When To Buy From A Developer
After all the talk about how timeshares from a developer are a raw deal because 50% of the price is for marketing and how you could get a much better deal on the secondary market, I bet you thought this article on when to buy a timeshare from a developer would be brief, right? There are actually quite a few reasons why you might want to go straight to a developer when it comes to buying a timeshare and they are:
Brand new resort and you want a spot. This is the number one reason people purchase a timeshare directly from a developer. If you can get a coveted timeshare on the secondary market, that’s wonderful because it’ll be a much better deal. However, if a resort is brand new, you won’t see any timeshares on the market because there simply hasn’t been enough time. Now, is that resort really all its cracked up to be and worth the demand? That’s for you to decide.
Very specific requirements. If you’re looking for a specific week in the year in a specific area, you might have to go to a developer simply because you may not find such a deal on the secondary market. The resale market will have plenty of supply, but depending on how specific your needs are, you may not be able to find something you want.
Bonus offers or amenities. Sometimes developers will offer incentives that you can’t get on the secondary market, such as bonus exchange weeks for a set number of years or bonus points available through some other program. Sometimes hotel companies offer hotel points in addition to the timeshare so you get a few hotel stays out of it as well.
Comfort. As with any resale market, there are unscrupulous characters trying to pull a fast one on an unsuspecting buyer to turn a quick profit. It’s a problem in any resale market of any car, be it timeshares or cars or houses, and sometimes people aren’t comfortable buying on the secondary market. This is a good, albeit expensive, reason to go with a developer sale rather than the resale market.