Tripologist: A home away from home in New York

We are considering an apartment swap or home exchange between Sydney and New York. Can you recommend reputable, tried-and-tested websites and provide general advice on the do's and don'ts? Are there agencies that manage house swaps?

- N. Gardner, Sydney.

There are several agencies that specialise in nothing but home exchanges and the internet makes it sweet and easy. HomeLink (homelink.com.au) is the world's oldest home-exchange community. It's a non-profit organisation and they have co-ordinators in 27 countries to ensure things run smoothly. HomeLink has more than 2500 properties in the US, 258 of them in New York State, with a sizeable number in the New York City metropolitan area, and some of their owners have their hearts set on an Aussie escape.

Home for Exchange (homeforexchange.com) is another big player on the scene, also with homes and apartments in the New York City area. There are lots of issues to consider when you embark on a house swap, such as insurance, vehicles and pets, and you should be able to find information in the FAQ sections on these websites.