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Post by jcjflorida on Jul 26, 2007 11:07:27 GMT -5
Has anyone ever participated in a home exchange? I have always been intrigued with the idea but I don't know anyone who has actually ever done it.
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Post by Anne on Jul 26, 2007 11:22:17 GMT -5
I don't know anyone either, but I know that there are companies specialized in the exchange of addresses of potential exchangers .
I guess that the more interesting one's home location is, the better offers he will receive ...
I think that this requires quite a good organization, but I find the idea rather appealing .
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Jul 26, 2007 12:26:02 GMT -5
At first it sounds very appealing, but I would be a bit concerned about the details - such as security in the event of damage (not to mention theft!), etc. I will be interested to hear how others' experiences have been, and how they handled such issues, because if it could be made to work it could be a really great deal.
Perhaps this just means we need to make more friends in the places we would like to visit, so that we can then trade? In fact, we could do three-way or four-way (or more!) trades -- Argentina/Australia/France/UK/US -- sort of "musical houses"!
Ooops! Forgot to include DK and CZ (sorry, Gitte and Tereza!)
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Post by Ray(aka) tripnebraska on Jul 26, 2007 12:42:13 GMT -5
jcj,
Can I interest you in exchanging a week in Florida in Feb. for one one in Beautiful Nebraska? I'm sure you would love our ice scraping and snow shoveling. You could quickly become an expert in the finer points of wind chill factor. lol
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Post by jcjflorida on Jul 26, 2007 13:39:47 GMT -5
Ray, ok, you might have a little bit of a challange finding just the right taker for your particular location. My experiences with shoveling and wind chill are what brought me to the Sunshine state. But who knows, there might be someone, somewhere that has always wanted to go to Nebraska. I did drive through it once....
Becky, those particulars that you mentioned are the things that I also always wondered about. The musical house idea sounds good!
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Post by GitteK on Jul 26, 2007 13:43:43 GMT -5
Well, the next obvious step would be that we ask Master Truffaut to create a special section for advertising our homes for exchange with other OurParis members ! (And I am in fact not joking, for a change)
>>OurParis Home Exchange<<
Becky, that way you would not have to worry about theft or damages.
Ray, if you would like to come and live for a couple of weeks with my hubby and son (AND do the cooking AND the laundry) - I would LOVE a few relaxed snowed-in winterdays in a Nebraska log-cabin, with a good bottle of whisky (or two....), a BIG FAT crime novel (or two....) and plenty of wood for the fireplace !
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Post by Ray(aka) tripnebraska on Jul 26, 2007 14:43:13 GMT -5
Gitte,
Our Nebraska home is not exactly a log cabin, but does have a nice fireplace to curl up with a good book and a better whiskey. However, it also includes two hound dogs, that require frequent head petting.
Maybe with the musical houses concept, Sandy might want to visit a Danish farm, and I could try Argentina.
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Post by sistereurope on Jul 26, 2007 14:44:12 GMT -5
I'd be happy to swap with anyone who wants to visit Baltimore and Washington...as long as you agree to feed my husband's chickens and water his garden  |
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Jul 26, 2007 15:10:03 GMT -5
Gitte - that's actually an intriguing idea, although I wouldn't suggest that it be part of the board that's available to guests (maybe I'm overcautious, but there you go . . .)
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Post by iank9 on Jul 26, 2007 15:53:27 GMT -5
OK, here goes the big sell!  Location: Wherever you would like (This one outside of Chantilly) Minimum maintenance, includes electric and running water (when connected) Will swap for large pad somewhere away from this rain!! ;D Any takers? On a serious note a few weeks ago we got on chatting to an American couple from San Jose? who had swapped their house via an agency in York with a couple from Helmsley in the North Yorkshire Moors. The swap was for three weeks and this was their 3rd swap, apparently all without incident. I would agree though, site security would be paramount. Now, really seriously, do I have any takers -the dog is optional! |
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Post by Truffaut on Jul 26, 2007 17:26:53 GMT -5
Ian, it's so nice the way your vehicle and the stripe on the pull-out tent are color-coordinated ;D
Don't knock Nebraska too much. I do believe that is the only place in the US that Kasthor has visited!
And finally, I do know several people who've exchanged homes and they've all been rather pleased. I don't think I'd be comfortable doing it, but to each his own!
