use it once yet. Is it easier for us to get out of it given we have paid it off?

Thanks in advance!

Welcome to TUG! You may have found TUG late but here you are now and there are lots of folks who will do their best to help.

To answer your question, it is much easier to get out from the timeshare if it is paid off. However, it sounds like you want to use it but haven’t been able too yet. Since it is paid off the hardest part is out of the way. Maybe the Welk folks here can help you maximize your ownership so that it works for you and you can start making some great memories for your family. How many points do you own? How many months in advance are you trying to book?

 

[HudsHut]

Hi All,

<snip>We are having the same issues where we can't really book since most of the dates are booked before they open up to us. We bought it for use in Tahoe during the winter, but unfortunately everything is booked before we are able to access it.

We have already paid in full for our timeshare without having been able to use it once yet. Is it easier for us to get out of it given we have paid it off?

Thanks in advance!

Hi Pranjal:
Welcome to TUG.

Timeshare has a learning curve. People expect it to be like booking a hotel. Ask for the dates, and you're done. That is not the case. You cannot look now and expect to get dates for Christmas or New Years. The dates that available close to check-in are the off-season dates (desert in summer, non-ski resorts in winter).
You need to learn the rules of the Welk system. You need to know exactly the first moment at which you can make a reservation. If you want Spring break, you may be able to reserve 10/11/12 months in advance. Experienced owners will set alerts on their phone to make high-demand reservations the moment that reservations open for their date.

Start a new thread and ask experienced Welk owners for tips on the Welk system. (I am not a Welk owner, so I can only give general advice.)
If you give away your ownership, you will have lost all of the purchase price. Give yourself another year to learn the system before you decide that timeshare is not for you.

You want the Welk Northstar at Tahoe in winter, during ski-season. That means you need to know exactly what date/time to reserve. It is getting close to the time to reserve for winter 2021. Do you only want week 7, or are you able to go most any week Jan - March?
Ask for help, set the alarm, and you will be able to get your dates.

 

[Pranjal Patel]

Welcome to TUG! You may have found TUG late but here you are now and there are lots of folks who will do their best to help.

To answer your question, it is much easier to get out from the timeshare if it is paid off. However, it sounds like you want to use it but haven’t been able too yet. Since it is paid off the hardest part is out of the way. Maybe the Welk folks here can help you maximize your ownership so that it works for you and you can start making some great memories for your family. How many points do you own? How many months in advance are you trying to book?

Hi RX8, thanks for the response.
We have 120,000 points. We are trying to book for March but need approximately 135000 points, which we have accumulated, but since they are being rolled over into 2020 we cant book our rollover points more than 60 days in advance.

 

[Pranjal Patel]

Hi Pranjal:
Welcome to TUG.

Timeshare has a learning curve. People expect it to be like booking a hotel. Ask for the dates, and you're done. That is not the case. You cannot look now and expect to get dates for Christmas or New Years. The dates that available close to check-in are the off-season dates (desert in summer, non-ski resorts in winter).
You need to learn the rules of the Welk system. You need to know exactly the first moment at which you can make a reservation. If you want Spring break, you may be able to reserve 10/11/12 months in advance. Experienced owners will set alerts on their phone to make high-demand reservations the moment that reservations open for their date.

Start a new thread and ask experienced Welk owners for tips on the Welk system. (I am not a Welk owner, so I can only give general advice.)
If you give away your ownership, you will have lost all of the purchase price. Give yourself another year to learn the system before you decide that timeshare is not for you.

You want the Welk Northstar at Tahoe in winter, during ski-season. That means you need to know exactly what date/time to reserve. It is getting close to the time to reserve for winter 2021. Do you only want week 7, or are you able to go most any week Jan - March?
Ask for help, set the alarm, and you will be able to get your dates.

Hi HudsHut

Thanks for the response and information. I guess we haven't been using the phone representatives available (Im guessing that's what you mean in terms of asking for help?). We looked into Winter dates and the only date we saw available was for one week in march, which seemed limited. Thanks for the advice, we have been trying to understand the system and the number of rules are dizzying.

 

[Grammarhero]

Hi HudsHut

Thanks for the response and information. I guess we haven't been using the phone representatives available (Im guessing that's what you mean in terms of asking for help?). We looked into Winter dates and the only date we saw available was for one week in march, which seemed limited. Thanks for the advice, we have been trying to understand the system and the number of rules are dizzying.

My best advice is to log into the Welk website daily, learn how to use Welk, and enjoy wonderful vacations. In addition, if you live near a Welk, I believe you can work out there for free. Just stay away from the sales staff.

You need to book in advance farther. Maybe 5-6 months in advance at least. This is from someone who has seven (7) timeshares.

