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Comments (9)
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Save/ShareHouse swapping is an ultimate budget travel feat— you allow someone to stay in your home while you take off and stay in theirs. You both get free accommodations and an authentic experience in a new city.
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Q:Tell us what you get with a membership on Roofswap.
A: Roof Swap was founded by passionate home swappers. You'll have access to an easy-to-use template that'll get your home listed for swapping in a few easy steps. Then, you can search one of the largest databases, with 14,000 diverse listings. We also offer customized advice from home exchange veterans like myself, attentive customer service, and unlimited home swap vacations. Editor's Note: RoofSwap's three-month trial membership costs $20; a yearly membership is $75. If you sign up for membership before Dec. 31, 2010, you can get 20 percent off when using promo code MAR2BT0.
Q: What do you tell people who are interested in house-swapping but also a little fearful of it?
A: RoofSwap has a Forum where members can ask any questions they have and get expert advice from me and other veteran Roofswappers. For more peace of mind, RoofSwap is the only house-swapping club that offers a low-cost insurance policy backed by an insurance company. Most people with home-owners' or renters' insurance can check their policies to be reassured that they are already covered for almost anything that could go wrong.
Q: What are the benefits of house-swapping, besides the fact that you get your accommodations for free?
A: Vacationing in someone's home helps you "live like a local" for a more interesting travel experience; swappers share insider tips on places to go the area. Swappers are usually happy to care for Rover or Kitty. Families will have more space than in a hotel room and can make use of the swap partners' stroller, high chair, toys, and books. Also, homes have more useful amenities than hotels— I would much rather have free wireless internet, a kitchen, and a washer/dryer than a mint on my pillow. Swappers can often negotiate trading the use of cars in addition to homes...I could go on!
Q: Do you have to live in a big city to be a good candidate for house-swapping?
A: There is something interesting about everyone's home town. City folks often want a rural retreat. Swappers from other countries want to experience small-town life. No matter where you live, someone will want to swap for your home.
Q: You've been on a number of house swaps yourself. What's your favorite story to tell about house-swapping?
A: My six-week honeymoon grand tour of Europe. We stayed in Barcelona, Nice, Paris, and Amsterdam and never spent a penny on lodging.
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The Secrets to Happy House Swapping
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additional note: I have searched their website up and down and don't see anything about paying to become a member or paying anywhere in their process. It looks totally free. (?)
Posted By Lauren on March 13, 2010, 12:13 PM
Excellent interview! I’ve been a subscriber to Nicole’s blog since its inception. She’s provided me with an abundance of insightful home exchange tips and guidance ever since. Now that she’s working with RoofSwap, her presence provided me with yet another reason to join this first rate home exchange club. Home swapping has opened a world of travel opportunities to me that I would otherwise never been able to afford. For instance imagine spending two weeks in Paris (with a car) in a beautiful apartment on the Left Bank for less than a thousand dollars (and that’s for two people). I did! Thanks, Nicole, for showing us the way!
Posted By Joe Murray on March 13, 2010, 1:45 PM
There are several respected home exchange websites and organizations that have been around longer or which are bigger - but this article seems to be "promoting" only one? I thought independent travel writers are supposed to disclose their biases by stating their relationship with who they are covering such as taking freebies - or ..?
Posted By Mike Paulsen on March 14, 2010, 10:05 AM
In the FAQ section it states that the cost for membership is $75 per year. Most definitely NOT free.
Posted By Aubrey Joy on March 15, 2010, 11:32 PM
Great post! Been a subscriber to Nicole's blog for awhile and I love all her entries about her home exchange experiences. The whole home swap idea is so wonderful. I am always open to great travel ideas and this is it!
Posted By judy on March 16, 2010, 2:38 PM
@Aubrey You found it! My point is that the cost associated with this is completely buried in the site. I have no problem paying a membership fee for a well-supported service, myself. However I think the site should be up front about the cost, where you pay in the process, what the cost gets you, etc. I has to search and search to find that information.
Posted By Lauren on March 17, 2010, 10:39 AM
Caution about using RoofSwap, they initially started by 'harvesting' other sites information.
They claim thousands of subscribers, but many of them are duplicates, or empty listings.
Not sure where they got our information, but it was incomplete, incorrect. Despite asking a few times to be removed our listing remains.
I'm really surprised Nicole Frank is associated with this operation.
My advice - there are many more reputable sites out there such as Homelink, Intervac and HomeForExchange
Avoid RoofSwap at all costs.
Posted By Swap Alert on April 3, 2010, 12:31 PM
I just read through some of the comments here and I must object! I belong to well over twenty home exchange clubs and RoofSwap ranks right up there among the best (12 offers in three months). Moaning about $75 a year for membership considering the benefits offered by RoofSwap, sounds like sour grapes to me. Heck, I blow off more than that on a bad date! With RoofSwap I get selection, great search options, Nicole Frank and major support (did you ever try writing or calling some of those other ‘big” clubs with your problems? Good luck!). These guys did it right! Get as many listings as possible in one place and make it easy for swappers to select without having to spend hours going from site to site. RoofSwap is exactly what a great home exchange agency should be!
Posted By Joe Murray on April 14, 2010, 6:37 PM
Roofswap is completely free to join, post a listing and respond to swap offers. If you want to be able to initiate contact with other Roofswappers you must become a paid member. The 3-month membership is only $20 (less with the Budget Travel readers' discount. It is definitely the best value in home exchange.
RoofSwap has listings from its partner clubs, and members of those clubs were informed of this added benefit. I know because one of the clubs I had joined became a RoofSwap partner and my listing was transferred. If I had not wanted my listing on RoofSwap I could have responded to the email all members received to "opt out".
Posted By Nicole I. Frank on April 18, 2010, 4:01 PM