National Timeshare Owners Association

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

http://www.nationaltimeshareownersassoc.com/

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

NO Reason to post a company that charges. Post will be removed shortly

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Sorry, it was a new-to-me association purporting to represent timeshare owners in dealing with the industry.

Do you have a history with them?

[SallyHoover Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close SallyHoover]

Here is a redweek forum post about them http://www.redweek.com/forums/messages?thread_id=18263. I looked at them a few years back. If you are the kind of person who believes Timesharing Today Magazine has all the latest and greatest cutting edge info about timesharing and are not at all computer literate to research anything yourself then the $90 ish annual fee might be helpful.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Thanks. That's a nice discussion, what I was looking for.

I stumbled onto them because they are having a meeting down here at The Villages.

I reviewed their claims, how they purport to represent the "8 million timeshare owners" in the mix with the industry. I read their Bill of Rights. I read where they claim to be involved in formulating timeshare regulations.

I was hoping someone here here might be a member, or know more firsthand.

I am not trying to be difficult, Frank, and many of the companies we talk about here . . . the resorts, the exchange companies, etc. . . . charge a fee to own or belong to them.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

The discussion linked to in the discussion linked to is revealing also. I sensed that the organization might have turned pro-industry, and that seems to be the consensus.

Here's another one where they purport to be dealing with the Exit Strategy issue, but the wording suggests they don't consider it to be an issue. Unbiased comments elsewhere indicate the alliance reported here are not in the timeshare owners best interest.

http://insidethegate.com/2013/12/nat...league-member/

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Not surprisingly, googling them led to the TBMA, the Timeshare Board Members Association, which, also not surprisingly, led to problems related to the Exit Strategy, highlighted on their home page, and linked to this page:

http://www.tbmassoc.com/news/3

At the bottom of that page it shows members of the alliance, all players in the industry.

So, yes, it appears that an organization with a name purporting to represent owners, and provide some balance in the power equation, is allied with the industry, as, it appears, is Timesharing Today. I stumbled onto comments that they, too, have moved in that direction.

Here's what "independent owners" are really up against:

http://www.ardaroc.org/about/aboutarda-roc.aspx

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

The following is actually from the Industry, from Arda:

"Deed back programs do exist. In fact, with changes in the economy, more resort HOAs are creating and implementing programs to help their most desperate owners by offering them a take-back program. Does more need to be done? Yes, but there are many more resorts working on solutions. Ask your resort before paying thousands to a transfer company."

http://www.ardaroc.org/roc/get-invol...t.aspx?id=3883

That is a statement that if it were to actually become reality, instead of words, would be a blessing to the industry. Things may be much better if everyone who owned timeshares did so because they wanted to rather than because they were being forced to. Think how mush easier the Board's job would be.

[SallyHoover Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close SallyHoover]

Thanks. That's a nice discussion, what I was looking for.

I stumbled onto them because they are having a meeting down here at The Villages.

I reviewed their claims, how they purport to represent the "8 million timeshare owners" in the mix with the industry. I read their Bill of Rights. I read where they claim to be involved in formulating timeshare regulations.

I was hoping someone here here might be a member, or know more firsthand.

I am not trying to be difficult, Frank, and many of the companies we talk about here . . . the resorts, the exchange companies, etc. . . . charge a fee to own or belong to them.

I am not sure if NTOA is having the meeting at the Villages or if they are just an invited guest of thevillagestimeshareclub/. They meet every third Monday. Brian from TUG is a semi regular guest and will be at the meeting this Monday. If you don't live there you need to know someone who does and be put on the guest list.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

I am not sure if NTOA is having the meeting at the Villages or if they are just an invited guest of thevillagestimeshareclub/. They meet every third Monday. Brian from TUG is a semi regular guest and will be at the meeting this Monday. If you don't live there you need to know someone who does and be put on the guest list.

Oh, I don't believe I can make it.

darn

[rikkis_playpen Diamond Club Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close rikkis_playpen]

The Villages group is fantastic! Really a great group of people, and one of the largest and most active that I've found. I've been there many times to do question & answer sessions for the members. If you are a timeshare owner and anywhere close to them, I would strongly recommend that you consider contacting them to see if you can get an invite. http://thevillagestimeshareclub.com/ Not the most advanced website, but it should get you the contact info.

As for the NTOA, I have little current involvement with them. I worked with Ed Hastry for years. He's routinely sent members to me who needed help with rentals or wanted information on avoiding various scams. He's no longer in charge, so I'm not sure if he is still involved in the operations of the group or is more of a figurehead at this point. Lisa Ann Schreier was also involved with the group at one time, but I think she's parted ways.