In the past 24-hours I have received three different offers to swap homes with families in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Is this just an odd co-incidence? Maybe. I do not list Buenos Aires as a preferred destination, so swappers there are not writing to me in response to my own request to visit their area.
WHO IS THINKING ABOUT A HOLIDAY HOME SWAP?
I often find that home exchange offers come in clumps from one region. Sometimes it makes me wonder if an article was recently published about home exchange in one of that country's major media outlets.
A more likely possibility is that swappers' in various countries begin thinking about their next travel destination during a current vacation. Perhaps they travel for a national holiday and find their accommodations lacking. Their thoughts may naturally turn to home exchange as a preferred alternative for their next trip.
Or maybe they travel via home exchange and enjoy it so much they decide to waste no time finding their next swap.
HOW TO USE OTHER COUNTRY'S HOLIDAYS TO FIND A SWAP
If either of these possibilities is indeed the case, now is the perfect time to contact home exchangers in the United States. We have just celebrated our Thanksgiving holiday.
Thanksgiving is among the busiest travel times of the year here in the USA. Families tend to gather from far-flung regions to have the Thanksgiving meal together. Many of those families will have endured a cramped hotel room or camped out on a relative's sofabed in order to go home for the holiday. Now is the time to send an attractive swap offer that will appeal to their desire for a better travel experience on their next trip.
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF THEY WANT TO SPEND THE HOLIDAY AT YOUR PLACE?
If American swappers have listed a "trip wish" to be in your home area in November, chances are their family lives in your town. They may not want to plan for next Thanksgiving this far in advance, but there is a good chance your location will appeal to them when they begin to make plans for next Thanksgiving.
FOREIGN HOLIDAYS
To strike while the holiday swap is on the minds of residents of your preferred destination, just search for the phrase "[Target Country] National Holidays, 2010". This will show you the weeks when citizens of, say, France or Canada will be most likely to want to do holiday home exchange travel.
PLAN AHEAD FOR HOLIDAY HOME SWAPS
Arranging a home exchange is much more likely to happen if you give your target swap partners time to plan. Contact people now for trips you want to take four to 10 months in the future. Here's hoping your home exchange holidays are bright.
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Friday, November 27, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
HOLLYWOOD HOME EXCHANGE
Nothing raised the profile of home exchange like the chick flick "The Holiday". It was even a pretty accurate portrait of home exchange. OK, that house in Los Angeles was gigantic and super-swanky but I have stayed in several swap homes that were just that nice.
One exchange home our family used was recently featured in the movie "New Moon". Before that it was in the film "The Martian Child". Now it's for sale, for a cool 3.3 million, though I think that's in Canadian dollars. All over the internet people are gushing about the house where the actor who played vampire X used the faucet! Walked down the hallway! Swam in the pool! But we were there first.
I admit I had a pang of sadness when I saw the house was for sale. The best thing about home exchange is developing a relationship with another family and swapping with them again and again. The chances that the new owners will be home exchangers is probably close to zero.
Home exchange is a parade of amazing opportunities and experiences. We can remember our most wonderful home exchange any time we like by just turning on the TV and watching one of the films starring "our" swap home. Try that with a hotel room. Nothing comes close to home exchange.
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One exchange home our family used was recently featured in the movie "New Moon". Before that it was in the film "The Martian Child". Now it's for sale, for a cool 3.3 million, though I think that's in Canadian dollars. All over the internet people are gushing about the house where the actor who played vampire X used the faucet! Walked down the hallway! Swam in the pool! But we were there first.
I admit I had a pang of sadness when I saw the house was for sale. The best thing about home exchange is developing a relationship with another family and swapping with them again and again. The chances that the new owners will be home exchangers is probably close to zero.
Home exchange is a parade of amazing opportunities and experiences. We can remember our most wonderful home exchange any time we like by just turning on the TV and watching one of the films starring "our" swap home. Try that with a hotel room. Nothing comes close to home exchange.
