Do you need a vacation, but aren’t keen on paying for an expensive hotel room? No problem: “Money isn’t the only way to pay for a vacation these days,” reports Axios. “You could just trade —homes.”
Indeed, home-trading companies have recently come into vogue. Similar to Airbnb, they allow homeowners to capitalize on their home to finance their own vacations.
“Home swapping networks are growing,” notes Axios. “Last month, San Francisco-based Kindred announced it raised $15 million to expand its members-only business into Europe.” The company will soon offer homes in European cities like London and Berlin.
Kindred lists homes in “more than 50 cities across North America,” including popular cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Members earn credits for hosting other members in their homes. These credits are then used to book a home for vacation.
Goodbye expensive price tags: Members only pay the cost of cleaning and a service fee no higher than $25 per night.
Kindred claims it has received 20,000 membership applications. Member homes are accepted based on where they are most needed. In fact, the company has a waitlist of those hoping to join. It notes that bookings have increased “tenfold” since its launch last spring.
Meanwhile, other similar companies are catching on, too. These include:
Home Exchange: Founded in 1992, this company boasts over 100,000 members and offers homes in more than 130 countries. It recently added luxury homes to its offerings for exclusive homeowners.
Love Home Swap: Owned by Home Exchange, this company offers tiered membership plans, ranging from $11 to $15/ month.
Thirdhome: Speaking of exclusivity, this company offers properties valued from $1 million to $50 million for those who like the luxury of the finest hotel suite—without the hair-raising bill.