Step 1
Shop before you buy. Timeshare developers offer what is called a mini vacation you see "3 days & 2 nights" Promotions. Use this to try out the resort before you decide to buy
Step 2
Do an evaluation of the resort and it's location to determine if it fits in with your lifestyle and vacation needs.
Step 3
Always talk to current owners about there satisfaction with their timeshare.
Step 4
Learn about all the fees associated with timeshare ownership. (i.e. Maintenance fees, 1 time fees ) and so on. These are the fees that are used to maintain all the amenities of the resort as well as cleaning , landscaping and so on. Use this to calculate the real cost of owning.
* Consider where is the ideal location of you vacation, Where will you want to go on a regular basis.
* Find out if you can exchange your time-share week for a week in another resort (known as an "external exchange") or for a different week in your "home" resort (an "internal exchange"). Some of the largest timeshare companies, such as Resort Condominiums International (RCI) and Interval International (II), maintain Web sites with time-share properties that can be exchanged on a weekly basis.
* See if your time-share company allows you to "bank" unused time-share weeks to use at a later time.
* Find out if you can rent out your time-share week. Many owners rent out their time-share properties for a rental amount that can equal twice the amount of their maintenance fees.
* Consider purchasing a time-share directly from other owners rather than purchasing from a resort.
* Never buy a time-share unit without seeing it.
* Don't allow yourself to give in to the salesman at you initial presentation. Timeshare should not be an impulse purchase. You will still get a great deal if you decide to purchase later.