In less than two weeks we will be ringing in 2011, ready or not. So it's time to plan your New Year's home exchange, right? Well, yes, if the New Year you're thinking of occurs 13 months from now. And yet I have received two swap offers just this week asking to use my place starting as soon as next week.
I often hear from people who complain that they don't receive positive replies when they send out swap requests. Timing is everything, folks. Disappointment is practically guaranteed if you ask for an exchange with such little notice. The issue is not just that home exchangers snagged my home last summer for the popular Christmas-New Year's period. I feel that asking to use my place moments before the most desirable Manhattan home exchange week of the year shows poor planning and impulsiveness, two traits that are undesirable in a home exchange partner.
The exception is if someone lists a "last minute offer" or puts their home on a site like Guest Vessel, which offers non-simultaneous swap homes for use when the owners are out of town. Failing that, aim for three to six months notice for a domestic exchange, or six to nine months if you are traveling internationally. Good luck lining up your dream swap in the New Year.
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