Travel the Home Exchange Way: General Home Exchange Information

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!

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.

View John & Marilyn's home exchange offer in Cumbria

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.

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

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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.

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.

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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.

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

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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

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Checklist: preparing for a home swap vacation

Getting ready for your first home swap vacation? Here's a useful checklist to help you prepare for your upcoming exchange.

Exchanging keys: decide how you will exchange keys (including car keys if necessary)?
Meet your swap partners: it's often not possible but look if there is any way to meet your home swap partners (it can be great if there is a crossover period).
Clean, clean, clean: make sure your home is clean and welcoming for your guest (some members arrange a cleaner to come at the start and at the end of the exchange).
Towels and bedding: make sure you have enough sets of clean towels and sheets for your guests.
Welcome pack: make a welcome pack for your home swap guests: include information about local attractions and recommended restaurants, nearby transport, useful information about your home (e.g. how to turn on/off the alarm), useful phone numbers (e.g. taxi firms) and emergency contact details (e.g. a friend/neighbours number, an emergency plumber, etc).
Local events: keep an eye out for events happening whilst they will be visiting and for discounted tickets to local attractions.
Tips from a local: ask your home swap partners for local recomendations (one of the beauties of home swapping is that you are getting to know a real local - most people are delighted to help and it will make your holiday smoother and more unique!).
Fix those household niggles: spend some time dealing with any little niggles in the house. Your guests will understand that they are staying in a real home but a home exchange can be a good incentive to fix those annoying niggles.
Think about safety: have you had the boiler serviced recently? Do you have smoke detectors fitted? Have you checked the batteries are working in the smoke detectors?
Insurance: make sure that before agreeing to a home swap that you have contacted your home insurance company to confirm that your home is covered during the period of the exchange. If you have also agreed to exchange cars then it is also essential to contact your car insurance company to ensure that your exchange guests will be covered.
Lock away personal items: it is always recommended that you lock your valuable items in a cupboard or separate room to ensure security and prevent your worrying when you should be enjoying your vacation. Another option is to ask friends or family to leave your stuff with them.
Home exchange agreement: don't forget to set up a home exchange agreement so that you and your swap partners do not overlook anything.
Communications is key: make sure to stay in regular communication with your home swap partners. Communication is key and so always ask any questions you have about the planned swap and be available to answer any questions they have.
Leave a gift: it is such a nice touch to leave a gift for your home exchange partner. It doesn't need to be much, a bottle of wine or a little local delicacy.

Arrange free holiday accommodation

Rather than booking a hotel or holiday rental, arrange a home exchange through Home Base Holidays and enjoy free accommodation.

Search thousands of home exchange offers

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

Irene's home exchange offer in Andalucia, Spain

Spanish swap: Irene's home swap offer in Bedar, Andalucia, Spain

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.

As time has gone by, the means of communication have become more sophisticated - letters and phone calls being superseded by faxes, and these in turn by e mail - making the entire process simpler and quicker. What has not changed though is that thrill of anticipation when a communication arrives offering a house swap with details of their home and themselves.

Our first exchange was to the Swiss town of Luzerne. Keys were exchanged over an Indian meal in Canterbury as we hurried towards the Channel and onwards towards the continent of Europe.

It was a good start; spectacular scenery, a flat situated in the old part of town and easy access to the surrounding countryside.

This exchange also introduced us to the more idiosyncratic and unexpected side of house swapping where odd requests can come out of the blue. On this occasion we had to babysit a harpsichord, where its room had to maintained at a constant temperature and humidity for the duration of our stay. It was our baby and we managed to nurse it through our stay.

It was onto a different form of nursing thereafter when our own sons arrived on the scene. Home exchanges continued but now it was onto more humdrum considerations such as a washing machine, toys and outdoor play areas galore.

Children bring with them their own share of issues but thankfully, this phase went off without anything amiss occurring, apart from an incident in Coutance (Normandy) when we woke one morning to find our eldest son had undressed over a hundred Sylvanian family characters and the discarded clothing formed a small mountain on the floor beside him… enough said!

Photos from some of Irene's early exchanges

Soon, our travels took wings. As the boys grew our horizons widened as our sights became set on going further afield. Australia was unforgettable, Colorado full of light and space and Mexico hot and dusty - each was visited, and many revisited, over the years. New York was everything it was claimed to be. Fond memories abound but few linger as much as a conversation in the shade of the World Trade Centre reflecting on how the US had been fortunate in its lack of terrorist attacks; six weeks later they were smoke and ash.

On a brighter side, exchanges continued to mount up. Inheriting another house allowed us to arrange non-simultaneous swaps. As a result, travels were no longer limited to the summer months. Ski trips to the Dolomites, Idaho and Utah amongst others were combined with Christmas and New Year abroad, while celebrating festivities on a beach in New Zealand put a completely new twist on celebrations.

More photos from Irene's exchanges

Many exchanges were shorter in length and nearer to home. City breaks in Scotland, Portugal and France filled many Easters and Autumns. The fact that car exchanges were also negotiated allowing greater freedom and mobility without the complications and pitfalls of car hire.

Suddenly, we have reached a milestone; fifty home exchanges in thirty years, and counting. Home exchanging has allowed us to travel further and more frequently without the pain of accommodation costs usually associated with holidays, where a real sense of community can be experienced that is far removed from traditional tourist sites and which can be a common feature of time spent abroad.

Unexpected and unusual offers have allowed us to visit places we would otherwise never have considered. A generation on, our boys too have the travel bug; this story still has a way to run – who knows when, or where, we will reach our century!

- Irene Bews

Meet the member:

Irene and her husband have completed 75 home exchanges all over the world since 1987. They are lucky enough to have four fabulous homes available for exchange (shown below).

	Bedar, Andalucia, Spain (HE39067) This is a superb village home in one of the white villages 15 minutes from the sea in Andalucia - sleeps 7 and close to fabulous beaches, Cabo de Gato National Park, diving, golfing etc etc... - View this home swap offer in Andalucia
	Orkney Isles, Scotland (HE39064) The idyllic Orkney Isles lie to the north of Scotland a scenic hour and a half sail away from Scotland. Our home is on the 'mainland' - biggest island. - View this Orkney Isles home swap offer
	Embo, Highlands, Scotland (HE39066) Embo is a tiny Scottish Highlands village clinging to the coast with a beautiful long, sandy beach, and backdrop of fabulous Scottish mountains. Adjacent to World famous Royal Dornoch Golf Course. - View this Scottish Highlands home swap offer
	Inver Bay, Highlands, Scotland (HE39068) Peace, solitude, beach. Combine that with golf courses, distilleries, quaint towns and villages a perfect Highland escape. - View this Scottish Highlands home swap offer