Why Exchange?

Home exchange is a unique way of taking a holiday that has a wide range of benefits for the right kinds of people. Home exchangers tend to be independent and adventurous people who are also decent, generous, honest and trust-worthy.

Some dislike the way that they are treated like a tourist on conventional package tours and the impersonal nature of hotels. Typically, home exchangers like to gain new experiences and experience the culture of the place in which they stay.

Here are some of the reasons why HomeLink members find that home exchange is the key to more rewarding holidays.

Cost-savings

The cost of accommodation can be a major factor in holiday budgeting, especially for those such as teachers or parents of school-aged children who are tied to school holidays and so tend to pay inflated prices. HomeLink membership can eliminate accommodation budgets, irrespective of the duration of your stay. It is easy to imagine how this money could be put to good use: A more exotic destination perhaps? How about longer (or more) holidays? Or maybe you might have little more spending money to treat yourself to some special events that help to turn a good holiday into a great one. A UK member recently put the cost-savings into context for us when she said that her HomeLink membership more than paid for itself on the first night of her first exchange!

Many members also exchange cars which can save even more money. Car hire can be expensive particularly if you need a large family car.

Flexibility

There is no limit to the number of exchange holidays that you can take during your membership year. Many retired and semi-retired members spend a number of months away each year - how about spending the cold British winter in the Australian sunshine?

The emergence of local airports and low-cost airlines makes domestic and European destinations more accessible and so opens up the possibility of adding a number of short 3-7 day breaks to the main holiday of the year. On renewing for their second year, one family recently told us that they had completed seven exchanges in their first year! On that basis, it’s perhaps not surprising that we have members who have taken advantage of this cost-effective holiday formula to clock up over 100 exchanges!

Authenticity

“When in Rome…..” Conventional tourism can sometimes thwart this principle as travellers are often treated as tourists. Home exchange offers you the opportunity to parachute into a genuine local community and live like a local. So, if you like the idea of sauntering along to the village boulangerieto buy your breakfast , then home exchange could be for you.

Convenience

Well-matched home exchange partners go on holiday in the knowledge that their accommodation is likely to be tailored to their needs. For instance, parents of young children may find it easier to relax when their holiday home is child-friendly. Parents might also enjoy travelling light, as you may have items such as a car seats, high chairs and a range of toys waiting for you.

Furthermore, many members agree to take care of each other’s pets and/or garden so there may not be a need to pay for alternative arrangements or return home to a jungle after your holiday.

Quality

Why not take a look at the exchange offers that we have available to discover the quality of our members’ homes. The vast majority of our members offer their main residence for exchange so you will find the creature comforts (e.g. all modern conveniences, matching cutlery) that transform a house into a home.

Security

Insurance companies will tell you that your home is at its highest risk of break-in when it is unoccupied (e.g. during holidays). As well as providing you with your holiday accommodation, home exchange also provides you with a fellow member to help manage the security of your home and its contents whilst you are away.