• Hotels are expensive.

  Hotels are expensive. They’re usually impersonal and bland. They don’t offer the comforts and amenities of a home. So instead, you stay in an actual home, and live like a local, having a meaningful and authentic experience while traveling. Whether you want a relaxing vacation spot, access to urban or outdoor adventures, or a better place to sleep and work while on a business trip, you’ll find a great fit on HomeSwap.

• You’ll also save a lot of money.

  You’ll also save a lot of money. Besides avoiding nightly fees for a room, you’ll have access to a kitchen, where you can prepare as many meals as you like instead of spending on restaurants. Your swapping partner will give you tips on things to do, places to shop, and restaurants for when you do want to go out; ask the right questions, and you can dictate your own budget.

Once you’ve set up your profile on HomeSwap with basic information about your home and yourself, you’ll have access to a calendar through which you can indicate specific dates or longer periods when you’d like to travel, or be willing to consider a swap under the right conditions. Other members do the same. HomeSwap makes it easy to search by dates, locations, and even member reviews to find a match.

Once you’ve found another member of the community whose schedule and home meet your needs, simply reach out through the site to arrange a home swap. Since many members have flexible schedules, it shouldn’t take long to find the right match. Many members offer listings of their second or vacation homes, making it even easier to set dates that work for everyone, even if your schedules don’t line up precisely.

You can also contact members whose calendars don’t indicate availability exactly when you’d like; schedules may have changed, or they may make time to travel for a swap they’ll really enjoy. If nothing else, you’ll have made a connection you can draw upon in the future.