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WHAT IS HOME EXCHANGE?
REASONS WHY PEOPLE SWAP THEIR HOMES
ADVANTAGES TO SWAPPING YOUR HOME
IS SWAPPING LEGAL?
USEFUL ADVICE
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WHAT IS HOME EXCHANGE?
On this site we specialise in two types of Home Exchange
-
Permanent Home Exchange and Temporary Home
Exchange
Permanent Home Exchange
is when 2 parties exchange their homes on a Permanent basis -
an alternative to buying and selling property.
Temporary Home Exchange
is when 2 parties exchange their homes for a specified period of time -
this is usually for a holiday / vacation.
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REASONS
WHY PEOPLE SWAP THEIR HOMES
Whether you are swapping your home
on a permanent or temporary/holiday basis there are
several reasons why people want to swap their homes ...
On the Permanent Side ...
Swapping is
not new - money has only been around for a few
thousand years -
before that people exchanged goods and
services
On the Temporary Side ...
To
get the
feel for a place before committing to a
Permanent Swap
House swapping is
fast becoming one of tourism’s
booming trends
-
probably because swapping your home can offer so much more
than hotels can
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ADVANTAGES TO SWAPPING YOUR HOME
Permanent Swap
Advantages
Avoid lengthy chains
Save on costly estate
agent/real estate agent fees
Huge tax benefits
Temporary Swap
Advantages
No holiday accommodation
costs
More freedom to choose where
you want to stay
Live as a resident not just
as a tourist
Richer cultural experience
than staying in a bland hotel room
An opportunity to gain
insight into buying a second property abroad
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IS HOUSE SWAPPING LEGAL?
Yes! Both permanent and
temporary house swapping is legal.
See what the
Experts say about Permanent House Swapping
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USEFUL ADVICE
Here
is some useful advice for those
wishing to exchange their homes:
Useful Advice
for Permanent Swaps
Always get your property
valued before considering a Permanent Swap
Although you won't need to
use an estate agent, you will still need to have
legal contracts drawn up
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Useful Advice
for Council / Housing Association Swaps
You should always inform your
local council / Housing Association that you want to
exchange your property,
before you actually do
so
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Useful Advice
for Public Housing Swaps in Australia
You should always inform your local public housing office that you want to
exchange your property,
before you actually do
so
Properties can only be
exchanged within the same State
Each state has slightly
different rules
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Useful Advice
for Temporary/Holiday Swaps
Worries and concerns
Describe
your home accurately
Plan your exchange early
Travel
arrangements
Changing your plans
Inform your friends and
neighbours
Find out about the people you
are going to swap with and the location
Create an information
sheet / welcome pack about your home
Preparing your home for
exchange guests
Home Security
Caring for Plants
Caring for Pets
Car Exchanges
Things to do before you leave
your exchange home
Sample Contracts
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WORRIES AND CONCERNS
Often people are quite
apprehensive at the thought of having complete strangers in their homes. It is
natural to feel like this, especially if you have never done a home exchange
before.
Home exchange is built on trust and your home
exchange guests are probably having the same worries and concerns about having
you stay in their home.
Always go with your gut
instinct when you consider making an exchange with someone. If for
whatever reason you do not feel 100% comfortable with a person, you should not pursue
that particular exchange. Be polite and try another one.
It
is always wise to obtain and check references from potential exchange guests, preferably
from previous exchanges they have made. You should also be prepared to send
them references about yourself
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DESCRIBE YOUR HOME
ACCURATELY
The first
thing to do is to make sure that you have described your home accurately - there
is nothing worse than your exchange guests arriving at your home and finding
that the property is nothing like they expected it to be. You could also be
disappointed yourself if you arrive at your home exchange and find it not as you
expected. So be truthful and accurate about your home from the start then you
might be pleasantly surprised when you arrive there.
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PLAN YOUR EXCHANGE EARLY
It is wise to plan your
exchange as early as possible, especially if you are very precise about the type
of accommodation and location you are looking for. Also planning early allows
you to be more flexible with dates.
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TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
Don’t book any flights until
you and your exchange guests have read and agreed each other’s contracts and
are
100% certain about all the details. It is then wise to send a copy of your
flight details to your exchange guests.
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CHANGING YOUR PLANS
The
rule is to inform your exchange guests of any changes as soon as you possibly
can, preferably before they have bought their airline tickets. It is unlikely
that people will change their minds once they have paid for flight tickets etc.
but sometimes even the best laid plans have to be changed. However, if you
really do have to cancel at the last minute it is up to you to try and make some
alternative arrangements.
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INFORM YOUR FRIENDS AND
NEIGHBOURS
It is wise to inform
your friends and neighbours that exchange guests will be in your home
whilst your are away,
otherwise they may be suspicious seeing strangers
going in and out of your home. It is also wise to give them a
spare key just in case your exchange guests accidentally lock themselves
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FIND OUT ABOUT THE PEOPLE YOU ARE GOING TO SWAP WITH AND THE LOCATION
Most people who exchange
their homes are professional people but it is wise to find out a little more
about them and the location they live in.
How
many there are in the group, their ages, if they have any special needs, for
example they could not manage steps or having to walk up and down steep hills in
order to go anywhere. If they have any children, their ages. If they smoke or
not. If you do not want children or smokers in your home, make it very clear
right from the start. Is the location in a busy town/city centre or is it
in a quiet residential area? Some people prefer the buzz of being in the
centre of things, while others prefer a quiet and relaxed area.
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CREATE AN
INFORMATION SHEET / WELCOME PACK ABOUT YOUR HOME
Create an information sheet/welcome pack for your exchange guests
and keep it all together in a binder and leave it in a prominent place so that
it can be easily found. In it put things such as:
How
to use Appliances
Any House Rules eg things
which are out of bounds
Useful Telephone Numbers
Local Services and Places of
Interest
How To Use
Appliances
By all means leave manuals for
your household appliances, however, you should also leave simple
instructions on how to use them and any quirks they may have.
Appliances to think about:
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