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Post by tessa on Mar 15, 2023 21:51:06 GMT -5
So, back on the old MO site, I asked some advice about getting rid of our Westgate timeshare. We actually finally got a check, albeit almost two years later! Timeline:
1998- Purchased week 7 at Westgate Town Center (President's week)
1999 to 2014- used in Florida or traded to travel other places (we paid off mortgage around 2002?)
2014 to 2019- stopped using it
2020 to 2021 our friend would pay the maintenance and use the week 2021- (July) friend asked if she could have the timeshare. I warned her about Westgate but she still wanted it (for free) Contacted LT Transfer who was GREAT to work with. Sent signed paperwork.
2021- (August) Westgate sent a letter exercising their ROFR (after all, it was free for them) Then... Crickets. Was told that closing documents would be sent within 6 months. Never received.
2022- (February) we were still on the hook for the 2022 maintenance and taxes ~$1600. Our friend paid the maintenance and used the timeshare week for her entire extended family. 2022- (June)- still no closing documents from Westgate and friend still wanted the timeshare and offered to pay $1500. Contacted LT Transfers again, and submitted new paperwork. 2022- (July)- Westgate sent a new letter again exercising ROFR. (friend did not want to pay more)
2022- (October) Finally received closing documents (for Westgate paying us $1500). Signed and sent back immediately. 2023- (February) Deed transfer Recorded in Osceola county 2023- (March)- finally received $1500 from Westgate
Throughout this process (which took almost 1.75 years) the thing that bothered me the most was that Westgate did not abide by the closing timeline executed in my sale agreement with our friend. I'm so glad to be done with them. We did have many years of fun vacations, but we much prefer our DVC. If anyone has any questions, please feel free to PM me.
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Post by noreen99 on Mar 16, 2023 7:20:32 GMT -5
Wow that’s amazing.
Honestly, I wish Westgate would loosen up a bit on their resale owner policies.
What I like about Westgate is some of their resorts are pet friendly.
Would love to pickup one of their Smoky Mountains units as we are in somewhat of a drivable distance but the resale restrictions keep me away.
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Post by MinnieMom on Mar 16, 2023 10:15:53 GMT -5
Congrats on a happy ending to that story! That's an amazing amount of patience.
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Post by fuzzylogic on Mar 16, 2023 12:10:21 GMT -5
Would you mind sharing how much was the week back in 1998?
How much were dues then vs the $1600 in recent times?
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Post by tessa on Mar 17, 2023 15:02:25 GMT -5
Wow that’s amazing. Honestly, I wish Westgate would loosen up a bit on their resale owner policies. What I like about Westgate is some of their resorts are pet friendly. Would love to pickup one of their Smoky Mountains units as we are in somewhat of a drivable distance but the resale restrictions keep me away. Yes, the resale restrictions make owning at Westgate terrible unless purchased direct. We enjoyed great vacations there and actually did trade several times to stay at Gatlinburg Westgate. We owned a three bedroom lockoff which was huge. Several years we took the extended family and had 13 people very comfortably (three bedrooms, three bathrooms, two kitchens, two living rooms, two laundry rooms, two balconies, etc). We were able to break it up into a 2-bedroom and a 1-bedroom and got double vacations.
Resale owners are not able to break up the lockoffs which is a major issue. I did warn my friend, but she really did want the timeshare because it was week 7.
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Post by tessa on Mar 17, 2023 15:03:46 GMT -5
Would you mind sharing how much was the week back in 1998? How much were dues then vs the $1600 in recent times? I am happy to share as soon as I find that info! It might take a while because I am working out of state for a few more weeks. |
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Post by tessa on Mar 17, 2023 15:05:17 GMT -5
Congrats on a happy ending to that story! That's an amazing amount of patience. I really had no choice- companies like Westgate do things on their own time. Truthfully, I never thought that we would ever see a check from them! |
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Post by jawfish on Mar 22, 2023 22:57:45 GMT -5
We used to have another time share and gave it back. Dues cost more than I could book direct. Just have our DVC now and that is fine.
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Post by mouseman on Mar 23, 2023 11:12:05 GMT -5
Besides the selling hassle, what did you dislike most about Westgate?
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Post by pooh bears mom on Mar 23, 2023 13:39:58 GMT -5
Congrats on a happy ending to that story! That's an amazing amount of patience. What are their resale restrictions? |
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Post by noreen99 on Mar 24, 2023 7:10:05 GMT -5
Congrats on a happy ending to that story! That's an amazing amount of patience. What are their resale restrictions? I wish their resale restrictions were a little less harsh as most of Westgate’s properties are pet friendly I had looked into it a few years back…Would love to own at the Smoky Mountains location it’s by far the best option that can accommodate dogs in the area. That said they are pretty tough on resale- with significant differences for booking ( reverts back to deeded week only booking 6months out ) & a ridiculous fee schedule for resale owners for any transactions I choose to pick up another property- that trades with Interval International (DVC hadn’t moved yet) and have the option to book Westgate properties as part of the “getaways” cash deals. - you can absolutely book Westgate cash getaway’s through the DVC portal for a week for far less than the cost of maintenance fees… I picked up a cash stay in a 1bedroom < 500 for a full week! |
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Post by maxsdad on Mar 24, 2023 13:05:27 GMT -5
Did anyone happen to see John Oliver on "Last Week Tonight" and his piece on timeshares? It said 85 percent of timeshare owners end up regretting the purchase. No mention of DVC, since they seem to be one of the exceptions in a fairly skeezy industry.
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Post by sherrih on Mar 24, 2023 17:35:45 GMT -5
Did anyone happen to see John Oliver on "Last Week Tonight" and his piece on timeshares? It said 85 percent of timeshare owners end up regretting the purchase. No mention of DVC, since they seem to be one of the exceptions in a fairly skeezy industry. My grandparents had a timeshare and when they died my mother had an awful time trying to get rid of it. She would occasionally call and one day, not that long ago, she just happened to get the right person and they said "sure, we'll take it back". Both sides filled out the proper paperwork and she was done with it. She felt like she won the lottery when the final signatures were taken care of. |
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Post by Adelard of Bath on Mar 25, 2023 9:26:01 GMT -5
When people ask why we always go down to Florida, rather than get into the whole thing, I just say, "We have kind-of a timeshare thing down there." People hear the word timeshare and at least they know what I mean, and then we don't have to talk about it any further. I don't need to try to explain to them why it's different than the place in Cancun you saw that one time.
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