Original Message:
Effect of Timeshare Relief Team, Timeshare Exit Team, etc. advertising on the for-sale-by-owner resale market (by KC):
markl18 wrote:I can't help but think that the continual advertising on the radio by the likes of Timeshare Exit Team, Timeshare Relief Team, and even Dave Ramsey have a very negative effect on efforts by current owners to sell their timeshares through ads in Redweek, TUG, My Resort Network, TimeSharing Today and the like.Furthermore, I have to believe those ads help poison the sales process for developers in what my wife and I have come to refer to as their Dreaded Sales Centers.
Why isn't the timeshare industry "fighting back" with advertising playing up the real benefits of timeshares? Many of us are, in fact, getting rid of our timeshares because of age, family changes, health, etc. Nevertheless, many -- maybe most -- of us have truly enjoyed visiting our home resorts and/or trading through RCI, II, GPX, etc., for resorts all over the United States and the world. If they -- developers like Marriott and Wyndham, and the exchange companies -- would defend themselves they might benefit and we, who are anxious to bail out, might benefit, too.
What think? What say ye?
Interesting thoughts. I am inclined to doubt that the "exit / rescue / relief/ escape" entities have any impact whatsoever on developer sales, but the resale market may well be another matter. There would seem to be no motivation for the developers to "fight back" against entities not perceptibly hurting them (or their bottom line). After all, people just keep on parading in to those sales presentations and signing on the bottom line. Business is good, even if the aggressive and deceitful sales practices are truly despicable (...but that's a different conversation). It's hard to guess how many prospective buyers in the resale market might be scared off by the advertising of the "escape artists", but I am inclined to think that informed consumers interested in and intent upon buying in the resale market might not pay much attention to that "escape artist" advertising. I could be wrong; that's speculation on my part, but it is speculation based upon having successfully sold a half dozen mediocre (but certainly not worthless) timeshare weeks over the past 7 years or so.
Deep pockets corporate chains like Wyndham (or Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton, Disney) can easily afford to "take back" their product under a program like Wyndham's "Ovation" program --- and kudos to Wyndham for doing so. It's good for Wyndham (recovering free inventory to turn around and resell all over again) and good for owners who want an easy, permanent and cost-free "exit", for whatever reasons. However, I think it's both relevant and important to note that the many INDEPENDENT timeshare properties with no "chain" affiliation and no deep corporate pockets to reach into, have no such option; they simply cannot financially afford to offer any such "free and easy exit" program; they rely EXCLUSIVELY upon maintenance fees to support the place for the use and enjoyment of ALL owners at that particular property. At independent timeshare properties, there is no corporate "Sugar Daddy" behind the scenes to help keep the place afloat, if necessary.This is precisely why most independent resort HOA's are very reluctant to accept "deedbacks"at all --- HOA-owned weeks pay NO maintenance fees until / unless the interval is in the hands of a new owner and those fees are essential and necessary to keep the place maintained and running in the absence of any "deep pockets" assistance.
It's a "Catch-22" dilemma. Owners understandably don't want to be obligated to their timeshare(s) forever, yet non-chain independent resorts simply cannot afford to invite owners to just "walk away" at will, at their whim or convenience. The timeshare industry is a very strange and unique animal. The emergence and proliferation of all the assorted bogus, ineffective (and expensive) "exit / release / escape / relief" parasites was inevitable and completely predictable, but they are clearly not a real or viable solution to a complicated problem, despite the high "upfront" fees. They are just protracted scams, in my opinion.
I must also note that I have seen precious few (zero, to be precise) credible, first hand reports of any successful results from people who unwisely pay thousands of dollars to ANY "escape artist" entity. Those parasites, unable to do ANYTHING about a legally binding contractual obligation, merely inundate resorts with empty threat calls and letters. In essence, they just throw some mud against the wall and hope that some of it will stick. Most competent HOA's will simply reply "Go pound sand!". Of course, an "exit" will inevitably occur anyhow, even without paying any such useless and expensive "escape artists" --- when foreclosure ultimately occurs.