Comments on: Win a one-year online membership with HomeLink

By: theseboots.travel » Blog Archive » Guest post: 66 Practical Home Exchange Tips & yet another chance to win

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 12:58:02 +0000

[...] just dropped by and noticed all this activity in the past several weeks regarding home exchanging, your contest and your speaking on [...]

By: Lille Skvat

Lille Skvat — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:08:19 +0000

Great contest! A shame it’s only for Canadians!

We are 2 adults (me, a Spaniard, and my husband, a Dane) searching for a home exchange. We have an apartment in the center of Copenhagen (Denmark), and we are interested in exchanging it for an apartment somewhere else. We are interested both in short and long periods. We are specially looking for places outside Europe, but any offer will be considered.

We will of course make a contract including all the important aspects for the exchange.

If you are interested, or if you know someone who could be interested, please contact us through http://lilleskvat.blogspot.com/2009/03/apartment-swap-home-exchange-in.html or my email (lilleskvat at gmail dot com).

We are looking forwards to hearing from you

By: Ron Estey

Ron Estey — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:40:00 +0000

I listened to your interview on Almanac while waiting for the ferry to Port Hardy at the dock at Prince Rupert. I wasn’t sure that I had got your website correct until just a minute ago! The past few days have been very busy for me.
I thought your interview was insightful and inspiring!
Now that our kids are gone we may soon be interested in home swap but we still have an old cat and middle-aged dog to look out for. However we will definitely look into this farther and I wish to thank you for providing the start to our adventure. It does sound like a very relaxing way to visit another country and I am sure that we will do this within the next 2 years. We would love to go to New Zealand.

By: Chris Coon

Chris Coon — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 18:43:29 +0000

My Family and I would like to take a trip to Europe during the Olympic congestion. We have done house swaps with friends and know the in’s and out’s of having people stay in ones home. (The prep involved) We know another family who do this every year so getting extra advice is not a problem. You have to keenly scope out the family who will occupy your home. (Occupation, Are they somewhat tidy? But really, you can see pic’s of their home to give you an idea of how they live. Are they having friends come as well). It’s possible!
Anyway, house swapping is a brilliant idea if one wishes to escape the frantic pace of Olympic fever– especially if one commutes to the big city!

By: Julie Ovenell-Carter

Julie Ovenell-Carter — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:56:01 +0000

Hi Lynn,
It is not uncommon for listings to say something like “we have a cat, but will kennel it if you are uncomfortable looking after it” or “we are looking for people who would be want to stay close to home and would agree to walk our dogs twice a day.” To me that doesn’t seem like much of a holiday, but to each his/her own! I think the important thing is to be very clear with yourself and others about your bottom line: if you find the perfect exchange in Prague, but your exchange partners have a cat allergy, you might find it’s time to park Fluffy in the Cat Hotel for a week or two!

By: Lynn Fuhr

Lynn Fuhr — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:28:53 +0000

We would also like to escape the madness of the Olympics next year for somewhere warm and sunny. We have considered home exchanges in the past but thought our outdated house was not much of a destination. Now that we have renovated, it is could be a real possibility. What is recommended with regards to pets? Is it fair to expect someone to walk the dog and pat the cat or is it better to send pets to a kennel?

By: grace

grace — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 04:35:25 +0000

you convinced us so we are going to try it but will start with Canada first. anyone in Nova Scotia want to come to beautiful BC

By: Julie Ovenell-Carter

Julie Ovenell-Carter — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 04:08:40 +0000

Hi Peg,
I think you’d have no problem doing a swap during the Olympics, and I know that HomeLink (and I imagine Intervac as well) had a special push on 2010 exchanges on their web site recently. As to charging money–sure, if you want to. To me, it seems good karma to give your home to someone who might not be able to afford an Olympics visit to Vancouver and enjoy a vacation in your dream destination in exchange. But hey, your relationship with money is your relationship, not mine, and I’m not getting in the middle of it!

By: Julie Ovenell-Carter

Julie Ovenell-Carter — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 04:05:24 +0000

Hi Linda,
Location, location, location: it’s always the same with any real estate! Luxury is a bonus. (And clean is an essential!) Go for it!

By: Julie Ovenell-Carter

Julie Ovenell-Carter — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 04:04:09 +0000

Hi John,
it seems from our experience (and that of others we have spoken to that) that the common rule is: do unto others. So, for example, it is nice to leave the basics–a loaf of bread, a litre of milk, some eggs and juice–so your tired and disoriented guests can at least make a light meal for themselves when they first arrive. When we used something substantial from our guest’s pantry (a can of corn, a bottle of wine), we replaced it. We helped ourselves to condiments, though, just as we would expect our guests to help themselves to salt and pepper in our home. And we left a gift at the end of our stay…