Recently retired, Judy and John live in Tucson, Arizona. They are experienced HomeExchangers, having had more than 100 exchanges in 10 countries and love traveling with their 3 adult children.
Judy is also one of the top sponsors of the HomeExchange community through our sponsorship program. We firmly believe that word of mouth is one of the best ways to keep creating a community of open minded travelers who share the same values of respect, sharing and trust.
They referred 22 friends 14 of of whom became convinced HomeExchange members and finalized exchanges themselves. We are dedicating a round of applause to them and to all of you who keep spreading the word about what we firmly believe is the most authentic and human way to travel!
Judy and John: top sponsors at HomeExchange
“I just learned that I’m the top HomeExchange sponsor having referred 22 friends, 14 of whom accepted and went on to become members. Frankly, I’m kinda surprised! I guess I never really kept track, and really didn’t know how many of those whom I had referred went on to become actual exchangers. Of course, I knew of two family members, and a handful of close friends, but the remainder were random folks I met, often while traveling on a home exchange.
We have been avid believers in this type of travel since my husband and I joined HomeExchange. It’s been a way of vacationing for our family since 2005, when our now adult children were quite young. We’ve had the privilege of staying in some fabulous homes throughout the United States, and in about a dozen international destinations. We’ve had over 100 exchanges, ranging from long weekends to three-week stays, some reciprocal, others for GuestPoints.
One of the most enriching parts of exchanging a home is the people one meets. Not only have we become friends with many of our fellow HomeExchangers, but one is way more likely to meet the locals when staying in a private home, not just meeting other tourists in a hotel. It is encounters with the locals that have provided lots of opportunity to share the benefits of prospective members:
- We get to live in a neighborhood, much more akin to a local experience.
- We get the locals’ advice and suggestions of things to do, places to eat, etc.
- There is a lot more room for each of our family members to relax, and to have their own space and privacy.
- The economy of scale has provided our family with experiences we would not otherwise been able to afford - we would have to have multiple hotel rooms to accommodate all of us – and frankly some of the areas we’ve been to would have been cost prohibitive.
- We have been able to invite other families to join us, making for some really fun and memorable times.
- We’ve had exchangers take care of our 2 small dogs on occasion, and have taken care of others’ pets. Though this is a negotiable feature, it works great for us.
- We’ve even left our cars for one another at the airport, greatly cutting down on car rental expense.
Sharing our love about the HomeExchange community through the sponsorship program
I really never set out to refer people in order to qualify for the 250 GuestPoints (awarded to both parties). I’m sure our enthusiastic delivery of all that we’ve come to love about the HomeExchange community and way of travel piques others’ curiosity. And then when I initiate a HomeExchange referral invitation, they are ready to explore the possibilities.
It’s as easy as going to the GuestPoints tab on the HomeExchange website and clicking on the “Refer Your Friends” tab. And/or you can simply copy your personal referral code and post it on Facebook, Messenger, Twitter, etc. to reach even more people.
I love that new members are joining through word of mouth from trusted family and friends. I think it builds a foundation of trust and legitimacy of intent among the members of our HomeExchange community. I would encourage everyone to think about who in their circle might make a good HomeExchange member.
After having a conversation about the benefits of HomeExchange, keep it top-of-mind to follow-up by sending a referral link. It takes no time at all. I like to think that I’m paying it forward by spreading the good fortune of having been an enthusiastic veteran home exchanger. If you’re reading this and have been one of those who learned of Home Exchange through us, give us a shout, we’d love to hear from you!
We look forward to traveling with our family, other couples and friends, as well as trying out some longer term exchanges, now that we’re retired. HomeExchange may not be for everyone, but for the life of me, I can’t figure out why.”
Your turn to invite friends!
We firmly believe that word of mouth is one of the best ways to keep creating a community of open minded travelers who share the same values of respect, sharing and trust. That’s why we encourage you to invite your friends and beloved ones to HomeExchange. You can earn rewards at the same time as experience the most human, responsible, and affordable way to travel.
Would you like to do the same as Judy, share your love for HomeExchange and refer some friends? Do not hesitate to discover our Sponsorship program.
