Fees are involved in exchanges. And there are restrictions. It will be difficult to exchange an unpopular time and location. Do not expect to exchange your interest in Boone for one in Switzerland without additional payment. Occasionally the owner will also be charged a per diem user fee.
Time sharing can reduce vacation costs in some situations.
Buying a time share is generally less expensive than purchasing a cottage or a condominium. However, there is disagreement concerning its advantages over renting. Many critics maintain that it takes years to recoup any vacation savings from a time share. They further claim that even after the unit is paid for, it still incurs maintenance costs that are subject to inflation. It is not unusual for maintenance fees to increase sharply within a few years, especially after the developer has sold most or all of the time shares and left the project.