GMAC - Good for Buying Resale?

[bnlbebes]

After staying at the Atlantis for a long weekend, we became interested in purchasing at their Harborside timeshare and even went on the "tour." We are still interested but left without purchasing...

Now I am looking at buying through GMAC but was stunned by their $2000 closing costs for Bahamas properties compared with $300 for US timeshares. The agent assures me this is customary. Should I ask the current owner to split the closing costs? Is that ever done?

Also - Is anyone familiar with Starwood Timeshare properties that could PM me so I might as a few questions? Just trying to get my bearings re: "Starwood Points" as opposed to DVC points.

Thanks.

 

[chalee94]

GMAC is not highly recommended here from what i've seen, but YMMV...

but your best bet is checking out TUG: http://www.tug2.net

 

[mla973]

I think if you ask 10 people, you'll get 10 different answers. I have read some neagtive things abotu them on this board, but we bought through GMAC for our resale and had a great experience. We asked the seller to split the closing costs with us, but offered a higher price to up the likelihood of it passing ROFR. Our agent was very helpful and I would use them again if they had what I was looking for. I had contacted a number of more popular resale companies, but did not get the service I was hoping for until GMAC. PM me if you want my agent's info.

 

[JimMIA]

I think if you ask 10 people, you'll get 10 different answers. I have read some neagtive things abotu them on this board, but we bought through GMAC for our resale and had a great experience.

I think if you ask 100 people here who to buy a resale through, you'll get about 60 who say they've bought through The Timeshare Store (the sponsor of this board) and were very happy with their service, 30 who've bought from one of the two other experienced brokers and were equally pleased, and 10 who bought through GMAC, with about half happy, half not so pleased. I don't know how they are generally, but GMAC is pretty new to DVC resales and having a good bit more difficulty learning the business than I would be comfortable with.

The TUG suggestion is a good one, not only for info, but also for private resales, I believe. You might also send a PM to Dean and ask his opinion -- he's the most knowledgeable person I know about timeshares other than DVC, and he may own Starwood as well as DVC.

If you want to know about Starwood specifically, you might also want to edit the title of your thread, because the current title will only draw readers with an interest in GMAC.