National Timeshare Help Center

[craigfrommichigan]

[2008] National Timeshare Help Center

anyone use these guys??

they are listed in the TUG BB as being good to use. i called these guys and they said there isnt an advertising fee but there was a $299 membership fee.
kind of looks the same to me. why are they listed on here in the same article warning us not to use a company that has an upfront fee??

 

[DeniseM]

Cindy from NTHC is a TUG regular and posts under the username NTHC - see this current thread for more info. - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87213

 

[craigfrommichigan]

im glad they are members, but all that tells me is that they paid the membership fee just like me.

i read the link and the link on the link. the links were not helpfull. that just told me about a couple people bickering over a rental. im looking for info on paying the membership fee to sell my timeshare.

 

[DeniseM]

Actually, you have 7 posts and joined today. Cindy has 685 posts and joined in 2005, so we know her quite a bit better.

I sent Cindy a link to this thread, hopefully she will respond.

 

[Steve]

im glad they are members, but all that tells me is that they paid the membership fee just like me.

i read the link and the link on the link. the links were not helpfull. that just told me about a couple people bickering over a rental. im looking for info on paying the membership fee to sell my timeshare.

Don't pay a membership fee to sell your timeshare. Especially in this market, it's not wise. Try selling it yourself on www.myresortnetwork.com or www.redweek.com While those sites have fees, they are a lot less than $299. Another option would be to list with a resale agency that truly has no upfront fees like www.transactionrealty.com

Keep in mind that the value of almost all timeshares has plummeted recently...and the one you are trying to sell is likely in that category. I wish you well, and welcome to TUG.

Steve

 

[craigfrommichigan]

Actually, you have 7 posts and joined today. Cindy has 685 posts and joined in 2005, so we know her quite a bit better

.

i dont believe i questioned everybody on who they know better. the links you sent didnt answer my question. i didnt put cindy or the company down in any way. i just asked if anyone used them and why they are listed as an approved website, but ask for an upfront fee. i dont see when i joined or how many posts i have has to do with the question i asked other members.

thanks steve.

 

[DeniseM]

I'm sorry Craig - I was being flippant. What I was trying to say is that Cindy has a well-established, good reputation here, and I have asked her to respond to your questions.

I don't know if you got that far, but in the other thread she did respond and gave a comprehensive explanation of their business practices.

 

[Dave M]

Also, if you do a search (see above blue bar) of these forums for the four words in the company's name (no quotes and no punctuation), you'll find over 20 threads. From the topics, you can determine which ones are useful to you. You'll find numerous positive comments about this company in rthose threads.

 

[DeniseM]

Cindy is out of town right now, but I got this message from her assistant:

This is Angie, Cindy's assistant, she is in NYC until Monday and is not checking emails..a break she doesn't often take. Is there any way you could post just that on the thread and I will notify her when she checks in tomorrow with me.

 

[e.bram]

I wonder if there is quid pro quo between NTHC and TUG?

 

[ace2000]

I wonder if there is quid pro quo between NTHC and TUG?

Very good question... this is reminding me of the John Faeth situation. Moderators of TUG should not be endorsing other companies or individuals in this manner. Just my opinion...

 

[Dave M]

None. All of the positive comments about NTHC in the various threads on TUG have been made by BBS registrants, none of whom has any financial or ownership interest in TUG. The only person with either a financial or ownership interst in TUG who posts on the BBS is "TUGBrian", who has not posted pro or con about NTHC.

 

[Dave M]

Moderators of TUG should not be endorsing other companies or individuals in this manner. Just my opinion...

Moderators are just like you. We are timeshare enthusiasts who have registered to post here on the BBS. The only difference is that we have volunteered as or have been asked to serve as moderators, devoting our own personal time solely to help moderate these forums for compliance with the BBS Posting Rules. We are not paid for our time and have no financial or ownership interest in TUG.

We, as moderators, should be allowed to post positively or negatively of our experiences with any company, just as you can. There is no conflict of interest, since moderators get no "quid pro quo" from TUG.

In this thread, one moderator provided a link to another thread and stated that Cindy has a good reputation here, a fact that is supported by many posts on these forums. Another moderator (me) explained how to find other posts about NTHC. A third posted negatively, not specifically about NTHC, but suggesting avoidance of payments such as referred to in the OP. Even so, there are no personal experience endorsements in this thread by moderators. What's wrong with any of that?

 

[craigfrommichigan]

In this thread, one moderator provided a link to another thread and stated that Cindy has a good reputation here, a fact that is supported by many posts on these forums. Another moderator (me) explained how to find other posts about NTHC. A third posted negatively, not specifically about NTHC, but suggesting avoidance of payments such as referred to in the OP. Even so, there are no personal experience endorsements in this thread by moderators. What's wrong with any of that?[/QUOTE]

the first moderator provided a link that didnt pertain to the question. then trashed me for questioning nthc. the other 2 moderators were more helpful.

 

[Patri]

I'd never heard before she charged a membership fee. Wonder what that is for?

 

[DeniseM]

Craig - most of the regulars here know how to sell a timeshare on their own, and would not use a reseller. So it may be that no one has used NTHC for that purpose, and that's why you aren't getting any specific responses. I am sure you will hear from Cindy when she returns.