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Jul 26, 2007 17:37:03 GMT -5
Sandy - in the US there is a children's game called "musical chairs" where a tune is playing and everyone must walk in a row around the exterior of a circle of chairs (with one less chair than the number of children). When the music ends (interrupted abruptly by whoever is running the game), everyone must grab a chair and sit down - whoever does not get a chair is eliminated, another chair is removed, and the process starts over.
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Post by Anne on Jul 27, 2007 0:46:25 GMT -5
We also do have the same game of "chaises musicales" I agree with Becky on the fact that IF we ever try something like that, it should be among regulars only since we don't have here any of the legal stuff that I assume the specialized companies provide (contracts, insurances, ...) . I think that such an exchange would be quite difficult for a family who doesn't speak the local language at all . I mean, what if they have any problem, like need a plumber, or something that they simply don't understand ? Neighbours don't necessarily speak any foreign language to be able to help them . OK, so who would like a house in a dead countryside, not very interesting area, but close to Luxembourg, Belgium and Germany, Paris 2 hrs by TGV (and of course Alsace 2hrs drive  ) ? Gitte, I do not intend to spend my holidays pampering your husband and grown-up son . Ian, I have not camped since I was a student and don't intend to to go back to that . Sandy, I don't mind a crowded appartment (my house isn't beautiful anyway), but I suspect that each one of us may want to stay at the other's place during the other's summer ... Now, has anyone got a penthouse in Manhattan ? ;D |
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Post by iank9 on Jul 27, 2007 1:32:13 GMT -5
Truffaut: Thank you, yes the colours were chosen to match! ;D The car is coloured "Merlot" and the awning "Bordeaux"!!!!! I kid you not! Sandy: Is the weather in Buenos Aries good at the moment......... Anne: Please, we are not "paysans". We don't do camping! We caravan! ;D Karen wouldn't be w/o her en-suite facilities! Also last year we had a week in the Champagne Ardennes at a village called Buzancy, nr Stenay, and found the countryside, particulaly around the Meuse very picturesque, and very close to Luxembourg! Is that near you? |
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Post by Anne on Jul 27, 2007 1:42:56 GMT -5
I had a look at Viamichelin (great tool BTW) . We are 125 kms East of Buzancy . I agree that the Meuse countryside is very pretty, but we are in the Moselle .
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Post by kasthor on Jul 27, 2007 2:40:12 GMT -5
Don't knock Nebraska too much. I do believe that is the only place in the US that Kasthor has visited! are you talking about ME?? The only place of the US I've seen (visited is not quite the word) is Miami Airport, waiting for the next flight to Mexico in... 1982... But to the topic if someones wants a 30sqm appartment with a 2sqm kitchen just 5 minutes away from Montparnasse, I'd be very happy to make an exchange... Well maybe not as a houseman in denmark but for the rest we can negociate. Ian, I take the dog and the car, you can have metro and RER! |
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Post by goldenmama on Jul 27, 2007 4:11:10 GMT -5
;DThanks for the early morning laugh, Ian!
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Post by Shoesy on Jul 27, 2007 4:44:00 GMT -5
I would swap that darling dog of yours for my cats Muffy and Cinnamon any day. Not only do I ADORE dogs, but I'm not crazy about the way my cats sometimes scratch and bite me. Don't get me wrong, though, I still love them. A mommy's love is supposed to be unconditional, right? ;D (The reason I was never able to own a dog is the fact that I spend so many weeks in the States during the summer, and I wouldn't have the heart to leave a pooch in a kennel........or the money, either.)
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muffya
Junior Member
Posts: 84
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Post by muffya on Jul 27, 2007 13:11:40 GMT -5
I think I would have a hard time as well enticing anyone to come to Fresno. Yes, its in California, but in the middle of farmland. Its only going to be 102 degrees today (38 C). Cooled off a bit from yesterday. We are only 1.5 from Yosemite, 3 hours from San Francisco, 2.5 hours from Monterey or Cambria and 4 hours from LA! Bottom line: we are located near nothing. Great place to raise a family, lousy place to be a tourist.
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Jul 27, 2007 13:19:07 GMT -5
Muffya, if you were an agent doing a listing for your house, you would describe it as "near Yosemite," with "view of mountains" and "easy drive to" all the other cities you listed!
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hahahha
Dec 28, 2015 10:42:56 GMT -5
Let the riot begin! LOL - bit.do/proboards This forum is not safe anymore!!! Download file and kill it 
hahahha
Dec 28, 2015 10:42:56 GMT -5