How do we leave a Timeshare [Westgate]

[rs621]

To the timeshare community,

I’m not sure if this post belongs here but I desperately need advice surrounding this problem. 20 years ago my dad bought into this fantasy world of timeshares. We bought it through Westgate. Little did we know how scummy Westgate and the entire timeshare industry is:

End of the road for Westgate timeshare lawsuit loss

The U.S. Supreme Court has turned down a request by Orlando-based Westgate Resorts for review of a $500,000 judgment against the company over high-pressure sales tactics in Tennessee.

www.orlandosentinel.com

This is just one in a scandal plagued company and industry. It’s fully paid off and he’s diligently paying his maintenance fees.

He wants out. We trusted Dave Ramsey’s advice when he suggested to go to a company called Timeshare Exit Team. However, turns out they were a fraud too:

[AG Ferguson: Reed Hein to pay 2.61 million to resolve timeshare exit scheme lawsuit](https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/ag-ferguson-reed-hein-pay-261-million-resolve-timeshare-exit-scheme-lawsuit)

Now Dave Ramsey and team are suggesting to use another firm:

[Newton Group Transfers](https://newtongrouptransfers.com)

It looks and smells fishy, from the BBB rating to the google reviews. It feels like a rebranding of the Timeshare Exit Team and I’m afraid they’re going to lead my dad down another rabbit hole.

Please forgive him for his ignorance, he was suckered into this deal and contract without fully understanding the implications. It seems like anyone trying to “help” is also out for money. Hoping the government would come in and help common folks from getting swindled by industries like this is a pipe dream. Is there anything out there that can get us out of this mess? No one wants to buy a timeshare, we’ve tried selling it. Please, any advice is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
A concerned son

 

[HitchHiker71]

Any/all third party exit companies are scams by definition. All they do is attempt to resell the timeshare on your behalf while requiring up-front fees to do so - most of which is simply pocketed for profit - if they ever even sell it for you (which is often not the case). You have two basic options as I see it.

One, contact Westgate directly and find out what exit options the timeshare entity offers. It appears that Westgate may have some options available: https://www.westgateresorts.com/leg...VQoQtVJ99BqWTHBWAZyQlcMPf9goDrihoCdD8QAvD_BwE

Two, sell it yourself on the secondary market. You can list it for sale here on TUG if you like, for example. There are plenty of savvy timeshare buyers here on TUG looking to pick up a resale timeshare on the cheap contrary to what many people think. Certainly worth a shot if option one doesn't work out.

 

[VacationForever]

Westgate takes back timeshare that are fully paid up. Just contact them.

Note: Timeshares are not scams.

 

[rs621]

Any/all third party exit companies are scams by definition. All they do is attempt to resell the timeshare on your behalf while requiring up-front fees to do so - most of which is simply pocketed for profit - if they ever even sell it for you (which is often not the case). You have two basic options as I see it.

One, contact Westgate directly and find out what exit options the timeshare entity offers. It appears that Westgate may have some options available: https://www.westgateresorts.com/leg...VQoQtVJ99BqWTHBWAZyQlcMPf9goDrihoCdD8QAvD_BwE

Two, sell it yourself on the secondary market. You can list it for sale here on TUG if you like, for example. There are plenty of savvy timeshare buyers here on TUG looking to pick up a resale timeshare on the cheap contrary to what many people think. Certainly worth a shot if option one doesn't work out.

Thank you for your response! I should have mentioned that in the time since we bought it, Westgate had to sell their Vegas timeshare to Hilton Grand Vacations. The timeshare in question is the Elara towers in Las Vegas. Should we go to Westgate or Hilton for a potential repurchase program?

 

[rs621]

Westgate takes back timeshare that are fully paid up. Just contact them.

Note: Timeshares are not scams.

I apologize for that characterization. It feels like that sometimes because it’s so difficult to get out of these contracts, and there is an entire dark industry built on “getting you out”

 

[HitchHiker71]

Thank you for your response! I should have mentioned that in the time since we bought it, Westgate had to sell their Vegas timeshare to Hilton Grand Vacations. The timeshare in question is the Elara towers in Las Vegas. Should we go to Westgate or Hilton for a potential repurchase program?

HGVC has a deed-back exit program as well: https://responsibleexit.com/who-we-are/hilton-grand-vacations/

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

Thank you for your response! I should have mentioned that in the time since we bought it, Westgate had to sell their Vegas timeshare to Hilton Grand Vacations. The timeshare in question is the Elara towers in Las Vegas. Should we go to Westgate or Hilton for a potential repurchase program?

I doubt that they will repurchase it from you, but they may allow you to deed it back to them (as long that it is fully paid off and you have no outstanding maintenance fees).

Sadly, as you have likely discovered, most timeshares are worth absolutely little or nothing.



.

 

[rs621]

HGVC has a deed-back exit program as well: https://responsibleexit.com/who-we-are/hilton-grand-vacations/

This program is it sanctioned by Hilton or a 3rd
Party? Sorry my wariness is very high

 

[dioxide45]

HGVC has a deed-back exit program as well: https://responsibleexit.com/who-we-are/hilton-grand-vacations/

Unfortunately, HGVC program doesn't really involve a deed-back program. Unless something has changed very recently, the options they go over are to sell or give away the unit. They generally don't take them back. I am sure there are a few they would be happy to take for free, but it isn't really part of their program. It certainly doesn't hurt to call and ask about available options.

I also don't think HGVC is in the business of taking back Westgate deeds. Those deeds are under a separate HOA at Elara.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

TUG does have a "Free Timeshare Giveaway" section where you can post your Timeshare at no charge. Try it and see if you get anyone who would like to take it off your hands!



