If you are only interested in looking at listings where the owners have specifically listed your country as a desired destination? No problem, when you search, look in the left-hand column underneath the mini-map.

After the exchange dates, the number of bedrooms and the type of surroundings – there where I highlighted in yellow. Click the checkbox “Only show listings interested in {your_country}” As you can see, I was in Germany when I made the screenshot. When this box is checked, our search engine will only look for listings with your country in their destinations wishlist.

Want to try it yourself? Here is a link to our search page. You don’t even have to be logged in for it to work. So, have at it and let me know if you have questions in the comments section. I’ll do my best to answer them!

Filters are easy to use: Every time you click a filter label all listings which do not have that label are removed from the search results and the number of listings found count is updated. Filters are a powerful way to hone in on the perfect exchange partner especially when you are open for any country. If you don’t put any geographical informtion in the minimap (in the left-hand column of the listings search page) using only filters will return listings from around the world.

How To Add or Remove a Filter

• Just click on the filter to add it. The filter label turns blue and listings which do not have the label on them are removed and the Found Listings number is updated.
• Click the filter again to remove it. The filter label turns gray and previously removed listings are added back.

Want to know more about search filters? Have a look at our page Using Search Filters or go to our Knowledgebase for an ever-growing collection of help text and tips for using Intervac online to find your perfect house swap partner.

First, what exactly is the “main photo”? This is the photo that you want on your listing when it comes in the search results. It should be a clear and attractive photo of your home or it’s best feature (a swimming pool, the ocean view from your balcony). Your main photo should invite people to click on your listing card.

Ok, so you have a new and even more beautiful photo and you want to make it your main photo? It’s easy to do.

Step By Step

1. Begin by logging in to your account.

2. Then you want to go to the edit listing page There are two ways to get there:

   • Click on My Listings in the orange navigation.
   • Scroll down on the member overview page to your listing card and click the Edit Listing button.

3. Now you want to go to the Photos section. To get there you can:

   • Click the link in the sub-navigaion in the left-hand column.
   • Simply scroll down.

   

4. Have you already uploaded the photo you want to make your new main photo? Great!

   • If not click the “Select Images” button and click on the image you want to upload. Got it?

5. Ok, now, all you have to do is click the “image options” button as shown in the photo above and choose “use as main photo” and you’re done!

Bonus: Now, you know how to delete a photo and also how to hide it so it does not display on your listing.

That is the title of the new book, written by Gérard Bousquet a French member of Intervac. Published in May 2013 it is available for order with Intervac France at info@intervac.fr or contact form

In this book, the author tells you, with warmth and humor his numerous exchange experiences and describes in a pleasant prose, the completely fascinating lifestyle of the holiday home exchanges.

With funny, surprising, sometimes audacious but always interesting exchanges, Gérard Bousquet shares a multitude of real-life anecdotes which will arouse the interest of the novices and will amaze the most experienced.

This book is a treasure of practical tips and good advice: it will serve you as much as a guide as a reference with your friends.

To make the right choice and the right decisions, how to proceed successfully and organize your exchange, welcome and meet your guests, your stay by your correspondents, the return in your home… the implications and consequences of the exchange: everything is there.

About the Book

• Written in French language,
• 240 pages,
• published in May 2013 by Editions de l’Aube.
• Sale price reserved for Intervac members only: € 14,00
• Public retail price € 15,20)

To order your copy, please contact Intervac France at info@intervac.fr or follow this link: Commande livre sur les échanges.

I hope you will find this post helpful if you are one of the people who have asked lately:

What Do Those Badges Mean?

Platinum members have made more than 11 exchanges. Some of them way more than 11 exchanges. We have platinum members with over 100 exchanges behind them. Some have been Intervac members for many, many years.

Lucky us to have so many precious gold members. They have all made between 6 and 10 exchanges. When you talk to them you’ll discover they are enthusiastic home exchangers and have plenty of great stories to tell.

Silver members have usually been swapping thier homes for a couple of years. They have experience (3 – 5 exchanges). They have made the kinds of friends and memories that happen with home exchange.

These members have a bit of experience now and know the ropes. With 1 or 2 exchanges they have some stories and probably still have some questions.

These members are brand new to home exchange and have never swapped their house before. We appreciate their trust in our members and encourage experienced members to help out by making offers to new members.

And Our Trial Members

And these are our trial members. They are brand new and are just having a look around. The trial member badges count down the number of days left on thier trial membership. These nice people are in the decision making process and are looking for feedback, they are testing the waters and hoping for interest…

If you are already a full member and you see a trial member’s listing that you think would be just the perfect house for your next vacation, be sure to contact them. Your welcoming offer may be exactly what they need to join Intervac and become part of our international community.

Since the launch of our new system some members have mentioned really missing the information about distances to lakes or shopping when looking at the listing of a potential home exchange partner. In our new system, these are shown on the google map. Just like on this one below. Looks nice, doesn’t it?

How Come I Seldom See This on Listings?

Like lots of nice things, there is a catch.

In this case the catch is that the information in our old system was only a number which represented km of distance. Without any direction (North, West, Southwest) that number doesn’t do much to help us place a marker on a map. So, even if you had this information in the old system, you will need to login and place the markers manually to have them show on your map.

Instructions for doing this are on this page in the Knowledgebase.

This post is the first in a series of HowTo tips for getting the most of our new online system.

The hotlist is the perfect place to find a last minute house swap anywhere in the world. An entry in the hotlist is only valid for four days so the list is always current and these are all members who are actively searching for a house swap holiday within the next 8 weeks.

