Should I Pay an Up Front Fee to Sell My Timeshare?

Commission Is Best

The timeshare resale market is usually glutted with more properties available than buyers. If you hire a broker to market your timeshare, you want that person to work hard to earn his money. If you pay him up front, you remove that incentive. The Timeshare Users Group, an organization of 40,000 timeshare owners, puts it succinctly: "Never pay an up-front fee in an effort to sell your Timeshare!" Sell on commission only, the group advises.

Marketing Costs Money

You may need to put up some money in advance to advertise your timeshare. For example, eBay has a designated marketplace for timeshares, but to list a property there, you have to pay $35 up front, as of August 2010--plus another $35 once you've sold the property.

Bottom Line

If the person or agency you hire to market your timeshare needs money to advertise it through a specific publication or website, and can show that the expense is necessary, fine. Do not, however, pay an up-front fee merely for the privilege of having a broker represent you.

References

• Timeshare Users Group: How to Sell Your Timeshare
• eBay: Timeshare Seller Guide
• New York Times: Timeshares Have the Blues