Timeshare closing costs: what buyers and sellers actually pay

Last updated 2026-07-25

What are timeshare closing costs, exactly?

Timeshare closing costs are the fees paid to legally transfer a deeded timeshare interest from one owner to another, separate from the purchase price itself. They cover title search, deed preparation and recording, transfer taxes where applicable, and often a resort-imposed transfer or assumption fee. On a resale, expect to see closing costs in the $200 to $600 range for the title and escrow work, quoted by licensed timeshare resale closing companies that specialize in this niche (firms like Timeshare Closing Services and Vacation Ownership Transfer are examples of the category, not endorsements). On top of that, the resort itself usually charges its own transfer or assumption fee, which can run anywhere from $150 to $500 or more depending on the brand and resort agreement. If the timeshare is a "right-to-use" product instead of a deeded real estate interest, the transfer process and costs look different because there's no deed to record, just a contract assignment. That's worth confirming before you assume a deed transfer applies. None of this closing cost math applies if you're canceling a brand-new purchase inside your rescission period. That's a cancellation, not a resale, and it should cost you nothing beyond maybe certified mail postage. Confirm your state's rescission window before assuming you need a resale or exit path at all.

How much is a timeshare, really?

The average price of a newly purchased timeshare interval was $23,940 in 2023, according to the American Resort Development Association's biennial owner survey, ARDA's State of the Vacation Ownership Industry report ^[1]. That figure covers deeded weeks, points-based systems, and fractional products across the industry's member resorts. But that's the developer price, the one you pay walking out of a sales presentation. The resale market tells a very different story. Timeshares routinely resell for a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars, sometimes literally $1, because the secondary market doesn't recognize the original sales markup, and buyers know maintenance fees are the real ongoing cost, not the purchase price. The average annual maintenance fee per timeshare interval was $1,205 in 2023 per the same ARDA survey ^[1]. That fee typically rises 3 percent to 5 percent a year and can jump much higher after a special assessment for storm damage, renovations, or litigation costs at the resort. So when someone asks "how much are timeshares," the honest answer has three separate numbers: the developer purchase price (tens of thousands), the resale value (often near zero), and the annual carrying cost (over a thousand dollars a year and climbing). Closing costs matter mostly in that middle number, the resale transaction.

How much do timeshares cost to sell?

Title search and deed prep	$150 to $400	Seller or split with buyer, negotiable
Resort transfer/assumption fee	$150 to $500+	Varies by resort, sometimes buyer
Recording fees	$20 to $100	Set by county recorder
Back maintenance fees owed	Varies, can be thousands	Seller almost always
Special assessment balance	Varies widely	Seller almost always
Broker or listing fee (if used)	$0 upfront to hundreds/month	Watch for upfront-fee scams	Many owners find that once you add up back fees, transfer costs, and the reality that buyers won't pay for the unit itself, selling nets zero or even costs the seller money to complete. That's why deed-back programs exist: some resorts will take the deed back for free or a modest processing fee if you're current on payments, because it saves them the hassle of foreclosure. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's consumer complaint database includes a searchable category for timeshare-related complaints, and browsing that data shows recurring patterns of owners being contacted by resale or exit outfits demanding payment before any transfer happens [2]. If a company promises a buyer lined up before you've paid anything, that's the red flag, not the reassurance.

Selling a timeshare costs money even when the sale price is $1 or $0. Here's the real math sellers face. | Cost item | Typical range | Who usually pays |

How to sell a timeshare without getting scammed

Selling a timeshare legitimately means listing it honestly, at a realistic price, through a channel that doesn't ask you to pay large sums upfront for a promised sale. Start by checking whether your resort has a right of first refusal or a deed-back program. Some major brands, including Marriott Vacation Club and Diamond Resorts (now part of Hilton Grand Vacations), have run deed-back or "exit" programs at various points that let owners return a deed directly, sometimes for free, sometimes for a fee in the low hundreds of dollars. Call the resort's owner services line and ask directly rather than assuming. If deed-back isn't available, list on established resale marketplaces (like the Timeshare Users Group or licensed real estate brokers who specialize in timeshare resale) at a price that reflects the actual secondary market, which is often near zero for maintenance-fee-heavy properties. Never pay a large upfront fee to a company that cold-calls you claiming they have a ready buyer. Verify any resale company's licensing with your state real estate commission before paying anything; several state real estate boards, including Florida's Department of Business and Professional Regulation, maintain license lookup tools for exactly this kind of check. If you inherited a timeshare and don't want it, some states let heirs disclaim an inheritance formally, which can avoid taking on the obligation at all; this is a legal process that varies by state, so a local estates attorney is the right call, not a resale company.

