The premise of house exchanging is simple: homeowners who wish to travel find homeowners in their desired destination who want to visit where they live. The two sides trade homes, usually at the same time, for an agreed upon period of time.
Advantages of House Exchange
The most obvious advantage of house trading is that it is free. Except, perhaps, for the cost of a service to help homeowners locate each other, and the travel expenses for getting there, no money changes hands for the use of a home away from home.
But house swapping is more than just a way to vacation on the cheap. It is also an opportunity for vacationers to have an experience that is closer to the way local residents in their adopted city actually live. Home exchangers can get to know the neighbors, shop at the local grocery store, and enjoy more of the comforts of home while travelling.
At the same time, they have the assurance of knowing that their own home is occupied in their absence, reducing the chance of break-ins or other problems and negating the need to pay a house sitter.
How to Find a Vacation Exchange
There are a number of reputable web sites designed to allow prospective home exchangers to list their residence (which can be a primary residence or a vacation home) and search for houses in places they’d like to visit.
Some publish printed directories of houses, but others list homes only on line HomeExchange.com and Homelink-usa.org are two popular sites.
A good home exchange service will require exchangers to agree to certain codes of conduct, will allow them to rate their experience in someone’s home, and will keep all private information – such as the home’s exact address or the homeowners’ direct contact information – confidential until the home exchangers choose to share it.
Steps for Arranging a House Swap
Once a prospective home exchanger has found a possible destination home, the arrangements may go something like this:
- Prospective exchangers make contact with homeowners, through the home exchange web site
- If both parties are interested, they may choose to share more detailed information or photos of their homes and discuss the trade further by phone
- Both parties agree on dates for the exchange
- Parties discuss details, such as the use of a vehicle or responsibilities for home maintenance or pet care. These are entirely at the discretion of home exchangers.
- Both parties may wish to sign a trade agreement, made available through the home exchange web site, to formalize the details of the exchange
- Exchangers make arrangements for trading house keys
- Travelers alert friends and neighbors at home to the presence of exchangers in the house
Home exchange offers a unique opportunity to experience life in new locations, but it is also not for the faint of heart. Even the best laid plans aren't perfect and successful house swapping requires trust, an adventuresome spirit, and a willingness to be flexible.
Alex Strauss - Journalist Alex Strauss has written extensively for radio, television, magazines and the web for more than 20 years. During her career in ...
