Why Retirees Are Desperate to Dump Their Timeshares

There is a corner of eBay that looks like a bargain hunter’s paradise but is actually a graveyard of retirement dreams.

Right now, you can find hundreds of listings for timeshares—weeks at sunny resorts in Florida, Mexico, and Hawaii—listed for exactly $1. Even at that price, many of them have zero bids.

If you bought a timeshare 20 years ago, you were likely sold on the idea of “locking in” vacation costs for life. But for thousands of retirees, that asset has become a liability. The problem isn’t just that they can’t sell these properties for a profit; it’s that they literally cannot give them away.

Here is why the exit door is locked, and the specific steps you must take to escape without getting scammed.

The math doesn’t work anymore

The core reason you can’t sell your timeshare is simple economics: The supply of used timeshares vastly exceeds the demand.

When you buy from a developer, you are paying for marketing costs and sales commissions, which can make up 50% or more of the price. The moment you sign the contract, that value evaporates. On the resale market, you are competing against thousands of other desperate owners who just want the maintenance fees to stop.

Those fees are the real killer. According to industry data reported by Resort Trades, the average maintenance fee had already climbed to $1,260 by 2023, and these costs rarely go down. Worse, they tend to rise faster than inflation, often ticking up every single year.

For a retiree on a fixed income, a mandatory bill that exceeds $1,200 for a vacation they can no longer take is a financial emergency. Buyers know this. They aren’t looking at your “free” week; they are looking at the lifetime of bills attached to it.

(For more on the dangers of these contracts, read our analysis on whether buying a timeshare is ever a good idea.)

The “perpetuity” trap

Most modern buyers—especially Millennials and Gen Z—prioritize flexibility. They use Airbnb or hotels. They do not want to be tethered to the same week in the same condo for the next 30 years.

This generational shift has left current owners holding the bag. Many timeshare contracts contain “perpetuity clauses,” meaning you don’t just own the timeshare until you die—you own it forever. When you pass away, that obligation becomes part of your estate.

This creates a nightmare scenario where your children could inherit your maintenance fees. (See the section below on how they can legally refuse this.)

Beware the “exit team” vultures

Because desperate owners are emotional, they are prime targets for scammers. If you Google “how to get rid of timeshare,” you will be bombarded with ads for “Timeshare Exit Teams” or “cancellation experts.”

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued warnings about these operations. The scam usually works like this:

1. They promise to get you out of your contract legally.2. They demand a massive upfront fee, often ranging from $3,000 to over $10,000.3. They tell you to stop paying your maintenance fees while they “negotiate.”4. Months pass, the foreclosure ruins your credit, and the company disappears with your money.

For more senior-focused scams, see scams draining retiree bank accounts.

The Golden Rule: Never pay an upfront fee to sell or exit a timeshare. A legitimate broker takes a commission after the sale, not before.

The only real way out

If you are stuck, you have three realistic options. None of them involve getting your money back.

1. The “deedback” surrenderThis is your best bet. Major developers have created official channels to take back properties.

They won’t pay you for it. In fact, you must have your mortgage paid off and be current on your maintenance fees to qualify. But if they accept the surrender, you are free and clear.

Call your resort’s management directly and ask if they have a “deedback” or “surrender” program.

2. The $0 saleIf the resort won’t take it back, your goal is to transfer the title to anyone willing to take over the fees.

List it on legitimate marketplaces like RedWeek or the Timeshare Users Group (TUG).
Price it at $0 or $1.
Offer to pay the closing costs (usually $500–$1,000) yourself. You are essentially paying someone a small bonus to take the liability off your hands.

3. The refusal (for heirs)If you are reading this and worried about inheriting a parent’s timeshare, you have a legal shield.

You can file a “disclaimer of interest” to refuse the inheritance. You typically have nine months from the date of death to file this document with the probate court. Do not use the timeshare after the owner passes, or you may accidentally accept the contract.