OMG -

I'm not that private a person, but I would have to spend a year just CLEANING!

Well, maybe not.... but lets put it this way - my house is 45 yrs old and has, what realtors kindly call 'defferred maintenance' issues. I have done all the 'important' work, like new roofing, plumbing, electrical, new furnace and A/C over the past 6 yrs or so - but ... it's no 'vacation spot'.

the carpet was shot when i bought the house in 1994, I ripped it ALL out exposing 'cheap' hardwood floors - that are great for dogs & kids wear, but anyone else would want re-finished ( I'm not sure they're worth the trouble) or carpeted. The carpet in my 'computer room' is the only original left, and it's matted, smelly, and flat (this was where the previous owner kept their elderly dog and cat - But I have so much equipment on top, I can't take the carpet out without moving EVERYTHING out of the room!) There's alot of 'cosmetic' stuff that still needs to be done, panelling removed, walls fixed, curtains, etc and I just can't afford it all.

The one thing that WOULD make my home appealing to a vacationer, is that i would allow someone ELSE to bring their pets along. As my house is pretty 'pet-proof' , I'm not really worried about pet damage. Which is why I often volunteer to pet-sit for friends - as long as their pets get along with mine. However, I'd be willing to bet those that 'exchanged' houses on the show, did NOT have pets that stayed with the house.... I sure would NOT leave my precious babies with a stranger!

I did grow up with a neighbor once that was on such a program - but for a couple YEARS - not just for vacation -

Our neighbor was a teacher, and went to teach in South Africa for two years. They had two boys and a girl, when they left (the yoounger boy and I shared birthdates) - their youngest daughter was born in South Africa. They packed up all their 'personal' belongings (clothes, china, books, mementoes, knick knacks, pictures, toys) Some they took with them, other stuff was put in storage. They left only basic things like appliances and furniture. They signed up with a home exchange program that provided a house for them in South Africa.

A family from Sweden moved in, they had a daughter my age, who became a good friend. Her Dad was brought over to the US to train people for his company. They had put their home in Sweden into the same 'exchange' program. After our original neighbors came back to their house, the swedish family rented an apt and then bought a home in our neighborhood - they had decided to stay and became US citizens.

Both families ended up as friends!

Cool idea, but I don't know if I could do that, either!

laura