Categories: Vacation Homes

Relevance of House Swap

Why did I not get the idea of house swap before? This question has been bugging me from the time one of my office colleague broke the news to me that he had just returned from his annual vacations by exchanging homes with someone. The best part about the deal is that he found the guy online from one of the various website offering deals on home exchange. The reason I am livid at myself is that I am regarded as one of the best brains in the office and how could I not think of such a basic idea. I nearly fell from my chair when I heard the news. It is a great idea. Whoever thought of such a novel way of increasing the pleasure value of the various trips that we undertake (business or pleasure) and at the same time cutting down costs needs to be rewarded with a cash prize if not the Nobel prize. To me this is the idea of the decade. I duly thanked my colleague and took a pledge that on the next vacations of mine I will certainly walk this route. I will try to explain the reason why.

The answer is not that difficult to comprehend. Ask yourself the question. How many times in the last 10 years you had to either postpone or cancel your weekend, monthly or annual vacations on account of higher costs of the trip particularly hotel rooms? I would say more than a score. Now think of the situation if you had the opportunity to swap your house with some likeminded people to cut down the costs, how many times you would have missed your trips. The answer is none. If you take out the major irritant out of the equation it all adds up. Hence I would encourage more and more people to house swap to enjoy more and spend less.

The process of home exchange and house swap is easy these days. There are many home swapper agencies and web sites dealing with this topic. All you need to do is visit the site which you like and think fits your requirement, register as a paid member, upload you details and the details of your house and you can start hunting. Once you have registered on the site you can start searching from the thousands of people willing to swap their homes with detailed information like, the number of rooms, bathrooms, size of the kitchen, balconies, swimming pool if any etc. Once you have finalized few houses you can get in touch with the owners directly via phone or email and get down to the serious business of exchanging the homes at mutually convenient times. The reason you should register yourself as a paid member is because of the fact that only after you become a paid member will the contact details of the house owners be visible to you. This luxury is not available to the free members of the site. To them just the house will be visible, but they will be unable to initiate discussions with the house owner as the contact details are hidden. In order to contact the person owning the home and ready for house swap, the free members need to upgrade themselves to paid member status. No free lunches in life eh! I agree completely, after all the only sources of revenue for these sites come from the monthly or annual fees they charge from their members. There are other modes of revenues like advertisements, but the concept is new and there isn't enough traffic on the sites to have revenues to boast about.

Bottom-line, the next time you are undertaking any trip, think of house swap as a viable option.

Share
Published by
Martin Wynn

Recent Posts

How to Plan a Unique Cruise Itinerary for 2024

Researching Emerging Destinations When planning a unique cruise itinerary for 2024, it is essential to…

4 months ago

Discover the Charm of Woodnest: Norway’s Amazing Treetop Cabin Tree House Hotel

Introduction to Woodnest Nestled in the heart of Norway, Woodnest stands as a testament to…

5 months ago

Best Tours for Solo Travelers in 2024: Top Destinations and Tips

Introduction to Solo Travel in 2024 Solo travel is witnessing a significant surge in popularity,…

5 months ago

Exploring the Enigmatic Cave of Crystals in Naica, Mexico

Introduction to the Cave of Crystals The Cave of Crystals, also referred to as the…

5 months ago

Hottest Travel Trends in Summer 2024: Exploring the Theme of Sustainable and Experiential Journeys

Introduction to Summer 2024 Travel Trends As we approach the summer of 2024, the landscape…

5 months ago

Unveiling Spring 2024’s Five Hottest Travel Destinations: Exotic Escapes Await

Springtime is upon us, and for wanderlust-filled souls, it's the season to embrace new adventures…

8 months ago