Annemiek and Auke from Paterswolde have swapped their home with homes in Canada and New Zealand, but: 'Everyone wants to go to Trento'

Highlight? Annemiek Fransen, her husband Auke Beuting and daughters Yenthe (11) and Noor (9) didn't have to think about it for long. It was an exchange with a couple in New Zealand. They stayed at home for six months. Yende and Noor went to school in New Zealand.

“It is a mega luxury home. It had a huge backyard and a jacuzzi,” says Noor. Sister Yenthe: “It was situated on a lake. We showered everyday.

Goat farm and self-built house

The family explodes with special travel experiences. There was a farm in Tuscany where women could ride horses. Or a self-built house on the Norwegian island of Smola. A sheep farm in Wales and a flat in London. “There was a park opposite the house in London and the people had scooters. Riding the scooter in the park was a lot of fun,” says Yende.

After buying their house in Paterswolde and completely renovating it, Fransen and Beuting offered it to strangers for the first time on the big house exchange platform eight years ago. Home Exchange .

Experiences and encounters

“If I'm being completely honest, if it wasn't possible if we covered our wallets, we wouldn't be able to leave for six months,” Franzen says. “But that's not why we trade. We trade for experiences and encounters. Get off the beaten track and you'll experience your travel destination very differently.

Fellow villager Klaus Molema is also interested. “We know each other from the parade in the village,” says Molema. “When they came back from six months in New Zealand, I was very interested in how they did it,” he says.

The seed was planted and now Molema is seriously planning to present her home on stage. He has already taken out a membership (160 euros per year) for the website. “Now it's a matter of investing time in some funda-like work.”

Everything is tip top

Yes, exchanging homes is a cheap and convenient way to spend your vacation. But it takes some effort, especially in the beginning. In addition to promoting your own home with beautiful photos and promotional text, your home needs to be in tip-top condition for guests.

“Now we make a habit of cleaning our house before we leave. You fix all kinds of little things and you don't bother to do anything about it,” says Beuting.

Greenland's claim

The site works with reviews. Home exchangers judge each other. A profile full of good reviews makes the dream home exchange a reality. Because the reciprocal exchange must of course fit perfectly on both sides.

“Sometimes you have to issue fifty requests, sometimes it happens instantly,” Franzen outlines. She herself receives five requests a month, but she cannot fulfill them all.

“We had one from Greenland. It was great, but we didn't do it. It cost 10,000 euros in plane tickets to go there with the four of us, and that was for a week.

Not for everyone

Franzen and Beuting have already persuaded several friends to exchange houses. They have no bad experience. “There was a house in Portugal once that we didn't like,” Franzen says. “But we always get our house back in good condition. Often cleaner than when we left it.

That pacifies fellow villager Molema. Still, the trip isn't for everyone, Franzen notes. “If you're too attached to your stuff, you're not suited for this.”

Anyway, Molema likes it a lot. “I'm going to Orol in June, and it seems like a good time to present my home for the first time.” He wants to go to East Germany, Wales and Scotland. But first he's looking for a good home in the West.

Appreciate your own environment

No problem, Franson knows. “It's very easy to find an exchange in Amsterdam. Everyone wants to go to Trento. Now she understands why it's better than when she started exchanging houses.

“You also learn to appreciate your own environment. The guests are very enthusiastic about the people who live here, they are very nice. Our American guests thought the highlight was going to the bakery by bike.