How to get out of a diamond resorts timeshare

Last updated 2026-07-24

how do you get out of a Diamond Resorts timeshare

Diamond Resorts is now part of Hilton Grand Vacations, which completed its acquisition of Diamond in August 2021, folding Diamond's roughly 200 destinations into HGV's network as reported in HGV's SEC filings for that period ^[1]. If you bought recently enough to still be inside your state's rescission period, that's your fastest and only guaranteed-free way out. Outside that window, your realistic paths are: a deed-back or surrender program through the company, a private resale (usually for pennies or a token amount), a documented gift or transfer to someone willing to take it, or, in rare hardship cases, letting a foreclosure happen and taking the credit hit. There's no secret legal maneuver that erases a valid contract. Every option involves either the resort agreeing to take the deed back, a buyer agreeing to take it off your hands, or you defaulting and accepting the consequences. Anyone who tells you there's a guaranteed loophole is selling you something. Start by pulling your actual purchase contract and points statement. Diamond used a points-based system (Diamond Collection points) rather than fixed weeks for most of its later sales, and HGV has been migrating owners onto its own Max points platform. What you signed, and when, changes which exit options apply to you.

how to get out of a timeshare during the rescission period

Every state gives timeshare buyers a rescission period, a short window after signing when you can cancel for any reason and get your money back, no explanation required. The length varies a lot by state, so confirm your state's rescission window rather than assuming a number. Florida, where a large share of Diamond/HGV resorts sell contracts, gives buyers 10 calendar days under Fla. Stat. § 721.10 ^[2]. Other states set different periods, some shorter, some longer, and the clock usually starts the day you sign or the day you receive the public offering statement, whichever is later. To rescind, follow the exact method your contract describes, usually written notice sent by certified mail with a return receipt, not a phone call. Keep a copy of everything and the mailing receipt. State timeshare statutes, including Florida's, generally require that this cancellation right and the procedure for exercising it be disclosed directly in the purchase contract, so read that cancellation clause the same day you sign, not weeks later ^[2]. If you're inside the window right now, stop reading guides about long-term exit strategies and go send that letter today. Every day matters. If you're outside the window, keep going, because your options change but they don't disappear.

how to get out of a timeshare after the rescission period ends

Once rescission has passed, you're a contract holder, not a shopper with buyer's remorse anymore, and the resort has no legal obligation to let you leave early. That said, Hilton Grand Vacations and the legacy Diamond Resorts brand have run deed-back or surrender programs at various points, sometimes called the Transitions program under Diamond, for owners current on payments who want out. These programs are not guaranteed, not advertised loudly, and eligibility criteria (being paid off, current on maintenance fees, no liens) can change without notice. Call owner services directly and ask specifically whether a deed-back, surrender, or transition program is currently available for your contract type. Get any offer in writing before you rely on it. Don't pay a third party a large fee just to make this same phone call for you, you can make it yourself for the cost of a call. If the resort says no, your remaining paths are resale (see below), gifting to a willing relative or friend who understands the ongoing fee obligation, or in genuine financial hardship, working with a real estate attorney or licensed timeshare-specialist attorney in your state to review foreclosure or deed-in-lieu options. None of these are pleasant, and none should cost you thousands of dollars upfront to a company promising a guaranteed release. See our timeshare cancellation guide for a broader walkthrough of these mechanics.

how to sell a Diamond Resorts / HGV timeshare

You can sell a timeshare, but almost none sell for anything close to what owners paid. Consumer research from the American Resort Development Association Foundation has documented that resale prices for points-based timeshares routinely land at a small fraction of the developer price, and many listings on resale sites sit for a dollar or simply go unsold because maintenance fees, not resort quality, are what buyers are trying to avoid taking on. If you want to try: list on an established timeshare resale marketplace, price it low (sometimes $1 plus transfer costs, to be blunt), disclose the current maintenance fee and any special assessments honestly, and expect the buyer to want you to cover closing and transfer fees. Never pay an upfront "buyer's fee" or "listing guarantee" fee to a company that contacts you unsolicited claiming they already have a buyer lined up. That's one of the oldest scripts in timeshare resale fraud. Diamond/HGV's own right of first refusal clauses, common in many timeshare deeds, can also complicate private resale; the resort may have the contractual right to buy back a unit before you can transfer it to an outside buyer, so read your deed before you spend money on a resale listing service.

how much do timeshares cost (purchase price and ongoing fees)

Points-based week (mid-size)	$15,000-$35,000+	$0-$3,000, often under $500
Annual maintenance fee	$900-$1,500+	Same obligation transfers to buyer
Special assessment (storm/reno year)	$500-$2,000 one-time	Same obligation transfers to buyer	These are industry-wide patterns from ARDA survey data and resale marketplace observation, not Diamond-specific guarantees, and your contract's numbers are the only ones that matter for your decision.

