My friend has paid her TS in full and has never used it.. Is wondering if she can rent it out? Please help..

[KH82]

Basically, she purchased her Kissimmee timeshare in 2020 and paid it off in full in 2021 ($11,370) She has been unable to use it due to deaths in the family, Covid, moving states, etc and I don’t believe she fully understood what she was buying into in the first place. I am completely uneducated on how timeshares work but I told her I would try to help. (She taught herself English at 18 but still struggles a bit and needed help reading all the materials and trying to figure out what she had and when she can use it)

From what I can determine from the massive binder and tablet she gave me is that she has paid it off, it was purchased in Kissimmee, Fl she is a “floater” (not sure what that’s means), and honestly, that’s about it. It is all confusing to me as well She thinks that she actually owns the property and it is hers to use or rent out anytime.

I wonder if anyone would he willing to help us understand what she has and how to use it? Or if she should try and get out of it? If she may be able to get her money back? She is a very sweet, impressionable single mother and I hate the thought of her having been taken advantage of and don’t want to have to tell her the negative things I have read about Westgate.

I don’t want to speak to a representative, I don’t feel as though I would get the l honest answers that she needs. Any help is greatly appreciated!!

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

Most Timeshares are worth little or nothing, and a Wastegate in Kissimmee is definitely worth nothing. With that said, it will be extremely difficult for her to get out of it or unload. If you go to eBay, you will see many listings where the purchase price is just $1 (and many of those just sit unsold). She most certainly will be UNABLE to get her money back and anyone who tells her otherwise is likely attempting to SCAM her.

A floating week generally means she can book a week each year during a designated time frame, subject to availability. Basically, she owns one week of use each year, and she should have the ability to rent out the week she selects. Now if anyone wants to rent it from her is another story altogether as it may sit vacant.

If her floating season includes week 7 (Northeast Public School Vacation Week) or week 52 (the week between Xmas and New Years) then those are very desirable weeks, and other weeks will be far more difficult to rent.

She should NOT pay anyone any upfront money to someone who tells her that he/she can find a buyer for her week. That just ain't happening. They are attempting to scam her and steal her hard earned money.

Welcome to TUG and best of luck to her!





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[KH82]

Most Timeshares are worth little or nothing, and a Wastegate in Kissimmee is definitely worth nothing. With that said, it will be extremely difficult for her to get out of it or unload. If you go to eBay, you will see many listings where the purchase price is just $1 (and many of those just sit unsold). She most certainly will be UNABLE to get her money back and anyone who tells her otherwise is likely attempting to SCAM her.

A floating week generally means she can book a week each year during a designated time frame, subject to availability. Basically, she owns one week of use each year, and she should have the ability to rent out the week she selects. Now if anyone wants to rent it from her is another story altogether as it may sit vacant.

If her floating season includes week 7 (Northeast Public School Vacation Week) or week 52 (the week between Xmas and New Years) then those are very desirable weeks, and other weeks will be far more difficult to rent.

She should NOT pay anyone any upfront money to someone who tells her that he/she can find a buyer for her week. That just ain't happening. They are attempting to scam her and steal her hard earned money.

Welcome to TUG and best of luck to her!





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I was afraid of this. It sickens me that she has spent over $12k on this property. I looked through her paperwork and it appears that she is able to use the property for the 29th week. It also appears that she is able to use it only on even years.

She was telling me that she was able to use her membership for cruises? She is a Gold card member and has never used it. Do you know anything about that?

 

[bnoble]

The very best use of a timeshare week is to use it exactly as it is---so for her, going to Orlando, in the even years, on Week 29. If the paperwork also indicates that it is a "floating" week (and it appears it does), then she doesn't have to go during Week 29, but can go during the "season" in which she owns. There might also be an internal exchange system for Westgate, so she could stay at a different Westgate resort, but that depends on what Westgate offers and what, exactly, she bought. If that's possible, it might work, as they have a number of interesting locations.

The second best use of a timeshare is to deposit it into a "third party exchange" and try to trade it for something else. This comes with additional costs--a fee for making the trade, and probably also a fee for being a "member" of that exchange. That's why it is second best. For her, that exchange is probably Interval International.

There are no good third best uses. In particular, cruises are usually a bad deal, and it would be better to just pay cash for the cruise you want.

The good news is: Vacations are fun, and good for you. It sounds like she could use one!

 

[swditz]

As bnoble said using it is her best choice. If you help her set up her owners account you will be able to make easier sense of what she has and how she can use it. The good news is she has none of the resale restrictions Westgate imposes. Fixed /float weeks with Westgate do exactly that. She can use her week 29 of pick a different week. ( at no extra cost) If she can't go in the even year she can bank her week and has up to 2 years to use it.
If she wants to rent it she can pick a popular week and advertise it for rent.
Westgate treats retail owners really well. With not a lot of effort she can have some really nice vacations.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

Hi @KH82
Welcome to TUG

Pay attention to this statement by a Westgate owner :The good news is she has none of the resale restrictions Westgate imposes. Fixed /float weeks with Westgate do exactly that. She can use her week 29 of pick a different week. ( at no extra cost) If she can't go in the even year she can bank her week and has up to 2 years to use it.

If she wants to rent it she can pick a popular week and advertise it for rent.

Westgate treats retail owners really well. With not a lot of effort she can have some really nice vacations.

One thing to explain to her - Westgate is a "weeks system" - and she owns even years.[ EOYE= every other year even] week 29

1)Does she owe the next MF Jan 2024 or does she pay half every year?
2) Can she pay early so she can book early?

Week 29 in 2024 is a July week. Lets say she prefers to go Presidents Week 2024 or another Feb 2024 week .(using her float week option)
If she pays Jan 2024 & wants to book Feb 2024 - those weeks are likely to be already booked (by other owners of yearly contracts who paid in Jan 2023
and booked when the reservation window opened.

BUT - if she pays ahead - she can probably book a 2024 float week when the reservation window opens for 2024.
[From reading TUG Westgate threads believe the window may be March - but I am going by memory]
She needs to read the contract and probably to call reservations to find out these details.

Also - there is probably a cost to cancel a reservation and rebook.

What she owns has vacation value and can get her better accommodations - for less money than hotels cost these days
HOWEVER - it takes some advanced planning .

That said -she can always pay the MF & book her week 29 for 2024 & go enjoy the vacation.