At the end of last month, we published a post here on the Blog that covered the topic of home exchanges, and how they facilitate the “swapping” of vacation and luxury homes. These services, such as HomeExchangeGold, allow folks to spend a couple of days or a few weeks in a unique and exotic location, in a beautiful living environment. But what if you wanted to take an extended time to live elsewhere? Overseas, or out of state, for a few months or maybe even a year? Is there an exchange that lets you stay in a home for more than just a few weeks?
Allow us to introduce SabbaticalHomes, a home exchange for people to find a place to spend their sabbatical, or to get away for a few months. Originally created for those in academia, the site also helps users find home rentals, house sitters, and roommate opportunities across the globe. If you have an interest in listing your home on the site, the fee is $45 per property ($65 if non-academic). To place an ad seeking a home, the fee is $20 for non-academic use (free for academics). Rent prices are set by whomever is posting the ad, so be sure to pay attention to the listed rent price of any properties you may be interested in.
Once you have posted either a home offer or home wanted ad, the site then works with you to help find the perfect match that suits your particular needs. You can correspond with other members to find terms that work for both parties (some homeowners will even negotiate rent prices), with the end goal of having everyone involved comfortable with the arrangements. SabbaticalHomes recommends that both homeowner(s) and tenant(s) draft a proper contract before settling any agreements. The site even offers contract guidelines to help owners and tenants write up contracts that work for all parties involved.
So the next time you are getting ready to take a sabbatical, or just looking for an escape, you should consider checking out SabbaticalHomes. With a little effort and research you can find the perfect place for you!