Buying timeshare resales is a smart alternative to buying timeshare directly from a developer.

The timeshare resale industry, though maligned by the misdeeds of many timeshare resale companies, has allowed many people the opportunity to experience the benefits of owning timeshare while paying far less than the original asking price of the property. If you are working with an honest and reliable timeshare resale company, a world of vacation possibilities is at your fingertips.

In earlier posts, I detailed some of the pitfalls encountered by people buying and selling timeshares online, and some ways to tell if your timeshare resale company can deliver what it promises. Because of rampant fraud, the timeshare industry has suffered bad press. In particular, the portion of the industry devoted to timeshare resales has lost a great deal of credibility. It seems that half the sites out there are trying to defraud people of their money, their timeshares, or both.

Fortunately, with major hotel chains investing in lucrative timeshare developments, the timeshare world has been infused with a healthy dose of respectability. Marriott, Hilton, and other giants of the hospitality industry have brought about a significant paradigm shift, causing a renewed interest in the concept of timeshare. Resort developers, in order to compete in a business climate dominated by established hotel brands, have de-emphasized making a fast buck in favor of actually providing the quality service and luxury amenities that the timeshare-owning public demands. By giving timeshare owners what they want, large resort development companies have seen record gains in recent years.

Though it is true that the entire industry has been affected by these changes, the resale side of the timeshare industry has been the slowest to respond. While companies who plan for long-term success have set new standards for the resale community, there still exist unscrupulous timeshare resellers whose only concern is collecting the fees they charge. However, since the advent of the internet, consumers have become more aware, more canny about who they are willing to do business with. Using online resources like the Better Business Bureau is the best way to determine whether any online business can deliver on its promises.

Once you are satisfied that a timeshare resale company is honest as well as effective, an impressive array of vacation possibilities is at your disposal. However, the real beauty of resale timeshares lies in their cost-effectiveness.

Timeshare resort properties produce large profits, but consumers aren’t easily sold. Consequently, roughly half the cost of each new timeshare covers the cost of marketing the property. For example, a brand-new 200-unit resort development would earn $153,000,000. Shockingly, about $76,000,000 of these earnings is spent on sales commissions and enticements for people to sit through lengthy timeshare sales presentations.

• One person out of every 200 responds to telemarketing and direct mail campaigns advertising new timeshares.
• The expense of free gifts such as hotel bills, meals and theme park tickets (to lure prospective timeshare buyers into one of those infamous sales presentations): $200.00 – $500.00 for each attendee.
• People whose sole reason for enduring a timeshare sales pitch is to receive the free gifts (such people are sometimes referred to by the unflattering term of “professional mooch” by certain unsavory characters in the timeshare resort industry): 1 out of every 4.
• 1 out of every 10 people who are in attendance at a timeshare sales presentation actually buy the property.

It is easy to see why buying a new timeshare directly from a resort developer is so pricey. However, on average, buying a timeshare resale week from an owner costs $5,000, in contrast to the $14,800 asking price of a resort developer. You pay almost 1/3 of the original price of the timeshare property!

Timeshare resales are available all over the world, often costing a small fraction of a developer’s original price. Whether you’re looking to buy, rent, or sell timeshare, SellMyTimeshareNOW can help you.

For those with a taste for the unusual, timeshare houseboats are available at a variety of destinations all over the world.

Timeshare vacations are not only limited to huge resort complexes. Some timeshare owners prefer to spend their week aboard a luxuriously appointed houseboat. With amenities similar to those found in traditional vacation condominium properties, a houseboat could be just the thing if you’re seeking an alternative to an “ordinary” vacation.

Timeshare owners are accustomed to two options: either spending their week in a vacation villa, or in a large resort complex hemmed in on all sides by more or less identical units. Sure, there are a few timeshare developers that offer a truly different vacation option, but for the most part, a timeshare owner has to choose between a villa and a condo. Granted, these properties are all located in the most desirable vacation destinations in the world, and these properties come fully loaded with all the finest amenities, but the fact still lingers. Isn’t the whole point of owning timeshare to get away from it all? What about the concept of flexibility, one of the major selling points behind any timeshare property? Timeshare owners who are looking for a truly unique experience on their next vacation are often hard-pressed to come up with a fresh alternative.

Fortunately, there is a solution. One of the most interesting developments in the world of timeshare is the concept of timeshare houseboats. Timeshare owners are often able to exchange their banked time (or points) for a week aboard a luxurious houseboat. Below are several options for vacation houseboat rental:

