Timeshare Resales

Don't Let Them Con You.

Wade Capital Management, of Des Moines, Iowa, has been labeled a libelous business by the BBB. Their purpose was to hold money in escrow for timeshare owners who wanted to sell their timeshare through a listing agency. The Iowa Secretary of State has said they have no listing of this company either. The BBB went to their “address” at 668 19^th Street in Des Moines and found a three-story apartment building there. The manager of that building stated he had no idea what Wade Capital Management was and that no business by that name was at that location.

The company claimed to work with a “vacation ownership closing company.” They utilized the common scam of calling up prospective victims from a list of timeshare owners. Once on the phone, they promised they could have the timeshare sold at a profit, but in order to do so would need money upfront. They did not offer a written contract of services, and asked for the money to be wired to them. Wiring money is like handing over cash; once the transaction is made, that money is irretrievable. At the conclusion of their investigation, the BBB immediately took away Wade Capital Management’s rating.

The California Department of Real Estate (DRE) has issued a consumer alert about the rise of timeshare resale sales fraud in California.

“Given the economic strain many families are facing, timeshare ownership is a luxury some families can no longer afford”, DRE Acting Commissioner Barbara Bigby said. “And with so many owners wanting to divest themselves of their timeshares, it has created an opportunity for fraudsters.”

According to the DRE, these are the top three timeshare scams in California:

1. Con-artists who claim they will buy timeshares, but ask for an over-the-phone fee.
2. Con-artists who claim that they are an agent who has a “ready-and-able” buyer for their timeshare, but want a paperwork fee for the transaction.
3. Con-artists who pose as legitimate, licensed real-estate brokers, who then say they will list their timeshare, and ask for a fee to do so. They never list the timeshare and pocket the money made from the consumer

All of these con-artists ask for money up front and once payment is secured, the victim never hears from them again.

The DRE has several tips for timeshare contract holders to avoid being a victim of a resale telemarketing scam.

1. Research the company’s reviews on Trustlink and the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
2. Never pay upfront. DRE advises you contact them to see if the business is a reputable one.
3. Only licensed real estate brokers may list and sell timeshares. Ask for their license paperwork before you pay for suspicious or “too-good-to-be-true” services.
4. Ask for the agent’s contract in writing. Of course, all in writing contracts have to be agreed to. Transfer Smart offers an In-Writing Resale contract of their services.
5. Check them out on Google. A sign of a great timeshare transfer company is the amount of blogs they have.

Visit their website if you feel you’ve been a victim of a timeshare resale scam or for a copy of the Consumer Alert.

Timeshare Salesperson

Their pressure-filled sales tactics include free car-rentals, cruises and even the chance to stay in the timeshare for free for the duration of their vacation. These sales pitches have ramped up in number and in intensity since Mexico’s tourism industry has suffered over the last ten years. Drug cartel violence, in particular, has hurt Mexico’s image and number of tourists. Within the last two years alone, occupancy rates in Mexican hotels have dipped from 30 to 60%.

“They basically have rooms sitting empty and real estate sitting empty, so Mexico is pushing them extremely hard,” says Jeff Lugosi, senior vice president at Colliers PKF Consulting USA in Los Angeles.

Park Royal Hotels, which has resorts in Cancun, Cozumel, Mazatlan, Los Cabos, Ixtapa and Puerto Vallarta, now sells “points” to travelers that they can use on future trips to their resorts or other hotels around the world.

Ed Perkins, a contributing editor for SmarterTravel.com, warns against “investing” in something you may never use or may use and not like. Also, it’s not really investing when there is no financial return, so be wary of these “disasters”: “Anytime you’re talking about ‘investing’ $5,000, $10,000, $15,000, the chances are at best it’s a bad buy and at worst you’ll find it’s a disaster,” he says.

“You’re on vacation to relax, and it’s not worth the aggravation and pressure. Even if you like the idea of a timeshare, that’s not the way to buy it.”
Bottom line: Do not get roped into an emotional purchase made by a pushy salesman whose costs will last literally a lifetime. And if you did make the mistake of purchasing a timeshare, DO NOT trust resale/listing sites. Call Transfer Smart at 866-906-4494 and find out how they can set you up with a no cost information session on a way to transfer your timeshare title out of your name, the Smart way.

The Internet Crime Complaint Center has seen a rise in the amount of international vacation scams. In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and across the country, residents of beachfront properties have had complete strangers visit them with documentation that they have rented out their home for weeks or months at a time. The only problem? Their homes were never placed for rent by the actual owners. The vacationers spend money on travel to exotic locations only to find out they are victims of vacation scammers.

Steven Chase, a south Floridian with a million-dollar beachfront home, was surprised when a family from Surinam showed at his door expecting to use his home as a vacation house.
“I said, ‘I hate to say it to you, but this house is not for rent. You’ve been scammed,’” Chase recalled telling the family.

