Timeshare Articles

By John Apple
Today timeshares are a very popular vacation option all over the world.

Though the concept originated in France, the popularity of timeshares has spread slowly but surely the world over. Back home, Florida was the first to jump on to the timeshare bandwagon in the 1970’s before others joined in. The 1980’s saw a growth in the economy empowering people to spend on leisure and consequently timeshares became a popular choice for vacations. As people realized the benefits of timeshare, the concept spread across Europe. The 1990s saw Asian countries also warming up to the idea of timeshares, thus spreading the timeshare concept globally. In 2005, there were nearly 5,400 resorts in more than 100 countries. The popularity of timeshares today can be estimated from the fact that timeshare owners come from over 270 countries. In the US alone the industry has grown by 23.7% between 2002 and 2005 resulting in 4.1 million households owning one or more U.S. timeshares as on January 1, 2006.
The timeshare industry has become increasingly professional and customer-focused leading to a high satisfaction rate among users. In fact, a study conducted in 2005 indicates that as many as 80.3% of all timeshare owners were satisfied with their timeshare purchase while 75.7% said that owning a timeshare has made them look forward to vacations.

Timeshares cater to the changing lifestyles, need for variety and flexibility that characterizes the typical vacationer, the world over. It comes as no surprise then that the popularity of timeshares today is at a never before high and it seems set to grow steadily, if not exponentially, in the future.

Author: Amy Wells
Timeshares are a unique real estate purchase, instead of purchasing a piece of property that you own continuously, you purchase either a portion of the property, or the right to use that property for a specific amount of time. There are many models of property and time use that have developed in the timeshare industry over the last 30 years or so, which offer increased flexibility and amenities to enjoy your stay. Buying a used timeshare will, in many cases, give you the best value for your vacation dollar.

If you are looking to have regular, lower cost vacations, than timeshare ownership may
be right for you. By purchasing a used timeshare, you will get a savings of 30-60% off the cost of the initial purchase. There are several reasons why timeshares are so much cheaper on the resale market. First, its truly a buyer’s market, and there are many owners out there who are looking to get rid of their timeshare ownership. Secondly, when someone purchases a new timeshare directly from the developer or the resort, they are also absorbing the marketing and administrative costs for developing the timeshare. When you buy directly from the owner, you are only paying for the use of the property, and not all of the additional costs.

Before you start taking a look at the many choices available, you may want to consider what type of timeshare will best suit your needs. You can get a deeded timeshare, or a certificate of use. A deeded timeshare is an actual deed to and ownership of the property, which you can pass on to your heirs. A certificate of use is the right to use the property, like a club membership. If you are buying in the United States, deeded timeshares are very common, and offer more security, so you may want to make sure you purchase a deeded timeshare only.

If you like the idea of having flexibility when you are scheduling your vacation, another option to consider is whether the timeshare has flextime available, where you can trade your week or weeks for a different time period, based on availability. That
way, you can schedule your timeshare use around your own vacation schedule, instead of the other way around.

For the ultimate in choice, being able to have exchange privileges and to stay at a wide
variety of resorts will give you the most value for your money. If you like the idea of traveling to different areas, you should make sure the timeshare has an exchange program, usually with one of the larger companies, like RCI. With this type of program, you will receive points that you can use at different resorts, based on the season and availability. Of course, you want to make sure these privileges, and any points accrued, can be easily transferred to you when ownership is transferred.

Once you have narrowed down the type of timeshare that sounds appealing, you can then start your specific search. There are many websites that offer used timeshares for resale from a variety of owners. You’ll be able to look at photos, read reviews of resorts, and find the deal that is best for you. With a little patience, you should be able to find a timeshare with the qualities you are looking for, at a reasonable price.