Investments Vacation Management and Grand Luxe Management Solutions

~~#A94717:June 21, 2012:To the Point:::

We are seeing a pattern repeated by scam companies. It goes like this:

• Cold call comes from someone interested in buying weeks or contracts...
• The caller has a buyer...
• The price is $4,000 to $5,000 per week...
• The buyer wants five or more weeks...or...
• Buyer wants to buy contract for $97,000...
• Total transaction - $20,000 to $60,000 or more...
• Commission is 5% to 6% to 8%...
• Guaranteed...everything is guaranteed...
• No up front fees...never any up front fees...
• Standard language about title, warranties, etc....
• Plus...seller (that's you and me) must deliver title free of encumbrances...
• Sign the letter of intent and the caller will send on the contracts.

The stage is set.

We all know about our favorite Charles Schultz characters Charlie Brown and Lucy. Charlie wants to kick that ball so far and so badly, he comes back year after year at the beginning of football season. And Lucy, being the great psychiatrist that she is, knows how badly Charlie wants to kick that ball!

I know...get to the point!

Lucy pulls the ball away every time! Charlie Brown is on his back...every time.

The contracts to sell require the Seller to pay fees outside of escrow...every time. Once paid, the seller is out his money...every time.

Protect yourself in a couple of simple ways:

• Require all fees to be paid by the seller to be paid out of the proceeds of sale.
• Require all payments to be wired directly to your account.
• Conduct simple due diligence, like find out if the office address listed on the stationary actually exists and the building manager tells you the company actually pays rent.

Charles Schultz was wonderful. He could make us laugh at events that occurred over and over again.

Unfortunately, it is no laughing matter when we lose thousands of dollars because we are like Charlie Brown...and want something so badly, we overlook common sense.

Does this letter of intent look familiar?

It should because it is a common format used by companies that are intent on picking up the ball just before you make contact for that perfect kick.

Note: This is the response to an email we sent to the property manager of the building located at the address in the above letter:{DIV(type=blockquote width=650px align=justify)}red:Mr. Jones,

Following-up on your e-mail below to Chip Colvill, as you are aware, IVM represents to be a timeshare reseller, and lists a 5847 San Felipe St. Houston, TX 77057 address on their website (www.investmentsvacationmanagement.com)

{DIV(type=span bg=yellow)}IVM is not a Tenant of San Felipe Plaza, located at 5847 San Felipe Street, Houston, TX 77057. IVM is not listed nor do they office in the building. Thomas Properties Group, building owner, is taking steps to stop IVM