"Q About a year ago, you published a list of companies that help people make short-term "home-swapping" arrangements to help cut their vacation costs. We are now planning our three-week summer vacation and would like to trade the use of the lakefront cottage we own for the use of a home in another U.S. resort area, or perhaps even Europe. Could you please publish the names of those home-swapping firms again?"
Florida is a prime area for home exchange since there are so many second homes in that state and the weather is nice in the winter. I expected a very standard response to this question. Indeed, the first few paragraphs did a good job summarizing home exchange's benefits:
A Sure. Several firms that arrange temporary home-swaps are already enjoying record levels of activity and expect an even busier summer, in part because the high price of gasoline and rising air fares have left would-be vacationers scrambling for ways to reduce their travel costs.
Many homeowners have become virtually addicted to home-swapping, which allows them to temporarily trade the use of their own residence for an equal amount of time at a home in an area that they would like to visit. Veteran swappers say the trades save them a lot of money by eliminating hotel bills and allowing them to cook their own meals instead of dining at expensive restaurants.
As a bonus, most homes involved in the trades are much larger than a pricey hotel room. Some exchange deals also allow the swappers to use each other's automobiles, which cuts out the cost of renting a car or taking a taxi to get to the various places that the vacationers want to see.
Then the journalist got creative -- in the wrong way:
There are, however, some risks involved in making a home-swapping arrangement. Some traders have said that they returned home to find that their exchange partners had looted valuables or damaged their property. But such complaints are rare, and losses often can be covered by a homeowners insurance policy or the short-term plans that some exchange firms offer for an additional fee.
What kind of nonsense is this? No one says they returned to find "looted valuables" and "property damage" is generally of the "whoops, I broke a wine glass, sorry!" variety. And which exchange firms offer a short-term insurance policy? None. This entire paragraph is utter non-sense and it shows: there is no attribution for these wild claims.
The rest of the article is fine, if somewhat negative:
A more common source of gripes involves swappers who feel that the home they traded for wasn't as clean as they would have liked, or that they came back to find that their own home had been left in a messy state. There's little that can be done about such problems, other than to break out the brooms or sponges and get to work.
The largest home-exchange services include: HomeLink International, , www.homelink.org; HomeExchange.com, , www.homeexchange.com; ExchangeHomes.com, , www.exchangehomes.com; Home Exchange Club , www.digsville.com; and Intervac Home Exchange , www.intervacus.com.
It's best for prospective home-swappers to contact at least two or three companies, or to visit each of their Internet sites. That's because some firms primarily handle U.S. properties, while others focus more on listings available in Europe, Mexico and other foreign nations.
Exchanges are usually arranged weeks or even several months in advance, so you should start checking around now if you hope to book a trade before the peak summer vacationing season arrives.
Mail: David Myers, P.O. Box 2960, Culver City, CA .
The bizarre claims of "looting" in this article are so destructive as to be slanderous. I had to write a letter to the editor. Since the Herald did not bother to print it, I will include it here:
"Dear Editor:
Temporary vacation home exchange is a safe, enriching and inexpensive way to travel. In over five decades of helping people trade homes, NO home exchange agency has EVER reported a member complaint of "looting" of valuables or "damage" of any severity.
Tellingly, writer David Myers makes no attribution for this ludicrous claim. It is an exaggeration or a reflection of some sort of casual agreement not brokered by a legitimate home exchange agency even if true, which I strongly doubt.
I have completed over 30 amazing home swaps. The worst damage we ever encountered was a broken tea cup and a bent screen door. In both cases, the exchange family left generous reimbursement for the minor damage. Shame on you for slandering a wonderful, safe vacation option.
Sincerely,
Nicole Feist, Home Exchange Travels
HomeExchanger.blogspot.com"
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