Centerstone Group
Centerstone Group Review
Centerstone Group (also known as Centerstone Group, Inc.) is headquartered in Costa Mesa, California. Even though they claim to have 30 years of experience in exiting timeshares, this business has only been around since February 2020. That statement may be referring to the combined timeshare experience of their three staff members. Albeit not all of their combined expertise has been on the exit service side.
Centerstone Group is the newest venture of owner Mark Weaver who also started Weaver Travel Services in December 2019. At this time, Weaver Travel has no website or social media presence. However, it does have a 1-star rating on its non-accredited BBB page.
Way back in 2010, Mark started Timeshare Advocates, LLC. in Thousand Oaks, CA, although no record of a website or reviews are online currently.
Even though Centerstone Group is relatively new to the timeshare exit industry, they have some reasonable solutions to get out of your timeshare.
Cancel Your Timeshare!
Three-pronged Approach to Timeshare Exiting
Centerstone Group offers three exit options. Let’s look at each level of the process, which begins with Timeshare Transfer, next is something they’ve coined as Pressure Campaign, and finally, the Attorney Exit solution.
Timeshare Transfer
By their own admission, Centerstone has forged partnerships with timeshare transfer companies. In other words, Centerstone may earn a referral fee for sending their clients to a certain transfer company.
“When initiating a timeshare exit transfer, the transferee is technically taking over your timeshare obligations, and often we (you’ll) need to pay the receiving party to take the timeshare off your hands.” – Cornerstone Group
Note: this option is only available to owners who have paid off their mortgage in full and have no outstanding maintenance fees. This scenario is rare for owners looking to get out of their timeshare contract.
Pressure Campaign
This poorly titled option suggests that Centerstone does not have strong, positive connections with developers and must pressure them to accept the terms of their clients’ cancellation requests. Though writing well-worded letters are standard with all timeshares exit companies, the top-rated ones have forged relationships with developers. Centerstone further claims to write social media/review site campaigns and regulatory complaints online. It’s unclear on its website how this would help you personally.
Attorney Exit
This is the most expensive option. For the attorney to cancel your timeshare contract, deceit must have played a role somewhere during the buying process. In other words, if you’ve been misled in any way by a timeshare salesperson, you’ll most likely have a case. Remember, timeshare is not real estate; most law firms do not specifically practice timeshare exit law for each state. Be sure to check out the law firm’s track record of successful timeshare termination.
Do-it-yourself Exit Options
Yes. Is it a hassle? Also, yes. But if you’re determined to save money and don’t mind putting in the time and research, this option may be worth a second look.
- Should I hire my own attorney to cancel my contract instead?
Most attorneys are not versed in timeshare exiting. Unless the firm has solid, long-term relationships with the developers, it’s better to hire an exit company that uses specific law firms well-versed in exiting laws.
- Will an exit company tell me how to cancel my timeshare on my own?
Sometimes. There are exit companies that have do-it-yourself exit packets if you want to give it a try. Know that these packets are full of sage advice in timeshare exiting so it will cost you. Some exit companies charge as much as $3,000 for a packet. That is still less than hiring the company to do it for you, but you will spend valuable time doing what needs to be done and in the end, there is no guarantee of success.
The Pros and Cons of Centerstone Group
Pros
- Although there are very few reviews on Google, the majority seem to be positive.
- They offer access to tax attorneys who will fight to make sure your timeshare company does not saddle you with an unfair tax bill associated with your release. However, we do not know the extra cost of this service.
Cons
- Centerstone Group can’t work with most timeshare owners outside of the United States.
- They won’t work with low maintenance fee timeshares.
Protecting Your Credit
Centerstone also provides cost-free credit monitoring. “We will work with you to make sure that your credit is repaired if anything transpires.” -Cornerstone Group
This statement directly from Centerstone’s website indicates that customers may have complained about negative credit hits on their credit reports.
Note: It’s easier to set up processes that block negative reviews from happening than to have them removed.
Selling the Dream
What once made sense to you on paper now seems preposterous. You may even feel embarrassed for buying into the scam. It’s not your fault. There are so many lies that the industry will tell you just to get more of your hard-earned money, but now you’ve seen the light and want out. And the good news is, it’s not too late!
Three Questions to ask Centerstone Group During Your Consultation
- Will I have direct access to my assigned attorney or transfer company?
Why is this important? Because delayed communication between you and the Seaside and Seaside and the lawyers you don’t have direct access to could cost you valuable time and money. Having your lawyer’s contact information shows trust and transparency in an exit company.
- Do you have a money-back guarantee if you can’t get me out of my timeshare contract within a reasonable amount of time? If so, how much of my money will I get back?
Read the fine print. A 100% money-back guarantee means different things to different exit companies. Ask questions. Know what to expect if your exit company can’t release you from your contract. Get a timeframe, in writing, as to when you’ll receive your money and how much to expect.
- Do you have an escrow option included with your services? If so, how much does it cost?
The offer of an escrow account is imperative. It is a secure place where your money is held until the exit company fulfills its promises. You’d think this option would be free of charge, but most time, it is not. Know where your money is going to be placed and the exact costs of this service.
Trustpilot
You can research nearly all timeshare companies on here. However, Centerstone Group, or Centerstongroup on Trustpilot, has zero reviews as of this publication, which we find odd as TrustPilot is a top source for trusted company reviews. Also, this profile hasn’t been claimed by the company.
Is Centerstone Group a Scam or Legit?
- We checked the Better Business Bureau for complaints.
- We checked the BBB for ratings to see if they are legitimate. They have an A- rating with the Better Business Bureau.
- With a traditional timeshare cancellation company, cost/price will vary case by case depending on many factors. You will rarely see one size fits all pricing. Centerstone Group may charge you before or after your timeshare is sold or cancelled.
- We checked for prior cancellations to see if this company was legitimate. There appears to be a large number of timeshares sold/transferred by Centerstone Group.
- Based on our research we think that Centerstone Group is legitimate.
FAQ
One of their frequently asked questions on the FAQ page is, “How do you get me out?” Let’s break down the answer below.
Centerstone Group is the only timeshare exit firm that utilizes our proprietary 3-pronged process.
This is untrue as almost all timeshare exit companies use some sort of tiered process, albeit the steps are all called something different.
Additionally, we successfully negotiate releases with clients in as short as a month and average quicker resolutions overall than anyone other timeshare exit company or law firm.
We will admit, “in as short as a month” is pretty clever wording and would get our attention. We are not saying it can’t happen, but the odds of canceling a timeshare contract with a developer in a month is highly unlikely. Instead, this could be referring to the fact that Seaside may offer owners an option to put their timeshare on the resell market or offer to buy it directly from them for free, which would take significantly less time.
Final Word
The first rule when hiring a timeshare exit company is to trust your instincts. After your standard free consultation, if you do not feel comfortable with the other person or the information given, do not go through with the transaction.
Here at Cancel Timeshare Reviews, our researchers have taken the time to research Centerstone Group, Inc. and have found it a subpar option for your timeshare exit needs. There are better exit companies out there so shop around before committing to a timeshare exit company.