Travel the Home Exchange Way blog

Home exchange alert messages - the problem with out of office auto responders

Understandably there are times for many home exchangers when they are unable to check email regularly. If using a work address to log on to Home Base Holidays, many set auto responder messages when not in the office. The only problem is that an out of office reply to an alert message will not be seen by the member who sent the exchange offer message via the private messaging system.

An example of an auto responder reply:

'Thanks for your email. I’m cycling round the Finnish archipelago from Aug 6-20th and schelping round Turkey Aug 24th-Sept 7th. The Features team are also having a well earned rest. The prog is off air till Sept 12th so best to cool your jets till just before then!'

The member waiting anxiously for a reply to their offer won’t know they should ‘cool their jets’ but is likely to think the recipient is just inconsiderate, not taking the time to reply even with a simple ‘no thanks’ to the offer!

If you are going to be away, and not checking email for some time, it's a good idea to log on and edit your listing to add details of when you won’t be available or, if you aren’t currently looking for an exchange, log on and tick the ‘Exchange request fulfilled’ box on your form (you can un-tick it when ready to consider exchange offers again). This should deter members from contacting you during this period or at least alert them to the fact that you are unlikely to read or respond to their home exchange offers immediately.

Home Exchange for the 2012 Olympics - Guest Post by Dani Higginson

The London Olympics may still be nearly two years away but hundreds of hotel rooms are already fully booked for the momentous occasion.  Despite the fact that such anticipation pushes the idea of being prepared to the brink of absurdity, it is still not a bad idea to plan ahead as prices are certain to rise as rooms become scarcer.

 

The classic tennis tournament at Wimbledon is only one of the many unique attractions the city of London has to offer its visitors.  Incredible shopping at the legendary Harrods, tours of St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, buildings rich with tales of ghosts and legends, and Buckingham Palace, are just a small sample of the many diverse sights that there are to see.

  

 Even though London is no slouch when it comes to hosting large-scale events, the Olympics is certainly a challenge for the capital city.  However, energetic Londoners’ are very enthusiastic and this cosmopolitan city is home to individuals from many nations in the world who are sure to make the event a great success. 

  

 If you are intending to visit the UK for the event there is no better accommodation than that to be found in a real London home.  If you live in London you might wish to consider a home exchange. By offering your home during the Olympics you can have your pick of great home swap offers all over the world during the Games.  Home exchange means free accommodation.

Looking for an home exchange in London? Organise your swap through a reputable, long established London based company for the best choice.  Even though a good agency will charge a fee for membership (a modest £29 at Home Base Holidays), it is money well spent because those willing to pay for a good service are the kind of people you will want staying in your home.

  

Opening your home to strangers for the first can create some anxiety.  A private, paid members only agency offers peace of mind, but you should also check with your insurance company to make sure you are covered should anything get broken or damaged during the “house swap.”  The advantages of a home exchange far outweigh the disadvantages and the biggest one lies in the fact that the person you are exchanging homes with might live anywhere in the world.  You could be headed for an adventure you otherwise could not afford, in the United States, Paris, Rome or exotic places worldwide.

Spending time in London for the Olympics means a chance to eat at some really cool places.  Some choices for family eating fun include: Belgo Centraal where children under 12 eat for free, Café Rouge that provides activities for kids, Hard Rock Café, Maxwell’s, and Masala Zone, an Indian restaurant with a special menu for children.  Using Frankie and Bennys Discount Codes and Frankie and Bennys Discount Vouchers, you can have the time of your life at a great New York style Italian restaurant.  There you will find a wide array of choices, an extensive menu that includes everything from appetizers to mouth watering specials and fabulous desserts.

Tips for doing a home exchange: photos. Guest post by Stephanie Irey, Jumping Off the Cliff

Here's my tip about photos when doing a home exchange. (I really hope this doesn't offend anyone...but it might...so I apologize in advance!)

 

Make sure you are not exchanging with a bachelor.  Or, if you are exchanging with a bachelor, make sure he's not a professional photographer!  In our experience, bachelors tend to have a different idea as to what is needed in a kitchen to cook gourmet meals.  Bachelors tend to not be so worried about the little details...like cobwebs in the pantry, spiders in the shower, propane in the tank for hot water, comfortable furniture and other little things like that.  I could be completely wrong and this could have nothing to do with the fact that our exchanger was a bachelor (he does have a lovely girlfriend, who came on the exchange with him...I'm just not sure she had added "a woman's touch" to his house yet).  But, I have to find some lesson to be learned, and this is what I've gleaned.  In our next exchange, I will be looking for more feminine touches in the house photos!

 

Since our exchange, I have reviewed the pictures that were posted of our exchange house, trying to determine whether I should have seen some of the more rustic parts of the house.  This is where the "don't exchange with a professional photographer" rule comes in.  The pictures are beautiful.  There was no real hint of what the house really had in store for us.  Now, when I look at pictures for our next exchange...I know what to look for.

 

 

First picture posted on Exchange site...we assumed this was the front of the house...shot from the road.

 

Nope, this was the back of the house...shot from the fields.

