Top 20 Home Exchange and Vacation Rental Services

HOME EXCHANGE, also known as HOUSE SWAPPING, is an alternative means of travel accommodation, through which two parties agree to swap their homes for a set period of time, with no monetary exchange taking place. Its origins stem from low-cost vacation accommodation and are believed to date back to 1953, making it a pioneer in the Collaborative consumption movement.

Using the catchphrase, "You stay in my house while I stay in yours," home exchange has been around since the 50’s. The proliferation of the internet since the 90’s has greatly increased its popularity, providing users with easier communication and a much larger pool of homes from which to choose. Many websites now offer services to a growing home exchange community, where people sign up, pay a fee, upload a profile and search for a match, using each site’s search tools.

Some estimates indicate that traveller participation in house swapping is consistently increasing by 15-20% per year. Summer is traditionally the peak season for house swapping, due to families traveling during summer vacations and house swapping allows families to try out a location for a short period of time while saving money over the traditional vacation costs and allowing them to take vacations that they may otherwise be unable to afford. It's estimated that families can save approximately US$5,000 by swapping their homes instead of booking hotels and rental cars, though some may be uncomfortable with the idea of others using their home. Not all travelers are interested in house swapping solely to save money, but they also see it as a means of meeting locals, seeing relatively un-touristed regions and experiencing local culture. The internet has made the process of finding a swap significantly easier with a number of websites devoted to house swapping.