.

 

[dioxide45]

Westgate takes back timeshare that are fully paid up. Just contact them.

Note: Timeshares are not scams.

While I wouldn't call timeshares a scam, there are many timeshare sale people out there scamming buyers by using lies to sell the product. Several companies are notoriously bad for this and the rest aren't much better.

 

[vacationtime1]

Thank you for your response! I should have mentioned that in the time since we bought it, Westgate had to sell their Vegas timeshare to Hilton Grand Vacations. The timeshare in question is the Elara towers in Las Vegas. Should we go to Westgate or Hilton for a potential repurchase program?

I don't know the details, but there are both Westgate and HGVC timeshares in that tower. If you bought from Westgate, it is almost certainly a Westgate timeshare.

If Westgate will take it back for free, that is the best possible solution for your father. Westgate does not treat its owners well, especially resale owners, making Westgate units difficult to re-sell.

 

[HudsHut]

Welcome @rs621
Thank you for helping your father.

Will Westgate Buy Back Timeshare? | Timeshare Exit Programs | Westgate Legacy Program

Will Westgate buy back timeshare? Find out the answer to this and other timeshare exit related questions with the Westgate Legacy Program! Although no formal buyback program exists, we work with you to secure a positive transition in ownership status

www.westgateresorts.com

At the bottom, it shows in large print:

CALL 800-351-0461 TODAY TO EXPLORE YOUR EXIT OPTIONS. DON'T GET SCAMMED BY THIRD PARTIES!

 

[theo]

If Westgate will take it back for free, that is the best possible solution....

Unfortunately, Wastegate doesn't do anything for free --- including "deedbacks". They "cherry pick" what they will accept back at all under their "Legacy" deedback program and then reportedly charge $1.200 to $1,500 per deed for extending the "privilege" of taking it back. Isn't that so very kind and considerate of them? On the other hand, the "Legacy" route is at least certain to be a clean, lawful and reasonably prompt "exit" --- unlike throwing money at any "exit / relief / escape / rescue" outfit, to no productive end.

It's certainly worth making an attempt to post in TUG "Bargain Deals" and try to just give the Wastegate ownership away for free, but even that may be difficult in view of how Westgate so significantly devalues any and all resales with their truly onerous reservation constraints on "resale" owners.

I wish the OP luck in dumping Dad's Wastegate "product" by whatever means necessary --- including, if push comes to shove, just turning around and walking away from it and letting the ba$t@rds go right ahead and foreclose.

 

[elysium5]

All they do is attempt to resell the timeshare on your behalf while requiring up-front fees to do so - most of which is simply pocketed for profit - if they ever even sell it for you (which is often not the case). You have two basic options as I see it.

This is a good life lesson for me. If a company is asking for payment BEFORE doing the thing they say they will do, then what incentive do they have to do the job. Instead of doing the job they promised, they will just ask someone else for an upfront fee

 

[geist1223]

There is a reason Westgate is referred to as Wastegate by many people.

We have been timeshare owners since August 2002. Besides our travels all over the USA (including many trips to Hawaii), Canada, and Mexico we have traveled to Fiji, New Zealand (several times), Australia (several times), Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and France.

Sometimes it is a bad experience because of the Company sometimes it is because many people are not cut out to own timeshares. It can take time, energy, and planning to learn how to use a timeshare to your benefit.

Dave Ramsey does not really checkout the companies that advertise or pay for an endorsement he just looks at the Checks that go into his Bank Accoumt.

 

[LannyPC]

Now Dave Ramsey and team are suggesting to use another firm:

[Newton Group Transfers](https://newtongrouptransfers.com)

It looks and smells fishy, from the BBB rating to the google reviews. It feels like a rebranding of the Timeshare Exit Team and I’m afraid they’re going to lead my dad down another rabbit hole.

A little off topic here but, now that TSET is out of business, is Ramsey touting NGT? Where did you see/hear this? I know not much good was said about Ramsey for, among many things, endorsing TSET, but why is he now touting another questionable exit company? He seems to have an aversion to TSs.

 

[dioxide45]

A little off topic here but, now that TSET is out of business, is Ramsey touting NGT? Where did you see/hear this? I know not much good was said about Ramsey for, among many things, endorsing TSET, but why is he now touting another questionable exit company? He seems to have an aversion to TSs.

From what I understand TET isn't necessarily out of business, they just aren't accepting new clients. I would also be very interested to know if Ramsey is now promoting a new company. If I were any company, I would probably stay away from Ramsey and the publicity/target that it brings. All of these companies have lawsuits against them by the big developers. They just take years to get through the courts. In the end, TET settled with a number of developers and paid them a bunch of money. Money that they took in from clients. Exit companies only have one source of revenue.

 

[geist1223]

why is he now touting another questionable exit company?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[RX8]

If Ramsey is indeed promoting another exit company he apparently didn’t learn anything.

It is my opinion that all exit companies operate on a ponzi model. They take in lots of money, use that money to pay high salaries (and promoters like Ramsey), and use some of the money to pay “refunds”. All the while they are accumulating thousands, tens of thousands or maybe even hundreds of thousands of “clients” as work in progress. Eventually it will come crumbling down with a huge number of timeshare owners out the money they paid (and still owning their timeshare).

 

[theo]

I know not much good was said about Ramsey for, among many things, endorsing TSET, but why is he now touting another questionable exit company? He seems to have an aversion to TSs.

In order to continue doing "better than he deserves" (his words, not mine). He may have an aversion to timeshares, but no aversion at all to raking in advertising revenue.