Preparing for Your Vacation

Preparing for a home exchange is similar to preparing for most vacations. You now have an agreement with your trading party. Remember that you may not be staying in a hotel with a reception and concierge to help answer questions and offer advice. There are some exchange networks that offer travel researchers or concierge services. In addition some have and trade options with hotels – look at non-simultaneous options. We will touch on a few areas that might add to making your vacation even more enjoyable. If you are exchanging with another person’s vacation or second home, there is a good chance that the location is going to be in a vacation or tourist location, thus maybe similar to a planning a normal vacation. The following are our helpful hints in preparing for your trip.

• Communicating with the owner of the home you will be staying at is a great place to start in planning a great vacation. They are essentially your concierge, only you will need to communicate with them in advance as they may not be available while you are there. Ask them anything you like, not only about the property but things to do, sites to see, local shopping and certainly their recommendations on restaurants.
• Unlike hotels that often have shuttles to local attractions or tours that leave from their doorstep, you will be staying in a home. In most cases you will have to arrange your own transportation and activities. You might consider doing some research in advance to check local transportation and what events, festivals, plays, and concerts are happening during your visit. Purchasing tickets, in advance over the internet, to get a discount might be part of your planning to the vacation location.
• Keys and maybe security codes for alarms will be needed to enter the home. Communicate with your host to determine the best way to get access to the property.
• Meeting locals could be on your agenda. Asking the owner of the house if any neighbors might be available or even to meet to pick up the keys, might be a way of getting to know local people during your visit. You might be surprised on how friendly people can be, especially since you are traveling to stay in their neighborhood.
• Cleaning the home and leaving it tidy like you found it, is essential home exchange etiquette. Schedule  time at the end of your visit for cleaning the home. If  for some reason you would prefer not to clean the home yourself, then it is vital that you communicate with the owner in advance for their advice and guidance on options to schedule and pay for a professional cleaning service. Even when using a cleaning service, you should leave the home tidy and as you found it.
• Electrical power and sockets are different around the world. If you plan on bringing your laptop, tablet, mobile phone, etc. you will want to be able to charge them while on vacation. The following is a helpful infographic to assist you on types of sockets around the globe. Most airports and travel shops offer adaptors to meet your needs.

• We will cover in the next section things to avoid; here we’ll introduce a couple as preparing for your vacation. Book your travel tickets (airline, rail, etc.) after you have an agreement with your swapping  party. If driving, gain information on parking. We  highly recommend that you have travel insurance to protect yourself and your belongings.

There are many benefits to home exchange; including lower costs, additional space, having a kitchen and dining area, great locations and the unique opportunity to step into a home with local character. There can be some differences from going to a typical tourist destination thus to ensure you have the best vacation possible, planning through the above will help you  make the most of your time away.