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The Truth About Timeshare

Timeshare is and always will be a difficult topic of discussion. Most owners currently sharing time think of their week as "real estate" and sadly so, this is not true. Although real estate agents may sell timeshare, technically it is simply deeded time.

A licensed agent told me long ago that "if you can't hang a sign in front of it, or show it to a potential buyer, it's not real-estate." This being said let us move on to what timeshare really is.

Timesharing is merely several owners all using the same vacation property during different intervals. When a buyer signs on the dotted line, all they are purchasing is a block of time, not the physical property.

This is where the waters become troubled. Most owners tell us that the salesman who sold them the unit said that it was like real estate, and that it would be worth more than what it was purchased for when it came time to sell. This is also not true.

We're not saying timeshare is worthless or that all timeshare loses value, but it must be looked at realistically. In the real world of timeshare, if it was purchased for $10,000 and the same owners kept it for 20 years, to sell it now for $4000 or $5000 is fantastic.

Think of it this way, if the resorts are selling the same property now for $15,000 and private owners are selling for half that, how can one expect to sell for more?

Timeshare is a great idea as long as it is kept in the correct perspective. Owners should carefully weigh all their options and keep the truth in mind about timeshare. It's not real estate, and most often the return on your investment was the many years of vacations spent there with family and friends in that timeshare.