TRADING PLACES
THE ABCs OF HOME EXCHANGE

Chapter 1
HOME AWAY FROM HOME
The Home Exchange Concept

My favorite thing is to go where I have never gone.
- Diane Arbus

Imagine languishing on a beach in Biarritz, touring the gardens of Tivoli, or skiing in the mighty Alps. Perhaps you've always fancied yourself and your family taking trips to distant lands, but when you added up the plane fares, cost of hotel rooms, meals, and other entertainment, your hopes were dashed and you became disheartened. Don't despair. Now you can afford to travel to places you may have only dreamed about. You can live like a native, meet the neighbors, shop in local stores, and eat in neighborhood restaurants. How is all this possible?

Welcome to the world of home exchange, a growing vacation activity that offers a rich travel experience. If you are willing to allow someone else to live in your home and you don't mind living in someone else's house or apartment, then this great vacation and travel alternative is available for you to explore.
Basically, there are two types of exchanges: home exchange and hospitality exchange.

Home exchangers trade their homes, condominiums or apartments at a time that is convenient to both parties, but these are not the only types of accommodations that one gets to choose from. For example, one exchanger traded his home for a 40-foot yacht. Another couple swapped their villa in Italy for a RV in Oregon because they had always wanted to tour the US in true nomadic style. Often, home exchangers will include their automobiles as part of the package.

Hospitality exchangers, on the other hand, host each other in their homes at designated times. Your home exchange partners stay with you as guests and then you go and stay with them as their guests. There is a social aspect to this kind of exchange that some exchangers particularly enjoy. Conceivably, you also get a built-in tour guide with this mode of exchange.

If the idea of home exchange is unfamiliar to you, or even a bit frightening, rest assured -- there are 100,000+ successful home exchanges every year. Swapping homes can bring many unexpected rewards. Just consider the following benefits:
· You get a much closer look at other cultures. You get a "feel" for the places you visit.
· The connections you make with your home exchange partners can turn into lifelong friendships.
· If you're doing a home exchange, your home is being cared for while you're away.
· More flexibility and freedom. You can prepare meals at home, and come and go as you please.
· It's a free place to stay.
· You've got more privacy.

Every exchange is unique and the whole concept of home exchange relies on building a relationship of mutual trust and goodwill. As with all things, there are risks involved. It's natural to have reservations about giving up your home to strangers. What if they're not as tidy as you are? Will they be able to work your VCR without breaking it? How can you be sure you're not getting a bungalow instead of the villa they described? As you will see in the following chapters, most of these risks can be minimized to alleviate your worry and fears. And don't forget, the people you're exchanging with face the same risks.

Who are home exchangers? Home exchangers come from all walks of life. For the most part, they are professors, retirees, business executives, home-based business owners, doctors, lawyers and other professionals. Most are fairly well educated, adventurous, reliable, and have an interest in learning more about different places and cultures. Singles as well as couples and families are getting into home exchange.

Whether you're an early retiree who wants to travel, a family looking for a stress-free holiday with the kids, or a business person looking for a hotel alternative, home exchange may have the ticket for you -- at the right price.

The world is your oyster, so speak, when you begin to contemplate where you'd like to go. There are, of course, unlimited opportunities. Do you long for a mountain setting? A seaside resort? Do you have your sights set on visiting a city like Hong Kong, Paris or New York? Is there a particular time of year you want to travel? How long will you stay?

Make a list of all the places you'd like to visit. Then nail down some dates of when you want to go and how long you'd like to stay. Keep your options open until you see what's available. Don't hesitate to add a place to your list that you may not have given a lot of thought about. If you give yourself the least restrictive guidelines and the widest possible parameters for your dream vacation, you are more likely to achieve your goal. It takes time to complete arrangements for an exchange, so allow plenty of lead time. Figure on four to six months.

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