How to sell my marriott timeshare (and what actually works)

Last updated 2026-07-25

How do I sell my Marriott timeshare?

You sell it the way you'd sell any piece of property nobody's desperate to buy: list it low, verify the buyer can actually take title, and use a closing company to record the deed transfer. Marriott Vacation Club interests are real property (deeded weeks) or trust points (beneficial interests in the Marriott Vacation Club Trust), and either way, the transfer has to go through a proper closing so the new owner's name lands on record with the county or the trust's records. The fastest path is usually a licensed timeshare resale broker who works Marriott inventory specifically, since they know which resorts still hold value and which ones are basically unsellable except for a token dollar. The Licensed Timeshare Resale Brokers Association (LTRBA) is a real trade group that requires members to hold state real estate licenses; their directory is a reasonable starting point for vetting who's legitimate. Before you list anywhere, check whether Marriott charges a transfer fee or requires you to use its own closing process. Marriott Vacations Worldwide has published resale transfer requirements and fees on its owner site in the past, and these change, so call Marriott Vacation Club Owner Services directly to confirm current transfer rules for your specific resort before you sign anything with a broker or buyer. One honest truth up front: a huge share of Marriott timeshare listings never sell. eBay and resale marketplaces are full of deeded weeks listed for $1 with the buyer paying only closing costs and back maintenance fees, because the underlying asset has negative resale value once fees and special assessments are counted in.

How much is a Marriott timeshare worth on resale?

Older deeded week, non-Marriott-managed resort	$10,000-$20,000	$0-$2,000
Marriott-managed deeded week, prime season	$20,000-$35,000	$3,000-$10,000
Marriott Vacation Club Trust points (small package)	$25,000-$40,000	$5,000-$15,000
Marriport Vacation Club Trust points (large package)	$60,000+	$15,000-$30,000	These ranges come from patterns commonly cited by resale brokers and marketplace listings, not from a single audited dataset, so treat them as a planning range, not an appraisal. Get an actual comparative listing search for your specific resort before you set a price.

Most Marriott timeshares resell for a fraction of the original purchase price, often 10% to 30%, and some deeded weeks at older, less desirable resorts sell for essentially nothing beyond covering the deed transfer cost. The American Resort Development Association (ARDA), the timeshare industry's own trade group, has reported that the average U.S. timeshare interval purchase price was around $23,940 in its 2023 State of the Vacation Ownership Industry data. Resale prices for the same intervals frequently land in the low thousands, and for many weeks-based products, in the hundreds. Marriott Vacation Club points-based products (the Trust system created in 2010) tend to hold value better than older deeded weeks, because Marriott itself and its resale-affiliated program will occasionally repurchase or facilitate transfers of points contracts. But "holds value better" is relative. A points package that cost $30,000 new might trade for $8,000 to $15,000 on the resale market depending on the number of points, the home resort, and current maintenance fee load. Here's a rough comparison of what owners typically see when they try to sell, based on patterns reported by resale brokers and marketplaces (not a guarantee for any specific contract): | Product type | Typical original price | Typical resale range |

Does Marriott have its own resale or buyback program?

Marriott Vacations Worldwide does not run a guaranteed buyback program where it repurchases every unwanted interval, but it has at times operated a resale-facilitation arm and worked with a limited set of authorized resale brokers for certain resorts. Programs and participating resorts change over time, so the only reliable answer is to call Marriport Vacation Club Owner Services and ask directly: does Marriott currently offer a deed-back, surrender, or resale-assist option for my specific resort and contract type? Separately, Marriott Vacation Club has offered an "Exit Program" at various points for owners of certain older or lower-demand weeks, letting them deed the property back to Marriott in exchange for forgiving remaining obligations, sometimes with a processing fee. Availability depends entirely on the resort, the season, and current inventory needs, so don't assume it exists for your contract until Owner Services confirms it in writing. If Marriott offers you a deed-back, read the release language carefully. You want written confirmation that accepting it ends your maintenance fee obligation going forward and doesn't leave you on the hook for a prorated share of the current year's assessment. For general background on deed-back mechanics across the industry, see deed-back programs.

What if I'm still inside my rescission period?