In the meantime, I hope you will read the "how to sell" info. at the top of the board. This is a tough time to sell a timeshare because of the economy. Even very nice timeshares are listed on ebay for $1. I just bought an ocean FRONT unit for $98 on ebay, myself. Even if you own one of the top timeshares, you can only expect to get 50% of retail or less, on the resale market, these days. If you have to sell your timeshare right now, you will have to be prepared to take a large loss.

If you have a Gold Crown/5 Star timeshare you might want to consider holding on to it and getting the most out of it until the market improves. That might mean renting it or exchanging it. If you don't own one of the top resorts, you may find that you can't even give it away, in this economy.

A good place to find comps is in the TUG Ads, on redweek.com, and the completed auctions on ebay. You want to look at the lowest prices and completed auctions. The Ads that are asking top dollar will never sell in this economy.

Good luck!

 

[TUGBrian]

I wonder if there is quid pro quo between NTHC and TUG?

there isnt.

 

[TUGBrian]

Very good question... this is reminding me of the John Faeth situation. Moderators of TUG should not be endorsing other companies or individuals in this manner. Just my opinion...

moderators are unpaid volunteers. every single one of them.

each of them are also timeshare owners who have been participating TUGBBS forum members for many years prior to being asked to vounteer as moderator.

 

[AnnaO]

Membership fee needed for rental as well

Craig - most of the regulars here know how to sell a timeshare on their own, and would not use a reseller. So it may be that no one has used NTHC for that purpose, and that's why you aren't getting any specific responses. I am sure you will hear from Cindy when she returns.

I actually tried to use them to rent one of my units (then again, I am hardly a regular here .
When I called I was directed to some young lady who proceeded to start collecting my info. I stopped her to ask how the program, works. Only then she told me I needed to pay $299 membership fee, as they only list for 'members'. And it didn't sound like this was a one time fee, but some further regular fees will be required. For that they guarantee 'a rental'. Further questioning revealed that there is no guarantee that the rental will meet my minimum price, which at this point was my MF. I was turned off by the whole deal and said thanks, but no thanks. For the next few days I was getting messages, first from that same young lady then from others. They kept lowering the 'membership' fee and making all sorts of promisses. All of a sudden they found a 'special program that they were sure I will be pleased with'.

 

[ace2000]

I stopped her to ask how the program, works. Only then she told me I needed to pay $299 membership fee, as they only list for 'members'. And it didn't sound like this was a one time fee, but some further regular fees will be required. For that they guarantee 'a rental'.

Are the 'moderators' recommending this specific deal? Doesn't look good to me, and that's an example of the problem you can run into when you start enthusiastically endorsing others.

Again, I'm a proud TUG member, and appreciate this group... I just don't think the leadership should be jumping on any bandwagon, and especially when you only know them through an Internet user group.

 

[DeniseM]

ace2000 - Have you read all the threads? None of the Mods have endorsed any "deal" because we aren't familiar with the specific offer that the OP posted about. All that's been said is that Cindy has a good reputation as a long-standing TUG member, and I am sure she will respond with more complete info.

most of the regulars here know how to sell a timeshare on their own, and would not use a reseller. So it may be that no one has used NTHC for that purpose, and that's why you aren't getting any specific responses. I am sure you will hear from Cindy when she returns.

And you know, you asked the same questions about NTHC and Moderators in November - the TUG policy hasn't changed.....

From November -

Second, I'm getting a little nervous about TUG when the moderators start to endorse a private business like this.

Ace - feel free to pm me, but until Cindy responds, I don't know what more can be said...

And - I am not promoting anyone's business - I am trying to be sure that a Tugger with a solid reputation gets treated fairly, until she can speak for herself.

It's Deja vu all over again!

:deadhorse:

 

[london]

Tug Bbs

Since the TUG BBS has thousands of member, it is natural that the "perceptions" of various readers will be different.

We do not live in a perfect world....and perceptions concernings posts will vary.

We should not dwell on any issue for too long a time.

This is what has happened with NTHC thread

 

[ace2000]

Denise,

This is the second time the topic has come up and both times I gave my thoughts. I stand by my comments. And I agree with the original poster about your attitude.

Edit: Most of the time you can be very helpful, so I appreciate that. I'm done with this discussion.

 

[e.bram]

I agree with ace2000 the management(whether paid or not) of TUG should not promote or defend a private business. This gives the appearance shill or quid pro quo activity.(even if there isn't any).

 

[TUGBrian]

all that was done in the first reply by a moderator was answer a specific question about a specific company asked by an individual member.

Thats the reason moderators are moderators to begin with, they help people...and do it out of the kindness of their own hearts for nothing in return...the gratitude of the people they help is more than enough for some. However even in that regard, there will always be those who dont agree...or feel there is some ulterior motive going on.

Personally if you dont like the fact that TUG moderators are also extremely helpful timeshare owners just like yourself...thats your business. However continuing to argue/complain about moderation is a violation of the TUG posting guidelines and is subject to removal.

If you wish to continue your complaint via email, feel free. Future comments in this thread that arent about the original topic will be removed.