Travel the Home Exchange Way

Travel Trends For 2020: home swapping is always 'on trend'

Have you heard of undertourism (if it's even a word) or bleisure trips? No? Me neither!

There are always predictions of trends in travel, whether it be that particular countries or areas grow in popularity or, now that we are more environmentally conscious of the impact on the climate of long-haul flights and wasteful hotels, with rail travel and holidays closer to home becoming more popular. I came across the puzzling terms (and others) in a recent article, 'Travel Trends For 2020', on Entrepreneur Media. The definitions:

• 'Undertourism is a trend wherein travellers opt for a holiday to similar, yet less popular holiday destinations compared to the conventional, mainstream and overly crowded popular destinations.'
• 'Bleisure Trips is a trend that will become increasingly popular amongst the professional segment in mixing Business trips with Leisure trips.'

Our experienced home swap members will probably think this is hardly news - many have been deliberately choosing to exchange with others whose homes are off-the-beaten tourist trail or, even if in a popular location, say London, in a spacious suburban home or outside the city that’s a welcome retreat from the crowds of tourists in central London.

Combining work and leisure has grown in popularity too, and swapping homes is a very cost effective way for members who can work anywhere they have a good internet connection. Bleisure appears to refer more to those who work in offices and still need to go on business trips, rather than 'digital nomads' but, if business trips are known well in advance, there's no reason that a home swap can't be arranged close by at the end of the trip.

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Los Angeles: as well as a lovely garden, this home swap has an office

Many homes offered for home exchange have home offices (and sometimes even dedicated office 'sheds' in the garden). The is an example of a home with an office 'well- appointed for anyone working remotely', a cosy place to combine work and leisure in Los Angeles. View exchange offer

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Georgian House: enjoy the English countryside but just 30 mins from London

And for an undertourism base, how about this best of both home swap: 30 minutes to London and Buckinghamshire countryside on the doorstep. Beautiful Georgian village house built in 1805 is alleged to be a formal Naval college and was an annex to the vicar’s home next door. View exchange offer

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Digital nomad? This home swap offer in London has a dedicated garden office

And our final example, this exchange offer in Harlesden, a vibrant, colourful area of London with good transport links to the centre, could incorporate both undertourism and bleisure: a bright, spacious flat with a home office in the garden (beautiful dog optional on a home exchange!). View exchange offer 

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Interested in home swapping? Visit Home Base Holidays and check out all the latest home swap offers. Keep an open mind on destinations and you will find many lovely surprises.

Q&A: I rent my home, can I still arrange a home swap?

Can I still arrange a home exchange when I rent my home?

Q: I am very interested in home swapping as it seems like such an excellent idea. I live in a two bedroom apartment in Crouch End, North London which I think would be a great location for someone wanting to visit London. However, I do not own the apartment but rent it and so am not sure if I can still take part in a home swap. Do you have any advice?   Kathy (Crouch End, London)

A: Thanks for getting in touch and great to hear that you're interested in home swapping! Many people that rent their homes do take part in home swaps. However, it is very important that you first get your landlord’s permission before searching and agreeing an exchange. Many landlords will understand that their property is more secure when occupied that left empty for a period. If your landlord agrees then you're good to go! However, it is important before agreeing an exchange to check that your / your landlord's home and contents insurance will cover the period when your home swap guests will be staying in your home. 

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Arrange your 2020 home swaps Sign up to Home Base Holidays and cut the cost of your 2020 getaways. By swapping homes you'll enjoy free accommodation plus all the space and convenience of a home from home. Search home swap travel offers

Q&A: Arranging a long term home swap?

Thinking of moving overseas? First try a long term home swap

Q: I was looking at the Home Base Holidays website and really like the idea of home swapping. My wife and I are now retired and are hoping to spend several months in Australia visiting our son in Melbourne and also with the thought of moving there at some point in the not so distant future. Do members arrange longer duration home swaps of say three to four months or is it more for people looking to arrange shorter holidays? Look forward to hearing from you.

- Tom & Ann (Cornwall)

A: Thanks for getting in touch and great to hear that home swapping appeals to you! The majority of home swaps do tend to be either short breaks such as long weekend getaways or holiday swaps of one to three weeks. However, there are many members that arrange long term home exchanges that can be anything from one month to one plus years. Arranging longer term home exchanges can be a great way to visit family or friends living overseas such as in your case, or, if you yourself are an expat living overseas, a great way to visit your native country while still enjoying your own space. Longer term exchanges can also be an exciting option for digital nomads, writers or any other location independent workers whose only work restrictions is a good internet connection.