If you just bought or upgraded your Marriott timeshare, don't try to resell it, rescind it instead. Every state has a rescission (cooling-off) period that lets you cancel a timeshare purchase for any reason within a set number of days of signing, and it's almost always faster and cleaner than trying to sell or exit later. The length of that window depends entirely on the state where you signed, not where the resort is. Florida law, for example, gives buyers a 10-calendar-day rescission right measured from the date of execution of the contract or the date the buyer receives the last document required to be furnished, whichever is later, under Florida Statutes section 721.10 ^[1]. Other states set different windows entirely, so confirm your state's rescission window before assuming any number applies to you. To rescind, send written notice exactly the way your contract's rescission clause instructs, usually by certified mail with return receipt, before the deadline. Keep a copy of everything and the mailing receipt. Don't rely on a phone call or an email to the salesperson; use the method the contract specifies. For state-by-state detail, see rescission by state.

How do I get out of a timeshare I can't sell?

If your rescission window has closed and nobody will buy the contract, even for $1, you have a smaller set of real options: a developer deed-back or surrender program, a licensed timeshare exit or transfer service, working directly with the HOA on a hardship deed-back, or in rare cases, walking away and accepting the credit and collection consequences (which you should understand fully before choosing). Deed-back and surrender programs are the cleanest option when available, because you're handing the deed back to whoever can actually resell or absorb it, usually the resort developer or its trust. Some HOAs will accept a deed-back directly, especially for older weeks nobody wants, because an owner in default costs the association more in collection effort than the fee revenue is worth. Do not stop paying your maintenance fees while you're trying to arrange an exit. Unpaid fees can lead to a lien on the property, collection calls, and damage to your credit, and stopping payment doesn't end your legal obligation, it just adds penalties and interest on top of what you already owe. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has explained how timeshare debts are treated in bankruptcy and collections contexts, noting that these obligations follow ordinary contract and property law rules rather than special consumer protections ^[2]. For a broader walkthrough of exit paths beyond resale, see how to get out of a timeshare and how do you get out of a timeshare.

How much do timeshares actually cost, including fees?

The purchase price is only the entry fee. ARDA's own 2023 industry report put the average annual maintenance fee per timeshare interval at roughly $1,190, and that number rises most years faster than general inflation because it's driven by resort operating costs, insurance, and reserve fund contributions. On top of maintenance fees, owners can face special assessments after storm damage, major renovations, or reserve shortfalls, sometimes running into the thousands of dollars in a single year. So the true cost of owning a Marriott timeshare over, say, 15 years isn't just the $20,000 to $60,000 purchase price. It's that price plus 15 years of maintenance fees (likely $1,200 to $2,500 a year for a Marriott property, given their generally higher-tier resorts) plus whatever special assessments come up. Add it up and many owners spend $40,000 to $80,000 or more over the life of an ownership they originally thought cost $25,000. Maintenance fees at Marriott-managed resorts tend to run higher than the ARDA average because Marriott properties are generally full-service, higher-amenity resorts. Owners commonly report annual fees in the $900 to $2,000-plus range per week-equivalent, depending on unit size, season, and location, though Marriott doesn't publish a single public fee schedule since each resort's HOA sets its own budget. For more on how fees escalate and what triggers special assessments, see maintenance fees.

Are timeshares a scam?

The timeshare product itself is legal, regulated, and not inherently a scam, but the sales process has a long, well-documented history of high-pressure tactics, and the exit side of the industry is full of actual fraud. The Federal Trade Commission has brought enforcement actions against companies that charged upfront fees for timeshare exit services and never delivered results, and it maintains consumer guidance warning that legitimate help rarely requires large upfront payments with no results guaranteed ^[3]. What's real: you signed a binding real estate or trust contract, you owe the maintenance fees specified in that contract, and the resort has a legal right to pursue collection or foreclosure on a deeded week if fees go unpaid long enough. What's often scammy: cold calls promising to "get you out of your timeshare guaranteed" for a large upfront fee, paid before any work is done, from a company with no verifiable track record. State attorneys general have issued consumer alerts about timeshare exit and resale scams, warning buyers to verify any company's licensing and to be suspicious of unsolicited offers to buy their timeshare at an inflated price in exchange for an upfront fee. If someone contacts you out of the blue offering to buy your Marriott timeshare for well above market value, treat that as a red flag, not good luck. For a full rundown of exit scam patterns, see exit scam awareness.

How do I avoid a timeshare exit scam when trying to sell?

