Question: We have a timeshare that we would like to sell. What is the best method for selling a timeshare? There are many web sites advertising their services and it’s not always easy to tell who is legitimate or not. Thank you for your consideration. Mary, Fort Collins, CO.

Answer: It’s always tough to sell a timeshare. Even under the best of economic circumstances the rule of thumb is that timeshare owner will get no more than 50 cents on the dollar and usually much less than that at sale. Worse, the Great Recession has hammered the timeshare market. Plenty of folks are trying to unload their timeshares either because they can no longer afford it or they’re trying to liquidate assets to raise money.

You’re right to worry about scams in the business. The Federal Trade Commission has a timeshare warning paper and suggested buying and selling tips on its website. It makes for sober reading. It also makes it clear that selling a timeshare takes a lot of work, but it’s well worth it with all the shady operators lurking. Good luck.