We are often asked when is the best time to sell a timeshare, whether there is seasonality in sales, and when are the best chances. We have been tracking international timeshare resale markets for over 20 years and have certainly noticed certain patterns.
Traditionally, the most successful months for timeshare sales have been and remain the winter months, with December leading the pack. Year after year, December sees the highest number of timeshare purchase agreements. There are several reasons for this.
December is the time for gifts, and frequent buyers are family members purchasing timeshares for their children and loved ones. These are often happy timeshare owners who select timeshares in the same club or at the same time they already own.
The second active group of buyers are those who have encountered problems with tour operators or found independently booked accommodation too expensive and have decided to take charge of their future vacations. These buyers are more complex, they take longer to consider options and consult before making a decision, but they tend to make more expensive purchases.
The third category is corporate buyers or organizations. At the end of the year, some organizations seek to reward their employees with vacations, and timeshares are very convenient for this purpose, as the employee can choose where and when to go during the year. In some European countries, companies receive tax benefits for organizing employee vacations, making it doubly advantageous to purchase timeshares before the end of the calendar year for tax reasons. Organizations typically purchase blocks of 6-20 weeks of timeshares at various resorts in different regions or within the same resort group in different countries. It takes some time to form a block, and prices have to be reduced to fit within a certain budget.
The next surge in purchases is closer to the Easter holidays, when Europeans again encounter extremely high prices for hotel and apartment stays and start thinking about how to save without sacrificing quality. These buyers have attended presentations but for some reason did not buy, although they liked the timeshare concept. Often they did not like the pushiness of the consultant. These buyers are looking for timeshares 30%-50% cheaper than at presentations, but still stick to a presentation budget. They are negotiable. These are traditional buyers from March to early August.
But there are new trends that are fundamentally changing the market rules. These are primarily buyers who during the presentation, "under the table on their smartphone," find resale agencies to compare prices. This is not just a trend of the last five to seven years, it is gaining momentum. There are known cases where a buyer, without leaving the presentation, negotiates with a resort representative and a resale agency employee online.
Why do these buyers have such a strong influence on the resale market today? Because they buy not during holidays or trips, but when they are being sold timeshares at the resort. And as you know, many resorts hold presentations year-round. This means that your buyer can show up at any time.
And finally. Until recently, October was a quiet month in the resale market. But the last 2-3 years have changed that too. October buyers are those who have received an extremely high bill for timeshare payment, are dissatisfied, and would like to switch to another resort where the membership fee will be lower or the timeshare usage will be more profitable. Often these buyers purchase not 1-2 weeks of timeshares, but 3-4. But they also meticulously review resorts and ask a lot of questions.
If you want to find out when timeshares are sold more actively, specifically for your resort, week number, or apartment size, ask this question directly to our specialists +39 306 588 188 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
