Travel the Home Exchange Way blog

We swapped our Paris home during the Olympics for a relaxing summer holiday in the Swedish countryside

Beautiful morning views from Alex's family home near Umeå, Sweden

It's lovely hearing Home Base Holidays members' home swap experiences. Here we have a trip report from Heather who swapped her townhouse in Paris during the Olympics for a fabulous summer holiday in Alex's family home in a quiet village close to Umeå, Sweden.

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Home swap in Sweden gorgeous family house set in glorious countryside "We managed to dovetail the home swap so that both families met, which was really delightful. It was great to escape Paris during the Olympics for a relaxing summer break in the beautiful Swedish countryside. The drive from France to Sweden was looooooong but we found great places to stop along the way.  The Swedish outdoor life in summer was a revelation - eating strange new berries and mushrooms, the light nights and incredible skies, swimming and building bonfires. Costs in terms of supermarkets etc were pleasantly similar to France. The weather was mostly great and the extra trip we added to visit Norway was easily done with Umea as a base. We only visited Umeå once (beware the incomprehensible parking regulations and speeding fines!), we didn’t make much of an effort to get to know the town - we were set for an outdoors/country break and it couldn’t have been lovelier. The house itself is in a pleasant hamlet, just a short bike ride from an amazing lake. So civilised! Fire pits and little huts you can stay in - then wander into the forest for a handful of blueberries. Alex’s garden was bountiful and we feasted on her delicious potatoes, beans and redcurrants. The house was spotlessly clean and tidy but spacious and very comfortable - we particularly appreciated the minimalist feel, which was the direct opposite of our house and has inspired some epic clearouts, now that we’re home. We’ve had many home swap holidays and they’ve pretty much all been fantastic, but this one was particularly lovely. The camaraderie between us messaging each other and sharing our family delight at how extraordinarily different our summers were, was very warm, genuine and funny and I hope we’ll stay friends! Can’t wait to come back to see the Northern Lights! " - Heather

Highlights of the home swap holiday: The fact that we escaped the Olympics to visit beautiful Sweden Picking wild blueberries, swimming in pristine lakes, the High Coast Meeting Alex and her lovely family and swapping lives

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Photos from the summer swap in Sweden

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Heather's townhouse in Paris, France 3 storey family home in a friendly quiet neighbourhood with excellent transport links. View their home swap holiday offer	Alex's lovely village home near Umeå, Sweden Northern Swedish village house in picturesque location only 9 km from city centre. View their home swap holiday offer

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Start home swapping and cut the cost of your next holiday Sign up to Home Base Holidays and save up to 90% on the cost of your holidays by arranging a home exchange. Search the latest home exchange holiday offers

Communication is key to a successful home swap holiday

Home swapping is a fantastic way to travel but good communication is key

It’s hard to underestimate the importance of ongoing communication when arranging a home exchange holiday. It’s this communication that helps you and your potential home swap guests get to know one another, and that is how you build the foundation for a successful holiday.

Do your guests have kids?

It’s important to personalise your communication when discussing a possible swap. So, instead of sending a general copy and paste response, stop to think about the person who has expressed interest in your home. What can you learn about them from their initial message and looking at their home swap profile? What are they looking for? What’s most important to them? Most people offer at least a little information about themselves in their inquiry; consider what they’ve said when you respond. Why are they coming to your area? Do they have kids?

Tailoring your response goes a long way toward ensuring successful exchanges. For one thing, proper communication helps both you and the other party determine whether your place is right for them, saving you both wasted time if it is not. For another, communication helps you spot potential problems before finalising the arrangements (e.g. pet allergies, home not suitable for children, area requires a car, etc).

Communication should not stop once you’ve finalised your home exchange. Make sure your guests know what to expect, and what you expect from them. Continue to ask questions about the home and the area – remember, by arranging a home exchange, you have a fantastic resource of local tips and recommendations in your hosts, real locals! Keep your communications friendly and polite, and don’t hesitate to ask questions or probe for further information about anything that raises a red flag for you.

Ask your guests to leave a review

Continue to communicate even after the guests have moved into your home. Check with them to make sure everything’s okay. Let them know that you’re available if they have questions. It’s good to exchange several ways of communication during the swap such as mobile numbers, email and WhatsApp. Make sure to also follow up with your guests after they leave.

If you were pleased by the way they cared for your home, say so. If they said they had a great time, ask them to post a review on the home swap website.

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Home Base Holidays: arrange a home exchange holiday Sign up to Home Base Holidays two-week free trial and start planning your home swap holiday accommodation.  Search Home Base Holidays for the latest home swap holiday offers

Wonderful home swap in Lake Constance, Switzerland

Beautiful views from Marianne & Hubi's home in Weinfelden, Switzerland

We love hearing from Home Base Holidays members about their home exchange holidays! Here's a recent trip report from home swapper, Linda, on her summer holiday staying in Marianne & Hubi's beautiful home located near Lake Constance, Switzerland.

