Booed,
I liked your post, and I am sorry if some people read to much into your questions. It made me think back to my years as a Navy Recruiter. We went through a course in Pensacola, FL for 5 weeks on the science and arts of recruiting all designed around the physiological aspects of selling by digging into a persons "Want" finding what they "Need" to get to that "Want" and ultimately how it would make them feel "DBM" direct buying motive. Always sell to the DBM "Their Emotion" Since people are programmed to say "No" we spent lots of time learning how to objection handle by turning people's objections into questions they could answer that would give them their "Want"
I'm am a pretty introverted guy, but I learned so much during this training, that I spent my 3 years of my life as a recruiter in the top 10 of my district. I did not have to lie, or scam people to join, but you learn really quick how to paint a picture of desire that people have a hard time resisting and they do something i.e Join the Navy on a whim when they probably never even thought about it before I spoke with them. I could sell this well because I believed in the product I was selling.
I only bring this up because timeshares sales I see a lot of similarities, except while I am sure there are sales people that don't lie, My own experience in going to presentations or owner updates is these guys subscribe to what I saw in a YouTube video a couple of weeks ago of "Taft" Tell Them any F-Ing Thing" to get the sale. Part of this corruption comes from "The crazy commission these guys make" and pressures from the the developer to sell or go home. I read in several places the top producers make north of $250K a year. When people make that kind of money sell TS to people who probably can't afford them corruption is bound to be rampid.
The other problem is people lack of understanding of contract law called the 4 corners. Only what is in the 4 corners of the contract matters. All the other jibberish and stuff scribbled on paper or promises don't mean a thing. People are on vacation jacked up on "vacation crack" stupid enough to go to these presentations for gift cards, tickets or whatever, but get sucked in and never get up and leave when the required time has lapsed. Some get sucked in by the idea, and buy. Others, I am amazed just buy to get out of there. In all cases they are making huge purchase not think straight and with little or no research on what they are buying.
In Timesharing Today I read that 54% of timeshare sales last year were to existing owners... Now you know why the pressure to go to the update. "You are the best mark period." Don't buy the BS about something wrong with deed, contract, or your stuff will be worthless. These are all "Tell you any F-ing thing" to get you to buy more overpriced stuff.
I am not much for regulations, but I do think people have been victimized by so much rampid mis representation from this industry that there should be a lot more consumer protections in place even if it is to protect the consumer from themselves. I think at a minimum they should have to provide a truth in lending statement if being financed, a list of what benefits will be lost if sold to another party, A warning that a timeshare may be worth substantial less than what they are paying for it if they attempt to sell it in the future. Finally a statement that MF's will have to paid forever until you divest of your unit and will more than likely increase annually, and likely never decrease. "I am always amazed that people did not understand MF's when they purchase a timeshare or are devistated because it rises every year." @ 5% annual increase they will double almost every 14 years.
One last thing, but not as important they should have to list in plan English what it is you are actually buying, and what benefits you get currently, that could be modified or eliminated in the future. Too many people think all these perks are part of their contracts and end up pissed when something gets eroded. Just look at Wyndham and the recent change to credit pool and the VIP cancel/rebook feature basically being close to eliminated.
