July 6, 2010: House swapping

>> THE ART OF BARTERING

HAS SEEMINGLY BEEN AROUND

FOR EVER.

BUT WITH THE RECESSION, IT

HAS FOUND A BOOMING NEW

HOME ON THE INTERNET.

THIS SUMMER MORE AND MORE

VACATIONERS ARE SWAPPING

OUT.

JARED BOWEN HAS MORE.

>> CHRIS LOVES TO TRAVEL.

IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, SHE

HAS GONE ON VACATION 12

TIMES.

>> ITALY, COSTA RICA,

HAWAII, A COUPLE TIMES IN

THE NAPA VALLEY AREA, AND

SAN DIEGO.

>> Reporter: AND SHE

DOES IT ON THE CHEAP.

INSTEAD OF PAYING FOR

HOTELS, SHE SWAPS HER

DOWNTOWN BOSTON APARTMENT

WITH ANOTHER VACATIONER

LOOKING TO SAVE MONEY.

>> I SAVE ON EACH VACATION

AT LEAST $2,000, $2500 IN

HOTEL COSTS WE HAVE SAVED

BY DOING THIS EXCHANGE.

>> Reporter: HERE IS HOW

IT WORKS: FOR ABOUT $100,

YOU REGISTER WITH A

WEBSITE LIKE

HOMECHANGE.COM.

AND CHOOSE FROM THOUSANDS

OF SWAPPERS, COORDINATE

DATES AND THEIR HOME IS

YOURS.

>> YOU GET REQUESTS FROM

ALL OVER THE WORLD.

THERE ARE PLACES YOU NEVER

WOULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT

GOING TO.

THERE IT IS ITE ON YOUR

DOORSTEP, A BEAUTIFUL

HOME, WHY NOT GO?

>> Reporter: ONE REASON,

THE THOUGHT OF A COMPLETE

STRANGER ALONE IN YOUR

HOME.

>> THE CONCERN OF PEOPLE

GOING THROUGH OUR DRAWERS,

AND WE KEEP SOME CLOTHES

HERE -- THAT DOES CROSS

OUR MINDS.

THEY CAN TAKE EVERYTHING

YOU OWN.

I'VE CERTAINLY THOUGHT

ABOUT THAT.

HOME EXCHANGE IS A TRUST

FACTOR.

YOU'VE GOT TO TRUST THE

PERSON YOU'RE DEALING

WITH.

>> Reporter: IF TRUST

ISN'T ENOUGH, STAYEN SAYS

THE REVIEWS LEFT BY

PREVIOUS EXCHANGERS ARE

HELPFUL, TOO.

>> YOU CAN GO AND SEE IF

THERE ARE ANY

RECOMMENDATIONS OR EVEN

BAD COMPLAINTS ABOUT

PEOPLE'S EXPERIENCES WITH

THAT EXCHANGER.

>> Reporter: SO FAR,

STAYEN SAYS SHE HAS NO

REGRETS.

JUST GOOD MEMORIES.

>> JOINING ME NOW IS

"GREATER BOSTON"

CONTRIBUTOR KRIS

FRIESWICK.

>> HI.

>> I HAVE TO SAY SOME OF

THE CONCERNS JARED BROUGHT

UP ARE MY CONCERNS.

I'VE NEVER DONE A HOUSE

SWAP, BUT WHEN I THINK

PEOPLE LOOKING THROUGH MY

BOOKS, MAYBE BREAKING MY

DISHES -- NOT EVEN IF THEY

WOULD MEAN TO.

HOW DO THE HOUSE SWAP

EXCHANGES GET PEOPLE TO

GET OVER THAT?

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THEY

INITIALLY ENCOURAGE

MEMBERS TO DO IS FORM A

RELATIONSHIP WITH THE

SWAPPER.

GENERALLY THE WAY THEY

WORK IS YOU'RE DOING A

SIMULTANEOUS SWAP.

SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN

YOUR HOUSE WHILE YOU'RE IN

THEIR HOUSE.

SO IT IS A CERTAIN AMOUNT

OF DAYTON, I'M NOT GOING

TO MESS UP MY HOUSE IF YOU

DON'T MESS UP MY HOUSE.

AND YOU'RE BOTH GETTING

HOME AT THE SAME TIME.

YOU'RE BOTH GOING TO KNOW

WHO WAS THERE.

IT'S NOT LIKE WHICH OF THE

FIVE GUESTS WHO HAVE BEEN

THROUGH MY HOUSE IN THE

LAST MONTH IS THE PERSON

WHO BROKE THAT DISH.

YOU KNOW IMMEDIATELY YOU

DID IT.

THERE ARE A LOT OF

SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE.

BUT THE PRIMARY ONE AS THE

PERSON IN THAT PACKAGE

SAID, YOU DO DEVELOP A

CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TRUSTS.

THE TRACK RECORD ON THESE

WEBSITES ARE VERY, VERY

GOOD.

