Your timeshare seemed like a fantastic idea when you bought it, or else you wouldn’t have spent that money. Now, though, it just doesn’t fit anymore. You don’t want to lose your investment, but you also don’t want to keep spending money on something that isn’t serving your needs.
When it’s time to break free of a timeshare commitment, most timeshare owners will hire a “timeshare exit” company to help them manage the process. One of the company’s owners turn to is Primo Management Group. Here is what we know about them.
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Who is Primo Management Group and What Do They Do?
Primo Management Group is a company based out in Florida. It was founded by Israel (Izzy) Sanchez Jr., a former Marine, in 2015. According to the company’s website, PMG is devoted to helping people get out of their timeshare contracts. In his statement on the PMG website, Sanchez writes:
“Today I consider [semper fi] to be my own motto for life, so I draw no distinction between the Corps back then and our clients today. At PMG, we pledge an oath of faithfulness to our clients. We do this by placing their interests above our own, and by doing what’s right for them, not necessarily what’s easiest for us.”
It is important that you understand that the people who work at PMG are not lawyers and do not offer legal services. In fact, the first line of the footer on the PMG website reads: “Primo Management Group is not a law firm. We do not provide legal services whatsoever.”
This is interesting because the company also makes it very clear that it only helps customers get out of their contracts. According to their FAQ:
“PMG is not a resale, transfer, or donation company. We are consumer advocates — we help to negotiate the release of your timeshare contract obligation. We do not buy, sell, or rent your timeshare. Simply put, we help you to get out of your timeshare contract forever.”
How do they help you negotiate or cancel a contract without dealing with the legal side of your timeshare ownership? This is definitely something you should ask if you take them up on their offers for a free consultation or a free agreement review.
It is also a good idea to have your own lawyer look over any contract PMG wants you to sign before you sign it or pay them any money.
Primo Management Group Timeshare Exit Costs
According to the PMG site, your timeshare exit cost is going to depend on a variety of factors. Here is what the company writes in its FAQ:
“…our trained timeshare elimination consultants will ask you a series of questions designed to determine exactly what needs to be done to terminate your timeshare, how long it will take, and how they can best advocate for you. We will always seek the most cost-effective route for you.”
However, based on customer reviews, it looks like costs typically range from $3,000 to $8,000.
Can You Trust Primo Management Group?
Though not accredited, Primo Management Group has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. It has an A rating with the Business Consumer Alliance. As of mid-November 2021, it is not listed on TrustPilot.
What’s Good About Primo Management Group?
With both the BBB and the BCA, Primo Management Group has been good about responding to customer comments, suggestions, and complaints. It looks like they really do work to resolve issues in a timely and fair manner.
The company also has a “100% Money Back Guarantee.” They promise that if they can’t get you out of your contract, any money you pay them will be refunded. They do not say if there are limitations to this offer. Nonetheless, it’s a good sign that you aren’t dealing with a scammer.
What’s Bad About Primo Management Group?
While not necessarily bad, it is interesting that PMG’s Buzzfile page lists the company as primarily engaged in manufacturing, importing, and exporting.
As previously mentioned, the site makes it very clear that the company is not a law firm and does not provide legal services. Even so, the company is also upfront about the fact that it only does one thing: get you out of your timeshare contract. This is strange since the management of contracts is a legal matter and disputes are overseen in the court system.
Another flaw is that the company does require upfront payment before they will officially start work on your case. As you already know, upfront payments are risky. This is true in any industry! But with an upfront payment, you have no protection if the company files for bankruptcy, leaving you without your money, but still stuck with your timeshare.
Lawsuits Against Primo Management Group
In June 2021, Diamond Resorts and Diamond Resorts Hawaii filed a lawsuit against Primo Management Group and its founder, Israel Sanchez Jr. That lawsuit is still in process. As of this writing, the most recent information available says that a mediator has been assigned to the case.
Another lawsuit was brought against Primo Management Group, Israel Sanchez Jr., and Sean Chesser in January 2019. This was based on a Fair Labor Standards Act allegation. That case was settled in July of that same year.
Online Reputation
The vast majority of Primo Management Group’s customer reviews are positive. In addition to their high marks with the Better Business Bureau and the Business Consumer Alliance, PMG also has high ratings on Google, Yelp, and social media.
As of this writing:
Google has 511 reviews for PMG. 98% of those reviews are four stars and up.
A review from early November 2021 from “TM Palmer” reads:
Even a negative reviewer named “Jenny Greenleaf” had some nice things to say about PMG.
Yelp has only eight reviews which, honestly, seems high since Yelp is primarily used to review local businesses. Of those eight reviews, only one is negative and it was posted in 2018. Every other review is positive.
One thing that helps keep the company’s reputation high is that it directly and publicly responds to reviewers on these sites. Complaints get resolved, usually to the satisfaction of the customer. At the very least, the company is able to provide the BBB and BCA with documentation proving their case if they cannot resolve a negative review the way a customer wants.
Primo Management Group Website
The Primo Management Group website is slick, professional, and easy to navigate Their contact number, as well as a link for zoom chatting, are prominently displayed in the header.
The site has a live chat feature that lets site visitors ask questions to company representatives — if those questions happen during business hours. Outside of business hours, the live chat feature becomes a submission form for questions and comments.
Other positives include a general information blog about timeshares, a free downloadable guide for getting out of a timeshare, and client testimonials in both written and video formats.
What the website lacks, however, is real substance. There is very little concrete information about what this company does and how they do it. This is hidden behind a veneer of “every case is different” explanations. However true that may be, it would be better if they could share some details with potential clients before they get that person’s contact information.
Social Media Presence
Primo Management Group has a public Facebook page, where they list themselves as a “Consulting Agency.” Facebook reviewers (there are 84) give them a 4.5-star rating. The page gets updated sporadically, and its pinned post is from 2019.
PMG also has a Twitter account, with 255 followers as of this writing. The most recent tweet is from March. Before the March tweet, it was updated regularly.
You can also find PMG on Instagram, though most of their uploads are stock photos. They did have fun with the Bernie Sanders meme that went around after the inauguration, though!
While PMG has a page on LinkedIn, it is not active. The company says it is in the business of “alternative dispute resolution.” They published one video three years ago, and since then no videos or posts have gone up.
The Bottom Line
All in all, it looks like the people who have worked with Primo Management Group have been pretty happy. The reviews are overwhelmingly positive. There are some lingering concerns about their ability to negotiate contracts when the company insists that it does not provide legal services of any kind. That said, the company looks legit and if nothing else, that free consultation could be educational!
FAQs
Primo Management Group was founded and, as far as we could tell, is still owned by Israel (Izzy) Sanchez Jr.
PMG is headquartered in Orlando, Fla.
According to Google, PMG is open Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time.
Other than A ratings with the BBB and BCA, we could not find any official endorsements for PMG.
924 N Magnolia Ave Suite 202 PMB 1293 Orlando, FL 32803
(407) 942-7774
info@pmanagementgroup.com
Their site also has a live chat/email feature that you can use.