This year I found another points-based home exchange for our annual December holiday visit with family. Like last year, this swap was done using the Love Home Swap exchange network. I continue to enjoy the points-based system as a good alternative to simultaneous swaps. In spite of diligent searches on several home exchange websites the past two years, I’ve been unable to find simultaneous exchange partners over the holidays near our family. So I’ve been very happy with the points-based alternatives.
Our home for the holidays
This year we swapped with a woman who has a lovely house in Dana Point, overlooking the ocean. Initially she was considering a simultaneous home exchange to spend her holiday in our house. But a friend invited her to take a Christmas trip to Portugal and so she ended up offering us the house for points instead.
The house was across the street from this lovely view
I’ve already written about my pre-swap fears around this exchange with an inexperienced swapper who was a less than stellar communicator. But it all worked out very well in the end.
We had a big house (3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, plus a huge office I used to get some work done), with a weight room, gourmet kitchen, and gorgeous backyard. And of course we were a short walk from the beach.
We liked the area so much I’m hoping that next year’s holiday exchange will be in this same area. Maybe I’ll be able to convince the owner of this house to spend next year in my home for a simultaneous exchange.
