Vacation Home Exchange & House Swap - FAQs
How do I make an exchange?
It’s very easy, you can do it in 3 steps:
- Click on a country or state where you want to go.
- Click on an interesting Listing
- Send a privacy protected email to that Listing directly from the site
Of course, with your own Listing posted, you will be getting inquiries from around the world.
How much does it cost?
- You can register your property for free
- Before you contact other members and arrange a home exchange it is necessary to complete the registration process and pay the annual fee.
1 year's unlimited membership costs $ 59 .You are free to cancel your subscription at any time by emailing us at sales@homeforswap.com. We require 1 month notice of cancellation.
How much can I save?
Literally thousands of dollars on a typical exchange.
You will be saving money not only on the accomodation, but also in restaurants, on car rental, internet connection..It's like being at home in another country.
Here is an estimation of the cost of a 3 week vacation for a family of 4 :
| Expenses |
Without home exchange |
With home exchange |
| Flight tickets |
$ 3600 |
$ 3600 |
| Hotel |
$ 2100 |
$ 0 |
| Car |
$ 1400 |
$ 0 |
| Food |
$ 2800 |
$ 1000 |
| Total |
$ 9900 |
$ 4600 |
But people who often think that saving money is the biggest benefit of Homeforswap.com find that what they really like is the comfort of staying in a home rather than an impersonal hotel, and experiencing an area as a local, not a tourist.
What does membership include?
Being a member gives you some rights and some advantages:
- Ability to contact other members and arrange home exchanges.
- Update your property details at any time 24/7 from anywhere in the world.
- Receive the monthly newsletter.
- Automatic new listing updates send to your email for your chosen destinations.
Who cleans the house?
Sometimes Members arrange for cleaning, other times you clean the house before you leave.
The general rule is to leave the house exactly as you found it, and to take care of the home as you expect your partner to take care of yours.
How can I contact the owner of a property?
If you have registered as a member you can contact other members by clicking on 'Send email to member' which appears to the right hand side of all property details.
Do you have to exchange at the same time?
Usually.But a lot of people exchange their second homes, which allows a lot more flexibility. We even have a Search Function that displays only second homes.
And even with primary homes the exchange may be non-simultaneous. For example, you might stay at my house when I am away someplace else, and we would agree that I could stay at your home at some later time.
What should I include in my email to a property owner?
A good email to another member will include a detailed description of your property, neighborhood and something important you think the member has to know about yourself and family and when you would like to make the exchange.
What about insurance and liability?
Check with your own insurance company, but for the most part we understand that most insurance covers exchange partners as invited guests in your home or “permitted” drivers and offers coverage as such.
Can I do exchange within my country?
Yes, Homeforswap.com can assist you in finding both national, international exchanges and vacation rentals.
Will my name, address and email address be exposed on the Internet?
No. Homeforswap.com does not reveal any of your personal information (your name, address or email address in property details). Your personal contact information is confidential. Members can make first contact with other members by emailing with the 'Send email to member' facility.
What are the benefits of a home exchange, in addition to saving money?
Many Members join thinking the biggest benefit will be the money they save, and that expectation is certainly realized, with savings of thousands of dollars on hotels, cars and meals not unusual. But afterwards, most will say that the greatest benefits are the experience of experiencing an area like a local, not a tourist and having the comfort of being in a home rather than a cramped hotel room.
Will anyone be interested in my "average" home?
Yes, everyone has different needs for their vacation home; a small apartment in a city centre can be very attractive to anyone wanting to explore that city. Your "average" home may be perfect for someone wanting to exchange with you.
Can I exchange my rental apartment ?
Yes, you perfectly can exchange your apartment even if you are renting your place. Because there is no financial transaction, it doesn't count as a sublet.
How long is a typical exchange?
Whatever works between the Members, but exchanges within country are normally 1-2 weeks, international exchanges are normally 1-3 weeks. There is no typical duration exchange, if 2 members need to swap for 6 month or 1 year, it’s up to them.
What about cars?
About half our Members exchange cars, but it is entirely up to you.
Does my car insurance cover my home exchange partners?
You need to ask your insurance provider if your home exchangers are insured while driving your car. Usuallyit's a simple case of adding their names to your insurance policy at no extra cost.
What about pets?
The Listings clearly note whether there are pets in the house and whether pet care is requested or required.
Do I have to exchange with another member when they contact me?
No, the network affords total flexibility. Each member decides if, and when, to accept an exchange.
Does my homeowner’s policy cover damage to my house while on exchange?
You need to ask your insurance broker. We have had very few incidents of damage to people’s houses in the past 4 years.
If I want to travel in the next few days or weeks, is it too late to arrange an exchange?
