Beware the Timeshare Terrorist!
The Baltimore Sun,
February 8, 2009
In this article, Andrea K. Walker paints a challenging scenario for us. You’re in the Bahamas, enjoying a nice day at the beach when a charismatic man hands you a beer and strikes up a conversation with you regarding how you can treat your family to a choice day at the beach at a premier resort, complete with meals and tickets for a local attraction. All you have to do is tour a brand new property that just opened on the island. Sounds, easy enough, right?
Soon you and your spouse find yourself sitting across a developer sales agent for that resort who is using high-pressure sales tactics to goad you into signing for a timeshare which would cost you tens of thousands of dollars. What happened here? The agent has kept you for hours, and where are the kids? “They are being cared for”, says the sales agent. “Please sign here and you can begin your dream vacation ownership! The deal is only good for today!”
If they aren’t raised already, the red flags should be flying in abundance by now. Never sign a contract without having a day to think it over. You need to be away from the sales agents to regain your thoughts and make an informed decision. Timeshare sales continue to rise year over year, and many people find that they have been the victim of a timeshare terrorist.
Points to consider:
* Timeshare hidden fees. These are yearly fees, such as maintenance fees, that you can find buried within the contract. Other fees are non-usage penalty fees and special assessments in case the timeshare resort is damaged.* Don’t give in to the pressure of the developer sales agents. You don’t have to sign on the day of the presentation. You can get up and walk out, giving you time to reconsider. Don’t be goaded into signing because the deal is good for that day only.
* If you did buy and now want to sell, be aware that it is extremely hard and time consuming to sell a timeshare. In fact, most go unsold because of the sheer number of timeshares available for sale. But be wary of third-party timeshare re-sellers! They can quickly turn your situation to their advantage, giving them a profit and leaving you still in ownership of the timeshare. In the meantime, your maintenance fees continue to mount.
* Be aware that trying to rent your timeshare might be an option, but, as in the previous point, an unlikely option. Even if you could rent it out, you are unlikely to make enough money to cover your expenses and the cost of the timeshare.
Refer to the full article to see the author’s complete list of tips.
Perhaps you have found yourself already the owner of an unwanted timeshare and are at your wits end to be rid of it. Consider retaining the services of a reputable timeshare attorney to help you cancel your timeshare contract. For example, the attorneys of the Aaronson Law Firm are fully capable of bringing the appropriate level of legal pressure on your timeshare developer to help you divest yourself of your timeshare. They are also able and willing to bring litigation against your timeshare developer on your behalf if it should go that far. For more information about cancelling your timeshare, please read our 5-part blog entry entitled Is It Possible For Me To Cancel My Timeshare Contract??
Instead of keeping your timeshare, which may last forever and be transferred on to your heirs, the attorneys of the Aaronson Law Firm provide your best opportunity for cancelling your timeshare forever and avoiding the timeshare terrorist. Contact them today for your free consultation – it’s not too late…
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