Lonestar timeshare exit: what actually gets you out

Last updated 2026-07-25

What is "Lonestar timeshare exit" and is it legitimate?

"Lonestar timeshare exit" is a name (or a name-like phrase) that shows up in searches and ads tied to timeshare cancellation services, mostly ones operating in or marketing to Texas. It is not a state agency, not a Texas government program, and not a universal legal process. If a company uses "Lonestar" in its branding to sound official or state-affiliated, that alone is not a red flag. Lots of Texas businesses use the name. But it's also not proof of anything. Before you hire any company with this name or a similar one, check two things independently. First, search the company's exact legal name (more than the marketing name) with the Texas Secretary of State's business filings and with the Texas Attorney General's consumer complaint search ^[1]. Second, check the Better Business Bureau profile and read the negative reviews specifically, not the star rating, since exit-company reviews are frequently gamed. The FTC has sued and settled with multiple timeshare exit companies for deceptive practices, including cases involving upfront fees collected with little or no results delivered. One of the larger cases, against Timeshare Termination Team and related defendants, resulted in a settlement with the FTC that included a monetary judgment and a ban on collecting advance fees for timeshare exit services ^[2]. That track record across the industry is why we treat every "exit company" claim, regardless of name, with the same checklist: verifiable business registration, a written contract, fees tied to milestones rather than paid entirely upfront, and no promise of a specific result.

How do you get out of a timeshare, realistically?

There are four real paths out of a timeshare, and no fifth secret one. Rescission during your state's cancellation window. A deed-back or surrender program run by the resort or developer. Selling or giving away the timeshare on the resale market. Or hiring a legitimate paid exit service to negotiate a release, which usually still ends in one of the first two outcomes. There is no legal mechanism that lets a company "cancel" a valid, past-rescission-period timeshare contract by sending a letter. What legitimate services actually do is negotiate with the resort for a deed-back, help you stop paying in a structured way that limits collections and credit damage (never advised as a first move, more below), or in rare cases pursue a contract defect claim if the original sales presentation violated state disclosure law. If you're still inside your rescission period, that's always the fastest and cheapest exit, often free. If you're past it, expect the process to take anywhere from a few months to over a year depending on the resort's cooperation. For a full state-by-state breakdown of how rescission windows work, see how to get out of a timeshare.

How to get out of a timeshare using your rescission period

Every state that regulates timeshares gives buyers a right to cancel within a set number of days after signing, no reason required, no penalty. This is the single cleanest exit that exists. Texas gives buyers a right to cancel a timeshare purchase within six days after signing or after receiving the required public offering statement, whichever is later, under Texas Property Code Section 221.041 ^[3]. Confirm your own state's window and exact deadline calculation with your state's statute or attorney general's office, since the count can start at signing or at document delivery depending on the state. To rescind, send written notice, by certified mail with return receipt, or by the method your contract specifies, before the deadline. Keep a copy of everything. Do not rely on a phone call or a verbal promise from a salesperson. State laws generally require written notice sent to the address listed in the contract. If you're inside this window right now, stop reading generic advice and go find your closing documents. The rescission clause is printed in the contract itself, usually within the first few pages, in bold or all-caps text as required by many state disclosure laws. Miss the deadline and you're dealing with a much longer, harder process. For state-specific rescission mechanics, see timeshare cancellation.

How to get rid of a timeshare after the rescission window closes

Once rescission has passed, your best first move is asking the resort directly about a deed-back or surrender program. Many major timeshare brands now run these, sometimes for a modest transfer fee, sometimes free, especially if your account is current and the resort wants the inventory back rather than deal with a foreclosure. Marriott Vacation Club, Hilton Grand Vacations, and Diamond Resorts (now part of Hilton Grand Vacations) have all operated some form of voluntary surrender or deed-back program in recent years, though availability and terms change and aren't promised to any specific owner. Call your resort's owner services line and ask specifically: "Do you have a deed-back, surrender, or exit program for existing owners?" Get any answer in writing. If the resort won't take it back, resale is next, even at a steep loss (more on pricing below). If resale isn't realistic and the resort won't deed it back, that's when some owners turn to a paid exit service. Vet that service hard using the checklist in the scam section below, and never pay a large upfront fee without milestone-based terms in writing.

