The Weekend Australian, 18-19 February 2006
(page 5, Primespace section)
World game of trading places
House swapping is the way to go for those who enjoy the nomadic life and like to make themselves at home, reports Majella Corrigan
Going off on holidays and leaving your house empty seems a bit of a waste really.
There you are paying hotel bills or rent to someone else while the family home sits idle.
One solution is house swapping with someone from another country.
Carolina Boranga lives in Italy but spent time in December in a house in Eagle Bay, a prestigious pocket of Western Australia's southwest coast.
The West Australian owners of that home will no doubt enjoy her house in the Italian region of Umbria, when they take their part of the exchange in June or July of this year.
There is no direct financial advantage, but when you consider a house in Eagle Bay could cost as much as $3,000 a week in peak holiday time, house swapping makes sense.
Carolina Boranga says she has been swapping houses for a long time, in different areas in England, Norway, and later this year, will go to Morocco to a house in the centre of Marrakesh.
"After a while you get to know what to look for on the internet, you get to know the types of places you like," she says.
For example, the Marrakesh house is in an area where mainly locals live, and she will be able to get a really good feel for what the place is really like.
Boranga says she has never had a bad experience either in terms of her own home or staying in others. Friends have also not only swapped houses, but cars, she says, with both parties simply leaving their cars at the respective airports so they are ready to use by the other.
"You can get extra insurance for your own house and car if it's being swapped, but I haven't ever worried about that," she says.
However, she says it's a good idea to tell the party going into your house things they might need to do.
For example, people from colder climates may not realise a garden needs to be watered every week.
She also normally leaves enough basic food such as bread and milk for a day so the visitors don't have to shop as soon as they arrive.
While not everybody does that, most people are pretty considerate, and it's simply a matter of talking to the family with which you are exchanging.
Boranga started swapping with friends in England and then joined HomeLink, a website which operates in lots of countries. The Australian website is www.homelink.com.au.
For $220 a year prospective swappers can get access to the website details of houses available across an impressive range of countries.
For $270 annually HomeLink also produces a catalogue, which can be mailed.
Lisa McKay, HomeLink's Australian representative, says people sometimes like to mull over different properties from the catalogue, but she emphasises the most up-to-date information is on the website.
HomeLink also has a physical presence so subscribers can phone for help if they need it.
The HomeLink website says in 50 years it has had no reports of theft.
There are accidental breakages, and Ms McKay recommends people put away irreplaceable items, such as valuable wine.
"While you can get extra insurance to cover having people in your house, we always tell people to speak to their insurance company about the issue," she says.
On the odd occasion people may not agree about the standard of housekeeping, but these types of difficulties are able to be resolved, she says.
A quick look on the website shows literally hundreds of swap opportunities, plus a number of stories from users who say they have made good friends and had excellent experiences.
Some retirees live semi-nomadic lives by swapping almost continuously and people with children can match up with others who also have children.
One entry on the site lists a three bedroom, two bathroom apartment in central London. The owners have two small children, so highchairs, toys etc are all there.
The owners are looking to swap with those in Australia, other parts of Britain, the USA and Italy.
Ms McKay says the most popular destination for Australians is Britain because many Aussies have relatives they like to visit. Among overseas subscribers, the most popular place in Australia to swap is Queensland, because of its climate.
Ms McKay emphasises that house swapping isn't for everyone, and says that if someone is really struggling with the idea of another person living in their house, they shouldn't do it. One exchange visitor says on the site, "if you can't live without every aspect of your life being predictable, if you don't really like meeting new people, if you don't think of life as a wonderful adventure with surprises around every corner then home exchange probably isn't for you".
The site also points out that house swapping is a form of ethical tourism as visitors live like locals, buying local food and using local services.
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