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Lonestar Transfer [duplicate threads merged]

rfpete5287

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Has anyone had experience with Lonestar Transfer office in Rockwell, TX. They state they are able to "legally and permanently transfer timeshare ownership from your name".
 

LannyPC

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How much are they charging? How did you find out about this group? What are you hoping will happen if you use their services?

The best way to remove it from your name (assuming) that's your ultimate goal) is to sell it. Of course, if it is a very low value TS, other recommended ways of getting it out name is to either give it away or ask the resort if it will take the deed back.
 

gravityrules

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I have received their direct mail as well

Perhaps the format of the direct mail tells you everything you need to know.

Return Address:
AFD - National Records Div.
888 16th St. N.W.
S 800 PMB#821
Washington, DC 200006

with an 'official' looking eagle logo

in bold letters
URGENT DATE SENSITIVE MAIL
Please deliver no later than mm/dd/yyyy

Real official looking right? Well that address is 'Executive Space Solutions' which is a virtual office provider.

That's enough deception for me to already be a huge red flag.

Their 'physical' address shows to be an office in Rockwall, TX which isn't that far from me.

This company also has a website but nowhere do they say what they actually do. My suspicision is that they transfer into a something like a viking ship LLC. Do some reading here on TUG for more info. I would stay as far away from that sort of thing as possible!
 

Maverick

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Any info on the company Lonestar Transfer?

Does anyone have any experience with Lonestar Transfer? I am wondering if it is legit. I have not found anything to indicate it is not a legitimate business. We are trying to get out of [a timeshare in Mexico.] I have found no complaints on Better Business nor when I google their name. Any quick response would be appreciated.
 

TUGBrian

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Maverick

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I looked them up on the internet. I called them and talked to the lady. They want basically 3 years of maintenance fees and guarantee you will have your name off the deed. I cannot find any complaints about them on the web, and they have no bad reports on BBB.
 

Maverick

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I did not receive any mail from them. She says they transfer it and you have your name off of the title.
 

DeniseM

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TUGBrian

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pacodemountainside

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A couple pointers!

You escrow money with third party of your choice and they get upon proof of completing.

Scammers change names once BBB, AG, TUG et. al. get on their case.

Taking deed out of your name is no good if Resort refuses to accept transfer especially if to Viking Ship.

Most Mexico TSs have no value, what are they going to do with it?

Go to Plan B!
 

DeniseM

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This is kind of an old post, do you have any new information on Lonestar Transfer? I found this post searching about them, the post is kind of old

A zebra doesn't change it's stripes - if this was a scam in 2014 - it is a scam in 2016.

Human nature is to want to believe that there may be an easy out - but it's just not so.

If you have a timeshare you want to get rid of (and it's paid off) please consider giving it away on TUG - we have a forum just for that purpose:

How can I give my timeshare away on TUG:

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132509
 

bogey21

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I called them and talked to the lady. They want basically 3 years of maintenance fees and guarantee you will have your name off the deed.

If 3 years of MFs sounds good, why not call the Resort. Tell them a sob story and offer them 2 years of MFs to take your Week back. If they accept, you can be certain you have a done, final deal.

George
 

mikeef74

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A zebra doesn't change it's stripes - if this was a scam in 2014 - it is a scam in 2016.

Human nature is to want to believe that there may be an easy out - but it's just not so.

If you have a timeshare you want to get rid of (and it's paid off) please consider giving it away on TUG - we have a forum just for that purpose:

How can I give my timeshare away on TUG:

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132509

Well I'm checking for my aunt, she is almost 80 and wants out and she was told about them, I told her to wait until I researched it some. I don't own one, I learned not to buy one because my father had one and it was ok, but it was so hard to get any good places with RCI.

Do people really take them? I was reading a site yesterday you can't pay people to take them because people don't want to pay the annual maintenance fees. And my aunt had to pay some other bill they sent her a few years ago for upgrades to the building or something like that.
 

AnotherLesson

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So, I'm assuming Lonestar Transfer is a scam? Pity. We just purchased ours a month ago and want out. We are willing to take a personal loan out to pay mortgage and just sell it for less than 20% of what we paid. Would I use a forum to do so once it's paid? Also, how do we transfer deed into the buyers name?
 

theo

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<snip> Do people really take them? I was reading a site yesterday you can't pay people to take them because people don't want to pay the annual maintenance fees. And my aunt had to pay some other bill they sent her a few years ago for upgrades to the building or something like that.

1. It all depends on the resort / location / unit size / week number / annual fees; there is no accurate "one size fits all" answer. Generally (with the noteworthy exception of Westgate properties) you can find someone somewhere who will take over the timeshare if it's paid off and all bills are current. It's not easy --- you will have to aggressively advertise and you must be able to accurately answer questions about the property, units, reservation processes, etc. You might even have to offer to pay the closing and transfer costs yourself in order to find a willing recipient. It ain't easy.

2. As far as that "some other bill" which your aunt paid a few years ago, it was most likely a "special assessment", which is a bill above and beyond the usual maintenance fees to fund repairs or upgrades for which there are otherwise inadequate financial reserves on hand in the resort coffers. It happens, although it certainly happens less at resorts which exercise good financial management and future planning.
 
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theo

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So, I'm assuming Lonestar Transfer is a scam? Pity. We just purchased ours a month ago and want out. We are willing to take a personal loan out to pay mortgage and just sell it for less than 20% of what we paid. Would I use a forum to do so once it's paid? Also, how do we transfer deed into the buyers name?

