House Swap

There are silly television shows about swapping wives, but who would have thought you could swap a house? Different from a house exchange, where the switch is temporary, swapping homes literally means that people are buying each other’s homes and exchanging locations.

Why house swap as opposed to putting your home on the market the normal way? It isn’t always easy, but if you can find a match, you’ll save money on realtors’ fees. And you’re posting the specifications about your house in the right place, to the right people. Individuals are on these sites for the same reason as you, so you’re not preaching to an uninterested crowd.

If you’re willing to do most of the work on your own, sites like Craigslist.org or Onlinehousetrading.com can help you make a permanent switch. Communications with potential buyers are now your responsibility, so your sweet talking and home promotion will have to close the sale, without the help of a real estate agent.

Do you know of anyone who has successfully sold and swapped homes? What did they do to make it work? [CBS]