Beat the school holiday price hikes

"As soon as the school term ends, the price of family getaways soar by an average of £500, according to a recent survey. But don’t despair. Even with airlines and holidays firms inflating costs, there are plenty of ways to get around the Easter break mark-ups. Here’s how:...".

Read the full article of Tanith Carey in which she also recommends home exchange as a way to cut your holiday spendings.

Tobago: for a Caribbean holiday on a budget try swapping your house

Ginetta Vedrickas (ID=17733) is a well known international journalist working for newspapers like The Telegraph and has written about home exchange already a number of times. We are very happy with this as there are still many people who have never heard about home exchange at all and considered it as an alternative for renting holiday accommodation.
"Swapping houses is a great way to save money on your Caribbean holiday and get the inside track on your destination", says Ginetta Vedrickas.

Feeling right at home when trading places

This home exchange article is partly about Seleena Semos, member of HomeForExchange.com for already a number of years (direct link to her listing: ID=27957).

House swap. Great way to travel... saves a bundle.

By Barbara Bode:
That’s what a friend wrote when I mentioned home exchanges. Another friend whose life is ruled by pets, wrote, “Before we had our pets, we listed our home and did a successful exchange with an British couple – they stayed in our home in Maryland, while we stayed in their home in southern Spain. Worked out very well.” One of my most cautious and serious friends e-mailed, “I have arranged a couple of successful swaps through a membership organisation. Somehow I feel more secure using a system that has been set up already, and members have to pay a fee so you can assume they are at least halfway serious.” Recently a number of bright blue and white adverts proclaiming ‘Cut your holiday budget in half!’ embellished online news services. These are all promoting a project called ‘Homeforexchange.com’. Launched in 2005 by a Dutch couple, Ans Lammers and her partner Mark Wiersma, a technology genius, they were spurred into developing it not because the exchange idea was so new but because the quality of other home exchange websites was so poor. Many still are confusing or just too long. Skimming through more than a dozen such sites, I found that a few have learned and produce clearer information, briefer directions and forms that are easier to use. HomeForExchange.com still leads, with clear, speedy communications. For novices like myself, there are several helpful sites in addition to the information available from Homeforexchange.com. One is ‘La Vida Local: How to arrange a home swap’ (www.lavidalocal.com/howto/homeswap .htm).

[editors note: unfortunately there is no online version of this article and we are not allowed to publish the complete article]

What happens when your house swap exchange partners pull out?

Another useful article of Julie Gibbons (ID=22403), read it! And my advise for all your home exchanges is: use our online home exchange contract. It proves that most problems with home exchange are being caused by either miscommunication or misinterpretation. Our home exchange contract can prevent this as it states clearly what has been agreed upon. Besides this you can purchase an insurance for a small amount to protect you from this.

Running and home swapping

Renato (ID=37658) is a (slow) runner and a freelance writer. With the help of a Weissbier in Munich, a cappuccino in Milan and a camembert sandwich in Paris, he is planning on running a half-marathon in every European country. He posts today about some advantages of home exchange for runners.
I - Ans Lammers - believe home exchange could be a very good idea for international runners. It's practical, saves money and may lead to new running friends. Read the full story by clicking on the above link.

Tripologist: A home away from home in New York

Michael Gebicki is an editor of The Age and maintain the Travel Tips section. He has addressed home exchange in reply on a question of a reader who wrote:
"We are considering an apartment swap or home exchange between Sydney and New York. Can you recommend reputable, tried-and-tested websites and provide general advice on the do's and don'ts? Are there agencies that manage house swaps?"

Home Exchange for Beginners : Getting Started

Julie Gibbons (ID=22403) has now posted an article about home exchange for beginners on her blog on the website Organikal.com. A handy mini guide for those of you who are newbies - and we know there are many as home exchange is gaining popularity as the most cost economic way of going on holiday.

Vacances : le grand retour de l’hospitalité?

Marine Deffrennes is a journalist of the French website Terrafemina.com and has interviewed Ans Lammers and Mark Wiersma as well as a few members of our website. This French article not only addresses 'home exchange' but also 'couch surfing' and 'wwoofing'. Overall impression: interesting article about alternatives for renting accommodation.

House swapping holidays: home comforts in foreign parts

Member and free lance journalist Ginetta Vendrickas (ID=3839) has written already a number of times about home exchange. This time a new article has been published in the Daily Telegraph. In detail she reports about her own exchange experience with Jenny Gibbs from Boston (ID=7108).

House Swap Item on STV Show "The Hour"

Julie Gibbons from Bathgate Scotland (ID=22403) and her family have been asked to appear in the Scottish television programme "The Hour" after their appearance in the the Guardian as 'modern-day-nomads'.
Read the full story and view the video of their appearance.

Home for the holidays

Christina Mackenzie is an aerospace journalist from France and besides this a member of our website. You can view her listing through this link ID=31532. She has written an article about home exchange which has been published in several media around the world. The article addresses many aspects and stories anecdotes about home exchange and also focusses on the increase in popularity of home exchange due to the worldwide economic crisis.