House Swapping Version 2.0
Welcome to House Swapping, Version 2.0
Let’s cut to the chase.
What is going on? Where is the old site? What the….
Simply put, it’s time for a change. It’s time to embrace Web 2.0 and community driven content.
When I began Domuswap in June 2007, there were a few swapping sites out there, none of them gaining much traction or publicity. I believe we created a better site than what was out there, but most importantly, we publicized the message, in the Wall Street Journal, Money magazine, TheStreet.com, and many major other news and TV outlets. As the message got out, other new and existing sites also partook in the publicity, helping to spread the message and promote house swapping. I’ve also met many people who are promoting house trading. Among the many, Daniel Westbrook of Onlinehousetrading.com and Greg Holt of Pad4Pad.com, have been the upmost professionals in all my interactions with them. I wish them, and others, the best of luck using the existing model.
However, I believe the model needs to change. Not that the existing model is not a good model, but, I hate to admit it, I’ve been disappointed with the results. I can, and will, talk about this, and how it could be improved, more in the future.
Domuswap is embracing a listing format more attune to Craigslist, something I’ve disparaged in the past. However, we are bringing that approach into Web 2.0, promoting community driven content, better social interaction, more hopefully a more fun experience.
Domuswap version 2.0 is currently a fairly blank slate. Let’s see what YOU can make it into, and hopefully swap some houses in the process.
What is going on? Where is the old site? What the….
Simply put, it’s time for a change. It’s time to embrace Web 2.0 and community driven content.
When I began Domuswap in June 2007, there were a few swapping sites out there, none of them gaining much traction or publicity. I believe we created a better site than what was out there, but most importantly, we publicized the message, in the Wall Street Journal, Money magazine, TheStreet.com, and many major other news and TV outlets. As the message got out, other new and existing sites also partook in the publicity, helping to spread the message and promote house swapping. I’ve also met many people who are promoting house trading. Among the many, Daniel Westbrook of Onlinehousetrading.com and Greg Holt of Pad4Pad.com, have been the upmost professionals in all my interactions with them. I wish them, and others, the best of luck using the existing model.
However, I believe the model needs to change. Not that the existing model is not a good model, but, I hate to admit it, I’ve been disappointed with the results. I can, and will, talk about this, and how it could be improved, more in the future.
Domuswap is embracing a listing format more attune to Craigslist, something I’ve disparaged in the past. However, we are bringing that approach into Web 2.0, promoting community driven content, better social interaction, more hopefully a more fun experience.
Domuswap version 2.0 is currently a fairly blank slate. Let’s see what YOU can make it into, and hopefully swap some houses in the process.
31 Comments
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Comment by Abhay on October 29, 2008 at 11:08am - i agree with the comment by Irene.
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Comment by James Roper on October 29, 2008 at 5:07pm
- I agree with all of the above. I LOVED your site prior to the changes. PPPPLLLLEEEEEAAAASSSSEEE gbo back to the original site.This site is too busy for me. I like plain and simple i.e. Craigslist. The most boring site on the web is the most popular. PLEASE go back.
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Comment by David Moskowitz on October 29, 2008 at 5:38pm -
Anything you reply to is generally public.
If you want it private, you can send the person a message.
Just click on their name, view their profile, and click send a message.
Thanks for the feedback on the old site. Actually, the biggest complaint I received regarding the old site was that is kept too much information private. I didn't agree. However, it encouraged things to be kept private, while this site enourages things to be public.
Unforunately, the old site was not successful enough, in terms of swap successes and total users, to be sustainable.
I am hoping I can better contribute to the house swapping approach in this new manner.
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Comment by Cammie Noel on October 30, 2008 at 8:44pm
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I get you wanting it to be more successful but how about asking people who already joined first or a warning heads up. What the...?
it seems we have to join all over again ect ect add pics again ect, and I REALLY liked the other one MUCH better.
I belong to all of the house swaps and yours WAS the best one...untill now.
very dissapointing.
Are you trying to be a myspace for house swapers?
I have 3 myspace pages for networking... this is not the same thing at all, house swapping is more akin to classified like craigslist, I agree with the other poster. The other site was much more user friendly.
