A family member has a timeshare with Welk Resorts and is no longer in a position to pay for it. He initially financed it through the company and has recently been persuaded by them to upgrade for a high benefit timeshare (at a much higher refinanced total cost). Before we resort to (expensive) legal advice, I was wondering if anyone could advise us on what our options are. According to a company rep, we have to pay the financed amount before we can offer the timeshare for sale - is this the case? What happens if he defaults on the payment (at this stage he is ready to walk away from his investment - he initially bought in 2008)? Is there an advisory channel we can follow to get assistance? Thanks in advance.
I will offer some likely unwelcome but nonetheless accurate and bluntly honest observations, not offered or intended to constitute or substitute for legal advice.
Please don't shoot the messenger:
1. Not yet owned w/ clear title, the timeshare cannot be sold. So yes, the existing debt
must first be resolved in order to be in a position to
give it away, let alone sell. Clearly, no one will just take over someone else's existing debt for a timeshare of very little (if any) monetary value. Any and all "value" in a timeshare lies in its' use and enjoyment and certainly not as
any form or flavor of "financial investment". As a financial investment, I'd be personally hard pressed to think of anything worse.
2. Paying attorneys to seek a non-existent "escape" is almost certainly a complete waste of time and money. The underlying contract is likely rock solid, completely valid and legally binding. No attorney breathing air possesses any magic beans, secret elixirs or miraculous pixie dust that can magically overcome that indisputable fact.
Any and all money "paid in" to date is unfortunately gone forever, with
or without paying any attorneys anywhere for any involvement of any sort.
3. Walking away is an option. There would of course be consequences (collection efforts, foreclosure, negative credit bureau reports), but at least the financial bleeding would be promptly
stopped. Exercising this option might very well be one point on which some legal advice and guidance could perhaps be of assistance to you.
I wish you and your family member(s) luck.