Timeshare Relief shills abound! Another new one on TUG today. Drives me crazy!

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

How many shill posters are there going to be for Timeshare Relief? This guy starts out in February with questions. That was his first post. He supposedly owned a week in Key West, probably the Galleon is what JLB assumed. Carolinian offered advice, so did JLB and others. He got great advice and then he paid Timeshare Relief to take his timeshare off his hands. Unbelievable.

Timeshare Relief, Inc. - TUG Bulletin Board

When trades won't work, what do I do? - TUG Bulletin Board

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

He didn't actually state he used TS Relief but the implication is there....with the 'a,b,c' reasons of why they are such a good company.

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

I know he works for the company because he followed the same formula.

1) Complain about a timeshare you own or have inherited.
2) Post nothing more about it and have all these people offering advice because they are all nice.
3) Find whatever current thread is going around about Timeshare Relief
4) Write about what a great company they are.

There was a post by Denisebirch, same thing. I will find it and post it.

Currently, there is another poster that has a week in Daytona Beach that she says she cannot give away. She will take the same course as this guy and will suddenly post that she found an alternative to owning the week--Timeshare Relief. Sickening.

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

New Member - TUG Bulletin Board

Look at posts 20, 23 and 28:

Timesharing Today--current issue has misleading and incomplete information - TUG Bulletin Board

Then there was the long one about Timeshare Relief that most of us posted in. Bsteigner and the other person really were shills for the company. So many of these threads are shills, and we always try to help them, but they come back defending Timeshare Relief. Considering the myriad of other similar companies out there, why are others never mentioned as great companies? These are shills.

I don't really remember saying anything all that out of line in my two posts today on the Timeshare Relief threads, but I was edited. I wish I knew what I wrote that was offensive? I don't remember. I should ask Dave what it was. I will avoid whatever phrase I used that offended. I think I left something that was offensive there. That bolded comment about being embarrassed probably should be edited. I was going to take it out too, but you are not allowed to edit after the editing.

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

I have the same feeling as Spence. Unfortunately, even a very good priced good may not get sell for no good reason. And I do believe this type of company will continue exist and make money unless there are enough information float around so if people want, they can make good valuation decision. Frankly, if they do take the deed out from the owner and put in their own hand, I will think any price is reasonable if the owner does not want to try themselves. And I believe if that is the case, a lot of smart people will create better model to compete with them and knock them out of service.

But I don't believe they take out the deed, thus no service really create. And I don't believe when a person come to tug or a forum like this, they will need to pay for that kind of "service".

Jya-Ning

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

My counter is that I will take half of what they want for taking away your timeshare. So far no offers.

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

Long story short- I bought a week on ebay. It has taken forever and still hasn't closed. In fact, I've closed on five purchases since I bought that one. I called the seller who happens to indirectly be the same as the closing company. They told me it's because the resort is holding it up. I asked if they have even sent the sent the deed to be recorded yet. Closing co. said no it is not deeded property. HUGE red flag, as I already own four other weeks at this resort.

The good news:When I asked what the closing fee was used for since they were not planning on giving me clear title, I was told they would refund the closing fee and recording fee. I got the check in 2 days. I have since contacted the original owner and have drafted, notarized and sent the deed to be recorded- not to mention saved myself $499 that I had not even requested!

The very sad news:In my conversations with the original owner, I have learned how so many ebay ts sellers acquire these weeks and why they can sell them so cheaply. The former owners paid $3700 for the company to relieve them of their timeshare burden and financial liability (i.e. MF's). This expense is astounding to me considereing they purchased directly form the developer and had recently paid $2500 to convert their week to points. Granted they should have done their homework and some would argue that their loss is my gain. However, it still makes me pause to consider whether I am contributing to this scam by profiting from it.

Jana

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

Yes, that is a dilemma for me as well. I did buy two timeshare weeks from these guys, unfortunately, but both men were very nice, professional, answered my questions, and the price was right.

The other end of their game is the part I have a problem understanding as well. Why would anyone pay that much money to get rid of a timeshare week? But some people really loathe their decision to buy a week and just want to be rid of it. I have decided I cannot buy from them and be a party to their scam. Yes, it is a scam.

