Timeshare Presentation Offer Checklist

What it should state. What's commonly not stated. What to ask before you sign.

You're at, or just left, a timeshare presentation with an offer in hand. This page lists what a complete offer states, the lines that are commonly not stated, and the questions worth asking before your name goes on it.

This is a reading checklist, not advice. Spend Defense doesn't tell you whether to sign — we make sure you've actually seen what's on the page, and what isn't.

What a complete timeshare offer states

  • Purchase price — the full price, and whether a "today only" price differs from the regular one.

  • Rescission period — how many days you have to cancel, the exact last date, and how to send the cancellation.

  • What is owned — points or a deeded week — and which resort, unit type, and season.

  • Maintenance fees — the current annual amount and how increases are decided.

  • Financing terms — if financed: APR, term, monthly payment, and total of payments.

  • Additional fees — exchange-company membership, booking, and club fees, each listed.

  • Special assessments — whether owners can be charged for major repairs beyond regular fees.

  • Resale and exit terms — any right of first refusal, transfer fees, or deed-back program.

What's commonly not stated

  • Total cost over time — ten years of price, financing, and rising maintenance fees is rarely added up on the page — that's the point of checking.
  • Maintenance fee history — how much fees have risen in past years is seldom included.
  • Booking availability — points do not promise the dates or resorts you want; availability is usually not described.
  • Resale value — what owners receive when selling is not part of the offer.
  • The rescission deadline in writing — verbal assurances about cancelling may differ from the dated clause in the contract.

None of these gaps decide anything by themselves. They're the lines to ask about before you sign, not after.

Questions to ask before you sign

  1. “What is the exact last date I can cancel, and how must I send the cancellation?”
  2. “Am I buying points or a deeded week — and for which resort and season?”
  3. “What are the annual maintenance fees, and how much have they risen in recent years?”
  4. “What other fees apply — exchange, club, booking, or special assessments?”
  5. “What is the total of all payments, including financing, over the full term?”

Want a second set of eyes on the actual document?

Send us the paperwork before you sign. A Quick Check reads your document and shows you what it says, what's not stated, and what to ask — for $4.99 (up to 10 pages). Longer documents: Document Review $19, Premium Review $49.

Check my document →

We don't decide for you. We make sure nothing on the page — or missing from it — surprises you later.

FAQ

How much does a timeshare usually cost?

We don't price other people's offers — cost depends on the resort, the season, points or weeks, financing, and yearly fees. What you can check is whether your offer states the price, the maintenance fees, every added fee, and the rescission date. If it doesn't, ask before signing.

What if something on this checklist is missing from my timeshare offer?

Ask for it in writing before you sign — and keep track of the rescission date. A missing fee history or total-cost figure isn't a verdict on the resort; it's an unknown in a long commitment. Getting it stated costs nothing and settles it while you can still decide.

Can Spend Defense read my actual timeshare paperwork?

Yes. Timeshare contracts usually run well past 10 pages, so most go through the Document Review ($19, up to 25 pages) or Premium Review ($49, up to 100 pages). If you're inside a rescission window, send it promptly so the read arrives in time.

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Spend Defense — we read the paperwork before you sign. We don't decide for you.