What Is a House Exchange? A Quick Guide
January 13, 2022 • By THIRDHOME
The home exchange service market is worth nearly five billion dollars. And, it’s projected to continue growing because more and more people are discovering how valuable home exchanges can be.
If you’re thinking about doing a house exchange, now is the time to jump on the trend. House swaps are safer than ever, and there are plenty of regulatory options for home exchanges. So, you don’t have to worry about any home exchange horror stories that may have happened in the past.
To learn more about house exchange and how it works, keep reading. We’re going to share all of our house exchange tips in this house exchange guide. Let’s get started!
House Exchange Explained
Well, a house swap is a temporary exchange of homes. It allows for two people or two families to swap residences for a pre-determined amount of time.
With home exchange programs, you get all of the joys of new scenery with the pleasantries of a house. And, you can skip all the costs and fees that come with hotels, motels, and similar places.
House swaps are most common for vacationers. However, some people exchange homes just for fun. Sometimes, a change of indoor scenery is just as nice as a change in outdoor scenery.
Understanding House Exchange
Home swaps happen with two different properties that exist in two different locations. They could be a beach house and a city penthouse or a country house and a house in the suburbs. Some may be similar houses that are just in different cities, states, or countries.
Whether you’re retired, working remotely, or just need a vacation, there’s bound to be a home out there perfect for a swap with yours.
Home Swapping Sites
There are plenty of options for house exchange sites.
For those of you who want to take advantage of luxurious homes, consider joining us at ThirdHome. If you’re adventurous and want to take advantage of higher-priced homes, ThirdHome is definitely for you.
You can allow other travelers to stay in your second home while you aren’t using it. In exchange, you can visit their second home.
It’s a whole new way to travel. You could even pretend you live in a luxurious villa, a charming chateau, or wherever you want.
You get to decide what kind of homes you want to travel to. And, you can make arrangements with the other travelers based on what preferences you both have.
If you’re looking for casual living, there are plenty of other choices that you could look up online. Just be careful and make sure that you’re as safe as possible when you’re trying to link up with other homeowners.
1. The point of these home exchange sites is that you’re supposed to swap homes with someone who finds your home as attractive as you find theirs. You don’t want to trade homes unless both parties are enamored with the other’s property.
2. If you have a luxury home, you have even more leverage. There are going to be more people trying to visit and swap for your home. So, you’re going to have more choices when it comes to home swaps.
3. That being said, home swapping sites have a wide range of listings that you and other home swappers can choose from. These sites are also safer as they offer added security via person identification, ownership verification, and detailed home information.
1. The home swapping fees are the most unliked part of exchanging houses. However, these home swapping fees are necessary.
2. If you decide to list your home on one of these home swapping sites, you have to pay a small monthly fee. Depending on the site that you choose, you may be able to choose from a few paid tiers. These may offer a few different extras, such as professional listings, promotions, and more.
3. Another disadvantage to consider is the fact that you need to own your own home. If you’re a tenant in someone else’s home, you need to get consent from your landlord to use the space for swapping houses.
4. Similarly, you may need to get permission from a housing association before participating in a home swap as well.
5. You’ll have to look at what the rules and regulations are in your city as they differ from place to place.
Types of House Exchanges
There are multiple home exchanges to choose from. And, there are constantly new home exchanges coming about.
Here are some of the kinds of home exchanges that you can choose from:
- Classic house swap – two people agree to move into each other’s homes for a temporary period of time
- Nonsimultaneous exchange – someone moves into someone else’s home while that home’s owners are elsewhere
- Point system – a user can collect credits that they can use towards a later stay at another person’s home
- Hosting exchange – someone moves into someone else’s home while they’re still there with the promise of returning the favor of hosting later
The final verdict is between you and the person that you’re swapping homes with. So, all you have to do is have an open discussion with the person that you are engaging in a house exchange with.
Then, you can plan the trip of your dreams.
Start Your Own House Exchange with THIRDHOME
If you’re looking for a luxury getaway, THIRDHOME is the best way to get that. With this kind of house exchange, you and someone else can exchange luxury homes.
Even better, you and the other party are screened and vetted prior to the exchange. So, you won’t have to worry about security problems.
With ThirdHome, you’ll get to experience the luxurious kind of living that you’ve only ever just imagined. And, it’s even better because you don’t have to buy the luxury home yourself.
To start your very own house exchange, join THIRDHOME today. We can help you plan the trip of your dreams where you can stay in the home of your dreams.
