Buying a Timeshare Resale Vs Buying from a Timeshare Resort

A beginner can easily get confused when trying to decide whether to buy his first timeshare on the resale market or directly from the timeshare developer or resort. The decision can be hard because both methods have their own advantages and disadvantages. Buying a timeshare on the resale market through auction websites or classified ads is a new concept compared to buying one directly from the developer, which is the way timeshares have been bought from the beginning. Thanks to the Internet, everything is at the doorstep of potential buyers, and this has helped the timeshare market. Prospective buyers can obtain more information about a property and have a wider selection because of websites like eBay.com, bidshare.com and redweek.com.

The scenario was totally different a decade ago when the buyers used to buy timeshares through timeshare presentations hosted by timeshare developers. The decisions taken to buy timeshares were mostly based on one's impulse rather than research and analysis. But with the advent of internet auction sites a user has more powerful tools to research the prices in advance even if he is going to a presentation. The buyer can make a more informed choice today than earlier.

Buyers can also avoid the trauma of sitting through a timeshare presentation by buying through resale market. The presentations sometimes take ninety minutes and can go even longer. At the end of the presentation the buyers who were brought in on the pretext of a free gift are subjected to high pressure selling techniques, and this yields to signing a paper and buying a timeshare.

Now talking about the cost comparison, a developer's timeshare offer includes the cost of advertisement, presentation, free gifts etc. which is whopping 40% of the cost of the timeshare and sometimes this exceeds the cost of the timeshare resale. On the other hand if one buys a timeshare through a resale market one can buy the timeshare 30% to 50% cheaper.

Also buying through a resale market offers you more choice and freedom to select your desired unit and you know that you are getting the best price. It is definitely worth saving thousands of dollars by buying a resale. But there are good reasons to buy from a developer. There are many reputed companies that have ventured into timeshare business like Marriot, Disney, and Hilton etc. When you are buying through a resale market there is a margin of doubt whether your investment is secured or not and the trust factor is low. Where as the timeshare developers spend fortunes in the development of timeshares and have great reputation and thus can be easily trusted. They give you the best and the latest amenities which you can never get from a resale unless it's a relatively new unit.

Another high point of buying through a developer is that they offer many incentives and benefits to their customers in the form of bonus weeks, discounts on attraction tickets, car rentals and much more. On the other hand these benefits may not be available to you if you bought your timeshare through resale market as many developers does not allow timeshare resale units with same amenities compared to those who bought directly from them. Also the developers usually offer many financing options that you may not get if you buy from a resale market.


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