Travel the Home Exchange Way

‘The Holiday’ – Bad for the Home Exchange Community?

The film, ‘The Holiday’ a fun, light weight comedy is over three years old now and so generally vanished into the mists of obscurity. As the plot was loosely based around a home swap, occasionally it still crops up in comments, such as  in one by Salli on a recent post (Reasons to Plan a Home Exchange Well in Advance):  

‘We think the film 'The Holiday' has not been good for the home exchange community and that a lot of newer exchangers just see it as a cheap means of travel.’

 Salli, after having several very successful home swaps, had been disappointed by two recent exchange experiences and so it’s understandable that  she may feel the quality of exchangers has deteriorated. If Salli has arranged exchanges through a long established, paid membership home exchange service, it’s likely that she has just been very unfortunate in her choice of recent exchange partners or perhaps, as sometimes happens after a number of very positive experiences, had become a little less careful before agreeing to go ahead with recent exchanges. Most people who might see home exchange as merely a cheap way of travelling will also avoid paying even a modest membership fee to gain access to members genuinely committed to arranging exchanges. Another good reason to treat ‘free’ listings sites with caution and a degree of scepticism whatever the claims of member numbers?

 

Although the film, ‘The Holiday’, is an unrealistic portrayal of how exchanges are arranged (no sane person would instantly agree to an exchange, then hop on a plane across the Atlantic the very next day with no clear idea about the home or area they were going to!), it probably did introduce more people to the home swapping concept (a good thing) but I doubt it was influential enough to have changed the make-up of the genuine home exchange community. What certainly has happened in the last few months as a result of the global economic downturn has undoubtedly made more people look at ways to cut costs on holidays and travel. Home exchange fits into this very well (no accommodation costs – a big saving) but, only a minority would consider swapping homes for cost saving reasons alone.

 

What do you think? Are you an experienced home exchanger? If so, have you noticed any changes in the attitudes of fellow exchangers to reasons for swapping homes over the last few months?

Home Exchange Check Lists/Forms and Guest Information Folders

Q: Hello, we're looking at doing our first home swap, and I was trying to find some sort of checklist/form where I can write where everything is kept and how things work? Any recommendations? Regards Lisa

 

A: Hi Lisa, In the Home Base Holidays Guidelines for Arranging an Exchange scroll down to Stage Four: Preparing for Your Exchange Guests for a reminder of information to leave for your exchange guests.

 

You might also find the trader companion form published by Know Your Trade useful to print off and adapt to record all the relevant information. 

As any checklists/forms can only be quite general and may not cover everything in your own home, go through your home carefully, one room at a time, so you don’t forget any vital information. Leave instruction books for appliances and central heating (air conditioning, security system, etc) but still include simple instructions in your information folder – the manual will never include, ‘If the green light flashes, give the washing machine door a good, firm push’ but that’s the sort of practical information (i.e. your individual household quirks) that will save your guests a lot of trial and error when using your equipment.

Start your checklist/folder well in advance of your first exchange so you can add to it as something else pops into your head. Once you’ve done it, for future exchanges it will be much easier as all you will need to do is ensure the information is up-to-date.

Tips for Arranging a Last Minute Home Exchange

Starting a search for home exchange partners well in advance of your exchange dates is always recommended but sometimes, as in the request published on Tuesday for a Christmas exchange to Sussex or London, time is not on your side. If you are looking for a last minute swap, here are a few tips which should increase your chances:

 

· Be as open as you can be on exact destinations. If you are planning an exchange to be near friends or family, ideally you will want to find a home very close by. But, if this is too limiting, look at the surrounding area and extend your search as widely as possible.

 

· Don’t restrict your search to members who specifically request your city or country. You will see that many Home Base Holidays members are ‘open’ on destinations they will consider and often flexible on dates so such members are certainly worth contacting if their offers are of interest.

 

· Be pro-active – don’t wait to be contacted with exchange offers.

 

· Check the Last Minute Offers and Newest Offers (last 30 days) lists often (from your member area you will be able to contact any members immediately).

 

· As well as giving a good description, also include information on any events or activities that might specifically interest members swapping with you, especially if you are looking for a swap over Christmas or another holiday when there may be many special local events.

