Home Exchange - Letters to Arrange a Home Exchange

accommodation, apartment, apartment finder, apartment search, apartments, budget, budget family vacation exchange homes hawaii, budget hawaii vacation exchange homes, budget jamaica vacations, budget exchange homes, budget ski vacation packages to winter park, budget travel, budget vacation, budget vacation idea, budget vacations, budget vacations to costa rica, cheap vacations, family, family budget, family vacations, florida budget vacation, hawaii, hawaii island, hawaii real estate, hawaii tourism, hawaii vacation, hawaii vacations, home exchange, home exchange for holidays, home exchanges, home exchanges vacation, house swap, house swap vacation, luxury accommodation, maui, maui hawaii, mexico beach florida accommodations, north american, nyc apartments, oahu, places to vacation suggestions on budget, teacher, teachers, teachers home exchange, united states, usa, vacation home exchange, vacation home exchanges, vacations, home exchange for holidays, Exchange homes, Swap homes, teachers

Initial Contact Letter

After you've found one or more homes of interest for a swap, write the home exchanger a letter, introducing yourself and your family or traveling companion(s). Include your state or province. Describe what your home and area have to offer. Some home exchangers send along a picture of their home. Make mention of activities or sights the exchange party may find of special interest--for children, for seniors, for travelers with particular hobbies, for example, a hike on Maine's Mt. Desert Island, the Napa Valley Wine Train excursion, or a visit to the San Diego zoo. Keep the letter relatively short. At the end, ask the exchange party to reply as soon as possible if interested in exchanging homes, and encourage them to ask questions. Finally, refer them to your home exchange post on the site by giving your state/province and your exchange home ID (e.g., CA-001).

Letter #2, After You Receive a "Yes, We're Interested" Reply

Begin by thanking the home exchanger for replying to your letter. Answer any questions. Spell out in detail the accommodations and amenities your home provides. Consider enclosing one or two photos of your home. Describe more fully the attractions of your area, the sights worth seeing and the distance from your home. Tell when you want to exchange homes, i.e., the month and dates. (Offering a range of dates gives home swapping partners more flexibility.) If you need pet and/or plant care, say so. (For "Pet Care Agreement," click here.) If you want to exchange cars, say so, and describe the make, model, mileage, and condition of the car you are offering. (For "Car Exchange Agreement," click here.) Suggest a plan for covering phone charges. (For "Use of Phone Agreement," click here.) Say whether or not you are offering use of your computer. (For "Use of Computer Agreement," click here.) If you are offering the use of bikes, kayaks, exercise equipment, a boat or any other item, describe it here. State whether or not you allow smoking in your home. If you have references from previous home exchanges you've done, offer to provide them.

Home Exchange Agreement Letter

This letter is an agreement between you and your home exchange partner. It lists all the points you have discussed in the course of your letters, e-mails, phone calls, and/or faxes. One or the other of you initiates it.

Begin by listing the following information:

Your name

Address
Telephone
E-mail
Fax
Cell phone

Number of adults in your exchange party

Number of children in your exchange party

Age(s) of children

Name & address of friend/neighbor

Ph. # of friend/neighbor

Name & ph. # of emergency and repair services

Name(s) and kind(s) of pet(s) needing care

Name of home exchange partner

Address
Telephone
E-mail
Fax
Cell phone

Number of adults in exchange partner's party

Number of children in exchange partner's party

Age(s) of children

Name & address of exchange partner's friend/neighbor

Ph. # of friend/neighbor

Name & ph. # of emergency and repair services near exchange partner's home

Name(s) and kind(s) of exchange partner's pet(s) needing care

Dates agreed on for exchange of homes

Begin exchange
End exchange

Next, specify that you agree to

leave names & phone numbers of neighbor or friend

leave emergency and repair service numbers
leave cell phone and other contact numbers

pay for phone charges (For "Use of Phone Agreement," click here.)

take care of pet(s) (For "Pet Care Agreement," click here.)

water plants
leave space in closets & drawers

leave instructions or manuals for appliances & home equipment, and directions for garbage and recycling pick-up

use/not use computer (For "Use of Computer Agreement," click here.)

exchange cars (For "Use of Car Agreement," click here.)

show respect & concern for exchange partner's home

leave clean linens on beds and wash & put away all other (used) linens and towels before departing from exchange home

leave exchange home clean and orderly before departing

leave small amount of fresh food and replace products used during stay before departing from exchange home

pay for damages done while a guest in exchange partner's home

abide by exchange partner's request re. smoking

Sum up your agreement with a statement saying that any additions or changes must be put in writing. You and your home exchange partner review the agreement, and if satisfactory, sign and date it, keeping a copy for your files.

To download Letters to Arrange a Home Exchange, click here.