We at The Vacation Exchange Network have always believed that our uniqueness speaks for itself.  But thanks to one of our members, it no longer has to….

When Berne and Sam Webb were on a home exchange vacation in the Bahamas, a conversation with a few couples from Miami, Florida quickly turned into a lively presentation about the benefits of The Vacation Exchange Network, complete with a hands-on demonstration!

The Webbs have been Vacation Exchange Network members for a few years.  Last year, they traveled to Sanibel Island, Florida on a non-mutual house swap.  Berne tells me the Sanibel home was beautiful.  Located a few blocks from the beach, it also had a pool in the backyard.  Perfect for an afternoon swim or as a backdrop to evening cocktails.

North Bimini Island in the Bahamas was the Webbs’ vacation destination this year.  This home exchange was mutual and non-simultaneous; the owners of the home in Bimini plan to travel to the Webbs’ home in Cape Cod, Massachusetts at a different time — when the weather in Cape Cod is at its best.

So, how did we convince Berne to serve as our remote marketer?

No convincing was necessary.  Sitting in a North Bimini Island cafe, Berne and Sam struck up a conversation with a few couples sitting at a nearby table.  “What brings you to the Bahamas?” they asked each other.  Berne’s response that she was on a home exchange sparked wide eyes from the other couples, so Berne went on to provide them with a lively description of home swapping with The Vacation Exchange Network.  With her fellow cafe goers’ interest piqued, Berne opened up her laptop, fortunately remembering  her PIN, and took her captive audience on a tour of the Vacation Exchange website.  The other couples were laughing and clapping along with Berne’s enthusiasm.  Apparently, she didn’t even need the white board and film projector we offered to send her!

One of the Miami couples was particularly interested in traveling to Italy, so Berne showed them The Vacation Exchange Network’s homes in Terracina, Rome, and Teramo.

Berne tells me that she raved about the travel opportunities afforded by vacation home exchanges.  Since the Webbs’ children are grown, their travels no longer need to be tied to school vacations.  Like our other members, the Webbs enjoy the freedom and flexibility afforded by the non-mutual and non-simultaneous home exchanges that are the hallmark of The Vacation Exchange Network.  The Webbs can travel when and where they’d like to travel, without the necessity of finding someone else who wants to use their home at the same time.

While hiring a public relations firm to do publicity about The Vacation Exchange Network might get us a few lines in some travel magazines and allow us to garner invitations to a few fancy cocktail parties, having members like the Webbs is much more rewarding.  Our thanks to the Webbs,  and to all of our other members, who speak so graciously about our service.

Please visit The Vacation Exchange Network’s site to join our home swap network, to learn more about how home exchanges work, or to refer a friend to The Vacation Exchange Network.

Have you had an opportunity to tell someone about The Vacation Exchange Network or about your home exchange vacation?  We’d love to hear about it.  Use the comment box below or contact us via email.  We look forward to hearing from you!

This Queensland Australia Beachfront Home is Available for Your Next Holiday Home Swap

Home Exchange is Your Key to Affordable Travel

Do you feel limited by the high cost of traveling?

Outdoor Living in Cote D'Azur, France - This 5BR Home Available for Swap with The Vacation Exchange Network

Continued from Top 10 Reasons Why Home Swapping is Ideal for Family Vacations – Part Four

More Reasons Why Your Next Family Vacation Should Be a Home Exchange

2.  Home swapping enables you and your family to experience your vacation destination as a local.

When you stay in someone’s home, you can live like a local rather than a tourist.  To the extent you want, you can shop in the shops, eat at the restaurants, and stroll the streets away from the tourist spots.  Home swap hosts often leave lists of local dining, markets, and happenings for their home swap partners.  You’ll be able to offer your family a unique opportunity to view a culture from within its boundaries.  You might even meet some neighbors!  They’re sure to give you a friendlier welcome when you are staying in the home of their friend.  More than a few times, my children have befriended some of our home swap neighbors’ children.  Their stories of playing with these children have become some of their longest-standing memories of our trips.

And the number one reason why home exchange is ideal for family vacations….