 

· It would be really helpful if you can  suggest airlines, which airports they fly to/from and an idea of the cost of tickets/availability for the period needed – anything to save some time and give members you contact a better idea of how feasible it would be to take up your last minute offer, would be useful to include both within your listing description and in messages you send.

 

· If you can,  suggest the option of a non-simultaneous exchange (i.e. their home or holiday home may be available for the dates you want and, if you can offer your home later on for dates that are convenient for your exchange guests, that should increase your choices).

 

· Add your offer to the separate Last Minute Offers list (note: you won’t be able to do this until you have been a Home Base Holidays member for one week. During the first week, you should be very busy browsing listings, contacting members with your offer and responding to replies).

 

· Contact us to let us know if you need help finding a last minute exchange so your offer can be publicised here on the blog and in the next issue of the newsletter.

 

· Don’t cut corners with arrangements for last minute exchanges and don’t accept an offer until you’re sure the home and location are suitable and the people compatible.

 

Leave a comment below if you have more tips on how to increase the chances of arranging an exchange when time is tight.

 

Christmas Home Exchange Offer - North Carolina for Sussex or London

Last week we published Cathy's post, Reasons to Plan a Home Exchange Well in Advance. Cathy gave very sound advice on why it’s always wise to start making plans, especially for international home exchanges, several months before the period wanted  (more opportunities for  finding a suitable exchange, time to get to know exchange partners and time for both parties to find the best flight deals); but there will always be people who need to arrange exchanges at short notice for a variety of reasons.

 

Most people who move far away from home (often, like I did, when young and carefree) at some point face the worries of frequent long trips back home to visit elderly relatives as their health deteriorates or, sadly, they are left bereaved. This is just the situation a new Home Base Holidays member from North Carolina finds herself in. Sarah wrote before joining:

‘I have been back three times to England already this year, due to tragic circumstances, and now am looking to return for Christmas so that my husband and I and our 3 adult children can spend Christmas with my recently, unexpectedly widowed sister in law.’

 Although Sarah has a very desirable home/location to offer, it would have been unfair to give her an overly optimistic view on her chances of arranging an exchange to England (Sussex or London) over the Christmas period. However, as Home Base Holidays (and our partner site, Guardian home exchange) have many current, active members in both locations, Sarah (who wisely joined the same day and started contacting members to suggest an exchange) should still have a good chance of finding a last minute Christmas swap and, as she is also interested in exchanges later on next year, it was well worth her joining now. Her exchange offer:

Burnsville, North Carolina -  Beautiful newly constructed wood home in nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains on 6 acres of wooded land. 3 bedrooms with 4th in open loft with spectacular views: rural retreat with golf, fishing and hiking. South Toe river area is known internationally for its arts & crafts. Close to Penland School of the Arts, Blue Ridge Parkway and an easy one hour drive to Asheville and the Biltmore Estate.

 

Possibility of use of Asheville townhouse as well for longer stay.

 

Asheville area known for mountain biking, kayaking and rafting. The film "Last of the Mohicans" filmed in the area. Unexpected family circumstances mean we are looking last minute for an exchange for the 2009/10 Christmas period, but also open to longer swap in summer of 2010.

 

See the full home exchange offer and more photos, HE23483

 

Home Base Holidays members: log on to contact Sarah (HE23483). Non-members: Join now.

Look out for Tips for Last Minute Home Exchanges on Friday.

Home Exchange Offers: Dates, Dates, Dates – Confused?

It’s been a couple of years since I last addressed the very important topic of dates to look out for when browsing home exchange offers. As this still, understandably, causes confusion, it’s time to look again at this crucial issue.

 

There can be so many types of dates to keep straight - and it doesn't help that the format for showing dates (day, month, year) varies in different countries. I hope this helps:

 

Dates Available - these are the dates that a member wants to arrange an exchange and are generally shown as ranges of dates, e.g. Mar 10 - June 10 would indicate that the member wants an exchange sometime between March and June 2010 (the length of exchange is shown separately). A listing may show more than one range of dates as members can often consider exchanges at different times during the year. When a member can be flexible on dates, Dates Available will be shown as 'Open to Offers'.

