My six nights in the Loire… for the price of a bottle of Sancerre: this is how the home exchange market can be an absolute bargain

“It’s like dating… but with your house, not your heart,” is how one fan of home exchange holidays summed it up.

Since houses (unfortunately not hearts) are insured, I decided to test this travel trend just as rising energy prices and food inflation came under heavy pressure.

The cheap family holiday has been elusive in recent years.

Housing costs in the EU rose to 22 percent above inflation in 2022 and although they have fallen since then – to 6.8 percent in December 2023 – the idea of using our home as payment to travel was intriguing.

How far would a 1930s terrace with three and a half beds, a stone’s throw from the Thames in Surrey, take us?

Joanna Tweedy shares her experience of a family home exchange holiday in the Loire Valley (photo)

Almost everywhere, was the answer. Our proximity to London meant we were inundated with inquiries: a British couple living in New Zealand, a family in Orlando, retirees from Brazil… plus dozens of listings in Europe, including villa owners in Portugal, chic French gites and city apartments in Berlin.

We fancied a trial trip to Valencia, where we stayed for three nights in a stylish three-bedroom maisonette owned by a couple in their thirties who work in the Spanish film industry.

They showed us how to use various gadgets, including their huge TV, and then gave us a cheerful adios. It felt like a bargain: we explored one of Europe’s most beautiful cities for the price of four Ryanair flights, around £200, plus car hire for £120.

Summer brought similar treasures.

We swapped homes with a French family – two teachers with three older children who lived on the edge of the Loire Valley.

Their beautiful four-bedroom home had a kitchen with all the gadgets and a gourmet spice rack. The garage was packed with play and sports equipment, including four mountain bikes that we could use for free. To the children’s delight, there was also a cat named Yumi in the house.

Be my guest: the Lamoureux family, from France, enjoy a stay at Joanna’s house

Meanwhile, back with us, the French family seemed just as happy. Friendly messages pinged back and forth – sharing photos of our two cats and their afternoon tea in Brighton, and giving them information on how to get around the capital. There was some work: we fed Yumi and their fish and watered the plants.

Exchange and save: Joanna and family traveling

Any other catches? We did a lot of cleaning before we left our own house, and a lot of cleaning before we left theirs, too. It’s kind of the deal.

However, how much did this six night stay cost at the height of the French summer season?

About £27.50 – the combined price of the gifts we left: a good bottle of Chateau de Sancerre and a bar of artisan chocolate. That’s an unfathomable £6.87 each for accommodation.

Of course we also paid for the ferry, tolls and petrol. A P&O crossing from Dover to Calais cost £187 and we had saved £200 for door to door mileage and fares. Signing up to the home exchange website costs £150 per year, with unlimited exchanges allowed. All things considered, we were still winning – and somehow.

Jessica Poillucci, of home exchange website HomeExchange, says: ‘Home exchange is a cost-effective way to see the world, and you live like a local, not a tourist.’

Here we reveal the finer details of how swaps work.

Joanna reveals her first home exchange experience was in Valencia (pictured), where she stayed for three nights in a ‘stylish’ three-bedroom maisonette

IT BROADS OUR HORIZON

Retired academics Bryan and Janet MacDonald have been using their four-bedroom, 18th-century country cottage in Lincolnshire as currency for a host of adventures since signing up for a home exchange last year.

They say they travel “without blowing up the children’s inheritance.” So far they have enjoyed a walking holiday in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, a week in Fowey, Cornwall, and a city break to Edinburgh.

Bryan says: ‘We had to look after a flat full of exotic plants and a few Bengal cats in Edinburgh’s New Town. It was the kind of house you just couldn’t rent – and if you could, it would probably cost a fortune.’

Trusting that guests will care for their home and their cat Suki has been stress-free so far. “If people trust you with their home, they won’t destroy your home,” Bryan says.

He says that exchanging houses has broadened their travel horizons: ‘We often used to choose the same type of holiday. Now we get an exchange proposal out of the blue and we think: we’ve never heard of this place, but maybe we want to go there!’

DO I NEED TO REGISTER ON A WEBSITE?

Home exchanges have been around informally for decades, but by signing up with a home exchange website, such as homexchange.com, homelink.org and vacationwap.com, you can rest assured that you’re not alone if something goes wrong. You’ll normally pay an annual fee – between €115 and €180 – and once you’ve uploaded the details and photos of your home, you can contact the owners to arrange a stay.

SHOULD I DO A STRAIGHT SWAP?

In short, no. If it works for both parties to stay in each other’s house at the same time, great, but many websites these days use a system where you can earn ‘points’ when you host. For example, the couple who owned the duplex in Valencia retreated to their second home in the mountains during our stay and can save their points to use towards another home anywhere in the world in the future.

What about valuables?

Trust is essential for a successful home exchange. If you can’t stand a stranger opening your cupboards or peering into the shed, then this isn’t for you. It’s wise to make sure valuables aren’t lying around, but exchanging depends on guests treating your home as they would want their own home treated. If there is a breakup, annual site fees usually include insurance and while disagreements are rare, websites say they will intervene to resolve the issues.

Do I need additional insurance?

Most insurance companies, including Axa and Aviva, say guests are covered for stays of up to 30 days, provided no money is exchanged. They add that it’s wise to contact your insurance company before hosting to let them know and that you’ll still need standard travel insurance if you’re staying at someone else’s home. Some homeowners also charge a small fee for cleaning, usually no more than around £30.

GUESTS LOVE THAT WE ARE CLOSE TO THE HARRY POTTER STUDIOS

Beth Farr, who lives with her partner and two children in Islington, north London, says swapping their four-bedroom home will save them between £1,500 and £2,000 per holiday.

They traveled to the French coast, where the family helped them book local restaurants and activities, and to an ‘amazing’ villa in Alicante – big enough to take her sister and her family on the trip too. They also stayed in a ‘beautiful apartment with panoramic views’ in Amsterdam.

Beth Farr’s home exchange trips have taken her and her family to France, Alicante and Amsterdam (photo)

Beth says attractions close to the door are what interests people.

‘We’re less than an hour away by train from the Harry Potter Studio Tour in Leavesden – people really like that.

“Everyone has been very respectful and taken good care of our house and our cat.”