No. It’s never too late to organize an exchange as long as you are flexible about destination and time.
Must exchanges take place during the same period?
No. Since all Homeforswap properties are vacation homes and are available most of the year, exchanges do not need to occur during the same week.
I'm concerned about the privacy of the information I provide. How am I protected?
We are committed to the fundamentals of protecting consumer privacy on the Internet. See Privacy Policy for complete information.
How do I help prevent a mismatch?
There is enough information in the listings to weed out some obvious mismatches. For example, an exchange family with four children may not be ideal for your antique-filled home. Or your family of five may not be appropriate for a trade with a studio apartment in New York City.
How do I finalize arrangements?
After agreeing to a trade, you and your trade partner may exchange calls and letters finalizing dates and details about cars, responsibilities and other pertinent items. Our Members' Guidelines Book includes sample letters, sample agreements, and more complete suggestions about what to discuss with your partner. Good communication will lead to a satisfying, successful exchange.
Download contract here
I don't live in a recognized tourist area. Why would anyone exchange with me?
Although members are at an advantage if they live in popular tourist locations, we find that many members actively want to avoid tourist areas. Look at your local attractions from a visitor's point of view and provide potential exchange partners with lots of information. Include distances to surrounding cities, airports and well known attractions. A lot of people use their exchange home as a base for their vacation, large enough to accommodate their family comfortably, and are quite prepared to take day trips. Just be honest in your description.
Who pays the bills?
Pay all mortgage and utility bills as you normally would, and agree in advance who should pay the phone bills - each exchange party normally pays for their own telephone calls. The home owner continues to pay for any regular cleaning help, gardeners, pool service etc. However, if the exchange party hires a maid, etc., payment is their responsibility.
How can I be sure my home will be safe?
This is our number one question, and an honest answer is that you cannot. However, over the years ,we have received very few reports of damage, and never a report of theft. Remember, you will be living in your exchange partner's home as well, and their concerns are very similar to your own, but in our experience, homes are invariably left exactly as they were found. Having someone in your home at the same time as you are in theirs gives each of you a great incentive to treat the home entrusted to you with great respect and care.
We advise that you make every possible effort to quickly get to know your exchange partners by email, telephone and webcam. Many people exchange photographs and videos of their home, family and location before they make final arrangements. A home exchange is built completely on trust, and a mutual respect for each other's property; this alone is what makes home exchange possible and usually highly successful. Some exchangers arrange an overlap so that they have the chance to meet at the beginning of their vacation.
I would prefer not to pay by credit card on the Internet. Is there another way?
Certainly. In addition to secure credit card payments, we also offer PayPal. Or, just contact us by email or phone and we will be happy to discuss other payment options. However, all payments must be in US dollars and drawn on a US bank.
Once I've joined and paid my membership fee are there any further charges?
No. Your membership fee entitles you to unrestricted access to our secure, privacy protected members' area and database for the duration of your membership. During that time you can edit/update your listing and photographs as often as you wish. You can also arrange an unlimited number of exchanges. Some members arrange short breaks close to home in addition to longer vacations abroad.
Testimonials
"We've just returned from a very successful exchange in Paris and look forward to our next one scheduled for December — Wayne F"
"My wife and I had a wonderful swap with people in South Beach, Florida, last week,and we are going to have a swap with people in Rome, Italy the end of July.Thank you —Richard W"
"Hi there, we are writing from our exchange property in Paris. Our house swoppers are happily installed in our house in England. Thank you for making this possible."
Cambridge, England
"Just came back from my first home swap, me in Spain, them in New York- and it worked wonderfully. We had a very good time, you can be sure that I will tell all my friends about your organization - Thomas C"
"This is a great program. We have met some great people & had marvelous week end.— Kevin & Sarah S"
“This is a wonderful website you created!! We spent 2 weeks in Costa Rica. We swapped our small Manhattan apt for a nice house with pool ! My 2 kids enjoyed as much as we did this amazing trip. Nicolas P”
"Well, it's been less than a month since we signed up, and already we've gotten ourselves set up with exactly the sort of exchange we were hoping for! A great 4-bed house in Greece for 2 weeks over Xmas as a "trade" for a week's sailing with us next summer. Perfect!!!
"Hooray! I just found your Web site yesterday. I stayed up until 1:00 AM taking it in. My 3 children thought heaven was coming through the Internet. The site is beautifully done & I wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed finding it. Your site is by far the best home exchange site that I've found- Judith F"
We thank you for visiting our FAQ section. We hope all your queries about house swap, vacation home exchange, holiday house swap, vacation home swap, holiday home exchange, and vacation
house exchange were answered in our FAQ section.
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