Plenty of timeshare owners sign up for their interest with a vision of an annual vacation at a luxurious ‘home resort’ dancing in their heads. Others are willing to take on the obligation of timeshare ownership in order to exchange their weeks or points for stays at resorts across the country, or even around the world.
But for many more timeshare owners, the question really is – “what did I actually just sign up for?”
Historically, there have been three primary flavors of timeshare ownership – though today, in practice, essentially only one is still in favor among major resort developers. Those types of ownership are “deeded,” “leased,” or “right-to-use” (sometimes called “points-based”) systems.
So, our hypothetical consumer might now ask, “What’s the difference between deeded, leased, or right-to-use timeshare interests?”
Our own Michael Finn recently took on that important question in a video, which you can watch below; we’ve also included a transcript of his remarks.
“Today, in today’s times, the main product being sold by the major timeshare developers is your right-to-use product, which is not a deeded product. The logic of it is that you get points instead of ownership, and the points are more flexible in that you can use them at the resort’s different locations, and you can use them at different times. Arguably it’s more flexible than having to go to the same resort, the same time, every year.
There are some advantages to doing that, obviously. There are some downsides.
Reservations I understand are much harder to get. You’re still paying maintenance fees on a unit that you no longer really have any ownership in. If you’re talking about a lease, you’re probably talking about a short-term rental agreement, because the developers have yet to embrace the concept of actually selling a timeshare interest for a period of years, like three to five years. Which, I think, in the long run would be a very good product for them to offer – because then if you decide that you don’t belong in a timeshare, you have an automatic way out within a relatively short time instead of being stuck with the product.”
For more insight on this important topic, we encourage you to read more of Michael’s thoughts in the following articles:
- The Evolution of the Timeshare
- The Timeshare Developer’s Dilemma
- Dispelling the Timeshare Value Myth
Led by Attorney Michael D. Finn with 50 years of experience, the Finn Law Group is a consumer protection firm specializing in timeshare law. Our lawyers understand vacation ownership as well as the many pitfalls of the secondary market of timeshare resales. If you feel you have been victimized by a timeshare company, contact our offices for a free consultation. Know your rights as a consumer and don’t hesitate to drop us a line with any questions or concerns.