💡 Tips for writing a great exchange proposal – find your inspiration!

English Forum Community 🤔 Q&As: Ask the community
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You’ve just joined HomeExchange and started searching for your first home exchange, but you’re not quite sure how to write your proposal? This article is here to help!

Find Inspiration in the Comments

The proposals you’ll find below were part of a small contest that invited HomeExchangers to share their best imaginary exchange request to a fictional family, the Fernandez family The goal of the contest was to reward the most delightful exchange proposal.

I encourage you to browse through the different proposals shared in the comments to find inspiration.

You’ll see that the most important thing, when contacting a member to propose an exchange—whether reciprocal or not—is to read their listing carefully before reaching out, so you can truly personalize your message.

Enjoy reading, and feel free to ask for advice on this forum! :slight_smile:

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Greetings Fernandez family! Would Paula and Javier enjoy a trip to Hollywood? From our front step you can see the Hollywood sign. From our house, you can travel to Universal Studios, Disneyland, the Santa Monica pier, Venice Boardwalk, shopping at The Grove, or checking out concerts at Disney Hall, Hollywood bowl or the Greek theater? Grab those Taylor Swift tickets!

San Diego is a 2 Hour drive with the San Diego Zoo and Legoland. As much fun as your kids would have here in Hollywood is how much fun we would have with Luna and Romeo in Madrid. We are willing to even offer you our car. Would you say no to a swimming pool with a hot tub? We also have a backyard barbecue, fireplace, large lawn for kicking a ball. We live in a peaceful, quiet suburban neighborhood in the center of Hollywood walking distance from our local farmers market. It’s a g reat area to ride bikes in, oh yes, we have bikes! How about hiking in Griffith Park?

We have every video game in DVD you can think of. We would take excellent care of your pets, home and do everything we can to ensure a fantastic action, packed and beautiful stay in Hollywood.

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Wow what a great proposal! Can I come to Hollywood now please? :slight_smile:

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Aloa from Hawaii!

Your home listing caught my eye, and I have to say, you have me at “Thermomix!” As a keen (or at least enthusiastic!) cook, I’m already imagining myself leafing through those red-marked recipes.

Your apartment sounds absolutely perfect for our family. We’re a group of four—two adults and two kids, ages 6 and 9. The proximity to the Retiro Park and those kid-friendly bedrooms (complete with toys!) is a huge plus. My children, Maya and Sam, would be thrilled with the bikes and the communal pool—a real lifesaver in the Madrid summer heat!

We’re interested in a potential exchange from 12.7.2026 to 22.7.2026. We are hoping to explore the major museums and enjoy day trips to places like Toledo.

We absolutely love animals and would be delighted to host Luna (and take her for walks!) and enjoy the company of Romeo the cat. Our kids are gentle and respectful with pets. We have taken care of pets in the past and they also gained a bit of weight.

Now, for the serious questions:

  1. Romeo the Cat: Does he have any strong opinions on which kind of treats are acceptable? (Asking for a friend… who is me.)

  2. Board Games: We consider ourselves fairly competitive. What’s the family’s reigning champion game? We like to come prepared!

On a more practical note, we are very appreciative of the private parking, and we’d love to discuss the possibility of the car share closer to the exchange date. We are very respectful and careful guests—we promise to treat your home (and your recipe books!) with the utmost care, and we’re definitely pros at watering plants.

Our home in Hawaii near the beach offers a true taste of island living, so don’t be surprised if the occasional curious crab decides to pay a temporary visit to the kitchen!

Thank you for your time, and we truly hope a swap might be possible!

Best regards,

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What a lovely proposal, thanks so much :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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Hello from San Francisco! You have a gorgeous home! We’re a family of three—two adults and our teenage child—looking for a new adventure in Madrid, and your home seems like a great fit for us. We were drawn to your description right away. The bright living room with lots of board games and books sounds like where we’d spend most of our downtime (especially if Madrid’s summer sun gets too hot). Our teen is a movie fan, so your TV setup with Netflix and more will definitely come in handy for some relaxed evenings.

