Tips for sending your first home swap holiday messages

Make a good impression: contact members to suggest a home swap holiday

Successful home swapping is based on good communication and trust. Therefore, when initially contacting members to suggest a home swap holiday, make sure to be friendly and warm so that you make a good first impression.

Your initial message does not need to be long or include lots of information, just a simple friendly first enquiry to gauge if the member would potentially be interested in a swap. It's good to draw attention to your location and suggest possible swap dates as, hopefully in doing so this will encourage the member to view your full home swap listing. Remember to personalise your message, mentioning what you like about their home and location (a little flattery never goes amiss!).

Example of a first home swap message:

"Hi Steve, would you be interested in a swap to our cottage this summer? It's a really peaceful location within the Snowdonia National Park (lovely walking trails nearby!). We're hoping to visit London for a week this summer (July or August) and your apartment in Battersea looks so lovely. We are a retired couple and can be quite flexible with our travel dates. We'd be happy to answer any questions you have and look forward to hearing from you soon. Many thanks, Joyce and Mike"

We all have our own styles, and so write in a way that's comfortable for you. Once you've found someone who would like to exchange with you, you can then go into much more detail as you both discuss and agree all key aspects of the swap. You can then set up a swap agreement through the Home Base Holidays website where you and your swap partner can enter details of what you've discussed and agreed (i.e. swap dates, who is travelling, how to exchange keys, what to do at the end of the swap, any special requirements, etc).

Finally... you can both enjoy fabulous free holiday accommodation! 😃

Important reminders:

Pet care / allergies: If you'll require pet care during the swap or if you suffer from allergies such as to dog or cat fur, mention this early in communications so that you don't waste each other's time if the proposed swap is not going to be suitable.

Reply to all messages: It's important home swap etiquette to reply to all messages you receive, even if just to say "Thank you for the offer but I'm not interested in the swap". The other member can then move on rather than waiting on your reply.

Remember, the most successful home swappers are often the most proactive, so browse home swap offers and start sending out your initial messages to suggest an exchange!

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