• Alvecote Marina, in Straffordshire, England offers houseboat lodging deep in the heart of the English countryside. They offer either stationary “Canaltime” houseboats, or, for more active timeshare owners of a nautical bent, there are “Narrowboats” available. In a Narrowboat, it is possible to take a leisurely cruise through the waterways of central England, stopping at Leicester, Birmingham, Nottingham, or several other destinations. Each boat is fully equipped with fresh linens, kitchen facilities, and all the amenities one would expect from a luxury condo rental.
• Stigler, Oklahoma is home to the Royal Host Club on Lake Eufala, which offers timeshare aboard high-end houseboats. These boats can have up to four bedrooms, and are fully modern craft which boast air conditioning and fully-equipped kitchens among their amenities. Sportfishing, canoeing, swimming, and hunting are just some of the reasons why people choose to buy timeshare on Lake Eufala.
• Sometimes, it is possible to buy timeshare aboard a Turkish gulet. A gulet is a wooden-hulled boat, averaging between 70-80 feet in length, and usually staffed by a crew of four. One can expect 4-6 private cabins belowdecks, and a galley where delicious food is served daily. These beautiful yachts ply the waters of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Often, a cruise will stop at a number of picturesque sites of historical interest on the Turkish mainland or outlying islands.

Houseboat timeshares are sometimes hard to find, but they are available on the timeshare resale or rental market. For those seeking an out-of-the-ordinary vacation, a timeshare houseboat may prove to be the answer. SellMyTimeshareNOW offers an inventory of houseboat timeshares for sale or rent in addition to our standard inventory of timeshare resales and rentals.

Typically, closing the deal on a piece of real estate property means paying legal expenses. Discover why, if the proper conditions are met, you do not need to hire a lawyer to help settle your timeshare closing.

Anyone who has ever bought a home knows that an attorney who specializes in real estate is a natural part of the closing process. Therefore, it is logical to assume that a timeshare closing transaction requires a lawyer to facilitate the close of the sale. What most people don’t know is that there is no reason, legally or otherwise, to hire your own lawyer to oversee a timeshare sale.

With any large purchase, the intercession of a third-party intermediary is helpful to both the buyer and seller. In real estate transactions, a lawyer’s involvement is just one of several systems in place intended to assure both parties that the sale is taking place “by the book”. A real estate lawyer provides many services, including the review or preparation of the purchase agreement and negotiation about the terms, determining who should hold the deposit, the preparation of the deed and power of attorney (if needed), dealing with any title issues that the bank attorney may raise, attending the closing and reviewing any documents which the seller is required to sign, escrows, special arrangements to correct the title, and many other functions vital to a successful and stress-free sale process.

Timeshare, though it is still deeded property, is a different case in many respects.

There are a variety of timeshare closing companies available to help close a timeshare sale. These companies are staffed by attorneys, and are capable of handling the entire process from start to finish. Often a timeshare resale company will be able to recommend a closing company to a buyer. A good closing company will be approprately licensed and bonded, and must be capable of handling and preparing deeds, escrow of funds, estoppel certificates, closing statements, and recording fees- all for a flat rate. This means you don’t have to hire your own lawyer to sell your timeshare.

SellMyTimeshareNOW has long-standing relationships with the timeshare closing companies we recommend. Because of these partnerships, we have saved our advertisers untold additional expenses. For more information, you are invited to visit our seller FAQ page.

What makes a timeshare resale such an ideal vacation lodging alternative?

The concept of timeshare offers many advantages over hotels, rental cottages, and other traditional forms of vacation accomodation. Timeshare resale offer truly unique vacation possibilities not ordinarily available.

Many online resources on the subject focus on the lengthy sale presentations put on by timeshare developers, or the yearly maintenance fees every timeshare owner pays. If the world of timeshare was really this negative, why do people choose to own timeshare in the first place? While there is a downside to timeshare ownership, most timeshare owners are delighted with their purchase and get the most out of their property by returning year after year. Here are a few reasons why:

• Stress-free vacations– with a timeshare property, the stress of planning your vacation disappears. No more time wasted searching for the best hotel rates during the busiest times of the year; you already have a high-demand week reserved at a luxury resort!
• Comparatively minimal cost– Unlike a hotel room, a timeshare is purchased outright for a flat fee. The price stays the same, and it’s already paid for! For a minimal yearly maintenance fee, you get far more luxuruious accomodations than could otherwise be obtained at the same price.
• Flexibility– In today’s busy world, flexibility is important. Last-minute change of plans? A timeshare unit is large enough to accomodate additional guests. Want to spend your vacation somewhere new and different? Simply exchange your week for a different one at another fabulous resort anywhere in the world. Some resorts even allow you to spend a few days at a time whenever you can get away. This kind of flexibility is not only desirable, it is essential.
• Owning timeshare vacation property makes good financial sense- Tired of dumping money down a rental or hotel room every time you go on vacation? Consider owning timeshare. Say goodbye to that hefty hotel bill when you own time at a resort. After a small initial investment, you vacation at an exclusive resort free of charge for the rest of your life! You can always sell your timeshare or give it to a family member (a week at a luxury resort is a wonderful gift). Timeshare is deeded ownership, so you can will it to your loved ones, ensuring generations of vacation enjoyment for years to come.

These are just a few of the many reasons to consider owning a timeshare property. For more information on the many advantages of timeshare ownership, visit SellMyTimeshareNOW. While you’re there, check out the “Why Timeshare?” page for more advantages of vacation ownership.