Looking to sell my timeshare

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

I have a timeshare I am considering selling. After reading tons of bad press about time share companies offering to sell timeshares for up front fees I came across this site in my research. It seems that most companies are trying to selling you a listing service for a fee. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with companies such as mountainstatefinancialservices.com

They say they are not a listing service and specialize in timeshare and camping memberships.

Does anyone have any other recommendations?

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

I haven't heard of them.

You can compare what you have with how things are being sold on craigslist, redweek and ebay. It will at least give you an idea. Depending on what you have, you may or may not be able to sell through a broker. Many people are just trying to give away their unwanted timeshares these days.

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

Looks like this may be a Post Card Company scheme. If so, they will be looking for big bucks to take the timeshare off your hands-if they even do.

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

Wow, had no idea people were trying to give away timeshares. Thanks for the heads up about ebay and such.

What is the post card scheme?

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

Haven't heard of that specific operation BUT it has every earmark of a scam operation. They will either take your money & never actually transfer the title thus leaving you poorer but still owning the time you wanted to sell, they will try to get the resort to take a deedback OR they will take the timeshare, place it into a trust or LLC then abandon it - never paying any fees and leaving the Association with a mess to clean up. All of those you can do yourself - especially number 2 - at no cost. You'd likely be paying for virtually no real service & simply making this group richer.

Try to give your time away, get the resort to take it back or just default on the fees. None of those cost you anything like what they will charge you. Don't deal with them is my advice.

[RX8 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RX8]

I have a timeshare I am considering selling. After reading tons of bad press about time share companies offering to sell timeshares for up front fees I came across this site in my research. It seems that most companies are trying to selling you a listing service for a fee. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with companies such as mountainstatefinancialservices.com

They say they are not a listing service and specialize in timeshare and camping memberships.

Does anyone have any other recommendations?

I would stay away. A very generic website that really doesn't tell you much. No address or contact info other than the phone number. The website was created LESS THAN A MONTH AGO. A google search of the phone number brings up some Tennessee real property listings. Supposedly, the number is to a "Henry" and is a cell phone. The area code of the cell phone is Ohio.

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

Thanks to everyone for the feedback. Are there any sites out there that trade timeshares?

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

Use a licensed individual who does not charge upfront fees

I have a timeshare I am considering selling. After reading tons of bad press about time share companies offering to sell timeshares for up front fees I came across this site in my research. It seems that most companies are trying to selling you a listing service for a fee. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with companies such as mountainstatefinancialservices.com

They say they are not a listing service and specialize in timeshare and camping memberships.

Does anyone have any other recommendations?

1. Never pay anything up front on in advance of closing.
2. Beware of the companies that will take it for a fee as these companies often never actually transfer it and you find out later thats its still in your name and your maintenance fees are in default. Resorts are having lots of complaints because of these "relief" type companies at the moment.
3. Check Licensed Timeshare Resale Brokers Association and see if you can find a licensed agent who is located in the same area as your timeshare or specializes in your resort. To be a member of this group you must hold an active real estate license and charge no upfront fees.

Hope that helps! Good luck!

You can also read a long list of common scams, red flags to avoid them and what to do if you've been scammed here [link deleted, but the OP can google "timeshare scams" easily enough[/url]

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

garycarr,

what do you own? If you only own 1 timeshare need to check if it is affiliated with II or RCi exchange companies but they have membership fees and exchange fees. Alternative you can check into one of the no membership fee exchange companies like SFX Resorts (but they are selective what resorts/week they take), Platinum Interchange or DAE.

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

garycarr, Did you sell your timeshare? I am interested in trading my unused week for a week at a resort I may actually use, rather than exchanging. I am new to forum, and just saw your post.

[Special Effects Group Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Special Effects Group]

"Not paying up front to sell" bunkum...

After 6 years of advertising, i couldn’t give this away, not even to a charity, and i offered them $1000 as well to do all the paperwork....

I ended up with a nice charity taking mine with all legal paperwork, cost me closing and $800... no timeshare now... and i can claim tax back on the "donation" i gave them.

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

"Not paying up front to sell" bunkum...

After 6 years of advertising, i couldn’t give this away, not even to a charity, and i offered them $1000 as well to do all the paperwork....

I ended up with a nice charity taking mine with all legal paperwork, cost me closing and $800... no timeshare now... and i can claim tax back on the "donation" i gave them.

FYI - the donation you can claim for what you give to a charity is what the value is in the open market. If you couldn't give it away, then there is no value and hence no deduction.

If have a friend who is a retired IRS tax auditor - he tells me that when they do an audit one of the areas they focus on is charitable deductions. It's pretty easy for them to look at and if they find problems there that is one of their red flags to start probing deeper into other areas of the return that are more complex.