OF COURSE, THEY WON'T GO

INTO THE HUGE HORROR

STORIES THAT IF YOU PROBE

DEEP ENOUGH ARE OUT THERE,

BUT BY AND LARGE, MOST OF

THE PEOPLE HAVE HAD VERY

POSITIVE EXPERIENCES.

AT THE VERY WORST, YOU MAY

GET INTO A HOUSE THAT

DOESN'T LOOK AT FABULOUS

AS IN THE PHOTOGRAPH.

BUT IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF

THINGS, IT'S NOT THAT BAD.

AND THINGS DO GET BROKEN.

WE BREAK THINGS EVERY DAY

LIVING IN A HOUSE.

WEAR AND TEAR IS PART OF

LIVING IN A HOUSE.

THERE ARE SAFEGUARDS BUILT

IN FOR SOME OF THE

SITES -- THEY OFFER

INSURANCE THAT YOU CAN

BUY, SO IF SOMETHING

HAPPENS THAT EITHER YOU

CAUSED OR A GUEST HAS

CAUSED, THE INSURANCE WILL

REIMBURSE THE HOMEOWNER.

AND THERE ARE ALSO

AGREEMENTS THAT YOU SIGN

WITH YOUR SWAPPER, WHERE

YOU BASICALLY AGREE TO DO

CERTAIN THINGS OR NOT DO

CERTAIN THINGS.

THERE ARE CERTAIN

MECHANISMS IN PLACE TO

TAKE THE CREEPINESS OUT OF

IT A LITTLE BIT.

>> WHAT IF YOU'RE IN IT'S

SITUATION WHERE YOU HAVE A

GREAT HOUSE, AND YOU LEAVE

AND YOU SWAP WITH

SOMEBODY, AND THEY'RE

GETTING WHATEVER -- LET'S

SAY A BEAUTIFUL, FOUR

BEDROOM CONDO IN BOSTON,

AND YOU LAND AT THEIR

HOUSE AND YOU THINK THIS

IS NOT -- THIS IS NOT

EQUIVALENT, AND YET WE'RE

TRADING THEM EQUIVALENTLY.

>> THESE SITES ARE VERY

MUCH LIKE DATING SITES.

NOT TO BE --

>> THAT'S A LITTLE SCARY.

>> NOT TO BE TOO SHALLOW,

BUT LIKE GENERALLY FINDS

LIKE.

THE SUPER MODEL IS RARELY

GOING TO DATE THE TROLL.

YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO

BE OUT THERE LOOKING FOR

HOMES THAT ARE FROM LEVEL

THAT YOU WANT.

YOU MIGHT GO DOWN A LITTLE

IF THE HOME IS IN A

PARTICULAR FABULOUS AREA

AND YOU NEED IT FOR THAT

WEEK, AND NO OTHER HOMES

IN THAT AREA ARE

AVAILABLE.

THERE ARE SO MANY OF THESE

SITES AVAILABLE NOW, AND

MEMBERSHIP IS GROWING SO

RAPIDLY, THE CHANCES OF

YOU FINDING A PLACE

COMPARABLE TO THE ONE THAT

YOU OWN ARE VERY HIGH.

>> I'M WONDERING IF HOME

SWAPPING IS LIMITED A

LITTLE BIT TO PEOPLE WHO

LIVE IN REALLY CENTRAL

LOCATIONS.

TO NEW YORK CITY, BOSTON,

MAYBE TO PLACES LIKE VALE

OR BAR HARBOR.

A PLACE THAT IS CLEARLY A

RESORT OR CLEARLY A CITY.

IF YOU LIVED IN SOME

BOSTON SUBURB THAT IS,

LET'S SAY, 40 MINUTES

OUTSIDE OF BOSTON, WOULD

ANYBODY WANT TO SWAP WITH

YOU IF THERE IS NOTHING

PARTICULAR TO DO IN THE

TOWN?

>> YES.

BECAUSE YOU NEVER REALLY

KNOW WHY SOMEONE WANTS TO

TRAVEL TO YOUR AREA.

YOU MAY THINK, I LIVE IN

THE MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY,

IN VERMONT.

WHO WOULD WANT TO SWAP

WITH ME.

WELL, SOMEBODY WHO LIVES

IN PARIS AND HASN'T SEEN

THE SKY WITHOUT SMOG IN IT

FOR THE PAST TWO AND A

HALF YEARS WOULD

DEFINITELY LIKE SOME CLEAN

AIR IN VERMONT.

THAT'S THE NICE THING

ABOUT HOME SWAPPING.

YOU'RE STEPPING INTO

SOMEBODY ELSE LIFE.

YOU'RE NOT IN A HOTEL.

YOU'RE IN SOMEBODY'S

NEIGHBORHOOD, THE

NEIGHBORS' ARE GOING TO

COME OVER AND INTRODUCE

THEMSELVES.

YOU NEVER REALLY KNOW WHAT

THE OTHER SWAPPER IS

LOOKING FOR.

ESPECIALLY IN THE

METROPOLITAN BOSTON AREA.

