If you’ve already purchased a timeshare, we can’t tell you whether you were wise to do so or not. But we can warn you—heartily—that if you have recently bought one, you should immediately make yourself aware of what exactly it is you have bought. Do you still have promises the salesperson made to you bouncing around inside your head? Set those aside. Let them go. The timeshare facility is required to provide you with nothing beyond what is found in writing in the contract itself—and the salesperson really has no authority to make changes to those amenities. (They merely have the authority to lie to you, to induce you to sign on the dotted line.) There is a limited timeframe after making your purchase, under Florida law, during which you may still cancel that contract. We here at The People’s Advocate can help you with that.
On the other hand, if you are still floating the idea of perhaps taking up that offer of a free week at a resort in exchange for merely sitting through a short 90-minute sales presentation, we can only say: buyer beware.
Most people are not prepared for the high-pressure sales-push they will be put through in one of those presentations. That “90-minute” timeframe only applies, as far as the sales team is concerned, if you sign the contract within that amount of time. If not, they will keep you there for hours … and hours … and hours. They will ply you with every tricky sales tactic known to mankind. Some of these salespeople are trained by people who are well-versed in wartime torture tactics (no joke). And they will put the screw to you. So if you think you can get in and out of one of those sales presentations without going through some sort of soul-scorching experience, think again. Only a battle-hardened or iron-willed person can lay claim to such a capacity.
Know this: if you plan to sign, as mentioned above, you will be entitled to nothing not included within the contract itself. Trust nothing the salespeople have said. Read the contract, carefully. And, if you can, get out of there without signing it that day. Know what you’re signing before you do so—all of the obligations: How much it will cost up front; what the terms are for the loan—which, really, you should get from a standard banking institution rather than the resort if you want anything approaching a decent interest rate; how much the maintenance fees are—which they will raise at any rate, but at least you’ll know the starting point; the length of the contract—whether it is in perpetuity, and if you really want to decide your children and grandchildren should be on the hook for it forever ….
If we had our druthers, no one would ever sign a timeshare contract. But we can’t make that decision for you. If you are considering signing a timeshare contract, Attorney Joe Brien of The People’s Advocate is willing to put his real name, license, and reputation on the line.Hewill be glad to review that document for you. And The People’s Advocate offers all of the other legitimate exit services to boot. So if you have been pressured into a timeshare purchase and need to get out, contact us to schedule a FREE information session. We will fight for you every step of the way.