Frequently Asked Questions

1. I have registered but i don't know how to list my property

After your registration you have received from us a message with all important information concerning your account.  PLEASE DO NOT DISCARD THAT MESSAGE.  It is important for you to read it.  It also gives you step-by-step instructions about listing your accommodation at our site. If you did not receive that message, please make sure to adjust your Spam filter to accept messages from info@exchangezones.com.

List your accommodation by following these simple steps:

1. Go to the website http://www.exchangezones.com  and click on Members (click here) in the top left corner of the page.
2. Login to your account, using your email address and password.
3. Click on "Add Property" button.
4. Enter your property description, nearby attractions, prices, and at least 4 pictures OF YOUR PROPERTY.  You can post up to 17 pictures. Please FIRST show your living room, kitchen, bedroom, etc. BEFORE posting any pictures of the area surrounding your property.
5. Select the kind of subscription that you would like to have (monthly, quarterly, or annual)
6. Click on Subscribe button to subscribe to the service and to save your listing.

2. I saved my new property listing a few days ago but I did not pay for it yet.  Where do I go to pay for it?

1. Log in to your account
2. Click on "Edit" button of the listing that you want to pay for
3. Go to the bottom of the next page that appears after you click on "Edit" button
4. Select one of the payment options close to the bottom of the page (ONLY $6.98 per month, $17.98 every three months, or $58 per year)
5. Click on "Subscribe" button below.  

3. How do I change my login ID? I have a new email address and seldom use the old one that is shown as my login.

Unfortunately it is not possible to change login ID. Even if you do not use the address any more the login must remain the same.  However, you can change your contact email address in your profile and in all your listings. See the answer to the next question for details.

4.  I changed my email address.  How do I change my contact information?

In the left column click on Members (click here) and login.  Once logged in, click on "My Profile" in the left column (forth link from the top), and in the first box at the top of the profile page delete your old email address and write your new email address.  To save the changes click on the blue <Submit> button under the profile form.

Then click at the link to "My Properties" at the top of the left column.  A page with all your properties will appear.  Click on <Edit> button of each of your properties, find the appropriate field in the form and change your email address.  Do not foreget to click on the blue <Save> button at the bottom of the page. If you did not subscribe to payments yet you will have to select subscription level and click on Subscribe button below.  

Note that you can provide different email addresses with different properties.

See also the answer to the next question.

5. How do I change information in my Membership Profile?

In the left column click on Members (click here) and login to your account. Once logged in, click on My Profile in the left column. Change the appropriate information on "Edit Profile" page and click on <Submit> button at the bottom of the page.

6. I forgot my login and password information

In the left column click on Members (click here).  At the login page click on the link forgot password?.  On the next page provide your email address and click on <Send> button.  Your login information will be delivered to your email address.  Please remember to keep your most current email address in your Membership Profile.

7.  I want to change my listing.  How to do it?

See the answer to Question 4.

8. I am having problems with my photos.  I've downloaded them but there is just a box with an "X" in where the photo should appear.  Can you assist with instructions on how to properly download them? 

Pictures of your home have to be with .jpg extension in their file name.  If they are with .bmp, .png or any other extensions in their file name they will not show on your listing. In that case you must convert your pictures to .jpg extensions.

Please also make sure that your pictures are saved for internet use and that they don't take more than 50KB of space.  Usually the pictures that are taken by today's digital cameras produce huge file sizes.  You cannot upload these files to your listing.  However, there are a number of free services on the Internet for resizing pictures.  One of them is http://www.webresizer.com/ . You can crop your picture, re-size, set the image quality, and more.  Make sure to set the lowest possible image quality (20 or 30) that still does not bring about any visible changes to your image. The width of the new size set to 400.

For a discussion of other internet tools for resizing photos go to http://www.squidoo.com/resize

Once you've done that, log in to your account, locate the listing in My Properties (see Question 3 above) and click on <Edit> button of that listing.  At the bottom of the next page ("Add your Property" page) you will see 4 empty boxes next to "Image 1:", "Image 2:", "Image 3:", "Image 4:".  Click on  <Browse> or <Choose File> button next to each empty box to locate the appropriate  picture on your computer and double-click the picture.  The address of the picture on your computer will appear in the previously empty box.  You can choose up to 4 pictures.  Once you choose them all just click on  <Save> button below.  The pictures will be downloaded from your computer to the site. Click on <Preview> button to see if pictures are showing correctly.

PLEASE NOTE:  If you upload your pictures from a tablet, or a smart phone, then you must  disable "auto-rotate screen" first.  Otherwise the pictures in your listing might appear rotated to a side.

Could you post pictures for my listing?

The site is set up for everyone to upload their own pictures.  However, if you still want us to do that for you, you would have to pay $15 for that service.  If you are willing to pay please go to the page  http://www.exchangezones.com/payments.htm  and click on PayPal Payment button.  After making the payment, please send us the pictures and we will post them for you.

9. How do we find out if our area is in demand for Home Exchange by people who live in the areas where we want to stay?  What is the point of joining Home Exchange if there is no demand for our place?

You will never know if there is a demand for your area until you try. The simplest way to find it out is to sign up, provide good, interesting description of you home and your area, add pictures and any other information which may attract people to your area.  Once you join our site you can send offers to other members and see how they react.

10. I am very interested in a house swap... I will go pretty much anywhere.  I love to travel, but I was  curious how  do I check to see if anyone is interested in coming to my area without putting up a posting of my own.

Just like yourself, many of our members are open to any offers and would go anywhere.  Therefore the best way to find out who would be interested in exchanging with you is to post your own offer. The most important thing is to provide detailed and attractive description of your home, as well as attractions and activities in your area. It is also good to mention how far you are from metropolitan area  Say also a few things about yourself.  VERY important are good pictures of your home.

11. Is there a way to search for the destinations that the Home Exchange members are interested in trading for?

Yes.  Use "Reverse Search".  For more info read the answer to Question 17.

12. How do I send a message to the owner of a listing?

1. Click on "Contact Owner" button at the bottom of the listing
2. Click on "Email the Owner" button at the bottom
3. Write your message and click on "Send" button

If the listing is in category Home Exchange then you must also have a listing in Home Exchange category and be logged in to your account to be able to access contact information of that member.

13. I noticed that many listings have a link to a location being shown on Google Map.  Why my listing does not have this link?

The link to Google Map will not show if in your listing you unchecked the box with your address so as not to show your address to the public.

14. I would like to swap our home in Atlanta, Georgia for a home near Wellington, New Zealand.

Unfortunately we do not arrange for any home exchange or rentals. You have to do it on your own.  You have to search for the appropriate listing, contact the owner (or property manager) and make your own arrangements.

15. I manage several properties and I would love to have them all listed at your site but I have no time to do that.  Could you do that for me?

Yes, we can do that for a small payment.  Please contact us for details.

16. How can I make sure that people who have a posting at your website are really the owners... that is not just the con?  I would not like to leave the keys from my apartment to anyone who cannot assure me that s/he really IS the owner of the apartment/house s/he is offering and I am (supposedly) going to live in...