 

What to look out for: Dates Available, when shown as a range of dates, should always include the year. If only months are shown, there's no way of knowing if the member wants an exchange this year, next year or had wanted an exchange last year – or even in 2006. *Important: if you see a blank space rather than a range of dates or ‘open to offers’, this generally means that the dates the member wanted to exchange are now past. This doesn’t necessarily mean that such a member won’t be interested in future exchanges (often members forget to update dates) but, too many listings showing no dates is likely to mean that many listings are very old and are there to ‘bulk out’ the numbers. Don’t be fooled by this old trick!

 

Join or Registration Date - this is the date a member joined or renewed and is important as it clearly shows how long the listing has already been in circulation. You should be able to see this date in all listings.

 

Expiry Date - this is the date a membership will expire and, if not renewed on or before this date, should no longer be displayed. This is a very important date as, in conjunction with the Join date, it enables you to see at a glance how long any listing is in circulation.

 

What to look out for: no listings with expired membership dates should be shown. Members are generally most active in looking for exchanges during the first few weeks of their membership and very long membership periods can mean that many listings in circulation are no longer available. It is for this reason that the longest Home Base Holidays membership period is two years.

 

Note: join and expiry dates are details that you should be able to see in all listings before joining. Without this basic information, you have no means of telling how up-to-date listings are, and, if this is the case, total numbers quoted are next to useless.

 

Listing Updated - Home Base Holidays members can update their listings whenever needed. The last date a listing was updated is not included in listings to reduce confusion. Some members will need to update offers often while others won’t and so this date is not crucial like Join and Expiry dates.

 

What to look out for: don't confuse Listing Updated with the Join/Registration date. ‘Listing Updated’ merely means that the member (or site owner) has changed the listing in some way on that date.

 

Most Recent Listings - these are listings of members who have joined or renewed recently (the time frame, e.g. ‘in the last month’ should be clearly indicated). To be fair to all members, it’s best if search results are organised showing the newest listings first (far better than alphabetically by city – great if you live in Bath, not so good if you live in York!) You should be able to re-organise search results in a number of ways according to your needs.

 

What to look out for: listings, described as new, should not be a mixture of new and older listings that have merely been updated unless this is clearly indicated. The separate New Listings on Home Base Holidays are members who have joined or renewed in the last 30 days, listed in order of joining with the newest listings at the top of search results.

 

Last Minute Offers/Hot List: members who are looking for exchanges soon, usually within the next three months.

 

Reasons to Plan a Home Exchange Well in Advance

'home exchangers are a fraternity which involves trust'

Cathy, very experienced home exchanger from Auckland (and also the Home Base Holidays representative in New Zealand), offers sound advice:

 

“We have been getting offers of exchange only a couple of months out from the planned exchange.  I penned the following in response to the latest one which is only one month out i.e. I received it on the weekend and they already have their flights etc and want to exchange in December…

 

"Thank you for your contact regarding exchange in December.  Unfortunately the timing does not suit us. 

 

For your information we, along with most exchangers (particularly for long haul exchanges), arrange an exchange 6 – 12 months in advance, in fact we have had a couple where we have confirmed 18 months in advance.  The reason behind this is;

 

· For long haul travel it gives us time to book flights well in advance to get the best price

· gives us time to get to know the people we are exchanging with via email

· we never book our flights until we have a confirmed exchange

· takes away the urgency of finding an exchange in a short period of time and/or you are wanting to exchange in 2 or 3 towns/countries

 

We are experienced exchangers having exchanged all over the world and they have been marvelous experiences and also we have made lifelong friends with our exchangers.  As one of our exchangers succinctly puts it – ‘home exchangers are a fraternity which involves trust…’

 

This trust needs time to develop - when one is having strangers come and live in one’s home, with everything that goes to make a home, whilst one is not there you are placing a lot of faith and trust in those people.  It is quite different from a holiday home/apartment when they don’t normally have the treasures that go to make a home.”