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Thursday, November 12, 2009
CONFIDENTIAL: TO JEAN R
A big "thank you!" to everyone who wrote in with questions for my new RoofSwap.com advice column. If you have any questions related to home exchange or travel, please drop me an email: NicoleF(@)RoofSwap.com (parentheses added to foil spammers).
To Jean R: I would love to hear more from you but I have no way to reply to comments left in response to one of my posts. I do not see the email addresses of people who post comments. Anyone who wants to get in touch with me needs to do so by sending me an email.
Write with questions or comments to: Nicolef @ Roofswap.com (no spaces before or after the @ symbol). Thanks!
Sunday, November 01, 2009
VOTE WITH YOUR HOME EXCHANGE DOLLARS
Exciting news is brewing in the world of Home Exchange. A visionary team of enthusiastic home exchangers have come together with an approach that is going to revolutionize our community.
For over three years I have been writing the most popular home exchange blog that isn't affiliated with any swap club. Most websites and blogs take ads, or at least advertising dollars. This blog has never done that because I wanted to report on trends in home exchange -- and start some -- free of some company's business agenda.
Dozens of entrepreneurs have approached me over the years. Some wanted my input on their bright new idea for a home exchange club. Others asked me to join their companies. I have always had good reason to say "no thanks."
Passionate home exchangers have turned their love of this rich travel method into successful small businesses that make home exchange possible. Thanks to their swap clubs I have stayed in the beautiful homes of over 40 families and met interesting, well-traveled people from all over the world.
Since the first club was founded in the 1950's, home exchange businesses have offered pretty much the same formula. Let people describe their homes and charge them for displaying their listing to other swappers.
The "new ideas" in home exchange pitched to me have often been, at best, unnecessary. At their worst, folks have thought up some really terrible ways to make a cut each time two families decided to vacation at each others' homes.
For me, home exchange is a community. I am not interested in any project that doesn't help more good people become home exchangers. Needless to say I have never been tempted to become part of any new home exchange business.
Until now. I am proud to announce that, in addition to writing this blog, I am contributing a weekly advice column to a new home exchange club called RoofSwap.com.
RoofSwap.com has a professional team that loves home exchange and wants to make our community stronger. They looked at every home exchange club out there. Instead of trying to figure out how to turn the existing swap club model on its ear in order to make a profit from each vacation trade, the RoofSwap.com staff asked how they could make home exchange easier and more appealing.
What really excites me about RoofSwap.com is its commitment to outreach about home exchange. RoofSwap.com is actively educating travelers about the home exchange concept.
RoofSwap's team realized that just hearing about the home exchange concept will bring thousands of eager vacationers into our community. And RoofSwap.com is providing the educational resources to get those new exchangers off on the right foot.
Many new clubs put effort into trying to poach members from existing clubs. RoofSwap already has 14,000 listings because it combines the listings of some of the best swap clubs out there. I'm excited about the unique approach RoofSwap has taken to consolidating the listings and best ideas of some really great home exchange clubs. It means RoofSwap.com members have access to broader listings than members of single-source clubs, which often draw most of their membership from a narrow geographical area.
RoofSwap.com hired excellent web designers to create a sophisticated yet simple-to-use site. Creating a listing is quick and easy. Extensive resources at RoofSwap.com outline the steps to follow to set up and enjoy a home exchange. The RoofSwap forum lets new and seasoned exchangers trade tips and get their questions answered.
RoofSwap's site protects members privacy by letting us control when to share our personal information with possible swap partners.
The RoofSwap.com team is committed to excellent customer service and support. But what is more important to us as exchangers is that RoofSwap.com actively supports the best ideals of our community. RoofSwap.com donates 10% of profits to Habitat for Humanity. Nothing better reflects home exchange ethics than helping create homes for those who really need them.
Instead of gimmicks, RoofSwap.com is giving our community the tools we need to be bigger, stronger and healthier. For three years I have tried to educate home exchangers. RoofSwap.com is using the best minds in the field to bring home exchange from a hobbyist niche into mainstream consciousness.
Easy, clear and educational with an education to expand home exchange into the mainstream. RoofSwap.com is my home exchange dream come true. It's exciting to me that more people are going to learn about home exchange and find just what they need to get started vacationing for free.
