Resisting the gifts of a timeshare rep while on vacation
While we were enjoying a dreamy vacation in Hawaii last year, we were approached by a gregarious “resort representative” who made becoming a member at their resort sound great with lots of incentives. Once we signed the membership contract however, a few weeks later, we were having trouble with getting to stay and say no it’s full when we could see it wasn’t.
They said “well, if you upgrade and you won’t have that problem in most cases.” We did, and still had issues. They threw in a new iPad and a 5-star dinner, and gave us free drinks during the “owner meeting”. Silverleaf was bought out by Orange lake and Holiday Inn. They said that would be a benefit, but we had to purchase another property. They said “no maintenance fees for a year”, but now the fees due for the entire year at once on both resorts.
We had to a refinance with them on one property in order to use either program, one is with points. Nope! I have to be paid up to date on everything before using any of it. This was never said in any of the many meetings, before we got 2nd we upgraded to.
They made it sound like it would be great and if we needed to sell, no problem. They understand my spouse is private contractor and on disability, and used that to say this will help my health issues to be able to relax. I admit it sounded good, as one resort is only an hour away, but the place has a lot of empty room that we upgraded to — and bought another, yet unable to use any since last June 2017.
My timeshare attorney tells me they really played us, and between 2 mortgages of almost 1000 @ 17 % APR and 2 maintenance fees for both 1900 dollars, and our normal bills plus health care and meds that cost a lot, and my spouse pays child support, and not to mention a regular home mortgage. We are drowning and have really tried hard to build our credit up.
I know that we have to take some responsibility, but even when we said “no” they kept pressuring us, saying you can always get out it and we will give you a Free week somewhere or trips or gifts.
I feel guilty for trying to find a way to have a break from stress and buying a timeshare. I’m not looking for sympathy just help from a timeshare exit law firm.
Another timeshare owner is wondering if he can walk away from my Nuevo Vallarta timeshare.
Here are the details: My wife and I visited Vivanda Nuevo Vallarta using points from our RCI timeshare. When we got there, we were given some gifts against attending a timeshare presentation. We winded up signing a contract for a timeshare in Nuevo Vallarta through Vidanta resorts, and paid a down payment of $8500. I still have to pay $9500 until Oct 1st, but my wife and I decided that this is not fitting our budget and lifestyle anymore, therefore we want to walk away.
The deal includes 10 years paid membership, a 850 dollar value and 2 weeks per year to access SFX Vacation Network. The weeks can be booked by paying additional SFX fees at the time of booking. We also have additional 4 weeks/year only at Vedanta resorts, for which we could pay 950 dollars only if we book them to use them.
To facilitate the deal, they would help us get rid of our 2 already fully paid RCI timeshares, for 6000 dollars.
At the time when we did this, we thought getting ready of RCI, where we pay annual maintenance fees, is a good decision. But now we realize, that in fact we get rid of them for a whopping 19000 dollars, and instead we get weeks vs. points.
The more important thing is that our son starts college, and we did not get for him the scholarship we were waiting for. Therefore, we cannot pay and we don’t want to pay the extra fees.
Just talking about this brings our relations on rocks. I prefer just to walk out of this deal. It seems OK with me. I did pay them an amount that I am happy to consider it loss. I did not use their gifts offered to me to come to the sale, and they did not give us anything else, except the promise of the future use of SFX Network and their resort. At the end of the day, they get my 8500 dollars and one more empty room to be used again to rent to the general public, as my timeshare lawyer told me. I now am going through the steps to exit my timeshare with the help of my timeshare attorney.