You mentioned that you were thinking of possibly moving to Australia at a later date; longer term home swaps can be an excellent way to test out the expat life before fully committing to a permanent move. You'll be staying in a real home and be able to take advantage of tips and advice from a real local in your exchange partners.

When arranging a long term home swap, you need to give yourself plenty of time to find a suitable match and then discuss with them all details of the exchange so that you're both happy with the arrangements. As you'll be staying in each other’s homes for a lengthy period, you'll need to agree on how to pay for utility bills during your stay.

It is always important to be as proactive as possible when arranging a home swap and this even more the case when arranging a long term home swap. Join Home Base Holidays several months prior to your travel dates and spend time searching and contacting members so that you find a suitable match.

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Finding a long term home swap:

1. Go to the home exchange search page
2. Select the location you wish to visit
3. Under the 'Type of exchange' heading, tick the "Long term exchange" option

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Arrange your 2020 home swaps Sign up to Home Base Holidays and cut the cost of your 2020 getaways. By swapping homes you'll enjoy free accommodation plus all the space and convenience of a home from home. Search home swap travel offers

Family travel: benefits of a home swap vacation

Arranging a family getaway can typically be quite an expense what with transport, activities and accommodation costs. However, by choosing to swap homes rather than booking a hotel, you can dramatically cut the cost of your family getaway as your accommodation will be free. Being able to enjoy the space and comforts of home rather than being cramped in a hotel room can be big plus when travelling with children.

Obviously, some homes are not suitable for young children (e.g. certain features such as balconies, swimming pools, etc can cause a hazard) and so when searching home swap offers avoid any where the member has marked their home with the "Not suitable for small children" icon. However, do keep an eye out for homes displaying the "Suitable for small children" icon as these homes will usually be an ideal as a base for your family vacation.

Check out the Home swapping: is your home suitable for young kids? blog post.

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Home swap tip: if travelling with your young children, you may want to arrange a home swap with another young family as their homes may be ideally suited for your needs (e.g. toys, changing facilities, child car seats, etc)

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An excellent bonus of home swapping is that, as you are arranging a stay in a locals home, they are in an excellent position to offer advice and tips for budget-friendly family day trips and activities. Another big plus is that on a home swap you will have a kitchen where you can prepare a few meals and snacks before you head out on your adventures.   

Child-friendly home swap in Stockholm

Similarly, when adding your own home swap offer, it's useful to include information on your home's facilities/activities that may be useful to other families looking for a swap. Also, you can include some ideas for local outings. You will, of course, be able to expand on this, asking and answering questions, once in correspondence with potential home swap partners. It's also a great idea to put together a welcome folder for your home swap partners with information about your home (e.g. how to turn on the heating), emergency numbers, transport details, maps of the area and leaflets and recommendations or local activities and day trips.  

The beautiful home swap offer in central Stockholm (HE37376) is a lovely two-bedroom child friendly apartment. The apartment is also fully accessible for wheelchairs. The member has given excellent information (plus more photos) in their listing, both on the family's home and the local area.

'Plenty of toys, Wii U console and books (half English/half Swedish) for the kids. Other children’s accessories such as car seats, rain coats, boots, bikes etc are also available for our home swap guests.' - Jon (Stockholm, Sweden)

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View this family friendly home swap offer in Stockholm 

15 most popular home swap blog posts of the last year

Winning photo: home swap photography competition

The beginning of a new year is an ideal time to look back on posts published over the past 12 months. We aim to publish a variety of short posts of interest to both experienced home exchangers and those new to the idea of home swapping who often have a number of questions before pursuing their first home exchanges.

Looking over the posts that have had most views in 2019, there are three themes that predominate – ‘how to’ posts are the most popular, followed by members’ home exchange experience stories and thirdly, particular slants on home swapping by our guest posters.

We love to publish both Home Base Holidays members’ contributions (three extra free months are added to membership periods so it’s well worth sending in your short articles on any aspects of your home exchange experiences you feel will be of interest to others) and relevant posts by other travel bloggers (send us your ideas for guest posts and, if published, you will receive publicity for your own blog or travel site and a free six month membership to Home Base Holidays).

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1. Share Traveler: Q&A with Home Base Holidays

Mark Sealey of Home Base Holidays was delighted to be interviewed in January for Share Traveler, an excellent independent home exchange information service. This was the most viewed of all posts published by Home Base Holidays in 2019 and was also available on the Share Traveller website. It’s hard to believe that Home Base Holidays celebrates its 35^th anniversary in 2020! View this blog post

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2. Large group? Plan well ahead for a home swap vacation

Searching home swaps to accommodate a large number of people?

