Last spring when my daughter, Michele, registered for semester abroad in Oxford, England, I did what any self-respecting parent would do. I began planning a trip for my husband and I to visit her. We dreamed of adding Ireland to the itinerary and since my family has completed 13 home swaps in 12 years, it was automatic for me to turn to HomeExchange.com and have a look at more than 500 home swaps available in Ireland.
Morning in Kinsale, Ireland.
I e-mailed about six swap prospects; a favorite was located in what looked like a perfect Irish village named Kinsale.
My first e-mail flew across the pond to Ireland on April 22. Follow the e-mail stream below to see how the quickly dreams can come true.
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April 22, 2012
Hello from Sunny Southern California,
The countryside of Kinsale looks magical.
We are a family of experienced home exchangers who live in San Diego, California. We have a comfortable and spacious home with 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. You’ll enjoy the view of the San Diego Bay from our deck! Our home is five minutes from the ocean.
My husband, Stan, and I hope to exchange with you this fall. Stan works in real estate investment and I am a writer who blogs about home exchanging: www.HomeExchangeExpert.com
Fall in San Diego has many benefits: the weather is usually sunny and mild – in fact October is one of the sunniest months of the year.
Please look at our listing and let me know if you are interested.
Cheers,
Shelley Miller
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April 22, 2012
Shelley many thanks for your enquiry, I would love to do a swap & our home in Kinsale is available!
Is it possible to do a non-simultaneous swap? My daughter Amy (22) & her girlfriend will be in California in August & are looking to stay in San Diego for a week.
You are welcome to stay in our home longer.
Louise
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The guest room I offered to the visiting Irish lassies.
April 23, 2012
Hi Louise,
Oh, this sounds exciting!
Yes, we will be here in August. We would be happy to provide a hospitality exchange for your daughter and her friend. Look at the photos of our family room on the lower level of our home. It has two twin beds, a private bath, a small refrigerator and it’s own entrance.
Cheers,
Shelley
PS What brings Amy and her friend to the U.S.? Are they just coming for a holiday? Do they plan to visit other places?
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April 24, 2012
Shelley,
A hospitality exchange for Amy & Rachel would be perfect, thanks so much.
Your family area downstairs is perfect.
Amy is in her final year of college (well week actually!). She is going to Palo Alto for a few weeks then Huntington Beach and was hoping to head to San Diego & LA for the last few days.
Oh to be young again!
Look forward to hearing back from you.
Louise
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April 24, 2012
Hi Louise,
OK! Amy and Rachel are confirmed. As we get closer to August we can adjust dates as needed. From one mother to another, feel secure that Amy & Rachel will have a clean, comfortable and safe home to stay in. Our daughter, Michele, will enjoy getting to know the girls. I’m certain their Irish brogues will be a big hit!
As far as our visit to Kinsale, our travel dates have not yet been worked out. Michele will be attending university in Oxford this fall. We plan to visit her and then hop over to Ireland.
If you’re OK with the idea that our dates to Ireland will be settled sometime in the future, we are good to go!
Best,
Shelley
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Home Exchange Deal Done!
Two days. Louise and I worked out our agreement in two days! I’m still amazed at how quickly it came together. It’s the fastest home swap I’ve ever arranged.
Do you think our swap will be a success? Tune in to my blog next week and find out what happened when Amy and Rachel arrived in San Diego.
Your Turn
How long does it usually take you to schedule a home swap? Share your story and comment below.
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