Buyer’s Q&A
What exactly do I own when I buy a co-ownership share?
You own a real share of the home — an eighth, a quarter — not a right to use it. The legal set-up is arranged by our partner for each home and walked through with you before you buy.
The short answer: You own a real share of the home itself — an eighth, a quarter — not a week, not points, not a membership. You can sell it at your price, pass it on to your heirs, and it moves with the value of the house. That is what sets it apart from a timeshare, where you buy a right to use a property and own no asset. You share the home with a small group of co-owners, the running costs are split between you, and our partner takes care of everything between stays.
What you actually own
When you buy a co-ownership share through Co-Ownership Property, you are buying a piece of one specific home. If the home is split into eight shares and you buy one, you own an eighth of it. Buy two, and you own a quarter. The share is yours in the same way any other property you own is yours: it is an asset, not a subscription, a membership or a holiday package.
Three things follow from that:
- You can sell it. If your plans change, you sell your share, without anyone having to sell the whole house. Our partner's resale process handles the sale for you.
- You can pass it on. Your share forms part of your estate and can be left to your heirs, like any other asset you own.
- Its value follows the house. When the home rises in value, so does your share. You own real estate, not a holiday product.
How this differs from a timeshare
A timeshare sells you a week. Co-ownership sells you the house. With a timeshare you buy the right to use a resort for a week or two, or points, shared with thousands of others; it is typically worth a fraction of what was paid once you try to sell, and passing it on often means passing on the fees. With co-ownership you own a real share of one specific home, shared with a small group of owners (typically up to eight). It moves with the value of the home, sells on the open market at your price, and is a home you can leave to your children.
| Product | Do you own part of the home? | What you actually have |
|---|---|---|
| Co-ownership share (what COP lists) | Yes | A real share of one specific home, an eighth or a quarter, which you can sell or leave to your heirs |
| Timeshare | No | A right to use a property for set periods; no asset |
| Destination club membership | No | A membership giving access to a portfolio of homes; no ownership |
| Holiday rental | No | A paid stay; nothing owned |
| Whole-property ownership | Yes | The entire home, with all costs and all the time |
Co-ownership sits between the last row and the first: real ownership, like buying the whole house, but for a fraction of the price, the cost and the time.
How you use the home
Owning a share comes with nights in the home every year. A typical ⅛ share gives you around six weeks a year, booked through the home's calendar.
You do not have to manage anything yourself. Our partner looks after the home between stays: cleaning, maintenance, repairs, bills and the booking calendar.
How the costs work
The running costs of the home (maintenance, insurance, local property taxes, utilities and management) are shared between the co-owners, in proportion to the share each one owns. You pay your part; you do not carry the whole bill as you would with a second home of your own. You see the expected annual costs for each home before you buy.
Big decisions, such as selling the home or carrying out major works, are decided together by the co-owners.
The legal side
The legal set-up behind each home is arranged by our partner to suit the country and the property, and walked through with you before you buy, together with the purchase documents. Many buyers also have their own lawyer review it, which makes for a smooth, confident purchase.
Good questions to ask
- How many shares is the home divided into, and how big is the share I am buying?
- How many nights come with my share, and how are they booked?
- What are the expected annual running costs for my share?
- How does the resale process work if I want to sell later?
- How is the legal set-up arranged for this home?
Where to find co-ownership homes
Co-Ownership Property's selection lists only co-ownership homes where you own a real share of the property — no timeshare or right-to-use products.
Further reading
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