Sheldon couple Bobbie and Chris have found a way to make overseas trips more affordable, while making great friends along the way.
The keen travellers joined HomeExchange. com 10 years ago and say it's a great way for retirees to holiday.
Bobbie and Chris said that apart from saving on hotel costs, one of the big advantages for them was being able to stay in a normal house.
"We like having a kitchen and being able to do our own meals," Bobbie said.
For $180 per year, HomeExchange.com allows members to arrange house swaps with people from all over the world via its website.
Founded 22 years ago by Californian Ed Kushins, HomeExchange.com now has 65,000 members who make about 130,000 home swaps in more than 150 countries each year.
The site is available is 15 different languages and allows members to browse home exchange opportunities by categories, one of which is "active retirees", with a membership of 5233.
Other categories include gourmet, poolside, surfers, skiers and some connect exchangers with similar traits, such as teachers and pet owners.
The benefit of this, Kushins said, was that it connected like-minded people around the world.
"Home Exchange allows seniors to search peers around the world who share the same values," he said.
The site is easy to use and includes a chat function so the user can receive instant answers to any questions that arise.
Bobbie said the key to arranging successful exchanges was good planning and communication.
Once the couple have decided on their trip itinerary, she browses the HomeExchange.com site to find potential swaps.
"I look at the location, their family situation and whether the house suits us and then send off emails," she said.
"Generally with people of roughly the same age, you have similar expectations and there's a mutual respect."
Because there was a lot of email, and sometimes Skype, contact during the planning stage, Bobbie said they had made many good friends.
The couple have met all the people they've had house swaps with and even many they've had contact with but didn't manage to co-ordinate a swap with.
"They've all been lovely; we're still great friends with a lot of them."
Since they joined HomeExchange.com, Bobbie and Chris have had an exchange in Vancouver, Canada, and two trips to the UK one of four months and the other five and said they couldn't afford stays of that length if they were paying for accommodation.
This winter they will spend another four months in the UK indulging their passion for genealogy.
"This trip's a bit different because it's been planned around visiting various records offices," Bobbie said.
"I've had to do a lot of planning because I was going to be moving around a lot."
Bobbie and Chris have arranged four swaps of two weeks and one of a week and have the offer of another week in a hospitality stay.
For this trip, Bobbie sent out about 200 emails and had replies from about 80 per cent.
"I have a template set up introducing ourselves and setting out our requirements, and I keep track of responses on a spreadsheet."
Even when swaps didn't work out, they often ended up making new friends.
"While we're in the UK we'll be meeting up with people we've got to know via email who couldn't meet our requirements for a swap this time but who have common interests."
Bobbie said swaps could be simultaneous, non-simultaneous, hospitality or a house-sit, which usually involved caring for pets.
So far, all their swaps have been non-simultaneous, and they usually take a trip in their motor home while visitors stay in their house.
Their two-and-a-half acre property is about half bushland, and overseas guests loved the peaceful environment and being able to see wallabies up close, she said.
Bobbie and Chris have set up a 'house manual' for their visitors, providing information about all their appliances, who to call if there are any problems, numbers for emergency tradesmen, public transport details and go cards.
They also leave a box full of brochures, maps and tourist information.
They have an older, second car that visitors can use, subject to insurance, but have found it more difficult to arrange insurance to use cars in other countries, so they generally use rentals.
The couple said that in the 10 years they'd been using HomeExchange.com, they had never had any concerns.
"Our great friends in the UK have been swapping all over world for 30 years and have never had any problems."
They put precious items away in a cabinet with a 'please do not touch' sign on it.
"The rule is to respect the property and keep the place clean and tidy."
WIN: Thanks to HomeExchange.com, Redland City Bulletin's associated publication Senior Lifestyle Bayside has three one-year memberships to give away (value $180). To be in the draw to win, enter your details below by 9am on Friday, May 22. Winners will be announced online, and contacted by HomeExchange. The prize is not redeemable for cash. Terms and conditions may apply.
