10 comments on your house exchange!
Please read!
You have an apartment or a house that is sometimes unused. You can exchange this for a holiday with another person.
You have no “second home” then simply offer your “home” for exchange.
What you should need:
- Be flexible in your “wish targets” for home exchange, which increases the chance to find an exchange partner.
- Be open-hearted and hospitable! Don’t reckon! That’s not the point!
Your noble “penthouse” in the big city is swapping against the “hut by the lake”…. here begins your little adventure! - When you receive an exchange offer, always reply and remain polite, even if you do not want to exchange!
Send many requests to increase the likelihood of exchange. - Show determination!
If you get an offer that suits you, stay in touch, organize your exchange seriously and say: Yes, I will!
Keep your promises, because nothing is more disappointing than a short-term rejection! - Your first contact: Do not remain anonymous, introduce yourselves and your home to the exchange partner, you want to meet and exchange your house.
- Preparation for exchange: Inform your exchange partner about special features of your home. Stores addresses or telephone numbers for emergencies, e.g. emergency numbers, police, hospital or similar.
Create a small folder with useful addresses for leisure activities, excursions, gastronomy, tips for children’s entertainment and beautiful places in nature.’ - Key handover: You trade “time-delayed”, no problem as you are present, greet your guests and hand over the keys.
You make a simultaneous exchange: If your destination is not too far away, one can wait for the other and you exchange your keys on arrival and then drive to the house of the exchange partner.
If the destination is further away and you can not be present to receive the exchange partner because you are already on the plane, then hire the person you trust to receive the guests and hand over the keys.
If all this does not work, then send your keys to each other by postal mail. - Free yourself from “prejudices”: Other countries, different customs “!
- Pets and children: Your home exchange partner has a dog, considering that this does not mean that his home must be a “jungle of hair”.
Do not be “petty”!
Be generous and give families with children a chance! - Treat the house of your exchange partner with RESPECT, leave it clean and tidy! You do not want to clean yourself: Then agreed to a final cleaning against payment.
If something breaks down: Report this or replace it or call your private liability insurance.
You do not have one? Then it’s time to change that! - DO NOT DISPUTE! You’re on vacation, drive carefully and take a break! We wish you a good journey, interesting encounters, great places and new friends and acquaintances.And above all, have a nice holiday!
- Some extra information:
Check the exchange partner’s phone number, email address and social media account.
Make phone calls with potential house exchangers, instead of just mailing with them.
Read guestbook entries and reviews carefully.
Make an Exchange Agreement – forms can be found at the exchange portals on the Internet. Send them by email with the request for a signature and have them send back to you.
Inform your neighbors when exchange partners arrive.