The resort real estate world has radically changed in the last six months. Those of us in the luxury resort development industry are faced with the most challenging environment in generations. There has been a monumental change in the economy. Hence, the "New Normal".

Many houses and condominiums in vacation destinations have fractional ownership potential, and more and more owners and Realtors are considering selling fractional interests. In some cases, a fractional sale is the best way to maximize the sale price or speed the sale process in a slow market. In other cases, a fractional sale offers a way for a vacation home owner to continue to own a portion of his/her property and to continue to enjoy using it, while lessening financial and management burdens of ownership, and avoiding the hassles and risks of vacation rentals.

Fractionals are not a cookie-cutter product. Of all resort real estate products they are the most complicated as they are 100% use by the buyer. There is no investment [sure, a little in that "I want to make a buck, when I sell"] angle to it as there are in lots, whole homes, villas or condos or condo-hotels.

The current market provides a rare combination of circumstances that create a potential profit opportunity for developers and astute investors in the vacation home market.