Hi,

We run the Australian house swapping website HouseSwapHolidays.com.au and the international house swapping website YourHomeForMine.com.

To maximise successful home swaps, we highly recommend people include plenty of good photos of their home (both inside and out), try and be somewhat flexible about travel dates, and one of the most important tips is to be proactive.

We find that people who contact a wide range of our members are much more likely to get great quality offers than those who don't include any photos and don't contact other members.

More than happy to answer any other questions you have. Some of our members have done in excess of 40+ home swaps each so we can also put you in touch with them should you want to ask any questions from people who have "been there done that".

Feel free to contact us via the site if you have any questions about the process. Hope that helps.

Dave Utting
HouseSwapHolidays.com.au
YourHomeForMine.com

Posted By Dave Utting on July 29, 2010, 3:30 AM

Hi Brad, You have posed some very apt questions that should help your readers decide if they would make good home swappers. You also mentioned the question we are often asked: 'How can I trust strangers in my home?' The simple answer is that home exchange involves careful planning. After all, until they get to know you, you will be a 'stranger' to potential home exchange partners too!

Home exchangers don't agree to a swap until they're both completely certain that they want to go ahead and confirm an agreement. In the run-up to this, they will have corresponded frequently by email, asking and answering questions, and generally getting to know and trust each other.

Having chosen compatible exchange partners, your home is likely to be much safer than if left empty and your exchange guests have a great incentive to treat it well - you are in their home and they are trusting you to care for their home too! You will have both chosen friends living close by to act as your 'agents' to both keep an eye on your homes and help with any questions or problems your guests have while living in your home.

I would gladly answer your questions from the experience of having run a home exchange service for 25 years if you want to get in touch.

Cheers from London!

Posted By Lois, Home Base Holidays on July 29, 2010, 9:29 AM

First time I've asked a question for the magazine, hope this is the right place, so here goes...

I would love, love, love to explore house swapping, now that I am a homeowner. Problem is, I live in an area (Southern Connecticut) where people swap a lot of really large, gorgeous homes, in fun gorgeous towns, some of which are even on the beach! I have a very nice but modest little house in a pretty ho-hum area. Would I be wasting my time?

Posted By Max Palmer on July 29, 2010, 5:02 PM

Hi Max, As long as you describe your home and area honestly, you should find interest in your home exchange offer. Lots of home swappers have small, modest homes and most people looking for swaps are primarily interested in the location rather than that the home they swap for is large and luxurious. As long as the home is big enough to sleep the exchange party comfortably, that's all that generally matters.

When describing your area, even though it is 'ho-hum' itself, include details of distances to well known cities and attractions so that potential exchange partners can see that your home would make a good base to explore a wider area.

New England is a popular destination requested by home exchangers, especially many in Europe, so if you are interested in an international exchange, you should certainly find interest

Posted By Lois, Home Base Holidays on August 3, 2010, 11:49 AM

Just how empty does one need to leave closets and drawers? Is it best to put sacred things in a closet with a padlock or a similar situation?

Posted By Nancy Robbins on August 5, 2010, 2:16 PM

Do you have to live in a touristic area to participate?

Posted By Nicole on August 5, 2010, 2:36 PM

Hi,
We live in Colorado and are considering house swapping in England and Ireland. We have seen on some house-swapping sites that folks also swap their vehicles, too. Would you recommend this? What about insurance issues in this situation? Is it unadvisable to swap with people who drive on the opposite side of the road?

Posted By Ellen on August 5, 2010, 3:40 PM

Hi,
what about bed bugs, mold, soiled furniture and dirty housing?
How can these and other sanitary problems be avoided
and guaranteed?

Posted By dharma on August 5, 2010, 5:17 PM

What is the average length of stay for house swapping? We were thinking of perhaps a six month swap. We live in beautiful Montreal and have a lovely three bedroom bungalow about 30 minutes outside of the city and also have a car.
Thanks

Posted By Christine Brusseau-Curtis on August 5, 2010, 5:23 PM

I live in a condo overlooking a golf course and a 15 minute drive to the beach in Florida. I know this would be desirable to many persons and would like to house swap.

The problem is I have many items in the house that are mostly collectibles. I am concerned about leaving much of these. However, carting them to storage would be a real hassle; and, there isn't adequate locked storage in the house to secure them.

If I house swapped, how would my homeowners policy be affected? Would they cover damages, or would they consider this a type of rental and attempt to avoid any liability?

How do you impress on others that your household goods are valuable and good care is needed?

Posted By Anna on August 5, 2010, 7:09 PM

House swapping can be a great experience. My sister has been trading houses with a man we found on Craigslist for several years now. The two of them are a perfect fit for this. They usually trade for a month or two (sometimes several times a year) and my sister will even fly home for a few days during that time and stay in the guest room in her house when she has some business to take care of at home. The reason this has worked out is that he is in the same town where I live so I was able to talk with him before they traded. Also he had already traded houses with other people so we could talk with them about it.

Both of them are retired and laid back in character so their personalities mesh nicely. (He has no problem with my sister coming back to her house for a few days while he is there; my sister has no problem with him driving her car, etc.) They also both happen to have condos that are about the same size. I think the key to trading is to talk it over and see if your life style is going to mesh with theirs. Be honest with yourself and the potential trade partner about what you want and what you don't want.

Posted By Nikki on August 6, 2010, 3:01 AM

We are interested in house exchanges but are unwilling to offer our car as part of the deal.
Most people on the sites I' ve checked out want a car included. It seems to me that there is too much room for car damages, accidents and a high mileage use especially here in NYC where traffic can be a little crazy and people might also use it as a jumping off point to Canada/DC/whereever.

Posted By Lynne Fortunato on August 6, 2010, 10:56 AM

Hey, Brad.
I've been house-swapping for many years with www.seniorshomeexchange.com, and it's THE BEST. Most of us are retired, so swaps don't have to be simultaneous, and we choose our own swappers. Also, being seniors, we don't have to child-proof our homes. For 6 years, I've traded my waterfront Florida home (in March) for the swappers' waterfront home in Maine (during September). It's such fun. I feel like a Florida Snowbird! Last spring, I also did a 3-week simultaneous swap with people in Sonoma, CA. Now I'm ready for NZ or Europe. Carmie Pierce

Posted By Carmie Pierce on October 13, 2010, 5:07 PM