Travel the Home Exchange Way

Meet the member: 100+ home exchanges completed!

Long-time Home Base Holidays members, John and Marilyn, who started home exchanging over 40 years ago (they've now had well over 100 swaps, a record that must take some beating!), suggested the following tips for smooth and happy home swaps:

• Welcome folder/home book: prepare a "Home Book" containing practical information on your home and appliances. Include such details as where to find the fuse box, stopcock, operate the TV, when the dustbins are emptied, etc; useful telephone numbers....doctor, dentist, plumber, electrician, your own mobile numbers and those of helpful neighbours can be included too. (Before swapping send your own and neighbours numbers plus location of a spare key, so that your guests can keep a copy with them in case of emergency). Leave up to date tourist leaflets, maps, guide books, train and bus timetables.
• Leave a small gift: leave a welcome pack with some essential items such as tea, coffee, milk, snacks. It's a nice touch to also leave a small gift in the welcome pack.
• Meet your guests: if possible meet your guests so you can get to know them a little and exchange keys. If not possible, leave them a welcome letter and perhaps a bottle of wine. Why not agree beforehand to leave milk, bread, etc for each other? When leaving their home ensure you have agreed where to leave keys & what to do with used linen.
• Leave a thank you letter: last but not least, leave a "thank you" letter!

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John & Marilyn's (beautiful!) cottage in Cumbria: 

John & Marilyn's 17th century cottage in Cumbria

John & Marilyn's home is a delightful 17th century sandstone cottage with exposed stonework, oak beams and many original features but all modern conveniences, in a tiny village near Appleby, former county town of Westmorland. Appleby lies in the Eden Valley, an ideal location for discovering the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales, and Scotland, all less than an hour`s drive from here. If you prefer outdoor activities there are great walks from the front door, riding stables in the village, a swimming pool and sports centre 2 miles away, and a golf course close by, plus of course water sports on the Lakes. 

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• View John & Marilyn's home exchange offer in Cumbria

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Meet the members, John & Marilyn:   John & Marilyn first started home exchanging over 40 years ago, (more than 100 swaps), and now feel they are "experienced exchangers!". They love home exchanging and do our utmost to make people feel at home, whilst taking the best possible care of the homes they stay in. They provide guide books, maps, tourist leaflets, a "home book", bicycles and much more, to enable their guests to make the most of their stay.

 

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Interested in home exchanging? Listing your home on Home Base Holidays choose from home swap vacation offers in over 90 countries www.homebase-hols.com

BLACK FRIDAY: save 25% on your home swap membership

BLACK FRIDAY SALE: save 25% on your Home Base Holiday membership during our Black Friday sale. Start planning your home exchange vacations for 2020.  

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25% discount code: BLACKFRIDAY  (valid until the 3rd December 2019) 

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Swap homes for free vacation accommodation Arrange anything from a weekend getaway exchange or even a long term six+ month exchange. Browse thousands of home exchange vacation offers Sign up today: add your home to Home Base Holidays so that you can start contacting other members to arrange your home exchange. Join Home Base Holidays

Can I list my holiday home for home exchange?

Holiday homes: you can list addition home swap properties for free

Q: I have a house in the UK and a holiday home in Italy. I’ve had a look at the Home Base Holidays website and have seen some home swap offers that look really appealing. Just wanted to check, can I register my holiday home for exchange or does it need to be my main residence? - Kim, Rome

A: Absolutely! You can add either your main home or your holiday home on the Home Base Holidays website. Many members do list their second homes and during the registration there is a “Second home” tick box to indicate that you are listing a second home (in the search results second homes appear with a small round “2” icon). Listing a second home often gives more flexibility as it usually means that you can be more open with your dates than when swapping your primary residence. Therefore, many second home owners are able to consider non-simultaneous home exchanges where you swap homes at different times as well as the traditional simultaneous home exchanges where you and your exchange partners swap homes at the same time.

As a full member of Home Base Holidays you can actually add more than one home at no extra charge. Therefore, if you are interested in swaps with both your house in the UK and your holiday home in Italy, you'll be able to list them both under the same home swap membership.

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Looking to add your holiday home? First step is to join Home Base Holidays. Once you've selected a membership plan, you can add your home details, swap request and then start contacting other members to suggest a home exchange.

Home Swappers newsletter: winter & new year swaps

Looking to embrace the cold months or escape to the sun? You will find a home exchange holiday offer to suit you. Check out the latest issue of our home exchange newsletter for home swap tips, offers and member stories. 