We also love to cook and try new foods. Your kitchen—with the Thermomix and recipe books—caught our eye. We’d enjoy trying out some local recipes and would be happy to leave behind a few of our favorites from California in return.

The balcony is another highlight—we can already imagine sitting out there with a cool drink after a day exploring the city. We’re also a biking family, so the bikes for riding in Retiro Park are a real bonus for us. As animal lovers, we’re more than happy to keep Romeo company and look after your plants and balcony garden. We’ve taken care of pets in the past, so we know how important it is to have someone responsible looking out for them.

Your location seems very convenient—close to Atocha, public transport, and the park. We’d appreciate any local tips you’d want to share, and if you’re around, we’d love to meet up for a coffee or a chat.

I know you don’t show availability but your home looks so perfect I thought Id reach out just in case you’re interested. Thanks for considering our family for your home exchange; we understand how important it is to have guests who recognize the importance of treating your home like their own. If you ever want to visit San Francisco, we’d be glad to host you as well. Best wishes,

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¡Hola, La Familia Fernández!

Your beautiful family apartment in the center of Madrid looks absolutely perfecto! We’ve spent the last hour looking at the photos, and we think we’ve found the one thing more dazzling than the Prado Museum: that glorious swimming pool.

We are a family of three, two adults and a very polite baby from Germany, and we would love the opportunity to trade our humble abode for your wonderful slice of Madrid life on Christmas.

We promise to treat your lovely 90m², and any lingering tapas crumbs with the utmost respect. We’ll water the plants, feed the fish (if you have them), and only sing flamenco after 10 a.m.

Let us know if you are interested in swapping homes (and temporary lives!). We’d love to tell you more about our place.

¡Muchísimas gracias!

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Hi! :waving_hand:

We’re the Ligtenberg family from the Netherlands :netherlands:. We live in Wierden, in the beautiful region of Twente — also called the Estate of the Netherlands. Our home is right in the center of town, with all shops within walking distance, yet surrounded by nature. We love to spend time outdoors — walking, cycling, or boating through the scenic countryside. You’re more than welcome to use our bikes when visiting! :bicycle:

Your home in Madrid immediately caught our attention. It looks bright, comfortable, and full of warmth — truly a family home. We can easily imagine spending time together in your sunny living room, playing one of your board games, or watching a movie on your cozy sofa after a day of exploring the city. As a family that enjoys cooking, your kitchen sounds like a dream — especially with the Thermomix and your marked recipe books!

We’re all animal lovers :paw_prints:, so we would be more than happy to take care of Romeo while you’re away. We’ll give him plenty of love and attention. Watering the plants and keeping everything tidy will also be done with pleasure — we’ll make sure to leave your home just as welcoming as we found it.

We love the idea of being so close to Atocha and Retiro Park, surrounded by cafés and local life — it sounds like the perfect mix of culture and comfort. We’d definitely enjoy exploring your neighborhood by bike, just as we do at home.

If you ever come to our area, you’ll find charming towns like Rijssen and Almelo nearby, a national park (De Sallandse Heuvelrug), and even Michelin-starred restaurants with beautiful views. In summer, there are many cultural activities, and Germany is only half an hour away — ideal for a day trip!

Your home feels like the perfect match for our family — warm, inviting, and full of character. We’d love to exchange and share our own little piece of the Netherlands with you. :tulip:

Warm regards,
The Ligtenberg Family

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A huge thank you to everyone who took part! :tada: We loved reading all your creative fictional exchange proposals. We’re sure they’ll give plenty of inspiration to anyone thinking about sending their own awesome exchange requests on the platform.

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for… the grand prize winner is @christopher! :trophy: Congrats! Christopher will be getting a super cute HomeExchange mug. We’ll reach out to him personally.

Thanks again, and a big round of applause to everyone who joined in — you’re all amazing! :orange_heart: