Home Exchanges

You’ve heard me mention home exchanges multiple times on my blog.  We first got the idea from our neighbors Jess and Trevor who did a successful home exchange in Rome in 2008.  They used a website called HomeExchange.com™ - the very same one featured in the movie The Holiday.  We had a poke around the website and decided to give it a whirl.  

You can send messages to listings that you are interested in and you will also receive messages from other people who have viewed your listing.  Once we find people who are interested in an exchange, we set up a conference call with them to discuss logistics etc.  A number of the places on the website are people’s second homes so you don’t even necessarily have to do a simultaneous exchange.

People often ask us if we are worried about theft or damage.  And the answer is no because firstly, we are also staying in their house with all their stuff and secondly, our doorman would notice if they attempted carrying our 50 inch television out the door.  The conference call also helps us to ascertain whether these people are ‘normal’.  I think maybe in future we might ask for copies of passports just so we know exactly who will be staying in our home.

It sounds great and it is great.  However, let’s be clear.  It only works if:

• You have a nice apartment/house that other people would actually want to stay in.  If you live in a shoebox studio with wallpaper hanging off the walls I think you would have some trouble convincing someone to exchange with you.
• You live in a desirable location.  No one wants to go to middle-of-nowhere, New Jersey.  Everyone wants to go to New York City. 

There is an annual fee to list your home (around $200 I think) but other than that there are no other charges.  We’ve had two really fantastic exchanges - one in San Francisco and one in Vail.