Travel the Home Exchange Way blog:

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December 27, 2015

10 top home swap blog posts in 2015: celebrating the 12th year of Travel the Home Exchange Way

We have built up a comprehensive amount of information on every aspect of swapping homes since starting the blog in 2004. You will see the most recent posts listed in the right-hand column; to look for information on a particular topic, browse the archives or use the search box at the top of the column to find all the most relevant posts.

At the beginning of a new year we like to go over all posts published during the year to see which have been most popular. As the blog is read by many people new to home swapping as well as Home Base Holidays members who are experienced exchangers, it’s not surprising that the most read posts are usually on the practical issues of arranging a home swap. Here is our list (in no particular order) for 2015. Click the link to read the post:

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December 23, 2015

Home Swappers travel newsletter: Christmas 2015 issue

Wishing you a very festive holiday season! Check out the Christmas issue of our Home Swappers newsletter. With featured home swap offers, members' trip reports and home exchange travel tips. View the home swap newsletter

Christmas 2015 Home Swappers includes:

Featured home exchanges: Ski chalet in Grimentz (Switzerland), stunning waterside holiday home in Otago (New Zealand)
Members' trip report: whale watching home swap in Halfmoon Bay, Canada
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December 16, 2015

Home Swap Q&A: looking for a long-term exchange

Q: We live in Spain and are looking for a long-term swap, up to a year, in central London. Would this be possible?

A: Although long-term exchanges are not as common as shorter holiday swaps, there are many members that do want to swap for a few months or up to a year (sometimes even longer). You can search for people looking for longer exchanges by going to the Home Swap Search page and selecting "Long term exchange" from the 'Type of Exchange' menu.

When looking for a lengthy period, especially if the exchange needs to be for set dates and location, it is a good idea to give yourself several months to find and plan your swap

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December 11, 2015

Home Swappers newsletter - the home exchange travel newsletter

Check out the latest Home Swappers newsletter - the home exchange travel newsletter. Check out featured home swap offers, members' trip reports and home exchange travel tips. View the home swap newsletter

This issue of Home Swappers includes:

Featured home exchanges: Bergun ski chalet (Switzerland), gorgeous home in St Gervais Sous Meymont (France) and a lovely thatched cottage in Combs, Suffolk (UK)
Members' home swap trip report: stunning sea views in Port Vendres, France
Home exchange Q&A: bringing guests to your home swap home
2016 home exchange offers: Whale Beach, Sydney (Australia), Cambridgeshire (UK), Central Paris (France)

Find your perfect home swap vacation: join Home Base Holidays

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December 05, 2015

How to find a two year sabbatical home swap in London or nearby

Q: My wife and I are planning a two year working contract in the UK, starting around about April next year and are wondering if anyone living in or around London, might be looking for a long term house exchange. We own and live in a lovely three bedroom house (with many features) in a secure golf estate in Harare Zimbabwe. - Bob

A: Your home sounds lovely and I’m sure you would find interest in an exchange; however, longer swaps or sabbaticals, especially as long as two years, aren’t so common as shorter, holiday length swaps. As Home Base Holidays is based in London, we have a very large choice of exchange offers in and around the city so please check for long term offers that might suit your needs. Click here to access the main search page.

Under ‘Browse Listings’ on the left side, choose Europe and then England from the drop-down lists. Under Regions, select London. Then, under Type of Exchange, tick the box beside Long Term Exchange. You will see the offers on the right-hand side. Click View Details in any listing to see the full offer and dates/destinations (note: many members are ‘open to offers’ on destination). Repeat the search, choosing (one at a time) counties surrounding London – Essex, Surrey, Hertfordshire, Kent, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Middlesex – many homes in the 'home' counties will be near good public transport links, and so easily accessible, to London.

Try to be as open and flexible as you can be when looking for long term exchanges. If you can't arrange an exchange to cover the full two year period, consider arranging more than one shorter exchange, and filling any gaps in dates with short term rental. Although generally the preference will be to be settled in one home and area for the full period, if this isn't possible, arranging one or two exchanges will give you the chance to experience different homes and areas while you are in the UK.

As you need an exchange from next April, it would be a very good idea to list your own offer on Home Base Holidays now so that it is available on the site and you can start contacting members to suggest a swap.

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Travel the Home Exchange Way blog

Information and travel tips on arranging your home swap holidays