Fractional

The Ragatz Associates‘ 12th annual in-depth look at North America’s top real estate projects and clubs showed a positive upturn in fractional ownership and luxury shared vacation ownership. The Ragatz report, “The Shared Ownership Resort Real Estate Industry in North America,” looked at 305 fractional ownership projects and private residence clubs (PRCs) and 6 destination clubs. Last year, 2011, 98 of the properties made sales, including 12 new projects, as did all 6 destination clubs.

While at first look this made not sound like a dramatic turnaround, it actually marks the first positive news from the fractional ownership industry in three years. Overall sales reached $552 million last year, which is a 4.2 percent increase from the previous year’s $530 million. It’s also important to note that most of the 207 properties that recorded no sales are older and already sold out.

The Geography of Fractional Ownership

Here’s a look at how the 305 shared ownership properties studied are geographically distributed:

• 67 percent are in the United States (with 20 percent being specifically in Colorado and California)
• 17 percent in Canada
• 8 percent in the Caribbean
• 8 percent in Mexico

Of the 98 active fractional ownership, private residence clubs and destination clubs, developments, 67 percent are fractional interest projects and 33 percent are private residence clubs. Breaking this down  further, we learn that sales volumes for fractional ownership projects totaled $103 million; for private residence clubs the total was $228 million, and for destination clubs the total was $221 million.

Overall, Dick Ragatz sees a bright future ahead for the industry, explaining, “It is widely felt in the resort real estate industry that the shared-ownership components will strongly rebound in the future.”  Dick points out that the decline in sales in previous years was caused when a group of factors came together in what he describes as, “… the perfect storm for stagnation in the sales performance of the shared-ownership industry.”

Here’s to blue skies ahead and an end to stormy weather, perfect or otherwise.

Among the notable presenters scheduled for GNEX2013 timeshare, fractional and vacation ownership conference is Tommy Middaugh, Executive Vice President of Travel To Go. Tommy, who has served in this position since 2009, has more than 30 years of sales and management expertise in the vacation ownership industry. Most importantly, he is an industry thought leader, setting the standard with Travel To Go’s continuous goal to seamlessly deliver 5-Star Service to every member, independent distributor, and business partner.

Known for successful product training programs for distributors and customer service agents in an ongoing effort to best serve the 50,000+ members of Travel To Go, Tommy’s platforms have been so effective other companies have emulated them.

Expo GNEX 2013 will bring together timeshare, travel, fractional, and vacation ownership executives from six continents.  “Travel To Go, Jeanette Bunn our President, and I are excited to be a part of the GNEX 2013 conference, says Tommy, “This event gives both our industry and us the opportunity to build structure on a global basis. Growth is best sustained when it is directed according to non-regional segmentation. The input and shared views of experts in the industry is beneficial for a better understanding of the needs and delivery of  services to the most important people to all of us,  our present and future members.”

Acknowledging the growth in travel clubs by consumers seeking both value and luxury, Tommy explains, “This segment has seen explosive growth in recent years as travelers have taken notice of the tremendous value in the product. At Travel To Go, our relentless pursuit of providing 5-Star Service to our members and independent distributors has provided us with great insight of this industry and how to position the travel club product. This opportunity to exchange ideas and opinions with fellow distinguished panel members will propel all of us forward towards continual growth.”

Look for more news from The Timeshare Authority about plans for GNEX 2013 and other pivotal timeshare, fractional, and vacation ownership industry events.

It’s almost time for the next Shared Holiday Ownership Workshop. Here is an announcement for the timeshare and shared ownership industry from FractionalLife.com.

Further to the success of the Shared Holiday Ownership Workshops earlier this year in Istanbul and Vienna we are pleased to present a further half day Shared Holiday Ownership Workshop on:

Tuesday 13 November, from 12:30, at the
Macdonald Houstoun House Hotel, Edinburgh West, Scotland

Visit www.SHOWorkshops.com for more information:

The Shared Holiday Ownership Workshops programme will incorporate:

• Why Shared Holiday Ownership?
• The range of Shared Holiday Ownership Options e.g Timeshare, Fractional, Mixed use
• How do the products work
• Legal Structures – trustees, sipps, EU rules
• Efficient & effective sales and marketing
• Customer Care
• Regional Case Study
• Networking event with sponsors and delegates

These events will be highly interactive with lots of audience participation. Registration to attend the half-day session is £75 plus VAT per delegate and will include lunch.

Who should attend the Workshops:

• Developers
• Brokers
• Tourism Authorities
• Real Estate
• Press
• Hoteliers

For more information and to register please contact [email protected]. Corporate sponsors for the event include: RCI; Best International; The Registry Collection; HVS; FNTC; Hutchinson; Generator; and media partners Perspective Magazine and FractionalLife.com.

It’s almost time—the 14th annual Shared Ownership Investment Conference (SOIC) is less than a week away. Scheduled for September 18-20, at the Peabody Orlando, on International Drive, this conference is a key event bringing timeshare and vacation ownership leaders and industry representatives together. Included among those who will be attending, look for builders, condo developers, hoteliers, hospitality investors, investment bankers, lenders, resort developers, shared ownership consultants, representatives of the timeshare resale industry and timeshare secondary market, and representatives from timesharing and fractional ownership developments.

Sessions get underway on Tuesday afternoon, September 18, with registration and the welcome speech presented by Bryan Ten Broek, Senior Vice President, Resort Sales and Business Development, Interval International. Later that day the State of the Industry presentation will be made by: Vail R. Brown, Vice President, Global Strategy and Marketing, STR; Howard Nusbaum, President and Chief Executive Officer,  the American Resort Development Association (ARDA); and Richard Ragatz, Ph.D., President, Ragatz Associates.

During the days that follow, there will be heavy hitters and thought leaders speaking, at the exhibit hall, leading the breakout sessions, and everywhere you go, networking and team working. If you are part of timesharing, vacation ownership or fractional ownerships or you have ever considered being, you will want to attend SOIC 2012.

More Information about the Shared Ownership Investment Conference (SOIC) 2012

But even at this late date, YES, you can still attend. Register now by contacting [email protected]

Or for more information contact:

Shared Ownership Investment Conference

P.O. Box 430960, Miami, FL 33243-0690

Toll free: (877) 700-1153; Outside the US: (305) 668-3495

En Espanol: (305) 925-7485; Fax: (305) 668-3413