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We have received a home exchange agreement from a member in Manhattan who has arranged a home swap with Intervac members who live in a seaside home in Nice. The home trade will last about three weeks.
The American family in NYC have a flat in the East Village, a trendy area in
lower Manhattan. They have never done a home exchange before. The French family have done a home exchange before, and this time wanted to go to a city where there is "great art". New York City would definitely qualify!
This is a very exciting news piece that I didn't want to mention until it broadcast. I have been working with NBC Miami for about a month: they wanted to feature a home exchange that was in progress in the US. I was able to put them in touch with two Intervac members who were doing an exchange last week.
One member, based in South Florida, traded homes with a couple in North Carolina for a week. The reporter for NBC Miami, Willard Sheppard, interviewed both sets of exchangers while they were doing the exchange.
Yours truly (Jessica Jaffe) was interviewed as well.
Remember the Vienna summerhouse we profiled? One of our members has just let us know that they have signed an agreement to swap their San Diego home for it.
The US members own this three bedroom, three bath home in a suburb of San Diego. The home is near the San Diego Zoo and just a few miles away from the beach. The home exchange will be for three weeks, and the agreement mentioned that both parties will feed a cat and a fish.
This story in today's USA Today offers alternative accomodations in Europe, since the dollar is so weak, and recommends home exchanging. Intervac US is mentioned, which is great.
Doing a home exchange in Europe this summer could save you at least $3000 (for a couple staying in Europe in an averaged priced hotel for 2 weeks) and up to $5,600 (for a family of four).
With an influx of Europeans coming to America to take advantage of the low dollar, it is a perfect time to try a home exchange.
The owners of this three bedroom, two bathroom holiday villa in Tahiti are looking to swap homes with members in the US Southwest in July. The home has its own private swimming pool, a 180 degree view of the ocean and a beautiful lanai area to enjoy the sunsets.
Tahitian weather is delightful in July - trade winds keep the temperature from getting too hot. July is also when the Heiva i Tahiti festivities occur - these celebrations are somewhat similar to Carnival in Rio.
So if you are an Intervac member in the US Southwest, this could be a great home swap opportunity...
The owners of this summer house, outside of Vienna, are looking to trade homes with an Intervac member in the US Southeast for a home exchange in June or July 2005. The Viennese retreat offers four bedrooms, a private swimming pool and sauna, and proximity to the city, golf courses as well as the nearby forest. Three bikes are included.
If you are a member located in the US Southeast (Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, etc), this could be a wonderful property for you to swap with.
This excellent story, featured in Travel +Leisure Family, tells BOTH sides of a home exchange arranged through Intervac. The home exchange was a San Francisco Bay Area - London trade. Both people who exchanged are journalists (at the New York Times and BBC, respectively) .
This story helps to explain what a home exchange is, how you go about getting one, and what the home swap is actually like while you are there, from both points of view. We are particularly tickled by this quote:, from Martin Rosenbaum of the BBC:
"Through the agency Intervac, we've always found what we've wanted—or it's found us."
One of our Danish members live in the Copenhagen-area home pictured. They have done one home exchange already, and are looking to spend their summer vacation in Chicago, among other destinations. They are a family of five, and their home has 4 bedrooms, a secluded garden and is near the sea.
Copenhagen is a charming city, with canals, narrow streets, and pretty houses. Its most famous resident
was Hans Christian Andersen, whose memory still lives on with the famous "Little
Mermaid" statue in Copenhagen's harbor.
If you are a Chicago member, this could be a great home swap possibility for you...
I had a question today from a prospective member who wondered whether Intervac members are allowed to misrepresent their property.
We require everyone who joins Intervac to represent their property honestly. The photo and description members give must be accurate. It is very rare that we receive complaints that someone was not honest about their listing, and those complaints are relatively minor (like a TV not working).
Still, we take complaints very seriously, and if we find someone has misrepresented their property, we will expel them from Intervac.
