| Vacation Ownership Glossary of Terms
Accrued Weeks -- are weeks that have accumulated from
the prior year and are available for use in the current calendar year.
Biannual Ownership -- or alternate year ownership allows
use of a resort ownership product every other year and costs less than
annual ownership at comparable resorts.
Bonus Time -- use of your resort in addition to your
regular allocated time on a space available basis.
Club Membership -- is year-round usage of resort facilities
with purchase, on a space available basis.
Deed -- Ownership interest providing title to your property.
Fee simple.
Developers Price -- Estimated developer's current or
market price. Full retail price.
Exchange Plans -- can add diversity to yearly vacation
plans. Through the international vacation exchange network, you can trade
timeshare intervals for vacation time at comparable resorts around the
world. Most resorts are affiliated with an exchange company that administers
this service for members. After an owner has elected to become a member
of the affiliated exchange company, the owner places their interval into
the exchange pool of resorts and weeks available for exchange. The owner
then chooses a resort and week from that pool. These organizations do
charge an exchange fee as well as an annual membership fee for this service.
Exchange Company -- an organization which for a fee
provides vacation exchange services and will assist timeshare and camping
membership owners in exchanging for other resorts worldwide.
Fixed Unit -- is when the unit or unit type is purchased
for a specific week of the year. That week is reserved for the owner every
year, subject to cancellation if the vacation owner doesn't plan to use
it that year. Floating time refers to the use of a facility within a certain
season of the year such as spring or summer. Advanced reservations are
required for the desired time slot -- reservations are usually on a first
come, first serve basis. Purchasers may receive a deed under a floating
time arrangement.
With Fixed Unit -- the fixed-week deeded agreement the
purchaser receives a deed allowing the use of a specific condominium at
a specific time every year -- similar to purchasing a house. This may
provide the owner with a tax advantage and a voice in resort's management.
With this form, the owner may rent, sell, exchange, or bequeath the vacation
interval.
Floating -- Your time-period is defined by a season
and your week period is not fixed. You reserve your time-period within
the appropriate season annually. Most resorts have a High, Medium, and
Fractional: Multiple week ownership at the same resort--2 or more weeks
of timeshare ownership for use in one calendar year.
Fractional Ownership -- purchasers can own a larger
share of a timeshare unit, usually from five to 26 weeks. This type of
ownership is popular for beach, ski, and island resorts.
Lock off or Lockout Units -- provide vacation owners
the ability to occupy half or part of a unit -- locking the joining entrance
door, while offering the remaining room for rental or exchange. This choice
is typically available for two bedroom and two bath units and above.
Maintenance Fees -- are established and collected by
the Homeowners Association or Resort Management Company to maintain the
property, pay insurance, utilities, refurbishing and taxes.
Odd and Even Years -- Timeshare ownership usage every
other year--some odd-numbered, some even.
Points Based System -- provide flexible use of multiple
resort locations. Club members purchase points representing a travel and
use membership or a deeded real estate product. Points are used like currency
to access the various size accommodations, seasons and number of days
at the participating resorts. The number of points needed to access a
particular resort accommodation will vary depending on club member demand
for units, unit size, season, resort location, and amenities. Vacation
clubs may have a specific term of ownership or may even be deeded in perpetuity.
Quarter share -- 3-month interval ownership with rotating
schedule.
Right-to-Use Plan -- varies greatly from the deeded
form described above. Under this plan, the purchaser is purchasing time
and the rights of usage for a prescribed number of years (usually 10 to
50 years). At the conclusion of that time frame, the purchaser loses any
future rights of this lease form but, if desired, can repurchase an extension
of time from the developer. During the leased interval the developer retains
full ownership of the real estate and personal effects of the apartment
and has his overhead (maintenance costs) paid by the purchaser. Generally,
no equity is accumulated by the owner and the resale possibilities may
be seriously hampered by clauses in the lease contract as well as being
only capable of selling the remaining number of years in the contract.
The developer maintains ownership of the property. The purchaser only
reserves the right to use one or more resort accommodations for a that
specified number of years after which all use rights again return to the
developer. These plans come in a variety of forms, most commonly called
club membership.
Seasons -- Designated season of the year denoting period
of ownership for exchange or usage value.
Split Weeks -- allow owners to split interval time use
into two separate visits, like one two night stay and one five night stay,
different times of the year. Reservations are usually required.
Red Time -- vacation time that is most highly demanded.
Timeshare or Vacation Ownership -- is the right to use
a week or weeks of time at either your home resort (where you purchased)
or by trading (exchanging) your time for another destination resort. Exchanging
time requires your resort to have an affiliation with an exchange company.
Timeshare describes a method of use and ownership. It intends exclusive
use of facilities for a designated number of days each year. Usually purchased
for a specific number of weeks, it is also called interval or vacation
ownership.
Trading Power -- the value of deposited vacation time
based on supply and demand your home resort, your unit type, and the designation
of your vacation time.
Vacation Ownership or Timeshare -- is the right to use
a week or weeks of time at either your home resort (where you purchased)
or by trading (exchanging) your time for another destination resort. Exchanging
time requires your resort to have an affiliation with an exchange company.
Timeshare describes a method of use and ownership. It intends exclusive
use of facilities for a designated number of days each year. Usually purchased
for a specific number of weeks, it is also called interval or vacation
ownership.
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