If you have an outstanding loan, unknown "Lonestar Transfer" (certainly just another shady, parasitic "Viking Ship" scam anyhow) can't help you. Even a more legitimate entity can't really help you if there is loan debt still outstanding. Keep clearly in mind that in order to lawfully transfer ownership, you must first actually have lawful ownership and title, which you do not if there is an unpaid loan balance.

You can either pay off the loan and then sell (or maybe have to give it away for free, if there is no demand for whatever it is that you bought) or you can simply stop paying anything more right now, default on the loan, lose the "product" to foreclosure and then take the inevitable negative credit report "hit". These are certainly tough choices, but you're in a tough spot and your options are few. Paying some scam "Viking Ship" operation that cannot possibly help you should not be among the options to consider for even a single moment.

Don't shoot the messenger, but if you paid inflated developer prices there is probably little or no chance that you could actually recover anywhere near 20% of your purchase price a month later. A review of comparable listings out in the resale market (take a look at TUG, RedWeek, eBay, MyResortNetwork.com, etc.) will give you a realistic picture of the resale value (if any) of whatever it is that you purchased.
The resale market doesn't care one bit what you originally paid --- the actual value in the resale market simply "is what it is now, today".
Good luck.
 
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AnotherLesson

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If you have an outstanding loan, unknown "Lonestar Transfer" (certainly just another shady, parasitic "Viking Ship" scam anyhow) can't help you. Even a more legitimate entity can't really help you either if there is loan debt outstanding. Keep clearly in mind that in order to lawfully transfer ownership, you must first actually have lawful ownership and title, which you do not if / for as long as there is an unpaid loan balance.

You can either pay off the loan and then sell (or maybe have to give it away for free, if there is no demand for whatever it is that you bought) or you can simply stop paying anything more right now, default on the loan, lose the "product" to foreclosure and then take the inevitable negative credit report "hit". These are certainly tough choices, but you're in a tough spot and your options are few. Paying some scam "Viking Ship" operation that cannot possibly help you should not be among the options to consider for even a single moment.

Don't shoot the messenger, but if you paid inflated developer prices there is probably little or no chance that you could actually recover anywhere near 20% of your purchase price a month later. A review of comparable listings out in the resale market (take a look at TUG, RedWeek, eBay, MyResortNetwork.com, etc.) will give you a realistic picture of the resale value (if any) of whatever it is that you purchased.
The resale market doesn't care one bit what you originally paid --- the actual value in the resale market simply "is what it is now, today".
Good luck.

Thanks. We've resigned to the fact that we will first pay it off in full within the week then simply free it to whoever wants it. Lesson learned the hard way.
 

theo

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Thanks. We've resigned to the fact that we will first pay it off in full within the week then simply free it to whoever wants it. Lesson learned the hard way.

If you've decided to pay it off, maybe also consider at least getting some use out of it before just dumping it. On the other hand, I can also understand and appreciate that you might just want to wash your hands of it entirely and put it all behind you as an expensive lesson if you now consider it to have been a mistake. Good luck.
 
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AnotherLesson

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If you've decided to pay it off, maybe also consider at least getting some use out of it before just dumping it. On the other hand, I can also certainly appreciate that you might just want to wash your hands of it and put it all behind you if you now consider it to have been a mistake. Good luck.

Thanks, yes I feel it is a mistake. We will see how long it takes to have someone else take it over.
 

bikertrash2007

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If you have an outstanding loan, unknown "Lonestar Transfer" (certainly just another shady, parasitic "Viking Ship" scam anyhow) can't help you. Even a more legitimate entity can't really help you if there is loan debt still outstanding. Keep clearly in mind that in order to lawfully transfer ownership, you must first actually have lawful ownership and title, which you do not if there is an unpaid loan balance.

You can either pay off the loan and then sell (or maybe have to give it away for free, if there is no demand for whatever it is that you bought) or you can simply stop paying anything more right now, default on the loan, lose the "product" to foreclosure and then take the inevitable negative credit report "hit". These are certainly tough choices, but you're in a tough spot and your options are few. Paying some scam "Viking Ship" operation that cannot possibly help you should not be among the options to consider for even a single moment.

Don't shoot the messenger, but if you paid inflated developer prices there is probably little or no chance that you could actually recover anywhere near 20% of your purchase price a month later. A review of comparable listings out in the resale market (take a look at TUG, RedWeek, eBay, MyResortNetwork.com, etc.) will give you a realistic picture of the resale value (if any) of whatever it is that you purchased.
The resale market doesn't care one bit what you originally paid --- the actual value in the resale market simply "is what it is now, today".
Good luck.

Has anyone just been foreclosed on? Or did the timeshare put liens on your personal home and/or bank accounts? I have Worldmark by Wyndham and heard they can sue you for breach of contract.
 

Jon Rowlison

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Hopefully this is the correct post-merged thread for this... I wanted to see if anyone had ever gotten anywhere with that Lonestar Transfer company mentioned? I know the conventional wisdom about the "Viking Ship" but they've been around for over 5 years. If one is willing to pay up front is it actually a real service or is it ONLY a scam? Other people have mentioned "Lone Star Transfer" and that is something TOTALLY different. Lonestar Transfer is in Rockwall, TX and Murrieta, CA.
 
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