| Vacation Home Exchange V Renting Trade and save, | | | | Number of choices are less, so to succeed you need |
| or do you ? | | | | to be open minded rather than have fixed dates, |
| Ever thought of trading your home with another | | | | locations and types of properties in mind. Most |
| family for a few weeks instead of renting a Vacation | | | | experienced swappers seek good clean |
| Home?. Lets look at the differences and see if it's an | | | | accommodation in the area they wish to visit. You |
| option you might consider. | | | | get to know the owners before agreeing the swap |
| Renting a vacation property is easy enough, pay a | | | | before you go. You rarely build friendships with rental |
| rent for as many weeks as you need. Rent direct | | | | owners you usually do with home swappers. |
| with the owner or via the thousands of rental | | | | A home trade often comes with an auto thrown in, |
| agents, or via a travel agent. | | | | so this is a big plus if you can arrange pick up at the |
| The choice is pretty vast and often you can select | | | | airport and makes a big difference in local travel |
| properties from a book or brochure, there are sizes | | | | during your stay. Do check insurance cover though |
| and prices to suit everyone. Many allow pets and | | | | and make sure you agree miles and damage costs. |
| come fully fitted out. | | | | With the advent of the electronic age many home |
| Bigger properties housing 7-12 or more offer a low | | | | swap offers are viewable on Internet web sites so |
| cost break as you pay for the property, rather than | | | | you can review property (and owners) details, get to |
| per person, as you would in a hotel. Downside is you | | | | know the area through web site links and then open |
| get to do all the work, although some rentals can | | | | up discussions with potential trade partners. using |
| come with housekeeping or maid duties. | | | | E-mail the world is just a few seconds away. |
| The attraction of renting is usually one of cost and | | | | More complex to organise than a rental, it can be |
| choice, and works best in your own country. Renting | | | | both an exciting family interest or a drudge, which |
| abroad involves a high travel cost (per person) and | | | | can put you off the concept. Worries and concerns |
| unlike a package tour you are oftendown to | | | | about having someone else in your home and loads |
| organising and paying for travel from airport to the | | | | of "what if" questions can again excite you or deter |
| property. There is usually someone on hand to see | | | | you. |
| you in, the owner or their agent, and most properties | | | | One of the best routes is a Tutorial on the subject |
| provide a good break. | | | | which is freely available at the Homes Seekers web |
| Risky sometimes to book direct with foreign owners, | | | | site with advice from some of the leading home |
| large agencies vet both the properties and the | | | | exchange experts . |
| owners and although perhaps more costly give | | | | In summary - renting is easy, choose your property, |
| better piece of mind. Paying $1,000 and arriving at a | | | | book, pay and go - there is a big choice. Home |
| run down hut may not be the sort of vacation you | | | | swapping is a way of life, you get more involved and |
| seek. | | | | the money saving is not in practice the reason for |
| Home swapping offers 2 choices, first to trade a | | | | most people trading homes. The desire to make new |
| few weeks or longer with another persons normal | | | | friends and contacts, see new places, new countries, |
| home. Or trade a period in a second vacation home | | | | learn the language and so on takes over. Home |
| or time share they, or you own. | | | | swapping does not suit everyone but it does offer |
| The attraction is obvious in that no rental monies | | | | an alterative and to many an ideal way of taking |
| change hands and this gets better the longer the | | | | vacations - for many the only way they would go. |
| stay is. Older, retired folk often look for 3-6 month | | | | If you want to save a few hundred if not thousands |
| trades which clearly would be too costly on a rental | | | | of dollars on a Vacation break take a serious look at |
| basis, but a workable option for 2 retired families to | | | | vacation home exchanging as a useful alternative to |
| trade homes for a long period. | | | | traditional house rental breaks. |
| Again a DIY vacation, unless maids are on hand. | | | | |