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Thanks to TUG and JRA Services we have sold our timeshare.

evanbev

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In January this year we finally decided that the escalating Maint and Taxes on our timeshare were getting out of hand.
Spent the whole of January researching on the internet to determine how best to sell the timeshare. Contacted a couple of Florida attorneys for advice.
One referred me to another attorney who had a guaranteed exit strategy for $2000. When I read their paperwork, the small print said not guaranteed! After reading some more forums tried a recommended Donate a timeshare company who quoted me $1600. Still seemed a considerable sum to give away a timeshare. Tried another widely advertised guaranteed exit strategy website - they wanted $450 up front and did not answer my questions. Thought I might as well try and give it away myself.

Found the TUG site - read all the info on how best to sell a timeshare.
Joined TUG and advertised advertised timeshare for $1:00 and 2012 week to buyer. Had a firm offer within 10 days!!
On TUG recommendation used Janet Ammirati of JRA Services to handle transfer. Cannot recommend her highly enough - her prompt communication all the way through the process, her patience with all my questions both telephonically and by email, her prompt acknowledgement of when the fees arrived in her account, her very strong written assurance to us when our UK attorney (unfamiliar with Florida law) expressed concern during notarisation of documents etc all underlined her professionalism and integrity!

And so in just over two months, our timeshare was transferred to new owner on 13th April and all of this process accomplished by email from the UK.

This Florida timeshare company is particularly difficult to deal with directly - and if you are a Westgate owner - I strongly recommend you use JRA services as they are very experienced in dealing with them.

Any owners still undecided on how to sell or give away your timeshare securely - read up the TUG advice and recommendations. It will save you time, money and stress.

Thankyou TUG and JRA Services
 

Beefnot

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You must be a shameless shill for TUG! I kid, that is a tongue-in-cheek inside jab at some of our TUG friends who go into attack mode whenever they see a post that resembles yours.

Seriously though, congratulations on relieving yourself of your burden. TUG is not only a valuable resource for researching and acquiring timeshares, but also for transferring them to happy homes. Best regards.
 
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Karen G

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Congratulations! Glad you found TUG and glad things worked out so well for you.
 

theo

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Yessa!

On TUG recommendation used Janet Ammirati of JRA Services to handle transfer. Cannot recommend her highly enough - her prompt communication all the way through the process, her patience with all my questions both telephonically and by email, her prompt acknowledgement of when the fees arrived in her account, her very strong written assurance to us when our UK attorney (unfamiliar with Florida law) expressed concern during notarisation of documents etc all underlined her professionalism and integrity!

Agree wholeheartedly that Janet A. of JRA Services is indeed excellent. I have used her capable and professional services numerous times in both buyer and seller capacities and have never been anything but well pleased. In addition, her fees are also lower than numerous other less competent "closing" entities.
 

presley

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Congrats!

I, too, have recently sold on TUG and am using JRA. I am very happy with the transaction and selling to another Tugger has made me feel like I've made a new friend.
 

aberlin

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Given your escalating fees and your sale of the unit for $1.00, do you feel you were served well? Would you be willing to reveal your costs to complete the transfer?
Thanks.
 

theo

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Fully known ahead of time...

Would you be willing to reveal your costs to complete the transfer?
Thanks.

JRA fees are fixed and known in advance for all closings ; it's $275, plus any deed recording fee imposed by the County. This fee includes escrow of funds, if / when required. As in all closings, whether through JRA or anyone else, if the resort also charges its' own internal larcenous "transfer fee" to merely acknowledge a ownership change, that transfer fee is additional and not included within any closing company's base fees.

You could argue that in a "$1.00 sale", with no escrow of funds required, an even lower cost closing entity could be / have been used instead. For one example, legaltimesharetransfers (located in Georgia) would prepare and record a new deed for about $150 --- but they cannot / do not handle any escrow of funds.
 
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Kola

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Given your escalating fees and your sale of the unit for $1.00, do you feel you were served well? Would you be willing to reveal your costs to complete the transfer?
Thanks.

As part of the question above, did you have to pay 'Resort Transfer fee' to the developer ? If so, was that done by JRA or by you directly ? Thanks.
 

bogey21

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You did exactly the right thing. You offered a deal that any interested Buyer would have a hard time turning down. The important thing is how quick you sell, not how much you get.

George
 

Tia

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Anyone know if JRA handles sales in the USVI?

JRA fees are fixed and known in advance for all closings ; it's $275, plus any deed recording fee imposed by the County. This fee includes escrow of funds, if / when required. As in all closings, whether through JRA or anyone else, if the resort also charges its' own internal larcenous "transfer fee" to merely acknowledge a ownership change, that transfer fee is additional and not included within any closing company's base fees.

You could argue that in a "$1.00 sale", with no escrow of funds required, an even lower cost closing entity could be / have been used instead. For one example, legaltimesharetransfers (located in Georgia) would prepare and record a new deed for about $150 --- but they cannot / do not handle any escrow of funds.
 

theo

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You've got mail...

Anyone know if JRA handles sales in the USVI?

I just sent you a PM with direct email contact info for JRA to find that out. I didn't want to just put JRA's email address out here in the open where spammers / spambots could possibly collect and abuse it.
 

Cathyb

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JRA for California?

In January this year we finally decided that the escalating Maint and Taxes on our timeshare were getting out of hand.
Spent the whole of January researching on the internet to determine how best to sell the timeshare. Contacted a couple of Florida attorneys for advice.
One referred me to another attorney who had a guaranteed exit strategy for $2000. When I read their paperwork, the small print said not guaranteed! After reading some more forums tried a recommended Donate a timeshare company who quoted me $1600. Still seemed a considerable sum to give away a timeshare. Tried another widely advertised guaranteed exit strategy website - they wanted $450 up front and did not answer my questions. Thought I might as well try and give it away myself.

