Clarification of Listing Types
We offer three main types of listing opportunities:
- Home Exchange
- Hospitality Exchange
- Vacation Rental
Each definition is explained in full detail below. Either click on the listing type that interests you, or scroll down
to each heading.
Home Exchange
Home exchange, our fundamental choice, has been around since the 1950's when teachers in Europe began swapping homes as a
means of affordable travel during the long summer school vacations. The concept grew and developed from there and it's now
one of the most popular trends in travel. The idea is simple and straightforward: you swap homes for an arranged period of
time—your exchange partner lives in your home and you live in theirs..
Two alternatives along the same theme are:
Weekend or Short-Term Exchanges
This option is frequently enjoyed by home exchangers several times a year in addition to a longer exchange.
It does not involve traveling very long distances and often takes place in the winter months between sun and
snow locations.
- Long Term Exchanges
This option is often chosen by people in academia exchanging homes while on sabbaticals, people exchanging
homes while away from home for specific work or job related training, retired folk who like a particular area and
feel they would enjoy living there for an extended period of time, etc.
Hospitality Exchange
Hospitality exchange is where one party stays with another party for an agreed period of time.
Normally the hospitality exchange will be reversed in the future. This type of exchange gives you the
opportunity to meet new people, and can often be valuable if you are both interested in exchanging but
the dates cannot be worked out to exchange simultaneously. Some people new to home swapping select hospitality
exchanges to "test the waters" of this concept of travel that's new to them. Other members opt for hospitality
exchanges because over the course of their correspondence they have formed a friendship, and would enjoy entertaining
each other as guests.
Some long term friendships have developed from this type of exchange. Most importantly, you will need to
ensure you have sufficient room for the other party to stay in your home while you are hosting them.
Vacation Rental
ExchangeHomes.Com is a HOME EXCHANGE organization. All properties listed with us must offer Home Exchange
as the primary alternative. However, we do understand that many members do use a second or vacation home as
their exchange property and provided that home exchange is their first alternative, they can list rental as
a second option. Specific reference to rental charges etc., are not allowed. This information can be conveyed
to interested parties after they initiate inquiries. Any listing that is reported to be soliciting for rental
will be removed and no fees refunded.
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