We once did a non-simultaneous swap with a guy who said he wanted to use our place for visiting relatives. Then it turned out he was advertising our home, and those of other past swap partners on his exchange listing. Without permission told people whose homes he wanted to use that our home was available for third-party home exchange!
That means he would go use someone's home and he would let those people -- complete strangers to us and vetted only by this guy's personal judgement -- use our place. No thank you.
Many "luxury" home exchange clubs that charge naive new swappers an arm and a leg to use other people's nice homes operate via third-party exchange. From my experience, wealthy people are no more likely to leave my home in good condition than people with modest homes and salaries.
There is absolutely no accountability built in to the interaction. I left my swap partner's home immaculate. I was able to see his style of housekeeping and get to know him (the more I learned the less happy I was, however). Someone he chooses to stay in my home could be a person I am not comfortable with. And what is their motivation to treat my home with care?
I will not do third-party home exchange. I think it's a terrible idea. But I am about to have exchangers in my home while I go use someone else's place. There are three families involved, but it is not third-party home exchange. More on this before we leave for our swap.
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