It's gone up again and only available if you bought from the developer ?
Conditions to Apply
- You must have no existing loan balance or other lien encumbering the vacation ownership.
- You must be current on the payment of all maintenance fees up to the year for which you are relinquishing.
- You must have a clear and free title to the vacation ownership.
- All future reservations must be cancelled, or traveled on prior to submitting a request.
- Your vacation ownership must be in a Diamond Resorts Collection or managed property. Currently, members who own in Embarc or the EU Collection do not qualify.
- Participation with a timeshare exit or resale company or firm may negatively impact your ability to apply for Transitions.
Where applicable, if you meet the Conditions to Apply for Transitions, Diamond Resorts will consider your application on a case-by-case basis, reviewing it both on its own merits and in the context of all other qualifying Transition applications submitted to date. This program is subject to change or termination without notice and in the sole discretion of Diamond Resorts.
From their "conditions to apply", I do not interpret it to mean that it has to be a developer-purchased contract. But it is "on a case-by-case basis, reviewing it both on its own merits and in the context of all other qualifying Transition applications submitted to date." They are not going to take just anything back. Even if you're willing to pay the $1000 per contract, it's not a given that you will be free of this obligation.
Some here on TUG off-the-cuff say "don't walk away from your obligation because all other owners will have to pay more" or "why don't you just give it away?" Not all contracts can be given away as suggested. Think February beach weeks with maintenance fees approaching $1200, not to mention this company's reputation for constantly raising fees and taking away benefits. Sure, "just give it away....what's wrong with you?" Easy Peasy, right?
How astute. Now, why didn't I think of that?
Short-sighted thinking in my opinion and giving "a one-size fits all" suggestion.
Even "sweetening the pot" is no guarantee of "giving it away." Why take on this huge maintenance fee obligation to go to the beach in the dead of winter when you could rent the week for way less and have no obligations? Heck, you could rent in-season weeks at the beach for less than those maintenance fees in many cases. Fortunately, I'm not an owner of one of those winter beach weeks. I say, try to give it away because that will have a more desirable outcome in the long run. But for those that have tried and are still stuck, do what you need to do, I say; even if it means walking away. Don't be brow-beaten. You've most likely already been through the ringer if walking away is a consideration.
With Diamond, I believe that "
all owners will have to pay more," regardless of who walks away. I would agree with that statement if it was an independent, but not when it's Diamond that we're talking about.