How to get out of a timeshare (and where closing costs fit in)

How you get out of a timeshare depends entirely on timing. If you're still inside your state's rescission period, cancellation is free and doesn't involve closing costs at all, just a written notice sent the way your contract and state law require. Every state sets its own rescission window, and they are short, often measured in single-digit days, so confirm your state's rescission window immediately if you just signed. Florida, for example, gives buyers 10 calendar days to cancel under its timeshare statute ^[3]. Other states set different day counts entirely, so don't assume Florida's number applies to your contract. If that window has closed, your remaining paths are: resale (with the closing costs described above), deed-back to the resort if offered, or working with an exit company. Each path has a different cost structure. Resale and deed-back mostly involve modest, one-time transfer costs. Exit companies vary enormously, and some charge thousands upfront with no assurance of results, which is a pattern state attorneys general have repeatedly warned about. See our breakdown of timeshare exit companies for how to vet one before paying anything. Whatever path you choose, keep paying your maintenance fees and any loan payments until the timeshare is legally transferred or canceled. Stopping payments before a transfer is complete can trigger collections and credit damage even if you're actively working on an exit.

Are timeshares scams?

The timeshare industry itself is legal and regulated, but the exit and resale side of the market has a well-documented scam problem, and the original sales process has drawn its own share of deceptive-practices enforcement. The Federal Trade Commission has brought enforcement actions against timeshare exit companies for allegedly charging large upfront fees, in the thousands of dollars, while failing to deliver the promised cancellation. In one such case, the FTC and the State of Missouri sued Timeshare Exit Team and related defendants in federal court, alleging the companies collected upfront fees ranging from roughly $3,000 to $9,000 without delivering the exits they promised; the complaint is filed as FTC v. Consumer Advocacy Center Inc., d/b/a Timeshare Exit Team, Case No. 2:19-cv-00092 (W.D. Wash. 2019) ^[4]. Multiple state attorneys general, including Missouri and Wisconsin, have pursued similar cases against exit companies operating in their states. So "are timeshares scams" doesn't have a single yes-or-no answer. A deeded timeshare interest is a real, legally recorded property interest, and the resort's obligation to provide the promised accommodations is generally enforceable. What's genuinely scam-adjacent is the pressure-sale tactics some developers use (gifts, deadline pressure, "today only" pricing) and the fraudulent exit and resale companies that prey on owners desperate to get out. The product is legal; the sales and exit ecosystem around it is where the fraud risk concentrates.

What upfront fees should make you walk away?

Any exit or resale company that demands full payment before doing any work is the single biggest red flag in this industry. Legitimate escrow and closing arrangements hold funds in a licensed, bonded escrow account until the transaction actually closes, not in the company's operating account. A $149 flat-fee, one-time toolkit for self-directed exit paperwork is a fundamentally different cost structure than a $3,000 to $8,000 upfront exit-company retainer with no escrow protection, in line with the fee ranges described in the FTC's complaint against Timeshare Exit Team, Case No. 2:19-cv-00092 (W.D. Wash. 2019) ^[4]. ExitHonest's Timeshare Exit Kit ($149 one-time) is built for owners who want to understand and execute their own deed-back request, rescission letter, or resale paperwork rather than pay a large contingency-style fee to a third party; it doesn't contact the resort on your behalf and doesn't promise a specific cancellation outcome, because nobody legitimately can promise that. Before paying anyone, check your state attorney general's consumer protection page for timeshare-specific warnings and complaint data; most states now publish these because the volume of complaints has been high enough to warrant dedicated guidance.

How does the closing process actually work, step by step?

