Do you want to travel differently next summer without breaking the bank? The home exchange, imagined in the 1950s by American academics, is now experiencing a new boom thanks to the Internet. The principle: you leave your keys, your car and, if necessary, your cat with a family during your vacation. Meanwhile, you stay with them. An exchange based on trust that allows the passage to lighten your vacation budget. Here are five tips to get you started with confidence.
Don't be too demanding
You dreamed of spending your month of July with family in New York or London and we offer you instead a village by the water near Stockholm? Do not necessarily overlook this track. It can be interesting to be surprised. Exchanging your house also means cultivating "meetings and a certain state of mind", assures Kristina Caillaud, the French representative of the international site Intervac, pioneer of home exchange, founded in the 1950s. On the site Home Exchange - present in 187 countries and leader in France with 70% market share -, the most popular destinations are the capitals of Anglo-Saxon countries.
However, the most numerous offers are found in Spain and Italy. So, if you really want to take the plunge next summer, have a taste for adventure. You can explore the sites, let yourself be guided by the photos and, if necessary, do not hesitate to change your tune. Small tip: on Home Exchange, the reverse search option allows you to come across hosts who wish to stay in your city.
Don't skimp on messages
To start on a good basis with the person who will occupy your house, do not hesitate to write him emails where you will deliver small details on your daily life, your habits in the neighborhood, your children if you have any… "An exchange of Home is above all based on a relationship of trust, explains Lola Florin, of the Home Exchange site. If you do not have a good feeling with your interlocutor, you will never let him occupy your accommodation for weeks, it's human! Clearly, be nice and dare to talk a little about yourself. It is also important to keep sending each other news when the exchange is finalized.
Adjust some details in advance
Are you a tenant and you don't dare to start? Remember to read your rental lease carefully. "To exchange one's house is to lend it free of charge to friends. Some leases prohibit it, but most have no contraindications, ”said Kristina Caillaud. Do you have precious objects and want to protect them? “If necessary, you can condemn a room or store certain objects in the cellar, advises the Intervac representative. But do it sparingly! Try to keep in mind that an exchange is like an invitation… ”
Try the meeting
Sometimes the departure and arrival dates do not coincide perfectly. Why not invite your exchange partners to an evening before your departure or to a meeting at the airport? This would allow you to start this exchange with more relaxation. "If you can't be there on D-Day, you can always ask a family member or a friend to welcome your hosts," we advise at Home Exchange.
Make room at home, think of the little touches
The home exchange requires some organization. Before leaving your home, think about freeing up your cupboards and cupboards. Most regulars also take care to send a practical guide upstream explaining how household appliances work, how to water plants ... but also places to visit and good addresses in the neighborhood! The icing on the cake: leaving in the kitchen enough to prepare a first meal - after a tiring trip, it's always welcome - but also a small welcome gift, like a bottle of wine.