Survey-based consumer research from ARDA's research arm has put average purchase prices for a timeshare interval in the range of roughly $20,000 in recent survey years, with average annual maintenance fees commonly cited in the $1,000 to $1,200 range depending on the report year and unit size. Diamond/HGV points packages have historically sold in a similar range or higher depending on points volume, with some buyers financing tens of thousands of dollars at double-digit interest rates through in-house financing. Maintenance fees rise most years, sometimes tied to inflation, sometimes to special assessments for storm damage or renovations. A owner who bought in 2015 for $20,000 may be paying $1,400 or more a year in fees a decade later, with no ability to stop that bill short of exiting the contract entirely. Here's a rough comparison of what owners report paying versus what the same interval is often worth on resale: | Item | Typical developer price | Typical resale value |

are timeshares scams

The timeshare product itself is legal and regulated by state law, it's not inherently a scam, but the sales process has a long, well-documented history of high-pressure tactics, and a separate, very real scam industry has grown up around owners trying to exit. The Federal Trade Commission has brought enforcement actions against so-called timeshare exit and resale companies for taking upfront fees and delivering nothing, including a 2017 case in which the agency alleged a resale operation charged consumers advance fees on false promises of an imminent buyer ^[3]. So the honest answer has two parts. Buying a timeshare from Diamond or HGV directly is a legitimate, if often overpriced and hard-to-exit, product. But if you're now getting cold calls promising to "guarantee" your exit for a large upfront fee, or a company claims a buyer is "already waiting" for your unit, that's the part of the industry that actually is a scam, or close to it. Check any company you're considering against your state attorney general's consumer protection division and the Better Business Bureau before paying anything, and never wire money or pay in gift cards to an exit company, a payment method regulators consistently flag as a hallmark of fraud ^[3].

how to spot a timeshare exit scam targeting Diamond/HGV owners

The scam pattern is consistent enough that you can check for it in five minutes. Red flags include: a large upfront fee (often $2,000 to $10,000) before any work is done, pressure to sign the same day, a claim they work directly with or are endorsed by Diamond or HGV, refusal to give you a written contract with a cancellation clause, and a request to stop paying your maintenance fees or mortgage while they "handle it." That last one deserves its own warning. Do not stop making payments you legally owe on the promise that an exit company is negotiating on your behalf. Missed payments can trigger default, foreclosure proceedings, and credit damage regardless of what the exit company told you, and by the time you realize the company isn't delivering, the damage is already done. Before paying any exit company, search its name plus "complaint" alongside your state attorney general's site and the FTC's complaint database. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services publishes a specific process for filing timeshare-related consumer complaints ^[4]. If a company won't tell you plainly which state it's licensed or registered in, that's your answer. Our timeshare exit companies breakdown covers how to vet one properly, and our timeshare call list has the actual phone numbers and offices worth contacting first.

what if I inherited a Diamond Resorts / HGV timeshare

Inherited timeshares are one of the most common reasons people search for an exit, and the mechanics are a little different. If the estate has already gone through probate and the deed transferred to you, you're now the contract holder with the same obligations as any owner, including back maintenance fees that may have accrued. If probate hasn't closed yet, an executor generally has the option to disclaim or reject the interest on behalf of the estate before it transfers, which can avoid the debt landing on an heir personally, though the exact procedure depends on your state's probate code and is worth a short consult with a probate attorney rather than guessing. Some heirs also successfully negotiate a deed-back with HGV specifically because the company doesn't want to chase a deceased owner's estate for fees either. Don't assume you're stuck just because a relative left you the contract. Call owner services, explain the estate situation, and ask specifically about their inherited-ownership or hardship deed-back process before assuming resale or a paid exit company is your only move.

what does it cost to use an exit company or exit kit instead

Full-service timeshare exit companies commonly charge somewhere between $2,000 and $8,000 or more, paid upfront, with wildly inconsistent track records; some are legitimate law firms, many are not, and the FTC has sued several for deceptive practices ^[3]. That price gap is exactly why a lot of owners look for a middle path: doing the legwork themselves with the right documents and scripts instead of paying a company thousands to make phone calls you can make yourself. That's the gap ExitHonest's $149 one-time Timeshare Exit Kit is built for: a fixed-price set of documents, letter templates, and a research process for your specific situation (rescission, deed-back request, resale prep, or hardship options), without a subscription and without a company claiming they'll "negotiate" anything on your behalf. It won't force Diamond or HGV to release you, nobody can promise that, but it gives you the same tools a paid exit firm would use, at a fraction of the cost. You can look at the exit kit builder to see what's included for your specific contract type.

should I just stop paying my maintenance fees or loan

No. Stopping payment is the single most common mistake owners make when they feel stuck, and it's the one piece of advice you should never take from an exit company. Missed maintenance fee payments typically lead to late fees, loss of usage rights, collections calls, and eventually a lien or foreclosure process on the timeshare interest, which can also hit your credit report. If you genuinely cannot afford the fees, that's a real hardship conversation to have directly with HGV's owner services about a deed-back or surrender, not a reason to go silent. A missed-payment foreclosure does eventually end your ownership, but it comes with credit damage and, in some states, the possibility of a deficiency judgment if there's an outstanding loan balance, more than the maintenance fee. Talk to a nonprofit credit counselor or a real estate attorney in your state before deciding to default on purpose.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get out of a Diamond Resorts timeshare I bought recently?

