I was having meeting with an existing client recently and as usual we were chatting about what they had been doing since we had last spoken.
I knew that they had a trip planned and so we were talking about how that went. As part of that conversation they explained to me that part of their trip included a ‘house exchange’.
(If you are reading this then thank you for the inspiration for this blog!).
Now this was something that I had heard of but knew nothing about. So like any curious person I asked them lots of questions to find out a bit more which was interesting! I also then looked into it a bit further online.
How it works ..
Now clearly this isn’t something that I have personal experience of, but my understanding is that you list your own property for another person/family to use (through a reputable organisation/listing company), undertake a period of searching yourself to find another person/family who’s property you could use in order to agree an exchange of homes for an agreed period either simultaneously or on different dates.
In reality I would imagine this to be an extensive process which requires some thorough research and negotiation.
Why might you consider it?
Well in short – it’s a different way to see the world!
It has the potential for you to spend time in a different place and receive an authentic local experience rather than just the traditional tourist experience. Think of it as getting ‘off the beaten track’ by experiencing the reality of being in a different location and the ability to interact with the ‘locals’.
There is also the potential for this to be a much more cost effective way to travel without having to consider accommodation costs for hotels and property rentals or car hire.
I know that this wouldn’t be for everyone and also requires a degree of bravery and trust. But I know that many of you love to travel and explore the world, so maybe you would consider this as an option? Let me know what you think.