1.  Home exchange makes travel affordable!

There’s no getting around what many see as the most important benefit of home exchange — avoiding the high cost of lodging.  Hotels and vacation rentals can cost thousands of dollars per week.  This certainly limits vacation opportunities for most of us, especially “ITE” (in this economy).  If you didn’t have to worry about the cost of lodging, would you be more likely to travel wherever your vacation dreams take you?  Would you be more likely to take your children to all of those places you’ve always wanted to take them?  You can travel in the U.S. or around the world without having to check hotel prices.  And you can spend more of your vacation budget on exploring the sites and experiencing all your vacation destination has to offer.

To learn more about home exchanges, please visit The Vacation Exchange Network’s main site.  You’ll find information about how home exchange makes travel affordable and how to join our home swap network.  You’ll also find 1,500 vacation properties to browse to inspire your next vacation.

We look forward to helping you plan your next family vacation!

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Enjoy a Sun-Filled Family Vacation in Oahu Hawaii with a Vacation Exchange Network Home Exchange

More Reasons Why Your Next Family Vacation Should Be a Home Exchange

Continued from Top 10 Reasons Why Home Swapping is Ideal for Family Vacations – Part Two

6.  Home exchange gives you a home away from home.

After a long day of seeing the sights, playing on the beach, or experiencing your latest adventure, there’s no match to returning to a comfortable and spacious home that you can call your own (at least for the week you are staying there).  We all know that kids need a place to call their own.  A space to relax or a space to play.  Having a home to return to at the end of a day of vacation fun cannot possibly be matched by any hotel room.

5.  A unique place for your next staycation.

In this economy, many families are opting for a staycation rather than a vacation.  Typically, a staycation involves spending vacation time visiting attractions and events that are close to one’s home in order to vacation within a budget.  With home exchange, you can have the best of both worlds.  Rather than using your own home as a home base, you can use a home swap house as your home base.  Visit some of the attractions and experience some of the events that are close to your home swap house, and spend time in the vacation home playing games, watching movies, and making pizza and popcorn.  Your family gets some together time, and you all get to enjoy being somewhere other than your own home.

To read more of the top 10 reasons why home swapping is ideal for family vacations, visit The Vacation Exchange Network’s Blog again tomorrow!

To learn more about home exchanges, please visit The Vacation Exchange Network’s main site.  You’ll find information about how home swaps work, how to arrange your home exchange, and what makes our home exchange program unique.  You’ll also find 1,500 vacation properties to browse to inspire your next vacation.

More Reasons Why Your Next Family Vacation Should Be a Home Exchange

Continued from Top 10 Reasons Why Home Swapping is Ideal for Family Vacations – Part One

8.  When you stay in a vacation home, your kids can have their own beds.

Remember the last time you stayed in a hotel room with your kids?  If your kids are anything like mine, the decision about who is going to share a bed with the “sheet stealer” takes a great deal of negotiating.  In a vacation home, my kids typically have their choice of rooms, and they each get their own bed.  “Can I have the sailboat room?” asks my youngest.  “I get the top bunk,” states my oldest.  More often than not, they all end up staying in the same room.  Because it’s part of the fun of vacation.  And there’s never any arguing about sheet stealing.

7.  No need to sit in the hallway or on the floor of the bathroom waiting for your kids to fall asleep.

A friend of mine recently confessed to me that she and her husband typically sit on the floor of their hotel room’s bathroom or in the hallway outside their hotel room — on the floor — while they wait for their kids to go to sleep.  They have to whisper, of course, and sometimes it can take 30 minutes or longer before their kids are sleeping deeply enough that they can return to the room.  Even then, they must keep the lights and noise to a minimum so as not to wake up the kids and be forced to start the whole process again.  Ever try watching Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Report without laughing aloud?  It’s not easy.  When you house swap, there’s no need to be relegated to the floor of a barely-lit bathroom.  The sofa in the living room, the chaise lounge on the deck, or the bed in the master bedroom are certainly more comfortable than a tile floor.  Your body will thank you for vacationing the home exchange way!

To be continued….

