"HomeChat" newsletter - July '09
HomeLink News
Blonde Weekend in the Baltics
Here's a growth story that really had your editor "tickled pink".
Over the past 12 months, HomeLink Estonia has enjoyed a wonderful rise
in membership of 31%. This means that there are now nearly 40
swapping opportunities in Estonia & Finland for you to consider.
But what really caught my eye, was this
story
last month about the inaugural Blonde Weekend in Estonia's next door
neighbour, the fellow Baltic country of Latvia... designed to add some
"cheer" to the struggling local economy.
So while Estonia now has 31% more reasons to justify your seeking a home exchange in this fabulous country… well, your editor would suggest that there’s always the added incentive of a day trip to experience Latvia’s Blonde Parade on May 31 each year. After all, you’re only interested in doing your bit to boost the local economy, right?
Short Notice Adventures
Would you like to escape this winter’s chill, but despaired that you’d left it too late this year?While most HomeLinkers do prefer to begin arranging their exchanges well in advance, there are always lots of great opportunities to swap at Short Notice (ie, a start date within 8 weeks). So if you are blessed with the freedom to simply take off whenever you wish, then HomeLink’s “Short-notice List” is a must visit.
Of course, the Short-notice List is very active, so it’s a great idea to check in as often as you can to find the latest offers before they are snapped up… or run out of time!
Fortunately, there are always plenty of short notice opportunities with HomeLink. For example, as of 2 July there were 44 exchanges in the Short-notice List, specifically seeking an Aussie exchange. And a further 677 exchanges that were “Open to offers”!
Here's a small selection of Short Notice Listings seeking an exchange to Australia for you to ponder.
Austria - Wien & Niederösterreich
Vienna
Canada - British Columbia
Vancouver
France - Ile de France
Paris - Montmartre
Germany - North Rhine-Westphalia
Düsseldorf
Great Britain - South East
London, 12m, SW
London, centre
Ireland - East
Drogheda
Norway - East
Oslo
USA - Washington State
Seattle
USA - Washington DC
Washington
You can view more like these by clicking here.
2011 Rugby World Cup in NZ
Our HomeLink Coordinators in New Zealand, John and Valerie, have
just
launched a special register for all HomeLinkers keen to attend the 2011
Rugby World Cup.
Would you like to enjoy beautiful New Zealand
during spring... arguably the best season of the year in this majestic
country... and experience all the excitement of barracking for the
Wallabies too?
Then be sure to get in early. Act now to place
your exchange offer on HomeLink New Zealand's special Rugby World Cup
register:
http://www.homelinkinternational.co.nz/rugby.html
For more information about Rugby World Cup 2011, visit the official
website:
http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/destinationnewzealand/index.html
Smile - You're A HomeLinker!
Many HomeLinkers are embracing the theme of our new website "look",
by personalising their listing with photos of themselves.
We think this is a fantastic idea!
And it seems the idea has been really catching on with our fellow
HomeLinkers abroad. Just take a look at this page of friendly,
welcoming Canadian HomeLinkers - http://www.homelink.ca/members-photos.html
We hope all our Aussie HomeLinkers will take advantage of the
opportunity to include some "personal" photos too.
Photos of yourself, your family, pets, neighbours etc, can really help
to make your exchange offer more attractive and welcoming to fellow
HomeLinkers abroad. Why? It is simply more comforting and reassuring
for your potential exchange partner to "see" you ... and not just the
home and backyard ... before deciding to contact you with an offer.
Remember - your exchange partner is not just swapping a house. They are
swapping with a real person. That person is You. So why not put a
smiling, "Welcome Home" personal face on your listing too?
As you can see from HomeLink Canada's photo montage, some of the most
attractive photos are those that capture the real spirit of HomeLink
people, and HomeLink holidays. We think that the best photos are those
that portray your spirit of adventure, of getting out and about,
enjoying life, and making new friends in faraway places... or, just in
your own home or backyard.
HomeImprovements - tips and advice
Using the Short-Notice List
Login to the HomeLink website, using the Visitor login.
In the left hand menu, in the section titled, “Visitor Area”, you will
see a link titled, “Short-notice List”. Click on this link.
The Short-Notice List search engine will now appear in the main section
of your screen.
You will see that the first section is titled, “Search criteria
(optional – select
only if needed)”. This is where you can choose
to reduce the search to only those listings seeking an exchange in / to
Australia. Simply click on the grey “arrow” to see the drop-down
menu of countries, and choose “Australia”.
There are other options too, to help you narrow your search even
further. For example, if you only wish to browse the Short-Notice
listings that specifically
want an exchange to Australia, then uncheck
the ticks in the next two boxes.
You can then choose any/all specific preferences that you may have (eg,
non-smokers, car exchange, children etc).
Finally, you can choose a specific country that you prefer from the
list, or, click on the grey “display all” button at the bottom.
Two key points to remember about how the Short-Notice List works:
- The Short-Notice List automatically includes all listings that are seeking an exchange starting within the next 8 weeks... but only if the listing has a stated exchange period included (eg, 2 week exchange offer).
- Member listings with an exchange period of “Anytime” are not
displayed in the Short-Notice List.
Happy browsing!
Spotlight On - travel features
Estonia: Europe's best-kept secret
"Although the smallest of the Baltic countries, Estonia (Eesti) makes its presence felt in the region with its lovely seaside towns, quaint country villages and verdant forests and marshlands, all of which set the scene for discovering many cultural and natural gems. Yet Estonia is also known for magnificent castles, pristine islands and a cosmopolitan capital amid medieval splendour. It's no wonder Estonia is no longer Europe's best-kept secret.." - lonely planet
Now that we've convinced you to visit the beautiful Baltics on your
next holiday... for the awe-inspiring scenery, of course... we'd like to
reassure you that you will be in the very best of hands with Sandra,
your local HomeLink Coordinator in Estonia.
Perhaps we should also mention that, yes, whilst Sandra does boast lovely
blonde hair, her favourite colour is actually red!