A new Option for timeshare owners

A NEW ASSOCIATION of licensed Real Estate brokers have formed recently in an effort to provide specialized services for owners with timeshares who want to sell. They organized, in part, to become one voice; a voice of honesty and integrity in an industry fraught with scam artists and fly-by-nights. Their mission is a simple one; to provide transparent services to timeshare owners who wish to sell collecting a commission ONLY after the timeshare is sold. The President of the non-profit corporation, Judi Kozlowski, admits “It took us a few years of trying to start to get started, but we are all on board now, and we are all headed in a united direction; That is to assist timeshare owners by first helping them find a marketable price point to list their timeshare, posting to the MLS, and then performing all advertising, dealing with buyers offers, etc. JUST LIKE REGULAR REAL ESTATE WORKS! In the end our goal is to help timeshare owners who want out, out of their timeshares and help buyers who want in, IN, dealing fairly and honestly with all the people we deal with.

One of our brokers, Saundra Mock , has specialized in timeshare resales for over 16 years and handles timeshares from just about anywhere and is knowledgeable in just about every product available.

We have other brokers who specialize in the area they are located in, or in a specific product or set of products; it just depends. The point is our association gives sellers choices that are scam free. You can find a list of our associates at www.ltrba.com . If you are seller or a buyer, you can trust an associate of the Licensed Timeshare Resale Brokers Association.”

ARDA issues warning to timeshare owners

This was released today as a press release to the public. ARDA, short for American Resort Developers Association, works hard to protect consumers of timeshares.

ADVISORY IV
May 14, 2010

As part ARDA’s effort to provide consumers with guidance about the secondary marketplace and useful tips about
the resale process, this advisory is to make consumers aware of two deceptive resale solicitations that target timeshare
owners.
According to an April 2010 release issued by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
(FDACS), the newest scheme is being used in combination with other unethical or fraudulent resale solicitations.
Beware of ‘Reloading’
The practice of ‘reloading’ is when an individual or company contacts a consumer who has already been victimized
by an unethical resale company. The claim is that they can recoup the upfront-fee lost in the original scam. The call
may actually be from the same company that conducted the first scam, only reorganized under a new name. Or the
call may be from a disgruntled former employee of the original company who uses the victims’ contact information
to run a new scam.
The FDACS warns that in either case the chances are minimal that consumers will recover any money. The latest
twist on this particular fraud has someone calling the original victim claiming to be from the first company that
took the upfront fee. This time, the caller will offer to refund the victim’s money, but will ask for a credit card
number “to facilitate the transaction.” If consumers again provide credit card numbers, they will lose money a
second time.
Bogus Rental Offers
Timeshare owners should also be skeptical of rental company solicitations that claim the company can rent owners’
vacation weeks or their “extra/bonus” weeks. While bonus weeks or bonus time is a legitimate benefit offered by
some – but not all – timeshare resorts, owners cannot rent them and may be in violation of their resorts’ rules if
they do. (Bonus weeks or bonus time is generally unused time that can be reserved only by other owners for a low
fee typically 30 days before the time is available.
The alleged rental company entices the consumer by claiming to have interested renters. The company quotes an
unrealistically-high rental rate, asks for an advance fee (upwards of $700) and a credit card number so the company
“can be authorized to represent the consumer in the rental transaction.” The advance fee is taken and the consumer
never hears of rentals again.
ARDA cautions consumers to make sure they understand the disclosures, promises, transfer protocols and recourse
available to them prior to writing a check, giving a credit card number or any other form of payment to a reseller.
And please check with your home owners association to see if a less expensive option is available to you. For more
resales information, please visit www.ARDA.org/resales. Visit ARDA’s consumer web site at
www.VacationBetter.org for more information about timeshares.

Resort Equity Marketing timeshare resales

Here is an interesting article I found this morning with complaints about this company. Thought you should check it out too!

http://bit.ly/aQZb2N

Timeshare resale complaints

I came across this article printed today on some timeshare resale scams in southern Florida. Very interesting indeed. Sorry I could not watch the actual news broadcast but the station isnt available here.

The article starts off with:
Timeshare resale complaints
Posted: May 06, 2010 3:58 PM EDT
Updated: May 07, 2010 6:17 PM EDT
Video Gallery
Timeshare resale complaints
3:43
Text/Email Alerts More>>Find out first with Breaking News AlertsSign up for Traffic AlertsLocal Events in your InboxLocal News More>>Another hot weekend aheadGuilty on all counts: Man convicted on murder chargesPhotos: Airman killed in Vietnam War arrives homeRenter stung 140 times inside bee-infested homeTimeshare resale complaintsVolunteers start oil spill cleanup trainingOil spill could cause problems for sea turtles"Rubba Bandz" craze hits Southwest FloridaPolice: Student brings gun to Fort Myers High SchoolSuspected in Cape burglaries, 3 teens arrested"It's right in the middle of colonial America," said Michael Piccininne, describing his timeshare property in Virginia.

"It's right on a mountain, great for skiing," Doreen Cunningham said of hers.

"Marriott was a very desirable property," explained Bill Ranagan of his Orlando timeshare.

Piccininne, Cunningham and Ranagan are three Southwest Floridians amontg the thousands of timeshare owners nationwide desperate to unload their property.


To view the rest of the story go to..
http://www.nbc-2.com/Global/story.asp?S=12440627

Timeshare Resales Help from ARDA

In a timeshare industry publication, Developments magazine, the American Resort Development Association (www.arda.org) discussed further how it is working to protect consumers and the timeshare industry where resales are concerned.

ARDA has been working with a Resale Task Force to create education and protection for timeshare resale buyers and sellers. There are two entities that timeshare consumers can utilize to learn about timeshare reslaes so they are not taken advantage of unexpectedly by fraudsters. Please visit VacationBetter.Org and ARDAROC.org for information on these services.

ARDA is still reviewing input and comments on the Model Resales Act and as more developments occur with this, I will keep you posted.

Massanutten Timeshare Resort

I can speak about Massanutten resort from the perspective of a timeshare vacationer/owner, an employee, and a resident. My parents went to work at Massanutten resort in the early 80's. We lived at the resort and through the years, myself, my brother, my sister n law, my nephew, my daughter and two nieces worked there along with many dear friends. I havent been there for a few years now in an employee capacity nor do I still live there, but for about two decades it was a part of my life.

Massanutten Resort is one of the places you purchase a timeshare at because that is where you plan to vacation. It is true that it holds exchange power with RCI, but people who start travelling there normally wind up falling in love with it to a point of not wanting to give up their weeks there. Many owners will use their primary week at Massanutten and then use their bonus weeks to travel elsewhere if at all.

Massanutten has every size unit imaginable, along with snow skiing and two indoor sports facilities. The sports facilities have indoor swimming pools, racquetball, spas, diners, fitness rooms, ping pong, games, just about everything you can imagine! Massanutten resort also has an indoor water park along with two PGA championship golf courses. There are miles of beautiful hiking trails, outdoor tennis and swimming and most importantly, the kids are safe to take off for awhile on their own. The only real problem with the resort is that Massanutten is so huge that it is hard to get around the entire resort without transportation.

You can find plenty of timeshare resales at Massanutten resort on the internet and at local vendors or brokers in the area, and you can also track down some great timeshare rentals too. Buying direct from the developer will ofcourse give you benefits that the resale market does not offer such as the Gold Card membership which basically gives you discounts and the right to use the resort any time you wish even when it is not your designated timeshare week. Among other resale companies that have great prices for Massanutten timeshare resales, check out SellMyTimeshareNOW.com, MyResortNetwork.com and the National Timeshare Help Center. If you have direct or specific questions about Massanutten Resort that I can help you out with, feel free to ask!

My Resort Network

While I attended the CARE Conference in New Orleans, I had the pleasure of meeting and visiting with the owners and management from MyResortNetwork.com. MyResortNetwork.com is a website that is a "For Sale By Owner" platform much like Redweek.com or SellMyTimeshareNOW.com. It is a high traffic website where owners of timeshare can post their timeshare properties for sale or rent and recieve their buyer and renter leads directly, thereby skipping paying commission to a brokerage.

There are many timeshare brokers who search for buyers and sellers on this website so by engaging on this website, you are likely to be approached by a company wanting to assist you in the purchase or sale of your timeshare, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. Your goal if you are trying to sell your timeshare is to be "seen" and this website certainly would be a good route to go. Give them a look while you are determining what path you are going to take while trying to sell your timeshare and you might decide that these guys are right for you.

ARDA announces Joint Consumer Education Program

Washington, DC – April 27, 2010 – The American Resort Development Association (ARDA) and the National Timeshare Owners Association (NTOA), have announced a year-long campaign to help educate consumers about timeshare vacations. The first initiative answers ten of the most frequently asked questions

Read the full story here..
http://bit.ly/a0dPbe