Why would anyone pay that much money to give a Hawaii week back? They actually own Hawaii and pay this company to take the week. I bought two Hawaii Gold Crowns from these guys. Great deal for me, but my conscience is still having a hard time with it.

I don't get it myself, since we have been able to get anything we want with our very blue week, especially at the last minute. So much great stuff is there a few weeks out.

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

I have the same feeling as Spence. Unfortunately, even a very good priced good may not get sell for no good reason. And I do believe this type of company will continue exist and make money unless there are enough information float around so if people want, they can make good valuation decision. Frankly, if they do take the deed out from the owner and put in their own hand, I will think any price is reasonable if the owner does not want to try themselves. And I believe if that is the case, a lot of smart people will create better model to compete with them and knock them out of service.

But I don't believe they take out the deed, thus no service really create. And I don't believe when a person come to tug or a forum like this, they will need to pay for that kind of "service".

Jya-Ning

I cannot argue with you at all. This company is successful and is making lots of cash because there is obviously a need. That is one of the keys to a profitable business: Find a need and fill it. So they did, but I cannot take advantage of their timeshares on ebay anymore. They are driving prices down everywhere, so I buy elsewhere. Charities are good, but I do wonder which are really valid and which are cover for other unscrupulous people.

I hope these owners are truly relieved of the responsibility of fees and assessments. Our closing for both our weeks was very professional, no complaints here. The deed says I am liable. I bought from Ochoa and from tsrecycler. The deed from Ochoa had his name on it. The deed from tsrecycler said Vacation Solutions.

[Spence Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Spence]

If this is the case, then you shouldn't be buying any 'used' timeshare because the developer used the same sort of lies to get the original owner to buy thus you are contributing to that cycle also.

Yes, that is a dilemma for me as well. I did buy two timeshare weeks from these guys, unfortunately, but both men were very nice, professional, answered my questions, and the price was right.

The other end of their game is the part I have a problem understanding as well. Why would anyone pay that much money to get rid of a timeshare week? But some people really loathe their decision to buy a week and just want to be rid of it. I have decided I cannot buy from them and be a party to their scam. Yes, it is a scam.

Why would anyone pay that much money to give a Hawaii week back? They actually own Hawaii and pay this company to take the week. I bought two Hawaii Gold Crowns from these guys. Great deal for me, but my conscience is still having a hard time with it.

I don't get it myself, since we have been able to get anything we want with our very blue week, especially at the last minute. So much great stuff is there a few weeks out.

[Carol C Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Carol C]

If this is the case, then you shouldn't be buying any 'used' timeshare because the developer used the same sort of lies to get the original owner to buy thus you are contributing to that cycle also.

Spence makes a really good point that is logical and smart.

Here's my two pesos. Folks who just want to be done with it pay a fee to be rid of a timeshare...it's their perogative. They're paying for a service they think they need at that time in their lives. Maybe they're really busy, too busy to prepare a sales strategy and field numerous questions from possible buyers. Maybe a high fee simply isn't the biggest issue for them. Maybe it's like paying a bail bondsman...what price freedom or a taste of freedom?

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

I think the scam Timeshare Relief represents is completely different from timeshare developers. I am grateful that all of those new resorts are being built for our enjoyment, so the developer has a place in society. Timeshare Relief and the related companies are despicable. They kick you while you are down. There is a huge difference to my mind.

Others agree with my opinion.

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

I hope these owners are truly relieved of the responsibility of fees and assessments. Our closing for both our weeks was very professional, no complaints here. The deed says I am liable. I bought from Ochoa and from tsrecycler. The deed from Ochoa had his name on it. The deed from tsrecycler said Vacation Solutions.

So, Ochoa actually receive the responsibility and take over the risk. I have not idea about tsrecycler. Since John actually praise them, I did some eBay check on them. When I look at Ochoa's website, they actually claim they will pay you. Now, I do read that they may not pay at all, and they may pay you a fix amount based on their classify (I will assume that is how easier to get rid of it). Which means they sometimes may require you to pay them to get rid some resorts if they have problem to get rid of it. They are flipper. And if they did what they say in their web, I would say they have a better model then TR's.

Jya-Ning

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

I think the scam Timeshare Relief represents is completely different from timeshare developers. I am grateful that all of those new resorts are being built for our enjoyment, so the developer has a place in society. Timeshare Relief and the related companies are despicable. They kick you while you are down. There is a huge difference to my mind.

