r/TimeshareOwners

We have points, not a deeded week. It is paid in full and “deeded”. Maintenance costs are $5000ish per year and and I‘m just done. I have been converting the points to World of Hyatt points to get more use out of them last couple years. Medical issue in the family and can’t afford it anymore.

Hyatt’s exit plan keeps adding more hoops to jump through every time I complete what they say is required for an “exit offer”. I have never received an exit offer. Does anyone know what one looks like? or should I just take the credit hit on a paid off loan and somehow be penalized for not paying maintenance fees? Really discouraged and hoping someone has options or knows what I can do?

Thank you

Before everyone assumes this is another story about getting ripped off by a timeshare place, just listen. It's a bit of a read so apologies and TIA

We went to a presentation after getting promised some free stuff including tickets to some local attractions and a free week somewhere ($1500 value, apparently). We DID NOT go into the presentation wanting to buy anything. In fact, our salesman even said exactly this - I know you made a pact not to buy anything.

Honestly, everybody was extremely nice and very polite and our salesman was personable, didn't pressure us whatsoever and was very professional. It was honestly a "fun" experience going through the presentation, answering questions and taking the tour.

So when it came to the properties themselves, the cabins were VERY well appointed. Like, nicer than my current house. And huge. The property itself was also huge and while It didn't seem like super "convenient" it was very well done and everyone there seemed happy to be there.

The presentation room was only about 15% filled and while we were there, two other families purchased. Fake? Who knows. But seemed legit.

When we got to pricing, we were expecting it to be very expensive and we were right. Each "bedroom" is considered one "week" of vacation. So a 2 bedroom is either 2 weeks or 1 week with 2 bedrooms and so forth.

They tried to sell us a 4 bedroom and it was like 72,000 total + 1475 yearly fee and 20% upfront and the rest on a 27% percent loan. lol. In fact all of their financing was 27%+ APR for every option. no wonder everyone gets approved.

After about 30 minutes of explaining why none of their options made sense (the 2 bedroom was about half that price and they were sold out of the one bedroom), the manager came over and came up with some other options. We could purchase a recently "vacated" property (don't know the exact terminology, but essentially, we were told an owner upgraded and there was a 2 bedroom available at a fraction of the price). That option still needed 15k up front which we declined.

After some back and forth, they finally landed on something actually interesting– a two bedroom resold condo (at a discount) of $9000 total that we could use starting 2027 (fine with us) but only every other year. Which was also fine with us. You could also roll over a week if you wanted to one week once a year. Also, fine. The 1545/year fee was also only paid once every two years.

If we paid 1100 now, and 3500 in the next 90 days, we could finance the rest for 3 years at zero percent interest. Roughly $137/month for 3 years.

The rest of the info: 150 to book at any other Westgate and 249 to use their partner hotels around the world.

It actually seemed like a good deal, so we said fuck it okay. After we signed everybody acted like this was a crazy deal and they'd never seen anything this good. Probably just saying that, but also they seemed to be genuinely surprised we got what we did:

So the numbers:

$9000 total cost +1500/year maintenance (paid every other year)

$1100 up front on credit card

$3500 to be paid in the next 30-90 days

the remainder 0% APR for 3 years.

FOR

TWO bedrooms (or two weeks) every other year, starting in 2027 with the ability to roll over into one week a year.

I'm sure we got fucked on the maintenance, but 1500 for one week at a nice resort seems either about right or cheap depending on where you go.

Thoughts?

Sharing my experience with Wesley Financial Group as a heads up for anyone considering them for a timeshare exit.

I paid $6,295 upfront, expecting them to negotiate my Hilton timeshare cancellation on my behalf. Here's how it actually went, over about 16 months:

1. The fee is massive for basically no real service. $6,295 is close to the price of a used car. What you actually get for that money is a handful of email templates they draft and ask you to copy, paste, and send yourself, under your own name.

2. You do all the negotiating. They never contact the other company directly — they just "guide from behind the scenes." Every phone call, every actual back-and-forth with the timeshare company, was me. They even asked me to record my calls and send them the recordings so they could "review" what was said. That defeats the entire point of paying someone to represent you.

3. They lose track of your case constantly. My case got passed between three different "specialists" over the course of this, each one requiring me to re-explain everything from scratch. One of them repeatedly forgot what had already happened — misquoting offer amounts, claiming they'd sent me information I never received, asking questions I'd already answered in writing days earlier.