 

[HudsHut]

Hi Pranjal:
I suggest you start a new thread where you request help from experienced Welk owners on TUG. Of course, reading the Welk system guidelines several times will definitely help. You may not quite understand them at first, but asking questions, and re-reading, you will understand the system if you make the effort.
Explain exactly what you have done so far, and where you're stuck.
They will be able to provide tips & tricks.

Examples:
Does Welk have a wait list? If the days you want aren't available, you get yourself on the waitlist and start picking up days as other owners cancel.
What is Welk's reservation cancellation policy? If an owner makes a reservation now for next year, then realizes that the reservation won't work, is the owner able to cancel without penalty? When? If cancellations must occur 60 days before check-in, that is when you should be looking to catch a cancellation.
Can you book a smaller unit, or book fewer than 7 nights, so that your 120K is enough for the reservation?
Does Welk discount the number of points required when you are within 30 or 60 days of check-in?

 

[Neda Jangi]

We are sorry you bought for retail, that which be acquired for pennies. Whip yourself real good. OK, now that that's over, lest move on. What you've done is just overspend. We've all done it sometimes. It happens. If you were planning to go to Europe next Summer, GREAT! That you've now found out That you can't do major cities with timeshares, Yup. Thats the reality. Europeans LIVE in the big cities, so when they want to vacation, they head out into the countryside.

You'll need to adjust how you use this timeshare week. Use it as it's designed to use. It looks like you bought at Tahoe, so plan to use it at Tahoe- at least until you have it paid off. If you can, get a home equity loan, or borrow against insurance, or use savings to pay this loan off. That will make you forget the monthly payment, and the reminder of what you did. Then book your time at Tahoe at the highest value week(s) you can we get in advance as they will allow. Rent this use time to somebody else, and apply the cash to either the loan, or to go somewhere else. Simply exchanging via RCI is costly. You use your week + they charge you another $300 to take from you + the membership cost + traveling cost. You shouldn't afford this yet. Maybe later, but not for a while.

After the loan is paid off and you have used your TS a few times, THEN you might consider unloading it, but not right away.

We took a poll here on TUG a while ago, asking where WE had bought out first timeshares an it was almost exactly 50/50% developer/resale. So half of us did what you did,and lived to tell the tale. The reasons you saw at the presentation that caused you to buy are still valid. The memories you can have and share with family are still wonderful. We can't erase the exaggerations that the salesweasels told you, but all in all, timeshares are a good, but often misrepresented way to vacation.

Welcome to TUG!

Jim

Hello Jim,

I am almost in the same situation as our friend here with the difference that I have paid off my time share. What do you mean by "onloading"? Any advice on how to get my money back and end this stupid contract with welk?

 

[Passepartout]

Hello Jim,

I am almost in the same situation as our friend here with the difference that I have paid off my time share. What do you mean by "onloading"? Any advice on how to get my money back and end this stupid contract with welk?

Hello, Unfortunately, you won't get your money back. Or much of it anyway. Timeshares drop virtually all their monetary value almost the instant you get it registered in your name. Many of the developers have a sc heme to turn the eed back over to them (for a price), or of course you're welcome to list it for free in the TUG Bargain Deals. If you wish to join TUG ($15/yr), that entitles you to put ads up in the TUG Marketplace (in the dark blue stripe at the top of this and very TUG page. You can put whatever price you want on your property.

Most of us have come to our initial ownership just like you did and have chosen to use them rather than take the financial bath. Their value is in their use.

Good Luck!

Jim

 

[Init2winit]

Hi.. im considering option number 2. But i was hoping to find owners to start up a class action. I am not even trying to get my money back i just want out and dont want a ding on my credit. We were lied to when we kept upgrading and finally got fed up. Anyone have suggestions for this??

 

[Passepartout]

Hi.. im considering option number 2. But i was hoping to find owners to start up a class action. I am not even trying to get my money back i just want out and dont want a ding on my credit. We were lied to when we kept upgrading and finally got fed up. Anyone have suggestions for this??

You won't find any law firm that would undertake a 'class action' because (a) the class is too small and (b) there is not enough money for them to make. So there it is. I looked back in the thread to see what option 2 is. That would be default and take your credit hit. A couple of questions: Is your TS paid for? Are the fees current? If the answer is yes/yes, you can list it for free on the TUG Bargain Deals at the top of the Buying Selling Renting forum. Or for the $15 TUG membership fee, you can list it for sale in the Marketplace. (blue stripe above here). If it is not paid in full or is not current in fees, you've already defaulted and it's just a matter of time for them to foreclose. There is a possibility they'll offer to let you deed it back and save your credit. Our experience is that a foreclosure will cost you about 50 credit points for up to 10 years, Or maybe nothing. If you get a credit ding, you're allowed to put a letter explaining the circumstances on your credit report. Many have reported that a timeshare default is not looked on as a bad thing. It frees up that amount of disposable income for other purposes.

Good Luck!

Jim