The response from most people when I describe home exchange to them is, “Oh, like Airbnb,” but it isn’t really like Airbnb because there is no money exchanged except for an occasional cleaning fee, and additionally, one must own an asset to barter for one. So first and foremost, you must have your own asset to trade for another asset, though sometimes people do use their rentals. The whole concept and where to stay when people are in your home gets both tricky and creative because there are choices to be had in the stay options: their home while they stay in yours (simultaneous), their home or your home at some time in the future (non-simultaneous), or for points, meaning when someone stays at your home, instead of swapping directly for theirs, you receive points. These points operate like money, because you can then use them to rent your own place, wherever or whenever you want, all procured from listings on the home exchange site. These options also depend upon what type of home you have—a home where you are the only one who lives there and leave when someone stays, use of a spare room and shared common areas, a second home like an Airbnb rental, or a dedicated vacation home. So many creative possibilities.