4. They put fabricated information in letters sent under your name. At one point, letters they drafted for me to send claimed my family had "relocated permanently" to another country and "contacted the consulate" there — none of which was true or something I'd ever said. When I pointed this out, their own staff admitted in writing they'd simply misread my file. That claim had already gone out in multiple letters, under my name, before anyone caught it. Separately, they also falsely described a rep at the other company as "rude and unprofessional" — I corrected this once, and the same false claim reappeared in a letter months later.

5. They don't consider the risk to you. At one point they pushed a letter with aggressive, threatening language — accusing the other company of "illicit business practices" and threatening a "countersuit" — sent under my name. I raised concerns in writing the same day that this could escalate my case into actual legal or collections territory. They kept the language "strong" anyway.

In the end, the resolution that actually worked came from a calmer letter I wrote myself after setting aside their more aggressive draft. When I asked for a refund afterward and laid all of this out in writing, they refused — twice — without ever addressing whether they'd actually done the one thing I paid them for: negotiate on my behalf.

I've since filed complaints with the CFPB, BBB, two state Attorneys General, and the FTC. Posting this mainly so anyone else researching this company can go in with eyes open.

My husband and I finally made the decision to stop paying our HGV loan about a month or so ago. We still owe around $26k. Our maintenance fees for the year were already paid, so right now it's the actual loan that we've stopped paying.

Before doing this, we tried communicating with HGV multiple times. We've spoken to them over the phone, sent letters, and sent emails explaining our situation and why we could no longer afford the loan. We've had some major personal/financial circumstances happen, including a death in our family, on top of regular expenses becoming harder to manage.

We also explained in detail why we feel we were misled/scammed during the sales process and the issues we had with how the timeshare was sold to us. Unfortunately, none of our attempts to work something out really went anywhere.

Since stopping payments, HGV has been calling us nonstop even though we've already explained everything multiple times. At this point, we've accepted that we're not going to continue paying this loan.

From what we're reading in our contract, if we default and don't cure it, HGV can eventually terminate our ownership/membership and recover the timeshare/points. We're basically waiting for that process to happen.

Both of us currently have credit scores close to 800 and we pay all of our other bills and debts on time. We understand this could seriously hurt our credit and we've accepted that possibility. We're not planning to stop paying anything else.

I'm mainly hoping to hear from people who have actually defaulted on an HGV loan while still owing a significant balance.

What happened after you stopped paying? How long did HGV keep calling before it went to collections/default/foreclosure or termination? Did a third-party collection agency eventually contact you? Were you ever sued for the remaining balance, or did HGV simply take the timeshare/points back? And how did you handle the collection calls once they started?

I'm especially interested in firsthand experiences and timelines rather than recommendations for timeshare exit companies. We've already decided we're not paying an exit company thousands of dollars just to tell us to stop paying.

We're only about a month or two into this, so I'm trying to understand what the next several months may realistically look like 😬

One of my resorts has closed and I have been offered two options.

1. Swap contract for equivalent number of yearly points.
2. Wait for property to sell and receive payment for my portion of the sales.
   Has anyone else experienced this and what outcome did you choose? I’m curious as to how much money I could expect from a sale. My hunch is that taking the yearly points is probably the most sensible thing to do.

I bought a timeshare 2023 I never use it, I stopped paying the maintenance fees, creditors keep calling but I just ignore them. How do I get out of the main loan, I stupidly put 5k from the loan to a credit card and the original loan was $28,000. I’m just fed and I don’t want to keep paying. They currently deduct $338 out of my bank. I don’t even see the loan in my credit report. Has anybody just stopped paying everything and have they been ok, like no lawsuits and things like that. I’m scared 😞

My folks own points in worldmark, the mortgage is paid off and the maintenance fees are up to date. I’m trying to figure out how to sell their timeshare, but am struggling to figure out where to start. I offered them back to worldmark, but they said the certified exit program is closed. Any suggestions on trying to sell? I don’t want to make money, but want to free up their fixed income from the maintenance fees.

Has anyone successfully sold or transferred their timeshare? What should I know or look out for? What do I need to make the process easier?

\[EDIT: If you cannot follow Tip 2, no, don't do timeshare presentations\]

I used to do 1 or 2 timeshare presentations a year with my wife back in the day. We ended up on a ban list of sorts for Hyatt Vacations for a few years. But came back off. Typically, we're already in the area, and it's 3/4 hours out of a morning for $300 to $600+ worth of stuff. (Was a REALLY big deal 15 years ago when much more broke).

