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Another benefit of fractionals that makes them popular to buyers is that many of them come with an option to upgrade to a larger residence if one is available. And some fractional properties are owned by organizations with units in other parts of country or world, and they will allow you to transfer your scheduled time to one of these other properties. So you may own an oceanside unit in Florida, but can spend a weekend skiing in Aspen, while staying in same luxurious comfort, often for no additional cost.
And with a fractional, you don’t have to worry about maintenance, repairs, or other ownership responsibilities that can get overwhelming with a second home. All of these services are included in your annual maintenance fee, which is similar to membership fees paid by those who belong to a homeowners association or gated community.
Many fractional properties are managed by lodging and hospitality experts like Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons. This ensures that your property will be well maintained and offer best in guest services and amenities. And if you have option of placing your unit in a rental pool on a rotating basis, reputation and sales clout of management company increases likelihood that unit will be rented.
Perhaps biggest appeal of fractionals is personal service you receive from staff. Prior to arriving, they will ready residence for you, decorating home with photos, artwork, books, DVDs, bedding and other personal items you keep in storage. They will purchase food according to your instructions and add a hide-a-bed or crib if needed. Everything is ready for you when you get there.
If your home is located in a resort community or luxury hotel property, you also receive services and amenities that go along with location. This often means access to golf courses, marinas, spas, and other desirable extras. All of this comes at an average price of $100,000 to $500,000 depending on total sale price of home, number of weeks in your package and number of other owners.
There are many benefits and perks that come with fractional shares, but they can come at a hefty price. Before searching for fractional shares, make sure they’re right for your budget. If not, there are other vacation property options that may suit your needs.
Leon Altman is the founder of the InvestingIN Real Estate Letter - http://www.InvestingIN.com/realestate/LtrSignup3.htm For more on finding and buying the right condo-hotel, check out Make Your Next Home a Resort, the 2005 Guide to Condo-Hotels, Fractional Shares and Resort Residences. You can download the Guide as a pdf file at http://www.InvestingIN.com/realestate/resorts/fractionals.htm