Comparison Guide
Co-ownership companies compared: fees, nights and resale
The four broad types of co-ownership company side by side — where they sell, how the nights work, letting, resale and fees — and the questions that decide which suits you.
The short answer: there are four broad types of co-ownership company — large US-focused, pan-European, single-country specialists and city pied-à-terre specialists — and they differ most in where they sell, how the nights are shared (a guaranteed minimum, fixed blocks or an open calendar), whether you can let your weeks, and how resale works. Whichever company sells the home, you own a real share of it, and the share price is the same whether you buy direct or through us.
Our interest, stated plainly: we are independent agents and experts. We list 310 homes from partner companies of each of these types and are paid by the partner when a sale completes, so we have no favourite type — only homes that suit you better or worse. We introduce you to the specific partner once you are interested in one of its homes.
Types of co-ownership company compared
| Type of company | Where it sells | Nights | Letting your weeks | Resale | Fees and running costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large, US-focused | Mostly the USA, plus Mexico and a few homes elsewhere | Usually an open calendar booked through an app, averaging around six weeks for an eighth | Varies by home and by city rules | Your price; co-owners first, then the open market, often through the company's own resale listings | Service built into the share price; running costs shared, typically collected monthly |
| Pan-European | Several European countries — coast, lakes, mountains and some cities | Usually a guaranteed minimum of around six weeks, with a fair share of high season | Usually for owners' own use | Your price; co-owners first, then the open market, usually with the company's support | Service built into the share price; owners share the home's actual budget |
| Single-country specialist | One country (for example Spain), often including domestic favourites | A set allowance of around six weeks, booked through the company | Usually for owners' own use | Your price; co-owners first, then the open market | Service built into the share price; running costs shared |
| City pied-à-terre specialist | One or a few capital cities | Sometimes smaller shares and fewer weeks, suited to frequent short city stays | Usually for owners' own use | Your price; co-owners first, then the open market | Service built into the share price; city service charges shared |
General patterns across the homes we list, described by type; individual homes differ. For any home, the exact booking rules, letting rules, resale terms and running costs are in the documents you see before you buy — and we send them on request.
Which type is best depends on where you want to own
This decides the answer before any of the other differences matter. Most co-ownership companies sell in one region only. If you want a ski apartment in the Austrian Alps, a US-focused company is irrelevant to you; if you want a house in Napa, a European specialist is. So read the table geography first: the United States and Mexico mean a large US-focused company; Mediterranean and Alpine Europe mean a pan-European company or a single-country specialist; one capital city may mean a city specialist.
Across all of them, euro-priced shares in Europe start at €119,000 in Spain, €119,000 in France and €119,000 in Italy, and US shares start at €119,000. See every home on our homes page.
Fees: what each type charges, and when
Almost every type builds its service into the share price rather than charging a separate percentage on top, so the share costs a little more than an eighth of the empty property and arrives furnished and ready. You then pay the country's purchase taxes, and while you own you pay your share of the running costs. The difference between types is mainly how running costs are collected: a fixed monthly amount, or a share of the home's actual annual budget. Some homes also charge a resale fee. Our guide to co-ownership fees sets out what to expect at each stage.
Nights and booking
A one-eighth share gives around six weeks a year with every type, but the way the weeks are shared differs: a guaranteed minimum of nights with a fair share of high season; fixed blocks that rotate between owners each year; or an open calendar booked through an app against an annual allowance. If you need particular weeks — school holidays, the ski season, a festival — ask exactly how they are shared before you choose a home. More in what fractional ownership is.
Resale and exit: which type has the best exit?
The basic rule is the same everywhere: you set the price; your co-owners get the first chance to buy at that price; if they pass, it goes on the open market. What differs is the size of the market for resale shares and how actively the company markets them. A larger company with many owners in one country has more potential buyers looking at the same kind of home; a smaller company may offer more personal support. Ask any company about minimum ownership periods and resale fees. See how to sell a share.
Europe or the USA?
The biggest practical differences between Europe and the US are in tax and travel rather than in the model. Americans buying in Europe deal with Schengen's 90-in-180 rule and local purchase taxes (see buying in Europe as an American); Europeans buying in the US deal with US withholding and estate tax rules (see how to buy in the USA). Letting rules are set city by city in the US and region by region in Europe — see rental rules by country.
City homes: Paris and London
City homes are sold both by city specialists and by larger companies. City shares suit buyers who visit the same city several times a year for shorter stays; the booking rules matter even more than on the coast, so ask how weekends and events are shared. Browse Paris and London.
How to choose: four questions
- Where do you want to own? That narrows the type of company before anything else.
- Do you want to let your weeks? If yes, only some homes will do, and local law matters as much as the company.
- How do you want the nights to work — a guaranteed minimum, fixed blocks, or an open calendar?
- How will you pay? Financing may be available depending on where you live; ask us for the home you are considering.
Then put the 12 questions to ask any co-ownership company to the homes on your shortlist. We will do that for you for any home we list.
Common questions
What is the best fractional ownership company?
There is no single best company, only types that suit different buyers: a large US-focused company for the United States, a pan-European company or a single-country specialist for Europe, and a city specialist for a capital city. Start with where you want to own.
How do co-ownership companies differ?
Mainly in where they sell, how the nights are shared (a guaranteed minimum, fixed blocks or an open calendar), whether owners may let their weeks, how resale is supported and how running costs are collected.
Which co-ownership company has the best exit strategy?
The rule is the same with every type: you set the price, your co-owners get the first chance to buy, and then it goes on the open market. What differs is the size of the resale market for that kind of home and how actively it is marketed; ask about minimum ownership periods and resale fees.
Do companies charge a fee at purchase?
Most build their service into the share price rather than charging a separate percentage. You pay the country's purchase taxes on top, and your share of running costs while you own.
Is it cheaper to buy direct from the company?
No. The share price is the same whether you buy direct or through us; our partner pays us, and you pay nothing to us.
Which companies do you work with?
We work with established partner companies of each type described here and introduce you to the specific partner once you are interested in one of its homes.
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