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Swiss swap: amazing holiday exploring Lake Constance, Switzerland "We had an amazing summer swap exploring Lake Constance region of Switzerland. There was so much to explore, we felt spoilt for choice. Our only regret is that we didn’t ride the cable car to the top of Säntis, as it was too cloudy and we had left it to our last day. So we hope to return one day and discover more of the delights that the region offers! Our most memorable days were probably those that included swimming in the lake at Rorschach and the river at Zurich, the historic bathing huts simply made us smile. We found travelling around really good and easy whether by public transport or on foot. Getting to grips with the ticketing system and timings of boats on Lake Constance was a little tricky but we soon got the hang of it and loved exploring the beautiful region. Our hosts, Marianne & Hubi, were excellent and very thorough in preparing for our home swap. They provided heaps of information on local recommendations, places to visit, transport options, as well as useful information about their house. They made everything so smooth and worry free! Their home was a delight to stay in and couldn’t be faulted in any way. Thank you both so very much indeed." - Linda

Highlights of the home swap holiday: Staying in Marianne & Hubi's unique and lovely home. Stunning location with a great choice of places to visit and things to do. Reliable and regular public transport including boats on the lake

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Photos from the home swap in Switzerland

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Linda 's stone cottage in Swanage Charming 2-bedroom stone cottage located on Dorset's Jurassic Coast. View their home swap holiday offer	Marianne & Hubi's home in Switzerland Lovely 4-bedroom mountain view home located near Lake of Constance. View their home swap holiday offer

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Start home swapping and cut the cost of your next holiday Sign up to Home Base Holidays and save up to 90% on the cost of your holidays by arranging a home exchange. Search the latest home exchange holiday offers

What to say in your first message? Home exchange FAQs

When contacting a Home Base Holidays member with your initial home swap enquiry message, you don't need to go into great detail as, at this stage you're just trying to gauge if they are interested in discussing your offer further. First impressions count so be friendly and polite - after all, you are asking to stay in their home! Personalise your message; address them by name and mention what you like about their home and location (a little flattery never goes amiss!).

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Things you may want to include in your message:

• When you'd like to home swap
• The duration of the swap
• What you like about their home / location
• What is nice about your home / location
• Important information (e.g. pet care required, accessibility requirements, serious allergy information).
• If you've previously home swapped
• Commitment to care for their home

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Example of a home swap enquiry message: "Hi Alice, would you be interested in a swap to our stone cottage set on edge of Snowdonia National Park? We saw your listing and thought your London flat looked lovely. We are a retired couple and were hoping to visit London for a week at the end of September, but our dates are flexible. We've swapped a couple of times previously and both were really lovely holidays. We'd take excellent care of your home and are happy to answer any questions. Look forward to hearing from you. Best Wishes, Jan and Mike"

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Should you send enquiry messages to more than one member?

It's always good to be proactive when planning a home swap holiday. Most experienced home swappers send out a number of initial enquiry messages rather than one at a time and wait for a reply. With your initial enquiry message, you're not making a commitment to a swap, just seeing if the member would be potentially interested. If you are considering more than one offer, make your decision as quickly as possible and let other members you have been communicating with know without delay. Also, let members know if you would like to consider their offer, if available, at a later date.

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What should I do if I do not receive a reply?

It's good to be patient and give them up to a week to reply. If after a week you have still not received a response, try sending a follow up reminder message. If you still do not get a response, either choose to move on or, if particularly interested in the home swap offer, contact us at Home Base Holidays and we will try to get in touch with the member for you. 

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Received a new home swap enquiry message?

Try to check your emails and/or the home swap website messages regularly. Where possible, make sure to reply to all home swap offers you receive within a week of receipt. Even if you're not interested in the offer, reply politely declining the offer so that the other member can move on and find alternative home swap accommodation. 

 

If you need time to think about an offer, reply to the member to let them know and try to give them a timescale for you to make a definite decision.

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Start planning a home swap holiday Sign up to Home Base Holidays for free and contact members to arrange your home swap holiday accommodation. >> Search home swap holiday offers

Stunning unique summer home swap holiday in Scotland

Stunning views of the River Tay from Peter & Angela's home in Scotland

We love hearing from Home Base Holidays members about their home swap holidays. Here we have a trip report from very experienced home swapper, Irene Bews, on her summer swap to Peter and Angela's stunning home overlooking the River Tay estuary in Fife and Angus, Scotland.