Where Can I See the Hotlist?

It is fully embedded in our search tool as a filter. Have a look at our search page. The filter bar looks like this:

Filters work like toggles. The grey ones are “off”. When a filter is off, it is not considered when choosing listings to be shown to you. Click a grey one and it turns blue. The blue ones are “on”.

Want to know more about the hotlist? Like how to add your listing? Have a look at our page All About the Hotlist or go to our Knowledgebase for an ever-growing collection of help text and tips for using Intervac online to find your perfect house swap partner.

Well, we rolled out an entirely re-written online system yesterday and everything did not go all that smoothly. Those of you involved in software know that existing-system re-writes are like a lot of things that look pretty simple: Absolutely not.

What I can tell you is that even though updates are being rolled out every other hour, it will probably be a couple of days until everything is up and running.

If you are one of our few member who have experienced missing favorites or problems with wrong categories on photos, we want to reassure you that these are being restored/updated continuously.

No data will be lost in the transfers from the old system.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

What better way is there to make your vacation memorable than to attend a special concert or cultural event? Below, Elegant Helsinki offers plenty to do in October.

Music and Culture – Helsinki October, 2013

5 October UMO Jazz – Ville Ja Valle – Kulttuuritalo

Ville Ja Valle is a musical for children. It is based on a classic Finnish children’s album Muusa Ja Ruusa (1972) by composer and saxophonist Eero Koivistoinen. The performance starts at 15:00 (3:00 pm) and is sure to make a special afternoon for the kids. This is a charity concert with proceeds going to New Children’s Hospital 2017 Foundation.

5 October Ane Brun at The Circus

Ane Brun -This Voice 2013 (Official Video HD) from Ane Brun on Vimeo.

In the evening, give the kids to a trusted babysitter, ask your home exchange partners to recommended one, and off you go to the opening concert of Ane Brun’s 2013 tour celebrating her new retrospective album Song 2003-2013. Tickets start at €30 and you have to be 18 years old.

Not a worry in the world. That’s what vacation is all about.

Strömming (Baltic Herring Festival) – Market Square

6-12 October Strömming – it’s the last herring catch of the year. Winter is coming and the Finns know what to do about that: Party!

Otherwise known as The Baltic Herring Festival this celebration dates back to 1743. Here are 7:34 of Strömming Festival as a little appetizer – complete with charming musical accompaniment.

Joe Bonamassa 13 October at Hartwell Areena

Let me say that again: Joe Bonamassa in Helsinki. Oh. Man.

Helsinki Open – 19-20 October

And for you romantic dance fans, The Helsinki Dance Open is just for you.

20-26 October Helsinki Book Fair

Did some one say Book Fair? Have you ever been to one? My friends who have tell me that they are a book lovers paradise. With over 700 different program events Helsinki offers something for everyone. This year, Germany is the guest country.

Dates: 24-27 October

Fleetwood Mac at Hartwall Areena – 25 October

Can’t make it to Helsinki till the end of the month? How about some Fleetwood Mac? After been 3 long, dry years for Fleetwood Mac fans, Stevie Nicks and … are back on the road and rumor has it with new songs.

There have been complaints about ticket prices (between £50 and £125), but home-exchangers won’t care as their vacation budgets are not stretched to the limit with hotel and car expenses. So, if you never caught Fleetwood Mac at home because it was just too expensive, consider it at your home away from home.

Just to whet your appitite, here is an hour long documentary: Biography: Life Story (Full Document)

The National at Helsingin Jaahalli – 31 October

Helsinki Is Looking For An Exchange

Best Home Exchange Photo

The photo category was no doubt most popular with members who took part in our 60th Anniversary competitions.

4 winners who get ½ YEAR INTERVAC 2013/14 MEMBERSHIPS are:

• Julien ANDRIEUX, France
• Guida Santos, Portugal (PTOC0710)
• Gosia Maj, Poland (PL047)
• Gitte Frende, Denmark (DK101206)

TRAVEL guides & albums go to:

• Krystyna Stanisłąw Bogdanski, Poland (PL093)
• Joanna Ossera, Poland (PL196)
• Blasa Moro Martin, Spain
• Inge Marie Hansen, Denmark (DK987225)

DISTINCTIONS go to: Marie Jedryka Andreux, Elena Diaz, Viviana Melo, Lucia Castelli, Lauren S.Kahn, Mauro Balili, Bea Froehlich and Petra Viberg

Congratulations to all of you ♥ Thank you for being such wonderful ambassadors of a home exchange idea All your photos & posts can be found on the Intervac Facebook fanpage. Do please contact your national organizors on how to collect the award.

Best Home Exchange Film/Video

½ ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP in the category FILM goes to dedicated Intervac Poland members Krystyna & Janusz Moszyński (PL025)

Congratulations! Thank you for being a fantastic Intervac ambassador and your contribution in crossing international cultural barriers. ♥

Best Home Exchange Story/Essay

3 best reports awarded with 1 YEAR 2013/14 MEMBERSHIP belong to:

• Inge Marie & John Hansen, Denmark (DK987225)
• Kurt & Gerda Schneider, Austria (AT92157)
• Molina Hernandez family, Spain

½ YEAR INTERVAC MEMBERSHIPS go to:

• Antoine Jean-Christophe, France (FR050552)
• Zofia, Stanislaw Bogdanski, Poland (PL093)

Do please contact your national organizors on how to collect your award please. Your reports can be found on new Intervac website to be launched soon www.intervac-homeexchange.com Congratulations!