Families Swap Houses to Beat Slow Market

Struggling with a troubled housing market, some would-be sellers are opting for a novel solution: trading houses. The strategy is nothing drastic, ABC News reports—in separate transactions, two families sell their homes to each other. Buyers say the downside is reduced selection—but it can be convenient, and it can make a serious dent in prices.

“We ended up using one real estate agent instead of two," one swapper said. "And because he was doing two deals at once he was willing to cut his commission tremendously." The Internet brings interested parties together through a number of house-trading sites. But, as with any such transactions, it's important to do the, er, homework on what you're buying—and who you're buying from. (More housing market stories.)