Mr. Chase did not profit off the would-be vacationers, rather a nameless website which demanded payment upfront did. Unfortunately, prosecuting the criminals behind the sight proves to be an elusive goal, as the pages are generated out of the United States. As Sgt. Steve Scelfo, head of the Fort Lauderdale police’s Economic Crimes unit outlines: “The money’s not actually coming through Fort Lauderdale. We don’t have the standing jurisdictionally to investigate it.”

Foreigners are not the only victims. Mr. Michael McKenna, of Pine Beach, New Jersey, sent an inspector to Mr. Chase’s home to see if the home had enough space for six adults, four children and two dogs. Of course, he did not pay upfront but he considers himself one of the lucky ones. He now says he will only work on vacation rentals with real estate agents, face-to-face. “They’re definitely more trustworthy than going off those internet sites,” he said.

Mr. Chase found his house listed on four different websites and is making it a personal goal to eradicate false vacation rental listings. “I’m trying to push for some legislation to hold these websites accountable for the information they post,” he said. “I’m making a lot of noise.”

Transfer Smart offers a 100% in-writing guarantee that they can get you out of your timeshare contract. Call them today for a no-cost information session.

www.NudistDiary.com

another summersalt

Premier Timeshare Resale – 1-800-861-8754 Ext. 6100 – www.premiertimeshareresale.com Premier Timeshare Resale with RE/MAX is composed of licensed Real Estate Agents who know and understand the timeshare and fractional industry. We are in the business of bringing buyers and sellers together for the sale of previously owned timeshares or fractional villas. Smart consumers know they can save thousands of dollars by purchasing their timeshare on the resale market. We have access to hundreds of timeshare and fractional ownership listings at resorts worldwide. Our educated professionals will help buyers decide if a timeshare or fractional ownership is right for them. There is no reason not to take advantage of our agents knowledge. There is no cost or fee to you for our timeshare buying services. We will handle your timeshare purchase from beginning to end to ensure a smooth simple transaction. We work with an extensive network of brokers worldwide and if we dont have what you want at the price you want to pay, we will find it for you. We strive to sell properties, not just list them. We take our fiduciary responsibility seriously and do what is in the owners best interest to get their timeshare sold. Most importantly, there are NO UPFRONT FEES. Sellers should always be cautious of anyone wanting a fee in advance of the sale. If a company can truly sell your timeshare, then any listing, advertising, service, title, transfer or closing fees can taken out of your proceeds at …

Premier Timeshare Resale – 1-800-861-8754 Ext. 6100 – www.premiertimeshareresale.com Premier Timeshare Resale with RE/MAX is composed of licensed Real Estate Agents who know and understand the timeshare and fractional industry. We are in the business of bringing buyers and sellers together for the sale of previously owned timeshares or fractional villas. Smart consumers know they can save thousands of dollars by purchasing their timeshare on the resale market. We have access to hundreds of timeshare and fractional ownership listings at resorts worldwide. Our educated professionals will help buyers decide if a timeshare or fractional ownership is right for them. There is no reason not to take advantage of our agents knowledge. There is no cost or fee to you for our timeshare buying services. We will handle your timeshare purchase from beginning to end to ensure a smooth simple transaction. We work with an extensive network of brokers worldwide and if we dont have what you want at the price you want to pay, we will find it for you. We strive to sell properties, not just list them. We take our fiduciary responsibility seriously and do what is in the owners best interest to get their timeshare sold. Most importantly, there are NO UPFRONT FEES. Sellers should always be cautious of anyone wanting a fee in advance of the sale. If a company can truly sell your timeshare, then any listing, advertising, service, title, transfer or closing fees can taken out of your proceeds at …

Premier Timeshare Resale – 1-800-861-8754 Ext. 6100 – www.premiertimeshareresale.com Premier Timeshare Resale with RE/MAX is composed of licensed Real Estate Agents who know and understand the timeshare and fractional industry. We are in the business of bringing buyers and sellers together for the sale of previously owned timeshares or fractional villas. Smart consumers know they can save thousands of dollars by purchasing their timeshare on the resale market. We have access to hundreds of timeshare and fractional ownership listings at resorts worldwide. Our educated professionals will help buyers decide if a timeshare or fractional ownership is right for them. There is no reason not to take advantage of our agents knowledge. There is no cost or fee to you for our timeshare buying services. We will handle your timeshare purchase from beginning to end to ensure a smooth simple transaction. We work with an extensive network of brokers worldwide and if we dont have what you want at the price you want to pay, we will find it for you. We strive to sell properties, not just list them. We take our fiduciary responsibility seriously and do what is in the owners best interest to get their timeshare sold. Most importantly, there are NO UPFRONT FEES. Sellers should always be cautious of anyone wanting a fee in advance of the sale. If a company can truly sell your timeshare, then any listing, advertising, service, title, transfer or closing fees can taken out of your proceeds at …

TV commercial for popular Arizona real estate and timeshare resale company.