Westgate TC Orlando - My Timeshare...advice plse

[outatime80 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close outatime80]

Hello All

I am new to this forum and have only found it today and its very useful so far!

I need a little advice please, this is my story so far:

First trip to Orlando in 2000 I got pulled into free Disney tickets breakfast and ended up with a Timeshare in Westgate Town Center Orlando. My parents later bought a villa in the orlando area so the timeshare wasn't used after that, its been sitting for 6 years not being used at all.

So I think about selling it and use a couple of companies in Orlando that called me looking to help me sell it, they took $500 to $700 and produced no results, after a few phone calls from other companies trying the same scam I managed to get my money back from the other companies!

I have been sitting on the timeshare ever since just paying for the maintenance each year....around $800.

I don't really want to keep the timeshare anymore but I can't find anyway ways out...obviously I would like to recoup some money if possible as I spent $18k on it! I visited Westgate TC in 2006 for my week and its a real nice place and in a good location (IMO) and the location of my apartment is in a good location too, right next to the pool area.

I spoke with Westgate a little while ago to refresh my memory of what I actually had:

Two Bedroom Suite:
Two bedrooms include a king bed, 2 double beds and a queen sized sleeper sofa. There are 2 full bathrooms with an over sized whirlpool tub in the master, a full kitchen, washer/dryer and a balcony or patio.
+
Lockoff:
Studio rooms include a queen bed and a queen sized sleeper sofa. There is a full bathroom with a whirlpool tub, a kitchenette and a balcony or patio.

Week 37 - Fixed Owner
Sep 13 to 20th

I don't really know where to go from here, is it worth anything, could some give me an idea of how much I should be asking for it? Are people buying timeshares right now? How would you go about marketing it for sale without being ripped off?

Thank you, hope someone can please offer some advice.

Stu

[Chap7 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Chap7]

Welcome to timeshareforums, Stu.

I would suggest looking up timeshare on Ebay. Then on the left hand side scroll down until you find a box for completed listings. This should give you a pretty good idea of what is selling and for how much.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Stu do you travel at all? The monetary value of your timeshare is nominal at best BUT we can help you get some great use out of it.

Where would you like to go? When would you want to go?

Timeshare is a great vehicle if you learn how to use it wisely.

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

Stu,

It looks like you have a 3 bedroom lockout unit week 37 with annual use.
From looking around I think you could ask between $4500 and $7500 for your week.
If it were one of the prime use weeks it would be worth more. The easy way to get rid of it is to run an auction on Ebay, Write a good ad, include photos of the unit, resort, Disney, sell the sizzle .
Best of luck,
Greg

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

Before attempting a sale I suggest you read the purchase documents carefully and look for a right of first refusal clause. I have heard Westgate has used this to annoy sellers or even extort money from resellers. Several of us here are not at all fond of CFI/Westgate for their historical shenanigans.

[timeos2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close timeos2]

Maybe ROFR will get you something

It looks like you have a 3 bedroom lockout unit week 37 with annual use.
From looking around I think you could ask between $4500 and $7500 for your week.
If it were one of the prime use weeks it would be worth more. The easy way to get rid of it is to run an auction on Ebay, Write a good ad, include photos of the unit, resort, Disney, sell the sizzle .
Best of luck,
Greg

The $4500 is about the maximum. The going rate is closer to $2500-3000. from what I've seen. Do check for ROFR in your paperwork. If its there you may have a way to get Wastegate to pay you to sell it. If not don't let them say they have it.

If there is a ROFR draw up a sales agreement with a friend for $3500. If it passes tell them it fell through due to the delay and then, in a month or two, draw one up (different friend) for $2800. Keep going until they bite - always tell them that the buyer backed out after the offer due to delay or for "bad things" they heard about the resort. Both are completely likely and a common reason buyers get cold feet. They cannot make your buyer deliver the cash or complete the sale so that is not an issue.

Maybe just maybe you can make ROFR work for you rather than against you as it usually does. If Wastegate does bite it's one of the few times they get what is coming to them rather then their usual screwing of the buyer/owner.

Too bad it takes a game but thats they way they've set up the rules.

[outatime80 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close outatime80]

Hi guys

Thank you for the messages, appricate it!

Hmmm ok I didn't realise that WG would care about me selling my week so it looks like I will have to check out my paperwork tomorrow. I think if I was able to get $3500 for it I would be happy with that! Can't belive I listened to those idiot salesmen that called me trying to sell my TS for me telling me my TS has gone up in value and I can get 21k for it.......how do they live withselves!

Regarding sales...is ebay the best way or have any of you had any luck on other websites?

Thank you

Stu

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

Redweek, classified adds on this site and on TUG are other avenues for selling your timeshare.

I do agree with some of the previous posts that, if you take time to learn how to exchange your timeshare you could get some great accomidations in locations you enjoy vacationing in. You don't have to use just your week and you don't have to exchange through I.I. You can always use one of the independants that will accept you week such as SFX or DAE.

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

Hi guys

Thank you for the messages, appricate it!

Hmmm ok I didn't realise that WG would care about me selling my week so it looks like I will have to check out my paperwork tomorrow. I think if I was able to get $3500 for it I would be happy with that! Can't belive I listened to those idiot salesmen that called me trying to sell my TS for me telling me my TS has gone up in value and I can get 21k for it.......how do they live withselves!

Regarding sales...is ebay the best way or have any of you had any luck on other websites?