The core rule is simple: never pay a large upfront fee to a company promising to sell or cancel your timeshare, especially if they guarantee results or pressure you to decide same-day. The FTC has publicly warned that some resale and exit companies falsely claim to have buyers lined up, collect an advance fee, and then disappear, and it has brought enforcement actions on exactly this pattern, including a settlement in FTC v. Transcontinental Warranty and related timeshare resale fraud cases ^[3]. A few concrete checks before you sign with anyone: Verify the company or broker is a licensed real estate broker in the state where the resort sits, since timeshare resale generally requires a real estate license just like selling a house does. Call your state attorney general's consumer protection office and ask if complaints have been filed against the company; most state AG offices maintain complaint search tools or will tell you directly. Be wary of any "buyer" who agrees to purchase sight unseen at a price far above resale comps, then asks you to pay a transfer, tax, or escrow fee before the deal closes; that fee is often the entire scam. Ask for a written contract that spells out exactly what happens to your fee if the sale falls through, and don't accept "nonrefundable" if the service hasn't been performed yet. Our Timeshare Exit Kit is a one-time $149 self-help resource that walks owners through rescission letters, deed-back request templates, and scam red flags themselves, rather than charging thousands of dollars for a company to make phone calls on your behalf. It's built for the DIY route, not as a substitute for legal advice on a complex title issue.

How to get rid of a timeshare when there's no resale market at all

Some Marriott weeks, particularly older deeded intervals at less popular resorts, genuinely have no resale market; brokers won't list them because they can't find buyers even at $1. In that situation, your practical options narrow to three: a developer or HOA deed-back if offered, donating the timeshare to a charity willing to accept it (rare, and you should confirm the charity actually wants it and understands the ongoing fee obligation before transfer), or, if you've inherited the timeshare and never used it, disclaiming the inheritance formally through the probate process before you accept any ownership interest. Disclaiming an inherited timeshare has to happen through the proper legal channel in the state where the estate is probated, and to qualify as a "qualified disclaimer" under federal tax law, the IRS generally requires the disclaimer be made in writing and received within nine months of the decedent's death, per Internal Revenue Code section 2518 as explained in IRS instructions for Form 706 . State law also governs the disclaimer process itself, so a probate attorney needs to confirm your state's mechanics. If you've already accepted the inheritance, missed the window, or started paying fees, you may not be able to disclaim anymore, and you'd need to go through deed-back or resale channels instead. Talk to a probate attorney in the decedent's state before the nine-month mark if disclaiming looks like your best option. What you should not do is simply stop paying and ignore the mail. That leads to collection calls, a lien against the deeded property, and potential credit damage, and it doesn't actually remove your name from the deed or trust interest.

Should I hire a timeshare exit company instead of selling it myself?

Sometimes, but do the math first, and understand what you're actually paying for. Timeshare exit companies typically charge $2,000 to $8,000 or more upfront, and they're generally doing one of a few things: negotiating a deed-back with the resort on your behalf, disputing the original sale as fraudulent, or in the worst cases, just taking your money and doing very little. The honest comparison: a $149 self-help kit gives you the letter templates and process knowledge to attempt a deed-back or rescission yourself, but you're doing the calling and paperwork. A $3,000-$6,000 exit company does the calling for you, assuming they're legitimate, but that fee often exceeds the total remaining maintenance fees you'd pay over several years anyway. Get a real quote, compare it against what you'd pay in fees over 3-5 years if you just kept the timeshare, and decide from real numbers, not urgency. Before paying anyone, check their record with your state attorney general's office and look them up through the Better Business Bureau, and never wire money or pay in gift cards, both classic signs of a scam operation. For a broader comparison of exit company options, see timeshare exit companies and timeshare cancellation.

What's the step-by-step process to sell a Marriott timeshare?

Start by calling Marriott Vacation Club Owner Services to confirm your contract type (deeded week vs. trust points), current fee status, and whether any Marriott-run transfer or deed-back option currently applies to your resort. Get this in writing or note the date and representative name. Next, get a realistic value estimate by searching completed (more than listed) sales for your exact resort, season, and unit size on resale marketplaces, and by requesting a comparative estimate from two or three LTRBA-member brokers. Then choose your channel: a licensed resale broker (they typically charge a commission on sale, not a large upfront fee), a marketplace listing you manage yourself, or a Marriott-facilitated deed-back if one's available and you'd rather exit than sell at a steep discount. Once you have a buyer or accepted deed-back, use a licensed closing/title company to handle the transfer, confirm all maintenance fees and any special assessments are current before closing, and get written confirmation once the deed or trust interest has actually been re-recorded in the new owner's (or Marriport's) name. Keep every document. Don't consider the sale final until you've confirmed the transfer recorded and your name is off the HOA's fee rolls.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get out of a timeshare?

