Timeshare Damaged Credit Pursuing 1st Rental Property

[Kay Harts]

My husband & I are eager to purchase our 1st rental property, but we're challenged by financing it.  My credit score has always been in the mid to upper 700's but was badly damaged by a timeshare that I purchased over 20 years ago.  I never used it, paid off the property in full, but stopped paying the monthly maintenance fee in 2012.  This was after paying 3 different agencies over a total $5000, writing the IL State's Attorney, BBB and all members of the timeshare corporate office.  I pleaded with ARI Timeshare Resorts to just take back the paid-in-full timeshare.  They responded that I'm a member for life.  They wouldn't let the agencies I paid buy the property because they refused to sell to a 3rd party.  Out of  desperation & frustration I took the advice to not pay the maintenance for 7 years then request that the credit bureaus remove it.   It is now 6 years of non-payment and the one lender who is willing to finance our first property is requiring that I first catch-up the maintenance fees from the past 6 years.  I have one year left before I can request it's removal with the credit bureaus.  Does any one have suggestions?  Have I been misadvised regarding the 7 years of non-payment?  How should we proceed?