[jnieman]

Hi:
Does anyone belong to the website called HomeExchange.com I just recently joined as we are looking at doing some traveling in the future. You can pretty much travel all over the world. You have to be serious about it to join as it costs $150 to join it for a year. Many people have 15-20 exchanges under their belt. There are profiles of each couple, lots of references. Some people actually stay living in the home while the people stay in the home as well kind of like a little bed and breakfast. We just posted our home yesterday and are taking baby steps and just putting feelers out there to see what happens. This morning I woke up to an email in my mailbox from someone in Germany wanting to swap. Right now we are just trying to find another couple to swap with us who live in Boca Raton. Our son and daughter-in-law and grandkids live there and we'd like to stay to visit them for a few weeks at a time. They don't have an extra room so we thought this would be a solution. Let me know if any of you find this interesting or have done it before. Not really interested in this thread turning into a ton of opinions about how dangerous you think it is. We will do our homework on that.

[Ohiogirl]

It is work (lots of emails) to arrange, but we think worth it. At first had our home in TV listed, now have our condo in Ohio listed - but we mention both in the description. Have not had any problems. I think people are more careful of your place as they know you are, or will be, staying in theirs. Also, because you are paying for access to the website, you usually only have serious folks out there. We have mostly done it with other retired folks (more flexibility on dates, usually). Plus, we don't want kids in our places.

I think it is safer than renting your place, actually. We try to make sure we have stored any paperwork with social security #s, etc. with friends/relatives, although really anything could always be scanned and stored on the computer. Has forced us to keep all that stuff under control and down to one of those fireboxes.

We just clear out some closet space and a couple of shelves. We leave it very clean and have found that everyone we've exchanged with pretty much does the same. Had already developed a "renter's info notebook," when we used to rent out our place, so we just keep that up to date, and did another for our Ohio condo.

Probably the one drawback, especially if it's not a simultaneous exchange, is that people can get sick, decide to sell, etc. Just be sure, if you are flying, that you can make adjustments if needed (we always try to fly Southwest), and maybe have an alternate plan. For instance, for the exchange we have coming up in August, if something happened, we would probably just cut short our trip and stay at a B&B or hotel. We are already booked for 2 nights at a B&B on our way there, wouldn't be a big deal to just stay somewhere else on 3 more nights and head back early, making it a 5 night trip instead of a 9 or 10 night trip.

It is probably easier if you have 2 homes - but not necessary, just harder to coordinate. We arranged one exchange thru TOTV postings. There are lots of people who might like to spend some time in The Villages without the high rents, to try it out. I believe more people move to TV from other places in Florida than from anywhere else.

It is not for everyone - some are horrified that strangers will be sleeping in their bed, but we have stayed in much nicer places than we could have afforded by renting - a beachfront condo, a downtown Chicago high-rise, and a trendy condo on the busline with T-station access just outside Boston. We don't think it's worth all the hassle to do it for less than a week. A bonus is that we will probably exchange again with our Chicago high-rise person - we love Chicago for a visit every 2 or 3 years and she has ties here. Win-win.

There is a blog I follow - Retirement: a Full-Time Job - where the author discusses their home exchanges. She uses home exchange dot com as well. We do other trips and cruises, but home exchanging has worked for us. We also have borrowed/loaned bikes, beach paraphernalia, etc. while doing this.

[HimandMe]

We have used it successfully but usually having people stay in our place. Like the above mentioned, there are different options. You can go to another's home or others can come to yours, while you are there (hosting) or when away on vacation or even at their home at the same time. There are lots of them like the one you mentioned, Air B&b, and the one I like Trusted Housitters. The latter has good references you van verify and police checks and sometimes you can get the same people again and again.

[Ohiogirl]

that there used to be a monthly club here about Home Exchanging. It met at Laurel Manor. Organizers would have a couple show pictures of their trip and discuss and answer any questions. There are a couple of websites that people used for overseas trips. We went to one or two meetings, and then I think it must have dissolved. Might have been hard to get speakers - too busy planning and traveling!

Both times I think there were a couple of attendees who were renting who came because they thought the club was about exchanging with someone in lieu of renting - which it could have been if someone wanted to organize that. I also think that if you meet someone who is from an area you'd like to visit, that you might work out an exchange with their friends or relatives. We may do that in future with a friend who is from England. Have another friend from Germany, so that's another possibility.

[jnieman]

We are hoping to find someone in Boca Raton to exchange a couple of times a year for a week or two. Our son lives there.

[Ohiogirl]

with the title of "Boca Raton." Maybe that will generate interest here.

[jnieman]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl

with the title of "Boca Raton." Maybe that will generate interest here.

Good idea I'll try that.

[chachacha]

just wondering if the IRS considers this rental income as you will be repaid with a free stay? seems like they will find any excuse to interfere and does your home insurance consider guests as guests, or renters? seems like a fun way to meet a lot of interesting people and visit around the world economically.

[jnieman]

Originally Posted by chachacha

just wondering if the IRS considers this rental income as you will be repaid with a free stay? seems like they will find any excuse to interfere and does your home insurance consider guests as guests, or renters? seems like a fun way to meet a lot of interesting people and visit around the world economically.

Not sure on all of that as I will need to do some checking.

[Ohiogirl]

There are some articles you can look up about this - also info on the websites themselves. You are not exchanging any money. As long as someone is there with your permission, and not paying you, they are considered your guests. I guess one can worry about this if they want, but do you never have guests over at your house for fear someone may trip on something and sue you? I don't.

Keep in mind also, that when you are doing a non-simultaneous exchange, that the dates are not always the same, and the number of days not always the same. After having done this a few times, seems to me that the majority of the home-exchangers are pretty easy-going and adventurous - want an extra couple of days? Why not? Can't come in June after all, but want to come in August? Most people accommodate, as much as they can.

It was wonderful in Chicago and Boston to come back to a fully-equipped condo, even though we mostly ate out every night and were out sightseeing at lunchtime. Was great to have coffee and breakfast on the balcony in the a.m. and ease into our days. Also nice to come back and watch TV at night. Everyone shares favorite local restaurants and watering holes, and other quirky things about their neighborhoods.

We have looked for walkability and easy access to public transportation for city trips, but have one coming up in upstate New York that we will be driving to, and except for a couple of bike days, driving to most everything else that we want to see.

[LaurieandKeith]

Another option somewhat different than home exchanges, but allows for worldwide travel is pet and house sitting. My husband and I have been traveling around the world for the past 2 ½ years since we retired – thanks to house and pet sitting. Spain (three times now), New Zealand (twice both times for six weeks), Australia for four months, Anguilla in the Caribbean for three months, two weeks in Scotland, and just returned from two months in London.

We’re currently enjoying two months at The Villages, caring for two beautiful dogs and enjoying all The Villages has to offer.

We've also done house/pet sits in the US including San Diego, Palm Springs, Ft. Lauderdale and Santa Fe.

We don’t get paid, but we get free accommodations in exchange for caring for the homeowner’s house and/or pet(s). It allows us to extend our travel budget and more leisurely explore cities and countries we love. It's not for everyone -- but if you love pets, are flexible and have a passion for travel, house sitting offers many wonderful rewards the best of which is meeting great people around the world.

We have a website but are blocked from sharing it on this forum, but if you are interested in tips on how to enjoy this wonderful lifestyle, you can send me a private message.