Can I Sell My Timeshare Without Upfront Fees: 3 Options That Work

Have you been asking yourself, Can I sell my timeshare without upfront fees?

Several years back, I made one of the biggest financial mistakes of my life. I bought a timeshare.  You may be in a similar situation if you’re reading this article.

However, you may have also realized by now that selling your timeshare is riddled with all kinds of landmines, from paying high upfront fees to dealing with the typical ripoff timeshare resale company.

I know this industry firsthand because I’ve been taken by two of these companies, which cost me $1100 in upfront fees.  You may have dealt with a similar situation, leaving you asking how I can sell my timeshare without upfront fees. 

In this article, I will share three ways you can sell your timeshare.  One is a method I used to sell my timeshare, the second is a relatively new option I’ve recently come across, and the third is not exactly a way to sell your timeshare but a way to recoup some of the cost.

I will also debunk a myth that will help you throughout this process. So keep reading.

The Biggest Timeshare Myth

When it comes to selling your timeshare, the most significant myth is that you can sell it for the same amount of money or more that you bought it for, which is entirely untrue.

When I was trying to sell my timeshare, several people told me I could get as much, if not more, from selling my timeshare.   The first time I heard this was when I was buying my timeshare.

While buying my timeshare, the sales rep said I could quickly get back out what I paid for my timeshare.  The problem with this is that when you buy a timeshare, you are not buying a piece of land or anything physical but rather a period, a week to be exact.

The second time I heard this, a resale sales rep claimed that people in other countries besides the US would pay far more for my timeshare.  This is entirely false.  You won’t get back what you paid for your timeshare even if they live in France or Australia.

In my situation, I paid $4500 for my timeshare unit, and in the end, I only got $400 back when I sold it.  I considered myself lucky then just to be rid of the thing and not have to pay one more maintenance fee.

Related Article: Not sure why timeshares are bad then read this article.  It goes into more depth on the topic.

So if you keep this advice in mind while you’re trying to sell your timeshare, the less likely you’ll get taken by all the ripoff deals out there.  

Now that you know what you’re up against when selling your timeshare, I will share three options you can try to get rid of your timeshare for good.

#1 The Buyback Option

The first option and the option I used to sell my timeshare was to call my resort and ask them if they could buy back my timeshare.  After being ripped off by two timeshare resale companies and refusing to pay my maintenance fee, I asked my resort if they could repurchase it.

Before you start thinking if this might be the option for you, you’ll want to know that every resort may not offer this, and if they do offer this, they aren’t paying you anything close to what they sold it to you for.

In my case, I only got around ten cents on the dollar back on what I paid.

The upside is that if you’re looking for a way to get out from under your timeshare, this is a great way to do it, even if you don’t get anything back in return.  Not paying a substantial annual maintenance fee will be well worth it.

Another thing to consider is whether you have a loan on your timeshare because if you do, you may not be able to take this option until you have it completely paid in full.

This also holds with your maintenance fees as well.  So if you feel this is an option, here are some basic steps you can follow.

Step 1: Contact Your Resort

The first step you need to do is to contact your resort.  You can do this in a few ways, from just calling to emailing them.  My resort was located in Aruba, so I just sent them an email to make things easy.

In the email, just let them know you are interested in selling your timeshare and want to know if they have an available buyback option.  

Keep the email simple and sweet.  Don’t go into any long, drawn-out email; tell them what you want to do.

Step 2: Review the Offer

Once the timeshare sales rep gets back to you, he will let you know whether this option is available.  If there is they may tell you that they don’t buy back timeshare units but that they have a third-party company that does this.

This is often how timeshares will buy back the unit through a third-party company, and this is perfectly fine.  One caveat is that the resort may require you to pay your current maintenance fee to do this.  This was the requirement in my case, but it was well worth it to get rid of it.

Step 3: Sign the Agreement

Once you’ve both agreed, they will send you a letter containing the agreement. This will make the agreement binding.  At this point, you should sign the agreement and send it back.

Side Note:  You should not be required to pay a big upfront fee other than the maintenance fee if it happens to be due.

Step 4: Get Paid

Finally, once you’ve signed and sent the agreement back, it will take weeks to months to get your check.  This all depends on the resort and how fast they get things approved.

So there you have it. This is the first method to sell your timeshare with no upfront fees.