Home Swapping News, Reviews & Resources

• 5 Frank Lloyd Wright-designed homes you can now rent in the US - "These are among the most iconic buildings in modern American design – the perfect place to hit snooze or have breakfast in bed."
• 8 Dreamy Airbnb Cabins to Fantasize About, From Finland to the Catskills - Vogue.
• 8 Easy Ways to Choose a Home Swap Club & Enjoy a Dream Vacation for Half the Price - Huffington Post.
• 10 cities ask EU for help to fight Airbnb expansion - "Cities say short-term holiday lettings market is contributing to soaring long-term rents."
• 10 most in-demand Airbnbs in the world - The Telegraph.
• 12 Best Home Swap Sites 2018 by Popularity - HomeSwapSites.com.
• 300-room castle from TV show listed on Airbnb - "The real-life 'Downton Abbey' is being listed on Airbnb."
• 2018 First Month Relocation Costs Index - Nestpick.
• A Letter to Hosts - "Email Co-founder, CEO and Head of Community Brian Chesky sent to Airbnb hosts today outlining actions to support them through the COVID-19 crisis. It also includes an update to our Extenuating Circumstances policy: guests who have reservations made before March 14 that begins anytime on or before May 31, can cancel the reservation and get a full refund or a travel credit if they are impacted by COVID-19 and can’t travel."
• Airbnb can scan your online life to see if you’re a suitable guest - "The global booking platform could check up on your online personality before you book a holiday."
• Airbnb can’t go on unregulated - it does too much damage to cities - "Barcelona is an extreme case, but certainly the law needs to catch up so Airbnb doesn’t price locals out of their community."
• Airbnb changes its cancellation policy - "As coronavirus spreads across the globe, the vacation rental company Airbnb expanded its extenuating circumstances policy yesterday, allowing almost all travelers to cancel their reservations penalty-free."
• Airbnb fraudster tricks another Telegraph reader - The Telegraph.
• Airbnb introduces more flexible reservation policies due to coronavirus - "Hosts and guests won’t be stuck with cancellation fees now through June 1st."
• Airbnb is being used for hook-ups around the world - Business Insider.
• Airbnb is letting people stay in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s mansion & I really want to book a night - "Sadly, only residents from LA County can book a night in the mansion."
• Airbnb Pledges to Work With Cities and Pay ‘Fair Share’ of Taxes - The New York Times.
• Airbnb reportedly pays tourist $7m after rape - "Airbnb paid a tourist $7m after she was allegedly raped at knifepoint at a rental property in New York City, according to media reports."
• Airbnb rolls out luxury rentals & new benefits for users - engadget.
• Airbnb’s Rivals in China Hold Hands in a Nervous New Market - The New York Times.
• Airbnb to offer loans & advice to hosts under new scheme - The Guardian.
• Airbnb wants to offer virtual reality previews of rental spots - The Verge.
• Airbnb will now let you book by paying 50 percent in advance - "The total price for the rental has to be at least $250, and the trip must be booked two weeks in advance."
• Booking With Airbnb? Here’s Your Survival Guide< - The New York Times./li>
• Can I Stop My Neighbor From Running an Airbnb? - The New York Times.
• Collaborative consumption - encompasses the sharing economy. Collaborative consumption can be defined as the set of resource circulation systems, which enable consumers to both "obtain" and "provide", temporarily or permanently, valuable resources or services through direct interaction with other consumers or through a mediator.
• Court orders Paris tenant to pay all Airbnb earnings to landlord - The Telegraph.
• Disrupting the disruptors: how Covid-19 will shake up Airbnb - "Airbnb created an industry and changed the face of many neighbourhoods. Now it’s facing the challenge of the coronavirus."
• Find out how much your house is worth on Airbnb - The Telegraph.
• From Berlin to Barcelona; will Airbnb ruin our most loved cities? - The Guardian.
• Guide to Being an Airbnb Superhost - The New York Times.
• Home Exchange: A How-To Guide - SmarterTravel.
• Hotel Hygiene Habits - "Items we fear most in hotels & Airbnbs."
• Home-Rental Apps as Alternatives to Airbnb - The New York Times.
• HOUSE SWAPPING - Wikipedia.
• HOW 9 PEOPLE BUILT AN ILLEGAL $5M AIRBNB EMPIRE IN NEW YORK - Wired.
• How Airbnb took over the world - "In just 11 years, it has grown from nothing to a $30bn firm. But critics say Airbnb’s rise has come at a huge cost to urban life - and cities across the planet are trying to find ways to rein it in."
• How the Covid-19 crisis locked Airbnb out of its own homes - "The short-let platform’s business model has been exposed. Bookings have fallen off a cliff but Airbnb simply can’t change tack."
• How to find hidden cameras in your Airbnb - "Should we be searching for hidden spy cameras in Airbnbs and hotels?"
• How to monetise your home - the ugly message of Netflix’s new show - "Stay Here helps owners optimise their home for Airbnb, and inadvertently exposes the dangers of untrammelled capitalism."
• How To Photograph Real Estate & Vacation Rentals - "Perhaps you have heard "the photos in a listing are the most important piece of marketing any property can have!" Not only is this true, but incredible photos will grab the attention of potential buyers and/or renters, while bad photos will make them completely overlook the property. In short, you do not want poor photos anywhere near your own listings. If you've wanted to shoot real estate for your clients or your own properties to sell or to rent but you didn't know where to begin, this tutorial is for you."
• How to Survive Being an Airbnb Host - The New York Times.
• ‘I’m a stranger in my own city’: Prague takes on Airbnb to dam flood of tourists - "Joining a battle already being waged by many other cities, the Czech capital’s mayor wants new laws to limit the lettings website."
• INSIDE AIRBNB'S 'GUERRILLA WAR' AGAINST LOCAL GOVERNMENTS - Wired.
• Jony Ive is bringing his design talents to... Airbnb - "From spaceship campus to bed and breakfast."
• Looking for a London Vacation Rental? We Tried the Plum Guide - The New York Times.
• Making a Living With Airbnb - The New York Times.
• Monica & Rachel's 'Friends' apartment is on Booking.com - "'Friends' fans are being given the chance to crash for a night at Monica and Rachel's apartment. More than a quarter century since Rachel sought refuge with Monica after running out of her wedding to Barry the dentist, 'The Friends Experience' -- a two-story, immersive celebration of the show launched in New York in March -- has teamed up with travel company Booking.com to provide what it calls 'The Ultimate Sleepover.'"
• My Airbnb habit left me sleeping under my desk - but it saved my career - "I rented out my place to support my freelance lifestyle. While the money flowed in, I slept at the office."
• Navigating the New Airbnb - The New York Times.
• New property calculator: Find out how much your house is worth on Airbnb - The Telegraph.
• New to Airbnb? How to Make It Work for You - The New York Times.
• New Ways to Find & Book the Perfect Vacation Rental - The New York Times.
• ‘Overtourism’ Worries Europe. How Much Did Technology Help Get Us There? - The New York Times.
• People around the world are booking Airbnbs in Ukraine. They don't plan to check in - "The call for guests to book Airbnbs in Ukraine started online, where supporters urged people to book rooms as close to a check-in date as possible to ensure hosts receive fees quickly. Airbnb typically issues a payout about 24 hours after a guest checks in."
• Perth Airbnb house smashed up during party - WAtoday.
• Rent Carrie Bradshaw’s Apartment For $23 & Raid Her Closet - "It’s been 23 years since Sex and The City’s Carrie Bradshaw click-clacked onto our screens and, as anticipation builds for the show’s second chapter (HBO Max’s And Just Like That...), Sarah Jessica Parker is offering fans a once-in-a-lifetime chance to raid the character’s infamous wardrobe. In partnership with Airbnb, the actor will be hosting two one-night stays (for up to two guests each) at a recreation of Carrie’s brownstone. The collaboration marks the very first time guests will be given access to the style icon’s closet (including her iconic, credit-stealing tutu) and, at just $23 a night, it’s the deal of the year."
• Revealed: the areas in the UK with one Airbnb for every four homes - "‘Out-of-control’ dominance of rentals in some communities depriving locals of homes, critics say."
• Sharing economy - umbrella term with a range of meanings, often used to describe economic activity involving online transactions.
• Summer rentals to pay off the mortgage: the village changed by Airbnb - "Rental site has boosted tourism in Woolacombe - but some say housing is unaffordable."
• Summer Vacations Are Selling Out Fast. Here’s How To Outsmart The Crowds - "Demand for travel is sky high but many top hotels, resorts and rental homes are already booked for the season. Here’s where to look and what to book instead."
• THE AIRBNB CHALLENGER YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF (BY NAME) - Wired.
  