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River view home swap holiday in Fife and Angus, Scotland "I'm currently on my third home exchange through Home Base Holidays this summer! Each have been truly unique, staying in fabulous homes and locations ...this current one is absolutely exceptional. This has been such a wonderful home exchange swapping to Peter and Angela's stunningly unique home overlooking the River Tay. Their home has incredible gardens with the most beautiful views over the river. The weather was so good, which made it hard to leave their lovely extensive gardens. We explored a lot of the local area by bike and chilled out with long swims in their private pool at the end of the day. It's been an absolutely wonderful home exchange holiday. Thank you so much Peter and Angela!" - Irene Bews

Highlights of the home swap holiday: Staying in a stunning unique house with incredible river views The hidden gem of a swimming pool in the garden Exploring the local area by bike

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Photos from Irene's summer swap:

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Irene's rural home on the Orkney Islands Stunning rural 3-bedroom family home on the idyllic Orkney Isles, north of Scotland. View their home swap holiday offer	Peter and Angela's home in Fife and Angus Beautiful 4-bedroom Victorian home with wonderful views overlooking the River Tay estuary. View their home swap holiday offer

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Start home swapping and cut the cost of your next holiday Sign up to Home Base Holidays and save up to 90% on the cost of your holidays by arranging a home exchange. Search the latest home exchange holiday offers

Arranging a home swap holiday? Messaging courtesy

Be polite: make sure to reply to all home swap messages you receive

One of the biggest frustrations faced when organising a home exchange is having slow replies or no replies to enquiry messages. At Home Base Holidays we always try to emphasise the importance of replying to all messages you receive even if just to say "Thanks for your offer but it is not what I am looking for". 

As mentioned, waiting on a reply to your home swap message can be very frustrating but try to be a little patient. Remember that some members may be very computer savvy and online throughout the day whereas others may only check their emails once or twice a week. There can of course be other reasons why a member might not be able to reply right away, such as:  they may be travelling and without internet access, they may be ill or have a family/work crisis, their computer might have crashed, your message alert might have ended up in their spam folder or the member may have just accidentally overlooked the message alert (see below "What should I do if I do not receive a reply?"). 

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Home swapping message etiquette

Home swap offers received:

• Acknowledge all home exchange offers within a week of receipt. 
• Try to check your emails and/or the home swap site's messages every day if possible. 
• If you need time to think about an offer, reply to the member to let them know and try to give them a timescale for you to make a definite answer.
• If you are considering more than one exchange offer, make your decision as quickly as possible and let other members you have been communicating with know without delay. Let such members know if you would like to consider their offer, if available, at a later date.
• If a member fails to respond to your offer, or to follow up within the time frame agreed, re-send your offer (in case they missed your original message), with a note to say that you are looking forward to hearing soon whether or not they may be interested in your offer.

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Communication before a home swap is agreed:

This is the period when regular communication is crucial so that each member knows the other is genuinely interested in pursuing the exchange.

• Agree to keep in regular contact (say a minimum of once every two weeks) - asking/answering questions, sharing information but, if nothing crops up, still send short notes regularly just to keep in touch.
• If you will be out of contact for awhile, let your exchange partner know when you will next be able to check email and respond to messages.
• Exchange alternative means of communication - phone, email, Skype, WhatsApp, etc
• Arranging consecutive swaps? If you plan to arrange two, three or even more consecutive home swaps, make sure all members you are communicating with are aware of this. Arranging more than one exchange requires a great deal of organisation and coordination.

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Period leading up to the home swap holiday:

• Once a home exchange has been agreed and you've set up your home exchange agreement form on the site, continue corresponding regularly as a reassurance that all is well. A lapse in communication, with no advance notice, could be an early warning of a problem. 
• Never cancel an agreed home exchange (the only exception to this is a serious illness or death in the family, or unforeseen situations such as a fire or natural disaster). In the unlikely event you do have to break a firm agreement, let your exchange partners know immediately and do all you can to help them with alternative accommodation (if you cannot find suitable alternative accommodation, at least agree to share the cost of a rental).
• Continue to respond promptly to any further exchange offers you receive. If any are of interest, suggest an exchange at a later date. If unable to consider further exchange offers at this time, go to Home Base Holidays and log in to your member area, and select "Exchange Arranged" next to your listing.

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What should I do if I do not receive a reply?

• Swap agreed: if you've agreed a swap but are now unable to get in touch with the member through the swap site, try contacting the member via their email or phone number. If you do not have their email or phone number, get in touch with us at Home Base Holidays and we will try to contact them for you. 
• First enquiry message: be patient and give them up to a week to reply. If after a week you have still not received a response, try sending a follow up message. If you still do not get a response, either choose to move on or, if particularly interested in the home swap offer, contact us at Home Base Holidays and we will try to get in touch with the member for you. 

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Home Base Holidays: arrange a home exchange holiday Sign up to Home Base Holidays two-week free trial and start planning your home swap holiday accommodation.  Search Home Base Holidays for the latest home swap holiday offers