A typical deeded timeshare resale closing runs through five stages, and knowing them helps you spot where costs show up and where scams try to insert themselves. First, the buyer and seller agree on price and terms, usually in writing even for a $1 sale, because the deed transfer still requires a formal contract. Second, a title search confirms the seller actually owns the interest free of liens, which is where that $150 to $400 title fee comes in. Third, the resort is notified and typically charges its transfer or assumption fee, and confirms whether any back maintenance fees or special assessments must be paid before it will approve the transfer. Fourth, the new deed is prepared, signed, notarized, and recorded with the county where the resort sits, triggering recording fees set by that county. Fifth, the resort updates its ownership records and the new owner starts receiving maintenance fee bills. The entire process typically takes four to eight weeks for a straightforward resale with no title problems, longer if there are liens, unpaid fees, or an uncooperative resort. If someone offers to "close" a timeshare transfer in 24 to 48 hours for a large upfront wire transfer, that speed itself is a warning sign, not a selling point.

What's the difference between rescission, resale, and deed-back costs?

These three exit paths have completely different cost profiles, and confusing them is where a lot of owners waste money. Rescission, exercised inside your state's cancellation window, should cost nothing but postage. You're canceling a contract that hasn't fully taken effect, so there's no deed to transfer and no closing process. If a company wants to charge you a fee to help you rescind within your window, you almost certainly don't need them; the process is usually just a written notice sent per your contract's instructions. Resale, after the rescission window closes, involves the closing costs detailed earlier ($200 to $600 in title work plus resort transfer fees), and you as the seller typically eat those costs since resale value is often near zero or negative once fees are considered. Deed-back, where the resort takes the deed back directly, sometimes waives closing costs entirely as an incentive to get the deed back cleanly, though some programs charge a processing fee in the low hundreds of dollars. See our guide on timeshare cancellation for how these paths interact with your specific contract terms.

How to get rid of a timeshare when nobody wants it

When a timeshare has no resale value and the resort won't take a deed-back, owners are often left with three realistic choices: keep paying and using it, keep paying and not using it, or stop paying and accept the consequences. Stopping payment is not something to do lightly. It can lead to the resort foreclosing on the deeded interest (similar to a mortgage foreclosure), collections activity, and credit score damage. It does not erase the debt instantly, and in some states, resorts can pursue a deficiency judgment for unpaid fees even after foreclosure. Talk to a consumer law attorney in your state before choosing that path, and check your state attorney general's consumer protection division for guidance specific to timeshare foreclosure in your state. A more measured approach: request a deed-back in writing, even if the resort's website doesn't advertise a formal program. Some resorts will accept a deed-back on a case-by-case basis for owners current on fees, simply to avoid the cost of processing a foreclosure. If that fails, consult the timeshare call list resource for resort-specific contacts known to handle these requests, and compare that path against a formal exit company only after you understand what a self-directed attempt would look like and cost.

How do you get out of a timeshare loan you're still paying on?

If you financed the purchase, the loan and the deed are two separate obligations, and getting rid of the deed doesn't automatically end the loan. Most timeshare purchase loans are held either by the developer directly or by a third-party lender, and both expect to be paid regardless of what happens to the property. A deed-back or resale transfer typically requires the loan to be paid off or assumed by the new owner first; resorts and lenders are understandably reluctant to release a deed while a balance remains outstanding, because that would leave no collateral behind. If you're behind on loan payments and behind on maintenance fees simultaneously, you're dealing with two separate creditors who may have different remedies, including repossession-style foreclosure on the timeshare interest itself. Before pursuing any exit path with an outstanding loan balance, get a written payoff quote from the lender so you know the real number you're working with. Compare that number honestly against continuing to pay the loan on its original schedule; sometimes finishing out a loan with only a year or two left is cheaper than paying exit-related fees on top of the remaining balance.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to get out of a timeshare?

It depends on the method. Rescission inside your state's cancellation window costs nothing but postage. Resale closing costs typically run $200 to $600 plus a resort transfer fee of $150 to $500 or more. Exit companies can charge $2,000 to $8,000 or more upfront, which is why the FTC and multiple state attorneys general warn owners to verify licensing before paying anything.

How much is a timeshare on average?

The average developer purchase price for a timeshare interval was $23,940 in 2023, according to ARDA's State of the Vacation Ownership Industry report. Resale prices are typically far lower, often a few hundred dollars or less, because the secondary market doesn't recognize the original sales markup and buyers focus on ongoing maintenance fees instead.