I feel very frustrated with this. BTW I have a feeling this new model will be LESS successful than the former one.
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I am not saying change is bad..., there is always room for improvement BUT!!!!
Wasn't there a way to make the change without losing all of the former listings?
And couldn't you tell people who joined in good faith in advance about the impending change so we could have at least saved the info we had from it?
That seems very bizarre to me, and I can see others agree with me who were using the site before..A drastic change with no warning to anyone ahead of time.
Your site was great I looked at it every night and found several prospects now they are gone and there is basically nothing there now of any interest.
I feel cheated. Your site was really great and I really think you will regret this decision the way it was done,(the change) It was by far he best one out there.
HUGELY dissapointing.
Cammie
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Comment by David Moskowitz on October 31, 2008 at 5:39pm
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You can still access the old site until November 6 at http://72.167.44.239 (this is mentioned on the home page and we sent out an email to all active users regarding the change)
You should still be able to access all your listings, etc.
If you get any errors trying to access Domuswap.com, just replace 72.167.44.239 in the browser url.
This should only matter if you click on an old email notification.
Thanks for the kind word about the old site.
I wil either be known as an visionary or an idiot. Take your pick.
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Comment by A G Broadhurst on November 1, 2008 at 10:30am
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The old site was one of the better trading sites. I actually got some responses to my postings. It is pretty obvious to me that this new concept, however "modern" you think it is, does not work. In the six New England states, as of this morning, there was one posting. I agree with those who feel that this concept has pretty well wrecked a good site. Change is not always good and this change makes the site virtually worthless and unusable. It was much harder to post, the "social networking" concept might be good for kids but it is not good for something that ought to be a straight forward listing of properties by state with an indication of what is being sought and how much mortgage encumbers the property. Most of the trades I have discussed with other parties do not work because the other party has a large mortgage and has no way to eliminate that mortgage so that a trade is possible. In short, a trade does not solve the problem of a high mortgage that the other party can't afford and wants to get out of. That mortgage can only be eliminated by moving it to the traded property or by a trade in which the other party is trading down. It is important to know up front what encumbrances there are on the property. I have no mortgages on either of the properties I want to trade and my objective is very simple--I can't sell without losing more money than I want to at my age (72) so I am seeking someone else in the same position somewhere near Boston. I am constantly being approached by people with junk they are seeking to unload in areas I don't want to be, or properties that do not meet my stated criteria, despite my very specific listing of what I am looking for. If trading is to work those attempting to trade are going to have to learn a lot more about how it works and that it will not solve their mortgage or credit problems. A person with a $300,000 house and a $275,000 mortgage has only $25,000 to trade, so there is no point in trying to trade against my $450,000 house--it would take a $425,000 mortgage and in this market that is just not going to happen.
I think you should have done a bit of market research and sought some comments among your users. As it exists now this site is just not workable, and I think the evidence of that is that you don't have many postings.
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Comment by David Moskowitz on November 1, 2008 at 12:27pm
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We don't have many postings yet because it is a new site and just getting started. I am also planning on getting RSS feeds from other swapping sites.
I am not sure which one will be more successful, but I define success in terms of swaps happening, and the old site fell short in my mind.
Feel free to try the other sites that are doing similar things to the old Domuswap, but I believe house swapping needs a site like this one.
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Comment by Bill Chitwood on November 1, 2008 at 5:53pm -
First, thanks for the old site---there arestill some considerations for trades in play.
In my opinion, domuswap.com of old was the best of the trade sites.
Honestly, and, with some consternation about your real purpose for changing this site so quickly, how could
the same man created such a great site, then turn it into some unintelligible 'social format' as to render it un-usable. My pedestrian brain cannot figure out your move, other than conceding the fact that your ego is seeking some
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Comment by Bill Chitwood on November 1, 2008 at 6:03pm
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arcane plateau...
Again, thanks for the original site, and, notwithstanding your explanations for the format change, I simply do
not get it...Testimony to my written thoughts is: I'm typing along here (above) and all of a sudden I'm down in
another space. In the above, I intended to correct the word, 'created', to create.
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