Great Idea!!!!!

Check out this link.

http://www.homeexchange.com/show.php?id=12270&nav=Previous+Page

If you've seen The Holiday, you know about home exchange. My sister is exchanging their home in Provence for a home in Pebble Beach for six weeks in September.

Think about it, no charge other than your travel and food and you use their car and vice versa. I think this is such a great idea!

I've seen this before and would love to do it, but my husband says no way. He's worried about theft and other complications. I don't know if I'm just too trusting, but it sure does sound good to me!

Let us know how your sister's exchange goes. We are in a mountain resort area, so I think we'd be able to do exchanges if I could just get my hubby on board.

Kathy

I couldn't do it either, Kathy. I'm with your husband on this. How do you know who you would have living in your home? I wouldn't like strangers in my house and I wouldn't like being in theirs. I could do it if it was someone's vacation home or if I had a vacation home, but not where I live. Although, your home sounds lovely. Let me know when you're a member:)

My home is not in a city with lots of interest for tourists, unfortunately. I am hoping, in a few years, that we will own a home in Mexico; maybe then this will work for us.

In the meantime, it's still cheap hotels for us.

I think the key is to look at their house. Normally, someone who has a nice home is not going to be a thief. At least, I hope not.

Anno, I put in Minnesota and a few came up that wanted to visit this area. You never know, huh?

My husband said, how do you know it's actually their house? Gads, I don't know, I just told him what my sis is doing. Does it look like I have crystal balls?

No Dianne, you have the crystal, and he has the....lol.

I think I would feel uneasy swapping houses with someone I don't know. Besides, does that mean I have to clean out my junk drawers? Oh my, that's as bad as moving!

I loved the movie, the Holiday. This is a great resource for me as my husband and I want to go to Paris this December and our house is located near the Monterey Bay in California. We've rented it before, so have a system to put most of our valuables under lock and key. I think references are important, as well.

It's the beds and bedding I'd be thinking about.
This wouldn't be for me, but then I'm not that adventurous anyway.

I couldn't do it either. If it's a vacation home, that's different. But the home that stores all our pictures, junk drawers and messy closets. No way. It's all too personal.

Hannelore, when I read Dianne's words, I knew they wouldnt' go unnoticed. I laughed.

I really want to see The Holiday. Maybe this weekend. There's lots of football on. I can always ditch the football for a chick flick!

Hello All: Thanks for the brainstorm about Home Exchange. I have heard great things from most people and in the articles I read and was considering trying it too. What I have learned is that the folks who do this are just as worried about their home as you are about yours and are conscientious too. They exchange emails, references and photos ahead of time so they get to know each other. Some let the visitors use their cars and sports equipement, take care of their pets, etc. They leave maps and tourist material for the visitor to enjoy. People who are hesitant often have their family, friends or neighbors pop over to check on the visitor to make sure they aren't destroying the house. Some people exchange year after year with the same people and become friends. It DOES sound intriguing!

Another place to check out is www.craiglist.org (and then click on whatever state/country you are interested in)..they have a vacation swap section...altho I doubt there are references/credentials for those folks like there probably is on the home exchange site? Hmmmmm....sounds intriguing. I'm sure we'd all love to hear from folks who have have great experiences!

Thanks and happy travels,
KC

Hey,

We could work up our own exchange...except we'd want to actually visit with each other...and who'd want to come to Moulton...except that it's close to da Queen!

I think it could have worked when I lived at the beach...although, I'm with you on the privacy thing...where would I hide all my journals?

I have stayed in someone's home in Sedona...they go to Europe every fall and rent their house...they had a portion of the house that they locked off with their clothes, etc. But they left out books, nick-nacks and pictures.

We rented a villa in St. Tropez a few years ago. All of their dishes, pots, etc. were left for us to use. None of their clothing or things like that were left in the home. There was a maid who came in and cleaned (and I think, stole some t-shirts from my daughters!) but other than that, no problems. So, being a second home or vacation home would be helpful so you wouldn't have to move all of your personal belongings out.

Casey, my sister loves CA and they have a darling house in Provence, France. That might be a possiblity for the two of you to exchange in the future. I'll see if I can find the link to their home.

I think that if you want to swap homes you should have a section of the house where you can lock up certain items. Some of the rental homes we've had at the beach were like that.