How to sell a timeshare (and what it's actually worth)

Timeshare resale values are almost always far below what owners paid, often close to zero, sometimes negative once you factor in transfer costs and back maintenance fees. The American Resort Development Association (ARDA), the timeshare industry's own trade group, publishes average timeshare purchase prices, but resale prices are a separate, much lower market not tracked by any single authoritative source. Realistic resale channels: the resort's own resale or transfer program (ask owner services), licensed timeshare resale brokers who list on marketplaces like RedWeek or Timeshare Users Group, and in some cases simply giving the unit away for $1 to someone willing to take over the deed and maintenance fees, since "free" listings move faster than priced ones for most weeks-based products. Do not pay an upfront "marketing fee" to a company promising to sell your timeshare fast. The FTC has brought enforcement actions describing this exact pattern: a company charges consumers thousands of dollars upfront for resale or advertising services and then fails to deliver a sale, as detailed in the agency's case against Timeshare Termination Team, LLC and related resale-marketing defendants ^[2]. If someone asks for money before a sale closes, that's the exact pattern behind most timeshare resale scams reported to state attorneys general.

Are timeshares scams?

The timeshare product itself is legal in all 50 states and regulated at the state level, so "timeshares are scams" as a blanket statement isn't accurate. But the sales process has a long, well-documented history of high-pressure tactics, and the exit industry that grew up around unhappy owners has its own scam problem. Arguably that exit-side problem is worse today for some owners than the original sales issue. The FTC's enforcement record describes a common pattern in exit and resale scams: a company calls or emails claiming they have a buyer lined up or a fast, no-conditions cancellation method, requests an upfront fee for "taxes," "closing costs," or "attorney fees," and then the promised buyer or exit never materializes ^[2]. This is different from the original timeshare purchase, which is a real, if often overpriced, product, not a scam by legal definition. Where real harm happens most often: aggressive sales presentations with time pressure and inflated resale-value promises, maintenance fee increases that outpace inflation year over year, and exit companies charging thousands upfront with no verifiable results. Treat the purchase as a legitimate but consumer-unfriendly product, and treat unsolicited exit or resale offers with real suspicion.

How much is a timeshare, and how much do timeshares cost long-term?

ARDA's own industry research has put the average price of a timeshare interval purchased new in the low-to-mid $20,000s in recent years, based on its State of the Vacation Timeshare Industry reporting ^[4]. That number moves year to year and varies enormously by brand, location, and unit size; a studio-week at a lesser-known resort can run a few thousand dollars, while a fixed high-season unit at a flagship resort can run six figures. The purchase price is rarely the real cost problem. Annual maintenance fees, which owners are contractually obligated to pay regardless of whether they use the week, have averaged somewhere in the $1,000 to $1,200 range industry-wide in ARDA-affiliated survey data in recent years ^[4], and they typically rise a few percentage points annually, sometimes far more when a resort issues a special assessment for a major repair or storm damage. Over a 20-year ownership span, an owner who paid $24,000 upfront and pays $1,100 in average annual fees with 4% yearly growth ends up paying roughly $33,000 more in fees alone, on top of the purchase price, before any special assessments. That compounding fee structure, not the sticker price, is why so many owners eventually look for an exit. For a breakdown of fee trends and what triggers special assessments, see our companion coverage of rising maintenance costs.

