in recent years the popularity of timeshare ownership has grown several times over. There are now more than 2 million Americans that own timeshare properties. Some of these properties are in the US and others around the country. However, along with the rise of the timeshare industry an increase in the number of scams and frauds has also been seen. The prevalence of these scams has turn some away from timeshare opportunities. This has led to an increase in the number of alternate options besides traditional Timeshares. Some some of these options are also good alternatives to providing your family with an affordable vacation solution.

Although a timeshare property may be an affordable long-term solution to your family. One drawback is that they typically require a large upfront fee. The purchase price can range from $10,000-$50,000. Additionally, the buyer is required to pay for maintenance fees, property taxes and management fees. These fees can cost several hundred dollars per year. In some cases, people determined that the fees upfront cost to not justify the long-term investment for the use of the property. This is particularly true if they will get bored of going to the same place again and again when exchange program is not available.

Exchange programs allow a timeshare owner to trade the use of their property for the use of a property at a different location. However not all timeshare properties offer this option. Even when they do they’re usually fees associated with the exchange. Selling a timeshare can also be very difficult. It is not common to see timeshares selling at 40% reduction from their original price.

Recently the vacation industry has been washed over by a wave of new concepts. One of these concepts is the idea of a resort membership. With a resort membership for your one-time investment you can enjoy the benefits of the resort without having to pay taxes or maintenance fees, although there may be a yearly fee of some sort involved. Prices vary widely from several thousand to more than $100,000, but the odds are, you can find something within your budget.

The best deal that one can get would be a lifetime membership for around three grand and a limited five year membership for two grand. And the members have access to not only the resort they have membership in but they can choose from hundreds of resorts worldwide available in resort company’s network. And there is no limit on number of times you want to go and at what time you want to go, your vacation is always assured.

Condo hotels are another new concept that have been gaining popularity as of late. Currently there are few owners, but the concept is receiving high reviews and seems to work well. Essentially, you would be buying a condo in a high-class hotel and receiving all the benefits and amenities available at the hotel. If you are not using your condo you can put it up for rent and receive a percentage of the revenue that it produces. Compared to a timeshare property a condo hotel may offer you more flexibility and a wider range of amenities across a variety of locations.

These concepts, as well as some other new ones are worth considering when comparing the value of timeshare property ownership. Traditional timeshare programs remain a viable and affordable vacationing solution while providing a solid long-term investment. But it’s always important to thoroughly research your decision prior to purchase.

If you are interested in timeshare ownership and want to learn more Timeshare Information, you should check out We Own Timeshares. Meet and connect with timeshare owners on this Timeshare Ownership social network. It is free to join and you can create your own profile in minutes. Share information and reviews of different timeshare properties and start asking questions in the forum. Visit today.

Tags: alternatives to timeshares, family, how timeshares work, leisure, timeshare, timeshare forum, timeshare ownership, timeshare properties, timeshares, travel, vacation, vacationing

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010 at 12:44 pm and is filed under vacation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.