Has anyone bought a -shared interest- fractional property? I understand they are better then timeshares as you obtain -deeded- property.

Timeshares can be deeded. I've never heard of a fractional or shared interest. What are the restrictions on your usage?

Hello Scott,

Actually I want to buy a interest 1/4 share of a home, but everything I see is in some sort of Elite Development. I want something I can use for 25% of the year not one of those where they have so many restrictions (1-3 weeks usage).

But what 25% do you expect to use it for? If you purchase something like that, you will, most likely be purchasing a specific time frame. Maybe 1 week per month or 3 months out of the year or something like that.

Time sharing gives you much greater flexibility. You can purchase as many weeks as you want (or can afford). Weeks can used at the resort or exchanged for other resorts.

Could the post be referring to purchasing real property with others as Tenants In Common? With TIC the buyers can have unequal percentages of ownership, and in case of death, their share would pass to their heirs, rather than the other co-owners.

Dr. D

This is the type of property I am looking for. Since I am retired and live overseas I can come and visit and stay in one place for several months. I suppose I would also get an appreciation if I opted out.

That may be what you are looking for, but its going to be hard to find. You need to find a situation where someone is willing to vacate their home for several months. If you do find such a situation, you then have the problem of finding someone to vacate during the specific months you want. And the likelihood would be that it's the same months every year.

Good comments,

Maybe I should buy a home myself and try and find some investors that would like to put it in a rental pool (such as a condo/townhouse in a community)

That's a possibility I was thinking of. But again, you have the problem of finding short term tenants. One possibility might be a college town where you can rent the unit to students from Sept to May or June. But that has its own risks.

I would also suggest investigating buying a block of time share weeks.

I like that idea about the students. Maybe I should just buy a house outright!!

Yes, and actually it is a good real estate investment to do so, and is perfectly legal, You would own the property as tenants in common, where are you looking?