How to sell timeshare fast without getting scammed

"Fast" and "safe" pull in opposite directions in timeshare resale, and anyone promising both usually delivers neither. A realistic timeline for a legitimate resale, through a broker or the resort's own program, runs a few months to over a year, because demand for used timeshare inventory is genuinely thin. Before paying anyone anything, run this check: does the company ask for payment before a buyer is found or a deed transfer is complete? If yes, that's the single biggest scam signal in this industry, based on the fee patterns described in FTC enforcement actions against timeshare resale companies ^[2]. Legitimate brokers work on commission, taken from sale proceeds, not billed upfront. Also check the Texas Attorney General's consumer protection division or your own state AG's office for open complaints against any company by exact legal name before signing anything ^[1]. A clean search isn't proof of anything either way, but a pattern of complaints is a hard stop.

What red flags mean a timeshare exit offer is a scam?

Watch for these together, since any one alone might be innocent but the combination shows up again and again in scam complaints and FTC enforcement records ^[2]: - A large upfront fee (often $2,000 to $10,000+) required before any work begins, with no milestone structure.

• A promise that your timeshare will be cancelled or sold, with no conditions attached; no legitimate service can promise a specific outcome.
• Pressure to stop making mortgage or maintenance payments immediately as part of the "strategy." Stopping payments you contractually owe can trigger foreclosure, credit damage, and in some states a deficiency judgment, regardless of what an exit company advises. Never stop paying without your own attorney's specific guidance on your specific contract.
• Cold calls or unsolicited emails claiming they already have a buyer for your exact unit.
• Refusal to put fee structure and refund terms in a signed written contract.
• No verifiable business registration under the company's legal (not marketing) name. If you're evaluating a specific company, our timeshare exit companies guide walks through vetting steps in more detail, and our timeshare call list tracks numbers and patterns tied to reported exit-scam outreach.

What if I inherited a timeshare I never wanted?

Inherited timeshares are one of the most common reasons people search for exit help, and the options are narrower than for original buyers. You generally cannot rescind, since the rescission window applied to the original purchaser, not the heir. Your choices are: disclaim the inheritance formally through the probate process before you accept it (talk to the estate's attorney, this has a strict timing requirement under state probate law), negotiate a deed-back with the resort as a new owner, or sell or give it away like any other resale. If the estate has already closed and the timeshare deed is in your name, you're treated as a full owner with full payment obligations going forward, so the deed-back and resale paths above apply directly to you. Contact the resort's owner services line early. Some resorts have specific inherited-owner surrender processes since they'd rather take it back than chase an unwilling heir through collections.

Do I need a lawyer, an exit company, or can I do this myself?

If you're inside your rescission window, you don't need to pay anyone. Send the written cancellation notice yourself, by certified mail, before the deadline, and keep proof of delivery. If you're past rescission and the resort has a deed-back program, you can also usually handle that yourself with phone calls and paperwork, no fee required beyond whatever transfer or recording fee the resort charges. A lawyer becomes worth the cost when there's a specific legal claim, like a sales presentation that violated your state's disclosure statute, or a contract dispute over fees you believe were charged improperly. A paid exit service can be worth it if you've hit a wall with the resort directly and want someone experienced in that specific resort's deed-back process, but vet them hard using the scam checklist above, and never pay the full fee upfront. Some owners use a structured self-directed approach instead of hiring a full-service exit company: a one-time kit that walks through the rescission letter, deed-back request template, and documentation checklist without a middleman doing the negotiating for you. ExitHonest's $149 one-time Exit Kit Builder is built for that self-directed path (see the exit kit builder); it's not a law firm, doesn't contact the resort on your behalf, and doesn't promise a specific outcome, but it gives you the same documents and sequence a paid service would use, at a fraction of the cost most exit companies charge upfront.

Frequently asked questions

How to get out of a timeshare if I'm still within the rescission period?

Send written cancellation notice, by certified mail with return receipt or the method your contract specifies, before your state's deadline. Confirm your exact window and start date with your state's statute or attorney general's office, since some states start the count at signing and others at document delivery. This is the fastest, usually free, way out.

How do you get out of a timeshare after the rescission window has closed?

Ask the resort about a deed-back or surrender program first, since many major brands now accept unwanted timeshares back, sometimes for a small transfer fee. If that fails, try resale (even at steep discount or free) or a vetted paid exit service. There's no way to void a valid, past-rescission contract by letter alone.

