Travel the Home Exchange Way blog

On a Home Exchange in London? Free Things to Do in the City

When you have been running a small business for several years, you see many others fall by the wayside after a fairly short time (it's never as easy as it looks!) Those small business owners who are still going strong after more than 20 years are the people I most admire. One such is Maggie Dobson, a Director of At Home in London, a bed & breakfast agency which has been actively trading for almost as long as Home Base Holidays has been providing a home exchange service. Maggie and I are in contact from time to time (there is an overlap in our home based accommodation travel services and we are happy to refer potential customers to each other).

I subscribe to Maggie's excellent newsletter, Grapevine, a monthly ezine which, although written to provide interesting ideas for things to do in London for her agency's B & B guests, is a very useful resource for anyone visiting (or indeed, living in) London. Check out the latest issue (main headline, Free London) for ideas for free things to do on your stay here. Maggie includes some of my own favourites such as simply strolling along the Southbank (in the summer there's lots of free entertainment along the river too). Click the link, 'Read GRAPEVINE, my monthly insider's guide' on the home page to access this issue and the full newsletter archives.

If you arrange a home exchange in another part of the UK and want a few days in London, do check out the many homes offering bed & breakfast, mostly in or near central London. At Home in London is a partner in Visit London and a founder member of the Bed & Breakfast and Homestay Association.

'Housing exchanges': Article in Time Out New York

In my last post, Less Pence for Your Dollar? Home Exchange Makes the UK Affordable for US Visitors, I mentioned that the ratio of current Home Base Holidays UK and US home exchange offers was more than 2 to 1, which makes great odds for Americans looking for home swaps in the UK.

Now, I'm pleased to see that our London based agency has been recommended by New York City member, Nicole, a prolific home exchanger and home swapping enthusiast, in an article on home exchange in Time Out. Thanks, Nicole!

Read the full article, 'Housing exchanges', which is published in the current issue of Time Out New York.

Less Pence for Your Dollar? Home Exchange Makes the UK Affordable for US Visitors

The news that one pound sterling is currently worth more than two dollars US has meant a spate of articles in the UK press on how Brits can spend, spend, spend on trips to the USA where their money will now stretch even further. The converse, of course, is visiting the UK has become more expensive for Americans (although recent statistics show the numbers of American visitors to London continues to rise).

There is a way to make dollars go further when visiting the UK - swap homes. Arranging a home exchange cuts out hotel bills, usually the most expensive item on a trip. As well as having a rent-free home as a base, many home exchange offers include extras such as cars, club memberships, pet and plant care and generally lots of local information to save you needing to buy many guide books and maps.

Living in a real home means having a fully equipped kitchen too so that not all meals need be taken in expensive restaurants. The main cook in a family may want a break from shopping and cooking but shopping in local markets, speciality food shops, and even supermarkets, is often part of the fun for all the family of living like a local in another country. And, when you do want to splurge on a big meal out, your exchange partners will most likely have left their insider tips on the best, and best value, restaurants, cafes and pubs in the area.

With the ratio of UK to US home exchange offers on Home Base Holidays currently more than 2 to 1, there's never been a better time to arrange a home swap in the UK.

'Some Like it Hot': Home Exchange Offers in Movie Locations

When describing local attractions in a home exchange offer, include as wide a variety as you can so your description attracts people with different interests, whether that be visiting historical sites, trying different food from local markets and restaurants, and any number of sporting and cultural activities. What better way to attract a reader's attention than to highlight a location nearby that was used in a well known movie. Many members will be spoiled for choice (in New York, London, Paris and Vancouver for example) on film locations to mention. But many movies are filmed in lesser known areas too.

A recent member, with an apartment on the exclusive "island" of Coronado in San Diego bay, California, includes the information that his home is four blocks from beach and the famous Hotel Del Coronado (featured in movie "Some Like it Hot").

See the full home exchange offer, HE19687

Another current exchange offer, a family home in Scotland, is in an historic village setting only 4 miles from Edinburgh:

'We have the famous Rosslyn Chapel (of Dan Brown's bestselling book and film "The Da Vinci Code"), a medieval castle and a 700 year old battlefield site - just in our village alone!'

See the full home exchange offer, HE16682

And a couple of examples from Ireland:

'Ramelton in Co. Donegal, is one of Ireland's Heritage towns. It's a charming town established in the 17th century and situated in the heart of Donegal. The town occupies a strategic position at the mouth of the river Lennon as it flows into Lough Swilly. It's mid-nineteenth century quays, largely unchanged to this day, were the location for the filming of "The Hanging Gale", a drama recalling famine times in Ireland.' See the full offer, HE19010

'Cong, in Co. Mayo, was the setting for the 1951 movie, "The Quiet Man", and is a popular tourist area. Its a very scenic village and is only 45 mins from Galway or 30 mins from Castlebar.' See the full offer, HE19135

Homesick Brits: Home Exchange Offered in Sunny Sydney

Ian, a Home Base Holidays member living in Sydney, recently left a comment on the post, Send Enticing Home Exchange Offers:

'We are two homesick Brits with two well house trained boys ages 10 and 11. We have a lovely house in Sydney overlooking the National Park. It sleeps 5 and there is the use of a car. Our home in central London is currently rented out so we would like to do a swap in May and September.' (see his full exchange offer, and more lovely photos, HE19604).

