Does Buying a Timeshare in Las Vegas Make Sense?

Key Points:

• Timeshare sales presentations are frequently attended in Vegas in exchange for show tickets or other freebies.

• Frequently listed for as little as $1 on resale sites, timeshares in Las Vegas rarely pan out to be a good investment.

• Deep hotel discounts offered to casino loyalty club members often make renting a room cheaper than a long-term timeshare commitment.

Are you considering buying a timeshare in Las Vegas? Perhaps you are in town annually anyway and figure it would be nice to have a consistent home base.

Maybe you’ve been pitched so many times by folks on the Strip to sit through a presentation that you’ve started to think it may be a good option.

Although sales tactics utilized by timeshare salespeople encourage a quick decision on your part, the specific program you are looking to buy into is something you will want to carefully scrutinize. It’s not a decision you will want to rush for a number of reasons.

Below, I’ll dive into what a timeshare is and some of the reasons I feel buying a timeshare in Vegas could be a poor decision.

Related: What is the $20 trick? Should you use it in Vegas to score a hotel upgrade?

What is a Timeshare?  

Before diving into whether it’s smart to buy a Las Vegas timeshare, I thought it would be helpful to define what a timeshare is.

A timeshare is a real estate transaction in which customers pay an upfront fee, in addition to ongoing maintenance fees for rights to access a property, or a group of properties, for a specific amount of time per year.  

Timeshares come in a few different flavors. Some timeshare deals offer a defined amount of time a guest can use a property annually, while others offer “points” that can be used to book stays at a property or group of properties.

Additionally, timeshares can be “deeded” where the purchaser actually has ownership of a small portion of the property, or “non-deeded” which doesn’t assign ownership and allows for the right to use only.  

How are timeshares sold, and what costs are associated with them?  

Las Vegas visitors are commonly invited to attend sales presentations by timeshare representatives while walking the Strip, or even through the hotel.

Freebies, like show tickets, a tour, or slot play are offered in exchange for attending a sales presentation.

The hope is that once they have your undivided attention, you’ll make an impulsive purchase. If attending for the freebie with no intent to purchase, be prepared to say “No” early and often.  

It’s important to note that I scoured the websites of major timeshare players that operate in Las Vegas, and there is no information on pricing, ongoing fees, or even how the program works online. Additionally, not one company was able to provide any relevant pricing or program details over the phone.

How is that possible?  

The inability to comparison shop basic aspects of a timeshare purchase including pricing and terms in advance of an in-person, high-pressure sales pitch is an enormous red flag.  

Although pricing information isn’t accessible without attending an in-person pitch, the average upfront timeshare investment in 2021 was $24,140 according to the American Resort Development Association’s (ARDA) “State of the Vacation and Timeshare Industry” report published in June of 2022. 

That figure doesn’t include maintenance fees which averaged $1,120 per year in 2021. Maintenance fees are perpetual, meaning they never end.

Not only do the fees go on forever, they usually increase every year.   

In addition to upfront and annual maintenance fees, timeshare owners could be on the hook for special assessments and property taxes.  

What’s terrifying is that no honest timeshare salesperson can tell you what your total lifetime cost will be.

When you sign the line to buy, you’re writing a blank check for fees, and their associated unknown increases over the lifetime of the contract, which is often forever.  

The Verdict: Is Buying a Timeshare in Las Vegas a Good Idea?  

I personally don’t think so.

Hotel rooms in Vegas are inexpensive to begin with compared to other major cities, and even cheaper if you do a bit of gambling.

Why would an upfront payment of around $24,140 plus $1,000+ in annual fees for access to a resort hotel room make sense? At the end of the day, it just doesn’t add up to a good value for your money.  

Between the upfront fee and maintenance fees that never go away, there are few deals that would allow you to break even.

I recommend skipping the contract and hefty upfront payment. Instead, book the same room for an amount close to, if not less than, what your annual maintenance fee would have been if you committed to the timeshare.

Paying for rooms as you go will also provide you the flexibility to stay where you want and experience new properties. Las Vegas is home to some of the greatest resorts in the world, you deserve to experience them.  

Even if you feel a timeshare could be a good option for you, don’t feel pressured to decide on the spot. Ensure you have a strong feel for what your contractual obligations will be if you sign the dotted line.  

Additionally, because timeshares sell on the secondary market for a mere fraction of what was originally paid, you’re likely better off buying there as opposed to directly with the company.

Rent Someone Else’s Condo Instead

For those that want the amenities that a timeshare property can provide like a kitchen, separate bedroom, balcony, etc., check out these vacation rentals on TripAdvisor (just enter your dates of travel). There, you can rent timeshare/condo accommodations at properties like Wyndham Grand Desert, The Signature at MGM Grand, Palms Place, Vdara, and more.

As an added perk, these types of rentals will sometimes allow you to skip resort fees. If no fees are required, it’ll be made known in the listing.

See Also: Las Vegas resorts with recently renovated hotel rooms! Don’t book the wrong room type.