To learn more about home exchanges, please visit The Vacation Exchange Network’s main site.  You’ll find information about how home swaps work, how to arrange your home exchange, and what makes our home exchange program unique.  You’ll also find 1,500 vacation properties to browse to inspire your next vacation.

Anna Maria Island Florida Vacation House Available for Home Exchange

10.  You don’t have to ask for a room away from the noisy elevator.

Concern about where your room will be located — close to or far from the elevator, 2nd floor or 8th floor, smoking section or non-smoking section — is par for the course when you vacation in a hotel.  When you stay in a vacation home, however, the whole house is yours.  No need to worry about noisy guests, rooms that smell of smoke, a view of the parking lot, or being too far away from the ice machine.  Every room in a vacation house is conveniently located and as quiet as you’d like it to be!

9.  In a vacation home, there is no extra charge for room service.

Although I’ll agree that room service has a few benefits, I’d prefer not to have to pay $5 for that cup of orange juice my daughter is asking for.  Home swappers enjoy a kitchen that is open 24/7, which is especially convenient for families with children who wake up hours too early for breakfast at a restaurant and for anyone who occasionally enjoys a midnight snack.   Home swapping enables families to eat some meals at home, saving money on your vacation and adding oodles of convenience.

To read more of the top 10 reasons why home swapping is ideal for family vacations, visit us again tomorrow!

Vacation Home Exchange Opportunity in Kauai, Hawaii

Besides offering a haven of tranquility or a home base for your adventures, vacation homes also offer many owners a major source of income.  A substantial number of vacation and second home owners rent their homes to vacationers.  This rental income is not inconsequential.  Some vacation rentals can go for as much as $12,000 or more per week.  But, even the most desirable vacation properties in the most desirable vacation destinations have unrented weeks.

So, the vacation home sits empty and unused, and the owners of the vacation home consider the week a loss.  This doesn’t have to be the case.  That unrented week can be used in a home exchange, also called a home swap.  By joining The Vacation Exchange Network, an unrented week in your vacation home enables you to take that trip you’ve been dreaming about, in the United States or around the world.  And you can take your trip in an affordable way, avoiding the high cost of lodging.

You don’t have to wait for someone to use your home in order for you to make a home exchange. Unlike other home swap companies, you can travel when and where you want without having to find someone to use your home.   Simply find a vacation home in our Network, or have our home exchange coordinators find one for you, and arrange to stay there for your vacation.  The other home owner will receive an Exchange Credit to be used on a future vacation.  Similarly, when you allow another Vacation Exchange Network member to use your vacation property, you’ll receive an Exchange Credit.

Home exchange is a great way try spring skiing in Colorado, Utah, or Vermont, to dust off those golf clubs in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, or to travel somewhere you’ve never been.  Just browse through our vacation properties to get some ideas, and we’ll help you find that perfect vacation.

To learn more about home swaps, including how to list your vacation home, how to join our home swap Network, or what makes The Vacation Exchange Network a unique house swap program, please visit us at www.TheVacationExchange.com.  We look forward to helping you plan your next vacation!

No more lamenting those unrented weeks; they’re your key to your next vacation!

Your Next Golf Vacation Could be a Home Exchange

Time for a spring golf tune-up?

The Myrtle Beach area boasts over 100 golf courses, including some of the most challenging and beautiful golf courses in the country.  If your clubs are just aching to get out on the course, consider Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  Award-winning courses abound, including those by world-famous architects Robert Trent Jones, Pete Dye, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, and Tom Fazio.

Average spring temperatures in Myrtle Beach range from the high sixties in March to the low eighties in May, making for perfect golf weather.  Myrtle Beach is part of the Grand Strand, 60 miles of white sand beaches along the Atlantic Ocean.  So, after those 18 (or 27?) holes, you can watch the sunset with soft sand between your toes.

Golf and Restaurant Reviews by The Vacation Exchange Network Members

Our members’ Myrtle Beach golf course picks:

Arrowhead Country Club of Myrtle Beach, by architects Tom Jackson and Ray Floyd, is an outstanding course, upscale and particularly visually appealing.  This 27-hole course has three 9-hole tracts.  Our members picked The Cypress as their favorite.