 

 

This was the front of the house...shot from the road, by us.  The house sat about 20 feet from the road...which had a lot of cars on it late at night...and they were very noisy!  Completely unexpected for a country house.  Notice, no lovely landscaping...no beautiful flowers.

 

See other pictures of the house that we took.

 

Trust me, none of these shots were included on the home exchange site.

 

In reviewing the pictures of your proposed home exchange, look at the details in the pictures.  Are there any dark spots on the walls...could be holes...or other more unsavory things.  Are there any full pictures of the kitchen or bathrooms?  If not, could mean that only one wall of those rooms is "presentable" and the rest of the room...not so much!  Look in the corners of the rooms...look at the tile work (is there any tile work?).  Basically, just look really carefully.  What at first appears to be a beautiful, romantic country home...could be just an old country house that needs lots of work!  Which can be totally fine...as long as you are prepared! 

 

Pulling up to your exchange home and thinking you must have the wrong house is not the best way to start off your exchange.  In conclusion, don't be afraid to ask for more pictures.  If there aren't any pictures of the bathroom(s), ask the proposed exchanged to send you some (ask for pictures of the shower).  This way, you know up front exactly what the house holds in store for you!

 

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Stephanie Irey is a retired lawyer who now owns her own business (Dream Dinners).  While juggling her husband (of 22 years), her son (of 12 years), her business and her desire to live a fun and full life...she decided to take a two month break from her life and do a home exchange with a French family.  She writes about her home exchange adventures and the lessons she's learned (and is still learning) in her blog,Jumping Off the Cliff.

 

Note: Stephanie isn't a Home Base Holidays member (yet). Phew - the family's exchange partner with the 'carefully chosen' photos isn't one of ours! Although some of Stephanie's observations will not be shared by all home swappers, she makes some great points that are relevant to anyone arranging a home exchange, especially for the first time. We especially like Stephanie's take on home exchange and, reading other posts on her blog, she and her family have the right attitude to make ideal home exchangers, seeing the funny side in 'minor' domestic crises that might have others hopping on the first plane home!  

Home Swappers, the Home Exchange Newsletter, Sept10 – 30% membership discount offer

This is a special edition of the newsletter to announce the launch of the newly designed Home Base Holidays home exchange website.  To celebrate the launch in this, our 25^th year, a 30% discount is offered to new members who join by 15 October 2010. See the September newsletter for full details.

 

Current Home Base Holidays member? Don’t worry – you won’t lose out as all members receive an even bigger discount when renewing membership. You will receive a renewal reminder when your membership expiry date is getting close.

 

Lapsed member? If your membership expired within the last four years, you can renew your previous listing at the renewal discount rate (£19 for one year or £29 for two years). Log on to your home exchange member area. Contact us if you need a reminder of your password or have any questions.

 

Read previous issues of Home Swappers in the newsletter archive.

Travel the Home Exchange Way blog - six years old today!

This blog is a mere baby compared to Home Base Holidays with 25 years providing a home exchange service but still, blogs were just starting to become popular when Travel the Home Exchange Way was launched six years ago today, leading the way in providing regular information on swapping homes for holidays.

The purpose of the blog was, and still is, to supplement the information on Home Base Holidays by providing detailed, specific and up-to-date information on home exchange, along with drawing attention to particular exchange offers. We have published nearly 1000 posts to date on many aspects of home swapping.

 

Delving into the blog by category (list in left hand column) will show many posts in any particular category. However, if you are looking for a specific topic as it relates to home exchange, do use the Search box you will see in the right hand column to narrow the results to the most useful. Examples of searches: "non-simultaneous exchange", "car insurance", "pet care".

We aim to cover topics of most interest to both current members and readers totally new to the home swap concept. Many of the ideas used come from questions received from members and enquirers. If you have a question, and can't find the answer on the blog, check out the newly launched Home Base Holidays website and please do contact us.

Home exchange – so much more personal than an identikit hotel or villa rental

Although Home Base Holidays members give different reasons for their enthusiasm for home swapping, a renewing London member describes the main attraction for many succinctly:

 

‘We love travelling and like home exchanges as they are so much more personal than an identikit hotel or villa rental'

Since the start of the worldwide economic downturn two years ago, many journalists have written about home exchange primarily as a way of saving money on what for most people is a major expense, holidays, especially when visiting a country with a stronger currency than your own. This is definitely a valid angle for an article on home swaps as, not only does home exchange mean no accommodation costs but many exchangers also swap cars or care for each other’s pets to save on kennel fees. However, for most members swapping homes is still much more than a budget choice and the main benefit remains having the comfort and facilities of a home and the opportunity to live in and discover a neighbourhood like locals rather than tourists.

 

Check out this attractive offer in the very popular location of Wimbledon in London: 

 

Contemporary townhouse arranged over 4 floors. Remodelled by an architect to create a stylish yet practical family home. Located in a small safe community, 5 minutes walk from the stylish shopping and dining in Wimbledon Village, London. View the full home exchange offer in the popular location of Wimbledon.

 

Note: the members have helpfully given detailed information on dates their home will be available for both simultaneous and non-simultaneous exchanges.