 

See Cathy’s full home exchange offer in Mission Bay, Auckland, HE12437. Note: Cathy’s home will be available during, and conveniently located for, the Rugby World Cup in 2011. Don’t leave it too long to contact her with your exchange offer if you want to exchange homes at this time!

 

 

Keep Accommodation Costs in Europe Down – with a Home Exchange

In a recent post on Arthur Frommer’s blog, ‘The U.S. Dollar Has Dropped Sharply in Value Against European Currencies, So Seek Cheaper Lodgings’, he suggested looking at alternatives to hotels to keep accommodation costs down:

‘..... seriously consider the use of alternative, cheaper lodgings for your next trip to Europe. You should think about lengthening your stay in each European city to a week so that you can rent an apartment at a considerable savings. Even more effectively, you should consider the use of hostel accommodations....’

There are other alternatives to hotels including camping, couch surfing and, for those who prefer the comforts of home, home exchange of course!

 

Although the primary reason for some who choose to swap homes may be for cost savings, there are many more advantages, some of which can also save money. For example, your kitchen in a ‘real’ home is likely to be much better equipped than in a holiday property and so you more apt to prepare more meals at home (shopping for food in local shops and markets is a lot more fun than routine grocery shopping at home). It’s easy to have a substantial breakfast at home before setting out for the day, perhaps also preparing a picnic lunch to save on buying snacks that are usually expensive, and not always very healthy, at popular tourist attractions.

 

Families with young children often like to swap homes with other families with similar aged children, giving reassurance that the homes will be child friendly and there will be baby equipment, toys, books and games available to save packing so much; and not forgetting the likelihood of local playmates and a trusted babysitter as well as friends and neighbours to answer questions and help you make the most of your holiday.

Hate Flying? Arrange a Home Exchange Closer to Home

When Home Base Holidays  started in 1985, most of our UK members especially used home exchange as a means of having a  holiday abroad. Although international swaps are certainly still very popular (a great way to reduce costs when the pound sterling is so low against many major currencies), there has been a definite trend this year for swaps, both for weekends and longer holidays, closer to home. Domestic home swaps do have advantages, especially if no flights are involved, and are generally easier to arrange.

 

We may be seeing a growing trend for more local exchanges in the last few months mainly for economic reasons. However, some members are also likely to be reducing air travel not only to save money but also as a part of a conscious effort to cut down on energy consumption generally.

 

Older readers will remember when air travel was considered glamorous. Now, for most travellers, being squashed in a small seat for many hours seems more like being in a cattle truck than anything remotely glamorous! The following quotes are samples of how some Home Base Holidays members are limiting their exchange offer destinations:

 

Orna – ‘I hate flying. Short or even long breaks which only involve my throwing a suitcase into the car and going off, would be absolutely great’.

 

Orna’s flat in London is in a particularly attractive central location so it’s not surprising that she has received large numbers of exchange offers from other countries over her many years of membership. I suggested that she give her reasons (as above + her age) for no longer feeling able to take up such offers however attractive. This will limit the offers she receives to areas in the UK that will more likely be of interest to her, and deter members from other countries from contacting her and being disappointed. See Orna’s full exchange offer, HE18785.

 

And, a quote from the Richards’ family who offer their home in the little town of Dursley, Gloucestershire for exchange -

‘We are hoping to make exchanges for weekends and school holidays, mainly within the UK, or western Europe. Wales, West Country or London for short breaks, but in school holidays for up to two weeks anywhere we can get to without flying.’

 

Those swapping homes with the Richards’ will enjoy a break in the Cotswolds (in photo). See their full exchange offer, HE20210.

 

Home Exchange During Major Sporting Events Worldwide

Technology has made business global and sports are no different. Major sporting events like the FIFA World Cup, Summer Olympics, Winter Olympics, and Rugby World Cup, four of the 100 Sporting Events You Must See Live, attract fans in attendance from all over the world. Everyone wants to see their country contend for an international title and also see the best athletes in the world compete.

 

Some locals, however, are not thrilled with the global exposure of their cities and towns when hosting an international sports event. Instead of renting their homes, local residents now consider home exchanges. In 2010, the Canadian city of Vancouver and other areas in British Columbia will be overtaken by avid Winter Olympic fans. Accommodations will be hard to come by. A home exchange is the perfect way to get right into the snow sports action without inflated hotel and apartment rental costs.

