The Phony Timeline: Classic Timeshare Resales Scam

Unethical timeshare sales practices often include a spurious guarantee that a timeshare will sell within a specific time period.

Recently I received an email from a timeshare owner asking me for advice. It seems this gentleman bought a timeshare several years ago, but became unable to use it every year because of family obligations. He approached an online timeshare resale company to see if they could help him sell his timeshare. Shortly thereafter, he got a call from a sales rep, who assured him that the *** company could sell his timeshare by Labor Day. Pleased by this news, he immediately enlisted the services of the *** company.

It’s the day after Labor Day, and he hasn’t gotten a single offer on his property yet. This timeshare owner now contemplates seeking legal advice to help extricate him from this debacle.

I am not an attorney, so I won’t discuss the finer points of the contract in question. What I will say is that no-one can predict when a timeshare resale will sell. Any company making this prediction is using antiquated, deceptive tactics.

It is surprising to note that a number of successful and high-profile timeshare resale companies still promise an attractive timeline to a prospective advertiser. This is an old leftover ploy from the early days of the timeshare resort industry, when fraud was rampant. What is even more surprising is that people believe these wild claims. When it comes to determining how long it will take for a timeshare to sell, a phony timeline is about as helpful as a newspaper horoscope. Always remember, even if you choose the best timeshare resale company in the world, there’s still no way for anyone to know when your property will sell.

Here’s the bottom line: don’t believe the hype! A fast timeshare sale depends on two things: pricing and promotion. A seller has to be sure that his or her timeshare is priced lower than other similar properties. However, this by itself does not guarantee exposure on an effective scale. It is important to choose a timeshare resale company capable of promoting a property before the greatest possible number of potential buyers.