We have received:

* 4 tickets to Disney World * $300 in cash twice * Free suite with hot tub in the living room in Atlantic City for 2 nights * Boat excursions in the Bahamas * All-week access to waterparks in Daytona Beach * 3-night stays in Florida, Orlando and Vegas * Dinner for 6 people to Red Lobster * 6 bottles of rum * Tickets to see Beatles Cirque du Soleil * $350 in flight vouchers * "Free" cruise (still had to pay taxes and fees) * Got a luau in Hawaii when EVERY luau on the island was sold out

You can negotiate for about an extra 25% to what they're offering most of the time or for something you really want (it's how we saw Beatle Cirque show).

Tips:

1. Listen politely
2. Say no, no, and no

I enjoy explaining that we travel 10 days (2 weeks) a year. We get hotel rooms for $75 to $120 (used to be $60 to $100) a night. We're never in the hotel. If they can beat or have a package that competes with $750 - $1,000 a year for 10 days... we'll consider. They never did.

We used to whisper, "here comes the final boss" when manager discounted one last try. Or "here comes the guy that pretends to be mad at us for just using them for the free reward." We would tell them we understand

Has anyone done this and got out of their contract?

How can I exit?

My grandmother had a timeshare that she used and after her death my mother canceled on her behalf. She did everything they asked including sending a certificate of death. This is over a decade ago and the calls have never stopped. We've put the number on the DNCL and sent letters. I've even gone so far as to make a complaint to the FCC. What does it take to get these MF's to stop calling?

Upgrade to get access to better resorts in the Hilton Grand Vacation network. They showed us villa and luxury home options as well. That is more likely our style of travel. Can we buy upgrade option on resale sites? Does anyone have experience booking homes/villas through HGV? Thank you

⚠️ BUYER BEWARE — Our Experience With Epic Travelers and Travel International

I am posting this because I wish someone had given us this information before we purchased.

We purchased an Epic Travelers vacation membership following a sales presentation given at The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. We paid Epic Travelers for what was presented to us as a flexible vacation program with a large selection of resorts and destinations.

Unfortunately, our experience trying to actually use the membership has been dramatically different from what was represented during the sales presentation.

We were told there was a vast amount of resorts available to choose from. That has simply not been our experience. We have searched availability up to two years in advance, across five different areas, and have found extremely limited inventory. In some cities we have searched, there are no resorts available at all.

We were told the exchange fee would be $250 regardless of where we stayed. That is not what we are seeing. We are finding exchange fees ranging from approximately $250 to more than $1,000, because additional fees can apparently be added. Those additional costs were not clearly explained to us when we purchased the membership.

We were also told that the hotels available through the program were Marriott properties. When we actually search for available accommodations, what we are finding does not match what was represented to us.

We were told we could exchange individual days rather than being restricted to weeks. While that may technically be an option, what we are finding is that booking individual days can cost more than simply booking the same type of hotel directly through the hotel or another conventional booking service.

And then there is Disney.

We specifically asked about staying at Disney World and were told that this was an option, but that we needed to plan approximately one year in advance.

We are now looking two years in advance.

We cannot find resorts available at Disney World — and we cannot find them at Disneyland either.

Another major issue is the disconnect between what we thought we were purchasing and what we are actually dealing with.

We purchased the membership through Epic Travelers, but we are now expected to use Travel International's website to search and book much of what we were sold.

The Travel International website is, in our experience, extremely difficult and frustrating to navigate. It is not what I would consider a user-friendly booking platform. Finding information, understanding availability, determining the actual cost, and figuring out what fees apply is far more complicated than it should be.

The bottom line is that the overall picture presented to us at the sales presentation at The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences in Playa del Carmen was substantially more attractive than what we are experiencing when attempting to use the membership.

I'm not suggesting that anyone take our word for it. Do your own research before purchasing. Ask to see the actual inventory. Search the destinations you realistically intend to visit. Ask for the complete fee schedule, including every possible additional charge. Ask exactly which hotel brands and properties are included. And ask to see the booking system yourself before signing anything.

A sales presentation can make a vacation membership sound fantastic. The real test is whether you can actually use what you paid for — at a price that makes sense.

In our experience so far, what was presented to us and what we are actually receiving are two very different things.

Hello!

I've done a few presentations to stay at nice resorts for an amazing rate for a few nights... I have started to get the itch for a vacation again and started to wonder what (if any) of the major timeshare companies have these offers?

I saw Hyatt seems to have a Mexico location that you can pair with a presentation. Wanted to see if there are any others or any other suggested ones?

Realistically I'd do the presentation offer with my gf and then book / plan to stay at another resort unrelated after my time was up at the timeshare resort.

