Home swaps off the beaten path

"You have to be a little more proactive in sending out inquiries," Kushins said. "If you're enthusiastic and descriptive about the benefits and what there is to do where you live, you're going to get some responses."

Atwater said openness to different locations is helpful when looking to try a home swap. She readily admits that the Tulsa area is not a top vacation destination, but she also said she and her husband agreed to go to a part of England they had never considered.

"I'm not sure I would ever have chosen Lancaster to go to, but it became a wonderful jumping off point for us. We went to Wales and Ireland and Scotland," she said.

Graham Brandwood, the owner of the Lancaster home where the Atwaters stayed in the summer of 2003, said he was originally looking for a place in the Rocky Mountains when he was planning a special vacation for his daughters, then 16 and 18, after they had each finished important exams at school.

In the end, though, Brandwood said he was happy with the way the vacation ended up. Sperry, he said, is a small town and "not even a very charming one," but having already visited big American cities like Chicago and New York, he was tickled when he walked into a bank and the teller had never seen a traveler's check before.

"The girls got to see a slice of normal America, the real America," Brandwood said. "And I think it was better for them."

The Atwaters even had horses for his riding-fanatic daughters.

"Everybody was happy," Brandwood said. "Nancy and Mike were convinced they'd had the best deal but I knew we'd had the best deal."

The relationship between the two families ended up included Atwater's sister, Sue, who befriended Brandwood and his daughters during their stay and has visited them in England. When Brandwood returned to the U.S. last year to hike the Appalachian Trail, she dropped him off at the start and picked him up at the other end.

Those unfamiliar with home swapping may think it strange that swappers trust complete strangers to stay in their homes. But Shockey and Atwater said that they are in touch with their fellow swappers by phone and email for a few months and feel almost as if they know them by the time the swap takes place.

Home exchange Web sites generally don't have any official screening process, but profiles often reflect the number of swaps done so potential exchangers can ask for references. In addition, there are usually sections for comments - much like those for sellers and buyers on the online auction site eBay.

Kushins' site also provides template agreements that he encourages swappers to sign to avoid misunderstandings about whether food can be eaten and should be replaced, whether appliances can be used, how to care for plants and pets, among other topics.

But what about liability if someone falls down the stairs?

"In general, your homeowner's insurance covers anyone on a home exchange, just as it would cover any other guest in your home," Kushins said. And the same goes for auto insurance, he said, but it is a good idea to check with your insurer.

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