This feature would help those who have listed their propriety on several platforms and those who want to see the availability on Google Calendar, for example.
So that is easy to keep track of the availability and update it whenever necessary.
This would boost the efficiency of HomeExchange and make life easier for everyone, even for the overloaded servers!
So that we can have more meaning conversations and not just say the same thing over and over.
I hope it will come soon.
Please vote for this feature if you are tired of contacting a host and hearing they are unavailable on those dates.
Agree. This is an important feature that could improve the home exchange experience for both guests and hosts. No longer would hosts have to block their busiest rental months, instead the unrented days could automatically be synched to HE allowing for increased availability. Unavailable days would be more accurate and updated.
Cause second homes are only 25% of homes, and HE prefers that members communicate and talk about it, not be a rental platform in a single click. It’s not a tech problem, it’s a philosophy
25% of homes are still A LOT. That’s an extra tool with non cons and a lot of PROS, so it doesn’t make sense that Homeexchange doesn’t help the owners with second homes. It is not about communication, is about helping the owner organisation.
cause I don’t want to be just a member coming between 2 renting guests. I prefer to have a real exchange with someone, meaning communication, discussions, etc. If a member can’t take a few minutes to update his calendar, I’m afraid he won’t take time to answer my questions, to communicate with me (and in my 100 exchanges experience in 15 years, it has happen a few times). I understand that some members rent their second home to pay taxes, make works in it etc, no problem with that, but adding this feature for me will make more members treating exchanges like rentals, and that’s not what I want personnaly
It’s not even about people who have the propriety on multiple platforms, but for example, for someone that wants to visually see the availability on Google calendar, as I explained.
Even couchsurfing, the most hippy exchange app, has this feature.
Without this feature, it seems almost that there is no care for the users, it’s an extremely basic feature.
I didn’t mention any single click feature here. It’s just a waste of time and resources to get contacted when you are not available.
The single click I mentioned somewhere else is not to confirm the exchange, but for the opposite.
So that you have more time to discuss with the guest when you are available.
So you can have more meaningful discussions than writing for days: “are you available this week?” ; “no, that week no” ; “are you available this week?” ; “no, that week no” ; “are you available this week?” ; “no, that week no” ; “are you available this week?” ; “no, that week no”…
The calendar sync function just adds greater flexibility and gives more choices. It does not minimize conversation. It’s just a far more efficient way of doing things.
Yep. +1 - we don’t list our place on AirBnb or what not, but being able to see on my google calendar when somebody is staying - and ideally even when I am staying somewhere just makes things easier.
This feature seems useful for everybody, not just second homes. HE is great, but having another place to check calendars doesn’t make sense for me. I’ll talk to members of course! But seeing when they are coming in my monthly overview would just be so nice
You Can export your finalized exchange to your google calendar in the exchange details if I remember correct, but not import a calendar from booking sites, that’s what I meant
I actually JUST sent in this request on this forum!!
I get many requests months in advance but I also rent my home on Airbnb and VRBO so I can never accept exchanges right away as I don’t know my rental schedule that early -
However, when a date does open up - I would like to be able to see who has requested those dates and there is nowhere on the calendar to see this info! I literally have to go back through hundreds of email requests to see what dates someone wanted months ago.. I sent them an email saying I will let them know the sooner we get to those dates - but its a real hassle not to be able to see who requested what/when. Almost not worth my time to search back through each and every email.
THIS IS A MUST HAVE FEATURE - VERY surprised that HomeExchange has not implemented this very necessary feature. Fingers crossed this will happen soon!
I think that’s rubbish and if that is a genuine HE opinion on synchronizing calendars then the platform will eventually collapse. It’s common sense technical solution to make life easier for hosts who have busy lives. Many of us manage our availability by Google or Apple calendars as can categorise dates by “Not Available”. If you synch on platforms like Air B&B or Booking.com life is made easy so no need to manually cross check dates as dates on your Google or Apple calendar can be synced and blocked. I do not understand why HE would not introduce this simple functionality that will have no downsides it does NOT have to be used or existing HE hosts don’t want to use it. I will actually leaving the platform all be it has a couple of excellent experiences exchanging my home. The reason will be that HE is stuck in a Ludite past and not prepared to listen to hosts feedback and improve functionality.
Those are my thoughts for HE and I hope they will consider this carefully.
It’s not a HE official announcement, I’m just explaining why it has never been made and why it’s not in project for what I know as a volunteer for years.
Everyone has busy lifes, but main part of the process of HomeExchange is communication : to find an exchange, to Make it successful etc. That’s why it differs so much from rental sites. Gp are not money, there’s no “instant booking” where a member will accept your offer no matter what etc. That’s why there’s no option to import a calendar for now.
The platform goal is to have active members, involved in the exchange process, who can act like Friends with their swapper. If updating a calendar which takes 30s through the app is too long, what will be too long After that ? Answering questions from your exchange partner before and during the exchange ? Preparing the home and find a small gift to offer with warm attitude ?
It’s working like it for decades , and that’s what different from short term rental sites. It might not be what you would prefer, but it’s not a very requested feature for what I read for years on Facebook etc. Most users don’t need this. Not a priority, but maybe it will come someday, I don’t know.
If you track the various discussions you will find it’s extremely popular. There are very few that DONT want it. It does not affect you Etienne so why would you object to it as you clearly would have no use for it. So why would you object to it if helpful for other fellow HE members. It’s supposed to be a friendly collaborative platform with members that want the best for other members? Your rationale simply does not make any sense.
Ok, I think we don’t understand each other. There are 12 votes for this feature on top of this page( on 8000 members in the forum…) . I don’t call it “extremely popular”.
I moderate facebook groups where there are dozens of thousands for members for years, and in my memory I think there was 5 threads on thousands on this subject on the last 10 years. This is not a common priority like folders for messages or for favorites like members request by hundreds for months or years.
But don’t hesitate to send your feedback to the staff in addition to this thread if you prefer, cause my voice is just my opinion, and I have no power on that anyway