Thank you

Stu

Stu,
I found Ebay to be more expensive in listing fees for my timeshare. Bottom line, Redweek was a better deal. Ebay does have great exposure but I had alot of really lowball offers (like how about zero to 100.00- no kidding). It will take time. Try to be patient. I also used the TUG website. Heads up on that website though....you do not have to be a member to access a persons email so I got alot spam from that website (alot of lottery winnings from Africa -if you know what I mean). It sounds like you have a lock off unit which is a good commodity. Make sure you use that in your description. I spoke with a few closing companies that deal with Westgate and they said they have only seen a Westgate actually initiate ROFR a few times. I asked what would be a trigger? They didn't know. My guess would be a low price.

Don't pay any more money out to a listing company! They are all scams.
Good luck.
Kathleen

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

Stu:

As one who has walked in your footsteps, I am so sorry.

We bought almost 20 years ago and jettisoned them 3 or 4 years ago, for about a dime on the dollar (the of dollar 20 years ago). We gave away the last week to charity.

Despite the loss, we stopped the bleeding and feel good about what we did.

[outatime80 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close outatime80]

Thanks again for the replys, appricate your help I really do!

Do you really not think it possible to sell my timeshare that I would have to give it away?

Also just had a called from a company called "Global Resort Management LLC" saying they work with the Orlando Convention Center and they get large companys and put them up in Westgate timeshares when they visit the convention, they claim for a 2 bed unit they can get me $3000 and for the lockoff part they can give me $1200 rental!

Smells of BS to me...sure I had these jokers call me once before....think they usually get to a point where they want $500 in order for them to give me the rentals then the guests suddenly drop out and the company tells me they will try find someone else to fill the void...but don't! Sound about right?

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

Thanks again for the replys, appricate your help I really do!

Do you really not think it possible to sell my timeshare that I would have to give it away?

Also just had a called from a company called "Global Resort Management LLC" saying they work with the Orlando Convention Center and they get large companys and put them up in Westgate timeshares when they visit the convention, they claim for a 2 bed unit they can get me $3000 and for the lockoff part they can give me $1200 rental!

Smells of BS to me...sure I had these jokers call me once before....think they usually get to a point where they want $500 in order for them to give me the rentals then the guests suddenly drop out and the company tells me they will try find someone else to fill the void...but don't! Sound about right?

Actually they are probably going to ask for about $1,000 up front...don't be surprised. Don't pay....it won't work....you won't hear from them ever again.

I do not think you should give it away. If you have a mortgage on it, do the math and try to rent it out for the mortgage pmt and annual maintenance fee.
I have been getting lucky this year. My Brother in law is using my 2007 banked week and paying my maintenance fee and I might have 2008 week rented for the maintenance fee. Also, Westgate will allow you to bank your unused years. If you cannot use 2008 you can bank it....it's a great tool to use for renting or selling.
Hang in there!
Kathleen

[outatime80 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close outatime80]

Thanks for the messages, I have always been a little confused about banking, don't I have to be a member of interval internation to save my weeks? I have not used my condo....ever...apart from once in 2006 where I checked in to take a look at the place.

I have finished paying the morgage off on it a few years ago so all I pay is $806 maintainence fee per year!

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

Thanks for the messages, I have always been a little confused about banking, don't I have to be a member of interval internation to save my weeks? I have not used my condo....ever...apart from once in 2006 where I checked in to take a look at the place.

I have finished paying the morgage off on it a few years ago so all I pay is $806 maintainence fee per year!

Yes...Westgate allows you to bank your unused week. You do not have to be a member of II to do this. There is a small fee (of course) but worth it if you can't use it and want to save it.
You are in a good position (no mortgage) same as me . So all you need to do at this point is think about the benefits of trying to rent it out for the maintenance fee and just hanging on. (that's kind of what we are doing so that we are not losing our initial investment at this point). There will come a time when we will want to use it again (we've been 5 times already and are kind of all Disneyed out!) maybe when the kids are a little bigger (they are almost 8 and 9) and they can enjoy bigger rides and more parks.
For now we have contacted all our family members and friends and spread the word and posted it on Redweek so that it pays for itself.

K

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

Hi, Stu, you've come to the right place! You've gotten some good advice about your timeshare.

September is not a desirable time in Orlando. Kids are back in school, the rest of the country is still warm and pleasant so there are no "snow birds" heading south, Orlando is hot and steamy, and on top of all that, it's peak hurricane season in Florida. In fact, Disney gives free restaurant meals to attract people to their hotels during September.

Westgate has good-quality resorts, but they have a bad reputation for ripping people off. Plus, "good quality" doesn't count for much in Orlando because you are competing with the thousands of excellent Marriott, Sheraton and Hilton timeshare units, as well as Disney's own timeshares.

So, this unit won't be worth much as a trade, and since you have access to an Orlando villa, you don't have a reason to use it yourself. If I were you, I would sell it. If I couldn't sell it, I would give it away, but from the comments you're getting here, you should be able to get some money for it.

I would list on Redweek, MyResortNetwork, Bidshares, and Vacationtimesharerentals. eBay is a possibility, but it tends to generate low prices (and its fees are high.) As others have said, emphasize the fact that this is a three bedroom lock-off (if that is in fact what it is.) You may get a family group (say, retirees with pre-school grandkids) who would like a large unit. You will need to be patient. Definitely don't pay anyone any more large upfront fees (Redweek and eBay charge around $50, and that is already a lot, if you ask me.)

If you like to travel, there are lots of wonderful places that you can go using timeshares. However, Orlando units are almost never the ones you want to use for trading; there are far cheaper, better traders elsewhere. So, once you sell this, if you are still interested in timeshares, you may want to buy one somewhere else, on the resale market.