''It was an outgrowth of the philosophy of life: connecting people to people," said Klugman. He has been able to continue living that philosophy through home exchanges.
Matthew Temple's family has swapped its Needham homes 11 times, enjoying free stays in spots ranging from San Francisco to Italy.
''We have friends who find the idea of going on vacation and cooking completely abhorrent to them, and the idea of someone else sleeping in their bed completely abhorrent," said Temple. ''We don't care."
International house swapping has been around for 50 years, but with the Internet, it has become more convenient and less of a gamble. HomeLink International, with 14,000 members, and Home Exchange, with 7,000, are among a number of agencies that connect house swappers. They charge annual fees in the $50 to $75 range that provide members access to websites listing homes around the world.
The listings allow owners to give a short sales pitch touting the home's location, amenities, and nearby attractions. Members then contact one another to arrange the details and what will be swapped, which frequently includes cars, bicycles, and sometimes pets.
The most popular type of home swaps are simultaneous, exchanged during the same time period, typically one to four weeks. For those fortunate to have a second home, nonsimultaneous exchanges can be arranged. Less common are hospitality exchanges, in which people exchange playing host.
''What exchanging has allowed us to do is feel like expatriates where we are visiting, rather than tourists," said Temple's wife, Nancy.
''You're in a home, shopping at the local supermarket, or sitting on the back deck reading a book and having a glass of wine.," she said. ''The next-door neighbors are talking with you, your kids have made friends with their kids, and it feels like belonging somewhere else."
During a trip to England, the Temples' daughter, Anna, was invited to go shrimping with their neighbors. In Switzerland, the host family's grandfather, a composer, arranged for their son, Alex, to play the organ at the local cathedral.
