>> 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.