Property Reference 0374 Oxford : Home to a couple whose 2 university-aged children may sometimes like to be with them when they the house-swap
The university city of Oxford is a wonderful place to visit. The city itself has a wealth of cultural and tourist attractions, and the nearby towns, villages & countryside have so much to offer.
This semi-detached house was built in the 1920’s, just 15 minutes walk from the centre of Oxford & 5 minutes walk from the Thames Path, which offers lovely opportunities for walking, cycling & relaxing in the great pubs along the way!
The owners, who have been members of CHACS since 2006, have completed a renovation & extension to the house which is fairly small, but well designed, clean and comfortable. There is a log-burning stove in the living room, and folding doors in the kitchen that open up fully onto the garden.
There is a good sized long garden which leads down to a small river, (no fence). This is a tributary of the Thames & is right at the bottom of the garden!
They have a 3-man kayak (and life jackets) that house-swappers are welcome to use, as well as 4 adult-sized bikes.
More details:- https://www.chacs.co.uk/brochure/south-east/oxfordshire-2/
The family attend St Aldates which is a thriving city centre C of E church with a large congregation.
Established in 2003, 'Christian House and Church Swap’ (CHACS) is a UK based house-swap holiday organisation.
There are registered members throughout the UK, Europe and further afield. House-swapping works well for everyone; single people, married couples, friends and families. Instead of paying a substantial amount of money for holiday accommodation, and then leaving your house empty, you can simply swap homes with other Christians!
It's a different and exciting way to holiday!
COST.... There is no charge for registration or membership. Only if/when a house-swap takes place do we ask you to pay an administration fee of £50. For second and subsequent swaps in the same year, the admin fee is £25.
Registration forms available on chacs website.
USING YOUR HOME....Your house, however humble or grand, will provide a great holiday base for someone else.Your locality, so familiar to you, has lots to offer to someone new to the area.
SECURITY...There is a rise in house burglary when occupants are away from home. By house swapping you have automatic Christian house sitters! When people register with us, we contact their church leader. This is for everyone’s peace of mind.
LOCAL COMMUNITY... Another great feature is that you will holiday in a local community. A local person, friend or neighbour, will have agreed to give you the key, check that you are okay and to deal with any queries. That person will also be able to give you up-to-date information about nearby amenities, local events, places to visit, best pubs, good restaurants and so on.
PETS AND PLANTS… House swappers are usually happy to water the garden and indoor plants, and feed the cat and goldfish! Mutual dog owners are generally happy for the dogs to be included in the swap.
IT’S YOUR CHOICE!...You get to choose from the descriptions of over 200 properties, mostly in the UK, but abroad too, all found in the online brochure. You pay the administration fee only when your house swap is confirmed. And you might want to swap once or several times a year, or only once every 2 or 3 years. There is never any pressure on you to make a specific choice. The choice is yours!
(Some of the members' homes in gallery below.)