Glen Durnoch Golf Course, part of The Glens Golf Course, is located in Little River, South Carolina.  This coastal course is located on the Intracoastal Waterway and has several natural elevation changes.  Our members say the course has a fabulous layout and that the last three holes are particularly spectacular.

River Hills Golf and Country Club of Little River, South Carolina, by architect Tom Jackson has a southern feel with rolling hills and natural elevation changes.  Our members were particularly impressed with the excellent condition of the course and made note of the outstanding greens.

These restaurants have gotten rave reviews by our members:

Parson’s Table, located in Little River, South Carolina, is fine dining in a one-of-a-kind setting.  Upscale, with outstanding food and ambiance.  The antique wooden floors and stained glass windows are a perfect accompaniment to a meal prepared by Ed Murray, Jr., recently selected as one the Best Chefs in America.

Umberto’s at Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina offers outstanding traditional Italian food at a reasonable price.  Their self-named  house dish Chicken Umberto lives up to its name, and the owner has a sense of humor.  Check out his Dining Tips!

Rioz Brazilian Steakhouse in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is an entertaining dining experience.  Their sizzling meats are delicious, and children six and under dine for free!

Inspired to try these golf course and restaurant picks out yourself? The Vacation Exchange Network has many vacation homes in Myrtle Beach available for your next vacation home exchange.

To spotlight just a few:

Located on Myrtlewood Golf Course, this condo (see photo below) in the Myrtlewood Villas sleeps 6.   This beautifully furnished and centrally-located Myrtle Beach vacation home is close to the beach, shopping, water sports, and restaurants.

This Myrtle Beach, South Carolina vacation home is available for home swap at The Vacation Exchange Network now through the end of May.

Located in Surfside Beach, seven miles south of Myrtle Beach, this sunny 5-bedroom, 3-bath raised beach home is also within minutes of a variety of golf courses.  The home’s gorgeous in-ground pool is perfect for a few laps or just relaxing at the end of the day.

This Surfside Beach, South Carolina beach home is available for swap during April with The Vacation Exchange Network

Located in Myrtle Beach, the home pictured below has both a lake view and an ocean view.  The community is gated, and it has both a swimming pool and an outdoor waterpark.

This waterfront condo is available for home swap in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

The Vacation Exchange Network has scores of vacation homes in South Carolina, including many in and around Myrtle Beach.  Take a look at our homes in Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, and Garden City Beach.  You’re sure to find one that is right for your next home exchange.  Be sure to let us know about your restaurant and golf course picks!

Do you dream about international vacations in Mont Tremblant, Aruba, New Zealand, or Switzerland?

Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada Vacation Home Available for Exchange with The Vacation Exchange Network

Beautifully Landscaped Home in Aruba Available for Holiday Home Swap with The Vacation Exchange Network

New Zealand House Exchange on Lake's Edge in Bay of Plenty Available for Your Next Home Swap

Switzerland Chalet Overlooks Swiss Alps and Mont-Blanc Available for Vacation Home Exchange

How about an island vacation in Nevis,Turks and Caicos, or Puerto Rico?

A Waterfront View of the Caribbean: Cades Bay, Nevis Holiday Home Available for Swap with The Vacation Exchange Network

Luxury Condo Overlooking an Azure Blue Sea Available for Home Exchange on the Island of Providenciales, Turks & Caicos

Gorgeous Palm Tree Landscaping at This Puerto Rico Vacation Home Available for Swap with The Vacation Exchange Network

Or an unforgettable trip to Arizona, New York, Maine, or Hawaii?

Scottsdale Arizona Vacation Home in Gated Community Near Phoenix Available for Home Swapping with The Vacation Exchange Network

Three Bedroom, Doorman Building: New York City Apartment Available for Home Exchange with The Vacation Exchange Network

Mount Desert Island Maine Vacation Home on 16 Acres Available for Home Exchange with The Vacation Exchange Network

Kauai Hawaii Vacation House in Exclusive Princeville Resort Available for Home Exchange

How Can Home Exchange Help You Realize Your Vacation Dreams?

