Would you do a house swap?

8 years ago

With the holiday season in full swing it makes sense to team up with a family who wants to explore your area, while you can go explore someone else's. Some holiday swap schemes are even free!

Is this something you've done in the past? Or something you're planning to do this summer?

Brockloch Bothy · More Info

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Katy O'Hara

8 years ago

Love the idea but not sure the reality would work. We have a large 6 bed villa in sunny Cyprus which is perfect for a house swap. The only problem are the animals. There needs to be a site where pet owners can swap houses with pets included!

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Comments (37)

Najeebah
8 years ago
no, i haven't, but I would..
anyone wanna swop? :D
User
8 years ago
Not until I have alot of lockable cupboards, if it were strangers.
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michellekquinn
8 years ago
I would love to do this, I have thought about it but don't know where to start - I have a small 3 bed cottage; England, within a national park. No pets to swap though
PRO
Cowen Garden Design
8 years ago
Very interested, we have a small Georgian terrace house 15 minutes walk from Bath City Centre. It's not quite as we would like it but we are very interested in house swaps. Our neighbours have also tried it with great results!
shopping86
8 years ago
I agree on the animals thing - we have a lovely 6 bed manor house, with 2 dogs, 2 cats, 3 horses, currently a pet pig, a few hens, veggies from the garden. Would be great to be able to take a holiday this way.
susanna35
8 years ago
We live in a town house in a market town. A few years ago we swapped with a family in London, and had a very good holiday. This year we are heading to The Netherlands for a two week exchange, and will take care of their pets, while they look after our vegetable patch! Both times we have arranged the exchanges through reputable home exchange websites. I would certainly recommend it as an economical holiday
Natalie Patton
8 years ago
I never have but I like the idea of it although I can't imagine anyone would be too excited about coming to my neck of the woods haha
michellekquinn
8 years ago
Susanna - do you have the details of the 'home exchange websites'?
crowningfashion
8 years ago
I'd love to try it!
susanna35
8 years ago
To michellekquinn,

For our London trip we used homelink.org. This time we are going with intervac. Good luck!
Andrew Millar
8 years ago
oh noooooooo!! someone in my house or me in someone else's. don't know which is my worsest (real word,honest) nightmare.
michellekquinn
8 years ago
Thanks Susanna35
Marina
8 years ago
Have done many happy house, car and animal swaps. For us, the key has been to swap with people with similar lifestyles. Never had a problem and it made me go the extra mile on cleaning and sorting out before the swap. We´ve met some lovely people by doing this and also by having housesitters in when we go away. One lovely lady follows me on Face Book and donates to appeals for the animal charity that I volunteer with :)
User
8 years ago
House, car and animal, do you throw in Hubby too?
Marina
8 years ago
Nooooooo! Couldn´t even begin to think of showing my wobbly bits to a new man, besides, I need him to navigate!
User
8 years ago
LOL.
Lynne Mysliwiec
8 years ago
I would definitely swap!
User
8 years ago
You've met her hubby?
badger10
8 years ago
I like that.
PRO
Hunkydory Home
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
We did it and I will NEVER DO IT AGAIN! I spent days cleaning every nook and cranny of our house, it was immaculate. We arrived at our swap and it was unclean and not nice at all - the bedding had hairs in it and was unclean so we had to go to Asda and buy new stuff. The absolute worst thing was when we left early we couldn't even go home as they were in our house so we had to go and stay with my mum.

If you do it and you're house proud, don't expect where you're going to be as particular as you are!
badger10
8 years ago
Things are different these days, not many people are as honest as they once were and in Hunkydorys, case ( great name ) it shows that they have little respect either, sounds a great idea but i would not enjoy my trip away for fear of what was going on at home, i just could not believe that they would not riffle through my draws (wooden type ) and nosey around my belongings, not for me i'm afraid, ------ I know, i can hear you all saying, TRUST, not any more I've had too many examples of being taken for a ride. My home was built by my own hands and it took my lifetime to achieve what i have to save enough money --- bring up a family,,,,, O.K. you know the rest so i'll stop, but good luck to those who have successful swaps
Najeebah
8 years ago
lol Natalie patton, where is your neck of the woods if I may ask?
Natalie Patton
8 years ago
Najeebah I live in Carlisle Cumbria UK
Najeebah
8 years ago
ah oki. thank you :D
Lynne Mysliwiec
8 years ago
Anything that is valuable / priceless to you should be packed away to begin with if you're going to do a swap -- ditto for emptying closets and drawers. If you're really attached to silverware and dishes, go to the salvation army and pick up some cheap dishes and silverware & pack away your own.
Natalie Patton
8 years ago
Najeebah told u I didn't think it was a very exciting house swap destination
Najeebah
8 years ago
lol but why??
Natalie Patton
8 years ago
I guess when you live in a place you don't see the magic. It's the border city and we have the Lake District on our door step and if your brave enough to brave the elements to clime a mountain you'll love it.
Najeebah
8 years ago
I see. Thank you again. well said and very true; we often overlook the beauty around us.
be sure to take pics of the mountain when advertising for home swapping :)
badger10
8 years ago
Najeebah, good afternoon, was it me you were asking "what neck of the woods am i from?", well if it wasn't then I'll tell yer anyway, originally from the East end, ( a proud cockney ) but been living in the Republic of Ireland since 2000, we are thinking of moving back to good old blighty, and the lakes was one of the places we have in mind, anyone selling a min 3 bed house, semi rural, anything considered and also anyone interested in a House in Ireland, good size large garden, get in touch, lets talk.
Natalie Patton
8 years ago
Where about a in Ireland are you from. My family are originally from Southern Ireland Donegal.
badger10
8 years ago
Hi natlaiepatton, Donegal is well north, I live in the gateway of Connemara, in Mayo, our nearest town is Castlebar, about half hour drive,, we live in an area full of lakes and mountains, in fact my house overlooks Loch Mask, and Galway is one hour south, Westport is also half hour north, so we are in a good position
Natalie Patton
8 years ago
I missed now off sorry. They are from Southern Ireland, Donegal now.
Najeebah
8 years ago
Hello Badger! :)
Thanks. That's very interesting indeed. Unfortunately, I can't help with either situation, but when you find what you're looking for, start a thread on Houzz, and I'll try to ;)
Greetings from South Africa
alant1000
8 years ago
I would definitely do it!
cambella
8 months ago
So would I!

Would you do a house swap?

Comments (37)

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