Home exchange or house swap is a non-commercial way of using each others' accommodations. You stay at your exchange partners' home and vice versa. This is a basic summary of home exchange. In most cases, the actual exchange is simultaneous, so both parties stay in each others' accommodations during the same period. But many members offer their second home for exchange and in this case the house swap can be non-simultaneous.
1) You could save easily well over $1,000 on accommodation and car costs per exchange, and you can have as many exchanges as you want.
2) Live like a local while you are on vacation. You are not 'locked up' in a holiday resort or hotel, but you live amongst the locals. Most members enjoy this very much.
3) Make new friends. Exchanging homes has been in many cases the beginning of a longlasting friendship.
4) Easy to navigate website, all information is no more than 2 clicks away.
5) Unique feature automatically shows you members who might be interested in exchanging with you.
6) Quick Advanced Search facility to find your desired location, property, and exchangees.
7) Innovative interactive maps to show the exact locations of potential exchangees.
8) Our weekly personalized mailing keeps you updated on other members who match your exchange profile.
9) Low annual registration fee. For less than 1 night in a hotel you are registered for a full year including all features of the membership.
10) We make sure that there is a continuous stream of new listings; we advertise worldwide in the countries where you want to go.
Cars are often included in a home exchange deal, but it is up to you whether or not to include this. Exchange deals must be belanced in the sense that you have to get what you offer to the other party. And adding a car in the house exchange deal can maybe make a positive difference for the other party. Read our notes on insurances in case you do include a car in the home exchange deal.
Exclusive of cost savings (hotel/car rental/restaurant expenses are largely eliminated) and having more space and freedom of a private residence, one experiences another country like a "local" rather than a tourist. Based on our personal exchanges in several countries - you get to know another family, become immersed in another way of life (including shopping in local stores, using public transit), you often meet your counter-parties' friends and neighbors, kids (and parents) play with new toys and you often are forced to communicate in a foreign or sign language. This personalized and realistic travel experience cannot be matched by a guided/packaged tour! Many exchange families remain life time friends.
You can find this feature in the information page where you select the options and features of your house - including your exchange preferences.
Hospitality exchange means that you are open for hosting or accommodating the other party while you are also in your home.
This has the distinct advantage of not having to synchronize your holidays to match the other party; ie you can both holiday at each others homes at times most suitable to yourselves.
This is also a great way to go when you are having trouble finding an exchange in your chosen area for the time you require, because there is no one else from that area who wants to come to your location. It is also especially useful for replacing last minute cancellations of the other party.
Don't forget that your potential exchange partner is likely to have the same concerns as you do! Although we can't guarantee that your home will be treated well, mutual exchanging of homes gives each of you a great incentive to treat the home entrusted to you with respect and care. Registered members to any international home exchange organization are enough mature (average age 40+), established family-oriented professionals, executives, business-owners or retired people who are financially successful and respect property with an existed physical address. But before to make any commitment to home exchange, you should always try to get involve with your counter-party through letters, fax, emails and phone which establishes a mutual trust & understanding. You should try to get some references or neighbors since home exchange deal is completely based on trust or faith.
Usually the keys of the house are left with neighbors or friends living nearby. In many cases the same person will also welcome you and be your practical help regarding issues about the house you are staying. If exchanging the keys is not possible this way for whatever reason, the keys can be sent to the other party before travelling.
Usually, the home exchange deal seem to work best between families of a similar age bracket and/or of similar professional / financial means. However, the key issue is also the location. Many exchangers with large homes would be happy to trade for an adequate apartment / condominium located in a small and off tourist place.
Sometimes you should charge for additional costs. Example: someone from a warm country where no heating is requires, exchanges with someone in December from Sweden where heating costs are very high in that time of the year. It would be no more than reasonable to charge a certain additional fee for this if the rest of the exchange is perfectly balanced. Also using a telephone excessively would normally not be part of the basic exchange.
We suggest you to register your home even if your area is not considered a major tourist attraction, since people prefer such peaceful places with fewer crowds and something matchless from trendy places. Some people want exactly to your town, because relatives or friends live there. Our experience is that one can have a better holiday away from large or tourist- oriented places.
No, HomeForExchange.com is about non commercial home exchange or house swap. To keep this clear to all users of this website, it is not allowed to offer any accommodation for rent.
NOte: we do offer another website for second home owners to register their vacation rental: www.SecondHomeForRent.com. There is no financial risk involved, you only pay a minimum commission if you rent property through SecondHomeForRent.com.
As a member of HomeForExchange.com you can order printed gift vouchers. These vouchers are formatted as business cards and each voucher contains a unique redeem number. You can hand out as many vouchers as you like and each voucher is worth the given free period of unrestricted membership. Once a trial member continues as a paying member you will get a referral fee of us$15.00 per sign up.
It is advised to store personal items like paperwork, bank statements, valuable antiques and perhaps even your personal computer in a locked closet or drawer. Not because you are questioning the integrity and trustworthiness of your exchange partners, but just to make sure that they don't use it, damage it or open it. It is also advised to reserve a few drawers and closets for your guests for storing cloths.
