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Please view the following helpful information

What type of homes are offered for exchange?

Global Home Exchange offers range from one bedroom apartments, condos, time shares, flats, cottages, villas, houses of all sizes, shapes and colors to luxury home swaps.

What is the difference between an open contact system and a closed membership club?

Global uses an "open contact system". All visitors are welcome to search our listings and contact any lister regarding a home exchange or vacation rental.

The advantage to an "open contact system" is that listers can be contacted for an exchange by other Global listers, by visitors to our site and by members of any other home exchange club.

Closed membership sites allow visitors limited access to view listings and information, but in order to contact a lister, one is required to be a paying member. Therefore a lister with a closed home exchange site can only receive contacts from other members of that site. Members of other clubs and visitors to a closed site can not access contact information unless they become a member.

Ideas on how to arrange a home exchange

List your own home - A listing is an advertisement. You are telling others that you are interested in receiving home exchange offers. You interest others and attract responses by what you say in your listing. We recommend that you include photos with your listing. Then describe some of the tourist and community interests in your area followed by a little about your home and family. You can share more information directly with those who respond. Many feel their own home is not good enough to exchange when compared to the quality of many homes offered. All that most travelers want is a home exchange base that's clean, comfortable and convenient.

How do I make the first contact?

Email as many prospective exchanges as appeal to you. If you are only responding to others listings and do not have your own home listed, don't get discouraged. Many people looking for home exchanges send out numerous inquiries. The more you send out, the greater your opportunities of finding an exchange.

Please place the words "home exchange" in the subject line of your email. Please do not send attachments with your initial email. Most people do not open attachments from someone they don't know.

Creating the initial "sell" email

The first email you send to potential exchangers should express your tentative interest, pending further correspondence.

• Introduce your family, the ages of your children, careers, hobbies and special interests. Especially when teens and kids are involved, including a family photo is a good idea.
• Outline the advantages of your home–i.e., its proximity to tourist attractions, shopping, safe and quiet neighborhood, climate.
• Provide a description of the interior and exterior of your home. You can swap photos once you have someone indicate an interest in swapping.
• If offering a car, give the make, year and condition.
• List your preferred dates and length of exchange. The more flexible you are, the better your chances.
• Be honest.

Do I need to accept an offer for a home exchange?

As a lister you are free to choose. Many of our listers receive many offers for exchange. As an example, we received over 20 offers to our listing.. One lister from London indicated that each year she receives well over 100 inquiries to arrange an exchange. Sometimes it takes a few emails requesting further information before one can make a decision. Please be courteous and answer all inquiries. Some people wait for a response to their home exchange offer before looking elsewhere and it gives them opportunity to still find another exchange partner if you are not interested. Some of these initial contacts may very well be future home exchanges for you. Trying to find the "perfect exchange match" may reduce your chance of arranging a home exchange. Being flexible on locations, dates and accommodation will increase your chances of a good, successful trade which is all most people want.

Why list my home when I can view other's listings for free?

Travelers that both list their homes and send out emails to others listings are more successful in arranging an exchange then people who only answer others listings. We have thousands of visitors to Global each week. Some of these visitors may be seeking an exchange to your destination but will never know you are also looking for a home exchange unless they see your listing.