• The coolest Airbnb properties in ski resorts - The Telegraph.
• The Most Expensive Luxury Airbnb Listings You Can Rent - The Vacation Times.
• The new ways to make money from your home - The Telegraph.
• The Other Airbnbs: Alternative Home-Sharing Rentals - The New York Times.
• This iconic Paris attraction is now an Airbnb - "Stay in a sumptuous room inside the Moulin Rouge. Sitting atop one of the world's most famous nightclubs is a scarlet red windmill. And inside the windmill lies a secret room, hitherto unseen by the public. Next month, a select number of travelers will take a peek inside, as the Moulin Rouge partners with Airbnb to give a handful of guests the opportunity to stay inside the Parisian institution."
• This is the most in-demand Airbnb on the planet - The Telegraph.
• Vacation rental - Wikipedia.
• Vrbo - pronounced 'ver-boh', is an American vacation rental online marketplace originally known as Vacation Rentals by Owner or VRBO.
• What Airbnb really does to a neighbourhood - "Millions of people use Airbnb when travelling but its popularity sometimes puts it at odds with locals. So, how do short-term holiday lets really affect a neighbourhood?"
• What to Consider Before Renting a Vacation Home - The New York Times.
• Which is best: Airbnb or hotel? - "Hotel room or vacation rental? The accommodation debate."

