Travel the Home Exchange Way blog

Long term home exchange: Amsterdam for London

We addressed the option of arranging non simultaneous exchanges and banking home swap offers for later a few days ago. Long term home exchange is another option that can be very useful. As most Home Base Holidays members are only able to consider short term swaps, it can take a little time to find a suitable long term exchange partner, especially as such exchanges are usually for a set period in one location only.

Long term exchanges are popular with academics on sabbaticals, students and retired members who want to be close to grown children living abroad for a lengthy period (sometimes when a new baby is due) without imposing on the young family.

Here's a recent long term home exchange offer that will interest Londoners who'd like to live in Amsterdam for a year:

'I am a 62 year old retired teacher. I want to live in London for a year from September 2013 to study Swahili and Arabic at the SOAS (School of Oriental and Arabic Studies, Russell Square). I expect the exchange will be especially interesting for students or lecturers who want to come to Amsterdam to study or work here. I'm looking for a place preferably not more than one hour by public transport to Russell Square. I will be happy with any place, but I don't really like stairs and noise'. - Marion

Marion's two bedroom apartment is in the centre of Amsterdam. In the neighbourhood there are museums like the Hermitage and the Rembrandthouse, the Zoo and the famous Narrow Bridge, which leads to the Utrechtsestraat with many shops, restaurants and pubs. This street leads to the entertainment area of the Rembrandt Square and from there it is just a little walk to many other shops, monuments and the canals.

See Marion's full long term home exchange offer in Amsterdam. Do get in touch with her to discuss a possible exchange. Not a Home Base Holidays member? Join here.

Note: Try to be as open and flexible as you can be when looking for long term exchanges. If you can't arrange an exchange to cover the full period, consider arranging more than one shorter exchange, and filling any gaps in dates with short term rental. Although generally the preference will be to be settled in one home and area for the full period, if this isn't possible, arranging one or two exchanges will give the chance to experience different homes and areas.

Non simultaneous home exchange: 'banking' home swaps for later

Although most home exchangers arrange to swap homes at the same time, non simultaneous swaps are also very popular and give more flexibility to find dates that suit both parties.

Many Home Base Holidays members able to offer non simultaneous exchanges are swapping second homes that are often available for lengthy periods. We are delighted to see the many ingenious ways members are using the service to suit their particular needs. Here are details of an interesting way a member is offering exchange guests the opportunity to take their holiday first while 'banking' return swaps to their homes later on:

'La Hune (the Crow's Nest) is located on the island of Oleron famous for three things: it's sunshine, it's oysters and it's pure sea air. Ile D'Oleron is off the coast of La Rochelle in the region known as the Charente Maritime. Our villa is built on the dunes of the Cote Sauvage and enjoys panoramic views out over the Atlantic and the coastline below.

We will be putting LA HUNE up For Sale in Spring 2013 with a view to hopefully finding a buyer by the end of Summer 2013. French law requires a three month waiting period between Exchange and Completion.

Our plan, therefore, is to offer the apartment for non-simultaneous or hospitality exchanges between this coming May to end of Sept 2013 and 'bank' our return exchange for use later next year when hopefully we will be free to travel whenever we like.

We would be travelling on our own and our preference would be to exchange with another senior couple. Please get in touch if you think our proposal would also work for you.' - Marie

Please see Marie's full home exchange offer and more photos. Login to contact her directly if you would be interested in a non-simultaneous exchange as she has suggested. La Hune is a beautiful villa - do contact Maria soon to ensure you have a chance of arranging an exchange before the villa is sold! Not yet a Home Base Holidays member? Register here.

Note: Banking return swaps for later dates is an excellent idea but do arrange definite dates not too far in advance. This will help avoid the possibility of exchange partners' or your own circumstances changing in future (moving, illness, etc) that could cause problems in taking your holiday.

 

 

Top 10 home exchange tips from experienced swappers (80+ home swaps!)

John and Marilyn started home exchanging over 30 years ago, (80+ swaps), and feel they can now describe themselves as "experienced exchangers!" Marilyn very kindly wrote her top 10 tips for successful home swaps for an issue of Home Swappers newsletter in 2009 (when the couple had had only 60+ exchanges!). Her tips are still spot on and are particularly useful for first time exchangers:

1. Register with a reputable organisation, (Home Base Holidays of course!) and take the time to read their "Useful Home Exchange Documents".

2. Draft your advert with care. Include details of your home, facilities, family & locality, saying why your area would be ideal as a holiday destination. We all know the attractions of London, but overseas visitors especially may never have heard of your region so add a link to a local website. Be flexible with your dates and preferred destinations.

3. Photographs. I can`t stress how important these are to your home exchange entry so have your home looking its best and take tempting photographs inside and out. You will receive more offers if you have photographs, or even better, a personal website. After all, you would not choose a package holiday from a brochure without photographs.

4. Take the Initiative, write to several prospective exchangers. A friendly informative offer, addressed to them personally, will result in a greater success rate. Again be flexible and open to alternative dates/periods. If you can`t fix a swap for this year, why not think ahead to next year?

