Collection Member Story: A Home Exchange That Changed Everything
HomeExchange Collection Member, Joan, shares her story of the exchange that changed everything. This illustrates how a home exchanges can give you a taste of living in a new part of the world - and sometimes it's so good you have to move!
"A couple of years ago, we planned a visit to see our daughter and her husband as they were expecting our first grandchild. They live in a suburb of Denver, Colorado, and both work from home. Because we didn’t want to disrupt their work routines, we decided to arrange a home exchange in Roxborough Park, just south of Denver.
It was close enough to spend plenty of time together but with enough space to give everyone breathing room. At the time, we were living in our dream waterfront home in Florida, with absolutely no plans to move. Little did we know, that home exchange in Roxborough Park would change our lives almost immediately.
The property we stayed in offered incredible views... ones that rivaled even the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. We were blown away by the stunning scenery and charm of the neighborhood. On a whim, we decided to look at a house for sale nearby, just for future reference. We figured the pull of a grandchild might eventually convince us to move a year or two after her birth.
During the showing, the realtor mentioned another home that wasn’t yet on the market. It needed work but boasted even more spectacular views. Curious, we asked to see it even though we weren’t seriously considering a move yet. The owners agreed to show it to us while they were still working to get it ready to list, scaffolding, construction materials, contractors, and all. We walked in, took one look at the view, and that was it... we were sold. We made an offer on the spot. After a bit of back and forth, we had a deal. And that’s when the real adventure began.
We flew back home, listed our waterfront property, and sold it within a week without a second thought. In just two months, we had gone from casually exploring the idea of a move sometime in the future to buying a new home and settling into our new life. And all of it happened three months before our granddaughter was even due! So much for waiting two years.
This home exchange experience truly transformed our lives. And as a bonus, we’ve become great friends with the couple we exchanged homes with who, as fate would have it, are now our neighbors. (For the record, it was a reciprocal exchange, and while they weren’t the buyers of our Florida home, they absolutely loved staying there!)"
