At a summer party this year, someone asked me about my fractional property ownership company, International Property Shares, and then said “So, fractional ownership is a timeshare, right?
“Well, actually, it’s not,” I told her. But I didn’t fault her for this misconception. Fractional ownership and timesharing both involve multiple people sharing the same property, so they can seem equivalent.
But timeshares and fractional ownerships are different in many ways.
In this article, I’ll explain five key ways fractional ownership and timesharing differ and what you should consider when deciding which approach is right for you.
1. Different Ownership Models
The most fundamental difference between a timeshare and a fractional ownership property is that with fractional ownership, you own a percentage of the actual “bricks and mortar” of the property. With a timeshare, you purchase only the right to use the property.
Owning a percentage of a property offers a number of advantages.
You have more time to develop an emotional connection to the home and surrounding community.
Consider times when you rented a timeshare or an Airbnb for a week or two. You may have had a glorious vacation, but did you have a sense of attachment and ownership or feel like this was home? Were you handed keys to the place so that you and your friends or family could return time after time? Did you wave hello to the neighbors or the shopkeeper whom you have come to know because you’ve returned for a month or two each year?
Probably not.
When you actually own a physical property, you are more likely to feel a sense of connection and belonging to the home and community. It’s a feeling that stays with you. You’re far less likely to feel this sense of belonging after a brief stay in a timeshare.
You can benefit from a fractional property’s appreciation in value and easier salability.
Unlike timeshares, fractional ownership allows you to transfer or sell your share of the property and benefit from any appreciation of its value. In my experience, this can be a considerable benefit. Several International Property Share shares have appreciated in value as much as 15-45 percent.
Timeshares, by contrast, have a reputation for losing their market value. This is in part because of the considerable costs required to develop, market and manage such a large number of shares—52, based on the number of weeks in a year. These costs are passed along to the timeshare owners. Many owners end up selling their timeshares for next to nothing to simply avoid paying annual fees that have become too expensive.
The resale market in 2023 for fractional ownership units continues to be active. Not all fractional property shares may be easy to resell, however. I encourage you to assess the reputation of the fractional developer and the ongoing maintenance program for any property you’re considering.
Keep in mind, that fractional ownership is first and foremost a lifestyle investment rather than a financial one.
With fractional ownership, you have more time to enjoy your property.
A timeshare developer typically offers buyers a 1- or 2-week block of time out of the 52 weeks in a year. By contract, most fractional properties offer more extended periods of time—from 4-8 weeks a year—to use and enjoy their property.
2. Types of Properties
Marriot photo- By Farragutful – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,
Timeshares and fractional ownerships can differ widely in the types of properties they offer.
Timeshares are located in beautiful condominiums in resort-type locations on or near beaches or ski lodges. They may offer a full range of amenities—pools, restaurants, clubhouses and such. This can be very expensive, but can be just right if it suits your lifestyle and pocketbook.
European fractional ownership properties run the gamut from single-family village homes to townhomes and apartments. So fractional properties offer a wider range of options to choose from, including lovely homes in quaint villages.
My company, International Property Shares, focuses primarily on properties that offer affordable elegance in charming village settings.
Fractional property opportunities are also widely available in key tourist destinations like Paris and Rome. Naturally, the pricing in these locations is higher, but the price can be right if this is what you’re looking for.
3. Booking Your Time
Timeshare developers offer three ways to book time: fixed week, floating week, and a point-system option.
With the fixed-week option, you use the timeshare property for the same week or two each year. This allows you to plan you vacations well in advance.
The floating-week option gives you more flexibility should you want to use your week during ski season or a specific week in a particular year.
The point-system option allows you to purchase points you can use at a variety of destinations. Different destinations will cost a different amount of points. For example, if you chose to stay in a luxury NYC suite, this would cost more than a campground in a remote location.
Fractional ownership properties offer a wider range of booking systems, typically related to the number of shares in each property. This allows fractional owners to spend larger blocks of time at the property.
For example, a fractional property in Italy with six owners might offer each owner one month in high season (May-October) and one month in low season (November-April). A fractional ownership apartment in Paris may have thirteen 4-week owners offering set weeks for each share.
Navigating Housing Differences Abroad: A Comprehensive Guide for Expats
4. Management and Costs
There are significant differences in the ways timeshares and fractional properties are managed and maintained and what this can cost owners.
Large developers like Hilton and Marriot often undertake timeshare development and are also responsible for the timeshare property’s upkeep, taxes, insurance, and property management.
But these amenities do not come cheap. According to the American Resort Development association (ARDA), a one-week timeshare property costs $22,942 on average. On top of this, you will pay as much as $1,000 or more in annual maintenance fees.*
Management for fractional properties tends to be much more affordable. It may be overseen by an owner/manager or by an outside management team.
For example, annual property expenses for International Property Shares fractional owners include homeowners’ insurance, property taxes, internet and cable, utilities, and a contingency fund. A good estimate for these costs is $850 -$1,400 for the 4-8 weeks of time an owner will spend at the property. This amounts to roughly $200 per week per share, considerably less than the per week charge for a timeshare.
5. A Different Pace of Life
One important benefit of fractional ownership over timesharing is how it can give you the time and space to slow down, settle in and deeply enjoy your surroundings.
Have you heard of the Slow Food movement (which, by the way, is how the French have been eating for as long as I’ve travelled there!)?
Your fractional property can be the traveler’s equivalent of this movement. It allows you to leave the hectic workaday world behind and slow down.
You arrive at your home away from home, unpack your bags and simply unwind. You have time to immerse yourself in the area’s culture and ambience. Since your visits are much longer, there is no rush to see it or do it all. Plus, you’ll be returning to your home year once or even twice a year.
This last point is the main reason I so prefer fractional property ownership to timesharing. It provides me with such rich opportunities to not merely visit a locale, but to immerse myself in the beauty, culture, community and slower pace of my home away from home.
*(www.supermoney.com/encyclopedia/timeshare -4.19.22)
About Ginny Blackwell
With 25 years of experience in the European real estate market and a passion for helping others to realize their dream of owning a slice of heaven, Ginny is the perfect resource to understand the nuts and bolts of fractional ownership.
https://anyexpat.com/listing/international-property-shares/
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