Doing this or course to save money on traveling. Thanks for taking the time to read/answer.

Would love some advice on selling/terminating/ give way Sands of Kahana in West Maui with RCI points!

Was checking into a WorldMark by Wyndham in Oregon and when getting our wristbands for our room from the concierge.
I asked about 3rd party sites(Airbnb,VRBO) that list WorldMark units and prices. After some back and forth, the “concierge” said that 3 months ago WorldMark just launched a program where if you connect to one of there sellers and sit through a 45 minute meeting you can get access to a “Satellite account.” You don’t need to be a member and you get access to a website where booking units is much cheeper since it’s direct. The rep said WorldMark started this program to compete with 3rd party sellers and to help with moving unused units.

Is there a new program or website that was recently started in the last 3 to 6 months that matches this description?

This sounds fake/deceptive because people can already go to two direct sites and rent units.

⚠️ BUYER BEWARE — Our Experience With Epic Travelers

I am posting this because I wish someone had given us this information before we purchased.

We purchased an Epic Travelers vacation membership following a sales presentation given at The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. We paid Epic Travelers for what was presented to us as a flexible vacation program with a large selection of resorts and destinations.

Unfortunately, our experience trying to actually use the membership has been dramatically different from what was represented during the sales presentation.

We were told there was a vast amount of resorts available to choose from. That has simply not been our experience. We have searched availability up to two years in advance, across five different areas, and have found extremely limited inventory. In some cities we have searched, there are no resorts available at all.

We were told the exchange fee would be $250 regardless of where we stayed. That is not what we are seeing. We are finding exchange fees ranging from approximately $250 to more than $1,000, because additional fees can apparently be added. Those additional costs were not clearly explained to us when we purchased the membership.

We were also told that the hotels available through the program were Marriott properties. When we actually search for available accommodations, what we are finding does not match what was represented to us.

We were told we could exchange individual days rather than being restricted to weeks. While that may technically be an option, what we are finding is that booking individual days can cost more than simply booking the same type of hotel directly through the hotel or another conventional booking service.

And then there is Disney.

We specifically asked about staying at Disney World and were told that this was an option, but that we needed to plan approximately one year in advance.

We are now looking two years in advance.

We cannot find resorts available at Disney World — and we cannot find them at Disneyland either.

Another major issue is the disconnect between what we thought we were purchasing and what we are actually dealing with.

We purchased the membership through Epic Travelers, but we are now expected to use Interval International website to search and book much of what we were sold.

The Interval International website is, in our experience, extremely difficult and frustrating to navigate. It is not what I would consider a user-friendly booking platform. Finding information, understanding availability, determining the actual cost, and figuring out what fees apply is far more complicated than it should be.

The bottom line is that the overall picture presented to us at the sales presentation at The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences in Playa del Carmen was substantially more attractive than what we are experiencing when attempting to use the membership.

Had all of these limitations and additional costs been clearly explained during the sales presentation, we would have made a very different purchasing decision.

We are documenting our searches, the availability shown, the fees quoted, and the representations made to us.

I'm not suggesting that anyone take our word for it. Do your own research before purchasing. Ask to see the actual inventory. Search the destinations you realistically intend to visit. Ask for the complete fee schedule, including every possible additional charge. Ask exactly which hotel brands and properties are included. And ask to see the booking system yourself before signing anything.

A sales presentation can make a vacation membership sound fantastic.

The real test is whether you can actually use what you paid for — at a price that makes sense.

In our experience so far, what was presented to us and what we are actually receiving are two very different things.

My wife and I have owned this timeshare for several years - purchased when our kids were young. It's been a good place to stay and was rented out a couple of years through RedWeek. We've also exchanged it through Intervals a few times. Now were retired, finances are tight and health issues have caused us to curtail traveling. We need to give up this property. We're willing to give it away and will even pay all escrow and transfer fees. We would rather do that then pay an attorney or exit company. Do any of you have ideasabout the best place to list our unit besides RedWeek? We do plan to try to sell/give away the unit through RedWeek but are hoping to hear other options.

We have one in cancun and want to start renting it out

I have been getting daily spam calls from a company unaffiliated with my timeshare insisting I have unused vacation packages to use. This has gone on for a couple of years. Even when I block the number, the next day I get a call from a similar number (like one digit off). Today I decided to find out who they are and where they are located as each time I tell them to remove me from their list they hang up on me. Curious if anyone else receives similar calls. They say they are from “Great vacations” out of Florida but I can’t find much online. Thanks in advance for any help.