The Benefits of a Home Exchange Vacation

By Anastacia Mott Austin

If youve seen the movie "The Holiday," you can understand the appeal in trading homes, and lives, with someone else a half a world away.

And though there is no guarantee of falling in love with ones exchange partners brother, for folks who have always wanted to travel to another country and see the local culture from within it, the idea of home exchange can be the perfect way to accomplish this.

Sometimes the attraction of a faraway locale is dampened by the cost of trying to find accommodations on top of expensive airfare.

But for those who participate in home exchange vacations, the expense of staying in costly lodging is eliminated all it costs is the loan of your own home.

For people who are concerned about the environment, a home exchange also eliminates the need for draining the resources of a local culture to accommodate foreign travelers

There are many websites for home exchanges. Most are run by a moderator or a small business owner. As such, most require a small to moderate fee for membership in the exchange site. People living in one location get in touch with another individual or group living at their vacation destination, and they agree to swap homes for the duration of the trip.

This arrangement has many benefits. As mentioned, its cheaper than having to find and pay for accommodations. In addition, it offers the advantage of a locals insight into the best places for dining, recreation, or nearby attractions.

Swappers have the benefits of a full kitchen and the comfort of a real home. Each vacationers home is occupied during the house trade, avoiding the worry of thefts in an obviously empty home. Each visitor can be an active part of the local community and economy, supporting neighborhood businesses and restaurants, and becoming immersed in the true regional culture.

Once they become members of a home-swap website, the individuals involved can decide between themselves what will take place during their mutual vacation. Pets can be cared for, or a pet-friendly exchange can be made so that Fido may come along. Some exchange participants may even agree to swap vehicles for the duration of the trip so that rental cars arent involved. Some of the home exchange sites offer suggestions for agreements about home care, expectations, and the like for their members.

A few good home exchange websites to try:

HomeExchange.com (www.homeexchange.com): This website has a large number of listings, even for somewhat small, obscure locations (i.e. small towns in Michigan), and the site is easy to navigate which not all of them are. There are several pictures of each available home. The cost for an unlimited one-year membership is $99.95. The site offers a guarantee that if you dont find an exchange within that first year, a second year is free.

Green Theme International (www.gti-home-exchange.com): This site has an emphasis on environmentally conscious travel, many related articles about home exchange, and links to other green travel websites. A one-year membership costs 25 pounds (about 51 American dollars) and includes all member benefits.

Home Link International (www.homelink-usa.com) is another site that is easy to find your way around, has many listings both in the continental U.S. and worldwide, and many photos. Their membership cost is $90 for one year, the second year free if no exchange is found.

For the traveler looking to truly become a part of the local culture, as well as a means to travel to a destination that might not otherwise be affordable, the idea of home exchange can make for the perfect "Holiday."