The catch, however, is that a lot of previous buyers now want to sell, and they re finding out that they paid way too much.
Resales go for a fraction of original prices.
Which means there are fantastic opportunities for people who want to buy them, if they know where to look and how to buy. The U.S. timeshare industry grew out of condominium developers need to unload overbuilt resort properties in the 1970s. That s why they ve turned timeshare units into tradable assets that can be swapped for varying products, including other timeshare units, hotel rooms, airfares, car rentals, even cruises. The best strategy, however, is probably to steer clear of the big developers and instead look for bargains in the resale market. A fixed-week timeshare entitles its owner to a furnished unit for the same week each year, or a floating week during a designated season.