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In this issue of the newsletter:

• Five tips: Arranging a holiday home exchange
• Swap stories: A wonderful 6-day home swap in Barcelona
• 15% discount code: SWAP15

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>>> View this issue of the Home Swappers newsletter

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Swap homes for free holiday accommodation Arrange anything from a weekend getaway exchange or even a long term six+ month exchange. Browse thousands of home exchange vacation offers Sign up today: add your home to Home Base Holidays so that you can start contacting other members to arrange your home exchange. Join Home Base Holidays

Tips for arranging a Last Minute Home Exchange

We always recommend giving yourself plenty of time to find and plan your home exchange vacations. However, there can be times where the travel bug hits and you start searching last minute offers. At this time of year we still quite a number of members that are open to discussing possible exchanges for the upcoming winter holiday season.  

 

Tips for finding a last minute home swap:

 

• Be open to new destinations: the more flexible you can be with your home swap destination the greater the chances of finding a last minute match. However, if you are planning an exchange to be near friends or family, ideally you will want to find a home very close by. But, if this is too limiting, look at the surrounding area and extend your search as widely as possible.
  
• Last Minute Offers: keep an eye on the Home Base Holidays Last Minute Offers and Newest Home Swap Offers lists. Make sure to also add your listing to the Last Minute Offers list (you can add this from your Member Area)
• Be pro-active: as always when arranging a home exchange, the most successful swappers are often the most pro-active. Don’t just wait to be contacted by other members, start search home swap listings and send the first message.   
• Search Open to offers: don’t restrict your search only to members who specifically request your city or country. You will see that many Home Base Holidays members are ‘open’ on destinations they will consider and often flexible on dates so such members are certainly worth contacting if their offers are of interest.  
• Non-simultaneous swaps: if you can, suggest the option of a non-simultaneous exchange (i.e. their home or holiday home may be available for the dates you want and, if you can offer your home later on for dates that are convenient for your exchange guests, that should increase your choices). 
• Upcoming events: as well as including a good description in your home swap listing, also include information on any upcoming events or activities that might be of interest (at this time of year you could include information on Christmas Markets, ice-rinks, etc).
• Helpful travel info: if you can, include any details such as cheap airlines, which airports they fly to/from and an idea of the cost of tickets/availability for the period needed – anything to save some time and give members you contact a better idea of how feasible it would be to take up your last minute offer.  
  
• Don’t cut corners: even if you're super keen to find a swap, make sure to never cut corners when arranging a last minute exchange. Don’t accept an offer until you’re sure the home and location are suitable and the people compatible.  
• Contact us: if you need help finding a last minute exchange, send us a message so your offer can be publicised here on the blog or, if there's space, in the next issue of the Home Swappers newsletter.

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Home Base Holidays: home swap accommodation For over 35 years, Home Base Holidays has been helping members arrange home swap accommodation. Search thousands of home exchange vacation offers Start your free two-week home swap trial: Join Home Base Holidays

 

Tips to make your home swap listing stand out

It’s important that your listing shows your home at its best and makes your home swap offer stand out. Here are some tips to help make the most of your listing:

1. Upload good quality photos

Firstly… make sure that you do upload photos to your home swap listing. Listings with photos will always attract more interest than those without. Photos are often the first thing people will see when they view your listing and so it’s important that you add photos that will show your home at its best. Wider (landscape) photos usually look better than tall (portrait) images. Try to take photos at a time of day when your home gets the best light as dark dingy photos can be a little off putting. Also make sure that before taking photos (and before going on an exchange!) that you declutter your home - no one wants to see your dirty towel draped across an unmade bed. Once you've uploaded your photos make sure to select a good default photo as this will be the image that displays on the home swap search page – you probably don’t want this to be the photo of your toilet no matter how nice it is!

 

2. Add a good description of your home

It’s important to write a good description about your home. Seeing a listing with no description really does not inspire confidence. Although it is important to add plenty of detail also try not to go over the top and write an essay. A brief 300-500 word description is usually plenty to give a description of your home swap offer. Include key points, some things you might want to consider including:

• Does your home have a good view / close to beach lake?
• Do you have pets? (important information for allergy sufferers)
• Does your home have disabled access? If so included details of what.
• Are you a young family? If so do you facilities such as toys, a cot, etc?
• Do you have internet access?
• Is a car exchange also an option?

 

3. Add details about your local area

It is really useful to add details about your home’s location to help your potential exchange partner(s) get an idea of the activities and attractions your neighbourhood can offer. Again try to keep this concise but include things such as transport links, shops and restaurants local to you, as well as any top tips and recommendations from a local (you!). Some ideas you might want to consider including:

• Is your home close to good transport links?
• Recommended nearby: parks, beaches, tourist attractions
• Activities nearby: golf, walks, sailing, etc
• Recommended restaurants, coffee shop, etc

Also make sure to include more detailed information in a welcome pack for your exchange guest(s) when they arrive in your home.

 

4. Keep your listing up to date

Make sure that your listing is kept up to date. Be sure to update your home exchange dates and also where you are looking to travel to. Also if you’ve had any major renovations / redecoration in your home then take some new photos to replace the old ones in your listing.

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Interested in home swapping? Find your home swaps through Home Base Holidays