Is owning a timeshare really worth it?

Timeshares have become increasingly common — and expensive.

The American Resort Development Association reports that the average price of a timeshare vacation home in the U.S. reached $23,940 in 2023, a 30% increase from 2018. Despite the industry's growing popularity, it faces criticism from owners who struggle to terminate their contracts.

Sheila Wagner, a timeshare owner, stated that she could have retired if she had her money back from the timeshare, but she cannot retire currently due to the situation she is in.

Despite being worth over $10 billion, a study revealed that 85% of timeshare buyers regret their purchase. Many owners attempt to sell their properties on the resale market, but even the most desirable properties lose value after signing.

According to Brian Rogers, owner of Timeshare Users Group, a consumer advocacy and timeshare resale website, our general rule of thumb is that most timeshares sell for between 0% and 10% of their original retail purchase price, with the majority of that focus being on the 0%.

Although some timeshare companies may return the deed once the contract is fully paid off, it is not always an option. Despite the completion of the timeshare's payment, the owner remains responsible for the annual maintenance costs. According to the ARDA, the national average for these costs was $1,170 in 2022.

According to Jeff Weir, an independent timeshare journalist and former RedWeek chief correspondent, many timeshares have a maintenance fee of $1,200, yet they cannot be rented for $100 per night.

In the past three years, the Better Business Bureau has received approximately 3,000 complaints about two of the largest timeshare companies, Wyndham Destinations and ,.

Watch the video to learn more.