7 Steps To Becoming a Home Exchanger

Home exchange is how we manage to see the world while staying on a budget! It’s awesome for large families because the price doesn’t increase as your family size does. So far, we have exchanged in Zurich, Vienna, Salt Lake City, Austin, Barcelona, Seville, Granada, NYC, and Palm Springs!

1) What is Home Exchanging?

I think of it like a simultaneous Airbnb. No money is exchanged. You stay in someone’s home and they stay in yours. You get to see the world for free and have peace of mind that someone is looking after your home while you’re gone.

Who Can Home Exchange?

Anyone with a house in a desirable vacation destination can home exchange! Aka if you live in San Diego you live in a very desirable exchange location. If you are a renter, the first step would be to check with your landlord. Many of the places we have stayed have been rented apartments, so being a renter does not necessarily exclude you from exchanging.

The platform we use is www.homeexchange.com. You pay a yearly fee of $164. This ensures your swaps are protected by Home Exchange’s legal team.

Not all swaps have to be direct swaps. For example, you can rent out your house to someone from Colorado and earn Guest points for a future trip to Italy.

Setting Up Your Listing

Clean your house (no need to stash absolutely everything; having some toys visible may be a selling point for your desired exchange partners!) and take accurate pictures in good light. Start by just taking pictures with the best camera you have.

I originally put our home online last year with pictures from my iPhone 7+. Later on, we got professional HDR pictures and I noticed a sharp increase in the number of inquiries and accepted requests we had. But there is no need to do that right away, just get started with what you have! I also see a lot of people use real estate photos from when they moved in.

Lots of people ask me if their home has to be “finished” to swap it. Our home is never finished! Obviously I wouldn’t swap your home if you are in the middle of a massive remodel, but we’ve swapped many times with a half-finished backyard and front yard fence and nobody seems to mind. Just make sure the kitchen and bathroom are in working order and warn people if you do have a half-finished project!

Next, think of your favorite things about your home and succinctly communicate them in a short paragraph. Be honest! One of the worst things you can do as a swapper is set people up for a castle when really you have a cottage. Most swappers are not in it for luxury, they just care about your location.

Find Your First Swap

Now that you’ve got your listing set up, it’s time to take the leap and start contacting people. Home swapping is like dating. If you don’t take initiative, nothing’s ever going to happen. When I began home exchanging, I would read each listing before messaging them. It was a giant waste of time! Cast your net wide and read in-depth if they respond positively.

Now I craft a short personal message with a little information about my family, the reason for my trip, and what I like about their region. I message houses inside and outside the city center. Offer Guest Points (GP) OR reciprocal exchanges. We’ve had more luck with GP but we do reciprocal exchanges also!

I would estimate it takes an average of 15-20 messages to find a match. Ask about seasons (i.e. would you like to swap sometime in the summer versus July 1-7). When someone responds positively, don’t confirm right away. Start a conversation. Just like dating, communication is key. Talk about everything. Move on if you can’t agree on something or you get a bad feeling.

Continue this until you’ve found the right match. After you’ve found your dream swap, don’t forget to “break up” with all the other people you’ve messaged! Tell them you’ve found an exchange but thank them for their interest. Another parallel to dating: have fun! Be patient and keep trying until something works out. The worst they’re going to say is no.

Things To Do Once To Ensure Smooth Swapping

Once you’ve found your exchange partner, it’s time to get ready for your swap! Don’t leave everything until the night before or you will be sorry. This is the “work” part of home exchanging. The first time you do it will take the longest. Eventually we developed a pretty good routine and now we can prepare really fast! We like the excuse to keep our home looking nice regularly.

1) Install outdoor security cameras and a security system you can control from your phone. It’s really nice to see the right people as they come and go.

2) Purchase guest-only sheets, towels, and a keypad entry doorknob or a key lockbox.

3) Type up a comprehensive guide of your home and area. Include your WiFi password, pet/plant instructions, nearby grocery stores, and your favorite things to do in the area.

Pre- Swap Checklist

Try to do as many of these things ahead of time, so you aren’t stressed last minute!

Finish up all ongoing DIY projects. You don’t have to have everything perfect, but nobody wants to stay in a half-painted room.

Tell neighbors about upcoming swap so they don’t call the cops. Our neighbors love meeting the people from different places. It’s also nice to have a trusted set of eyes on your house.

Deep clean your home or hire a cleaner to do it.

Lock up all personal items and documents you don’t want your guests seeing.

Clear out 1-2 drawers per expected guest and make a bit of closet space. No need to empty every drawer or closet. Tip: combine drawers after removing what you’re packing for your trip.

Clear out one shelf in the fridge and one shelf in the bathroom.

Put guest sheets on the bed. Set out towels, shampoo/conditioner, your home guide, and (optional) a small food gift to welcome them to your home.

Place key in lockbox or in your predetermined location. Some swappers mail their guests a key or welcome them in person.

Time To Exchange!

Once you’ve left your house the work is over and the fun begins! When you arrive at your exchange, crawl around at your child’s height and move anything breakable. Text your hosts when you get there and when you check out. It’s ok to contact them occasionally if you have any questions. However, do not contact them every hour for obvious stuff (look for the blow dryer a few places before asking). Keep in mind that not everyone lives exactly as you and that’s part of the fun of swapping!

When you’re getting ready to leave, replace anything you ate that they didn’t specifically say you could eat or leave a bit of cash to cover the cost. Practice LNT or leave no trace by sweeping, washing dishes, emptying trash, and generally picking up. No need to scrub everything down, but make sure it looks welcoming when they get home from their trip.

Lastly, we always look for a small gift and write a short thank you note. You learn a bit about people staying in their home. We try to use this knowledge to choose a gift that will be meaningful to them.

Our very first home swap guest left us a succulent. She could tell I love succulents because I have them everywhere! I keep it by my kitchen sink so I can see it as I perform my daily tasks of motherhood. It reminds me that we don’t have to have unlimited money, quit our 9-5 jobs, or leave our child to take a dream vacation. The world is open to us through home exchanging!