Who wouldn’t want to vacation for free?

That’s the question that timeshare operators have been asking us for the past several decades.

The free timeshare weekend is part getaway, part sales pitch, where in exchange for free lodging – and sometimes other gifts – travelers agree to listen to why they should buy into a vacation property.

But are free timeshare weekends worth the trouble of attending a sales presentation and a potentially aggressive pitch, especially if you have no intention of buying into the property?

Free timeshare weekends can be pleasant surprises and cheap way to explore a potential annual destination for your family. Or they can be akin to legal kidnapping, where you’re holed up in a hot conference room with a team of slick salespeople intimidating you to sign a pile of paperwork. Or it can be somewhere in the middle. We’ll break it all down…

A Quick Primer on Timeshares

With Airbnb, the reemergence of the RV and the rise of boutique hotels catering to any niche of travel, the timeshare has a lot more competition that it used to. But the numbers clearly show that timeshares are still a favorite way to vacation: More than 8 million Americans, or 7 percent of U.S. households, own one. Part of one, that is.¹

The concept behind timeshares is a simple one. Rather than shelling out for a vacation home that’s all your own, you go in with several other joint owners. It’s called fractional ownership.

From there, it can get pretty complicated. For example, you might be assigned one or more fixed weeks each year during which the property is “yours.” Or you may have the chance to reserve different weeks, known as a floating arrangement. Or you may even be part of an exchange, where you get to visit other properties while other folks visit yours. There are even systems where you earn points by buying into different properties, which you can then exchange for timeslots at other timeshares. It gets pretty complicated.

The rationale behind these scenarios is the same: Why pay for and maintain a vacation house when you’re not going to live there year long? And at the same time, why not stay somewhere a bit more comfortable and familiar than a traditional hotel?

There is also one more common thread: fees. Timeshare owners will pay an initial fee to buy into a property, the purchase price, as well as an annual maintenance fees to a third-party operator – even if they don’t stay in the timeshare that year. Not paying your maintenance fees, which average about $700 per year, can trigger the foreclosure of your timeshare.²

Earning a Free Timeshare Weekend Invitation

There are a number of reasons why you might be invited to a free timeshare weekend. Perhaps you actually answered a telemarketer’s call instead of letting it go to voicemail. Or you opened a piece of direct mail instead of tossing it. Or maybe, out of curiosity, you swung by a strange kiosk at a mall or street festival. You can always type “timeshares” into Google and click your way to an invite, too.

There will be some level of screening before you can get invited to a free timeshare weekend. You’ll likely need to be at least 25 to 30 years old, and be married or at least have a significant other. There might be some income qualifications, too. In other words, single and broke Spring Breakers need not apply. They want serious potential buyers.

The locations of timeshare properties are often where you might guess: near Disney World and major theme parks, ski slopes and beaches.³ You can find them at all popular vacation destinations.

The Pros of a Free Timeshare Weekend

Remember, it’s free. If you can stomach a PowerPoint presentation and a sales pitch, then you’re home free.

That said, you need to be careful that you do follow through on all your obligations, including attending any mandatory meetings or meals, or you may be denied your free accommodations or other giveaways. Often times, you may be asked to put down a credit card, and not until after you complete your free timeshare weekend obligations do you receive a voucher or some other release from payment. There are many stories out there about travelers who skipped a sales meet-up or were caught lying in their initial screening questions who ended up footing the bill.

There is another reason to take a free timeshare weekend: you have real interest in a property and want to take it for a test drive. In that case, enjoy a nice weekend without feeling the guilt of bending the truth a bit.

Here is a tip: if you’re just playing the role of a potentially interested timeshare owner, just have fun with it. Don’t fret or get anxious. Don’t sweat the sales pitch, even if you’re heavily pressured by multiple sales people. Enjoy free accommodations, food and time away. And just say “no” – unless you came intending to say yes.⁴

The Cons of a Free Timeshare Weekend

This list is a little longer.

First, let’s state that many – most even – free timeshare weekends are legit sales promotions run by credible companies. But some are, well, sketchy. At best.

First off, if you’re offered free accommodations, be sure you know where. Many timeshares put you up in the actual units so that you can experience your potential new second home first hand. However, many will put you up in nearby hotels, some of which are not quite 5-star resorts. This can be further complicated by however the timeshare operators are handling transportation. If the timeshare operators are busing you back and forth between your hotel and the timeshare sales site, you’re at their mercy. Make sure your phone is charged and bring a snack.

The average time for the mandatory tour and sales presentation is about 90 minutes. But some folks report being held up much, much longer – as much as a full day. And the longer you say “no,” the more sales reps they may send your way, extending your stay. The result is that if you’re hoping to explore the Outer Banks, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, or Lake Tahoe’s actual lake, you may have far less time than you imagined.

We’ve already talked about the possible awkwardness about being stuck in a high-pressure cooker where slick sales reps readily apply guilt, coercion and misinformation to their pitches. But we realize there is also the possibility that you’re interested in buying into a timeshare, or at least going into it with an open mind. Be sure to ask pointed, direct questions about the true investment value of the unit, the total cost of ownership – including upfront fees – and whether or not you have a cancellation period to withdraw from the investment.³

Free timeshare weekends can be a fun and fee-free weekend, whether you’re there to objectively scout out a family vacation destination or simply for the freebies. Just remember to ask a lot of questions, read the fine print and take a deep breath if the pressure gets to you. Everything comes with a price – even a free timeshare weekend.

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