Last updated 2026-07-25
TL;DR
Timeshares cost far more than the purchase price. Buyers pay $16,000 to $23,000 upfront on average, then annual maintenance fees that averaged $1,388 in 2023 and rise every year, plus special assessments that can run into the thousands. Resale value is usually near zero. If you're inside your rescission window, cancel in writing now; if not, understand deed-back, resale, and scam risks before spending more.
How much does a timeshare cost to buy?
The average timeshare purchase price was $23,940 according to the American Resort Development Association's 2023 State of the Vacation Ownership Industry report [1]. Earlier ARDA surveys put the average closer to $16,000 to $22,000, so the exact number depends on the year and the report you're reading. The range has stayed roughly the same for a decade, though: five figures, financed like a car loan but often at worse terms. Most buyers don't pay cash. Developer financing is common, and interest rates on timeshare loans frequently land between 12% and 18% APR, sometimes higher. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's complaint database includes numerous filings from timeshare owners describing high-rate financing terms and difficulty understanding the total cost at signing [2]. A $20,000 purchase financed over 10 years at 15% interest costs roughly $32,000 in total payments before you've paid a single maintenance fee. The purchase price also varies a lot by product type. A one-week fixed unit at a mid-tier resort might run $10,000 to $15,000. A points-based club membership with flexible booking can run $25,000 to $40,000 or more. Luxury brands and larger unit sizes push well past that. None of these numbers include closing costs, which developers sometimes bundle in and sometimes itemize separately.
How much are timeshares in annual maintenance fees?
| Studio / small unit | $700 to $1,000 | |
|---|---|---|
| One-bedroom | $900 to $1,400 | |
| Two-bedroom | $1,200 to $1,900 | |
| Three-bedroom / large luxury unit | $1,800 to $3,000+ | These are industry averages, not a quote for your specific resort. Your contract or annual disclosure statement has the real number, and it's the one that matters. |
This is the number that actually breaks budgets over time. The average annual maintenance fee was $1,388 in 2023, up from $1,000 in 2019, according to ARDA's industry data [1]. That's a roughly 39% jump in four years, well ahead of general consumer inflation over the same period. Maintenance fees aren't optional and they aren't fixed. They're set by the resort's homeowners association or management company, typically billed annually, and they almost always increase. Common annual increases run 3% to 5%. Jumps of 8% to 10% in a single year aren't rare, especially after a resort does major renovations or faces a bad storm season. Here's a rough sense of how fees scale by unit size, based on industry-reported averages: | Unit type | Typical annual maintenance fee (2023 range) |
What are special assessments and how much do they add?
A special assessment is an extra bill on top of your regular maintenance fee, charged when the HOA doesn't have enough reserve money to cover a big expense: a roof, a hurricane repair, a pool renovation, an elevator replacement. Special assessments are legal and enforceable under most state condominium and timeshare statutes, the same way condo owners get hit with special assessments. There's no single national number for how much these run, because it depends entirely on the resort's finances and what broke. But owners report assessments ranging from a few hundred dollars to $5,000 or more after major storm damage, particularly at coastal resorts in Florida, the Gulf Coast, and the Caribbean. After hurricanes Ian (2022) and Milton (2024), several Florida resorts issued assessments in the low thousands per interval owner, on top of already-rising base fees. If you're behind on fees or assessments, don't just stop paying to make a point. Unpaid timeshare fees can go to collections, get reported to credit bureaus, and in some states lead to foreclosure on the interval, which can also generate a 1099-C for cancelled debt that the IRS treats as taxable income. Talk to the HOA or a licensed attorney about your options before you miss payments, not after.
What other timeshare expenses catch owners off guard?
Maintenance fees and special assessments get the headlines, but they're not the whole bill. A few line items surprise almost every owner eventually. Exchange company fees. If you use RCI or Interval International to trade your week for a stay elsewhere, expect annual membership dues (often $100 to $200) plus per-exchange fees that can run another $150 to $250 each time you book a trade. Club or points-program fees. Many newer timeshare products are points-based clubs with their own annual membership fee, separate from the maintenance fee on the underlying real estate. Special event or reservation fees. Some resorts charge booking fees, housekeeping fees, or resort fees per stay, similar to a hotel resort fee, even though you already own the week. Closing and transfer costs. If you ever do sell or give away your timeshare, expect transfer fees, deed recording fees, and sometimes a required estoppel certificate fee from the HOA, often $200 to $500 combined. Late fees and interest. Missed maintenance payments typically accrue interest (often 12% to 18% annually) and late penalties, the same as a credit card. Add it up over a 20 or 30 year ownership and the total cost of a $20,000 timeshare purchase, with rising fees and the occasional assessment, can easily clear $60,000 to $100,000 in nominal dollars. That's before you account for the fact that you're paying every year whether or not you actually use your week.