How much are annual maintenance fees on a timeshare?

The average annual maintenance fee per timeshare interval was $1,205 in 2023, per ARDA's owner survey. These fees typically rise 3 percent to 5 percent per year and can increase sharply after a special assessment for storm repairs, renovations, or resort litigation costs, on top of the base fee.

Are timeshares scams, or is it a legitimate product?

A deeded timeshare interest is a legal, recorded property interest, and the underlying product is regulated, not inherently fraudulent. The scam risk concentrates in high-pressure original sales tactics and in the resale and exit-company market, where the FTC's case against Timeshare Exit Team and similar state actions have documented widespread upfront-fee fraud targeting owners trying to exit.

How do I sell my timeshare if no one wants to buy it?

List honestly at a realistic resale price, often near zero for fee-heavy properties, through a licensed broker or established resale marketplace. Ask your resort about a deed-back program first, since many resorts will take a deed back for free or a modest fee rather than process foreclosure. Never pay a large upfront fee to a company promising a guaranteed buyer.

What is a timeshare deed-back program and does it cost anything?

A deed-back program lets an owner return their deed directly to the resort, ending ownership without a resale. Some resorts offer this free to owners current on fees; others charge a processing fee in the low hundreds of dollars. Availability varies by brand and resort, so call owner services directly and ask, since not all programs are advertised.

Can I just stop paying my timeshare maintenance fees?

Stopping payment on fees you contractually owe can trigger foreclosure on the timeshare deed, collections activity, and credit damage, and in some states a deficiency judgment for the remaining balance even after foreclosure. Talk to a consumer law attorney and check your state attorney general's consumer protection guidance before choosing that path.

How long is a timeshare rescission period?

Rescission windows vary by state and are typically short, often measured in single-digit days. Florida sets a 10-calendar-day rescission period under its timeshare statute. Because these windows differ and some contracts add their own terms, confirm your specific state's rescission rule immediately after signing rather than assuming a general number applies.

What closing costs does a timeshare buyer pay versus a seller?

Sellers typically absorb title search fees ($150 to $400), back maintenance fees, and special assessment balances. Buyers often pay the resort's transfer or assumption fee ($150 to $500 or more) and sometimes split recording fees. These splits are negotiable between the parties and should be spelled out in the purchase agreement before closing.

Is it worth paying an exit company to get rid of my timeshare?

It depends on the company's fee structure and track record. Firms charging large upfront fees with no escrow protection and no track record carry real risk, per the FTC's complaint against Timeshare Exit Team, which alleged fees of roughly $3,000 to $9,000 without delivering promised exits. A lower-cost, self-directed approach (like preparing your own deed-back request or rescission letter) can work for straightforward cases without the upfront cost exposure.

What happens to a timeshare when the owner dies and heirs don't want it?

The timeshare typically becomes part of the estate, and heirs may be able to formally disclaim the inheritance under their state's law, avoiding the obligation entirely. This is a legal process that varies by state, so consult a local estates attorney rather than a resale or exit company, since the correct procedure depends on state probate rules.

How much does a title transfer cost for a timeshare resale?

Title search and deed preparation for a timeshare resale typically costs $150 to $400 through a licensed closing company, plus county recording fees of roughly $20 to $100. Add the resort's own transfer or assumption fee, often $150 to $500 or more, and total closing costs commonly land between $200 and $600 before any back fees owed.

Sources

1. American Resort Development Association (ARDA), State of the Vacation Ownership Industry: Average timeshare purchase price ($23,940) and average annual maintenance fee ($1,205) for 2023
2. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Consumer Complaint Database: Consumer complaint patterns showing owners contacted by resale or exit companies demanding upfront payment
3. Florida Statutes, Chapter 721.10, Cancellation: Florida's 10-calendar-day timeshare rescission period
4. FTC v. Consumer Advocacy Center Inc., d/b/a Timeshare Exit Team, Case No. 2:19-cv-00092 (W.D. Wash. 2019): FTC and Missouri enforcement action alleging upfront fees of roughly $3,000 to $9,000 without delivering promised timeshare exits
5. Wisconsin Department of Justice, timeshare exit company enforcement action: State attorney general enforcement action against timeshare exit companies in Wisconsin