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Family holidays: the exchange of houses or apartments
Even if the practice is American and dates back to 1950, exchanging accommodation during vacations has become more democratic in France in recent years. Everything changed at the end of the 1990s, with the Internet and the possibility of broadcasting rental advertisements between individuals online. More recently, new websites offer to exchange houses or apartments. HomeExchange, one of the number 1 in the world, carried out 75 exchanges in 000 and 2012 in 90 with 000 registered members. It now has about fifteen specialized sites on the Web, including HomeBest or Homelink.
Exchanging your house: a formula sought by families
According to HomeExchange, almost half of families with children have already exchanged their homes, compared to only a third of couples without children. The reason is above all economic. Reducing rental costs, for families, remains the priority. But the financial criterion is not the only one, as Marion, mother of a little boy, testifies: “the search for an authentic and convivial cultural experience made me want to test the adventure with an Italian family from Rome. “. For another Internet user, who lives in a village in Provence, it is “the ease of interacting with Americans, who love being immersed in the real France, with a small market, a French bakery…”. Another mom recalls the conditions for it to work : “Rule number 1: love to lend your house and trust, everything is based on conviviality. It’s also being able to meet other families, on the other side of the world, with whom we stay in contact afterwards, it’s great! “.
The exclusively Knok family exchange site Understood: “the families’ priorities are to find a practical, large and comfortable place for the whole tribe. Some of them are flexible on dates, others on destinations and some on both, which allows them to make very original and unforeseen trips. Their goal : find families of trust, with easy dialogue and open-minded. ”
Another advantage, owners often leave good tips and a list of useful addresses in their region in the accommodation. A very valuable asset for families who can count on these tips to limit their travel with children. Also not inconsiderable advantage, parents, hosted by other parents, benefit specific childcare equipment already on site. And the children find new toys! Clearly, this holiday formula allows you to travel with your children, sometimes far away, at a lower cost. And maybe even realize one of his dreams: to take the whole family on vacation to a beautiful house, on the other side of the planet.
The only precaution to take, when choosing this formula, is the insurance. Home insurance should cover damage caused by a third party, for example. Renters can also exchange their accommodation, this is not considered a “sublet,” according to HomeExchange. Without forgetting to lock up personal belongings in one of the rooms of the house to avoid disappointments, even if confidence is essential.
Exchanging accommodation: how does it work?
The biggest followers are the Americans, followed closely by the French, Spaniards, Canadians and Italians. The principle is simple: home “exchangers” must register on one of the specialized exchange sites detailing their accommodation and with a yearly subscription (from 40 euros). Members are free to contact each other to negotiate the terms of the exchange such as period and duration. The holiday dates can be the same or you can opt for a staggered exchange, one week in July against another in August, for example. The service is based on an arrangement between the two families who exchange their homes. The only guarantee offered by the site which connects the two “exchangers” is the reimbursement of registration fees if no exchange has taken place during the year. Note that some home exchange websites have specialized for families.
Home or apartment exchange: specialized websites
Trocmaison.com
Trocmaison is the reference site. In 1992, Ed Kushins launched HomeExchange, which gave birth to Trocmaison, the French version in 2005. This concept of “collaborative consumption” is democratizing all over the world. Today, Trocmaison.com has nearly 50 members in 000 countries. The subscription is 150 euros for 95,40 months. If you don’t make a trade in your first year of subscription, the second is free.
Adresse-a-echanger.fr
It is the specialist of France and Dom. Marjorie, co-founder of the site launched in April 2013, tells us that the concept mainly appeals to couples with children (over 65% of its members). Above all, the site offers exchanges throughout the year, especially on weekends, which allows families to leave for a few days while reducing costs. Another strong point of the site: the publication of good tips in the region to do with your children in the “Favorite destinations” section as well as an album of good addresses, once a month. The price of the annual subscription is 59 euros, one of the cheapest, and if you failed to redeem in the first year, the second year subscription is free.
www.adresse-a-echanger.fr
Knok.com
Knok.com a specialized travel network for families on the Net. Created by a couple of young Spanish parents, this website connects thousands of families to generally share beautiful vacation homes. It is possible to benefit from personalized support on the network by the founders of the site. The most popular destination this summer is London, but Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam and Barcelona are also very popular.
One of Knok.com’s major assets is to offer parents a unique guide to family-friendly addresses, including places to eat, go for a walk, have an ice cream or visit specially adapted for families. The subscription is 59 euros per month, for a total of 708 euros per year.
Homelink.fr
HomeLink offers exchanges in 72 countries. In all, between 25 and 000 ads are posted each year. You can target your search according to your personal criteria, ask to be notified as soon as a new offer appears according to your plans and benefit from a secure messaging service designed to facilitate emails between members. The subscription is 30 euros per year.