A house exchange or home exchange can be a great way of enjoying the space and convenience of staying in a real home while you holiday with your children. A house exchange is where you live in someone else's home and they live in yours. An exchange can be made anywhere in the world. Exchanging with a family often has extra perks such as friends for your children and local babysitters and the extra space and convenience of staying in a real home. As it is a swap it is also free and is a great cost-effective family friendly alternative to staying in a hotel which can be very costly for a family.
In some cases you will be able to exchange with a family who have children of a similar age to your own and you will be able to relax knowing that they will have lots of toys, books and videos to occupy them with. You must be very careful to ensure however that the property you are exchanging is suitable for children and that there are no surprises. Be very clear that you are bringing children and agree any restrictions in advance.
In addition to being free home exchange offers other benefits beside the cost benefits. Cars are also included eliminating the additional cost of renting a car. Your own property will not be empty during your absence and you may be able to leave your pets behind at home cared for by your overseas counterparts. In some cases however it will be more appropriate to kennel your pets or make other arrangements. Family homes are better equipped for family daily lives than self-catering rentals and often babysitters and bicycles and if you are very lucky swimming pools are included. It is important to manage expectations however and ask all of your questions well in advance.
If you have any tips or great experiences do let others know on the forum. You will also find lots of family friendly travel tips and advice in our research and advice section.
Top tips for a family home exchange
Of course you will be anxious at first about having strangers living in your property. If you were concerned in particular about certain items you could box them and leave them to friends or agree that a particular room will be locked.
Be as flexible as possible about your potential destinations as you might really want Tuscany but get the right property in all other respects in Umbria. When you are registering your property give as good a description of your property and area with clear photographs taken in good light. Start looking well in advance of your travel dates as this can be a slow process as people feel each other out and ask lots of questions. Be honest about your own property while still painting it in a good light.
Agree in advance how household bills will be paid. Most owners will pay their own bills with the exception of the telephone bill which can be paid separately. Draw up a clear agreement between you and your exchange partner before you book travel plans and make sure this is signed by both parties. Before you travel check with your home insurer that your home insurance is valid while occupied by your exchange partners and if you are making a car available check that this insurance is in place.
Spend a good bit of time preparing a detailed folder of reference for your home such as heating controls, bin days, recycling, useful telephone numbers, directions to the local shops, recommended restaurants, activities for the children and anything you would expect to ease your way into a new family holiday. Finally arrange for your home to be clean and tidy and if your exchange partner is arriving immediately after your departure leave some basic food essentials.
How to research and find a home exchange
HomeForExchange.com is a member-only website for international home exchange and is well worth looking at for a good saving on your family holiday.
You will find lots of family friendly travel tips and advice in our research and advice section to help you book the right family holiday. Check out also the experiences of other parents and travellers in our parents forum and add your own experiences as we are a great believer in real parent's experiences as the best measure of whether somewhere will suit you for your family holiday.
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