Over the weekend Inside Timeshare received an email from Javier Correa Guimerá, a Spanish lawyer who at one time worked with Miguel Ceballos the senior lawyer from CLA. Javier posts on various forums answering many question on timeshare matters.
His email referred to the articles published last week on the new fake law firm Amador Galeca Abogados, part of the Litigious Abogados family. He was commenting on the very strange names these so-called law firms use for their lawyers, he states they are not even Spanish, just by seeing the names he is sure it is a scam.
Another point he made was about the directors pleading guilty, asking where in this world would a timeshare company accept responsibility, willingly and pay up? He called it Absurd and nonsense!
In this we must agree with him, we have never heard of any timeshare company accepting any responsibility or pleading guilty, quite the contrary, they always seem to deny any wrongdoing. All we can say is Inside Timeshare has made extensive enquiries about all these firms, searched for the lawyers, checked the cases with the courts and not one has proved positive.
Over the past months we have been running articles which have highlighted the lack of a resale or secondary market on many timeshares, today we look at Marriott.
In Spain there is a company called Fab Timeshare Resales, it is a subsidiary of Fab Property based in Marbella on the Costa del Sol, the Managing Director is Julie Bett, who is an ex-regional director of sales for Marriott. According the website she has over 17 years experience in the timeshare industry.
The company was formed in 2012, the purpose was to help private individuals who wanted to sell their Marriott Vacation Club memberships, because MVC did not have a resales section for their European Resort members.
FAB Timeshare Resales also state they are fully registered and approved, operating under strict European Timeshare Guidelines. They also boast being members of the Licensed Timeshare Resale Brokers Association (LTRBA which is a US body) and ARDA (American Resorts Development Association).
This is quite commendable, a resale company that is working by the rules, especially with the reputation resale has in Europe. The only problem, is one of price!
Looking at their website memberships are being offered for as little a 1000€, way below what was originally paid. According to Marriott’s own website, prices start at around $21,000, or about 17,000€, not a cheap purchase.
It is not just Marriott which has this problem, look at any resale prices, those which are priced higher are what the owner believes they can get (or want) for their timeshare. The reality is very different, ebay shows many timeshares listed with the owners unable to give them away, even when they are willing to pay the transfer fees.
Many sales agents during their pitch will talk about the timeshare being property, which as we know, property goes up in value, but all they are actually getting is a right to use. The purchaser owns nothing!
For years timeshare was sold as an investment, even though the timeshare directives set by the EU stated it should not be sold a such. This has actually in one respect given rise to the resale problem, purchasers have in their minds the price they paid and then the “promise” of it going up in value. Many of the bogus timeshare resale companies played on this, offering ridiculous prices just to draw the prospective seller in.
The fact there is a resale company out there which is working to the rules is commendable, but the prices reflect only only one thing, that what you purchased in the first place is nothing but promises, there is no actual value. All you own is a right to use some very lovely properties.
If you have any questions or comments about any article published, then contact Inside Timeshare and remember to do your homework before engaging with any company.
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