Vacation Home Exchange V Renting Trade and save, or do you ?
Ever thought of trading your home with another family for a few weeks instead of renting a Vacation Home?. Lets look at the differences and see if it's an option you might consider.
Renting a vacation property is easy enough, pay a rent for as many weeks as you need. Rent direct with the owner or via the thousands of rental agents, or via a travel agent.
The choice is pretty vast and often you can select properties from a book or brochure, there are sizes and prices to suit everyone. Many allow pets and come fully fitted out.
Bigger properties housing 7-12 or more offer a low cost break as you pay for the property, rather than per person, as you would in a hotel. Downside is you get to do all the work, although some rentals can come with housekeeping or maid duties.
The attraction of renting is usually one of cost and choice, and works best in your own country. Renting abroad involves a high travel cost (per person) and unlike a package tour you are often down to organising and paying for travel from airport to the property. There is usually someone on hand to see you in, the owner or their agent, and most properties provide a good break.
Risky sometimes to book direct with foreign owners, large agencies vet both the properties and the owners and although perhaps more costly give better piece of mind. Paying $1,000 and arriving at a run down hut may not be the sort of vacation you seek.
Home swapping offers 2 choices, first to trade a few weeks or longer with another persons normal home. Or trade a period in a second vacation home or time share they, or you own.
The attraction is obvious in that no rental monies change hands and this gets better the longer the stay is. Older, retired folk often look for 3-6 month trades which clearly would be too costly on a rental basis, but a workable option for 2 retired families to trade homes for a long period.
Again a DIY vacation, unless maids are on hand. Number of choices are less, so to succeed you need to be open minded rather than have fixed dates, locations and types of properties in mind. Most experienced swappers seek good clean accommodation in the area they wish to visit. You get to know the owners before agreeing the swap before you go. You rarely build friendships with rental owners you usually do with home swappers.
A home trade often comes with an auto thrown in, so this is a big plus if you can arrange pick up at the airport and makes a big difference in local travel during your stay. Do check insurance cover though and make sure you agree miles and damage costs.
With the advent of the electronic age many home swap offers are viewable on Internet web sites so you can review property (and owners) details, get to know the area through web site links and then open up discussions with potential trade partners. using E-mail the world is just a few seconds away.
More complex to organise than a rental, it can be both an exciting family interest or a drudge, which can put you off the concept. Worries and concerns about having someone else in your home and loads of "what if" questions can again excite you or deter you.
One of the best routes is a Tutorial on the subject which is freely available at the Homes Seekers web site with advice from some of the leading home exchange experts .
In summary - renting is easy, choose your property, book, pay and go - there is a big choice. Home swapping is a way of life, you get more involved and the money saving is not in practice the reason for most people trading homes. The desire to make new friends and contacts, see new places, new countries, learn the language and so on takes over. Home swapping does not suit everyone but it does offer an alterative and to many an ideal way of taking vacations - for many the only way they would go.
If you want to save a few hundred if not thousands of dollars on a Vacation break take a serious look at vacation home exchanging as a useful alternative to traditional house rental breaks.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Maurice S Clarke is the CEO of Homes Seekers and has created an online tutorial about Homes Exchange and swapping to answer all you "what if" or "how do I?" questions at http://www.homes-seekers.net/swaps
Travel webmaster may freely republish this article provided the copyright and all links remain intact. Please advise publication info of web site or ezine to http://www.homes-seekers.net/swaps
Copyright ? Maurice S Clarke 1997-2004
Ancona limousine airport .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareThe rental market and Vacation Home sale market is unsustainable.... Read More
Whether you've saved up for years for a fun family... Read More
Bahamas vacation villas are the way to go if you... Read More
Gatlinburg cabin rental options range from old-fashioned rustic "log cabins"... Read More
Most of us take vacations for the express purpose of... Read More
Tip #1 : Buy a beach front Caribbean villa! ... Read More
Punta Cana Beaches are among the most beautiful in the... Read More
Have you ever done something spontaneous? Are you in love... Read More
Vacation Home Exchange V Renting Trade and save, or do... Read More
Those looking to invest in real estate should not overlook... Read More
A beautiful and inexpensive place without a tourist in sight.... Read More
If a vacation, as defined by a dictionary is: 'leisure... Read More
Margarita Island is one of the lesser known Caribbean islands.... Read More
Fancy holidaying somewhere unusual? How about a 7 day tornado... Read More
Vacation rentals are an option when you plan to go... Read More
Spent a fantastic trip going down the Oregon Coast to... Read More
India has always been an irresistible tourist destination for people... Read More
Motels became prominent in the United States after the advent... Read More
We are planning a family trip for just a few... Read More
It has been said that in real estate there are... Read More
Gloucestershire, pronounced Glostershire, is a pretty English county located south... Read More
Summer vacations - what better topic could there be for... Read More
Holiday time is around the corner and its time to... Read More
Cambodia is a land on the mend. From 1977 through... Read More
The bed and breakfast experience is unique. You get the... Read More
Buffalo Grove cheapest limo ..It has been said that in real estate there are... Read More
What is a villa? Come to Orlando, Florida to find... Read More
Punta Cana is an affordable destination in a magnificent tropical... Read More
A trip to the Bahamas does not have to also... Read More
The main difference between North and South Lake Tahoe is... Read More
Have you ever wanted to travel to far away places... Read More
Most of us take vacations for the express purpose of... Read More
Traveling with children will be a memorable event ? the... Read More
Vancouver will receive a lot of attention as the 2010... Read More
As beautiful and modern as Cozumel is, visitors must remember... Read More
When it comes to shopping for something on-line, we tend... Read More
Made famous by Revolutionary events, infamous by cold winters, and... Read More
Families have flocked to Hilton Head, South Carolina as long... Read More
Gatlinburg has a small but thriving community of property owners.... Read More
Thailand is a popular golf paradise and home to many... Read More
Cabin rental in Pigeon Forge are one of the city's... Read More
Just drive out to one of these delightful wine estates... Read More
The rental market and Vacation Home sale market is unsustainable.... Read More
Cheap vacations can still be relaxing, fun and whatever else... Read More
Following the horrendous events on Boxing Day 2005 The Maldives... Read More
After France, Spain is Europe's most popular holiday destination, and... Read More
We are planning a family trip for just a few... Read More
The Algarve, and particularly the areas around Carvoeiro, Albufeira, Praia... Read More
In November, 2004, my wife Terry and I visited Paris... Read More
The demand for a stay in an ice hotel has... Read More
Vacation Rental |