When I first started exchanging homes I was unmarried and had no kids. Our exchange party consisted of two adults. We got lots of offers for one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartments and we happily swapped our one-bedroom place for others homes with the same configuration. We even stayed in a studio apartment in San Francisco with the world's most uncomfortable sofabed. That turned out to be too small, but anything else with a bedroom door was fair game for our home exchange consideration.
Things are different now. I'm married and I have a son and a daughter. We are very fortunate because our kids' beloved grandfather also lives with us. Our home is now a three-bedroom apartment with two bathrooms. That lets our home accommodate all five of us comfortably.
One thing hasn't changed: we still get tons of offers for one-bedroom apartments.
We tried adding a line to the very beginning of our swap offer stating that we have two cats, and that we need at least two bedrooms and two WC's to accommodate the five of us. We get fewer offers from those with cat allergies, but the requests from folks with tiny homes keep rolling in.
Those folks get a "no thank you" response. Then they go right into our "bad" email folder. We don't want to swap with anyone who has so little interest in their home exchange partners that reading their listings before offering them house keys is just too burdensome. But there have been two instances when we have actually been tempted by offers of one-bedroom apartments.
In both cases, the reason was the real estate gold standard: location, location, location.
One interesting tiny home was a condo within the planned community of Celebration, Florida. That is a fake small town built by the Disney Corporation. Normally this isn't the kind of place we'd prefer, but it seemed like a good home base from which to bring our kids on the requisite pilgrimage to Disneyworld. Rudely, having initiated the offer of her one-bedroom apartment, the swapper never bothered to reply to our favorable response. Another tempting one-bedroom place was located within the walls of old Quebec City.
The take-home message here is that swappers may compromise on amenities they require for a swap if the home, location or other aspect of the swap are amazing in some way. Swappers might be tempted to sacrifice comfort for convenience or a special opportunity.
Is your place is walking distance from a popular attraction? Your development could offer resort-like amenities such as a pool, golf course and so on. Maybe your home is special in that it is historic or has wonderful sweeping views. There are homes in France and Italy that are built in caves. That could interest a closet spelunker. If your place comes complete with a cook, daily housekeeper or car, I'll take a close look. And if you have a day camp or childcare center where my kids are welcome, you're on!
Maybe your "one-bedroom" apartment is a loft space whose 1,000+ square feet make it as appropriate for a large family as a house might be. Or your home could be in a converted lighthouse; snug little houseboat right on the water; renovated antique train car; designed by a famous architect; or a type of housing so unique or so typical of the region the swappers are visiting that staying there would enhance their immersion in the real lives of local residents. Any of these reasons could tempt an exchanger who was a fan of architecture, trains, boats, interesting travel experiences or living like a local.
Flout your swap partners' needs for a reason. Don't offer them a home they have specifically stated they will reject just because you like it or think it's big enough for your family. Or, and this is an even better idea, target your swap offers. And remember, if that little hut or converted dog house includes professional child care, target it right to my in box.
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