Vacation Home Shareholding

"Long popular in the United States, fractional ownership - in which the costs of a vacation home or other asset are divided among a pool of members - is steadily making its way across the Atlantic. For prices starting at $100,000, not including annual dues, buyers can own a piece of a coveted property in the Tuscan hills, in the heart of Florence or in other European locales."

"The concept was introduced in the United States in the early 1990s as a more cost-effective alternative to buying and maintaining a high-end vacation home that might be used only a few weeks out of the year. Unlike two other cost-sharing models - timeshares and destination clubs - fractional ownership plans give members an equity stake in the property, which can be sold or transferred like wholly owned real estate. The members typically own the club and the real estate, while the developers make money from the initial sales."

"Fractional properties can be found in popular vacation destinations like Florida, Colorado and the Caribbean, but they were virtually unknown in Europe until recently, as developers saw an opportunity to transform crumbling farmhouses and historic buildings."