Buying or Selling a Timeshare

Entering the Timeshare Resale Market

You might have gotten those brochures in the mail—the ones that promise you and your spouse a free vacation at a timeshare resort. Typically, these brochures come from new timeshares that are trying to fill up their units. If you go, you’ll get a free vacation all right (or at least free lodging) but you’ll also have to listen to a sales spiel about the timeshare resort. You might even be pressured to buy when you’re not sure you want to.

However, if you are interested in timeshares, there are other ways to see if this is the right option for you. You might not get a free vacation out of these suggestions, but you’ll probably get a better idea of the timeshare process.

You can start small with a timeshare rental. You can easily find timeshares for rent from people online who can’t use their timeshares this year. Shop around—you can sometimes get excellent deals in beautiful places like the Caribbean or in lively cities like Miami. Once you’ve rented a timeshare (or two…or three…) you’ll have a very good idea of what is offered, and you’ll see the variety that’s possible in a timeshare purchase.

It’s also good to be aware that buying a timeshare does not lock you into a particular location from year to year; people frequently trade their timeshares, so you might spend your vacation in Jamaica one year and in Aspen the next. However, if you’re in love with a particular destination, a timeshare can be an especially good option—you’ll know what you’re getting year after year.

Once you do make a decision to buy a timeshare, think carefully about possible destinations, and look for good timeshares in these areas. You don’t have to buy a timeshare in one of the newest resorts, either; you’ll easily find timeshare resellers online. This can be a great way to find a bargain, and often a much better deal that those offers you get in the mail.

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4: An Open Letter to The Nation's Marc Cooper