#2 Sell Your Timeshare on Vacatia

Side Note:  First off I want to be upfront and say that I’ve never used this service before but it come highly recommended by Clark Howard.  You can read more on what he says here.

I recently came across this option when Clark Howard mentioned it on his show, and I’ve found this to be a possible option for getting rid of your timeshare and paying no upfront fees.  Instead, Vacatia only charges you a success fee when you sell your unit.

This is just unheard of when it comes to timeshare resale!

To sell your timeshare with Vacatia, follow their 5-step process.  Below is a list of the five steps to take to get started.

Step 1: Sign Up For Free

Click here to sign up with Vacatia.

Step 2: List Your Timeshare For Sale

Once you’ve signed up with Vacatia, list your timeshare for sale.  You can sell anything from your fixed or floating week to your timeshare points here.

The best part is it doesn’t cost anything to list your timeshare with them, unlike resale companies requiring you to pay a substantial upfront fee before they even list your unit.  One thing I’m not quite sure of when it comes to Vacatia is how to price your timeshare with them.

My guess is you won’t get what you paid for it. However, if you are someone who does get a decent return on selling your timeshare through this service, I would like to hear your story in the comments below and how things worked out for you.

Side Note:  If you want to list your timeshare on Vacatia and have the best chance of selling it, it’s best that you are current will all maintenance fees.

Step 3: Guarantee the Accuracy of Your Listing

Once you’ve listed your unit, the next step is to verify that you own the resort unit to help avoid fraud.  Doing this will give you the Vacatia Guarantee, which may help you sell your listing faster.  Below is a picture of how this will look in your listing on Vacatia.

Step 4: Talk to Interested Buyers

One thing I find very unique about Vacatia is that they allow prospective buyers to contact you about your property through their internal messaging system.  I’ve never seen a company that sells timeshares do it quite like this.

I can remember signing up with resale companies years ago when I listed with them, and I would call them every once in a while to see if anyone was looking at my unit, and typically, they just gave me the runaround.

With Vacatia, you are in control of talking to the buyers, which gives you much more leverage over the situation.

Step 5: Complete Your Timeshare Sale

Once you and your buyer have agreed on a price, the last step is to complete the sale.  To do this, a purchasing coordinator will contact you and tell you precisely what you need to do.  

This will include signing a legally binding purchase agreement, and funds will be put in an escrow account until everything is complete.

Once the sale has been completed, you, as the seller, must pay a success fee.  Below is a list of the fees.

Side Note: If you happen to sell your timeshare with Vacatia I’d love to hear your story in the comments below.

#3 Rent Your Timeshare on Vacatia

If you can’t sell your timeshare right now, the final option is to rent it on Vacatia.  If you have an available unit to use up and don’t have the time to use them, this is a great way to make up some of the money while trying to sell it.

The problem with this years ago was the same as selling your timeshare.  You had to pay upfront fees to get the unit rented; in most cases, this never guaranteed anything. On top of that, the fraud and scammers out there are everywhere, and it can be hard to decide who to trust.

So if this is your situation, this may also be an option for you.  Below I’ve outlined a list of steps to help you get started.  You can also learn more by going here.

Step 1: Fill Out the Application

The first step in this process is to fill out the application to rent your unit.  They may also ask you to see a copy of your deed or recent maintenance fee to ensure you are the unit’s owner and cut down on fraud.  You can do that by going here.

You can rent your timeshare unit or condominium at a professionally managed resort or points.

Step 2: Book Your Unit

Once your unit is listed, Vacatia will handle everything regarding finding people to rent your unit.  Typically people will rent your unit right online where they will be able to view photos of your unit and all the amenities.

Step 3: Get Paid

Finally, once they book your unit, it’s time to get paid.  Vacatia will charge you a success fee, but this will not be nearly as big as the fee if you were to sell your resort.

On top of that, you won’t get paid for your rental until 24 hours after the guest check-in.  This is to avoid any chargebacks in case the guest withdraws their agreement.

Can I Sell My Timeshare Without Upfront Fees

If you’re asking, Can I Sell My Timeshare Without Upfront Fees you have a few choices?  However, I suggest you take the time, as I have to research these options before you start.

You must consider every option in an industry full of ripoff deals and scammers.  I was ripped off by two resale companies costing me over $1100, and my goal is for this not to happen to you too.