Renting A Timeshare

Although it is not the best of the ideas to rent a timeshare but in some cases it works out to be more economical than other options. Timeshare rentals were not so easy to find earlier as the owners of timeshares don’t make any profit when they rent out their timeshare units and also very less people had timeshares. Over the past few years the popularity of timeshares has grown tremendously and there are many big names entering into the business now. There are over two millions American who have timeshares. The timeshare rentals are available because some owners have no other option but to rent out their units as they couldn’t use it due to their hectic schedules. The timeshares can be rented through timeshare resorts who rent the units on behalf of their owners. Timeshare units can also be rented through brokers dealing with timeshare rentals and sales. But always be careful while approaching the brokers because the timeshare industry has witnessed many frauds and scams due to some unscrupulous brokers. Make sure the broker is a licensed broker and reputable also. One can also rent timeshares on auction sites like eBay in travel section and also bidshares.com which is timeshare exclusive website.
But how will the timeshare rentals work out. Let us do some math. If you rent a hotel or a room in a resort the rent per night typically costs around $200 per night. Which means it is around $1,400 for a week’s vacation and if you have more people and if you need another room it will end up totaling $2,800. Compare this to a timeshare rental which may cost $150 per night. The total would be $1,050 only for 2-3 bedroom units. The benefits you get are immense. A timeshare unit gives you more room compared to a hotel suite and is better furnished. Typical timeshare units have two to three bedrooms, one to two bathrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, a laundry room and indoor or outdoor pool. Most of the timeshares are strategically located to the attractions. And they are located in some of the finest vacation resorts of the world. Timeshare resorts provide more amenities and conveniences compared to hotels. The timeshare resort also offer discounts on air travel, rental cars and tickets to many attractions. The resorts have many facilities like golf club, tennis courts, athletics, marinas and many more recreational activities. You can invite all your friends and family to the unit and have a gathering as well, all in the comfort of a luxurious unit.
But few things have to be considered before opting for renting a unit. Try to select the best location if possible like near the pool or other resort facilities. You don’t want to be left out when others are making full use of these amenities, the point is in busy seasons the pools and other facilities are overly crowded, so more near you are to these facilities the better chances you have. And do not hurry in deciding a timeshare unit; nowadays more and more units are being available as many big resorts have ventured into this business. So, shop around and go with the best price. Some timeshare units can be without kitchens, make sure you rent the one with kitchen as it can save you few extra bucks by saving you from eating outside. Also do your home work by researching about the resort from where you are renting the unit. In this age of internet, the resources are easily available which provides you with the reviews of the resort and more information to make you knowledgeable. It’s also a smart idea to rent the timeshare unit near the attractions which will save the cost of renting a car. Idea place would be one which is easily accessible to public transportation. One can also share rental units with other interested parties by dividing the unit into two. Renting a timeshare definitely makes a strong financial sense compared to hotels and motels.

What is a Timeshare?

A time share is a name given to a piece of property shared among number of owners. This involves use and cost of maintaining the property. Although the majority of the timeshare properties are condominiums resorts but it will not be a surprise if you find a hotel timeshare or a motor home timeshare or a cruise timeshare or a campground. The choices are increasing by the day. The idea of a timeshare property originated in Europe in 1960s when the property rates were skyrocketing and it was impossible for people to afford a full time vacation house. But by sharing the ownership the burden of maintenance and other costs on single person were greatly reduced. These also boosted the fortune of real estate developers as they were able to successfully market and sell the properties to a greater number of people. But a key point to remember in timeshare properties is that a timeshare is owned by a number of people who have no relation to one another like a standard home ownership.

A technical definition of timeshare property is that an owner has specific time to share you own in a property. But as more and more properties are being converted into timeshare, flexible timeshare options cannot be ruled out. The flexible timeshare offers owners the option of choosing more than one timeshare destination and also more than one specific time of a year.

Timeshare properties are usually found in warm destinations like Florida where people like to vacation a lot. They can also be found in cold weather areas near ski resorts. The timeshare properties are typically furnished in full and usually have one to three bedrooms, multiple bathrooms, a kitchen and a living room. It may not come as a surprise if you find timeshare properties with indoor or outdoor pools. They have become a common feature of most timeshare properties nowadays.

The typical duration of a timeshare ownership unit is one week. Depending on what time of the year you own the timeshare the price may vary. For example, a timeshare property in the month of April in Florida will be much higher than in August. So the rates may vary with varying season and demand. Some resorts give color coding to different seasons depending on the demand. For example some resorts term high demand season as red season meaning the prices of the timeshare will be highest in that season.

Timeshares can usually be inherited to your children like any other real estate property. Timeshare offers not only a great vacation but also great investment. Most people rent their timeshare to others when they do not use their timeshare. This has a double advantage. You earn rent also along with appreciation of the property with passage of time. Timeshare properties are exchangeable and tradable with other properties in most of the cases. While it may be easy for the owners of the red season timeshares to exchange their unit with other owners in any season it might be impossible for owners of low season timeshare owners to get a high season timeshare unit in exchange.

Timeshares can be purchased through financing also but mostly the resale properties purchased from individuals are paid in cash. The cost of maintenance, management and cost to maintain common areas like pools and tennis courts are paid by timeshare owners. Fees may vary and always make sure to find it out before buying a timeshare.

There are many types of timeshare properties. A fixed unit, fixed week, deeded timeshare allows you to own a specific timeshare at a specific time each year. A floating time agreement allows you to be flexible about the dates that you can use your timeshare. But reservations may be only first come first serve as many owners would like to go for that option. Right to use timeshare is a leased timeshare. You no longer have rights to the property after the lease expires.