Many people buy timeshares and then things happen and they would like to shed their vacation property.
Actually timeshares often show up on top ten lists of things not to buy new.
You can get a much better deal if you are buying a timeshare from someone trying to offload a timeshare property than buying something new at a high-pressure sales presentation.
And if you are going to buy something pre-owned, where else but on eBay? As of this writing there are about 1,400 timeshare listings on eBay.
Aruba.
Hawaii.
Nevada.
I had to take a few minutes there to check out one that was selling for $95.
Yep.
$95.
It had pictures and a note that upon the closing of the deal, the buyer had to also pay $608 in maintenance fees.
The week for sale is in November and you get the Warranty Deed.
This means that you are guaranteed free and clear title with no encumbrances.
While this might seem too good to be true, the same seller had even better deals.
Some timeshares sold for a couple of bucks.
Mind you there are other costs involved.
In the case of the $2 sale, the buyer also had to pay a maintenance fee of almost $700 for 2008, a closing fee of about $400 and a resort transfer fee of $75.
Nevertheless, this is a good price for what they were selling which was a week in August in the Catskills.
The total price comes to less than $1200 for a timeshare you can use next summer and the only thing you'll need to pay in future is the annual maintenance fee.
That's a far cry from what the original owner would have likely paid -- anywhere between $12,000 and $20,000 dollars.
Before you buy, as with anything on eBay, check out the seller and see how many positive feedback remarks they have received and check the auctions themselves to make sure that the positive feedback is for actually selling timeshares.
It's rare for individuals to sell their own timeshare on eBay as usuallyreal estate company will handle all the transactions, so you shouldfind plenty of other timeshare auctions by the same person if they are a real estate agent or associate.
Do not be too eager to bid on a timeshare on eBay unless you know something about the location.
Perhaps it is not the kind of place that you really would like to have as your vacation spot every year.
If you are dreaming of sandy beaches, then a timeshare in Oregon may not be for you.
And keep in mind, that most knowledgeable timeshare owners recommend buying your first timeshare within an 8 hour drive of your year-round home.
You will be far more likely to use your timeshare on a regular basis if it is within a day's drive.
So if you live on the East Coast, maybe you should consider a timeshare down on Cape Cod before buying one in Hawaii.
If you find you do make use of your timeshare and want more time, then you can always buy another one -- either to use or as a trader.
It is also essential that you have a full understanding of the timeshare rights you are purchasing.
Check out the codes, covenants, and restrictions which set out the rights of property owners and how the timeshare will be managed.
There might be fees, charges, and restrictions on using the timeshare.
Do not respond to any offers that involve avoiding eBay fees.
That offers no protection for you and is no real advantage to you as a buyer since it is always the seller who pays transaction fees directly to Ebay.