What should I do first after downloading the guide?
Gather your paperwork first. Before contacting any timeshare exit company, pull together your original contract, your current balance, your maintenance fees, and any promises made to you at the sale. With those in hand, the guide's sections on hiring the wrong company and vetting an exit plan generally help you narrow which paths may apply to your ownership.
- Locate your contract. The purchase agreement and any upgrade paperwork are the documents an attorney generally needs to assess an ownership.
- Write down what you were told. Owners frequently recall specific verbal promises about resale value, rental income, or maintenance fees that do not appear in the signed contract.
- Screen the company, not the pitch. Use the warning-sign table below and the Newton Group scam alerts library before any money changes hands.
- Confirm who does the legal work. Ask whether a licensed attorney reviews your actual contract. Newton Group includes a licensed attorney on every case.
- Decide with counsel. The owner and the attorney decide together on an approach. Newton Group does not advise owners to stop making payments.
| Warning sign | Why it matters | What to look for instead |
|---|---|---|
| Large upfront fee, no defined scope | Payment is collected before any work is defined, which leaves the owner with little recourse. | A written scope of work and a clear explanation of what the fee covers. See upfront-fee scams. |
| “100% money-back guarantee” | A guarantee is only worth the stability of the company behind it, and low-quality companies close and reopen under new names. | Company age, accreditation history, and public review record. See money-back guarantee claims. |
| Non-attorneys giving legal opinions | Advice about a binding contract from a non-attorney may amount to the unauthorized practice of law. | A licensed attorney who reviews your actual contract. See unauthorized practice of law. |
| Advice to simply stop paying | Stopping payment on a contractual obligation may carry consequences the owner was never warned about. | A contract review first, then a decision made by the owner together with the attorney. |
| A buyer is “already waiting” | Timeshare intervals generally have little or no resale market, so a waiting buyer is a common pretext for a fee. | Honest discussion of resale reality. See resale and fake buyer scams. |
