Yesterday's announcement from Disney that they will give free admission to one theme park on your birthday, brings up one important thing on my "to do list" - buy a Disney Vacation Club timeshare on the secondary market. After all, why should I pay the going rate at the resort when there are owners who would be willing to sell me their DVC for much much less?  I'd get the same product but for thousands less!

But how would I find the right resort, make sure the owner knows exactly what they own, and get the deal closed? What about escrow, closing companies, and transfer of ownership at Disney?

If you are really serious about buying or selling Disney Vacation Club timeshares, then you should utilize the services of timeshare resales specialists like those at www.rpmls.com. They have the size, experience, and systems to get the right deal and do it right the first time! With thousands of timeshare properties sold and closed, their experience would be the "steak" you need - with none of the "sizzle" so many seem to offer.

Disney Vacation Club's proximity to Walt Disney World, their amenities, and attention to detail would make any timeshare owner confident that they made the right decision - especially when you buy your DVC timeshare from another owner.

I am asked that question every day. And normally, someone wants to know what their timeshare is worth because they are considering selling it or have been trying to sell it with no success.

The value of a timeshare is found in its usage. Its value is determined by the amount of savings you can realize compared to paying rack rates at comparable resorts. Over time the amount of money you save when you use your timeshare becomes its value to you.

On the other hand, the first time you pay your maintenance fee and do not use that week, you find out it is worth less than zero! It is a liability. And at that point many owners decide to sell their timeshare rather than pay for something they cannot use or no longer fits into their lifestyle.

ARDA published a study several years ago saying that the average timeshare sells for about 50 to 75% of the resort developers price. Remember, that is an average taking in all resorts, all locations, all types both good and bad. While someone may be able to say they can produce a timeshare appraisal, it is very seldom worth the paper its written on. Also, a true comparative market analysis is usually incorrect because of the way timeshares have been sold. A residential home most likely was sold while listed in an MLS. The MLS will have “sold data” that is compiled into reports that can help you decide at what price to sell your home. But that is not the case for timeshares. There is too little data and too many variables to produce any reliable brokers’ opinion on the price of a timeshare.

If you were to believe everything you see on the internet auction sites, you would think that timeshares are almost impossible to sell unless you are willing to sell for pennies on the dollar. But, with the right marketing and advertising and negotiating skills of a timeshare resales broker, you can get a better value for your timeshare when you get ready to sell.

What is My Timeshare Worth? Video & Hyatt Resort Slideshow

Will my resort help me sell my Orlando timeshare?  Many owners have asked that question.  Eventually, timeshare owners come to the point of deciding to sell. Changes in family circumstances or just lack of usage lead many people to that selling decision. If you ask your timeshare resort to help you sell, you may not get much help.  For example the president of Westgate Resorts in Orlando said "Westgate doesn't offer a formal resale program. It's a conflict for developers, because they have their own inventory to sell. We tell people we won't sell it for you and we won't rent it for you. But if they have to sell, we say go to friends or neighbors or advertise it in the paper." (source) That certainly does not sound like much help.  The Orlando timeshare market has an aggressive sales and development climate.  That's a lot of competition. If you want to sell your Orlando timeshare, you will need a timeshare resales broker's help.  They can appeal to a wide buyers market and compete better with the developers with targeted advertising.

Rather than choosing a timeshare broker in Orlando, choose one that has national and international exposure and experience. The buyer for your Orlando timeshare will not be coming from Orlando. Take a look at the services this timeshare resales broker has to offer.  Don't wait for the resort to come and bail you out of a bad situation.

Over the years, that has been one of the questions asked most often, and remains one of the hardest to answer.  Most timeshare owners approach their first selling experience as if they were selling a residential home.  So the expectation is that there will be a large amount of sales data available from a local Realtor.  Residential homes are most often sold through Realtors and the sales information is recorded in their local MLS database.  A comparable market analysis can then be performed to determine what the "going rate" will be - with a high degree of certainty and a prediction of average days on market.  The problem is that timeshare resales have not been sold through a traditional Multiple Listing Service (MLS) so there is no track record of sales prices. In addition, timeshare appraisals are not worth the paper they are written on.  They can be produced, but are going to be based on scant information.

Some time ago, the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) provided general guidance that said timeshares sold on the resales market would typically bring anywhere from 50-75% of a retail price.  While that is painting with a very broad brush, it is at least some guidance for a timeshare seller. Yet, the first problem encountered with that advise is that it is an average:  All resorts, all locations, unrated, Gold Crown, Five Star, both bad locations and good. The "retail price" is also a moving target.  On the same day two timeshare buyers at the resort could pay drastically different prices for the same vacation ownership.

It has been my experience that every timeshare seller has a different "threshold of pain" when it comes to losing money when they sell.  Some are willing to sell for only the costs involved so they can just walk away from being an owner.  Other owners expect, and can make, more money at closing.  As always it is a matter of supply and demand.  Timeshare condos that are in short supply and high demand will command a better sales price.  Timeshare resales prices have even been climbing in certain areas like Hawaii and the Caribbean.

The value of a timeshare is in its usage.  If you are not using your timeshare it quickly becomes a liability, not an asset.  The best way to deal with that liability is to sell it - without losing your shirt.  The absolute worst way to sell your timeshare is through a venue like Ebay.  Timeshare vacations sold in that manner go for pennies on the dollar, if they ever close at all.  Use a timeshare resales broker to get the best value for your timeshare vacation ownership. 

For specific timeshare sales information - average resales prices, price trends, seller tips - check out this report from Stroman Realty, Inc. 

Chances are, when you first bought your timeshare, you never considered the licensing and regulatory issues surrounding your purchase.  At that time, emotions were probably high, there was a lot of excitement and hoopla.  Now that the "honeymoon" is over and you want to sell, these questions start to rise: Who will handle the sale?  How do I locate someone trustworthy to advertise and negotiate for me?  What about escrow?  A title company, recording of deeds, title insurance, attorneys, next rights to use?  Now throw in the logistics of overcoming the issues of state to state regulation.  For example, in Stroman Realty, Inc's latest study, they show that 41% of their timeshare sales over a five year period involved four states and 48% involved 3 states.  The buyer, seller, property, broker, and closing company could all be in different states.  So, whose forms do you use?  What is the jurisdiction if there are legal issues?

Good question.  In Texas Realtor's May 2008 issue, they address a similar question:  Can I list a Colorado property for sale?  That was a fairly simple question, but the answer was not as simple.

The simplest answer is to use a Timeshare Resales Broker.  They will be adhering to the laws of the state in which they conduct business, practicing a code of ethics, and participating in mandatory continuing education.  They will likely have the experience needed to wade through the pile of questions that will come along.

Stroman Realty, Inc is such a broker.  Having nearly 3 decades of experience in timeshare resales including every state in which there is a timeshare and many foreign countries, they have the experience to get the job done.

Take a look at the details of their timeshare resales study.  There you will find average sales prices for states like Florida, California, and Hawaii. You will also find out about all the options available to a timeshare owner when they are preparing to sell.