How much is a timeshare actually worth on resale?
Almost nothing, in most cases. The most quoted industry rule of thumb: timeshares typically resell for 10 to 20 cents on the dollar of what the original owner paid, and a large share of listings on resale marketplaces sell for $1 or are simply given away because sellers just want out from under the maintenance fees. This isn't a scare number invented by exit companies. It reflects basic supply and demand: developers keep selling new inventory, resorts often have a right of first refusal that lets them intercept below-market resales, and the ongoing fee obligation scares off most buyers who could just buy direct from the developer with financing incentives instead. If you're trying to sell, list on a reputable timeshare resale marketplace, price it near zero if the unit type and fees are unattractive, and never pay a large upfront fee to a company that promises a fast sale. The Federal Trade Commission warns that consumers should be skeptical of any resale or exit company that demands payment before delivering results, a pattern the agency has targeted in multiple enforcement actions [3].
Are timeshares scams?
The timeshare product itself is legal in every US state. It's a real form of property or contractual right, regulated under state real estate and vacation ownership statutes. It's not inherently a scam to buy one, though the sales tactics used to sell them are frequently aggressive and sometimes deceptive: high-pressure presentations, misrepresented investment value, and understated fee increases are common complaints to state attorneys general. Where the scam risk concentrates is in the exit and resale market. The FTC has brought multiple enforcement actions against companies that charged large upfront fees, sometimes $2,000 to $10,000, promising to sell or cancel a timeshare and then delivering little or nothing. In one case, the FTC and the State of Missouri obtained a federal court order permanently banning the operators of Resort Advisory Group and related companies from the timeshare exit and resale business, after the agencies alleged the operation took more than $9.6 million from consumers through false promises of guaranteed sales or cancellations [4]. The honest answer: timeshares are a bad long-term financial product for most buyers because the ongoing costs almost always outweigh the benefit, and the resale market is broken. But 'timeshare' and 'timeshare scam' are two different things, and you should keep them separate when deciding what to do next.
How do you get out of a timeshare?
There are basically four legitimate paths, in order of how fast and cheap they are. Rescission, if you're still inside the window. Every state gives buyers a right to cancel a timeshare purchase within a short period after signing, no questions asked, no reason required. The window varies by state, commonly falling somewhere between 3 and 15 days depending on where the resort is located, so confirm your state's rescission window before you assume you've missed it. Send your cancellation in writing, by a method you can prove (certified mail, return receipt), following the exact instructions in your contract's rescission disclosure. Read how to get out of a timeshare for a fuller walkthrough of this process. Deed-back or surrender programs. Many developers, including Marriott Vacation Club, Hilton Grand Vacations, and Wyndham, now run deed-back or 'exit' programs that let owners in good standing give the property back, sometimes for free, sometimes for a processing fee. Ask your resort directly whether they have one; it's often the cheapest legitimate exit if you no longer qualify for rescission. Resale or transfer. If the unit has any resale value or the fees are low enough that a buyer will take it for free just to avoid the transfer paperwork, a private sale or a 'we'll pay the closing costs' giveaway can work. See our notes on how to sell a timeshare for realistic pricing expectations. Professional exit help, used carefully. If your situation is complicated (inherited ownership, multiple deeds, a resort with no deed-back program), some owners work with an attorney or a structured exit service. Vet anyone you hire against your state attorney general's complaint database and the timeshare exit companies guide before paying anything upfront.
How do you sell a timeshare, realistically?
Start by checking what similar units actually sold for, not what the developer originally charged. Resale marketplaces like Timeshare Users Group (TUG) and the Licensed Timeshare Resale Brokers Association list closed sales data, and it will almost always shock you: many weeks that sold for $15,000 to $20,000 new resell for a few hundred dollars or less. Second, check your HOA's right of first refusal (ROFR) clause. Many contracts require the resort to be given a chance to buy back the unit at the same price before you can sell to an outside buyer. Skipping this step can void the sale later. Third, be honest about the fee burden. A buyer inherits your maintenance fee obligation going forward. If fees are high relative to the unit's usability, you may need to pay the buyer, or give the unit away for $1 to $100, just to get someone to take on the fees. This is normal in the current resale market and isn't a sign you're being scammed; it's a sign the product doesn't hold resale value the way real estate typically does. Never pay a large upfront fee to a company that guarantees a sale within a set timeframe. Real estate brokers, including timeshare resale specialists, are generally paid a commission at closing, not a big fee before any sale happens. That structure alone is a useful test of legitimacy.
How do you get rid of a timeshare you inherited or no longer want?
