[Jnlegran]

Has anyone figured out how to sell a timeshare and get out from under the annual maint fees? My timeshare company will not take my unit back. Pls let me know if you have done so successfully.

[Indy-Guy]

Below is a link to Clark Howard's information on selling Time Shares.

Timeshares | www.clarkhoward.com

[Walter123]

It's almost impossible to sell a time share. many places will take their fee up front and do nothing much for you. I donated mine to a charity and took the tax write off.

[gomoho]

I paid someone to take mine! Not kidding - couldn't stand those maintenance fees any longer.

[Jnlegran]

Thanks all - if you don't mind me asking what charity did you donate to?

[Bonny]

There was an article not long ago that most charities did not want timeshares because they didn't want to pay the maintenance fees.

[leftyf]

I don't own one, but I do know several people that still own them and love them. Try running an add in the Free section of Craigslist. There may be somebody out there who will take it. Doesn't cost anything to find out.

[lanabanana73]

If you find out a legitimate way to "sell" (aka: get rid of!) your timeshare and market that, you will be rich! There are a bazillion of us in the same boat.

[Chi-Town]

When you get solicited by a company that will sell your time share for you just laugh and hang up. It'll never happen. My cousin found a company that will take ownership for a fee.

So don't count on any proceeds, and be prepared to pay a tidy sum to get rid of it. i asked my cousin the name of the company he used but he couldn't remember or find the paperwork as he had moved.

[Sandtrap328]

While on a cruise, we met a couple who had a timeshare on Aruba that the wife got in a previous divorce settlement. They never used or traded it but just paid maintenance fees. They gave it to us and paid the transfer fee.

We use it for Interval Int. trading and love the timeshare trades. We also have one by Marriott and go to it in Palm Beach a couple times a year.

Too many people do not know the inside outs of timeshare trading. It has worked out great for us.

As for selling, I am a Senior vs Crime volunteer. Lots of Villagers have been taken for a lot of money by companies offering to sell their timeshare BUT demanding a large upfront fee. It is extremely hard to sell a timeshare.

[Jnlegran]

Thanks all for the info - I should have worded the post as getting rid of and not selling my timeshares. I am fully aware that all the money I put into acquiring is gone and will probably need to pay someone to take over the yearly maint fees (ownership). This industry really needs cleaning up. They sell you a timeshare then charge you a yearly maint fee with all sorts of tag on fees - no cost control what so ever. Availability is almost none existent because they are renting the units on the open market and also giving potential clients (chumps) free stays to lure them into buying. Owners have no say into what percentage of availability must be reserved for owner use - usually almost none - so you can never get a reservation. Yearly points expire because you can't use them so annual fees are money down the drain!!!!! It's truly pathetic. Anyone reading this DON'T EVER FALL FOR THE SALES PITCH AND BUY A TIMESHARE!!!!!!! You will regret it in the end.

[Challenger]

We had three Marriott Timeshares, one in Myrtle Beach(Platinum) and two in Scottsdale(Gold). Used them and traded them for numerous vacations or traded for Marriott points quite often until moving to TV in 2011.

Decided to sell after being here for a year and called Marriott because I heard that they had a "buy back " program. They put me on a waiting list and said it would be at least a year. Went on line and contacted a few companies advertising purchase programs but immediately recognized them as scams. January 2013 get Email from Marriott offering about one quarter of the purchase price for all three. Grabbed the money and haven't looked back.

Loved the units and experienced vacations in great places with swaps and points(Bali, Phuket,Naples Fl, Aruba,Singapore,HiiltonHead, Puerto Rico etc. As investments, however , the vehicle is mostly a disaster.

[Walter123]

Originally Posted by Jnlegran

Thanks all - if you don't mind me asking what charity did you donate to?

I don't really remember as it was 15 years ago. As Bonny said, many charities don't even want them any more. Goggle it but be careful. Don't pay anything and if they ask for money it's probably a scam. I think the business of getting rid of timeshares is as big as selling new ones. It spawned a whole new business. GOOD LUCK!

[Bonny]

We have 5 timeshares. 3 with Diamond Resorts and 2 with Hilton. Over the years we have definitely made good use of them. Hawaii and St. Maarten many times, Paris, Rome, Vegas to name a few. We are still using them all for some great vacations.
They are definitely not an investment, but they work good for us.
If I didn't have them, I'd never get hubby anywhere except on a cruise ship. LOL

[Chi-Town]

When I I was working having a timeshare was a good thing. It forced you to use one of your vacation weeks as a bonus getaway. Southern California, Spain, Mexico, and Las Vegas were great escapes. Living in The Villages is like living in Vacationland, and the timeshare has lost a little luster. But it still is a reason to go to one more place that you might not go without it. In fact, we traded for a week at Vacation Village at Parkway in October and had a blast being tourists (having a Disney pass helps). I'm thinking a couple more years and then see.