With home exchange (also called home swap, home trades, holiday house exchange, and many other names), take your vacation anywhere your dreams take you.

At its core, the idea of a home swap is really quite simple — swap a stay in your vacation home for a stay in someone else’s home.

The uniqueness of The Vacation Exchange Network is that you can vacation when you want and where you want without having to find a home exchange partner who wants to use your home.

Home swapping and traveling on a budget go hand in hand.

With housing exchange, your home enables you to take unforgettable vacations on a budget.  You can save thousands of dollars on your holiday by leveraging one of your biggest assets, your vacation home.

To find out more about how home swaps work, how to list your vacation home for swap, how to join our home swap Network, or how to arrange your home exchange, please visit us at The Vacation Exchange Network’s website.

At The Vacation Exchange Network, we have many, many beautiful and one-of-a-kind homes listed for home swap.  One such home has recently been added to our Network….

Lotus Lake House in Grass Valley, California Available for Home Exchange

Lotus Lake House is an award-winning, eco-friendly lakefront retreat.  A home exchange at this home would truly be a one-of-a-kind experience.

A One-of-a-Kind Experience — Available for Your Next Home Swap Vacation

Situated on 8 acres of private and secluded forested property in California Gold Country, the owners of the Lotus Lake House say they’ve cleared just enough trees to have fabulous views of Rollins Lake.   Speaking of the lake, this home boasts a lake view on three sides.  The massive deck wraps around the house and features several dining areas, a new Weber BBQ gas grill, and rockers and loungers.   The home’s glass walls open up to the deck, transforming it into one large indoor/outdoor space.  This blend of indoor and outdoor living  makes the house feel quite large and enhances the experience of being a part of the serene, natural environment.

Lotus Lake House is secluded enough for that quiet or romantic getaway that you’ve been dreaming about, yet it is close enough to a variety of activities that you can fill your days any way you choose.  A private trail takes visitors to the lake, where kayaking, sailing, swimming, and water skiing, jet skiing, and many more outdoor activities are available.  Some of the best hiking in California can be found nearby.  If you’d like to explore the greater area, Lake Tahoe skiing and sightseeing, historic Gold Rush towns, antique shops, and several wineries are all close, along with a variety of restaurants, shopping, and sightseeing locales.  You certainly won’t run out of things to do in this neck of the woods.

Award-Winning Architecture Meets Eco-Friendly Design

Award-Winning Architecture of Lotus Lake House

This ultra-modern, entirely “green” home was designed by award-winning architect Michelle Kaufmann and debuted on the front lawn of San Francisco’s City Hall for the 2007 West Coast Green conference in San Francisco.  The home has been featured in Sunset Magazine, Inhabitat, EcoGeek.com, and FineHomeBuilding.com.

This completely “green” contemporary house has a sleek modern design, lots of windows, and cool welcoming tones.  Wood flooring throughout is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.  The shower and bathroom flooring are made from recycled glass.  Those who are interested in reducing their vacation carbon footprint will be thrilled to learn that the home is  completely off-grid and has 145 points from “Build it Green” certification and a “Keep the Sierra Green” Certification.  Solar panels provide the energy required for radiant-floor heat, heat-pump air conditioning, and Energy Star appliances.

High-end modern furnishings compliment the Lotus Lake House

Brand new, high-end furnishings compliment this ultra-modern, eco-friendly home.

Exchange Homes Where Outdoor Meets Indoor at the Lotus Lake Home

How Your Next Vacation Could Be a Home Exchange at the Lotus Lake Home

The Lotus Lake Home in Grass Valley, California could be your next vacation destination!  With The Vacation Exchange Network, vacation and second home owners can travel affordably by swapping a stay at their home for a stay at someone else’s home.  The uniqueness of our Network is that you can exchange when and where you want, without having to find someone to use your home.  If you stay at someone else’s home, and they aren’t interested in your home, they receive an Exchange Credit, which they can use for a future home exchange.  Our home exchange coordinators can help you arrange your next home swap.  If you are not already a member of The Vacation Home Exchange Network, join our home swap program today!  Membership is free for the first year!