Can I swap my house in the snow for another in the snow or do I have to exchange for the beach?
There are no rules when it comes to swapping your location for another. If you live in or near the snow or near the beach take your pick, beach or snow its up to you!

Back to top ^

How much does it cost to exchange houses?
Its free to the first 200 people that join up and add there property to SurfSnowHouseXchange.com

Back to top ^

How long does it take to organise a house exchange?
Allow for at least 4 to 8 weeks so you and your swapper have enough time to talk and work things out. However, many exchanges have and can be organised in a week.

Back to top ^

Can I swap my large house for a small unit?
Absolutely, surfers and boarders/skiers know that size doesn't matter. But rather the location of the property is what's more important. Think of it as a base to get out and do what you love to do!

Back to top ^

When I exchange do I have to swap at the same time?
No you don't. Some people own holiday properties that may have them vacant for long periods of time through the year. Meaning they can exchange with another holiday homeowner at anytime that they arrange, be it at the same time or not.

Back to top ^

What if I live in a place that I think people won't like?
As long as it's near the coast or near the snow it's going to be desirable. People just want a change. You will be surprised everywhere has its own appeal; it's the reason we all love to travel.

Back to top ^

What about the security of my house?
From research most house exchanges go smoothly and are very enjoyable for both exchangers. But for peace of mind you can contact your insurer, place all valuables in a safe and secure spot and most importantly take time to get to know your exchange partner. The more time you take to know your exchange partner the better the odds of a successful exchange. SurfSnowHouseXchange.com also has an exchange agreement you can use for peace of mind.

Back to top ^

Who house exchanges?
All walks of life exchange properties and have done for a long time now. SurfSnowHouseXchange.com is different; it's been set up specifically to exchange properties for people who love the beach and snow. The two cultures are very similar. Couples, singles, families and seniors all enjoy the beach and snow if you fit into one of these categories. Sign up, and start exchanging.

Back to top ^

Can I exchange something other than a house or unit?
Yes of course, exchange a cottage, cabin, holiday unit or home, duplex, farmhouse, motor home, caravan, houseboat, yacht. SurfSnowHouseXchange.com is all about having a creative holiday if you can sleep in it and it's near the snow or beach then you can exchange it.

Back to top ^

What about letting strangers into my house?
Many first time exchangers feel concerned about letting strangers into there home, this is natural. There are over two hundred thousand house exchanges happening every year globally. What you will find is that SurfSnowHouseXchange.com swappers are people like yourself, people who are after a way to have more frequent adventures on the beach or in the snow with out the expense of an accommodation and car hire bill. You do have to have trust and respect, but it goes both ways. Relax, by the time your exchanger comes to stay, you have usually built a good relationship through correspondence.

Back to top ^

What are the most common complaints?
Complaints don't happen often if they do it's mostly about cleanliness. People have different standards on cleanliness and the best way to get around this problem is to communicate and be honest about what you expect from your swapper.

Back to top ^

Should I pack away things that I value?
It's a good idea that if it holds any kind of value, be it monetary or a family heirloom. Pack it up and put it out of harms way.

Back to top ^

Can I swap if I rent the premises?
Yes, but you should check with your landlord first.

Back to top ^

Can I exchange if we have babies or children in our family?
You bet, exchanging is awesome for families. You can swap your house with another family and organise to use each other's baby and child needs. No need to drag all those baby accessories around.

Back to top ^

What about looking after pets and gardens?
This is up to you and your exchanger. Some people are often happy to mind a cat, dog, gold fish, etc. or water the veggie patch. Others wont want too, and if this happens you would need to make other arrangements. What's important here is, clear communication before the swap takes place, so each party knows exactly what is expected of them. Remember both parties are on holidays so looking after pets might be pushing it.

Back to top ^

Can I swap my car?
Yes! And it's a great part of the exchanging experience. It is advised though to be very clear on all rules and regulations you might have and contact your insurance company with whom you have your policy through. SurfSnowHouseXchange.com also has a car swapping agreement.

Back to top ^

Can I pull out from a house exchange once I've committed?
Once you have committed and planned a house exchange you should really try your best to see it through. Please consider that your exchange partner has taken a lot of time to get to this stage of the swap and would be really excited about going boarding, skiing, surfing or lazing about on the beach through there holiday. But if cancellation is totally unavoidable get in contact with the other party as soon as possible, and be totally honest with them.

Back to top ^

Who pays the bills?
This really depends on the length of your swap. Mostly on short-term exchanges you pay your bills and your exchange partner pays there's. Longer term exchanges (2 months or more) usually both parties agree to pay for the services they have used. For the phone it can be a good idea to leave details of the plan you are on so your swapping partner can see the time they have allocated to call with out blowing the phone bill out.

