For many people, the question of whether to buy new or buy used already has an ingrained answer. Countless people refuse to even set foot on a used-car lot, for instance, because they cannot imagine owning an automobile that someone else has driven — or because they want the newest model available in exactly the color and styling of their choice. Still other people refuse to even look at existing homes in the same neighborhoods where new housing developments are being built. They just do not like the idea of living in a place where other people have lived, especially when a sparkling new option is available just around the corner on a yet-to-be-built-out lot where they can choose everything from the color of the walls to the brand names on the appliances.

For other people, though, the thought of buying a car, home, or virtually anything else from its manufacturer or developer is simply ludicrous. Why pay more, they reason, when a bit of extra elbow grease can often turn up fabulous prices on major purchases that are in excellent condition? These people know that they often will have to spend far more time researching and examining their purchase before actually making it — because they often are not shielded by the same consumer-protection laws that go along with buying new — but they are willing to invest that time and effort in exchange for the financial benefits that can come in the long run. Sure, they may have to settle for a different color or model than they would have purchased if they had gotten their first choice, but what they end up with, to their thinking, is still better than what the vast majority of other shoppers ever find.

If you count yourself among the latter group, then perhaps buying a timeshare unit on the resale market is for you. There are thousands of timeshare units available at any given time, and many of them are indeed excellent bargains. People decide to sell their timeshare units for perfectly valid reasons every day. Some of these reasons include:

• The realization that they just don't have the time to use their unit as expected

• The death of a spouse and resulting change in vacation accommodation needs • The birth of a child and resulting change in vacation accommodation needs

• Personal financial problems that force an owner to sell

• The realization that timeshare ownership simply is not for them

As a buyer, you of course stand to benefit from any of these reasons, as some timeshare-unit owners will be more eager to sell than others — and thus more willing to give you a good deal on their unit in exchange for a fast agreement.

You also, though, stand to lose big-time if you mistakenly choose to do business with someone who is selling their timeshare for another reason, such as “dumping off” a lousy unit or quietly “handing off” what could be thousands of dollars in unpaid maintenance and special assessment fees. By the same token, many timeshare resale brokers are good people just out to earn an honest living, but others have been sued for scamming buyers and sellers alike out of hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars at a time.

When considering buying a timeshare unit on the resale market, then, it is imperative that you understand all of the pros and cons. Here is a look at the key factors you need to keep in mind.