How to sell a fractional ownership share

Can you sell a fractional ownership share?

Yes. You own a real share of the home (an eighth, a quarter), not a right to use it. You can sell it, pass it on, and it rises and falls in value with the house. The legal set-up is arranged by our partner for each home and explained before you buy — and that set-up includes the rules for selling.

Those rules are written down before you buy, and they are worth reading with the same care as the price. Most homes follow the same broad pattern, set out below. Some add a minimum period of ownership before you can sell, or a fee on resale, so check both for any home you are considering.

How does selling a share work, step by step?

1. Check the rules for your home. Look at your ownership documents for any minimum holding period, the notice you need to give, and any resale fee. If anything is unclear, ask the company that manages the home.
2. Decide your price. You set the price. Look at what new shares in the same home, and in similar homes nearby, are offered at today. A share priced in line with or below comparable new shares usually sells faster.
3. Your co-owners get the first chance to buy. They are offered your share at your price for a set period. Co-owners often like to add time in a home they already know.
4. If they pass, it goes on the open market. The share is advertised to new buyers, usually through our partner's resale process and sometimes through agents as well.
5. Agree a sale and complete. The buyer completes the legal steps for that country, the share passes to them along with your place in the booking calendar, and you receive the proceeds less any selling costs and tax due.

What decides how fast a share sells?

• Location. Homes in places with strong year-round demand — a well-known coast, a big ski resort, a city people visit often — tend to find buyers more easily.
• Your price against new shares. Buyers compare. If new shares in the same home are on offer, your share needs to be competitive with them.
• The home itself. Condition, views, the number of bedrooms, a pool, walking distance to a beach or the lifts.
• The season you list. Many buyers decide while they are thinking about their holidays. A beach home often draws more interest in spring, a ski home in autumn.
• The booking system. Some buyers care a lot about how peak weeks are shared; a clear, fair system helps.

Nobody can tell you in advance exactly how long a sale will take. Ask the company that manages the home how recent resales have gone, and ask us — we will tell you what we know.

What does it cost to sell, and is there tax on the gain?

Selling costs depend on the home and the country. Check your documents for any resale fee and ask whether an agent's commission applies on the route you choose. If you have made a gain, the country where the home is may tax it, and so may the country where you live. Some examples of how countries treat gains for non-resident sellers:

• Spain taxes non-residents' gains at a flat rate, and the buyer must hold back 3% of the price and pay it to the tax office on account.
• France taxes the gain at 19% plus social charges, with allowances that grow the longer you have owned the property and remove the tax entirely after 30 years.
• Italy generally taxes gains on a second home sold within five years of purchase; after five years they are usually exempt.

Rules change and depend on your circumstances, so take advice from a tax adviser before you sell. Our tax by country guide links to the detail for each country.

What should you check about resale before you buy?

If you are still choosing a home, five questions tell you most of what you need to know about getting out later:

1. Is there a minimum period you must own the share before selling?
2. Is there a resale fee, and how much is it?
3. How long do co-owners have to decide whether to buy, and at what price?
4. How is a resale share marketed — and alongside new shares?
5. Can you sell to a family member or a buyer you find yourself?

Our checklist of questions to ask any co-ownership company covers resale alongside fees, nights and the legal set-up.

Can you pass a share on or give it away?

Yes. A share is property you own, so it can be left in your will or given to family. Inheritance and gift rules depend on the country where the home is and where you and your heirs live; some countries have forced-heirship rules or specific inheritance taxes. Take advice before you buy so that the way you hold the share suits your family, and tell the company that manages the home who should be contacted if something happens to you.

Buying a resale share

If you are on the other side — searching for "fractional ownership for sale by owner" — resale shares are a good way in. You buy into a home that is already running, with a known booking system and a track record of running costs. Ask for the same documents you would want for a new share, check how many weeks remain in the current year's calendar, and ask whether the price includes any of the year's running costs already paid.

What if what you own is actually a timeshare?

A timeshare is a right to use a property, not a share of it, and timeshares are often hard to resell. If you own a timeshare and want to exit, check your contract and your local consumer-protection rules, and be careful with companies that charge upfront fees to "sell" it for you. If you want to swap into real ownership, our page on fractional ownership vs timeshare explains the difference.

Frequently asked questions

Can you sell a fractional ownership share?

Yes. 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.

How long does it take to sell a fractional share?

It depends on the home, its location, your price compared with new shares and the time of year. Ask the company that manages the home how recent resales have gone before you list.

Is there a minimum time before I can sell?

Some homes have a minimum ownership period before a share can be sold. It is written in the documents you see before you buy, so check it.

Do I pay a fee to sell my share?

Some homes charge a resale fee and some routes involve an agent's commission. Check your ownership documents and ask before you list.

Can I sell my share to a family member?

Usually yes, subject to the home's rules, which normally still give your co-owners the first chance to buy.

What happens to my booked nights when I sell?

Your place in the booking calendar passes to the buyer with the share. Agree with the buyer how any nights already booked in the current year are handled.

Is there tax when I sell a share?

If you make a gain, the country where the home is may tax it, and so may your home country. Spain, France and Italy each have their own rules for non-resident sellers; take advice before you sell.