Depending on the perspective, vacation timeshares are either a great investment for frequent travelers or a money pit foisted upon the vulnerable by duplicitous salespeople. But whether someone bought a timeshare willingly and their vacation needs have changed, or they felt duped by pushy salespeople, there are 9.6 million timeshare owners in the U.S., and sometimes, an owner just wants out.
Vacation timeshares, in which owners purchase the rights to dedicated time at a resort or other getaway property, have been around for decades. An early forerunner to the sharing economy, timeshares are purchased either directly from a developer like Westin, Holiday Inn or Hyatt or on the resale market, often for a fraction of the price. The upfront costs and annual maintenance fees are designed to guarantee travelers a prepaid vacation, either at their home resort or traded for travel elsewhere.
“There are always people wanting to get rid of their timeshares year in and year out,” says Brian…
