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5 Pro Tips For a Relaxing and Super Low-Cost Home-Swap Getaway


By Mikey Rox | 

One of the best ways to have a memorable vacation – and save a ton of cash on lodging – is a home swap.

I’ve written several articles on how I’ve turned my homes into a profit-producing tourist rental, but I’ve never divulged my secrets on how to switch homes with fellow travelers with no money exchanged.

The first time I swapped accommodations was Independence Day weekend a few years ago. A lady contacted me through my rental listing on Airbnb with a proposal: She and her family would take my place and in exchange we could choose a holiday stay at one of her timeshares across the country. Lady had a lot of timeshares.

Because I didn’t want to travel far from home (driving to a semi-local destination saved me cash on flights to a more exotic locale), I chose a deluxe suite at a Wyndham property in Atlantic City. The extra dough in my pocket meant more money to gamble, and since the swap was equitable in terms of space (two bedrooms) I was able to invite a couple friends to enjoy the free weekend with me.

Of course, opening your home – and leaving strangers unattended – can be worrisome. Will they set the place on fire, steal your stuff, go through your naughty bits? All of it could happen. But in order to reduce your risk and squelch those fears, consider these handy tips meant to ensure a smooth swap.

  1. Draw up a contract

Personally, I’ve never drawn up a contract for a swap, mainly because I vet my guests in advance and I consider myself a good judge of character (I can identify a weirdo even over the phone), but it never hurts to have a legally binding agreement in case something goes awry. I’m pretty easygoing, so if guests break an item by accident I generally overlook it; things happen, and nine times out of 10 the guest will offer to pay for it. But you may feel differently. You may expect the guest to pay for any damage, even if it’s a broken drinking glass. If that’s the case, put it on paper. If you don’t, you won’t have the authority to demand restitution once you return home.

  1. Coordinate the dates and keys

The whole purpose of a swap is to exchange properties simultaneously – each party is in the other party’s respective property at the same time (unless you’ve worked it out otherwise). That can be tricky, though, especially if you’re each traveling to the respective properties at the same time. If you have friendly neighbors who can hand off keys, it’s ideal; that way you can give them a set for the guests and a set to hold onto in case of an emergency while you’re gone, i.e. the guests get locked out. If you don’t have neighbors willing to help out, you can send keys to guests in the mail or leave them in an inconspicuous spot on your property, like in an empty birdhouse or under furniture in the backyard. Personally, I have keypads on my doors and I just leave the door unlocked (nice neighborhood, so I’m not afraid of a daytime break in) or keep it locked until guests arrive, at which time I unlock and disarm the house via an app on my phone. I offer keys that the guests can use to come and go inside my home after they’ve arrived so I don’t have to provide them the code.

  1. Prepare detailed rules and instructions

I have three basic rules when guests stay in my home while I’m not there: 1) Don’t get locked up, 2) Don’t get locked out, and 3) Don’t burn the place down.

There are rules, expectations and certain instructions that I need to convey to my guests to prevent any mishaps. Before I depart, I leave a list of how to work appliances, where to find essentials, and what to do with recyclables, etc. This is probably the most important aspect of a smooth swap. To create the list, go room to room and think about what others might need to know about whatever’s in it. Write it down and be descriptive; a comprehensive list will result in fewer calls from the guests asking where the iron is or how to work the dishwasher. Also, feel free to mention that you prefer the lights to be turned out in unoccupied rooms, the air conditioner shut off when it’s not necessary, and any other energy and/or money-saving techniques that you practice in your daily life.

  1. Respect the property

This step will be easier to accomplish if the guest has left a detailed list of rules and instructions – the concept of “respecting†one’s place differs dramatically – but hopefully common sense will prevail. It’s never OK to throw a party; invade someone else’s privacy; or otherwise do anything to, with or in the owner’s property for which you haven’t received express permission. If you think you’re doing something wrong, you probably are. Bottom line: Do unto others as you want them to do unto you. If you don’t, prepare to be sued.

  1. Leave the place as you found it

At the timeshare in Atlantic City, there was a cleaning person who whipped the place back into shape after we left. Even still, we did our part before leaving. We didn’t scrub the toilets, but we made sure dirty towels were in a neat pile, dishes were washed and put away, fridge was emptied of our food (and clean!), floor was swept, and counters were sanitized. It’s basic common courtesy to leave the home in which you were staying the way you found it, or at least in the best condition you can without getting on your hands and knees. No one expects you to clean like a professional (although some swappers may, so find that out before you arrive), but you should definitely do your part to make sure that when the owners arrive home after a long day of traveling they don’t have to do anything out of the ordinary. Just like you, they want to relax upon return. A tidy home will facilitate that while also leaving a good impression on the owner – and keep the proverbial door open for another swap in the future.

­Mikey Rox is an award-winning journalist and LGBT lifestyle expert whose work has been published in more than 100 outlets across the world. Find more of his money-saving travel tips on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @thenominalnomad.

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