Timeshare ownership requires that yearly maintenance fees be paid by the owners to assure that the resort is kept up to date and well maintained. These fees cover the cost of running the resort, landscaping, physical property maintenance, insurance, utilities, and replacement of fixtures, furniture and appliances. Maintenance fees also cover the costs of special events and entertainment offered by the resort, as well as offsetting the cost of reduced airfare, car rentals and event tickets. How much you will be held responsible for when calculating yearly maintenance fees depends on what type of time share you own.
Read the rest of this entry »

In the early 2000’s, timeshare began to lose some of the gains in made in the late 1990’s. The 90’s were a great time for timesharing, with resorts seeing increases in profitability and property ownership, and it seemed as though timeshare was finally beginning to emerge from the dark cloud of dishonest salespersons, one-star resorts and false promises that tarnished their reputation during the development boom of the 1980’s. As of 2000, resort occupancies were down and the values for properties, as well as room rates, were on a decline.
Read the rest of this entry »

In the past timeshare resorts used to be ultra-exclusive, members-only type establishments for which travelers paid a premium for excellent service and luxurious accommodations. The line between timeshare and hotel has started to blur over the past ten years, and many timeshare resorts now offer rooms by the night or week to non-owners. In fact, a great way to decide whether or not you think purchasing a timeshare at a particular location would be a good choice for you is to reserve a room outside of a timeshare exchange company, instead using a commercial hotel website or calling the resort directly.
Read the rest of this entry »

If you attend a timeshare presentation at the Grandview at Las Vegas resort, and decide to purchase a timeshare, your price will be different depending on what stage of the sales pitch you ultimately gave in. If you decided to buy while you were still with the initial salesperson, you can expect to pay anywhere between $10-$20,000, depending on the size of the room, years you have the right to use (whether it is every year, every other, every third, etc.), and depending on your negotiation skills. If you held out until you were passed off to another, upper-level salesperson, you can probably get a timeshare for $5-$10,000, again depending on the room size and if you have the right to use the timeshare each year. And finally, if you are able to hold out until the last person, the one who is supposed to give you your show tickets/check and send you on your merry way, you may be able to get out of there with a timeshare for under $7,000. Is it worth it?
Read the rest of this entry »

Whether you are considering selling your timeshare ‘for sale by owner’, or have already found a buyer for your time share property, in which case - congratulations, there are a few legalities you will need to consider before closing the sale. In either case, you may be wondering whether or not you need a lawyer or broker to complete the transaction. Timeshare is often considered to be tangible real estate, but it is not subject to many of the rules and regulations typical for traditional real estate property. Therefore, there is a unique set of guidelines to follow when transferring ownership of a timeshare through a sale, and many of the traditional rules of real estate do not apply.
Read the rest of this entry »