Inherited timeshares are one of the messiest situations, because heirs often don't know they own it until a maintenance bill or collections letter shows up. Under most state probate rules, an heir can disclaim (formally refuse) an inheritance, including a timeshare interest, but the disclaimer typically has to happen within nine months of the original owner's death to be treated as a 'qualified disclaimer' for federal tax purposes under 26 U.S.C. §2518 [5]. That statute defines a qualified disclaimer as an irrevocable and unqualified refusal to accept an interest in property, made in writing and received by the transferor within nine months after the later of the date of the transfer or the date the disclaiming person turns 21. Talk to a probate attorney before you disclaim anything; the deadline and paperwork matter, and disclaiming isn't automatic. If you've already accepted the inheritance (for example, by using the timeshare or paying a fee on it), disclaiming may no longer be an option, and you'll need to pursue deed-back, resale, or a formal exit process instead. If you simply no longer want a timeshare you've owned for years and you're outside any rescission window, your options are the same as any other owner's: check for a developer deed-back program first, since it's usually free or low-cost, then look at resale, and only consider a paid exit service after you've confirmed the company against your state attorney general's office and the Better Business Bureau.
What should you watch for to avoid a timeshare exit scam?
The Federal Trade Commission has documented a consistent pattern in timeshare resale and exit scam complaints: unsolicited calls or emails claiming a buyer is 'already lined up,' pressure to pay by wire transfer or gift card, and demands for payment before any service is rendered [3]. A few concrete red flags, gathered from FTC and state attorney general enforcement actions: The company contacted you first, out of nowhere, saying they have a buyer ready. They ask for payment by wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or gift cards, methods that are hard to reverse and hard to trace. They guarantee your timeshare will be cancelled or sold, no matter what your contract says. They tell you to stop paying your maintenance fees or mortgage while they 'handle it.' This is a serious red flag: stopping payments you contractually owe can trigger collections, credit damage, and foreclosure, regardless of what the exit company promises. Before paying anyone, search the company's name plus 'complaint' alongside your state attorney general's consumer protection page, and check the FTC's guidance and enforcement record on timeshare resale and exit offers [3]. If a deal only works when you pay first and trust later, that's the deal to walk away from.
Timeshare cost timeline: what owners typically pay over 10 years
| 1 | $1,388 | Plus ~$20,000 purchase price and financing costs, if financed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | $1,457 | ||
| 3 | $1,530 | ||
| 4 | $1,607 | ||
| 5 | $1,687 | ||
| 6 | $1,771 + $1,500 assessment | Roof or hurricane-related special assessment (illustrative) | |
| 7 | $1,860 | ||
| 8 | $1,953 | ||
| 9 | $2,050 | ||
| 10 | $2,153 | Over those 10 years, maintenance fees alone total roughly $17,456, plus the $1,500 assessment, plus the original purchase price and any financing interest. This table uses a 5% assumed annual increase for illustration; your actual increase could be lower or higher, and you should check your HOA's fee history for the real trend at your resort. |
It helps to see the numbers laid out year by year rather than as one lump 'timeshares are expensive' statement. Using ARDA's reported average purchase price and average 2023 maintenance fee, with a conservative 5% annual fee increase and one modest special assessment in year 6, a rough 10-year cost picture looks like this for a mid-range one-bedroom unit: | Year | Maintenance fee (5% annual increase) | Notes |
Is it ever worth keeping a timeshare instead of exiting?
Sometimes, yes, and it's worth being honest about that instead of treating every timeshare as a mistake. If you use your week or points every single year, actually enjoy the resort, and the annual fee is still lower than what a comparable hotel stay would cost you for the same dates and location, the math can work out fine. Some owners at well-run resorts with stable fee histories genuinely get good value for decades. The math stops working when any of three things happen: you stop using it regularly, the fees rise faster than you can absorb, or you're paying for a special assessment on top of a fee that was already a stretch. If you're in that spot, it's worth building a plan rather than reacting to the next bill. That's the whole idea behind a structured approach like ExitHonest's $149 one-time Exit Kit: instead of guessing at your options or paying a company thousands upfront, you get a clear rescission and deed-back roadmap for your specific state and resort type, at a fraction of what exit companies charge. Start at the Exit Kit Builder if you want a structured next step rather than another cold call from a 'buyer.'
Frequently asked questions
How much does the average timeshare cost to buy?
ARDA's 2023 industry report puts the average purchase price around $23,940, though other years and surveys have shown averages closer to $16,000 to $22,000. The exact price depends heavily on unit size, brand, and whether it's a fixed week or a flexible points product. Financing, often at 12% to 18% APR, adds significantly to the real total cost.
How much are timeshare maintenance fees per year?
