House Swap Dos and Don'ts and a Giveaway!

Win a copy of "The Holiday" and more goodies by commenting below.

Taking part in a house swap may include staying in a cozy place like this - as seen in the popular movie "The Holiday."

Have you ever dreamt of getting away from all of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season? Wishing you could celebrate the season in sunny Southern California or finally experience a white Christmas? That’s exactly what Iris Simpkins (Kate Winslet) and Amanda Woods (Cameron Diaz) did in the film “The Holiday.”

Two women, looking to leave their troubles at home behind, initiated a house swap only to find themselves falling in love with local guys in each other’s countries. For most of us, the romance part of that story may not happen quite the same, but taking part in a house swap can be a simple and fun way to explore another city or country – not to mention a cheaper alternative to a hotel.

For some expert advice, we connected with house swap veterans, Sushma Dwivedi and Natalia Eude, who swapped homes with each other earlier this year. They’ve given us a lot to think about after their international (New York City and Paris) house swap. Based on their insight we created this list of Dos and Don’ts that will hopefully be helpful to you as you prepare for your first house swap!

•    Do your research before initiating a house swap. Ensure that the house swap is being done with someone who has a similar lifestyle to you and similar expectations about this experience.
•    Don’t be shy! Ask your swapper to introduce you to their friends and/or neighbors and provide you with key phrases to know in case there is any sort of language barrier.
•    Do leave your swapper guidelines and tips that could help in his/her transition like maps, directions to the local supermarket, bank, shopping center, etc.
•    Don’t be afraid to ask questions, you want to be as prepared as possible before traveling to an unfamiliar location.
•    Do have an open mind and understand that things may operate differently so be prepared to allow time to adjust.

Have you ever done a house swap before? If so, is there anything you’d recommend we add to our list of Do’s and Don’ts?

The Giveaway:
To help you get in the house swapping spirit we are giving away a holiday gift package complete with “The Holiday” DVD, popcorn, hot chocolate mix and sweet treats!

The Rules:
•    Leave a comment below telling us if you’d ever do a house swap and where would you want to go (one comment per person, additional entries will be disqualified).
•    Please enter your email address in the appropriate field when leaving your comment (it will not be visible to anyone but us and will only be used to contact you if you should be selected as the winner).
•    One winner will be randomly selected on Friday, December 17th at 11:59PM EST and announced by Monday, December 20th.
•    Winner will be notified via email and will have 72 hours to respond before another participant is chosen.
•    Contest open to U.S. and Canada Residents only.

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The Celebrity Beat: Relocation.com's Celebrity Real Estate Report

By Serena Norr

At Relocation.com, we are big believers in renovating your home or apartment for obvious reasons (like say, repairing a faulty toilet or fixing broken tiles) or to enhance the look and feel of your house. For homeowners, these projects may increase the value of a home, which can be rather helpful when you are seeking to sell. However, when you spend $50 million (yes, I  said $50 million dollars) for a home renovation, we have clearly entered into the mysterious and costly world of celebrity real estate. This exact transaction recently took place in NYC when the designer, Tommy Hilfiger forked over $50 million buckaroos to redesign his duplex. Pictures of the gorgeous home were taken by Harper’s Bazaar so we can all admire the “European-inspired” home from afar and truly see what you can do to your home when money is no object. This week you can also read more about Cameron Diaz who purchased Candice Bergen’s Beverly Hills home for $9.4 million. The homes of the late Jim Morrison and the late Ed McMahon are listed for sale, as well as Sasha Baron Cohen’s home that is listed on the market for $2.9 million. Let us know which home sounds interesting to you. Until next week…

Newly redesigned dining room of Tommy Hilfiger -- The renovations cost the designer $50 million dollars. (Photo Credit: Harper's Bazaar)

•   Tommy Hilfiger Renovates Home for $50 Million
Clothing designer Tommy Hilfiger recently renovated his two-floor NYC duplex for the hefty price tag of $50 million. This home improvement project has been in the works for two years to create “an old-world atmosphere complementing the old-world Plaza,” as Hilfiger stated to Harper’s Bazaar. The project involved a complete gut renovation of Hilfiger’s 6,000-square-foot duplex to create a glamorous/vintage European-vibe. And that it certainly is. The newly redesigned duplex now includes a gorgeous Maison Jansen dining room table, crystal chandeliers, a nautical-themed kid’s room complete with a ship bed and a French Renaissance-style turret featuring an Eloise mural by Hilary Knight. There is also a 20-piece collection by Andy Warhol, paintings by Jean Michel Basquiat and an American flag painting by Jasper Johns that Hilfiger is reportedly interested in buying. The home also features a private domed terrace, which overlooks Central Park that was redesigned with checkered flooring, a black sitting table and custom cut plants.

Check out more photos of Tommy Hilfiger’s Plaza home as featured in Harper’s Bazaar.

Jim Morrison's former dining room -- Listed for $1.1 million. (Photo Credit: Zillow.com)

•    Jim Morrison’s Laurel Canyon Home for Sale
The Laurel Canyon home of the late Jim Morrison has recently been listed on the market for $1,199,000. Previously sold for $535,000 in 2001, the rustic 2,300-square-foot home is reportedly where Morrison did a lot of his song writing and hung out  in the 1960s. The quaint home includes three bedrooms, open beamed ceilings, distressed wood floors, iron fixtures and a outdoor deck with a fire pit, gym and shower, as reported on Housing Watch. The new owner may also discover some of Morrison’s writings behind the wall of an indoor shower where he reportedly kept some of his poetry and songs – Strange Days, indeed.

•    Cameron Diaz Buys Candice Bergen’s Beverly Hills Home
According to the Real Estalker, Cameron Diaz recently purchased Candice Bergen’s Beverly Hills home for $9, 447,500. Originally listed for $10,250,000, the 5,000-square foot home features four bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms and a detached guest house that encompasses almost an acre of land includes another three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The sophisticated home also features hardwood and tiled flooring, high ceilings and an outdoor area with a pool, tennis court, gardens and a spa.

•   Sacha Baron Cohen Lists Los Angeles Home for $2.9 Million
Sacha Baron Cohen aka the man behind “Ali G” and “Borat” recently listed his 2,806-square-foot home on the market for $2.9 million. The single-story Los Angeles abode features three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, a detached guest room and a two-car garage. Other amenities in the house include hardwood flooring, a fireplace, French doors leading to the dining room, a modern kitchen with stainless steel appliances and white cabinets and an outdoor deck with a pool and spa.

•    Ed McMahon’s Beverly Hills Home on the Market for $4.6 Million
The home of the late Ed McMahon is on the market $4.6 million. Originally listed in 2008 for the same price, the Mediterranean-style is located in a gated community in Beverly Hills that overlooks canyons and a sprawling yard. The California estate includes six bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms, fireplace and a swimming pool. The seller (who was also a friend of McMahon’s) made significant home improvements on the 7,013-square-foot estate that faced foreclosure in 2008.