Know the details of what you own!
This is probably the single most important thing a timeshare owner must do to successfully rent their timeshare, and it surprisingly is one of the areas that many owners simply disregard. Understanding your timeshare ownership and having in depth knowledge of the specific reservation procedures should always be your first step to a successful rental. You should know the reservation windows, cancellation and rebooking policies, and the banking deadlines for your ownership either internally with your timeshare developer or via a third party Exchange Company. You also need to know the amenities of the resort you are advertising, and whether or not specific privileges such as early check-in are available to owner's guests. Find out if any additional fees are required by the resort, including tourist accommodations taxes, guest certificates, and utilities surcharges. Always double check your rental ads for accuracy. Whether you are advertising on your own or have listed with a licensed real estate brokerage, correctly advertising what you own is vital to have any chance for success!

Maximize your marketing!
At the simplest level, exposing your rental ads to more people increases your chance for success. There is no substitute for an effective marketing strategy! You will have to spend some money, whether you advertise on your own or pay commission to a licensed brokerage. Listing with a respected rental broker that does not require any type of upfront fee is the safest and easiest way to advertise your timeshare rental and is often more successful than by owner marketing because tenants are more comfortable dealing with a licensed realtor. If you decide to handle the entire rental transaction yourself, be sure that you do not skimp on advertising and understand the risks involved with exposing your contact information. You will have to place as many free and low cost classified ads as possible (never pay more than $50.) to be successful, but be sure to stay up to date with timeshare scams. Once your personal information is placed on the internet, the scam companies will find it!  Research the secondary market and protect yourself accordingly. Don't forget to tell everyone you know about your rental! Friends, family, coworkers, and acquaintances are all possible tenants. Plus, if you have rented to someone else in the past, be sure to give them a call. Even if they don't rent, if they had a great vacation they may be willing to help spread the word and refer others to you!

Confirm and advertise a specific reservation!
Most prospective tenants who are online search in the same way. They will choose a destination or resort, and then search for specific dates of travel. Because of this, advertising specific confirmed dates at your resort may greatly increase your opportunity to be noticed! If you own a floating week or a points system, remember to make reservations early so you can confirm high demand weeks. The only exception to this rule of thumb is if you are working with a rental broker who consistently has rental requests for your resort, in which case a low priced floating week may rent very quickly

Always be willing to negotiate!
Think of any offer you receive as potentially the only offer you may receive. Truly consider each and every offer and never simply say no. Always be willing to negotiate and counter offer. Never forget that the timeshare rental market is a very competitive industry, and rarely will a tenant offer to pay your full asking price. Renters are always looking for a bargain, and most experienced tenants will always start with a low offer but are willing to come up in price. Price very aggressively, but be sure to leave yourself a little room to negotiate and you will find that your chances for success will improve dramatically!