The average annual maintenance fee was $1,388 in 2023, up from $1,000 in 2019, according to ARDA. Fees vary by unit size, from around $700 to $1,000 for a studio up to $3,000 or more for large luxury units, and they typically rise 3% to 10% each year depending on the resort's budget and repair needs.
Are timeshares scams?
The timeshare product itself is legal and regulated by state law, so it's not a scam by default. The bigger scam risk sits in the exit and resale market, where the FTC has sued companies for charging large upfront fees and failing to deliver promised cancellations or sales. Aggressive sales tactics at the point of purchase are also a frequent, legitimate complaint.
How do I get out of a timeshare if I just bought it?
Check your rescission rights immediately. Every state gives buyers a short window, often just days, to cancel with no penalty and no reason needed; confirm your state's exact rescission window since it varies. Send written cancellation exactly as your contract's disclosure describes, using certified mail or another method you can prove was delivered.
How do you get out of a timeshare after the rescission period ends?
Ask your resort or developer if they offer a deed-back or surrender program; many major chains do, sometimes free or for a small processing fee. If not, try resale through a reputable marketplace, even if it means giving the unit away to escape the fees. Only consider paid exit companies after checking them against your state attorney general's complaint records.
How do I sell my timeshare?
List it on an established resale marketplace and price it based on recent comparable sales, not the original purchase price; many units resell for a small fraction of what was paid, sometimes near zero. Check your contract for a right of first refusal clause that may require offering it back to the resort first. Never pay a large upfront fee for a guaranteed sale.
How much do timeshares cost in total over the years you own them?
It varies widely, but a $20,000 purchase with average fee increases and one special assessment can total $60,000 to $100,000 or more over 20 to 30 years, once financing interest, rising maintenance fees, and occasional assessments are included. The purchase price is usually the smallest part of the lifetime cost.
What is a timeshare special assessment and how much can it cost?
A special assessment is an extra one-time charge from the HOA to cover major repairs the annual maintenance fee reserve doesn't cover, like storm damage or a roof replacement. Amounts vary by resort and damage, but owners have reported assessments from a few hundred dollars up to $5,000 or more after major hurricanes hit coastal resorts.
Can I just stop paying my timeshare maintenance fees?
You can, but it carries real consequences: unpaid fees typically accrue interest and late penalties, can go to collections, may be reported to credit bureaus, and in many states can lead to foreclosure on the interval. Foreclosed timeshare debt can also generate a taxable 1099-C. Talk to the HOA or an attorney about a legitimate exit path instead of simply stopping payment.
How do I get rid of an inherited timeshare?
If the original owner recently died, you may be able to disclaim the inheritance under state probate rules, generally within nine months for federal tax purposes under 26 U.S.C. §2518, but you should confirm this with a probate attorney before acting. If you've already accepted it, look at deed-back programs or resale, the same as any other owner.
What red flags suggest a timeshare exit company is a scam?
Unsolicited contact claiming a buyer is already lined up, demands for payment by wire transfer or gift card, guarantees that your contract will definitely be cancelled, and instructions to stop paying your maintenance fees are all classic warning signs the FTC has flagged in enforcement actions against exit scam operators.
Is a timeshare a good investment?
Almost never, in the financial sense. Timeshares typically lose most of their resale value quickly, often reselling for 10 to 20 cents on the dollar or less, and the ongoing maintenance fees keep rising regardless of usage. They can still deliver good vacation value for owners who use them consistently, but they don't function as an appreciating investment.
How much does it cost to cancel or exit a timeshare through a company?
Costs vary widely and there's no standard price; some legitimate services charge flat fees in the hundreds to low thousands, while scam operators have charged $2,000 to $10,000 or more upfront with little delivered. Compare any company's fee structure against your state attorney general's guidance, and be wary of anything requiring full payment before service begins.
Sources
- American Resort Development Association (ARDA), State of the Vacation Ownership Industry 2023 report, as cited in ARDA industry news coverage: Average annual maintenance fee reached $1,388 in 2023, up from $1,000 in 2019; average purchase price figures
- Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Advice: "Thinking About Getting Out of Your Timeshare?": FTC warning on unsolicited resale offers and never paying upfront fees for a promised payoff
- Federal Trade Commission, FTC v. Resort Advisory Group et al. press release: FTC and Missouri obtained a court order against timeshare exit companies accused of taking over $9.6 million from consumers
- Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, 26 U.S.C. § 2518: Qualified disclaimer of an inheritance generally must be made within nine months for federal tax treatment
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Consumer Complaint Database: Source for consumer complaint patterns regarding timeshare financing and interest rates
- Florida Statutes, Chapter 721, Section 721.06 (Timeshare Plans, contracts, disclosures, cancellation): State timeshare statutes govern rescission periods, HOA special assessments, and foreclosure procedures for interval owners