Timeshare or Shared Holiday Ownership should not be seen as a traditional investment opportunity and historically timeshare property
prices fall rather than increase. However, timeshare can offer a lifetime of holidays. Timeshare can offer
excellent accommodation in resorts with a wide range of leisure facilities and most owners are satisfied
with their investment.
Which Timeshare?
The original concept of shared ownership of an apartment sold in fixed weeks, has generally now given way
to investment in weeks in a particular season at a resort or holiday “points” that can be
exchanged for accommodation at one or more resorts or for other holidays. Some of these are legitimate
and offer the opportunity for good value holidays, unfortunately others are little more than scams. This
together with high pressure sales techniques employed by some companies has given the industry something
of a bad name.
The good news is that the low prices and poor reputation mean that the wise investor can often now purchase
timeshare resale weeks at a fraction of the original list price.
How to buy?
You can buy directly from the timeshare or holiday club at the resort, via resellers or privately, some
owners now even advertise weeks for sale on EBay.
Generally timeshare resellers offer lower prices than the timeshare companies but the latter will often
offer you a free or low cost inspection visit to the resort so you know what you are buying.
If you buy privately, remember that the timeshare management company will have to transfer the title to
the timeshare week to you and will require the seller to send them their owner certificate probably with
a transfer fee. Unless the purchase price agreed is low you would be unwise to pay until you receive the
holiday certificate but then how can the seller then be sure that they will get paid? If you do buy privately
do use an intermediary such as a solicitor just as you would when buying a house.
The European timeshare industry is regulated under a EU Directive, some other
types of holiday ownership are not and buyers may not enjoy the same protection.
Click here for information and advice from the UK Department for Business
Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.
Useful Links
OTE - Organisation for
Timeshare in Europe
TATOC - Putting Timeshare
Owners First
BBC
News - Holiday Club Closed Down
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