Home For Exchange - A Travel Alternative!
New to exchanging?
Read on to learn the basics.
How it Works
You start by listing your primary residence or your vacation home on 1stHomeExchange.com.
Your home for exchange listing should include a description of your home (3-bedroom family house, large garden with
outdoor pool), your neighborhood (quiet residential area, families with children, 15-minute drive to city center)
and region (beaches are 30 minutes away, mountains and lakes within an hour's drive) as well as yourself
(retired couple who enjoy traveling and meeting people, experienced home exchangers). Don't forget to include
photos of your home.
Specify the destination you'd like to visit (Paris), type of property you're interested in (ski chalet),
your preferred dates (school holidays), and duration (2-3 weeks).
You may also want to include restrictions (no pets and non-smokers only) or other details (vacation home so
non-simultaneous exchange possible).
Then, you review 1stHomeExchange.com listings identifying those that more closely match your requirements.
Use the contact form to e-mail those members to see if the interest is mutual. Don't forget to reference your listing.
Once interest is received, you'll need to start the "dating" process to ensure that this is really your ideal exchange.
(It is up to you to make your own arrangements.)
Before signing on the dotted line, you may want to put in writing everything you agreed to.
But keep in mind that home exchange is based on trust!
Location, Location, Location
Living in or near a desirable destination like New York, Paris, or on a Caribbean island guarantees a slew of offers.
However if you live somewhere that people have not heard of, you will need to market your home and location.
If you think no one will be interested in your home located off the beaten track - try it.
Obviously people from tourist destinations have the edge but destinations that are less popular can still succeed at
home exchanging - many people swap homes to attend weddings, graduations, family visits, work, or other events.
A home exchange does not necessarily imply an exchange of equivalent accommodations.
