'Tis the season to watch Vacation , the 2006 classic starring Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz as two women who swap homes during the holidays and subsequently live with each other. If you've ever seen the movie and wondered if the website Kate and Cameron's characters used to find each other's homes actually existed, good news: Now, it does. Love Home Swap, a home swap site that basically lets you live out your holiday in real life, was actually inspired by this movie. Whether you have a small apartment in Brooklyn or a large country cabin in Europe (uh, if this is you...can we be friends?), you can sign up for the site and start connecting with other users to build A home exchange. Even better, members only pay to join the site (starting at $11 per month), so any home exchange plans you make after that are essentially free.
"At Love Home Swap, we're committed to helping our members offer unique vacations at a fraction of the cost of traditional accommodation," Ben Wosskow, managing director of Love Home Swap, said of the site. “Our research shows that people want to live like a local when they travel. With thousands of inspiring properties available for exchange around the world, we can help them experience new places for less without having to give up anything The usual comforts of home”.
In "Holiday ," living like a local means, for better or worse, keeping busy with everyone's business. While you don't have to go that far, you can really experience what it's like to actually live somewhere rather than experiencing it as a tourist by exchanging homes with someone, and without spending a lot of money.
If you want to swap as quickly as possible, here's how it works:
Head over to Love Home Swap, create an account (if you're not sure about joining right away, they offer a free trial!), and use the search filters to narrow down the type of home you're looking for. Next, let other members know what you have to offer - after all, you can't use the site without listing your own home there.
Afterwards, it's a bit like online dating, but better because travel replaces awkward silences and small talk. You'll be matched with other members whose homes fit the parameters you're looking for, and you can message to make plans. Once you've found your perfect match, sort out the details and pack your bags.
One thing to note: you don't even have to swap houses with other members at the same time. If you want your vacation to be as close as possible to your vacation , you can definitely do that, but Love Home Swap also offers other options: For example, if you know you'll be traveling for a week but already have accommodation, you can do it while your home is available. It is still possible to accommodate another interested member in your home. In exchange, you'll earn points on the site that you can use on future trips when you actually want to stay in a home you find on the site. The benefit of this is that your dates or holiday destinations don't have to match the people coming to your place, so it gives you more freedom.
Additionally, all membership identities are confirmed through an identity verification service, so you don’t have to worry about someone misidentifying you. The site is secure, all transactions are handled by verified services, and it is peer-reviewed with an average travel rating of 4.8 out of five stars. You can also contact the Love Home Swap team via email or phone 7 days a week, and message other members directly on the site.
Even better, the range of destinations available on the site is huge, so you can really plan any vacation you want. If you travel frequently, a Love Home Swap membership starting at $11 a month is definitely worth it. While they (probably) can't guarantee that your very own Jude Law will be waiting for you at your home exchange destination, at least, they can guarantee that you'll have a great vacation without breaking the bank.
