Did you buy that dream timeshare, only to wake up with buyer’s remorse? If you are regretting your purchase, you do have options.
First, the bad news. Timeshares are not investments. Their value declines rapidly over time, and the maintenance fees can and likely will increase. If you feel stuck, here are four options that could help:
- Refinance the timeshare mortgage.
- Sell or give away your timeshare.
- Try to give it back to the resort.
- Work with a company to help you negotiate an exit.
Refinance your timeshare loan
If you like your timeshare, but you don’t like the high interest rate on your loan, you can refinance. LightStream, an online lender owned by SunTrust Bank, offers a timeshare refinance loan. Interest rates start at 5.99% and there is no origination fee or prepayment penalty. According to Todd Nelson of LightStream, “Financing is most commonly and conveniently offered by developers when buyers purchase their timeshare. As a result, owners may think they have no other option and, in fact, may wind up with higher rates than they may need to pay.” You need good credit to qualify.
Home equity loans, personal loans and even 0% balance-transfer offers from credit card companies can often provide lower interest rates than developer loans. You can shop online for personal loans at MagnifyMoney or NerdWallet to find the best rates.
Refinancing provides one additional benefit: You will have greater flexibility to negotiate an exit or give away your timeshare because you will no longer have a mortgage attached to it.
Sell it or give it away
Timeshares rapidly lose value, so you should not be surprised to receive only a fraction of your original purchase price. Sometimes you can’t even give them away.
Be cautious of any company that promises an amazing resale price but asks for money upfront. According to the Federal Trade Commission, “If you want to sell your deeded timeshare, and a company approaches you offering to resell your timeshare, go into skeptic mode.”
As a starting point, try to determine the market value of your timeshare by visiting RedWeek or the Timeshare Users Group. You can try to sell your timeshare online at these sites. EBay and Craigslist are also popular options. You might have to cover closing costs and some maintenance fees to get a sale.
Before putting your timeshare on the market, check to see if your resort has a sales office. Howard Nusbaum, the CEO of the American Resort Development Association, believes you have better chances if your resort has an active sales office because it “has the ability to recycle inventory quickly.”
Give it back to the resort
You might be able to exit your timeshare obligation completely. Although the resort is under no obligation to work with you, they might. According to Michael Brown, the COO of Hilton Grand Vacations, “Should owners need to exit due to life changes, we offer a resale department that can discuss with them their options, including buy-back consideration.”
If your timeshare is not operated by a big brand, make sure you reach out to the right people. Brian Rogers, the owner of Timeshare Users Group, recommends contacting your homeowners association in writing. He encourages people to “be perfectly honest” to get the best result.
Engage with a timeshare exit company
If the resort is not willing to take it back and you cannot sell it, you might want to hire an exit company. These businesses are controversial and expensive, costing $5,000 or more to help you exit your timeshare. Do the math, but offering several years maintenance fees to a potential buyer could be a cheaper option.
At worst, you will pay a timeshare exit company to do something you could easily do yourself.
But if all else fails, you might want to consider a company like Timeshare Exit Team. CEO Brandon Reed explains that his company uses lawyers “to get the resort to take the timeshare back.” Reed claims that his lawyers will play hardball and they get results. His company offers a guarantee: If they are not successful, you get your money back.
When deciding which company to choose, Rogers warns against using any company that requires an up-front payment. He believes that “if it was that much of a guarantee, there is no reason to charge until the end.”
Some people just stop paying on their timeshares. If you do walk away, don’t be surprised to see a big hit to your credit score and to start getting regular calls from collection agencies. You might regret your purchase, but you did sign a legally binding contract.
Nick Clements is the co-founder of MagnifyMoney.com, a financial education and price comparison website.
