Vacation Home Exchange V Renting - Trade and Save, or Do You ?

Vacation Home Exchange V Renting Trade and save, or do you ?

Ever thought of trading your home with another family for a few weeks instead of renting a Vacation Home?. Lets look at the differences and see if it's an option you might consider.

Renting a vacation property is easy enough, pay a rent for as many weeks as you need. Rent direct with the owner or via the thousands of rental agents, or via a travel agent.

The choice is pretty vast and often you can select properties from a book or brochure, there are sizes and prices to suit everyone. Many allow pets and come fully fitted out.

Bigger properties housing 7-12 or more offer a low cost break as you pay for the property, rather than per person, as you would in a hotel. Downside is you get to do all the work, although some rentals can come with housekeeping or maid duties.

The attraction of renting is usually one of cost and choice, and works best in your own country. Renting abroad involves a high travel cost (per person) and unlike a package tour you are often down to organising and paying for travel from airport to the property. There is usually someone on hand to see you in, the owner or their agent, and most properties provide a good break.

Risky sometimes to book direct with foreign owners, large agencies vet both the properties and the owners and although perhaps more costly give better piece of mind. Paying $1,000 and arriving at a run down hut may not be the sort of vacation you seek.

Home swapping offers 2 choices, first to trade a few weeks or longer with another persons normal home. Or trade a period in a second vacation home or time share they, or you own.

The attraction is obvious in that no rental monies change hands and this gets better the longer the stay is. Older, retired folk often look for 3-6 month trades which clearly would be too costly on a rental basis, but a workable option for 2 retired families to trade homes for a long period.

Again a DIY vacation, unless maids are on hand. Number of choices are less, so to succeed you need to be open minded rather than have fixed dates, locations and types of properties in mind. Most experienced swappers seek good clean accommodation in the area they wish to visit. You get to know the owners before agreeing the swap before you go. You rarely build friendships with rental owners you usually do with home swappers.

A home trade often comes with an auto thrown in, so this is a big plus if you can arrange pick up at the airport and makes a big difference in local travel during your stay. Do check insurance cover though and make sure you agree miles and damage costs.

With the advent of the electronic age many home swap offers are viewable on Internet web sites so you can review property (and owners) details, get to know the area through web site links and then open up discussions with potential trade partners. using E-mail the world is just a few seconds away.

More complex to organise than a rental, it can be both an exciting family interest or a drudge, which can put you off the concept. Worries and concerns about having someone else in your home and loads of "what if" questions can again excite you or deter you.

One of the best routes is a Tutorial on the subject which is freely available at the Homes Seekers web site with advice from some of the leading home exchange experts .

In summary - renting is easy, choose your property, book, pay and go - there is a big choice. Home swapping is a way of life, you get more involved and the money saving is not in practice the reason for most people trading homes. The desire to make new friends and contacts, see new places, new countries, learn the language and so on takes over. Home swapping does not suit everyone but it does offer an alterative and to many an ideal way of taking vacations - for many the only way they would go.

If you want to save a few hundred if not thousands of dollars on a Vacation break take a serious look at vacation home exchanging as a useful alternative to traditional house rental breaks.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Maurice S Clarke is the CEO of Homes Seekers and has created an online tutorial about Homes Exchange and swapping to answer all you "what if" or "how do I?" questions at http://www.homes-seekers.net/swaps

Travel webmaster may freely republish this article provided the copyright and all links remain intact. Please advise publication info of web site or ezine to republish@homes-seekers.net

Copyright © Maurice S Clarke 1997-2004

---

Palmetto Dunes Plantation ? Hilton Head Island

An Award Winning Vacation, Golf, Tennis and Beach ResortIf you... Read More

Learn From My Personal Experience About Bahamas Vacation Rentals

Bahamas house rental or a hotel? Vacation rentals are becoming... Read More

Keys to Contentment

Most of us take vacations for the express purpose of... Read More

Guide for Selecting a Villa Near Disney in Orlando Florida

This article is meant to be a guide for those... Read More

Pigeon Forge Cabin Rentals

Cabin rental in Pigeon Forge are one of the city's... Read More

Vacational Rental Property Guide

Once you make up your mind to on a vacation,... Read More

Tranquil Setting for the Weary Traveler

The DeLaunay House, located 185 N. Pioneer in Ashland is... Read More

How to Find Town Houses that Will Make Your Vacation to Orlando WONDERFUL

How to find a Town Houses that will make your... Read More

Apartments are Good for Your Health

Work-rate, health and even personal relationships may be affected if... Read More

Townhouses ? Rooms for Rent for Every Family!

Rooms for rent! No, not the kind where you are... Read More

Washington, DC a Bargain Travel Guide

Welcome to Washington, DC - The nation's capital is a... Read More

Timesharing Without Owning A Timeshare

If you're dreaming of a unique vacation experience, but don't... Read More

Vacation Getaways and Healthy Living Tips

Going away on a vacation brings numerous benefits. It refreshes... Read More

Honeymoon Cabins in Gatlinburg

Surrounded by the romantic and beautiful Smoky Mountains, a Gatlinburg... Read More

Timeshares Vs. Condo Hotels For Vacation Home Ownership

Condo hotels, also known as condotels, are a relatively new... Read More

Guide to Choosing the Right Disney Vacation Accommodations for Your Family

The secret treasure of Davenport's and Kissimmee's townhouses.Though usually Orlando... Read More

Chiang Mai Guesthouses - What To Expect

No visit to Thailand is complete without visiting the city... Read More

Hilton Head Vacation Rentals

Hospitable to all of our visitors, rental agencies on Hilton... Read More

Peru-Lima, Miraflores Vacation Rentals Deals

Miraflores is the turistic district of Lima. The main hotels... Read More

Finding The Best Timeshare For You ? Make The Search An Adventure!

Taking the plunge from average vacationer to vacation property owner... Read More

Luxury Cairns / Port Douglas Hinterland Accommodation Will Take Your Breath Away

Cairns Rainforest Retreat is ideally located for your unique rainforest... Read More

Ormond Beach, FL: A Small Piece of Paradise

Within Volusia County, Florida, the small community of Ormond Beach... Read More

The Cape Town Wine Route Wonders

Just drive out to one of these delightful wine estates... Read More

Simple Ways to Stretch Your Orlando Lodging Dollars

You've thought and dreamed about it for months, planning each... Read More

Orlando Vacation Accommodation - Unforgettable Accommodation

As a family, we have been visiting Orlando since 1998,... Read More

Ten Cheap Vacations

Cheap vacations can still be relaxing, fun and whatever else... Read More

Visiting Whistler Before The 2010 Olympics?

As a resident, business owner and frequent skiier at Whistler,... Read More

Looking For Maui Rental Property?

Maui is one of the islands found in Hawaii. It... Read More

Is A Disneyland Vacation Right For You?

Disneyland became the very definition of a theme park and... Read More

Timeshare Presentations: Scams or Opportunities

Timeshare presentations are tricky animals. They can either be an... Read More

Why The Vacation Home Sale Market Is Unsustainable

The rental market and Vacation Home sale market is unsustainable.... Read More

Consider A Private Kauai Vacation Rental For Your Next Getaway

There are many wonderful resorts with tons of activity in... Read More

Are Your Family Vacations Fun and Relaxing?

How many of you have seen the classic Chevy Chase... Read More