Timeshare Ownership: What You Get and What You Pay

Before purchasing a timeshare resort ownership, you will be given the opportunity to tour the resort and look over its rooms and other facilities.

The majority of timeshare suites have a full kitchen, dining area, and in-room entertainment system. They are fully furnished, and are generally come equipped with pillows, sheets, blankets, cutlery, and dishes, just as a hotel room would.

As far as size goes, most timeshare suites are designed to comfortably sleep between two and six people. Small one-bedroom studio apartments are provided for couples, while larger units with two or more bedrooms are available for families.

The cost of purchasing a timeshare will vary immensely, depending on unit size, type of ownership, number of weeks purchased, and the level of luxury offered by the resort itself. In most cases, purchasing a reasonably priced timeshare should cost less in the long run than renting a hotel room over the same period.

Keep in mind that, as the owner of a timeshare unit, you will be obliged to pay strata fees to the resort management company on a monthly or quarterly basis. Before buying, you should compare these fees to the cost of renting accommodation, so as to ensure that the timeshare really does have a cost advantage over renting an ordinary hotel room.

You should also examine the local real estate market, and compare your resort of choice with other similar offerings in the area. Be sure to consider the timeshare resale market in your area of choice, and determine whether you have a realistic chance of making a profit if you choose to sell your interest five or ten years down the line.

If you are buying a share in a resort for investment purposes, it's important to investigate the area's rental market. Keep in mind that if there's little or no demand for your unit, you will lose a lot more money in fees than it's possible to make in rental income.

All in all, buying a timeshare membership should involve plenty of comparison shopping and careful thought, just as you'd give to any other major purchase.