Why rich Aussies flock to Colorado over summer

Australians are swapping their beachside pads for snowy mountain lodges in search of a white Christmas. 

It might sound like the plot of Nancy Meyers’ classic Christmas movie The Holiday, but house swapping is on the rise in Australia. 

Like Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz, Australians are turning to house swapping websites to shake up their usual holiday traditions. 

It’s a trend that has been growing increasingly popular over the past year. This Christmas, bookings on the house swapping platform ThirdHome have risen 73 per cent compared to last year’s December–January period. 

And it’s clear that snow is on Australians’ minds, with Aspen, Colorado the number one destination booked by Aussie travellers in 2023-24. 

There are ski-in, ski-out lodges in the Aspen highlands that look straight out of Christmas card illustrations. 

For a more Dickensian experience, this Victorian-era house has a grand presence in the heart of town. 

For those who want to stick closer to home, glitzy apartments with views over Sydney Harbour are popular. Sydney was the top destination for Australian travellers this year, outpacing Aspen. 

Unfortunately, house swapping doesn’t come cheap. ThirdHome members need to pay a $3900 initiation fee to get started. After that, it costs $463 in annual dues and each house swapping trip costs an additional exchange fee of up to $2100. 

For those looking for a snow escape closer to home, there are plenty of picture-perfect properties in the Snowy Mountains and Victorian Alps – you might just need to wait for Christmas in July.

Australian winter wonderlands

$795,000

8/27 Falls Creek Road, Falls Creek VIC 3699

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$2,950,000

20 Mclure Circuit, Jindabyne NSW 2627

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By Robin Dyke, Nicholas Gurney

8/1 Diggings Terrace, Thredbo NSW 2625

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