RoofSwappers Sound Off!
Nicole Frank is one of the leading experts of the home exchange community. Nicole has been an avid home exchanger since childhood and has completed dozens exchanges around the world with her family. Nicole’s "Key to Home Exchange" appears weekly on RoofSwap.com with do’s and don’t regarding house swapping and tips and advice on a wide array of travel topics. Have a question for Nicole or want to share some insight of your own? Visit our Member Forum section and post your comments and questions.
Dear RoofSwappers:
RoofSwap's advice column, Key to Home Exchange, answers your home swapping question each week in this space. This time I have a question for you: Have you checked out RoofSwap's Forum section yet? You can get to the Forum from your RoofSwap account page by clicking on the Forum box on the lower right of the screen. You can also reach the Forum from this link: http://www.roofswap.com/index.php/forums
The Forum is where RoofSwappers answer each other's questions and sound off about things that concern them in our home exchange community. It's open to everyone who registers at RoofSwap.com.
MOST POPULAR FORUM TOPIC
RoofSwappers have a lot of questions and interesting suggestions. Which forum topic do they find most intriguing? Judging by the number of times it has been viewed, the most interesting topic is the one titled "How We Choose Among Listings". The person who originally wrote this post had this comment:
"This may not apply to everyone, but we swap so frequently, and correspond with so many possible exchangers, that I've gotten kind of ruthless about choosing offers from the website. Unless I see something extraordinarily "just where we want to be", I don't write to anyone who doesn't meet my vacation destination wish-list. "
I don't happen to agree with this statement. I have done dozens of home exchanges and I find new offers enticing for a variety of reasons. One of the things I like best about swap offers is that they may turn me on to a new area off the beaten tourist track. I would much rather get an interesting offer from a hospitable family in a location I have never heard of than a generic condo in a touristy area.
This kind of difference in views is what makes the Forum is so interesting. We have the chance to see other RoofSwappers' points of view, what issues concern them and what questions they have. Some RoofSwappers have been prolific in helping new members by sharing the benefit of their superior home exchange experience.
THE FORUM CAN BE A SWAPPER'S BEST REFERENCE
One helpful and prolific Forum participant calls him/herself "Mayumi & Mike". Here is the reasoned reply Mayumi & Mike give to that popular forum post from the "ruthless" swapper:
"I agree insofar as not initiating correspondence with people who aren't in the exact locations that are of interest to us. On the other hand, I think it's quite inconsiderate to fail to respond to each inquiry. That leaves the requester wondering exactly what their status may be not to mention being a breach of etiquette."
This is a considerate swapper. Whether or not I agree with her statement, I would consider exchanging with this couple based solely on the point of view they express in this, and other, Forum posts. Because Forum posts don't link to RoofSwap members' listings I am not sure of Mayumi & Mike's RoofSwap listing, but a quick search for "Mayumi" as a keyword in the RoofSwap listing search showed exactly one result. This might be that person's listing, in sunny Hawaii: http://www.roofswap.com/index.php/listing/images/216731
I'm not planning to visit Hawaii again soon but if I were I would be eager to contact Mayumi and Mike, based on the hospitality and generosity they show in their Forum posts. You may not have home exchange references, but if you contribute to our forum you can be sure that other RoofSwappers will notice what you have to say. You may find RoofSwappers reaching out to request a swap with you based solely on your participation in the Forum.
Check out RoofSwap's Forum today at http://www.roofswap.com/index.php/forums
Happy RoofSwapping!
Nicole Frank,
Your Key to Home Exchange
