Frequently asked questions

Exchange your home for vacations, retreats, long weekends, family visits and more. Enjoy the comforts of home and the experience of a place — without paying a cent. London England, Paris France, New York City and locations in 40 countries can all be yours. InventedCity Home Exchange welcomes you!

A number of things may ease this natural concern. First, remember that your trading partners are letting you stay in their home, and probably have some of the same concerns. Our experience tells us that members go out of their way to take special care of their exchange home. One of the best ways to ease this concern is by perusing our listings. We think you will quickly be put at ease by the like-minded travellers which home exchange travel attracts. Your email correspondence during the course of arranging an exchange will help you feel comfortable with your exchange partner. It is common practice to ask for and offer a reference or two -- especially from prior exchange partners. If you don't feel comfortable for any reason with your exchange partner, there are lots of other members to choose from.

Remove things of particular value. Chances are your trading partner will also prefer that fragile or valuable articles are stored out of the way. Ask a neighbor to check in. This not only allows a trusted neighbor to make sure everything is fine, but also provides your guests with a welcoming local contact. A simple pre-trade agreement can help establish responsibilities for any problems, such as who pays for utilities, breakage, plumbing problems, and other unexpected occurrences. Most exchangers take excellent care of their exchange home, but please remember that some wear and tear occurs even while you occupy your own home.

Indeed! Many of our members are renters. Whether you rent or own has no bearing on whether you can swap your place for a couple of weeks. Your exchange partner will not care whether your place is rented, owned, co-owned, coop, condo -- or any other forms of ownership. However, if your place is shared with a roommate, be sure to detail this in your listing description. As you can see from our listings, home exchange typically entails swapping a full home (apt, flat, etc.) rather than just a room -- but it is possible through our program.

This is a common question, and an honest answer is that you cannot. In 15 years we have received only one report of minor accidental damage and never a report of theft. Remember, your prospective exchange partner might possess the same concerns about you, but in our experience, homes are invariably left exactly as they were found. During the process of setting up your exchange you will get to know the other family pretty well. You will learn personal details such as their profession, hobbies and interests. You'll have a good idea of their lifestyle and their home.

Unfortunately it is impossible for us to guarantee that you will secure a swap. However, to maximize your chances of an exchange consider the following: Join early to allow your listing to receive lots of exposure. Add photos to your listing. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Listings with photos receive many more exchange proposals. A listing without a picture will not be viewed as frequently and will never be featured on InventedCity's home page. Contact other members even if the exact details of their swap preferences are not identical to yours. Many members are open to exchanges which are outside of the preferences stated in their listing. Be as flexible in your travel plans as possible (dates, duration, and destination).

This all depends on your destination and duration of travel. Some members plan months in advance while others are successful at making arrangements in a week or two. We receive new members daily who are looking for compatible swaps -- sometimes on short notice, sometimes well in advance. You might start a few months in advance for an international swap while a short domestic swap (e.g., Palm Springs/Chicago 4-day weekend swap) might be arranged just a few weeks prior.

Pay all mortgage or rental and utility bills as you normally would. The homeowner continues to pay for any regular cleaning help, gardeners, pool service etc.

Usually home owner's insurance remains in force to cover guests in your home, and because no financial transaction is involved, your exchange partners are your guests. (Actually, insurance companies admit that they prefer you to leave your home occupied by guests rather unoccupied - it's safer!)

Legally drawn up contracts are not necessary. However, an exchange agreement can establish responsibilities, limitations, and how to deal with unexpected problems, etc. It can also be reassuring to obtain references from your potential exchange partners, and if they have exchanged before, the best references come from their previous exchange partners.

Once you are sure your arrangements have been finalized, book your tickets (airline, etc.). Make copies of these tickets and send them to your exchange partner. Once significant amounts of money have been invested, it is extremely unlikely that either side will cancel. In the unlikely event of an emergency, where your exchange partner cancels, please notify us immediately so that we can assist you in securing another exchange.

The responsibility generally lies with the party who caused the damage. We recommend that they either pay to have it repaired, or reimburse you.

Auto insurance normally remains in force for 30 days, covering anyone driving with your permission. However, check with your agent. If it makes you more comfortable, do not hesitate to set up restrictions i.e., restrict drivers to those aged 25+, indicate the maximum amount of miles to be driven during the period of the exchange, and make it clear if you do not wish your car to be driven out of state. If you live near a border, check that insurance covers cross-border travel. If it doesn't, stipulate that you do not want your car driven across the border.

Home exchange is a terrific way to travel with children. Some members specifically seek out trades with families with children because those homes often have toys, books and games to keep kids occupied. If you're travelling with small children, consider the convenience of not having to pack cribs, strollers, playpens and car-seats. You and your children will probably meet other families in the neighborhood, offering the chance for new friendships, and experiences for everyone. And everyone is happier having some meals at home with familiar foods, rather than expensive restaurant meals or fast food every day. For most families, a week or two on vacation in a hotel can be quite taxing. Kids and parents are much happier if they're not cooped up in a hotel room every night. Home exchange with kids offers comfort, space, quiet, and family-friendly diversions you just can't get in a hotel.

For many families, looking after their exchange partner's pets is part of the home exchange experience they enjoy. However, never impose your pets upon a family which doesn't want the responsibility. Many exchangers will use your home as a base for daily sightseeing trips and will not want to be tied down by pet care. You can indicate in your listing whether you are open to caring for pets, and/or if you need pet care. Exchange offers additional benefits for pet owners. Often, your trading partner will willingly care for your pets, or have pets of their own your family may enjoy. In some cases however, you may have to make boarding arrangements, or have someone else come in to care for your pet, as you would do normally. Exchange listings usually indicate whether pets are allowed and/or whether pet care is desired (in your exchange home).

Many traders exchange cars, offering tremendous savings on rental and insurance expenses. Exchanging cars further allows you to enjoy the hassle-free style of travel which exchange offers. (If you choose to trade cars, be sure to check with your insurance agent to determine your specific coverage.)

A common arrangement is for both parties to arrange for a friend or another family member to meet the exchange family at the airport and drive them to the exchange address. If this is not possible, send them very clear instructions as to what public transport they should take. Taxis, car and shuttle services are other options for getting to your exchange home.

Yes. Be completely honest in the description of your home and its amenities. Stress all the advantages (every home has some!) You will be surprised to find that many people will be willing to exchange their much grander residence just for the privilege and convenience of not having to stay in a hotel. Also, many exchangers are focusing as much on location as your home itself. We've had numerous reports of members swapping a large home with small apartment -- even a studio -- and both members were delighted with the exchange.

There is ample information in each listing to weed out some obvious mismatches. For example, an exchange family with four children may not be ideal for your antique-filled home. Or your family of five may not be appropriate for a trade with a small one bedroom apartment in New York City.

Your exchange offer will reach members of all the home exchange agencies belonging to the First Home Exchange Alliance. In addition to InventedCity these include: Home Base Holidays (London), Guardian Home Exchange (London), and Green Theme International (US). By joining InventedCity you will have access to a wide variety of exchange offers from our associated partners. It is therefore not necessary to join more than one FHEA-affiliated agency.