I am excited to be part of RoofSwap.com's innovative work. I hope you will vote with your home exchange club membership dollars. Join RoofSwap.com to help our commuity grow. Or at least send in a question for my new RoofSwap.com advice column. You can reach me at NicoleF@RoofSwap.com.
SUBSCRIBE NOW
You can subscribe to this blog to receive each day's post. Just enter your email below :
For over three years I have been writing the most popular home exchange blog that isn't affiliated with any swap club. Most websites and blogs take ads, or at least advertising dollars. This blog has never done that because I wanted to report on trends in home exchange -- and start some -- free of some company's business agenda.
Dozens of entrepreneurs have approached me over the years. Some wanted my input on their bright new idea for a home exchange club. Others asked me to join their companies. I have always had good reason to say "no thanks."
Passionate home exchangers have turned their love of this rich travel method into successful small businesses that make home exchange possible. Thanks to their swap clubs I have stayed in the beautiful homes of over 40 families and met interesting, well-traveled people from all over the world.
Since the first club was founded in the 1950's, home exchange businesses have offered pretty much the same formula. Let people describe their homes and charge them for displaying their listing to other swappers.
The "new ideas" in home exchange pitched to me have often been, at best, unnecessary. At their worst, folks have thought up some really terrible ways to make a cut each time two families decided to vacation at each others' homes.
For me, home exchange is a community. I am not interested in any project that doesn't help more good people become home exchangers. Needless to say I have never been tempted to become part of any new home exchange business.
Until now. I am proud to announce that, in addition to writing this blog, I am contributing a weekly advice column to a new home exchange club called RoofSwap.com.
RoofSwap.com has a professional team that loves home exchange and wants to make our community stronger. They looked at every home exchange club out there. Instead of trying to figure out how to turn the existing swap club model on its ear in order to make a profit from each vacation trade, the RoofSwap.com staff asked how they could make home exchange easier and more appealing.
What really excites me about RoofSwap.com is its commitment to outreach about home exchange. RoofSwap.com is actively educating travelers about the home exchange concept.
RoofSwap's team realized that just hearing about the home exchange concept will bring thousands of eager vacationers into our community. And RoofSwap.com is providing the educational resources to get those new exchangers off on the right foot.
Many new clubs put effort into trying to poach members from existing clubs. RoofSwap already has 14,000 listings because it combines the listings of some of the best swap clubs out there. I'm excited about the unique approach RoofSwap has taken to consolidating the listings and best ideas of some really great home exchange clubs. It means RoofSwap.com members have access to broader listings than members of single-source clubs, which often draw most of their membership from a narrow geographical area.
RoofSwap.com hired excellent web designers to create a sophisticated yet simple-to-use site. Creating a listing is quick and easy. Extensive resources at RoofSwap.com outline the steps to follow to set up and enjoy a home exchange. The RoofSwap forum lets new and seasoned exchangers trade tips and get their questions answered.
RoofSwap's site protects members privacy by letting us control when to share our personal information with possible swap partners.
The RoofSwap.com team is committed to excellent customer service and support. But what is more important to us as exchangers is that RoofSwap.com actively supports the best ideals of our community. RoofSwap.com donates 10% of profits to Habitat for Humanity. Nothing better reflects home exchange ethics than helping create homes for those who really need them.
Instead of gimmicks, RoofSwap.com is giving our community the tools we need to be bigger, stronger and healthier. For three years I have tried to educate home exchangers. RoofSwap.com is using the best minds in the field to bring home exchange from a hobbyist niche into mainstream consciousness.
Easy, clear and educational with an education to expand home exchange into the mainstream. RoofSwap.com is my home exchange dream come true. It's exciting to me that more people are going to learn about home exchange and find just what they need to get started vacationing for free.
I am excited to be part of RoofSwap.com's innovative work. I hope you will vote with your home exchange club membership dollars. Join RoofSwap.com to help our commuity grow. Or at least send in a question for my new RoofSwap.com advice column. You can reach me at NicoleF@RoofSwap.com.
SUBSCRIBE NOW
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