Every time the economy hits a roadblock, a whole new generation of media and travelers seems to rediscover home swapping as though it had just been invented. The truth is, though, that this fun and frugal way of seeing the world has been around since the 1950s.
Back in the day, swapping clubs published huge printed catalogues of members' properties, and prospective swappers set up trades by snail mail. A lot has changed with the advent of the Internet, but the basic principle is still the same. You head off to Paris or Denver or Outer Mongolia (okay, that last one is pretty unlikely, but you'd be surprised where you can go on a swap) to stay in a stranger's house. Meanwhile, the stranger comes to live in yours.
Some of the earliest fans of house swapping were teachers and professors, who had similar blocks of long holidays. But now thousands of people are getting into the game.
A recent CBS News interview with Kelli Grant, senior consumer reporter for SmartMoney.com, lays out the basics of the process. As always in these stories, she touches on that age-old question, "Do I really want strangers in my house?"
For links to a range of house swapping organizations, see the list on my website, LaVidaLocal.com.
Have you ever done a house swap? Post a comment talking about your experience!
Monday, June 15, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
More info on Montserrat villa
A while ago, I wrote a blog post about the Caribbean island of Montserrat, where I spent a great vacation with my sisters and our husbands. I've just found out that our rental villa, Surf Sighed, has its own website. It's a lovely, affordable tropical rental with a pretty pool deck and great views. If you're looking for a laid-back destination where tourists don't overwhelm the locals, you can't beat Montserrat. It's not the easiest place to get to (connections from Antigua are launched and cancelled with alarming frequency), but it's worth the trip.
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