TS Today - Creating a Vision for the Future of Vacation Ownership Issue #159 May/Jun 2018 | Page 29

TimeSharing Today

Page 29
have worked very hard to see this happen. It has been a
long, painful road, but the resorts now understand that they
need an exit plan.
Resorts’ exit planning should be very important to re-
sale brokers. We need to address all avenues of resales,
and to be there for sellers who can’t get answers from their
developer or the American Resort Development Associa-
tion. The Timeshare Board Members Association has re-
ally been an answer to this problem.
Timeshare resales are up about 47 percent over last
year. The most popular resales are in the big brand names,
but a lot of unique or smaller resorts still have buyers.
These resorts need to have their advertising done right.
We are working with the Timeshare Brokers Multiple
Listing Service to provide a service to the resorts that lack
an outlet to sell their timeshares. Most of the resale brokers
stay with the big brand names because those brands attract
more buyers.
Watch out for scams
Many scams remain today, including timeshare exit
plans and exit attorneys.
Recently I had a call from a lady who was listening
to Dave Ramsey, a syndicated radio broadcaster offering
advice on personal and household finances. Ramsey rec-
ommended Timeshare Exit Team. The caller was ready
to give them $4,700 to be done with her Diamond Resort
property. She called a RE/MAX broker in Sarasota who
gave her my name.
I advised her to call Diamond Resorts’ take-back pro-
gram. For $250, Diamond is taking her unit back. She has
called me four times and just sent me a thank-you card.
This doesn’t work all the time but I do get on the phone
with the resorts and talk to them, to try to save these people
from these exit programs.
We are seeing a lot of Mexican scams. If you own
in Mexico, don’t fall prey to the Mexican tax or clos-
ing costs up front. These companies will send you pa-
perwork, and then forward it to an “attorney” in South
Carolina who will scam you.
The upfront-fee advertisers, such as buyatimeshare.
com and sellmytimesharenow.com, are alive and well. I
recently listened to a presentation and felt like I needed a
shower. Unfortunately, I usually get sellers after they have
paid these companies $2,000 for nothing.
Bottom line: The resale market is doing very well, but
be careful if you’re a seller and do your shopping if you’re
a buyer.
About the author
Judi Kozlowski is a licensed real-estate broker/agent
with RE/MAX Properties SW Inc. timeshare resale division
in Orlando, FL. She has been with RE/MAX since 1986, has
20 years of timeshare experience, and is the number one RE/
MAX timeshare sales agent worldwide.
Contact information: Tollfree phone [phone] ext
622, email judi@ judikoz.com, website http://judikoz.com/.
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May/Jun, 2018