Understanding The Differences Between Condo Rentals And Timeshares

People in the north head south for winter. They love Florida best. They fly down, rent condos or stay in timeshares, and when spring arrives in the north, they fly home. If you think you would like a nice little place down south to which you can escape when it gets too cold and snowy, you should know a little more about your options. Here are the differences between condo rentals and timeshares, which can be confusing if you do not know how these options work.

Condo Rentals

Condo rentals in Florida (or any other southern state) work just like rentals anywhere else. You choose to rent a condo for the whole year on a lease program, or you rent by the day, week, or month. If they are deemed "vacation condos," then the rent goes by days or weeks. There are all kinds of condo rental deals, too. Your best option is to contact a real estate agent, such as at Mana Kai 601, about all of the available condos in or near the city and state that interests you.

Timeshares

Timeshares allows you to rent a condo, too, except that lots of other people rent the same condo. You buy "shares" of time in your condo, and then you agree to stay there only during the days, weeks, and/or months you want. While this seems like a reasonable deal, you have to remember that every piece of furniture in timeshare condos is used by others, slept on by others, sat on by others, and dirtied up or cleaned up by others. This concept tends to make some people quite queasy and unnerved, especially when they do not know the others that spend time in the same condo during the year.

Additionally, any damage done to a timeshare condo often becomes the responsibility of all parties. That is hardly fair if you did not stay in the condo all year, but the other timeshare holders threw wild parties and busted holes in the walls or broke stuff. The best way to protect yourself is to always read the fine print on your timeshare contract, meet with the other timeshare holders at least once, and take pictures of the conditions of the condo when you first walk in during your timeshare time. Contact the timeshare company that owns the condo in the event that there are any damages so that the company knows it was not you.