When it comes to choosing property we could learn a thing or two from ants. My children were fascinated to hear an item on the local news this week about research which has been carried out at nearby Bristol University into the way ants go about finding a new home. “It says they are like estate agents Mum” said the thoughtful one “but actually they do what you do!”

It does seem to be the case that when a colony needs to move they send out scouts who instinctively know what makes a nest a suitable home for the colony. (Clients, take note!)These ant relocation agents then report back, show the nest to the rest of the colony and when a sizeable number are in agreement the move occurs. Genius. Apparently in making the decision they also “survey” the potential new nest, checking dimensions and cleanliness.

Unlike us however, ants do not have to visit umpteen nests in order to decide on which offers the best option. If the first one they visit ticks all the boxes then that’s the one they go for. Wouldn’t life be simple if only we would do the same.

Last week we headed West for a visit to family in Wales. In Pembrokeshire, construction work was as brisk as ever with several seaside conversions, renovations and developments going ahead despite the downturn in the market. “Do you think they’ll sell them?” asked one of my companions as we ambled along the seafront to the accompaniment of angle grinders and hammers galore.

It reminded me of similar market conditions some years ago when my parents were desperate to move to a newer property and couldn’t sell. After some considerable negotiation we managed to ’swap’ the family home for a house they’d set their hearts on and everyone ended up happy. And it seems that this practice might be making a comeback in an attempt to bypass the gridlocked market. (The Times 18th April).

Of course now you can advertise your house swapping aspirations to the world online. There are a number of websites where you can register. Why not try this one or this ? Then there’s this or this or even this if you want to go overseas. Some sites allow you to register for free whilst others can cost up to £70 for six months. You’ll need to provide details of your property and of the location, price range and size of property you’re looking for. Thereafter you can browse available properties or wait for matches to be sent to you. Then you can go on to arrange viewings and if you’re happy to proceed organise a survey and contact your solicitor.

Remember

• You’ll still need to provide a HIP for your property (cost approx £300).
• It’s advisable to have a survey to determine the condition of the property you’ll be taking on and also to check on its market value.
• You will need to speak to your current mortgage provider. They may be happy to transfer your mortgage to the new property but do check as technically you would have to redeem the mortgage on your old house.
• You will need legal representation to sort out the paperwork and this may be more expensive than a straightforward buy and sell. Talk to a solicitor beforehand.
• Once the exchange has been completed both parties will need to pay stamp duty on the value of the property acquired and register the swap with the land registry.
• You will need to pay any difference in the cost of the property you buy if you are trading up,  so ensure you have funds available.

There are obvious advantages to using this method of finding your new home - avoiding estate agents fees and the stress of being stuck in a chain being two of the biggest. Swapping also allows you to ‘try before you buy’ and there is usually far less risk of arrangements falling through.

But it’s still early days. The sites that I looked at over the weekend are full of developers’ properties which they are having difficulty selling so for ‘house swap’ read good old fashioned ‘part exchange offered’. There is still a shortage of other properties available on these sites so if you’re looking for a Georgian villa, a Victorian terrace or a country cottage with a large garden you are far more likely to find it by using a more conventional route. Although there’s nothing to stop you mentioning to your agent that you’d consider a house swap and hope that they’ll do some active matchmaking rather than letting your property languish on their books indefinitely. In fact some agents are advertising their properties on swapping websites already where vendors have expressed such an interest.

What does a relocation agent do when the housing market is in a slump? Well according to a girl friend of mine it ought to be persuading my partner to part with a few hundred thousand to buy a wreck for me to practise my homemaking skills - oh, and to be filmed doing it. (Kirstie’s Homemade Home Channel 4, Thursdays).

Now I’m not one to knock jolly Kirstie. The lady has talked a lot of sense in the past about not paying a developer’s premium, adding value and looking beyond the surface to the heart of what a property offers. But surely I’m not the only one who wishes that we could have a look at a renovation in real time on a realistic budget? Or are we a nation of property porn addicts content to drool over manufactured ‘perfection’?

Granted not many people would want to watch Fred and Maggie take five years to get around to painting their exterior woodwork but at least lets have a quality interior design programme showing us what can be done to improve the home we’re in and how much it will cost.

And if you’re thinking of doing a bit of renovation yourselves have a look here for some ideas of what might add most value in the long run. But be sure to bear in mind renovation in the current market has to be more about what works for you in the short term than making a quick buck and moving on.

And if you develop a taste for raiding skips as a result of Kirstie’s programme the bookshelf pictured is my latest ‘find’ now tastefully repainted in Farrow and Ball just to give you hope and inspiration. If I can do it, anyone can. Unlike the redoubtable Kirstie I will tell you the real story. It came from not from a skip but my next door neighbour and during the months between acquiring it and finding the time to actually paint it, it was stored in various rooms in the house where we all fell over it regularly. I used the remains of a pot of paint that I’d bought to revamp a cupboard so had to find a space for it in the sitting room (to avoid glaring colour clashes). And as it rained constantly during the painting period and we have no outbulding, garage or workshop, the kitchen held the faint whiff of paint for a few days.

Isn’t this what most people do?