As indicated in last week’s column, the sale of vacation homes is soaring in the country, and, of course, the same is true on Anna Maria Island. But does owning a vacation property prevent you from perusing your dreams of traveling? If you own property on Anna Maria Island, you’re sitting on a very desirable vacation location that can also help fulfill your vacation dreams.

House swapping has been around for a long time and can be the perfect fit for second homeowners who want to put their property to work for them without outright renting. Let’s say you have a beachfront cottage on Anna Maria and you want to travel to Europe or South America or California, but don’t want the expense and inconvenience of staying in hotels. By joining one of the more than 20 home exchange groups, it’s possible to find a home in the location you want and the time frame that interests you. In exchange, you would make your cottage available at the same time.

Aside from the obvious financial advantage to house swapping there are lots of other reasons to give it a try. Living in someone’s house is essentially trading lifestyles with them, experiencing a new culture and instantly being immersed in the area’s everyday life. Sounds easy – right, but there are plenty of caveats to be aware of before diving in.

First of all you have to be comfortable with the home exchange concept. Although a vacation home may not be your primary residence it still is your family’s home which contains a lot of personal and perhaps valuable possessions. If you’re particular about your stuff, you may have to either get over it or lock it up. According to the major house swapping websites, security is almost never an issue. You have a mutual trust with the people in your home as they have with you.

Second, it could take a fair amount of research before you find the group you want to work with and then the property within the group you’re willing to exchange with. Think coordinating your adult kid’s work schedules for a family get together. Also, if you can’t coordinate your travel time with the person you’re swapping with, it may be possible to set up a non-simultaneous exchange, especially if you’re both swapping second homes.

Home exchange sites for the most part are not free and the more reputable ones charge users a membership fee to list and search for homes and to get in touch with members. Fees are across the board and can be as little as $39 for swaps within the United States or $159 for an annual fee anywhere. Some even have monthly rates, and chances are you’ll be able to find the right fit for your needs.

Some of the more well known sites are HomeLink.org, HomeExchange.com and Intervac-homeexchange.com. I have no personal knowledge of any of these, but their websites are easy to surf, and you can spend days looking at all that is available.

Third, if you’re expecting Ritz Carlton quality accommodations, you’re probably going to be disappointed. Although you can tell a lot from pictures and conversations with the owners, you’ll be setting yourself up for disappointment if you aren’t flexible.

House swapping is a unique way to take advantage of what your vacation home has to offer. It can be a great experience and an economical way for you to do some extended travel. And while you’re walking the ancient streets of Rome, your exchange partners are enjoying Anna Maria’s beaches. What could more perfect?