Is it possible to List Timeshare for Resale with More than One Agency at the Same time?

Certainly, it's possible! In fact, it's advisable if your goal is to accelerate the sale.

Typically, we select one agency based solely on financial considerations. But if budget permits or if there's no fee for listing with multiple agencies, it's smart to list with several and see who sells fastest.

How many agencies can you list with simultaneously?

There are no restrictions, but exercise prudence.

Decide which agencies to engage: international or national?

Recently, we published a series analyzing the timeshare resale market in the USA, UK, Italy, Spain, Finland, and Southeast Asia. Among these, only agencies in the USA and England can be considered international.

Another criterion is the reach of potential clients. It's unwise to list with multiple agencies that use the same resources to generate buyers. For example, clubs recommend their members use Travel & Leisure Group Ltd, Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket, or Confused About Timeshare Ltd. As for agencies leading in digital technology, there's Timeshare Online and Confused About Timeshare Ltd. So, it's best to exclude Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket from your selection since you won't find unique clients there. Instead, allocate your budget to Travel & Leisure Group Ltd and Timeshare Online. You may also consider adding Confused About Timeshare Ltd if you want to expand your reach by 15-20%.

Why are there no exclusive contracts with agencies?

Exclusive contracts did exist in the past, but they were harshly criticized by the European timeshare community 25 years ago. Under community pressure, European agencies removed exclusivity clauses from their contracts.

What is the agencies' position on listing with multiple companies?

Agencies aren't thrilled when you list with them and their competitors.

Primarily, they're concerned about potential price undercutting. If a buyer sees the same offer at multiple agencies, they'll buy where it's cheapest. Agencies don't want to engage in a price war that reduces their commissions. Secondly, there's a technical concern: when an agency negotiates with a buyer, and the buyer sells their timeshare through another agency in the meantime, it's frustrating for the first agency. They'd prefer exclusivity.

However, when there are few sellers, particularly of luxury timeshares, agencies become interested in having a seller who has listed elsewhere give them a chance to offer it to their buyers.

In the battle for sellers of popular or luxury timeshares, and to avoid price undercutting and buyer wars among agencies, a clever maneuver has been devised. Major resale players agreed to refund the listing fee to the seller if they sell through another agency at the same or higher price, provided that agency is a member of the European association. This condition achieves several goals:

- Attracts sellers who have listed with one agency to list with two or three.

- Balances sales chances and prevents price wars.

- Combats smaller non-association competitors engaging in borderline fraudulent operations.

Over the years, only one company has retained this agreement (refund of the listing fee if sold through another RDO-member agency at the same or higher price): Travel & Leisure Group Ltd. They also offer a refund of the listing fee if you sell, making their terms financially attractive.

Why are some agency contracts limited by time and sales to other agencies?

If an agency proposes an exclusive contract for a certain period, it implies a guarantee of sale within that specific timeframe. However, it's understood that such a guarantee is entirely irresponsible! Selling a timeshare is even more complex than selling real estate: you can't be certain that there will always be a buyer for every offer. Unpredictable circumstances, where property in an extremely popular location doesn't sell despite a very low price, are all too common. Moreover, controlling compliance with the client's exclusive selling rights is practically impossible.

How and who can verify if I'm selling timeshares through multiple companies?

No one can! Therefore, there's no point in having a clause about exclusive sales conditions through a specific agency. Unless the seller himself reveals that they've listed elsewhere, it's impossible to find out. Guessing if an advertised listing on a website is yours is also impossible. Only the agency and you know the application number. Characteristics published online cannot definitively identify your timeshare, especially since hundreds of other families may own properties with the same number of points in the club. The same applies to owners of floating weeks in floating apartments. Even if you're selling fixed weeks, the agency publishes only week numbers, not apartment numbers, meaning it could belong to any of the 50 or 200 other owners of similar weeks but in different apartments.

What happens if I breach the exclusive contract and sell through another agency?

Assuming that nobody besides you and another agency knows about your sale through another agency, and considering that only you, the agency, the club, and the registrar (notary or trustee) are aware of the sale, and none of these parties can disclose this confidential information under strict European laws, then your breach won't be known to the first agency and cannot be subject to any sanctions. That's precisely why all reputable agencies have abandoned this pointless requirement, as it's impossible to monitor its compliance. Besides, you can change your mind about selling at any time or transfer the timeshare to your relatives or friends, so no one can demand that you sell.

What if I find a buyer myself while my timeshare is listed with an agency?

You won't face any consequences for this! Based on careful analysis of all available resale contracts, we can confidently say that there's only one situation in which an agency may demand compensation for incurred losses. This situation arises when the agency finds a buyer for your timeshare, negotiates all final details with you, the buyer pays a deposit, and you and the buyer sign sales contracts. If you then suddenly refuse to sell or sell to another party, you may be required to pay expenses ranging from £250 to £550, but only if such an obligation is included in the timeshare sales contract.

How does the club feel about me wanting to sell my membership?

Your desire to sell the timeshare in the club is viewed neutrally. Concerns may arise only if you're selling under certain circumstances. If it's due to financial difficulties, the club may be concerned that you won't be able to pay your annual membership fee. Also, in very old clubs, there's a rare tradition of posting your timeshare sale offer on the club's notice board upon your request. This is a very small chance, especially for owners of fixed weeks, that another family of owners or vacationers at the resort will see it and want to contact you. Therefore, we still recommend not wasting time and instead turning to specialized agencies. We recommend: Travel & Leisure Group Ltd (https://www.travelandleisuregroup.co.uk ) and Timeshare Online (https://www.timeshareonline.eu/index.php )