Timeshare Sales and Rentals

If you are stuck with a timeshare that you are trying to make money on, check out Bidshares, the ebay for timeshares. You can have people bid to stay at your timeshare... I guess it beats vacancy, right?

Real Estate Journal: A Word to the Wise For Timeshare Buyers

"...for some customers, timeshares have an ugly side. Internet chat rooms are filled with timeshare horror stories, and there are thousands of online classified ads posted by not-so-satisfied people who want to sell off, or simply give away, their timeshares.

Among the satisfied, count Prudy Handelman of Santa Barbara, Calif., although she admits that she and her husband "didn't know what we were doing" when they bought their first timeshare in 1996. "For some reason, we accepted a free weekend in San Diego from a timeshare developer, and their spiel sounded so good, we bought one at the Four Seasons Aviara Resort in Carlsbad [Calif.]," she says. The couple paid $22,000 in cash and received a deed giving them ownership of a "huge two-bedroom condo with gorgeous ocean views" for one week in April every year."

Check out the article for further information on what happened

Must Read: Before you buy a timeshare

This is a webpage from New York state about pitfalls when buying a timeshare. This is an absolute must read if you are considering it.

Timeshares: A Yearly Vacation or Just an Expensive Frustration?

Despite recent improvements, are timeshares worth the money?

Budget Travel Online takes a look at this question. Their answer?

"The biggest change to occur in the world of timeshares has been the entry of major hotel chains into the market. Companies such as Marriott, Starwood, Westgate, Disney and Hilton have all made major investments into developing timeshare properties. Known as "branded properties," the competition between these chains has served to make the timeshare experience more customer friendly."

So now the big names are trying to screw you... is that surprising. Like leading flies to s**t.

Timeshare User Group

This website looks like a support network for timeshare owners... probably kinda like Alcoholics Anonymous.

Steve: "Hi, My name is Steve, and I'm a victim of unethical sales tactics"
Group: "HI STEVE"
Steve: "I bought a Westgate Resorts timeshare last year because they had fresh baked cookies and milk. They promised me that people were making money on their timeshare. I re-mortgaged my house. It isn't working out like they led me to believe"

Sounds like a pretty typical story.

Timeshare - The Movie

Since this is a website about Timeshares, and you probably have a timeshare or are exploring one, check out this New York Times movie review!

Also known as Bitter Suite, the made-for-cable romantic comedy TimeShare is predicated on the premise that two extremely different people have been booked to occupy the same California house at different times of the year. The inevitable mix-up in scheduling occurs, forcing humorless German scientist Julia Weiland (Nastassja Kinski) to spend the summer under the same roof with divorced chef Matt (Timothy Dalton).

Not surprisingly, the reviewer gives it a 1 star rating. Probably the same rating that most people would give their timeshare experience.

Mickey Mouse Timeshares

Is Disney advertising their timeshares on Epinions? I dont know if that is a very honest way to go about generating publicity. What do you think?

Another posting about Silver Leaf Resorts on the Rip off Report

Another post! Can you believe Silver Leaf Resorts have more than one disgruntled potential customer

7 Tips to Avoid Timeshare Scams

Here is a great listing of 7 ways to avoid timeshare scams from companies like Westgate Resorts, Silverleaf Resorts etc...

Silver Leaf resorts on the Rip off Report - Surprised?

I found this listing of Silver Leaf Resorts (Dallas, TX) on the Rip off Report. Frankly, I am not surprised. What I am surprised about is that someone posted a rebuttal to the persons complaint defending the resort in question, however, credit where credit is due, the rebuttal does not defend Silver Leaf Resorts from Dallas, TX.

Oh, and by the way... other names for Silver Leaf Resorts include Awards Verification Center, you know... that little blue card the says you have one a porsche cayenne, bmw x5 or 500 dollars etc...

Silverleaf Resort Website

I found this fantastic website about other problems people have had with silverleaf resorts! Another guy who shares my disbelief at how successful these scumbags have become. You would think these guys were selling asbestos to people with mesolothemia

http://www.davesplanet.net/silverleaf/index.htm

Southern Journeys Travel

One of my coworkers is being harassed by "Southern Journeys Travel". This harassment is being perpetrated by Dowd Marketing at 23 S Oak St, Mt Carmel, PA 17851 - +1-570-788-8878. They have been asked repeatedly to not call back but persist.

Her daughter decided that it would be cool to sign her up at the Mall to win a Hummer. I dont think her daughter wanted to sign her up for this! If anyone has further experience with this company post away. There doesnt seem to be too much on the internet. They do however treat their employees with as much respect as they do their unwilling customers

Silverleaf Resorts

I got a postcard from Awards Verification Center - 2400 W. Pioneer Pkwy, Suite 210 Arlington, TX 76013 and found a hilarious post by a guy who went there just to mess with them. The company seems to be Silverleaf Resorts who also doesnt seem to respect telemarketing laws, got busted by the FCC and has numerous complaints at the BBB

I really like how this guy dealt with them. It never astounds me at how stupid American society is to aid and abett a company as corrupt and greedy as this one grow to a Market cap of 88 million. This should be a penny stock, not a $2 stock. These guys have 23 million in net income. This crap drives me crazy.

Edited 2006-01-16 - Here are some more links for your reference:

• Silverleaf Resorts - home of the scam


• Epinions user from 2000 (check out the comments)

Westgate Resorts - Is it a scam?

I recently reported about Silverleaf Resorts and was amazed at the response that I got to it. These guys are definitely scumbags. Googling for them brings up a epinions on the second link. What about Westgate Resorts? They are on the first floor of my building with an office on the second. When I leave work at around 6:30, they are getting started with their day. I can smell the fresh baking cookies as I leave for my car and all the lower middle income people streaming in for some free food, and dreams of sitting by the pool sipping a margarita. Is this a scam? Westgate Resorts is the third largest timeshare company in the U.S. Can a company grow to this size playing it fair. Do they use the same high-pressure sales tactics that timeshares are so well known for. Watch this space as I try and find the answers.

• Westgate Resorts made the Rip off report


• Get a Job at Westgate Resorts - im sure there are great benefits