Check your rescission window first (varies by state, often short, confirm your state's rule), since that's the cleanest exit if you recently bought. After that, options include developer deed-back programs, licensed resale, or in rare cases HOA hardship surrender. Never stop paying fees while sorting this out, and never pay a large upfront fee to a company guaranteeing an exit.

How do you get out of a timeshare that has no resale value?

Ask Marriott (or your resort) about a deed-back or surrender program directly, since some developers accept unwanted deeds back, especially at older resorts. If unavailable, a licensed timeshare exit specialist may negotiate one for a fee. Confirm any company's licensing with your state attorney general before paying, and avoid upfront-fee guarantees.

How to sell a timeshare for actual money?

Get comparative sold-price data for your exact resort and season, list through an LTRBA-licensed broker or a reputable marketplace, and price realistically; most Marriott timeshares resell for 10%-30% of the original price. Use a licensed closing company for the transfer and confirm fees are current before closing.

How to get rid of a timeshare with negative resale value?

If a broker can't find any buyer, even at $1, look at a developer deed-back or HOA hardship surrender program first. Donation is rare and hard to arrange since charities must accept the ongoing fee obligation. Disclaiming an inherited timeshare through probate (generally within nine months) is another path if you never accepted the inheritance.

Are timeshares scams?

The ownership product itself is legal and regulated, but sales tactics have a documented history of high pressure, and the exit/resale side of the industry has real fraud. The FTC has taken action against exit companies charging upfront fees with no results; verify any company's licensing before paying anything.

How much is a timeshare, on average?

ARDA's 2023 industry report put the average U.S. timeshare purchase price at about $23,940, with average annual maintenance fees around $1,190 per interval. Marriott-managed resorts often run higher than average on both purchase price and yearly fees given their full-service amenity level.

How much do timeshares cost over time, including fees?

Purchase price is just the start. Add 15-20+ years of maintenance fees (often $1,000-$2,500/year at Marriott resorts) plus occasional special assessments that can run into the thousands after storm damage or major renovations. Total lifetime cost commonly exceeds double or triple the original purchase price.

How much are Marriott timeshares to buy resale versus new?

Resale buyers typically pay 10%-30% of what the original owner paid Marriott directly, since resale value doesn't track retail price. A points package sold new for $30,000 might resell for $5,000-$15,000, depending on point volume and home resort demand.

How to sell timeshare points versus a deeded week?

Marriott Vacation Club Trust points transfer through Marriott's trust records rather than a county deed, so the closing process differs slightly, but you still need a licensed closing company and Marriott's confirmation of transfer requirements. Deeded weeks record through the county recorder where the resort sits.

Does Marriott buy back timeshares?

Marriott doesn't guarantee to repurchase every unwanted interval, but it has offered deed-back or exit programs for certain resorts and contract types at various times. Availability changes, so call Marriott Vacation Club Owner Services directly and get any offer confirmed in writing before assuming it applies to you.

What happens if I stop paying maintenance fees to force an exit?

Don't do this. Unpaid fees lead to late penalties, collection calls, a lien against a deeded property, and potential credit damage, and they don't legally remove your ownership or your obligation. Pursue a formal deed-back, resale, or rescission instead of simply stopping payment.

How long is the rescission period for a Marriott timeshare purchase?

It depends entirely on the state where you signed the contract, not on Marriott's own policy. Florida sets a 10-calendar-day rescission period by statute (Florida Statutes 721.10), measured from contract execution or receipt of required documents, whichever is later. Confirm your specific state's rescission window before assuming any day count applies to you.

Can I just give my timeshare away for free?

Sometimes, if you find a buyer willing to assume the deed and future fees, but you still need a licensed closing to transfer title properly, and back fees or assessments must usually be resolved first. A gift or $1 sale still requires the same paperwork as a full-price sale.

Sources

1. Florida Statutes, Section 721.10: Florida's timeshare rescission period is 10 calendar days, running from execution of the contract or receipt of the last required document, whichever is later
2. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Timeshare debts function like other contractual obligations and can go to collections or affect credit if unpaid
3. IRS, Instructions for Form 706: Qualified disclaimers of an inheritance generally must be made in writing and received within nine months of the decedent's death
4. 26 U.S.C. Section 2518, Qualified Disclaimers: Federal tax law defines the requirements for a qualified disclaimer, including the nine-month timing rule
5. Florida Senate Statutes: Florida law requiring specific disclosures in timeshare public offering statements relevant to resale transactions