Traveling with Children - Home Exchange

What are the positives of traveling with children on a home exchange?    From our families own experience, we
have found traveling with children on a house swap quite practical. In
fact, it's vacationing in a home away from home.  A family has all the conveniences of home with space to breathe, something most hotel rooms can't offer.  

The conveniences that come
to mind besides a whole lot more space than a hotel
room are separate bedrooms so parents can still move about the house
after their children's bedtime without disturbing them.  During the
day children can stretch out and play, watch TV or have fun in the yard.  

Save on food costs by making some meals at home instead of eating out at restaurants every day.   Best of all, families can save money on vacation
lodging as a exchanging homes is free accommodation.

Home
Exchange is a practical holiday alternative where families, singles,
couples or seniors agree to swap homes for a vacation.

What
Makes a House Swap so Practical ?

VALUE:
 A house swap is more than just swapping your
home with another family. It's the freedom you have when you realize
the money you just saved by not paying for hotel rooms, surcharges,
parking, laundry and expensive hotel telephone calls.  

PEOPLE: 
Home exchange  families
take care of each other's property.  Before you arrange a house
swap, you have gotten to know your exchange partners, through email,
letters and telephone calls. By the time you travel you will be staying
in the home of friends - and they will be staying in yours. 

CHOICE: 
House swap opportunities
abound whether your travels take you around the world, Paris,
Sydney,
New York, San
Francisco, Montreal 
or Vancouver, across your
country or to a nearby community.  Holiday
home swapping is not purely for international travel. Many travelers
happily swap homes around their own  nation. There
is also the option of exchanging homes for a relaxing weekend getaway to
a nearby location. Some travelers use a home exchange as a means of
affordable longer term free accommodation.  Home swaps
are for people of all ages and marital status, families, singles
or seniors. 
Home offers range from one bedroom apartments, condos, time
shares,  cabins,  flats, cottages, villas, house boats, multi
bed room houses to luxury homes.

COMFORT: 
You enjoy all the comforts of an entire home to live in, free,
rather than paying for a hotel room. Travelers unfamiliar with the
process are sometimes concerned that their home won't be suitable -
perhaps too small,
or in an unfashionable location. These concerns are rarely obstacles to
a successful home swap.  

SECURITY: 
Insurance companies prefer that you have your home occupied
while you are away. With an exchange, another family takes care of your
home, while you take care of theirs.

EDUCATION: 
You live like a resident, and not just a tourist. You enjoy an
incomparable experience, utterly unavailable to the standard tourist. 
While the savings can be significant for a long distance vacation, for
many swappers the cultural exchange is just as important. Living in
someone's home, rather than a hotel, and perhaps meeting their families
or neighbors, eating in their favorite restaurants and shopping at the
local supermarkets gives one a better taste of the country and its
culture. Families with children
love home exchange.

Trying to find the
"perfect exchange match" may reduce your chance of a home swap. 
Being flexible on locations, dates and accommodation will increase your
chances of a good, successful trade which is all most people want.

When considering home exchange
opportunities, most
people aren't  necessarily seeking a home similar to their own but rather
they consider the location. Is it somewhere they would like to visit? 
Are there places of interest easily accessible from the home? After location,
members will check the number of people the home will sleep to decide if it
will be suitable and, if they have any special needs, whether these are
available in the home.

Each home exchange is unique; a bond of
trust must be built as you get to know your home swap partners and their
family through e-mails, letters or phone calls.  Most people traveling on
an exchange love the idea of no cost accommodation especially because through
their communications ahead of time, they find themselves not staying at a
strangers home, but at new found friends, and they will be staying in your
home.

How do I get started?  In life their
are spectators and participants.  We want to encourage you to not be a
spectator by sitting back and waiting for others to answer your listing.
Participate in the fun by sending out heaps of contacts. 

When would you like to travel on an
exchange?    Some home exchangers
like to plan years ahead, while others are open to swapping homes within a few
days.  Most people who are open to swapping homes for vacations, start
looking for exchange partners 4 to 12 months ahead of leaving on their trip.  

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. If you have pets,
be sure to mention this as well.  You can share more information directly with those who respond.  
Please also keep in mind that with a Global listing you may be contacted to
arrange an exchange from other Global members, from any visitor to our site
including members of all other home exchange clubs.  In fact, our past 2
exchanges, have been arranged because members of other home exchange clubs
have contacted us through our Global listing.   

Actively contact
other members.  Besides listing your home, send out heaps of contact
emails to others wanting home exchanges.   You are inquiring about
the other members interest in an exchange with you.  Be positive and tell
then a bit about your home, your family and community.  You don't need to
say too much but definitely don't be negative or say too little.  We
exchange homes as well. Here's a helpful suggestion  that we have
successfully used.   After you decide
on an area that you might like to travel, contact every member that has listed
their home regardless of their desired destinations.  Why?  It is
true that some members have definite dates and destinations set that can not
be easily changed.  However it is also true that several members have
listed desired destinations, but would also consider offers from other
locations.  They just didn't say that in their listing.   By
emailing member in a chosen area you can open up exchange opportunities that
weren't stated.  We have arranged some wonderful exchanges where members
have listed desired destinations as Mexico or Europe.  (We live on the
Vancouver Island Canada). By sending out mass emails we have also had members
pass on our request for an exchange to others who hadn't listed their home but 
were open to swap homes.  Twice we have had members explain that they had
made other non exchange travel arrangements but were open to letting us stay
in their home.   

Do I need to accept an offer for a home
exchange As a member you are free to choose.  Many of our members receive
many offers for exchange. As an example, we received over 20 offers to our
listing.. One members  from London indicated that each year she
receives well over 100 inquiries to arrange an exchange.  Sometimes it
takes a few emails requesting further information before one can make a
decision. Please be courteous and answer all inquiries. Some people wait for a
response to their home exchange offer before looking elsewhere and it gives
them opportunity to still find another exchange partner if you are not
interested. Some of these initial contacts may very well be future home
exchanges for you.  Trying to find the "perfect exchange
match" may reduce your chance of arranging a home exchange.  Being
flexible on locations, dates and accommodation will increase your chances of a
good, successful trade which is all most people want.

When answering others offers for exchanges: 

Answer others listings  Be active. 
Send out heaps of emails.  The first letter you
send to potential exchangers should express your tentative interest, pending
further correspondence.

Introduce your family, the ages of your
children, careers, hobbies and special interests. Especially when teens and
kids are involved, including a family photo is a good idea.

Outline the advantages of your
home-i.e., its proximity to tourist attractions, shopping, safe and quiet
neighborhood, climate.

Provide a  description of the
interior and exterior of your home

If offering a car, give the make, year
and condition. An automatic makes driving on an unaccustomed side of the road
much easier.

Provide references if you are an
experienced exchanger.

List your preferred dates and length of
exchange. The more flexible you are, the better your chances.

Be honest. 

Avoid misunderstandings by having a
written agreement about exchange dates, the number of people involved, use of
the car, and who pays what in terms of utility and long-distance bills, etc.