Whether you’re a beach bum, a ski bunny, or a fan of the mountains, timeshares offer consumers the opportunity to buy a little piece of heaven in their favorite locales. Instead of purchasing an entire property outright, timeshares allow you to purchase property with other people.
Timeshare Resort in Mexico (Photo: Kirt Edblom via Flickr/ CC BY-SA 2.0)
In a timeshare arrangement, owners get access to a condo, apartment, or resort for a specified amount of time per year (typically one or two weeks. The rest of the year, others co-own the timeshare and use it as they’d like. Some use their timeshare exclusively for themselves, while others rent out their timeshare on popular home rental sites like Airbnb or VRBO.
But timeshares aren’t for everyone—hence the large number of incredibly cheap timeshare resales on the market. If you like the thrill of discovering new locales, you may get bored revisiting the same place year after year. In addition, timeshare maintenance fees typically increase annually, and you can also get hit with special assessments by local governments. And let’s face it: sometimes life simply gets in the way. Marriage, divorce, the birth of grandchildren, or health issues are just some of the reasons why people many do not want to keep their timeshare.
However, if you have a favorite place that you never tire of, such as a beach, ski town or theme park (like Disney), timeshares can be a good thing. You can purchase a timeshare from an individual owner, timeshare developer or outright from a resort. If you decide to sell, you can do so by yourself or via several timeshare selling platforms, whose fees and services vary. Buying from an individual owner versus a property developer or resort often leads to a better price, as you can avoid some fees.
We researched the best companies from which to buy and sell timeshares based on fees, reputation and services. Whether you’re looking to buy a new timeshare or sell your timeshare outright, here are a few organizations that will allow you to do so with ease.
Sell My Timeshare Now
Founded in 2003, SellMyTimeshareNow was created to help owners sell their unused timeshares. Seeing a gap in the market, the company invested heavily in digital marketing and technology (such as immediate online booking for potential renters), which attracted a new generation of buyers used to finding deals online without having to sit through a resort sales presentation. SellMyTimeshareNow has more than 75,000 timeshare rentals and resales in their database and boasts partnerships with brands such as Marriott, Hilton, Disney and Wyndham. With more than 4,000 resort choices in 1,300 destinations, it’s one of the most popular timeshare services out there.
Timeshares Only
Timeshares Only has been helping buyers, sellers and renters of timeshare resale for more than 25 years. As a trusted member of The American Resort Development Association (ARDA), the company is backed by top developers and has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. Their customer service motto proclaims, “We work with you until it’s sold,” and the company also offers an exclusive maintenance fee relief program called TO GO that helps owners put money back in their pockets while waiting for the right buyer. Customers that sign up for this program can receive cash for their ownership interval, as well as discounts on airfare or vacations.
Timeshare Exit Companies (TEC)
TEC is a review website where you can find information about more than 50 different timeshare exit companies. They also function as a timeshare exit company—in other words, they try to help timeshare owners find a reputable timeshare cancellation company that can help them resolve their timeshare contract altogether, rather than trying to resell it. After an initial consultation, TEC recommends the company which they believe is the most qualified to succeed in resolving your claim.
TEC teams up with a select few exit companies, which they select based on BBB ratings, customer reviews and additional background checks. Importantly, they prefer to work with companies offering an escrow payment option, so the timeshare exit company is paid in full only after the timeshare issue has been resolved. This ensures that you’ll easily be able to get your money back if the service does not meet your satisfaction.
