Instead of paying high prices for a small hotel room, many travelers are setting up home exchanges when they travel. Although planning a home exchange takes more upfront work than booking a hotel room, the time and effort can pay off in convenience and cost savings. By carefully setting up the home exchange, you can help ensure a smooth exchange and fun vacation.
In a home exchange vacation, two families swap homes for a specific period of time. Although there may be a membership fee for a home exchange club membership, there is typically no cost for the actual exchange. In many arrangements, the families also can use each others cars during the vacation.
Home exchanges can be either arranged privately between the two parties or through a home exchange website. Many of the websites require a fee to join, but they often provide guarantees and ratings of the properties. If you have not done a home exchange before, it is recommended to go through an established home exchange company. The Home Exchange website (see Resources below) has over 20,000 world wide listings. The membership fee for Home Exchange starts at $99.50 for a 1-year membership and $140 for a 2-year membership. If you would like to set up the exchange privately, you can advertise in the paper and on craigslist.org for your area. Check out the listings in the area that you would like to travel. In a privately arranged exchange, be sure to have an exchange agreement that details cleaning responsibilities and addresses potential damages to the house.
One of the main benefits to a home exchange is that you save significant money on lodging costs. In addition, you have a much larger space and a full kitchen. By cooking some meals, you will save additional money on your vacation. You can also get a more local feel to the area you are visiting because you will be in a residential area instead of a tourist area.
Although there are many benefits to a home exchange vacation, you should give careful thought before you commit to a home exchange. Think about if you are comfortable having strangers in your home and if you would be comfortable staying in someone else's home. You should also do as much research into the property you are considering staying in to make sure that it is the same condition that it is represented. Be sure to verify location, such as exact distance to the beach or local tourist destinations.
Before leaving your house for the home exchange, lock up or remove any valuables. Write a note detailing any information about the house that could help the family, such as where flashlights are located or where the breaker box can be found. Be sure to leave contact information in case of emergency. You should also fix any issues, such as jammed windows, and do any needed maintenance work before you leave.
