View source for Home exchange

{{Short description|Form of lodging}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Homestay service}}
'''Home exchange''', also known as '''house swapping''', is a form of [[lodging]] in which two parties agree to offer each other [[homestay]]s for a set period of time. Since no monetary exchange takes place, it is a form of [[barter]], [[collaborative consumption]], and [[sharing]]. Home exchange can cover any type of [[Home|residence]] including apartments, houses, [[holiday cottage]]s, boats, or [[recreational vehicles]]. It can include an exchange of the entire home or just a room. The length of the swap can vary from a weekend to over a year. The swap can be simultaneous or non simultaneous. Home exchanges are usually arranged via specific types of [[social networking service]]s, most of which charge a fee.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/advice/2013/01/30/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-home-swapping/1877345/ |title=10 things you need to know about home swapping |first=Caroline |last=Costello |work=[[USA Today]] |date=31 January 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=8 Easy Ways to Choose a Home Swap Club and Enjoy a Dream Vacation for Half the Price |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shelley-miller/8-easy-ways-to-choose-a-h_b_2593116.html |first=Shelley |last=Miller |work=[[The Huffington Post]] |date=7 February 2013}}</ref>

Like all homestays, home exchanges offer several advantages over [[hotel]] lodging, including a lower cost and opportunities for [[cultural diplomacy]] and [[friendship]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nj.com/homegarden/homestories/index.ssf/2008/03/your_placeor_mine.html |title=On Holiday with Vacation Home Exchange |first=Kimberly L. |last=Jackson |work=[[The Star-Ledger]] |date=1 March 2008}}</ref><ref name=athome>{{cite news |url=http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/06/29/garden/29swap.html |title=At Home in the World |first=Stephanie |last=Rosenbloom |work=[[The New York Times]] | date=29 June 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Life-Swapping-When-you-live-in-the-Bay-Area-2526687.php |title=Life Swapping |first=Carol |last=Lloyd |work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |date=11 November 2003}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.fodors.com/news/5-things-to-do-before-a-house-swap-5090 |title=5 Steps to a Successful Home Exchange |first=Suzanne |last=Bopp |work=[[Fodor's]] |date=18 July 2012 |access-date=3 February 2018 |archive-date=8 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208033024/https://www.fodors.com/news/5-things-to-do-before-a-house-swap-5090 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Some networks offer the ability to collect a [[security deposit]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/advice/Guide-to-house-swap-holidays/ |title=House swap holidays: advice and tips |first=Rosie |last=Millard |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=21 February 2013}}</ref>

Summer is traditionally the peak season for house swapping, as families travel during school breaks.<ref name=athome/>

==History==
Organized home exchange originated in 1953 with the creation of [[Intervac International]] by a group of European teachers looking to travel internationally economically during their summer breaks.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://us.intervac-homeexchange.com/facts-about-intervac | title=Facts About Intervac}}</ref> That same year, teacher David Ostroff created a home exchange network called "Vacation Exchange Club" (now HomeLink) in [[New York City]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://homelink.org/en/story | title=HomeLink}}</ref>

In 1992, Ed Kushins started what is now [[HomeExchange.com]] after a home exchange experience in Washington D.C. In 1995, he moved the business to the [[internet]].<ref>{{cite news | title=Prepared in the Pacific | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/15/jobs/ed-kushins-of-homeexchange-on-building-a-career.html | first=Ed | last=Kushins | work=The New York Times | date=14 July 2012}}{{subscription required}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=Ed Kushins' home exchange firm began as a hobby | url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-xpm-2012-apr-29-la-fi-himi-kushins-20120429-story.html | first=Hugo | last=Martín | newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] | date=29 April 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=Home Exchange 101 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/04/travel/home-exchange-101.html | first=Amy | last=Virship | work=The New York Times | date=2 January 2015}}{{subscription required}}</ref>

In 1999, home exchange was estimated to be growing at 15-20% per year.<ref name=time>{{cite magazine | url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,992461,00.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050211094235/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,992461,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=11 February 2005 | title=House Swapping | first=Francine | last=Russo | magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] | date=8 November 1999}}</ref> In 2010, home exchange networks were continuing to experience rapid growth.<ref>{{cite news | title=Some travelers choose strangers' houses over hotels | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/11/AR2010061103900.html | first=Nancy | last=Trejos | newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] | date=13 June 2010}}</ref>

== Academic research ==
Home exchange has been a subject of sociological studies, geographical and tourism studies, culture studies and peace studies. In 2008 it became also the subject of information and [[information security]] studies.<ref name=":0">{{Cite thesis |degree=Masters |last=Koszewska |first=Julia Maria |date=2008 |title=Gift, Exchange and Trust: Information (its role, management and access to information) in modern society on the example of free-hospitality networks |url=https://www.academia.edu/175528|language=en |publisher=University of Warsaw |via=Academia.edu}}</ref>

=== Information studies ===
The 2008 study by [[Julia Maria Koszewska]] explored "the role of information in modern society, particularly on access to information and information management as prerequisites for participative and democratic society".<ref name=":0" /> This was done by study of history of home exchange movement and its initiatives, websites, and functionality expressed by users' experiences shared with the researcher.