Found the TUG site - read all the info on how best to sell a timeshare.
Joined TUG and advertised advertised timeshare for $1:00 and 2012 week to buyer. Had a firm offer within 10 days!!
On TUG recommendation used Janet Ammirati of JRA Services to handle transfer. Cannot recommend her highly enough - her prompt communication all the way through the process, her patience with all my questions both telephonically and by email, her prompt acknowledgement of when the fees arrived in her account, her very strong written assurance to us when our UK attorney (unfamiliar with Florida law) expressed concern during notarisation of documents etc all underlined her professionalism and integrity!

And so in just over two months, our timeshare was transferred to new owner on 13th April and all of this process accomplished by email from the UK.

This Florida timeshare company is particularly difficult to deal with directly - and if you are a Westgate owner - I strongly recommend you use JRA services as they are very experienced in dealing with them.

Any owners still undecided on how to sell or give away your timeshare securely - read up the TUG advice and recommendations. It will save you time, money and stress.

Thankyou TUG and JRA Services

Is this company knowledgable for transfers originating in California?
 

GrayFal

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Is this company knowledgable for transfers originating in California?
Yes, they handle closings in all states.
http://timeshareresaleclosings.com/ (they advertise on this site)


As for Tia's question - she needs to contact JRA specifically regarding USVI - as poster knows, this is a very difficult, time consuming transfer due to the government slowness for lack of a better word.
My first purchase there took 11 months.
My second using a person familiar with the process and who visits the government office to get it done took only a few months (as that is the next time the person was on the island to walk everything thru)
Let me know if you want the contact info.
 

theo

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Yes / No / Maybe...

Yes, they handle closings in all states.

Actually, the JRA web site specifically states that they handle closings in most states (...stated in a stand alone sentence, second paragraph within the JRA site's sub-section entitled "Fees").

That being noted, it is not overtly indicated for which states JRA might not handle closings... :shrug:
 
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GrayFal

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The JRA web site actually states that they handle closings in most states (as expressed in a stand alone sentence, second paragraph within the JRA site's sub-section entitled "Fees").

That being noted, it is not overtly indicated in which states JRA might not handle closings... :shrug:
So kill me :ignore: - but that is why I posted the website so others can look as you did.

I bet they don't do Hawaii.
 

theo

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Don't bet...

So kill me :ignore: - but that is why I posted the website so others can look as you did.

I bet they don't do Hawaii.

No need to get huffy; I was just correcting a minor factual error in your post.

...and JRA does handle Hawaii, although fees are slightly higher to do so, so don't place that bet. ;)
 

JK723

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Selling a timeshare on TUG

I have read a lot on TUG regarding selling or giving a timeshare away on your own through TUG as oppossed to giving money to one of the many companys who will accept money from you to "transfer the title out of your name". Although I really like our timeshare, we don't have the time to use it anymore (Liki Tiki Village, Winter Garden FL). A lot of people here on TUG seem to have success with selling or giving away, but I am so fearful about doing this on my own. It seems so overwhelming. I don't know the first thing about the process and how do I protect myself?
 

TUGBrian

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Tia

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I just sent you a PM with direct email contact info for JRA to find that out. I didn't want to just put JRA's email address out here in the open where spammers / spambots could possibly collect and abuse it.

Thanks and I checked and they do.
 

evanbev

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Costs and other queries!

I have been away so I apologise for not replying sooner to several of the queries that were asked.

Costs involved:
$275.00 JRA Services
$150.00 Resort Transfer Fee (sent to JRA Services who then paid the resort for me)
$25.00 Money Transfer Fees (from UK)
$150.00 Notary Public Fees (expensive in UK)
$15.00 TUG Membership
$25.00 Resale Document Kit (Florida specific Sales Agreement)
Total: $640

Regards ROFR, I was very concerned that this might be a hold up.
But I learnt that Westgate would not be providing a waiver because the closing agent would be telling them that this is a transfer based on $0.00 and if no money is being exchanged then Westgate considers that a "name change" transaction, and a waiver is not therefore required.
One example of why it is a good reason to use a closing agent with local knowledge.

I was asked the question by aberlin, that considering the fact that I gave our timeshare away - did I feel well served?

I could be tempted to vent a very large amount of anger regarding our timeshare experience at the hands of this resort. If you really are concerned about the ethics of certain companies in this industry and the reputation they give to Florida and other states just go and read all the forums out there! Enough people have vented their feelings already.

The real impact of unethical practices is that it kills the resale market for those particular resorts and provides very fertile ground for the profilgration of reselling scams with a ripe market of desperate owners! Several years ago we visited one of those "fancy" reselling company whilst in Florida and but thankfully worked out very quickly it would be a waste of money.

So for myself - do I feel well served? Yes I do! It could have cost much more the $640 had I not heeded the advice on the TUG site. I had already worked out the marketable value of our timeshare (TUG marketplace, Redweek and other sites give you a very accurate evaluation when you look at the ads). And positively our unit has gone to an experienced time-share owner and TUG member who will get the best out of it!

And perhaps as final confirmation of our decision, after 10 years as owners, this resort has not sent us an email or letter regarding the transfer, their only indication was changing our online owner account into the new owners name! I look forward to the day when timeshare user groups and owners will have enough clout to influence legislation and clean up the parts of this industry that have appalling reputations.

For the guest JK723 who was very uncertain about their ability to transfer their timeshare may I encourage you to take your time to research, ask questions of the moderators and TUG members, phone closing agents for advice, and keep reading until you are confident. Knowledge is power and yes you can do it! The cardinal rule is "NO money upfront"!
 
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