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Adding Up the Actual Cost of a Timeshare
The idea behind vacation ownership is that owning a functional real estate interest or timeshare can be a more cost-effective alternative to paying for hotel rooms repeatedly if you take frequent vacations. The conventional wisdom is that it is better to own a piece of paradise rather than keep saving for hotel rooms every year.
However, the reality of timeshare ownership has fallen short of this ideal. Even with deeded timeshares and fixed-week fractional interests, there are various annual fees to pay, including maintenance fees, property taxes, HOA fees, and special assessments, which can make owning a timeshare a financial burden. The current trend of vacation clubs with point systems, exchange company fees, and complicated reservation systems has made the process even more complex and expensive. Regrettably, timeshare sales presentations often do not reveal the true cost of ownership, and you may not realize the full extent of the financial obligations until you receive your first set of bills.
This article aims to educate readers on the real cost of timeshare ownership by breaking down the various expenses involved, such as the purchase price, mortgage, tax payments, and special assessments. It emphasizes that, in many cases, buying a timeshare may not be a wise financial decision.
The Costs That Come With a Timeshare
Even experienced purchasers may be surprised to find that a timeshare is not as advantageous as they thought once they consider all the expenses. Therefore, having knowledge is the most effective way to avoid being exploited by timeshare companies.
Now, let’s examine all the various expenses associated with owning a timeshare.
The Timeshare Purchase and Mortgage
When considering the cost of a timeshare, most people think of the upfront payment made to the developer for the timeshare interest. This cost varies depending on the type of timeshare, whether it’s a fixed- or floating-week deeded timeshare or a points-based vacation club such as Hilton Grand Vacations Max, Marriott, or Disney Vacation Club.
Regardless of the type of timeshare, the more you purchase, the higher the price tag. According to the American Resort Development Association (ARDA), the average cost of a timeshare interval is over $24,000, and some can cost over $100,000. For this hypothetical scenario, let’s assume a purchase price of $30,000 with a $3,000 down payment, requiring a $27,000 mortgage to cover the difference.
However, unlike home loans, timeshare mortgage interest rates can be quite high, sometimes reaching up to 20%. Let’s assume a common interest rate of 15.9% for ten years. To calculate the total cost, add the principal ($27,000) to the mortgage interest paid over ten years. On those terms, the $30,000 timeshare would actually cost $54,072.51 over ten years, with nearly the same amount paid in interest ($27,072.51) as in principal over 120 payments.
If this number is surprising, keep in mind that we have not yet discussed other fees associated with timeshare ownership.
Annual Timeshare Maintenance Fees
As per ARDA’s 2019 research, maintenance fees for timeshares can vary widely, ranging from $640 for a small studio to nearly $1,300 for a three-bedroom unit. Assuming an annual maintenance fee of $1,000 for seven nights of timeshare usage per year in our hypothetical scenario, it is important to note that this fee will not remain the same. Like other expenses, maintenance fees are also subject to inflation. For our example, let’s consider an inflation rate of 8.5% per year. This would mean that over 10 years, you would pay $17,096 in maintenance fees alone, and in 20 years, the figure would balloon to $53,489. However, the actual amount you may pay in 20 years depends on the specific company you’re dealing with, and you can estimate the inflation of your maintenance fees by using Centerstone Group’s Maintenance Fee Calculator, which factors in the current US inflation rate.
Timeshare Property Taxes, Homeowners Association (HOA) Fees, and Special Assessments
Owning a timeshare comes with several legal obligations, taxes, and fees, which are mandatory payments that you must make. Failure to meet these obligations could result in your timeshare being foreclosed. One of the costs associated with timeshares is property taxes, which will depend on the location of your timeshare and the size of your interest. Assuming an annual property tax of $500, you will pay $5,000 after 10 years and $10,000 after 20 years.
Another cost is membership in the homeowner’s association (HOA), which covers the expenses for maintaining roads, amenities, and common areas within a resort. The regular HOA fee is around $400 per year, which translates to $4,000 after 10 years and $8,000 after 20 years. However, if there’s a natural disaster or the resort needs a special renovation, the normal HOA dues may not cover it, and you may have to pay additional fees. It’s hard to predict how much these fees will be, but for our example, we will assume that you only have to pay $500 in special assessments every 10 years, which amounts to a total of $1,000 after 20 years.
Fees for Using, Reserving, and Exchanging Your Timeshare
So, What Is The Total Cost of a Timeshare?
After considering all the expenses mentioned earlier, let’s compute the total cost for a timeshare unit worth $30,000 over ten years, bearing in mind that some of the approximations are conservative. The total cost comes out to be $84,818.51.
Suppose you have seven nights at your timeshare every year, and you use all of them each year, which is an improbable scenario. In that case, your expense per night for your timeshare unit would be $1,211.69. If you don’t utilize all your nights, the average cost per night will only increase.
After 20 years, the total amount paid would be $126,861.51, which is more than four times the original price of the timeshare unit. Even if you were to use every night of your timeshare over 20 years, which is rare, you would still end up spending $906.15 per night. This may be a slightly better deal than the ten-year plan, but it is still considerably more expensive than staying in a high-end hotel or resort.
Tired of Paying Through the Nose? Centerstone Group Can Help
When you examine figures like these, it’s easier to see why numerous timeshare owners are seeking ways to get out of their contracts. This is where the Centerstone Group comes in to assist. We are a leading company in timeshare exit, and we help our clients achieve ethical and legal exits from their timeshare contracts. We have years of experience in finding successful exit solutions, whether it’s through contract cancellation, our unique pressure campaigns, or assistance from our legal partners.
If you are a timeshare owner who wants to put an end to the financial drain, we would be delighted if you considered allowing us to assist you. Our company is BBB A+-rated, and we have received numerous positive reviews from our satisfied clients. Please contact us for a free consultation and case review.
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