Containaway makes home swapping safer

Jul 08, 2013

Cheap airfares, a still relatively strong Aussie dollar and a rise in home swapping have made overseas travel more affordable to the average Australian.

Home swapping, or home exchange, is where two parties agree to swap homes as part of a holiday stay, thus eliminating expensive hotel bills. While home swapping in itself is not a new idea, it has never been easier or cheaper than now. There are literally hundreds of websites around the world offering apartments, cottages, bungalows and more, in some of the world’s most beautiful locations. Just a few minutes on a house swapping website and users can be uploading photos of their property and exchanging emails with prospective swappers.

For those wanting to stay a little closer to home, there’s even a number of Australian websites offering domestic exchanges.

Home exchanges not only cut the cost of accommodation, they also allow visitors to truly live like a local in their country of choice. With many offering car exchanges as well, it’s a convenient and cheap way to travel. The other advantage is that home swapping ensures your home is looked after while you’re away and that you’re not returning to unkempt lawns and mail spilling out of your letterbox.

Understandably, many people may be hesitant about opening up their home to relative strangers. That’s why potential home swappers exchange contracts and correspondence in the lead up to the swap. In the event of theft or damage to the property, the majority of home insurance policies will cover the other party as guests in your home (although it is always best to check) and a number of the home exchange websites also offer insurance. This makes home swapping a fairly risk-free experience.

However, you can never be too careful. That’s why home swappers are advised to always hide or remove valuable items from their property. Jewellery and antiques are the obvious ones but don’t forget about other items that may get accidentally damaged by your new house guests. The last thing you want is your favourite surfboard to get dented or your wedding glasses to get smashed.

With Containaway, you can relax knowing your precious items are in safe hands. Containaway provides secure mobile self storage to anywhere in Sydney. Our containers are packed by you and delivered to one of our secure self storage facilities where they are protected via state of the art CCTV and security systems. You can even arrange for delivery direct to your home on the day you return from your holiday. Don’t risk losing your precious items, give Containaway a call.