PatrickLondon

I've done a number of exchanges - Paris, Amsterdam, Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Barcelona. Apart from the Paris exchange (we've subsequently exchanged a good half-dozen times) I haven't done anything other than put an entry in several of the free internet listing sites (but then, I can afford to be a bit smug about living in London).

GBC is right. Think of it as as a business barter: the terms of the negotiation and what you finally agree on are entirely up to both parties.

Or if you prefer, you can think of it as the property equivalent of internet dating and social networking sites: create your profile page and either sit and wait for people to come to you, or go out hunting!

Either way, it's really important to take time to get to know each other and make some judgment about each other's lifestyles. If you don't want people smoking in your house, say so. If your house is full of precious antiques and white carpets, don't swap with a family of teenagers (and vice versa).

Don't assume anything you're not sure about that might bother you - ask. On Faux's point about being committed and buying tickets, I make sure there's an explicit email that sums up what we've agreed about dates and asks for confirmation that we are now committed to buying tickets: it's usually tied up with discussing flight timings and arrangements to swap keys anyway. Indeed, my last swap started with an email telling me they had flights booked and would be arriving quite late, and asking it was practicable to get to my place that first night.

I've never been too bothered about safety and security. I always research on the web what I can about the area I'm offered, local public transport and so on, and ask advice from people who might know the area. You can always ask a neighbour if they'll be on hand in emergencies (and/or keep an eye on the place).

As with anything else, time spent on preparation is rarely wasted. Even the tedious side of things (giving my own place a deep clean) is necessary (I might not do it so often otherwise).

FauxSteMarie

I am [email protected] and, weber, you must have emailed me. I was sort of known as the person on AOL to contact about exchanging years ago. I did get at least one swap that way.

Yes, my method of working is very relaxed. I no longer seek out exchanges. Living just outside DC and with a short drive to Metro parking and transportation into town I do get offers. I don't get as many as I used to when I wrote letters (before the internet) or emailed, but I get enough. I am not fussy where I go. Insofar as Europe is concerned, I got two attractive offers this year and chose a swap in Vienna, Austria. I thought I had a deal with some French people, but they put me off about buying tickets--which made me very nervous. Vienna came in a few days later and I took that.

After awhile you have been to most of the major cities in Western Europe, so where you end up is not so important.

I have never had a serious offer from Scandanavia and perhaps some day I will get one. I will not, for example, sit around waiting for one if I get one from, say, France. I don't know how much time I have spent in France (it's certainly at least 6 months in total on various trips), but, if the offer is attractive, I will still take it because no one has seen everything and each house is an attractive base for day trips even if I have been somewhere else in the area before.

Aside from eating lunch in Spain (I was on the French side of the Pyrenees at the time), I have not visited there and want to go. Some year, but NOT in summer. Spain and Italy are too hot to viable as "fun" in summer in my book.

By the way, I was widely traveled in the UK and France before beginning to exchange. I got interested when the children were young. I wanted to take them to Europe but conventional expensive trips shelling out for two hotel rooms was definitely not the way I wanted to do it. I obviously got hooked on this wonderful way of vacationing.

nbujic

I would advise becoming a member of an exchange org. and paying the fee.
You get a great selection that way'

We like major cities and, over the years we have turned done offers from small towns or rural properties in Europe, U.S. Canada and Australia. - it was not for us.
We have also received a good number of
"no, thanks" or some people don'T even answer (members from New York, and some other "hot" spots )
If you are interested, you will be able to do it .Just keep trying!

FauxSteMarie

Yes, more people reject you than accept your offers. I have had some interesting exchanges all over in big cities, suburbs of big cities and even in relatively rural areas in Europe. Remember that Europe is tightly packed with people and, even in a relatively rural area, there is always plenty to do within a 2 hour driving radius (reasonable day trip distance). I have discovered places I would never have seen without exchanges. To me, it is the best way to explore Europe. You have a home base and you don't pay for it.

Songdoc

I'm curious how long exchanges are typically for. It seems like a huge amount of effort if it's only for one week. I tend to find reasonably priced hotels, self-catering, or B&Bs, and in most places, could easily stay a week for well under $1,000.

Oh, but I'd love to swap for a month or more. See,s like a perfect way to really get a sense of a different area.

nbujic

well, it depends on you and your exchange partners. We have exchanged for 3 weeks in Europe but also 5 days in New York.
You can also combine : part exchange and part of your trip in hotels.

Either way, with a bit of cleaning and some preparation, one saves not only on hotels but also on eating all meals out ( breakfast is the one we like "at home&quot .

FauxSteMarie

My longest exchanges were for a month in Europe. My shortest were long weekends in Williamsburg (twice with different people). Each exchange depends on what you negotiate. Obviously, if you are going farther, you will want to stay longer. Remember that an exchange has to meet mutual desires.

ekscrunchy

FauxSM;

Thanks for taking time to post all that information; I found it fascinating. I've never exchanged but living in midtown Manhattan, I suppose I would be able to without too much searching. An issue I've always wondered about is this: You say that you depart the day after the exchangers have arrived at your home. Where do you stay that final night? Together with them in your home? In a hotel? Or perhaps I misunderstood this point.

nbujic

if you leave in midtown Manh. you can get an exchange ANY PLACE you wish. In my experience New York is the most requested destination in North America.
You can leave on the same date as you partners arrive and return on the date they leave.
We leave our keys with the concierge, but same people have mailed keys to us or left them with people next door or family members.
Take a look at exchange sites ( free visit) www.homelink.org or www.homeexchange.com
we belong to both and have had great results

ekscrunchy

Thanks! I might consider doing this someday soon. It is easier, I guess, since there are on-site handymen in the building in case of any mechanical problems.

