Steps to a successful home exchange
1. Describe your home honestly in your listing and in all correspondence. You want your exchange partners to be pleasantly surprised when they arrive, not disappointed. Never hide the existence of
pets house plants or roommates that may not be traveling on exchange
with you.
2. Leave your home clean. Standards of cleanliness vary, so make sure that floors are vacuumed,
swept or mopped, refrigerator emptied, stove and oven grease-free, bath and shower free
grime, windows smudge free, and surfaces dust-free. There is no need to repaint the house.
3. Clear away enough of your personal belongings to leave space on shelves and in closets and drawers so that your guests can empty their suitcases, arrange their things in bedrooms,
bathrooms and feel at home.
4. Leave at least two sets of clean sheets per bed and two sets of towels per person.
Leave toilet paper and facial tissues.
5. Compile an easy to read "Guide to Your Home and Surroundings" which includes local tourist information,
hospitals, playgrounds if children are involved and household notices about the use of electrical appliances, pool maintenance, pet and plant care,
garbage and recycling pick up, etc. Phone numbers of a recommended doctor, dentist, babysitter, good restaurants, and helpful friends are always welcome too.
6. Consider making an agreement form to avoid all misunderstandings and clarify who pays what in terms of telephone, electric bills, gas consumption, insurance deductibles in case of accidents, and staple foods such as flour, sugar, oil, etc.
7. If practical, leave the makings of a first meal. Nothing fancy, but your guests will be tired and hungry and grateful not to have to go out for dinner.
8. Although it is not a requirement, many leave a small gift of welcome: a bottle of wine
or a local specialty.
Home Exchange Resources
- Swapping homes for vacations
Finding
a home swap partner
Will
anyone find an exchange for me?
Home
exchange help
Is my home
good enough to swap?
Affordable
budget travel
Can
anyone take part in a home exchange?
Factors
that may reduce your home exchange opportunities
Can
swappers from rural areas find swaps to popular destinations?
How
do I trust others with my home?
Traveling
with children
Types
of accommodations offered as home exchange?
What
are the benefits?
How do I
know if an exchange is right for me?
I
don't live in a tourist area.
International
home exchange
Contacting
others regarding a home swap
Not
receiving responses to your inquiries
Are
you a list and run swapper?
Be
a serious about your home exchange commitment
Do
I need to accept offers?
Your home
exchange is arranged - now what?
Steps
to a successful home exchange
How do
we exchange keys?
Do we
need to swap cars?
Are gifts
necessary?
High
speed internet connection
Be
prepared for little challenges
Can
arranged exchanges fall apart?
Housekeeping
issues
Are
there guarantees that I will find an exchange?
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