Others agree with my opinion. Even Spence agrees somewhat. We have some common ground here.

What follows is a true story.

When I was shopping around for our Raintree Vacation Club membership, I sent out a bunch of e-mails to people who had units listed. One of the owners responded to me, and was eager to sell.

I initially was not interested, because I was looking for a Raintree and her unit had not been converted to Raintree. But she was desperate to sell.

As we corresponded it turned out that she hadn't used the unit for four years, had paid two upfront listing fees trying to get rid of it, had fallen behind on her maintenance fees (because one of the upfront fee people told her not to bother - her unit would easily sell within four weeks and she could pay the fee from the proceeds). Her mid-30's daughter had become a junkie, and she was fighting her daughter in court for custody of her granddaughter, taking on the role in her sixties of being a single mom to an 8-yr old girl. She had recently retired from her position as a clerical aid in the administration office of a school district in New Jersey. She needed money to pay off the legal expense of getting custody of her granddaughter, and was, frankly, desperate.

At the time this was going on, the market was flooded with Club Regina units that had been collected by an outfit in Cancun that was doing the "trade-in your timeshare" schtick. In the process that outfit had collected a bunch of Club Regina units, which were they were dumping into the market in bulk on eBay through a couple of resellers. For a period of more than six months there were non-stop Club Regina listings on eBay, usually three or four auctions running at any given time.

With the glut, prices for her unit had tanked. I knew what was happening, that the glut was temporary, and prices would rebound. I didn't want a Club Regina unit, and I had no need for it.

I made her an offer that was the current price, less the transaction costs I would incur in buying the unit from her plus the costs I would incur relisting the unit. She countered with an offer several hundred dollars higher and I accepted.

The sale closed about August of that year. I immediately made a use reservation for that year, put it up on eBay and recovered what I was going to have to pay in annual fees for the next year. Come November, I eBayed the next year's rental, and netted another annual fee.

By October of the following year the Club Regina resale glut had been worked through, and I resold the unit for twice what I had paid her.

*****

Did I exploit her desperate situation? Did I "kick her while she was down"?

I don't think so. I had knowledge that she didn't have, that enabled me to convert something that was draining her bank account into something that made money for me.

She exited the situation with money that she wouldn't have otherwise had to help with her legal bills. She got a price that was less than market, but that was the penalty she paid for not having the information and expertise to get that market price.

I certainly don't think I took advantage of her. I didn't make her into a charity case; I treated it strictly as the business transaction it was. But she got what she needed (though it wasn't all she could have gotten) and I got the opportunity I wanted to make a bit of money (though I'm pretty sure I could have netted more had I negotiated harder).

I thought it was a win:win, though the entire situation was built on the circumstances of a person who was down and due to her circumstances was getting some kicks she probably didn't need or deserve. I don't think I was one of the kickers, though.

[aliikai2 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close aliikai2]

I can't see any difference

between TR and the rest of us, except they managed to find a niche and create a business.
Like Steve posted oy, it is just a matter of degrees.

Most of us have purchased timeshares from uneducated sellers for less that their worth, TR has just taken the process a step further.

They find sellers that don't know how to get out, and give them a way to end the (alligator) timeshare fees.

While I may disagree with some of their tactics, they aren't holding a gun to anyone's head, just accepting their money to perform a service.

I figure anyone old enough to have paid someone for something is old enough to be responsible for their own decisions.

We bought two developer timeshares before we found TUG and the resale market, we paid one up front fee to a sales company, heck we even bought a
Buyers club membership for 4K.

These and the other dumb mistakes we have made belong to us, no one tricked us, stole our check book or credit card, we did these (and some others) with our eyes open.

You have every right not to buy another unit from any of these sellers, I on the other hand will if the price is right and it works for us.

jmho, Greg

I think the scam Timeshare Relief represents is completely different from timeshare developers. I am grateful that all of those new resorts are being built for our enjoyment, so the developer has a place in society. Timeshare Relief and the related companies are despicable. They kick you while you are down. There is a huge difference to my mind.

Others agree with my opinion. Even Spence agrees somewhat. We have some common ground here.