Homeowners Association

What is a homeowners association? A homeowners association is formed after the majority of  unit sales at a resort or condominium have been closed. The homeowners association is a legal entity incorporated by the developer to release the management of a resort or condominium to the owners.

How does the homeowners association work? A Board of Directors is elected; all Board members must be owners at the resort. The Board of Directors makes all of the decisions regarding the management of the resort and has contracted Defender Resorts to manage the day-to-day operations, collect maintenance fees, and pay association bills.

What is the Master Deed and Bylaws? The homeowners association is incorporated as a not-for-profit organization to manage the property for the owners. A "Master Deed" and "Bylaws" are recorded at the county courthouse by the developer. These documents dictate that the association will be run by the owners, as elected to a Board of Directors, and bound by the provisions in the Master Deed. 

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Deeds

What is a deed? A deed is a legal document filed with the county to record you as the legal owner of a property. You legally own this property until a deed is prepared and recorded with the county to transfer ownership. 

How should my deed be written for multiple owners? If your deed lists the Grantees as "Joint Tenants in Common" and one of you dies, you will not be able to sell your week until the estate is settled.  Legally, you only own half of the week.
Another option is to have the Grantees listed as "Joint Tenants with Rights of Survivorship." This terminology means that the surviving spouse is automatically the owner of the property.

I've sold my week…now what do I do? You should always request a copy of the new "recorded" deed to make sure that the transaction has been completed legally. Please send a copy of the recorded deed and the new owner's contact information to Defender Resorts, Inc., PO Box 3849, Myrtle Beach, SC 29578-3849, so that we will have the correct information. In addition, there is a $32.00 transfer fee payable to Defender Resorts, Inc. 

How do I get a copy of my deed? Here is the contact information for the county deeds offices for resorts by location.

For resorts located in South Carolina:
      Horry County Register of Deeds:  843-915-5000 or www.horrycounty.org

For resorts located in Ocean City, MD:
      Worcester County Land Records: 410-632-0686 or www.mdlandrec.net

For Ponds at Foxhollow (leases):
      Berkshire Middle District Registry of Deeds:  413-443-7438

For Beachside Village:
      Barnstable County Register of Deeds:  413-443-7438

For Turtle Reef Condominiums:
      St. Lucie County Register of Deeds: 772-462-6928 or www.oncore.slclerkofcourt.com

For Ventura at Boca Raton:
      Palm Beach County: 561-355-2996 or www.mypalmbeachclerk.com

How do I change or add a name to a deed? We recommend that you use an attorney to avoid any mistakes, however you can prepare and file a deed yourself and file it at the County Register of Deeds where the property is located.  Please note that Defender Resorts, Inc. does not handle deed preparation.

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 Paying Maintenance Fees

When are maintenance fees due? For most resorts, the maintenance fees are due every year in January or February.  Some resorts are billed monthly or quarterly, but your first billing will be sent between October and December before the billing year begins. For most resorts, you are not allowed to use your week until your maintenance fees have been paid or you have signed up for a monthly draft payment.

Where and how can I pay my maintenance fees?

If you pay by check:

1) Quickest way - take the stub from your bill and mail it with your check using the enclosed envelope addressed to Charlotte, NC.

2) Login to your bank website and set up a payment - please use your resort address for mailing your payment. BB&T will not process a check at Charlotte, NC that does not include a billing stub. Payments sent to Charlotte, NC without a billing stub can take up to two weeks to be deposited since it will be forwarded to the Defender Resorts office in Myrtle Beach, SC for processing.

3) Go to your resort website and fill out the ACH form to pay 12 monthly payments from January through December.

4) Mail your check to your resort address or Defender Resorts, Inc., PO Box 3849, Myrtle Beach, SC 29578-3849.

If you pay by credit card (there will be a convenience fee to offset bank charges):

1) Quickest way - Go to your resort website and pay online - Visa, Mastercard and Discover (some resorts take American Express). The link to pay online is located on the Owner Resources page of your resort website.

2) Call your resort and pay over the telephone - Visa, Mastercard and Discover (some resorts take American Express).

If you pay by cash:

1) Pay at your resort - for security reasons, please do not mail cash.

Please allow 7 - 10 days for your payment to be received and processed.

What if I don't get a bill? Please contact your resort or Defender Resorts to let us know that you have not received your bill. If you have moved in the last year, the Post Office will not forward mail from us because we need to know if your address has changed. It is your responsibility to contact us with your new billing address. If there are multiple owners, there must be one person designated to receive all mailings. 

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What if I can't use my week?

How do I rent my week? You may rent your week through any agent or yourself, but Defender Resorts has a rental program through your resort. If you notify your resort that you would like to rent your week, they will send you the paperwork to sign and return. Defender Resorts will issue a check to you for the rental income the month following the check-out day of your week.

How do I exchange my week? There are exchange companies that you may join that are affiliated with your resort. If you are a member of an exchange company and have paid your maintenance fees for the year in which you are exchanging, your resort will release your week to the exchange company. There are website links to RCI and Interval International on the Defender Resorts website. You must contact the exchange company and pay them a membership fee to be able to exchange your week.  Once you join an exchange company, you may "bank" your week with them and get a vacation in another location. 

How do I let other family members use my week? Contact your resort and let them know who will be using your week.

What if I want to sell my week?

How do I choose a sales company? There are many timeshare sales companies that you can use to buy or sell your week.  We have found that the key to a good choice is to never pay any money upfront to these companies.

Defender Resorts has a realty division, Defender Realty, that offers sales, purchases, and property management. For more information, visit www.defenderrealty.com.

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