 

With the 2010 FIFA World Cup being held in South Africa and the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, fans have the chance to not only attend an international sports match, but also get to the chance to visit and explore a new, beautiful country. Just imagine the remarkable experience a die-hard rugby fan from the U.S. would have taking part in a home exchange in New Zealand or a British soccer fan enjoying World Cup soccer and the South African coast. A home exchange is a great way to get to any of the 100 Sporting Events You Must See Live.

 

Guest Post by Robert Tuchman, author of The 100 Sporting Events You Must See Live. Robert  writes the series “The Show Must Go On” for ESPN.com, a monthly column for Entrepreneur.com called “Young, Fearless, and Fed Up as well as a column called “On-Site” for Incentive Magazine.

 

Sample Home Exchange Offers Near Sporting Events:

 

Canada – Winter Olympics 2010

White Rock/Surrey, British Columbia, Canada - Bright modern 1100sf.condo, 2nd floor. 40 minutes from many 2010 Winter Olympics venues. Excellent public transit.

 

 

 

South Africa – 2010 Fifa World Cup

Franschoek, Western Cape, South Africa - Beautiful 4-bedroom house on the exclusive Pearl Valley Golf Estate. The estate has all the amenities of a world class golf estate (club house, restaurant, pool, spa and an equestrian centre. Situated in the heart of the wine growing region yet a mere 40 minutes drive (50km) from the centre of Cape Town. Excellent accommodation for 2010 Fifa World Cup.

 

 

New Zealand – 2011 Rugby World Cup

Auckland Mission Bay, Auckland, New Zealand - "Mission Bay: Auckland's best urban beach" (Pacific Wave Magazine). Mission Bay is a 10 minute scenic drive along the waterfront from centre of Auckland City of Sails.This two bedroom home will be available during the Rugby World Cup and convenient (close to Eden Park where the final will be played as well as close to Auckland inner city).

  

 

 

 

England – 2012 Olympics

London, England - Four double-bed, 3 bath Victorian terrace in West Hampstead, a busy, friendly neighbourhood close to town but only one mile from Hampstead Heath, the largest and highest open space in London. We are interested in swapping for the whole of the London Olympics in 2012!

  

 

 

 

A Novel Way to Increase Location Choices for Home Exchange Guests

Some Home Base Holidays members can offer non-simultaneous exchanges or offer exchange guests use of either a main home or holiday home in another location. Others, without such options, can still widen their exchange offer appeal by being as flexible as possible on dates and destinations.

 

A member from Lyme Regis, England, has found a way to help friends in Australia (also Home Base Holidays members) find an exchange in London by offering one of her own holiday apartments as another option to the Australians’ Gold Coast home. In this way, Londoners who aren’t able to consider a long haul trip to Australia, will still be able to consider the exchange offer, and enjoy a break closer to home in the lovely town of Lyme Regis in Dorset.

 

Here is a summary of the exchange request:

Special request from Australian members, (HE20951): We would like an exchange to London (or nearby, near good public transportation) for a large enough two bathroom home to accommodate five adults and one baby. Open dates.

And the  choice of homes available in exchange:

Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia - Spacious 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom beachfront unit with 180 degree sea views from all rooms. Located on the southern end of the Gold Coast, famous for its good weather and white sandy beaches. See the full exchange offer and more photos, HE20951.

 

 

Lyme Regis, Dorset, England - This property is set on the famous Jurassic Coast, well known for its many fossils. We have a choice of a large ground, or a penthouse apartment (with wonderful coastal views). The property is situated very close to the harbour in Lyme Regis. There is a level walk to the shops, wine bars and many restaurants. The sandy or pebble beach are a few yards away; it is easy to join the coastal foot path which runs in front of us or walk out on the cobb where the French Lieutenants Woman was filmed. See the full exchange offer and more photos, HE17121.

If you live in London or nearby, feel your home would be suitable and are interested in exchanging with the Australian family, please log on, access their listing, HE20951, and let them know which home you are interested in. Not yet a member? Join Home Base Holidays today!