Title 44, Chapter 3, Section 175
( 44-3-175)
(a) A developer of a time-share program shall: (1) Deposit with an escrow agent 100 percent of all funds which
are received during the seven-day cancellation period provided for
in this article. The deposit of such funds shall be evidenced by
an executed escrow agreement between the escrow agent and the
developer, the provisions of which shall include: (A) That its purpose is to protect the purchaser's right to a
refund if he or she cancels the sales agreement for a time-share
interval within a seven-day cancellation period; (B) That funds may be disbursed to the developer by the escrow
agent from the escrow account only after expiration of the
purchaser's seven-day cancellation period and in accordance with
the sales agreement; and (C) That the escrow agent may release funds to the developer
from the escrow account only after receipt of a sworn statement
from the developer that no cancellation notice was received
before expiration of the seven-day period; (2) Deposit with an escrow agent after the seven-day cancellation
period 100 percent of all funds which are received from purchasers
of time-share uses. The deposit of such funds shall be evidenced
by an executed escrow agreement between the escrow agent and the
developer, the provisions of which shall include: (A) That its purpose is to protect the purchaser's right to a
refund, at any time the accommodations or facilities are no
longer available as provided in the sales agreement entered into
by the developer and the purchaser in an amount provided for in
subparagraph (B) of this paragraph; (B) That funds may be disbursed to the developer by the escrow
agent from the escrow account periodically in the ratio of the
amount of time the purchaser has already used or had the right
to use the accommodations or facilities of the time-share use at
the time of the disbursement in relation to the total time sold
to the purchaser; and (C) That the escrow agent may release funds to the developer
from the escrow account only after receipt of a statement signed
by the purchaser indicating that such purchaser has used or has
had the right to use a specific number of days out of the total
time period purchased. If a purchaser refuses to sign such a
statement when tendered, the developer may submit a sworn
statement to the escrow agent that the purchaser used or had the
right to use a specific number of days, but that the purchaser
refused to sign a statement to that effect; (3) Place 100 percent of all funds received from purchasers of
such time-share intervals, after the seven-day cancellation
periods have ended, in an escrow account when interests in real
property are being sold, according to a sales agreement which will
transfer title to the purchasers. The establishment of such an
escrow account shall be evidenced by an executed escrow agreement
between the escrow agent and the developer, the provisions of
which shall include: (A) That its purpose is to protect all deposits and payments
made by a purchaser toward the purchase price until the deed is
delivered to the purchaser, whether physically or by recording
the same, or until the purchaser and developer enter into a
sales agreement which will transfer title to the purchaser; and (B) That funds may be disbursed to the developer by the escrow
agent from the escrow account only after title has been
delivered to the purchaser physically or delivered for recording
to the clerk of the superior court in the county where the real
property underlying the time-share project is located or at such
other time as may be agreed upon in writing by the purchaser and
developer. However, in the case of a time-share estate sold by
agreement for deed, funds may only be disbursed to the developer
after recording of the agreement for deed and, if necessary, a
notice to creditors with secured interests in the property
underlying the time-share project and, if the property is
encumbered by a deed to secure debt or mortgage instrument, a
nondisturbance instrument has been recorded in the public
records of the county or counties in which the time-share is
located; or alternatively, after the developer records a notice
to the aforesaid creditors and obtains a release of lien for a
time-share interval, funds may be disbursed pertaining to that
time-share interval; and (4) Place any funds escrowed pursuant to this Code section with an
escrow agent who shall be one of the following: an attorney in
this state, a bank or savings and loan company having trust powers
in this state, a title company in this state, or a real estate
broker in this state. In lieu of the foregoing, the funds may be
escrowed in an account required by the jurisdiction in which the
sale of the time-share took place. The developer must notify the
purchaser of the name and address of the escrow agent or the name,
address, and account number of the bank or savings and loan
company where the developer maintains the funds. Maintenance of
trust funds and disbursements by an escrow agent in another state
must be in accordance with the provisions of this article. The
escrow agreement shall authorize the purchaser or the purchaser's
representative to examine said trust account. (b) An escrow agent holding funds escrowed pursuant to this Code
section may invest such escrowed funds in securities of the United
States government, or any agency thereof, or in savings or time
deposits in institutions insured by an agency of the United States
government. The right to receive the interest generated by any such
investments shall be as specified by a written agreement between the
developer and the purchaser. (c) Each escrow agent shall maintain separate books and records for
each time-share project and shall maintain such books and records
according to generally accepted accounting principles. |