One of the real estate trends growing in popularity right now is fractional ownership. From New York to Seattle, and from Aspen to Sedona, fractional ownership is becoming more popular. However, financing fractional ownership can be difficult, reports Bankrate:

"It’s a very non-conventional product,"
              he says. "If there is financing available, it’s generally through
              the builder or developer."

However, there are some banks willing to provide financing for fractional ownership, even in these times of credit market crunch. But it may be more difficult to get.

Fractional ownership is when you own a small part of a property, usually a vacation property. It can build equity, and while it has similarities to a timeshare, it is not the same thing.