The Great Debate - Open or Restricted Acces Home Exchange Web-sites

We occasionally receive emails from prospective members who query why the GTI Home Exchange web-site does not allow casual browsers on the site (ie non-members) to send exploratory enquiries to members, thereby broadening their home exchange possibilities. This could be done without revealing members' personal contact information. So why not? Where's the risk?

Our view has been that by opening all our listings to the public the whole database becomes casually 'surfed' and dilutes the overall success of our members in finding an exchange. We feel that our nominal membership fee helps to ensure a participant who is seriously committed to the concept of home exchange travel, and as a result our members enjoy a very high rate of successful swaps. Our high ratio of regularly subscribing members who renew their membership year on year is evidence of this. We understand that members of clubs which are open access often have a more difficult time arranging an exchange, with the need to weed out the many responses received which are just inquisitive and exploratory, and not necessarily genuine and motivated.

However, we are always keen to listen to members' points of view and would welcome discussion on this issue.

No Internet Access - Can I still list my home for exchange

Q:Dear GTI Home Exchange

I don’t have internet access at home as yet, although we hope to set this up shortly. Is there a way I can list my home for exchange now and see other people’s listings?

hello GTI home exchange,

We have a question, is it possible to take care of a house (for instant in Italy) without exchange with our own house? Is there a list for it? Must we be a member of your organisation for this. I hope, you will soon react,
M Weeber, The Netherlands

A: You do need to have access to the internet to view listings on the GTI Home Exchange website and to be a member to see the contact information for other members in your own member area once you join, but this does not necessarily mean that you have to have access from a home computer, as there are now a number of alternatives. Many libraries provide public internet access at very low rates, some employers allow some personal surfing time at work too,
and there are also numerous internet cafes, even in the most remote locations, so check out what is available in your area. Jo Chambers (HE14242) who wrote our weblog article "Have Scooter, Will Travel”, about her trip to Australia, says “I do this in the library “, and added “I hope more people get inspired to put their experiences on line”.

GTI Home Exchange business is occasionally carried out from more remote locations if the necessity arises. In fact we are currently operating from a computer in a small village in the Creuse department of France, where we are house-sitting and looking after two lovely standard French poodles, whilst there owners are away on holiday in Dubai. (Incidentally, house-sitting is another option included on the membership form, which can be offered using the GTI Home Exchange system).

So to answer M Weeber's query from The Netherlands:
House sitting is an optionn which can be offered alone or in conjunction with other alternatives when you fill in the membership registration form. But it is not requested or offered as frequently as home exchange, so it is more difficult to set up this arrangement, especially if you are seeking a very specific location.
It is necessary to be a member to participate whether it is for home exchange or
housesitting, as by becoming a member you have access to the contact details of all other members.

Joining Green Theme International Home Exchange

QUESTION: After partially filling in your membership registration form Join Now, I intentionally stopped the exercise since I had not got photos available.
Can I register now and have my listing released and add some photos later?
Eugene Flaherty.

ANSWER: Yes, of course. You can complete your registration
without the need to go through the whole process of completing the membership application form again by pasting this URL in the address line of your browser:

http://www.gti-home-exchange.com/ihea/memberlogin.cfm

Login with your email address and the password which you
created when previously filling out the membership application form.

This will take you to your own form. Click on 'Continue' at the bottom of the form to save the details you have entered to our database, and then proceed to the payment page to complete your subscription with a secure credit card transaction.

Love is in the Air

The ever-increasing size of the home exchange community provides evidence of the fact that there are many reasons why people decide to explore the possibility of finding a 'home-from-home' with home exchange. Many people wish to trace back their family tree and explore their roots, others to visit family or friends without imposing on them (especially if their trip involves long-haul travel, and they wish to stay a little longer to make their journey worthwhile). However, with spring just around the corner, we have noticed that there is more of a romantic angle to some of the exchange requests. Two of GTI's recent members (HE16500) and HE16433 are seeking exchange offers in specific locations to attend weddings.

In the past we were even inadvertently party to some match-making - though we had no intention of being a dating agency - an American lady member met up with an old flame from the past purely by chance when on an exchange to the UK, and with both their circumstances having changed, the flame was rekindled and they married. As far as we know, their only problem was in deciding in which country to live permanently, but as far as I know they sorted the problem out by testing out locations with further home exchanges!!