===Participant demographics===
Participants tend to be well-educated and well-traveled. Home exchanges are popular with teachers during school holidays, particularly during the summer,<ref>{{cite news | title=House swapping - Stepping into somebody's else's life | url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/features/house-swapping--stepping-into-somebodys-elses-life-335125.html | first=Nuala | last=Woulfe | work=[[Irish Examiner]] | date=8 June 2015}}</ref> and with [[senior citizen]]s, who have more time to travel.<ref>{{cite news | title=Seniors find creative ways to travel cheaply | url=http://www.dallasnews.com/business/money/2015/09/11/seniors-find-creative-ways-to-travel-cheaply | work=[[The Dallas Morning News]] | date=11 September 2015}}</ref>

A 2013 study by the [[University of Bergamo]] showed that participants were more skewed to higher age groups, with 28.3% aged 45–54, 18.7% 65+ and only 5.9% under age 34.<ref name=bergamo>{{cite web | url=http://homeex-ux.s3.amazonaws.com/affinities/1/pdf/homeexchange_bergamo_study_2013_EN.pdf | title=My House Is Yours | publisher=[[University of Bergamo]] | date=May–June 2013}}</ref> The study showed that 84.3% of respondents seek out museums and nature, 67% value environmentally-friendly tourism, and 98% express interest in cultural heritage. Fair trade food (63%) and [[organic food]] (73%) are also important.<ref name=bergamo/> The study noted the strong degree of [[trust (emotion)|trust]] necessary in [[collaborative consumption]], with 75% agreeing that most people are trustworthy. 93% were satisfied with their experience, with 81% having swapped homes more than once.<ref name=bergamo/>

== Companies ==
Home exchange services encompass various brands facilitating the exchange of residential properties for temporary stays. Several prominent companies operate in this domain: [[HomeExchange.com|Homeexchange.com]] stands as the largest global service of its kind, boasting a substantial network of over 450,000 homes worldwide.{{cn|date=September 2024}} [[ThirdHome]] distinguishes itself as an upscale home exchange community exclusive to second-home owners.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Vora |first=Shivani |date=2020-03-17 |title=Vacation Home Swapping for the Very Wealthy |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/17/realestate/vacation-home-swapping-for-the-very-wealthy.html |access-date=2023-09-20 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Bulseco |first=Donna |date=2019-01-11 |title=The Secret to Scoring a Vacation Home That's (Practically) Free |language=en-US |work=Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/trade-secrets-of-holiday-home-swaps-11547228767 |access-date=2023-09-20 |issn=0099-9660}}</ref>

==Popular culture==
Home exchange was the subject of the 2006 romantic comedy ''[[The Holiday]]'', directed by [[Nancy Meyers]] and starring [[Kate Winslet]], [[Cameron Diaz]], [[Jack Black]] and [[Jude Law]].<ref>{{cite news | title=16 things you didn't know about The Holiday | url=http://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/news/a40334/the-holiday-trivia-facts-things-you-didnt-know/ | first=Dusty | last=Baxter-Wright | work=[[Cosmopolitan (magazine)|Cosmopolitan]] | date=10 December 2017}}</ref>

==Permanent home exchange==
There are several situations in which people have exchanged homes permanently:
* During the [[subprime mortgage crisis]], home exchange was used to help buyers and sellers when financing was harder to obtain.<ref name=chit>{{cite web | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2008/02/08/slow-market-prompts-some-people-to-try-house-swapping/ | title=Slow Market Prompts Some People to Try House Swapping | first=Jennifer | last=Levitz | work=[[Chicago Tribune]] | date=8 February 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.zillow.com/advice-thread/How-to-permanently-trade-your-home-for-another-property-FAQs/34318/ | title=How to permanently trade your home for another property - FAQs | work=[[Zillow]] | date=6 June 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2009/0323/p13s01-wmgn.html | title=Can't sell your house in this market? Trade it. | first=Amy | last=Farnsworth | work=[[Christian Science Monitor]] | date=23 March 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/when-theres-no-way-out-try-a-home-swap-1651066.html | title=When there's no way out, try a home swap | first=Chiara | last=Cavaglieri | work=[[The Independent]] | date=21 March 2009}}</ref>
* [[Mutual exchange]] is a mechanism for tenants of [[public housing]] in the [[United Kingdom]] to swap their homes.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/Councilandhousingassociationhomes/Councilhousing/Counciltenants/DG_188555 | title=Swapping your council or housing association home | publisher=[[DirectGov]]}}</ref>
* During [[ethnic conflict]]s, such as in [[Iraq]] in 2006, members of ethnic minorities have swapped homes with friends who are members of different ethnic minorities in a different neighborhood. The goal is that each minority resident ends up in a neighborhood where their ethnicity is in the majority, thus reducing [[violence]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/28/AR2006072800242.html | title=Iraqis House-Swapping to Escape Violence | first=Antonio | last=Castaneda | newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] | date=28 July 2006}}</ref>

==External links==
* [https://www.smartertravel.com/2017/06/19/home-exchange-guide/ Home Exchange: A How-To Guide]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{Sharing economy}}

{{Wikivoyage|Home exchange}}
[[Category:Tourist accommodations]]
[[Category:Houses]]
[[Category:Cultural exchange]]
[[Category:Hospitality services]]