Top 20 Home Exchange & Vacation Rental Services

• Agoda.com - since 2005. "Get the best prices on 2,000,000+ properties, worldwide." Driven by our passion for travel, the Agoda team works hard to bring you the cheapest prices on hotels, resorts, unique homes, vacation rentals, and more. Our huge selection of accommodations will let you plan the perfect trip. From adventure travel and backpacking to honeymoons and family vacations, we've got you covered.
• AIRBNB | Airbed & Breakfast - since 2008. "Vacation Rentals, Homes, Experiences & Places." Unforgettable trips start with Airbnb. Find adventures nearby or in faraway places and access unique homes, experiences, and places around the world. Called the "Ebay for space" by Time Magazine. A new way to travel: vacation rentals, private rooms, sublets by the night. In March 2017, Airbnb raised US$1 billion in funding, bringing total funding raised to more than US$3 billion and valuing the company at US$31 billion. It has over 5M+ listings worldwide in 81K+ cities in 191+ countries, and 31 offices globally.
• COUCHSURFING - since 2004. "Stay with Locals and Meet Travelers. Share Authentic Travel Experiences." We envision a world made better by travel and travel made richer by connection. Couchsurfers share their lives with the people they encounter, fostering cultural exchange and mutual respect. Every Year We Support: 400,000 hosts, 4 million surfers & 100,000 events.
• cuckooz - since 2016. "Live Local." Boutique apartments, in London's coolest neighbourhoods. A new brand of serviced apartments; designed by travellers for travellers. Design-led apartments in London’s diverse city fringe neighbourhoods, with fast access to excellent transport links; Cuckooz serviced apartments are genuine homes created to help nomads feel native.
• guesttoguest - since 2011. "The world's leading home exchange website." GuestToGuest is a peer-to-peer hospitality community. We offer a safe system that allows you to spend amazing vacation, to save on your hotel or rent budget, live like a local and feel at home around the world. Our members win points, the GuestPoints, each time they invite other members, and they can then use these GuestPoints to be invited wherever they want. Top countries include the US, Germany, Brazil, Canada, Spain, France, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Greece, and Morocco.
• HOME BASE HOLIDAYS - since 1985. "Swap homes with thousands of fantastic up-to-date home exchange offers and enjoy FREE vacation accommodation worldwide!"
• Home Away - since 2005. "Book beach houses, cabins, condos and more, worldwide." Vacation rental marketplace with more than 2,000,000 vacation rentals in 190 countries listed on its website. It operates through 50 websites in 23 languages through which it offers rentals of cabins, condos, castles, villas, barns, and farmhouses.
• HOME EXCHANGE - since 1992. "World's #1 International Home Exchange Site." Search 65,000+ homes in 150+ countries.
• HOME FOR EXCHANGE - since 2004. "The marketplace for home exchange worldwide." Our members stay in each other's homes. It's a clever way to holiday for free.
• HOME FOR SWAP - since 2008. "Travel the world and discover different cultures while feeling at home! Feel at home while travelling the world" Home exchange among us: travelling was never so easy and fun! Feeling at home anywhere has never been easier. Home exchange is an innovative way for all members within the same community to experience a fun, affordable and unique vacation. This premier service will allow you to spend your holidays with a higher level of comfort, extra money in your pockets, and brand new friendships within your community.
• HOMELINK - since 1953. "Home Exchange Holidays." At HomeLink we've been helping like-minded families arrange house exchange holidays all around the world for 65 years. We're more than just a home exchange website - we provide personal support for your home swap holiday from our office in Winchester and our team of experienced Home Exchange Co-ordinators around the world - between us we have a combined home exchange experience of over 400 years!!!
• House Trip - since 2009. Online holiday rental marketplace that allows homeowners and holiday rental managers (known as ‘hosts’) to list and rent out their properties to guests.
• Intervac - since 1953. "The original home exchange service." We are all richer when we share! Since 1953 Intervac has been leading the way so that you can find the perfect home exchange and enjoy your holidays stress-free.
• Love Home Swap - since 2010. "Swap your home and travel (just about) anywhere in the world." Welcome to the world's simplest holiday idea. Swap with inspiring homes worldwide. Try free for the first two weeks. Members-only home swapping site that's stylish, social and simple to use. Home swap holidays are revolutionising the way people travel. With 80,000+ inspiring homes listed in every corner of the globe, those looking to house swap can save themselves thousands on holiday accommodation costs.
• Nestpick - since 2014. "The largest search engine for furnished apartments." Nestpick is the biggest platform to search for mid-to-long term rentals. Browse more than 500,000 listings from 80+ top local vetted providers, in over 130 cities worldwide - completely free to use.
• OneFineStay - since 2009. "Enjoy the finest homes and service all around the world." Stay in distinctive private homes and villas in over 180 destinations - with an unprecedented level of service. The new way to stay in a city. Stay in someone's beautiful, characterful home while they're out of town, walk in their footsteps, and make the city your wonderland.
• Plum guide - since 2015. "Book London's Most Beautiful Holiday Homes." The cream of the crop of London's accommodation. The Plum Guide vets & handpicks London’s best holiday homes. Only 1 in 100 accepted.
• Third Home - "Explore a world of luxury travel your way." Private club for luxury second home owners. Each time another member uses your secondary home, you'll receive credits, called "Keys". You can then spend the Keys on 10,700 luxury private homes and resort properties worldwide. Popular destinations include Costa Rica, Italy, Florida, France, Cabo San Lucas, and the United Kingdom.
• Veeve - "Since we founded Veeve (as Vive Unique) in 2011, we’ve been matching thousands of visitors to London with hundreds of real London homes. In 2017, we opened our office in Paris. For our guests, we have over 1,000 characterful homes in London and Paris to choose from, a dedicated service and - if the mood takes you - extra home comforts (private airport transfer, fridge fills and maid service to name a few)."
• VRBO - since 1995. "Start planning your next getaway now!" The most popular vacation rental site in the US. Build your best vacation ever from over 2 million house rentals worldwide.
• WIMDU - since 2011. "Best City Apartment Deals." Over 10 Million Nights Booked. From penthouse apartments in New York, to holiday homes in Majorca and city studios in Paris, Wimdu's range of over 350,000 properties in more than 150 countries ensures that everybody can find attractive, affordable accommodation for their next trip. But that's not all. Wimdu also lets you rent out your own place to those looking for a place to stay. Listing is free, and allows hosts to make money from their extra space whilst helping others explore the world.