How to sell a timeshare when nobody seems to want it?

List it through the resort's own resale program if it has one, or a licensed broker on a marketplace like RedWeek. Price it realistically, often near zero, since resale values are far below purchase price. Never pay an upfront marketing or listing fee; legitimate brokers take commission from a completed sale only.

How to get rid of a timeshare I can no longer afford?

Contact owner services and ask about financial hardship deed-back options before falling behind on payments, since some resorts will negotiate a surrender for owners who are current or only slightly behind. Falling into default first often forecloses that option and can trigger foreclosure or credit damage on the loan portion.

Are timeshares scams, or is the exit industry the real problem?

Timeshares are a legal, state-regulated product, not a scam by definition, though sales tactics are often criticized as high-pressure. The bigger scam risk today is in the exit industry: companies charging large upfront fees for fast cancellations that never happen, a pattern the FTC has documented in multiple enforcement actions.

How much is a timeshare on average?

ARDA's industry data has put the average price of a newly purchased timeshare interval in the low-to-mid $20,000s in recent years, though prices range from a few thousand dollars for smaller units to well over $100,000 for prime weeks at flagship resorts. Resale prices run far lower, often close to zero.

How much do timeshares cost per year in maintenance fees?

Average annual maintenance fees have run around $1,000 to $1,200 industry-wide according to ARDA-affiliated survey data, and they typically rise several percent each year. Special assessments for major repairs or storm damage can add thousands more in a single year, separate from the regular fee.

How much are timeshares if I buy resale instead of new?

Resale prices for the same week or points package can run 70% to 90% below the original developer price, sometimes down to $1 plus transfer fees, because resale demand is thin and developers control most primary sales channels. You still owe full annual maintenance fees regardless of what you paid to acquire it.

How to sell timeshare without paying an upfront fee?

Use a licensed resale broker who works on commission taken from the sale price, or list it yourself on marketplaces like RedWeek or Timeshare Users Group. Any company asking for payment before a buyer is found or a deed transfer is complete is a major scam signal based on FTC enforcement records against timeshare resale companies.

What is 'Lonestar timeshare exit' specifically?

It's a name associated with a Texas-connected timeshare exit service or marketing campaign, not a government agency or official program. Verify any company using this or a similar name through the Texas Secretary of State's business filings and the Texas Attorney General's consumer complaint search before paying anything.

Can I just stop paying my timeshare maintenance fees to force an exit?

No, and doing so can trigger foreclosure on the deed, damage to your credit, and in some states a deficiency judgment for the balance owed. Stopping payment is not a legitimate exit strategy on its own; talk to an attorney about your specific contract before making that decision.

Does Texas have a specific timeshare cancellation law?

Yes. Texas Property Code Section 221.041 gives timeshare purchasers a right to cancel within six days after signing or after receiving the required public offering statement, whichever is later. Confirm the exact deadline and required notice method in your contract and with the Texas Secretary of State or Attorney General's consumer resources, since specifics can change.

Should I hire a timeshare exit company or handle it myself?

If you're still in your rescission window or the resort has a deed-back program, you can usually handle it yourself with no fee. Hire a company or attorney only after those free paths fail, and only if the fee structure is milestone-based, in writing, with no guaranteed outcome promised.

Sources

1. Texas Attorney General, Consumer Protection: How to check for complaints against a company and file one in Texas
2. FTC v. Timeshare Termination Team, LLC (FTC press release and stipulated order): FTC enforcement action describing upfront-fee timeshare exit and resale scam patterns and settlement terms
3. Texas Property Code Section 221.041: Texas statutory basis for timeshare purchaser cancellation rights and the six-day rescission period
4. American Resort Development Association (ARDA), State of the Vacation Timeshare Industry (summary via ARDA press materials): Average purchase price of a timeshare interval and average annual maintenance fee figures
5. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Complaint Bulletin on timeshare-related complaints: Federal data source tracking consumer complaint patterns relevant to timeshare financing and exit issues