We may still be in January, with memories of the holiday season barely faded (and still trying to shift weight gained from too many treats!), but smart, experienced home exchangers know it’s not too soon to start planning their next Christmas or New Year’s home swap, especially if looking for a home large enough to accommodate a large family group. View this blog post.

Go to the home swap search page and change your search options as needed (Accommodates: up to 12+. Bedrooms: up to 6+) to narrow the results to homes most likely to suit your needs.

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3. Reasons to home swap (no hotels/rentals, pet care...)

Home Base Holidays members love home swapping for many reasons and it's particularly interesting to see what has attracted those new to home exchange. One recent member, Crepet, whose lovely home in Provence will, I'm sure, be of interest to many looking for a swap in France, gives her reasons in her member profile. View this blog post.

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4. Travel Q&A: wheelchair accessible home swaps

I'm looking to arrange a home swap between my condo in Sydney for wheelchair accessible accommodation in London, England. Do you have any suggestions? View this blog post.

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5. Top 10: things to do at the end of a home swap

For many first time home swappers it can be a little bit daunting knowing what is expected at the end of the home exchange. Here's a check list of 10 good things to do at the end of a home swap. View this blog post.

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6. Tips to declutter your home before a home swap

Getting ready for your summer home swap vacation? Your guests will be very much looking forward to staying in your home, a real home, and so won't be expecting to stay in a showroom. However, it is important that your home is clean and welcoming for your home swap guests. Here are a few tips that will help you declutter your home ready for your guests arrival. View this blog post.

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7. Arranging a home swap: messaging etiquette

One of the 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". View this blog post.

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8. Winning photo: home swap photography competition

A BIG thank you to everyone that sent in their photos to our home swap photography competition. We received nearly 300 photos making it extremely hard to select a winner. The photos we received included everything from fun selfies taken during a home swap, lovely photos of markets and off-the-tourist trail discoveries, as well as several very impressive photos from professional travel photographers. However, we loved the natural joy in Kate's winning photo (above) which was taken during her family's home exchange in the English Lake District. As the winner of the photo competition, Kate will be sent a Kindle Paperwhite! View this blog post.

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9. Home exchange websites: the annoyance of automatic membership payments

It's quite common here at Home Base Holidays for us to be contacted by people very interested in home swapping but also cautious about signing up after bad experiences where they were automatically charged a hefty membership fee on other home exchange websites. View this blog post.

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10. Q&A: convincing family members to try a home swap vacation

Hi Home Base Holidays, I am very interested in arranging a home exchange but the problem is convincing my husband. I wondered if you have any suggestions? View this blog post.

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11. 75 home exchanges in thirty years, and counting...

Guest post by Home Base Holidays member and experienced home swapper, Irene Bews:

Little did I think when we dropped the first letter into the post box offering our house for exchange that this was a process I was destined to repeat many times over the next thirty years. View this blog post.

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12. 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. View this blog post.

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13. 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.  View this blog post.

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14. Discovering new destinations: home swap experiences

"We returned to the USA in November after a wonderful home exchange to Mersea Island, England. It wasn’t a destination we had ever considered until communicating with experienced home exchangers, Kathy and Steve. Their home is lovely, comfortable and filled with unique original artwork. Mersea Island and the surrounding areas are beautiful and full of historic significance.” View this blog post.

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15.  Q&A: maximum length of a home exchange vacation?

I live in London and am looking to visit Melbourne in 2020 for an extended stay. I'm quite flexible with my travel dates but would like to stay from anywhere between 4 - 6 months. Home exchanging looks like it could be a good option but are there any limits to the length of a home exchange? View this blog post.

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Swap homes: free vacation accommodation in 2020

January is a perfect time to start looking for your spring and summer home swaps, allowing plenty of time to find a good match and to get to know your home swap partners.

Browse thousands of home swap vacation offers

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Sign up for free! Add your home to Home Base Holidays and start contacting other members to arrange your home swaps. Join Home Base Holidays

Happy New Year & Happy Home Swaps in 2020

Start planning your 2020 home swaps through Home Base Holidays. Check out the latest issue of the Home Swappers newsletter for home exchange offers and swap stories.

• View the latest Home Swappers newsletter

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In this issue of the Home Swappers newsletter:

• Featured home exchange: Waters edge fisherman cottage on Symi Island, Greece
• Members' trip report: a beautiful home swap holiday in the Pyrénées, France
• Home swaps for 2020: Luxury Koh Samui villa, Thailand | Maria Alm ski lodge, Austria
• Join for free - trial membership offer

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Holiday home swaps in 2020 

Cut the cost of your 2020 getaways by choosing to swap homes rather than book hotels or holiday rentals. By swapping homes you'll enjoy free accommodation plus all the space and convenience of a home from home.

• • • • • • Search home swap travel offers