Out of all US states, Florida has the most time shares, and Orlando has more time shares than anywhere else in Florida. Colorado is known for its many time shares, and these benefit from Colorado's status as a year-round resort destination: winter attracts the skiing crowd, whereas the summer months are perfect for backpacking, mountain climbing, or just relaxing in a spectacular natural setting. In California, time share sales are booming, especially in the vicinity of Lake Tahoe. And let's not forget Las Vegas, which offers some extraordinary time shares, either off the beaten path, or right in the heart of the action.

Though time shares are a cost-effective -yet luxurious- alternative to hotel rooms, buying a time share is not a decision to be taken lightly. A time share is often a major purchase, so you should weigh your options carefully. Time shares are not for everyone, though we feel that most people can benefit from time share ownership. If you can't use your time share at the same time each year, you will still be responsible for your share of the upkeep, so be sure to get the most out of your time share purchase!

Resorts typically pass the cost of marketing new time shares on to the buyer. This is because of the elaborate time share sales presentations which are used to sell new time share units. Prospective customers are wined and dined by a resort's time share sales staff, who often promise free gifts and other incentives to secure the sale. Combine the costs associated with this style of marketing with the cost of direct mailing campaigns, and you can see how most time share sales companies can spend thousands just to market a single time share.  As a result, new time shares rapidly depreciate, and the resale value of a time share is generally about half of the original sale price. For this reason, time shares are by no means a viable financial investment if you're looking to sell a time share for more than you paid for it. However, this also means that the time share resale market is a buyer's market, and resale time shares may be bought for a small fraction of a resort developer's original asking price.

Another way to beat the high cost of new time shares is by renting timeshare, and thus alleviate the hassle of trying to sell your time share. A time share rental can be just the thing if you can't get away for a vacation every year. Consider renting a time share directly from the owner if you're not ready to make a big purchase. And if you’re the owner think about renting out your time share so that you make an annual profit. Time share rentals can help vacationers learn more about a particular resort or vacation destination and may encourage them to eventually buy the property from you.

Finding the right time share property can take many hours of browsing self-serve time share-by-owner websites, so some people prefer to enlist the services of a qualified timeshare broker. Be advised that a time share broker typically accepts no money up front, instead taking a modest commission from the sale proceeds.  

Selling a time share in this climate requires two things: massive exposure and competitive pricing. If you are listing a resale time share for too high a price, there is a strong likelihood that the time share will not sell. A reputable time share resale company or brokerage will be able to help you price your time share competitively by investigating other, similar properties and their selling prices across the resale market. If asked for an "appraisal fee", be aware that, since your time share was not appraised before it was sold by the resort, there is absolutely no reason to pay for a time share appraisal if you are going to resell it. Sometimes, an appraisal is required if you are donating a timeshare to charity and want to claim a tax deduction based on this, but for regular timeshare sales purposes, an informal market value survey is all you need to price your property aggressively.

The poor resale market doesn't mean sensible travelers should shun time shares, but it does suggest they should buy with their eyes wide open. Buying direct from the resort developer might yield the exact week wanted, but at a steep premium that will probably never be recovered.

A good place for advice on buying or selling a time share is the Timeshare Users Group, at www.tug2.net on the Web. The site offers valuable insights on the time share business and specific resorts and runs ads listing units for sale or rent. Ads cost members $10 for three months. The group advises consumers to avoid real estate brokers who charge excessive up-front fees or require costly appraisals, but it also recommends pricing a week competitively by checking what comparable units at the same resort are selling for.

One advice column on the site written by a Los Angeles real estate broker suggested a sales price 50 percent below the original price for someone eager to sell. For someone looking to sell immediately, the broker suggested cutting 75 percent off the original price.

Tips For Selling

The values of time shares are constantly changing. There are numerous time share-selling companies arriving every day. Time shares are big business, and when one wants to sell a time share, the object is to gain more money than what he or she paid for. Here are several tips that can help anyone seeking to sell his or her timeshare make a profit:

• Choose the right company:  There are many time share sellers out there, and unfortunately, some are scams. It is important to do research on any company before advertising your time share with them. Watch out for companies offering to sell a time share within a certain timeframe, or for a certain amount of gain. Some say that reputable companies will not charge more than $50 for an ad. This is not true. Some of the best companies have ads that are more than $200. It is important to understand what the company will do for you. If you believe that the company will help you make a profit on your time share, or at least help you break even, then it is worth a large investment.
  
  
• Set aggressive prices:  Once you find a company to advise you, they will likely suggest a selling price that is significantly lower than what you paid. This is good advice. Some sellers attempt to sell their time shares for more than they are worth, and end up being forced to lower the price, and possibly losing large amounts of money. The longer a time share stays on the market, the less likely it is to have a high yield. Depending on the company and the market, time shares may be sold at least 20-30% what the resort is currently selling. The best prices will naturally attract buyers.
  
  
• Get exposure:  Choose a company that will expose your time share to the most potential buyers. Quite simply, a time share that is for sale will not sale if no one knows about it. Some companies claim that they have high exposure, but always check the facts. A company may claim to be number one in a search engine, but you should never be afraid to investigate further. A good way to test a company's claims is to search for time share-related keywords in Google. Observe the companies’ rankings on specific keywords, and you can attain a good idea of their exposure to a potential buying audience. Many customers selling time shares fail to check the facts and lose money as a result. In order to make money, you must get exposure.

It is important to understand the market in which you are selling your time share. Most time shares decrease in value and it is important to understand and accept this fact. With the proper advice and the proper approach to selling, a time share can make a seller large profits. Always have an aggressive price for your time share and choose the company that is best for you. Finally, gain the most exposure for your timeshare sale as possible. Following these rules will help make your time share sale experience a success.

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