WE HAVE SUCH GOOD PUBLIC

TRANSPORTATION OUT TO 495,

EVEN IF A CAR IS NOT

AVAILABLE FOR THE PERSON

WHO IS SWAPPING HOUSES

WITH YOU, IT IS EASY TO

GET INTO THE CITY THROUGH

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

AND SO THE AREA OF

DESIRABILITY IN THE BOSTON

AREA IS VERY, VERY WIDE.

IN ADDITION, THERE ARE

ALSO A LOT OF HOSPITALS IN

BOSTON, AND HOUSE SWAPPING

IS ALSO A WAY FOR PEOPLE

WHO HAVE CHRONICALLY ILL

FAMILY MEMBERS IN BOSTON

HOSPITAL TO SAVE A BUNDLE

ON ACCOMMODATION WHILE

THEY'RE VISITING THEIR

RELATIVE.

AGAIN, YOU NEVER REALLY

KNOW WHY SOMEBODY WOULD

WANT TO PICK YOUR AREA.

BUT YOU DON'T KNOW UNLESS

YOU PUT YOUR HOME OUT

THERE.

>> IT IS INTERESTING TO

YOU, BECAUSE I ACTUALLY

NOTICED WHEN I WAS

CHECKING OUT THE HOUSE

SWAPPING WEBSITES, THERE

IS EVEN CAR SWAPPING AND

BIKE SWAPPING.

SO I GUESS TRANSPORTATION

CAN POTENTIALLY BE PART OF

THE PACKAGE?

>> EXACTLY.

A ROT OF THE SWAPS MAKE

PREARRANGEMENTS SO THE TWO

SWAPPERS SWAP EACH OTHER'S

CARS.

YOU CAN USE MY CAR AND I

CAN USE YOUR CAR.

OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE

INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

THERE.

YOU WOULD NOT WANT TO DO

THAT UNLESS YOU MADE SURE

EVERYBODY WAS PROPERLY

INSURED UNDER BOTH

POLICIES.

I HAVE HEARD OF PEOPLE WHO

DO PET SWAPPING, AND

YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE

CARE AND FEEDING OF THAT

ANIMAL.

AS LONG AS EVERYBODY IS

AWARE OF WHAT THEY'RE

WALKING INTO, THESE THINGS

WORK OUT REALLY WELL.

SOME PEOPLE SAY IT IS

REALLY FUN TO TAKE CARE OF

A PET.

>> AND YOU'VE SEEN THE

WHOLE IDEA OF HOUSE

SWAPPING BECOME A LOT MORE

POPULAR --

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> BECAUSE OF THE

RECESSION?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THE SWAPPING SITES ARE

REPORTING 20%, 30%

INCREASES IN MEMBERSHIP

SINCE THE RECESSION

STARTED.

AND THAT MAKES PERFECT

SENSE.

AND THEY'RE SEEING AN

INCREASE IN THE HOME

SWAPPING IN THE LUXURIOUS

HOME CATEGORY.

YOU GO TO

luxurioushomes.com AND

THESE ARE SKI LODGES IN

VALE, AND GORGEOUS PLACES,

AND YOU WOULD THINK, WHY

WOULD SOMEBODY WHO OWNS A

HOME LIKE THAT NEED TO

SWAP?

THEY COULD CERTAINLY

AFFORD A HOTEL.

GUESS WHAT, ZERO IS STILL

LESS THAN ONE.

AND IF YOU'RE WEALTHY AND

YOUR PORTFOLIO HAS TAKEN A

HIT BECAUSE OF THE

RECESSION, WHY NOT SAVE A

LITTLE BUILT OF MONEY BY

SWAPPING WITH ANOTHER

LUXURIOUS HOMEOWNER FOR

NOTHING, AS OPPOSED TO

SHELLING OUT $10,000,

$15,000 FOR A WEEK.

>> IT'S A VERY INTERESTING

IDEA, AND IT MAKES SENSE,

IN A WAY, WHILE YOU'RE

AWAY, SOMEBODY MIGHT AS

WELL BE IN YOUR HOUSE AND

YOU BE IN YOURS.

>> AND THE KEY BEING,

SOMEBODY THAT YOU'VE

ESTABLISHED A RELATIONSHIP

WITH THROUGH

CORRESPONDENCE, E-MAIL.

A LOT OF SWAPPERS MEET

BEFORE THEY DO THE SWAP.

ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE

PARTICULARLY SKITTISH

ABOUT HAVING SOMEBODY THEY

DON'T KNOW IN THEIR HOUSE.

A LOT OF THE SWAPPING

RELATIONSHIPS CONTINUE ON

FOR MANY YEARS.

THEY SWAP WITH EACH OTHER

OVER THE YEARS AND DEVELOP

GREAT FRIENDSHIPS OVER

TIME.

>> GREAT.

KRIS FRIESWICK, THANK YOU

SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WHEN WE CONTINUE, THE

M.I.T. PROGRAM, FINDING

THE SCIENTISTS OF THE

FUTURE.