Home Exchange - Frequently Asked Questions - page 2

6. How financially challenging is a home exchange?
It's a travel bargain. No accommodation cost. You save on hotel rooms, laundry costs, parking and room taxes. If you have kids, and cook some of your meals at your exchange home, you further save on restaurant meals and snacks.

7. I want to go on an exchange but live in a small community called Gopher Gulch. (not the real name) Would home swappers actually be interested in coming here on exchange?
You can't guess what someone else will like. Let's face it, most home exchangers will travel, so they are using your home as a base to center their travel. There are people that want to exchange homes to your community. They will never know that you are open to swapping homes unless you let them know through your listing. Take the time to share about your community and include photos.

8. What do I need to put into storage?
Anything that small that might be of value. Please leave stored items at a neighbors or family members home.

9. Do exchanges break down?
Fortunately this doesn't happen often. Accidents, an unexpected illness or other emergencies can result in one party pulling out either before or during an exchange. We suggest that both home swapping partners communicate and plan ahead of time about possible emergency situations.

10. Why do people go on home exchanges?
Being actively involved with over 140 000 teachers and their families traveling on a teacher home exchange since 1993 and Global Home Exchange over the past 5 years one tends to gather some research. A house swapper has all kinds of positive reasons to travel on a home exchange: Saving money and knowing your own home isn't left vacant while you are away are the top two, here are the most common other reasons: To be near a vacation spot, family, friends, near kids at university, to be near a specific college while taking summer classes, to live in another community and experience the differences in culture, to visit a place that is of interest, to get away to an isolated or off the beaten track location, to scout for job opportunities in another area of your country and several people just said they just love to travel. Some are considering a community for a future move or retirement. They experience what it is like to live in that community through a home exchange.

11. My home is modest, can I expect to get an exchange?
Most people have modest homes. Experienced home exchangers will view a house exchange as a bargain and don't worry about size of homes. Besides they will be to busy exploring the community. You will be pleased to find that many people will be willing to exchange their larger residence just for convenience of not having to pay for a hotel.

12. Can pets be part of an exchange?
An exchange is what ever you and your exchange partners make of it. Just be open in your communication. Read about a Portland Oregon home exchange that included pets here.

13. Our family is on a tight vacation budget and a home exchange seems practical. We can only afford to exchange a short distance. Are there short distance exchanges?
The shortest two we are aware of: From a suburb in Toronto to a place near the university area in Toronto(10 miles). The person from the suburbs wanted to take night classes at the university for 4 months. Her partner was thinking about buying in a suburb and commuting to work. She wanted to see what commuting was like before making a commitment to buy. The other, also in Canada, wanted to be near relative in a city hospital. They exchanged with a city couple that wanted to live in a rural area for a few weeks.

14. Why should I list my home when I can answer others listings free?
To use an analogy: As a lister you are like an employer taking job applications. You choose which offers you wish to pursue and arrange an exchange. As a person that answers others listings, you are like a job applicant. You send out emails inquiring about an exchange and hope that someone will be interested in your exchange offer. Both listers and people that answer other peoples listings are needed.

List your own home - A listing is an advertisement. You are telling others that you are interested in receiving home exchange offers. You interest others and attract responses by what you say in your listing. We recommend that you include photos with your listing. Then describe some of the tourist and community interests in your area followed by a little about your home and family. You can share more information directly with those who respond.

As a Global house swapper you can receive offers from other Global listings, from listers visiting from other home exchange sites and from non listing visitors.

15. Do I have a chance to find an exchange at the last minute?
We have had several success stories from listers that advertise for an exchange at the last minute. Last year we had new listers wanting last minute exchanges commencing 10 days after they listed. All were successful in arranging wonderful exchanges. Your success in finding a last minute exchange can be increased by being proactive and flexible with location.