Ian and his family's new home in Sydney is quite a contrast to a typical London home - and the animal visitors to their garden much more exotic than the squirrels and foxes they would have been used to in their London garden. Ian wrote:

'Well that (being homesick Brits) is not strictly true but we do miss our friends and being able to walk to most places from our former home in central London. I am a psychotherapist and worked in Wimpole Street while living one street to the West - Welbeck St. It certainly made life convenient. We loved the compact nature of the West End and neat lay out of Marylebone Village which was our home for ten years.

But it was also my idea to try a spell overseas and Sydney became the destination. We were looking for warmer, sunnier weather and a more relaxed life-style. We found both. The great thing about Sydney is the all round good weather. Summers are not too hot and the rest of the year is also warm.

As I had friends living in Sydney, I was pointed in the right direction for exactly the type of home me and my family were looking for. The criteria was: large and roomy, garden, views and a pool. Having lived in Edwardian and Victorian homes, we were looking for something more contemporary. We hit on a home that was built in the distinctive Sydney School of Architecture style that combines earthy colours in the brick work to blend in with the gardens and National Parks and big wide open windows to maximise outdoor living.

The home looks out over the Garigal National Park, also known as Davidison Reserve, named after one of the colony's early surveyors. The land is an untouched rain forest with craggy sand stone cliffs and outcrops and lush vegitation. Our visitors include the beautiful rainbow parrots as well as possums and even the rare wallabie. Despite the close proximity to the "bush" we don't see uninvited creepy crawlies - perhaps because the house and rear garden is raised with a "ha ha". The pool is beautiful and one looks out across the Garigal or into the star lit skies. We have no houses to the rear of the property at all. Yet despite the almost rustic location, the house in on a main bus route to Sydney centre which takes between 35 and 50 minutes.

We also offer the use of the family car which is an air conditioned Hyundai automatic saloon. Deserted beaches, sea planes, idyllic restaurants and bushland walks are all on the doorstep. Golf, riding, sailing, water-skiing and children's activities are all within 10 to 15 minutes drive. It certainly makes an idea place to holiday either as a base to explore other cities or simply to get the most of Sydney in a private resort type setting.

All me and my family are looking for is a house or flat within striking distance of London so old friends can be visited. Please check out our exchange offer listing.'

Home Exchange Locations: Putting Potential Dangers into Perspective

Q: I have been corresponding with an American woman for the last few weeks and both our families are excited by the idea of arranging a home exchange for August. I was ready to confirm our definite agreement to go ahead and buy our flight tickets when I heard the terrible news about the mass shootings at a college in Virginia on Monday. I know, rationally, that my concerns are probably unfounded but, as we've not travelled to the US before, reading the statistics in the paper about the number of guns in circulation in the US and the number of murders has really alarmed me (a mother's instinct to protect her children!) I really don't want to disappoint these members. They sound lovely and kind and their home looks great but I am in a real dilemma right now. I can't keep them waiting for a decision much longer. What do you suggest? - Joan, England

A: Although, ultimately, you will have to decide yourself whether you want to go ahead with the exchange, try to step back a bit from the tragic news we've heard this week from Virginia. It is very difficult for us this side of the Atlantic to understand why there is not more outrage and demands for stricter gun control laws in the USA. But, try to put your concerns on this issue into perspective. Remember how the number of tourists visiting London dropped (albeit for a short period) immediately after the bombings on the transport network two years ago? The vast majority of Londoners continued to use the Tube and buses simply because the bomb attacks, although horrendous for those involved, actually directly affected a relatively small number of people, with many more driving into the city likely to die or be injured than those who continue to use the public transport system. It's all a matter of weighing up the risks and, of course, being alert to possible dangers wherever we live or travel.

Contact your American exchange partner right away, expressing your sorrow at the college shootings and also letting her know your own worries, asking for reasurrance that her neighbourhood is safe. You do need to accept that, just as you won't be able to give her 100% assurance that there are no possible dangers in your own area, neither can she. One of the great advantages of home exchange is the local knowledge that will be shared by your exchange partner, and most likely her friends and neighbours too, including useful advice on any areas to avoid and the safest and best places to visit with your children. Hopefully, you will decide not to let one tragic news story put you off what is likely to be a wonderful home exchange holiday for your family in the USA.