House Swap- Spain -UK.

Your obviously trying to set up a business,

Like myself and many before me,we had to set up our businesses from scratch and build from there,

Every business,no matter what it is,

Takes hard work long hours and a lot of investment,

You haven't said what part of the market you are looking at,ie, high end properties,or budget,

But anyway,good luck with your venture.

Hi,

Actually no, we really do not want to run a "business." Both of us have run our own businesses in the past, so we know what it requires. We are retired and started looking at swapping but there is very little out there, well there is but very expensive.

We were hoping to put a very simple website together, for the benefit of "members," costs hopefully, would be minimal.

It will not matter what type of property, the idea is to match people/property-details together. They make their own choice.

1. I'm with Paddy61, this is the potential start of a business and there's nothing wrong with this. If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it is a duck. 

2. We've been swapping our house in Ireland and the apartment in Spain for years. We do this privately and arrange our own additional insurance etc. It's no big deal and can be rewarding. 

3. There are websites which you can do this and they cost - no sweat! - You pay for more convenience and easiness of procedure.

4. If you go ahead privately, set out ground rules e.g is use of car included, do you have sole possession of property, what food do you leave in your fridge/freezer etc. 

5. You'll come across interest on forums such as this, but if you put a note in your local supermarket there might be reaction, also if you are on holidays in say Italy or France or Holland a few notes in the local shops there could be of help. But, online is where the contacts are, it's just a case of spotting them. It's easier than you think.

Thank you for your input, it isn't but that does not matter.

Personally we are not looking for a few weeks here or there but a regular home swap for up to 3 months at a time. I have asked quite a few people in Spain, some have pointed to websites but they much more "global." We are looking specifically at Spain-UK swaps. Hopefully a bit more "friendly" rather than general. We have also looked online but cannot find anything other than Websites as mentioned. Certainly conditions of the swap are important, hence my post. Not sure how the notes in supermarkets would work, perhaps you could expand please?

You mention that you are aware of such places to look, perhaps you could share please? We do not particularly want to start something if options are already available, more than happy if we can find some other way to go about this.

What a good idea . I would think if you can get genuine people interested it could be a useful project.

Thank you, hopefully people will show an interest and perhaps someone will come forward and like to run with it.

As previously mentioned, we are retired and have no real intention of going back to work. Not only unnecessary but also unappealing.

Well I think its a great idea. I dont live in spain but holiday there for 3 months every year through the winter. I’m sure if your website was set up legally, you would be inundated with offers of an exchange, sharing like for like with accommodation and utilities.

Thank you for your response.

Let’s not over analyse what you want. You want up to 3 months “house swap” between somebody with a property in the UK and somebody with property in Spain. My input is based on sharing house swaps in other countries as well. 

This forum is a good starting point, but be prepared for some near cynical replies as some similar threads here appear to be bordering on (or/and sometimes are blatantly) scams.

We now know you are specific in what you want so send out your feelers here, on Facebook, notice boards in supermarkets, parish bulletins or wherever. Your idea is good and I wish you well in its execution.