5. Always Reply to an Offer. If you can`t make an immediate decision send an acknowledgement and say you will respond in a week. Don`t be discouraged if sometimes people fail to reply to your offers. It does happen, console yourself with the thought that you wouldn`t want to swap with ill- mannered people anyway!

6. Confirm & Commit to your swap. Don`t renege on your agreement later, even if you receive a better offer....save that offer for next year instead. Discuss the formalities with your guests. Ask questions, offer information, exchange more photographs. Agree who will pay utility & `phone bills, repairs, breakages, use of food, cleaning materials, bedlinen, towels. Advise your home (& car if applicable), insurance companies of the situation and if they are unsympathetic, shop around. Some people like to use a written agreement form...Home Base Holidays has one ready drafted for you and this can be a great help.

7. Prepare a "Home Book" containing practical information on your home & appliances. Include such details as where to find the fusebox, stopcock, operate the TV, when the dustbins are emptied etc. Useful telephone numbers....doctor, dentist, plumber, electrician, your own mobile numbers and those of helpful neighbours can be included too. (Before swapping send your own and neighbours numbers + location of a spare key, so that your guests can keep a copy with them in case of emergency). Leave up to date tourist leaflets, maps, guide books, train & bus timetables.

8. Clean everything & everywhere...make sure the cooker, fridge, oven, cutlery drawer...are spotless...just as you would wish to find them on arrival at your holiday home. No need to re-decorate the house but this is a great opportunity to do those little jobs you always meant to do, and of course you`ll reap the benefit too! Make space in drawers and cupboards for your exchange family to put their belongings, leave your home sparkling and welcoming, flowers are a nice touch.

9. Meet your guests if possible, you can get to know them a little & exchange keys. If not, leave them a welcome letter & perhaps a bottle of wine. Why not agree beforehand to leave milk, bread etc for each other? When leaving their home ensure you have agreed where to leave keys & what to do with used linen. Last but not least, leave a "thank you" letter.

10. Communicate throughout. Be open and honest in what you have to offer. If you want to include extra guests or a pet, ask in advance. Keep in regular contact with your exchangers from initial agreement to exchanging, this builds mutual trust.

John and Marilyn live in a 17th century sandstone cottage (above) with exposed stonework, oak beams and many original features in a tiny village near Appleby, Cumbria, England. There are fantastic views of the Pennine hills from the house and garden. See their full home exchange offer.

Marilyn writes:

'We love exchanging and do our utmost to make people feel at home here, whilst taking the best possible care of the homes we stay in. We provide guide books, maps, tourist leaflets, a "home book", bicycles and much more, to enable our guests to make the most of their stay in Cumbria.'

Home Swappers, the Home Exchange Newsletter, November 2012

The November issue of Home Swappers Newsletter is now available. Topics:

Featured listing:  Grenada, West Indies - fantastic ocean views across the bay

The amazing coincidence: Home swap story competition runner up

Does your home exchange party vary?

Swapping cars? Check your insurance

Exclusive offer: Join a second home exchange agency for free

Read articles in this issue in full and previous issues of Home Swappers Newsletter, in the Newsletter Archive. Subscribe to receive the newsletter as published.

 

Featured Home Swap: Stay in the heart of London!

Modern 1 bedroom London home exchange offer in the heart of Bloomsbury and London's West End. Featured in design magazines. It's location is unbeatable being a stone's throw from Russell Square underground station and the fashionable Brunswick Centre, and a short walk from the British Museum and theatre district.

Accommodates: 4 (1 bedrooms)

Exchange Request:  Open to offers.

View full Home Exchange Offer...

Remember, remember the 5th of November: Sharing traditions with home swap guests

The sky will be filled with an explosion of noisy fireworks and the smell of smoke all over Britain this weekend for Guy Fawkes and Bonfire Night (5th November), a celebration of the attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605. This seems an odd thing to celebrate but Guy Fawkes is as important to generations of children here as Hallowe'en was to me when growing up in Canada (Hallowe'en is now celebrated much more in Britain too so a dreary period when the days are getting shorter is a fun time for children and the not so young).

As well as a seemingly extended period every year of fireworks in private gardens, traditionally many families had parties centred on a big bonfire with an effigy of Guy Fawkes on top, and lots of warming food and drink to help ward off the cold of a dark November night. There are fewer bonfires now (for safety and environmental reasons) but, if you are a UK home exchange member and arrange an exchange over early November with a family that may never have heard of Guy Fawkes, do let them know where and when your closest organised fireworks display will be held or, if you have friends or neighbours who always have a party for Guy Fawkes, ask if your exchange guests can come. If you happen to live in Somerset, direct them to the closest Carnival, an amazing spectacle of light and sound from the dozens of colourful carts (see Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival).

Tell your exchange guests to wrap up warm though. When my daughter Tanya was 11 she had a good friend, Laura, an American girl living in London for a year with her mother, a teacher who had done a job and home swap with a teacher from our local primary school. Laura was none too impressed by standing around in the cold at the fireworks display we took her to. Finally she asked, quite reasonably for a very cold 11 year old American, 'Why don't you people do this in July?'

People are generally delighted to share their local customs and traditions with others, whether a carnival, special national holiday or any number of good excuses for a party. Being involved with the local community in their celebrations is bound to be a memorable highlight for home exchange families.