Check your contract's rescission clause immediately. Every state gives a short cancellation window, sometimes as brief as a few business days, so confirm your state's rescission rule and send written cancellation notice by certified mail exactly as the contract instructs. This is free and the fastest exit if you're still inside the window.

Does Hilton Grand Vacations still run a Diamond Resorts deed-back program?

HGV acquired Diamond Resorts in August 2021 and has periodically offered deed-back or surrender options for eligible, paid-off, fee-current owners under various program names. Availability changes, so call owner services directly and ask what's currently offered for your contract rather than relying on older program names.

How much is a Diamond Resorts timeshare worth on resale?

Often very little, sometimes $0 to a few hundred dollars, since resale demand is low and buyers still take on the annual maintenance fee. Industry survey data from ARDA's research arm shows resale values for points-based timeshares typically run far below original developer prices, and many listings sell for a token $1 just to transfer the fee obligation.

Are timeshares scams?

The core timeshare product is a legal, regulated real estate or points interest, not a scam by itself, though sales tactics are often high-pressure. The real scam risk sits in the exit and resale industry, where the FTC has sued companies for taking large upfront fees and delivering no actual cancellation or sale.

How much do timeshares cost to buy and maintain?

ARDA-affiliated consumer research puts average purchase prices around $20,000 and average annual maintenance fees around $1,000 to $1,200, though both vary widely by resort and unit size. Fees typically rise over time and special assessments can add hundreds or thousands more in a given year.

Can I just stop paying my Diamond Resorts maintenance fees?

Don't. Missed payments lead to late fees, loss of usage rights, collections, and eventual lien or foreclosure action, plus credit damage. If you can't afford the fees, contact owner services about hardship or deed-back options, or talk to a credit counselor or attorney, rather than defaulting silently.

How do I sell my Diamond Resorts or HGV timeshare?

List it on an established resale marketplace at a realistic (often very low) price, disclose current fees honestly, and check your deed for a right-of-first-refusal clause that may let the resort buy it back before an outside sale. Never pay upfront fees to a company claiming it already has a buyer waiting.

What happens if I inherited a Diamond Resorts timeshare I don't want?

If the estate hasn't finished probate, an executor may be able to disclaim the interest before it transfers to you, avoiding the debt personally, depending on your state's probate code. If it already transferred, call owner services about inherited-ownership deed-back options before assuming you're stuck.

How do I know if a timeshare exit company is a scam?

Watch for large upfront fees, same-day pressure, claims of an existing buyer, refusal to provide a written cancellation-friendly contract, or advice to stop paying your fees or loan. Verify any company against your state attorney general's consumer protection page and the Better Business Bureau before paying anything.

What is the rescission period for a Diamond Resorts or HGV timeshare?

It depends entirely on the state where you signed. Florida law, for example, sets a 10-calendar-day rescission period under Fla. Stat. § 721.10. Always confirm your specific state's rescission window and follow the exact cancellation method your contract describes, in writing, before that window closes.

Will a foreclosure on a timeshare hurt my credit?

Yes. A timeshare foreclosure can appear on your credit report similarly to other real estate foreclosures and may lower your score for years. If there's an outstanding loan balance, some states also allow a deficiency judgment for the remaining amount owed after foreclosure sale.

Is a $149 timeshare exit kit worth it compared to a $5,000 exit company?

A fixed-price document and letter-template kit can't guarantee a cancellation, no legitimate service can, but it gives you the same research and paperwork tools a paid exit firm uses at a fraction of the cost. It makes the most sense for owners willing to make their own calls to owner services and file their own paperwork.

Sources

1. Hilton Grand Vacations Inc., Form 8-K filing on completion of Diamond Resorts acquisition: HGV completed its acquisition of Diamond Resorts in August 2021
2. Florida Legislature, Fla. Stat. § 721.10: Florida sets a 10-calendar-day rescission period for timeshare purchases
3. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, timeshare complaint guidance: Consumers should understand contract default and cancellation terms, which are governed by state law and the contract itself
4. Federal Trade Commission v. Vacation Ownership Group / resale scam enforcement summary: FTC has sued timeshare exit and resale companies for taking upfront fees without delivering promised cancellations or sales
5. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, consumer complaint guidance: State consumer protection offices, including Florida's, provide channels and guidance for filing complaints about timeshare-related fraud