Almost all of what we have heard about timeshares in the past decade if not the last two is about scams, the problem of timeshare reselling and mounting fees that leave timeshare owners trapped in a seemingly no win situation. In fact dedicated timeshare specialist organisations such as The Timeshare Consumer Association have popped up in direct response and rescue of those who have fallen victim of scams and timeshare cons, the problem became so prevalent during the 90s and early millennium.
That said, for timesharing to have become the massive industry it has, it must have captivated us at some point. So, let us take a closer look at some of the pros and cons of timesharing in 2016, to answer the question: in 2016, can a timeshare really offer you that perfect summer holiday each year?
Cost
In the 1960s when the average family couldn’t afford to holiday abroad in a different location every year, timesharing seemed like one of those light bulb ideas. That is also exactly why by the 1970s and 80s timesharing had already grown into its own industry. The fact is timesharing suited the 1960s, 70s and even 80s family; it provided millions with a means of owning (or at least feeling as if they owned) a property in some sunny offshore local where they could disappear to for a week or two each summer.
When the budget airline and bargain package holiday became a reality and so permitted the same demographic the timeshare was aimed at with a far more free way to explore the world, and far more locations, timesharing began to lose favour almost as quickly as it had gained it. Further, rising numbers of ‘my timeshare horror story’ began to surface in which couples and families had been scammed and conned into purchasing a timeshare or selling one, the timeshare began its demise in earnest.
But what does all mean in for those looking into timeshares in 2016? Well, quite simply because of the waning interest in timesharing and the problems associated with them, timeshares are today ‘dirt cheap’. This means that those who ‘invested’ thousands in previous years or decades, stand to lose as much if not more than what they ‘invested’, if they can sell at all. For those looking to buy though, this also means you can pick up a timeshare for peanuts, almost literally. To see for yourself just how little a timeshare can cost in 2016, take a look at what they are going for via the Timeshare Hyper Market website.
Location, Location, Location
One of the ‘off-putting’ aspects of timesharing in 2016 is that those who purchase into timesharing are stuck holidaying in the same place and even the same property year in and out. That said, there are plenty out there who choose to do this every year and could consequently and actually stand to benefit financially from looking into timesharing. For example, a large proportion of families return to Spain or the South of France annually and even return to the same regions and hotels. Often families with children or who have become known in a community or who simply enjoy the comfort of familiarity do this. Then, timesharing could potentially but as well realistically prove prudent.
Despite the fact that timeshares do not, strictly speaking, provide a person with either an investment opportunity or even a stake in an actual property (but rather the lease of a property in most cases), the money spent on purchasing a timeshare while costs are so low could offset even the fees charged to maintain that timeshare and still prove less expensive than booking the same holiday year in and out. Of course, whether this ultimately would prove a prudent purchase for you is a matter of whether you are prepared to forego the choice of holidaying in different locations.
How to Still Make a Good Investment Out of a Timeshare
For those whose answer to the question posed in the last paragraph is a definitive ‘no’, timesharing could still provide you with a viable and inexpensive means of holidaying. How? Well, quite simply, do not buy one…instead rent one for the duration of a holiday. Or, if you already own a timeshare re-coop any losses or make some quick cash by renting out your timeshare. The rise in timeshare rentals is a direct result and solution to the myriad of folk too afraid to buy or desperate yet unable to sell an existing timeshare. Further, it has become in the new millennium a viable and financially savvy means for both those looking for a bargain holiday and those looking to minimise their timeshare loses – or even reverse them.
Hence, to rent out your timeshare or to search for the perfect timeshare rental holiday from destinations all over the world, a great place to start is via (re)searching TripAdvisor. Not only is Trip Advisor a well known and trusted in name in travel, it is also a reputable third person permitting those renting out and those wanting to rent with a means of doing exactly that. What is more, Trip Advisor visitors can scroll through previous consumers’ reviews to further gauge what is a real deal and what might not be all the photos seem to suggest.