Here at HomeExchange, we often talk about exchanging houses. A home is so much more than a house though. They come in all shapes and sizes! As the expression goes, the home is where the heart is, and in our community that includes apartments as well. From cozy studios to spacious lofts, it's not the size of these dwellings that count. However big or small, these the apartments in our community open doors to new friendships and discoveries are an amazing invitation to see the world. Read on to learn more about apartments swaps and why it's worth to try it.
Discover how apartment swap works with HomeExchangeWhat is an apartment exchange?
An apartment exchange is just that – where hosts swap homes offering each other a place to stay without exchanging money. It's about a reciprocal exchange. At HomeExchange that can be done in a few ways:
- The first is a classic reciprocal exchange. You host the person whose home you're staying in. You're both the host and the guest. This exchange can either be done simultaneously or non-simultaneously where you stay in each other's homes on different dates.
- The other way is with GuestPoints, and this is unique to HomeExchange. If a host isn't interested going to the other party's home, they can still offer to host them in exchange for earning Guest Points. The GuestPoints value is automatically calculated by the site and depends on a variety of factors such as your location or the number of people you can host.
Apartment Swapping Benefits
- Serious savings: Nightly short term apartment rentals are as expensive as hotels nowawadays, if not even more once sites likes airbnb tack on all their fees. So instead of forking over a fortune for a rental, with just one small annual fee you can unlock unlimited exchanges for the year, making HomeExchange a nearly free alternative to short term rentals.
- New friendships: Whether you're exchanging a single room as a house guest, or an entire flat, connecting with like minded travelers and getting to know your hosts is one of the great perks of HomeExchange. Lifetime friendships are often made in our community!
- Locals' recommendations: Apartments in our community tend to be in more citadine environments. You'll love making the most of a new city just outside your door with local recommendations from our hosts who know it best.
- Low maintenance compared to a house exchange: Exchanging house's in our community is an awesome opportunity. They also however tend to require looking after while you're away. If you're not up for watering the garden, checking on the pool, or otherwise during your exchange, an apartment swap might be a better option for you.
- Travel with your pets: Many members in our community are pet owners and lovers. Our apartment exchanges can allow you to travel with your pet as long as your host allows it. It can even be a great solution to setting up a free pet sitter for your animal friends if you prefer to leave them at home.
- Sustainability: We believe apartment swapping in one of the most sustainable ways to travel. By sharing homes and skipping hotels, we consume less and travel more authentically. We tend to take less and give more.
How Can I Plan an Apartment Swap With HomeExchange?
Getting started with HomeExchange is easy and exciting! We've worked hard to make sure that the system is streamlined, user friendly, and promotes positive interactions. If you're ready to start exploring the possibilities for your home swap in nearly 150 countries around the world, here's how to begin.
- Create your listing for free. It's as easy as filling out your profile.- Introduce yourself and choose your favorite destinations. Promote your home by adding nice pictures. Don't forget to add your home's availability in the calendar.
- Finalize your membership to have access to all the services of our platform and be able to finalize your first exchange. Sign up for $220 for a year of unlimited exchanges.
- Browse destinations & start sending requests. Send personalized messages and respond to other member requests that you receive. You can organize the details of your exchange by communicating with your host via the HomeExchange messaging system.
Have more questions about apartments swaps with HomeExchange? We answer as many as possible over on our FAQ page, and our team is always ready to assist you if you reach out with questions.
HomeExchange User's Testimonies & Why We're The Best Apartment Exchange Website
Today, we are a community of more than 150,000 members in 145 countries that are building the future of travel together by sharing the belief that home exchanging is the most authentic, humane, and responsible way to discover new places, new cultures, and new people. We are a community that practices respect, sharing, and generosity. HomeExchangers open their apartments and houses to warmly welcome each other with complete trust. Here's what some recent apartment exchangers in our community had to say about their HomeExchange experience.
" Home exchange is a community of like-minded travelers and has provided our family the opportunity to travel frequently and in comfort. We've had over 10 home exchanges in the past year and a half and every exchange has been a wonderful experience with communicative and generous hosts. We highly recommend this platform to any traveler and host." - Heidi, USA
"I have been a loyal Home Exchanger for more than 3 years and have participated in more than 40 exchanges all over North America and Europe. My experience has been wonderful. I have met many people who share similar adventure and travel desires. The reason Home Exchange is so successful is because we all have a vested interest and look after each other's homes." - Alexander, Canada
"We have been using HomeExchange for 4 years. In two words: game changer! The platform has changed our way of traveling, allowing us to discover new places and meet new people. The concept is extremely simple and effective. Trust and communication are key, placing respect at the center of all exchanges. We have only had great experiences. You can try it and adopt it with your eyes closed!" - Samuel & Mailys, Swizterland
Want to learn more about our member's experiences? You can read over 9,000 reviews about our community from users on Trustpilot where we're proud to have earned a 4.6 star rating. Join us today by signing up for free. We look forward to hosting you!
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