How We Work

The Luxury Assets Exchange... in which you don't "exchange".



St. Jean Cap Ferrat, France, Property #T1387
St. Jean Cap Ferrat, France, Property #T1387
Overview
Why exchange or rent when you can Trade to Travel?  Trade to Travel works because our savvy members are delighted to have fellow Trade to Travel members as guests in their vacation properties—knowing that hosting our members allows them the freedom to travel worldwide spending predominantly "points" rather than dollars, Euro, etc.

Here's the deal.  Each time you have a member of Trade to Travel as a guest in your property, you accrue valuable "points" in your TTT Account.  Each point is worth $400 U.S. in Rental Value (For the sake of consistency, monetary values expressed throughout this website will be stated in terms of U.S. dollars).

Each time you are a guest in another member's property, you "spend" points you have accrued.

The transaction fee which we charge is equal to 20% of the rental value of any given property during any given time period.  Since each point is worth $400 U.S., the cost per point is $80 (20% of $400 is $80).  Therefore, the transaction fee for a 10 point property would be $800.

Trade to Travel is not a vacation "home exchange".  Unlike the traditional vacation "home exchange" (in which homeowners "swap" their properties with one another during a particular time period), Trade to Travel makes it possible for its members to travel at will—free to choose from over 1,000 homes in 31 countries. To accomplish this, Trade to Travel invented and utilizes our trademarked "Point System" (tied to rental or market values), AND we do the legwork to arrange agreements between Hosts and Guests.

Park Hotel, Kenmare, Ireland, Property #T195
Park Hotel, Kenmare, Ireland, Property #T195
Members are always free to accept or decline any request(s) for availability which they receive from the offices of Trade to Travel. Hosting is ALWAYS done at a Host's convenience.

Each time a Host accommodates a Guest, both the Host and the Guest complete post-stay critiques rating various aspects of the Host's and Guest's experience. This provides Trade to Travel with extremely valuable information regarding our members' properties, personalities, and preferences. Unlike vacation home exchange services, Trade to Travel is all about SERVICES.

Three (3) reference checks are performed before a Trade to Travel membership is approved.

Each time you refer a new member to Trade to Travel, you receive 100% of the points equal to the assigned Point Value of that new member's property. This is an EASY and FAST way to accumulate points in the Trade to Travel system.

Members need never worry that their home will not be treated with respect when they host members and/or affiliates of Trade to Travel—since all Trade to Travel members own vacation properties themselves and treat their Hosts' properties as they would like their own properties to be treated. All members agree to be fully responsible for any/all damages which may accidentally be incurred during their stay in a Host's property.  Failure by a Guest to handle such matters in a manner fully agreeable to their Host will result in the loss of that member's Trade to Travel membership.  We are proud to boast that this has NEVER happened in our 16 years of service.  And, should it ever happen, Trade to Travel promises to cover the cost of all damages up to $1000.
<< Back to top


 
Villa Osprey, Turks and Caicos, Property #T1279
Villa Osprey, Turks and Caicos, Property #T1279
Earning Points
  1. Every Qualifying Property is assigned a Point Value based on the Weekly Rental Value of that property.  Because many Trade to Travel properties are not rental properties, Point Values may be determined using the Weekly Rental Rates of an Equivalent Property in the same area.
     
  2. The Point Value is determined by dividing the Weekly Rental Value by 400 (making each point worth $400).  For example, if the Weekly Rental Value of a Qualifying Property is $4,000, then the Point Value assigned to that property would be 10 points per week.  Point Values for any given property often vary according to season.
     
  3. Points are accrued in four ways:
     
    1. Complete and submit your Trade to Travel Application for Membership along with quality photographs of your property.  Provide verifiable Weekly Rental Values (if applicable).  Pay the one-time, $2500 Initiation Fee.  Each year thereafter you will receive an invoice for your $100 Annual Fee.
       
    2. NEW MEMBER OPTION: New members, within their first 30 days, are entitled to purchase up to THREE WEEKS of points at $100 U.S. per point. For example, if your property is 10 points/week, you may purchase up to 30 points @ $100 U.S. per point. Since each point is worth $400 U.S., this is an exceptional value (for example, spend $3000 U.S. for 30 points worth $12,000 U.S.). The NEW MEMBER OPTION allows you to travel without having to wait for another member to visit your property in order to receive points.
       
    3. Once you are a member of Trade to Travel, each time you Host a Trade to Travel member for one week, you receive points in your Trade to Travel Account equal to the Weekly Point Value of your property.  For example, if you host a member in your 10-point property for one week, your Trade to Travel Account is credited with 10 points.
       
    4. Refer a new Trade to Travel member.  Each time you refer a Qualifying Property to Trade to Travel and that new property is accepted into Trade to Travel as a Member Property, you receive points equal to 100% of the Point Value of that new Member Property.
<< Back to top


 
Austin, Texas, Property #T1362
Austin, Texas, Property #T1362
Using Points
  1. Each property in Trade to Travel is assigned a Weekly Point Value.  To "book" a particular property, you must currently have at least as many points in your Trade to Travel Account as the Point Value of the property which you wish to visit.  For example, if you wish to visit a 10-point property, you must currently have a minimum of 10 points in your Trade to Travel Account.
     
  2. Each time you visit another member's property, points are deducted from your Trade to Travel Account (equal to the Point Value of your Host's property).  For example, if you stay in a 10-point property for one week, 10 points are deducted from your Trade to Travel Account.
     
