The overwhelming demand for help in getting out of timeshares is nothing new. Timeshare owners have been trying to get away from their ownership responsibilities for many years, and the number of owners who want to get out seems only to increase with each passing year. It should be no surprise then that a range of services has popped up with the stated intent of helping people get out as quickly as possible.
Most of these services, of course, are not related to the timeshare industry. They are third-party operations that offer different approaches with regard to getting out of a timeshare effectively. One exception to that pattern, however, is a group known as ARDA, which stands for the American Resort Development Association. This is a coalition that is connected to many of the biggest timeshare developers in the space and claims to be able to help people resolve the issues they may be having as owners. Below, we’ll take a closer look at what ARDA offers so you can decide if going in this direction will be a suitable option for your needs.
Be Clear from the Start
Before we get into what you might be able to gain by working with ARDA on this matter, it’s important to be clear regarding the situation and who you will be working with. As mentioned above, this is a group that represents the vacation ownership and resort development industries. In other words, you won’t be working on this matter with a neutral third party – instead, you’ll be dealing with a group that has a vested interest in the health of the timeshare industry.
Does that mean automatically that you can’t get good results from using this approach? No – it’s still worth your time and effort to learn more and figure out if you’ll be able to secure satisfactory results with the help of ARDA. But you do want to know what side they are on and how they are supported. The actions that ARDA takes can be expected to be in the best interest of the timeshare industry because this is a trade association that represents that industry. Again, it’s still possible that it could work out for you in the end, but you want to know where they stand and how they are aligned. Against that backdrop, you’ll be more easily able to proceed and make your decisions accordingly.
Services Offered by ARDA
There are a number of services that you might be able to take advantage of when you use ARDA in the pursuit of getting away from your timeshare. As a starting point, if you are thinking about going in this direction, you can ask ARDA to go through a consultation with you. This phase will involve looking at the contract that you have with your timeshare company, discussing the reasons that you want to get out of the timeshare, and talking about what a positive outcome would be for you in this case.
Of course, as ARDA is backed by the timeshare industry, don’t be surprised if you are encouraged in one way or another to stick with your timeshare. This might come in the form of helping you plan for your maintenance fees and assessments, or it could be an approach that helps you bring down the cost of being an owner slightly while still keeping you in the fold. You are certainly welcome to consider these solutions if they are acceptable to you, but never allow yourself to feel pressured into making a decision or agreeing to something that isn’t really what you want.
A Benefit of Note
It’s easy to see the connection between ARDA and the timeshare industry as a bad thing and to be sure, it can be just that in many situations. However, there is something to be said for the closeness between the association and the industry – there are connections that will be available here that might not be available to you otherwise.
To put it another way, working with ARDA might help you get the attention of the developer in a way that would be difficult to achieve if you were working on your own. That doesn’t necessarily mean you are going to get a good outcome, but it might lead to you getting an offer or resolution that would have been missed otherwise. There is something to be said for having connections and the support of the timeshare world, even if it does mean that ARDA won’t necessarily have your best interests at heart while operating.
Drawbacks of Taking This Path
Without a doubt, the biggest drawback of working with ARDA is the exact same point we made in the previous section about it being a benefit – they are closely connected to the timeshare industry. It might seem a little odd that the main strength and weakness of this organization are the same thing, but that’s the reality of the situation.
Dealing with ARDA means you are going to be working to get away from your timeshare with a group that has a vested interest in the health of the timeshare industry. ARDA is likely going to be best used by people who are strong and confident on their own and won’t be easily talked into something that wasn’t what they had in mind. If you know yourself to be easily swayed, and you are uncomfortable saying no, it might be better to pick a partner that you can be sure will be entirely on your side from the start. We’ll talk more about those options below.
Beyond their affiliations, the other concern with ARDA is that the options you have available to exit your timeshare might be limited – or there might not be any viable options presented to you at all. The people at ARDA will be willing and able to help you with this situation up to a point, but that assistance will only go so far. Compare that with a situation where you have hired a third party to manage this matter. That third party is going to want to earn their money by doing whatever they can to get you out of the timeshare, so it’s more likely that you’ll end up with a satisfactory conclusion.
What Are Your Other Options?
You don’t have to turn to ARDA if you want to explore getting away from your timeshare. It’s possible that contacting ARDA will be worth your time at the start of this journey, but if it becomes clear that they aren’t going to lend the kind of help you’d like to get, there are more options for you to consider.
As one option, you could cut ARDA out of the picture and just reach out directly to the developer. This isn’t necessarily all that likely to get a better outcome, but it’s quick and easy and you should at least find out if they have anything to offer before moving forward. If some kind of give-back program is in effect and it can get you out of the contract, it would be a shame to miss out on that chance.
Alternatively, you might be able to try listing your timeshare for sale to see if you can get lucky and find someone who would like to purchase it from you. This is notoriously difficult to do successfully, but it’s not necessarily impossible – if you happen to find the right buyer at the right time, and are willing to accept basically nothing in exchange for getting rid of the contract, it’s possible that your timeshare could be sold.
Finally, timeshare exit companies are always ready and waiting to help you deal with this matter. Hiring an exit company, rather than working with ARDA, means you’ll have someone on your side who is only working in your interests and for your benefit. It’s a big deal to have that kind of partner and it could wind up being the thing that makes all the difference in this case. Taking the time to find a good, proven timeshare exit company is worth the effort, and the end of your whole timeshare experience might be drawing to a close once you put this kind of team on your side.
You Need to Make a Plan
Whether you decide to contact ARDA about your situation or you opt to work with another group, one thing is certain – you need to have a clear plan regarding how you are going to proceed with the process of getting out of your timeshare. This isn’t going to happen by accident, and the issue isn’t going to get better if you just ignore it. Instead, be proactive and contact us at
833-416-8796
or use our live chat to ask any questions you may have. Starting now is your best bet to start working away from the timeshare life and into a future that is free from the responsibilities of being an owner.