I passed on this thread to a friend who is currently trying to exchange in France.

FauxSteMarie

If anyone signs up for Intervac or Homelink, I would appreciate you telling them that Lauren Kahn (FauxSteMarie's real name) sent you. Intervac has traditionally had the more extensive European listings. Homelink does have European listings, but is stronger in US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. I have found it a good investment to belong to both of them.

nbujic

Homeexchange is half the fee of Hhomelink , we started using in 2005 with very good results

FauxSteMarie

nbujic, how many members does Homeexchange have? Actually, you charge $60. Homelink and Intervac are about $80 each.

The key thing is the membership base. How do your numbers compare with Homelink and Intervac? What is your distribution of membership by country?

I am not trying to be argumenative or defensive. I genuinely want to know how you stack up to Homelink and Intervac, as I have no financial connection to any of the companies.

FauxSteMarie

OK, I took a look at your site nbujic and you have a lot of listings from places other than Europe, but, as with all the companies, the numbers of those listings are small. All the companies need to get more listings from countries other than US, Canada and Europe.

Can you tell me which company has the most listings because I genuinely do not know? Can you tell me why I should switch or join you in addition to the other ones I belong to?

There are so many home exchange services now that it is hard to know which is best.

I think that is the purposte of knowyourtrade.com. Maybe we should all go over there and have a discussion because rating the different companies is one of the purposes of the site.

Homeexchange looks very interesting.

nbujic

I have no idea about the number of membes of any company, I just know what has worked for us. We tried Intervac one year but did not get anything.
Homeexcange has a lot of lisings from Australia We got our Sydney and Christchurch (NZ) exchanges from them,but Melbourne from Homelink.
Some people are looking for more exotic locations ( Vietnam, China, Japan)but those are hard to find.
We are just happy to go to Europe and New York any time.

FauxSteMarie

nbujic, I think you have basically got it down. As I previously mentioned, destinations other than Western Europe, US and Canada are difficult due to visa problems. I went to Chile this year on an Elderhostel trip. I would love an exchange there, but, again, the other side would need a visa and visas to the US can be hard to come by these days.

Homelink and Intervac have worked for me for all these years and I guess I am a creature of habit. It is hard to know which exchange service is "best". I suppose it is the one that gets you a deal in any given year. Some years have been better than others. After 9/11 home exchange was tough, but so was tourism everywhere. When peoople are suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (and we all were) no one feels like traveling long distances. So, people "nested" for awhile before resuming their lives and adjusting to the new "normal".

Sher

I picked up on this post as I had an offer of a home exchange this week.

The exchange is for vacation homes and not residences. The dates will not be at the same time as each of us desires different dates. Since neither of us lives in the exchange base, it makes it easy for me not to have to worry about tickets.

This opportunity just came up and I actually never had considered doing something like this before.

My husband and I are thinking of taking our first trip to the Caribbean and the owners of the condo there would like a break from the Canadian winter next year.

Are home exchanges always for the exact number of days or does that not matter?
They would be staying at our house more days than we would in their condo. But the value of the properties, if rented, would be equal. Both are in areas where rentals are commonplace.

Just curious. Thanks for the website. I am going to check it out.

nbujic

Hi,
you can work things out anyway it suits you and your partners .

FauxSteMarie

I always tell people that an exchange does not mean you get as good a place as the one you leave behind. Most European homes, for example, are much smaller than American homes. They also often have washers, but not dryers. Instead of 4 bathrooms, you might get one or one and a half. What difference does it make? Remember that you are basically just sleeping in your exchange house. You are not hosting a wedding or bar mitzvah there.

If anyone is interested in joining Intervac, the exchange service with the most European listings--and, hence, the greatest chance of swapping in Europe--please contact me before you enroll. I might be able to get you a small discount. I have belonged to Intervac since 1990 and have gotten European exchanges that way. It is a great exchange club.

If you are interested, or have questions, email me privately at [email protected].

And happy travels everyone!

tomassocroccante

Haven't exchanged yet but hope to in near future. And this thread will be invaluable, including the links to the other sites. THANKS!!

RE: security of posessions, I did sublet my apartment for 6 months once when I was working out of town. I stuffed one closet with all the things I didn't want my tenants to feel responsible for: that is, anything I'd feel really bad about losing and that they'd hate to try to replace. I explained this, they were happy about it.
That brings up an issue not mentioned above: do you clear out some closet and drawer space for your trade? I left the bedroom closet empty, as well as a complete dresser, bathroom cabinet, etc, for my tenant. (And I told them to please eat anything in the kitchen, so they could gradually make room for their own groceries, but I didn't have to clear out half bottles of olive oil, etc.)

By the way, I would think Nashville would be an easy sell for a month, plenty of people from maybe LA or NY who want to do some business ... but in general, I think one place that might be a good source in the US for longer trades would be universities. Faculty on sabbatical, graduate students doing research, etc. ??