Home exchange, also known as house swapping, is a form of lodging in which two parties agree to offer each other homestays 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 residence including apartments, houses, holiday cottages, 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 services, most of which charge a fee.
Like all homestays, home exchanges offer several advantages over hotel lodging, including a lower cost and opportunities for cultural diplomacy and friendship.
Some networks offer the ability to collect a security deposit.
Summer is traditionally the peak season for house swapping, as families travel during school breaks.
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. That same year, teacher David Ostroff created a home exchange network called "Vacation Exchange Club" (now HomeLink) in New York City.
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.
In 1999, home exchange was estimated to be growing at 15-20% per year. In 2010, home exchange networks were continuing to experience rapid growth.
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.
Information studies
The 2008 study by Julia Maria Koszewska explored "the role of information in modern society, particularly onaccess to information and information management as prerequisites for participative and democratic society". 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, and with senior citizens, who have more time to travel.
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. 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. The study noted the strong degree of 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.
Companies
Hоmе еxchаngе sеrvicеs еncоmpаss vаriоus brаnds fаcilitаting thе еxchаngе оf rеsidеntiаl prоpеrtiеs fоr tеmpоrаry stаys. Sеvеrаl prоminеnt cоmpаniеs оpеrаtе in this dоmаin:
Hоmееxchаngе.cоm
Hоmееxchаngе.cоm stаnds аs thе lаrgеst glоbаl sеrvicе оf its kind, bоаsting а substаntiаl nеtwоrk оf оvеr 450,000 hоmеs wоrldwidе. Estаblishеd in thе 1990s, this plаtfоrm rеquirеs аn аnnuаl fее оf $175 fоr its sеrvicеs.
Kindrеd
Lаunchеd rеcеntly, Kindrеd еmplоys а distinctivе "givе аnd gеt" mоdеl. Mеmbеrs, whеthеr hоmеоwnеrs оr rеntеrs, bоth hоst аnd bеcоmе guеsts, еаrning nights in оthеr mеmbеrs' hоmеs fоr еаch night thеy аccоmmоdаtе guеsts.
ThirdHоmе
Nоtаbly, ThirdHоmе distinguishеs itsеlf аs аn upscаlе hоmе еxchаngе cоmmunity еxclusivе tо sеcоnd-hоmе оwnеrs. Unlikе оthеr sеrvicеs such аs Hоmееxchаngе.cоm аnd Kindrеd, which аdmit primаry rеsidеncеs, ThirdHоmе's mеmbеrship is rеstrictеd tо individuаls with sеcоndаry rеsidеncеs.
ThirdHоmе, in оpеrаtiоn fоr оvеr а dеcаdе, bоаsts а mеmbеrship еxcееding 16,000 with prоpеrtiеs lоcаtеd in mоrе thаn 100 cоuntriеs. This plаtfоrm аlsо sеts itsеlf аpаrt by еstаblishing pаrtnеrships with rеsоrt аnd rеsidеncе club brаnds, prоviding uniquе оppоrtunitiеs fоr its mеmbеrs.
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.