  3. Each time you visit another member's property, TTT charges a Transaction Fee to arrange your accommodations.  This Transaction Fee is equal to 20% of what the rental rate would normally be for any given property during any given season.  Consequently, each time you travel via TTT, you save 80%.  
<< Back to top


 
TTT Terminology/Definitions
Booking
Confirming one's definite intentions to stay in a particular Trade to Travel member property during a particular time period.  This is done by:
  1. Accepting a Booking Option (resulting from either a Self-Search or an Assisted-Search),
  2. Signing a "Guest Intent Form" followed by a "Guest Confirmation" form,
  3. Payment of the appropriate Transaction Fee.  Cancellation Fees apply if a "Booking" is cancelled.
Equivalent Property
A property of similar or equivalent size and market value within the same geographic area.

Holiday Season
Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, Easter, Spring Break (dates vary each year).

Home Exchange
A traditional service or arrangement whereby two parties swap homes and stay in each other's properties.  Such vacation "home exchanges" limit the parties involved to only staying in the homes of those who wish to stay in theirs.  They are further limited in their accommodations to periods of time when their own property is available.  Unlike such "home exchanges", Trade to Travel allows its members to choose from a wide variety of properties regardless of whether of whether or not those property owners show reciprocal interest in staying at your property.

The Ritz Grand Cayman, Property #T1354
The Ritz Grand Cayman, Property #T1354
Hosting
Having one of your fellow TTT members as a guest in your property.

Member Services Coordinator
A Trade to Travel employee responsible for fulfilling members' Trade Requests.

Point Balance (or Trade to Travel Account Balance)
Your Trade to Travel Points earned and unused.

Point Contribution
Points credited to your account when you host a Trade to Travel member.

Point Deduction
Points subtracted from one's Trade to TravelAccount as a result of booking a Trade to Travelproperty.

Point Value
The number of points assigned to a particular property (per week). Point Values are determined by dividing Weekly Rental Values by 400 (making each point worth $400). Point Values often vary according to season.

Prime Season
Prime-time weeks which vary according to geographic areas as determined by Trade to Travel staff in conjunction with our members.

Property Request Form
A form which may be completed and submitted online, requesting that a Member Services Coordinator identify available properties which meet desired criteria.

The Lady Jersey, Cannes, France, Property #T352
The Lady Jersey, Cannes, France, Property #T352
Qualifying Property
A vacation property automatically qualifies for membership in Trade to Travel if the owner provides documented verification that his/her property has a point value of at least 6. All other properties will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Referral
When a Trade to Travel member introduces the owner of a qualifying property to the services of Trade to Travel. If the referred owner becomes a member of Trade to Travel, the member who made the referral receives points in his/her Trade to Travel Account equal to 100% of the Weekly Point Value of the referred member's property.

Transaction Fee
The amount paid to TTT when a member books a Trade to Travel property.   Transaction Fees are always 20% of what the "Weekly Rental Value" would normally be for any given property during any given time period.  If a property is not a rental property, the Transaction Fee will be based up the rental rates of comparable properties in the same geographic location during the same season.

Weekly Rental Value
The dollar amount charged to rent a particular Member Property for one week.  If the Member Property is not a Rental Property, then the Weekly Rental Value is the weekly dollar amount charged to rent an "Equivalent Property" in the same area at the same time.  Point Values for Member Properties are determined and assigned using Weekly Rental Values.

<< Back to top

 
Frequently Asked Questions
  1. What if Weekly Rental Rates change during different seasons?
    In most vacation destinations, Weekly Rental Rates vary according to season.  For this reason, Trade to Travel Member Properties may be assigned an Off-Season Point Value, a Shoulder Season Point Value, a High (or Prime) Season Point Value, and a Holiday Season Point Value.  Point Contributions and Point Deductions vary accordingly.
     
  2. How do you determine Point Values for non-rental Trade to Travel Member Properties?
    First, we perform research which enables us to identify an "Equivalent Property" which does have well-established, published, Weekly Rental Rates.  An "Equivalent Property" is a Member Property or a Non-Member Property of similar or equivalent size and Market Value (within the same geographic area) as the Trade to Travel Member Property being assessed.  Once an "Equivalent Property has been located, Trade to Travel then uses the Weekly Rental Rates of that "Equivalent Property" to determine and assign Point Values for the Trade to Travel Member Property being assessed.
     
  3. How do you validate the Weekly Rental Rate for a Qualifying Property?
    We require printed, published, advertised or otherwise verifiable proof of a Member Property's (or an Equivalent Property's) established Weekly Rental Rates.  We also conduct research which allows Trade to Travel to compare the Weekly Rental Rates provided to the Weekly Rental Rates of "Equivalent Properties" within the same area.
     
  4. What if I want to stay in a property for less than a week?
    All Point Values are based on week-long stays.  However, if a host is willing to make a property available for fewer than 5 nights, Trade to Travel will pro-rate both the number of points earned by the Host and the number points deducted from the Guest's Trade to Travel Account.
     
  5. How long will it take Trade to Travel to research properties and availabilities for me—and get back to me with answers?
    This depends upon such variables as the nature of your request(s), the destination(s) requested, the number of properties Trade to Travel currently has in that (those) areas, the number of people in your party, any special needs/wants you may have, the dates you are traveling, and other factors. Generally speaking, trade research will take a minimum of 2 days and may take as long as 2 weeks or more.
     
  6. What is the difference between Trade to Travel's service and a traditional vacation home exchange?
    Traditionally a home exchange is a service or arrangement whereby two parties swap homes and stay in each other's properties. This requires that one property owners be reciprocally interested in each other's properties. Or, to put it another way, with a home exchange you are limited to staying in the vacation homes of only those who are interested in staying in yours. With Trade to Travel's point system you need not worry about such limiting arrangements—you can choose from a wide array of vacation properties the world over, regardless of the availability of your own property.
<< Back to top