Timeshares are a popular way for people to get access to vacation spots across the globe. Many of them come with discounts and other perks that make it worth the investment. But there are also some drawbacks to timeshares that you should know before you decide to buy one.
Timeshare money doesn’t always mean financial success
There are a lot of misconceptions about timeshare money that can make you lose your hard-earned cash. Firstly, timeshares don’t generally increase in value over the years like stocks or other property investments do, which means you’re not likely to get more back than you pay for them in the long run.
Secondly, you won’t be able to use your timeshare as often as you’d like or want to. That’s because the timeshare companies set the rental periods to suit their own purposes. For example, a timeshare company might want to rent out your resort’s units for a week in December, but you might not be able to go because of work obligations or family issues.
In addition, timeshares typically have yearly maintenance fees that can add up to thousands of dollars over the course of your ownership. That’s why many people are trying to sell their timeshares, or get out of them altogether.
If you’re looking for a way to make money off of your timeshare, the best solution is probably to find someone who wants to use it a couple of times a year and let them rent it out. This way, you’ll be able to cut down on the annual maintenance fees and taxes associated with your timeshare while still generating some income from it.
To do this, you’ll need to advertise your timeshare on websites such as Craigslist or on social media. You can also try to sell it through a real estate agent, but most agents don’t specialize in timeshares and often charge a higher commission than normal for such sales.
Another option is to join your resort’s affiliated vacation exchange network. These companies, like RCI and Interval International, allow you to trade your timeshare points or weeks for thousands of destinations around the world.
You can usually swap your timeshare with a friend or family member, but you’ll need to pay a fee that varies by exchange company. These exchange fees can be anywhere from $100 to $500, depending on the company and the location you’re trying to trade with.
There are also a number of companies that will buy back your timeshare for free. However, most of these companies are in the business of selling timeshares rather than owning them, so they’ll only buy it back if you’re unable to sell it yourself or if the sale is a bad deal for them.
Ultimately, timeshares are meant to be a tool for vacationers and are not designed to become profitable passive income businesses. This is especially true for owners who are only able to rent out their timeshares for a few weeks a year or less.