Back to top ^

What can I use in the house?
Talk about things first. Communication again is the key, things like TV, DVD, stereo, computer etc.… organise beforehand so each party knows what is allowed. It's a good idea to replace whatever is used in the food department. Things like tea and coffee etc.

Back to top ^

Should I reply to all exchange email enquires I get even if the exchange doesn't suit?
Yes you should, even if it's just to say thanks but no thanks a reply is better than no reply at all. Everyone likes to know where they stand.

Back to top ^

How long does it take SurfSnowHouseXchange.com to reply to email enquires?
We reply within 24 hours depending on the conditions of the snow or surf!

Back to top ^

Are all the houses that are on the site active?
Yes, as far as SurfSnowHouseXchange.com knows all the houses are active and ready to be exchanged. Members can email us to remove there listing.

Back to top ^

How do I update my account details?

Back to top ^

I have joined up but have not received my log in details?
You should receive your log in details within the 24 hours of joining. If you have not received the email, please check that it has not gone into your junk mail. If you still have not received it then email us and we will get back to you ASAP with your details.

Back to top ^

Should I add photos to my listing?
You bet it's a great idea to send the photos of your property through to SurfSnowHouseXchange.com we can up load them onto your profile. A property with photos gets more responses than one with out. Remember if possible to take pictures of your terrain, whether it's the snow or beach. Members love to check out what's on offer.

Back to top ^

How do I add photos to my profile?
After you have joined up SurfSnowHouseXchange.com will send you a welcome message to your nominated email. In that message will be SurfSnowHouseXchange.com email address, which you will be able to reply too and attach 6 photos of your house and terrain. Once we have received your reply email we will upload the pictures onto your profile. It's that simple. Please be aware that you may need to resize your photos to a .jpg image file and no bigger than 3MB each.

Back to top ^

I forgot my login and password details how can I get them?
Go to the login section and you will notice a link 'Forgot your password?'. Click this and then enter your email address, your password will be emailed to you.

Back to top ^

Can I change my username and password?
Yes, but you will need to email us your existing username and password as well as your new desired details. Visit the 'About Us' page, and use the 'Contact form' at the bottom of the page.

Back to top ^

How long does it take SurfSnowHouseXchange.com to reply to an email?
Depending on what the surf and snow are like we will reply within 4 to 12 hours.

Back to top ^

How does SurfSnowHouseXchange.com work?

• 1: Join up with SurfSnowHouseXchange.com
  Fill out your details and submit them. You will automatically be logged in and also receive a welcome email from SurfSnowHouseXchange.com.
• 2: Visit the 'Add Property' page on our site and complete the relevant information.
  Add the details of you and/or family and house, relevant surf and snow terrain, preferred swap dates and location.
• 3: Start browsing the house listings and contacting other members you may like to exchange properties with.
  Make enquiries to any property listed on SurfSnowHouseXchange.com. The more you make contact with other members the better your chances of finding the perfect exchange. And remember all other members on the site have the ability to contact you about a possible swap.
• 4: Found an exchange
  Correspond through email and phone to organise your house exchange.

Back to top ^

Do I need to have an email account to be a member of SurfSnowHouseXchange.com?
Yes you do need to have an email account to be a member. It's the way other members will get in contact initially with you. You can create an email account free through hotmail or yahoo.

How do I contact other members?
First you need to be a member of SurfSnowHouseXchange.com only then can you make contact with members. When you find a house that you would like to exchange with you can contact the member of that property at the bottom of their property details. Make sure you are logged in (look at the small links at the top right of the page), then you simply scroll down the page to the 'Enquire about this property' form, write a relevant message and press send. Your message, email address and name will be sent off to your potential exchanger.

Back to top ^

Below is some advice that will help to have a successful house swap

• The best hint we can give you is to have good communication between you and your exchanger.
• Emailing or phoning back and forth regularly while both parties work out the details of the exchange is really important.
• The bonus of emailing and/or phoning your exchanger is that at the same time as working out the details of your swap you get to know who you will be swapping your house with.
• Some members contact their house insurance company to let them know of their plans to house exchange. In a lot of cases they like the fact that someone will be in the property looking after it.
• Its best to be clear about what your expectations are of your house when you have someone stay. If you have, can and can't does its better this way. Some good examples are talk about the phone usage, or key collection etc.…
• Before you leave on your exchange it's a good idea to have your house clean and tidy. If you don't like cleaning, it could be worth getting a cleaner in. For the time a cleaner takes it's a small cost for how much you will be saving during your house exchange.
• It's cool if you can clear a space for your guest's clothes during their trip.
• Also consider leaving some flowers or wine etc. for your exchange guests. It will make a good impression and a positive vibe to there stay.
• Last but not least, if you see a place you like make contact. The whole reason you have joined up is so you can have your dream holiday cheaper and/ or longer. Don't be scared and if someone makes contact with you reply and communicate.

Back to top ^