What does “being slightly on the low or affordable side” mean?
In other words, what GP rate are you talking about?
Nothing is absolute with GPs, it is all relative. As such, I was not referring to the absolute value, but where we stand relative to comparables around us, in a market with many many offerings. In that context, we are middle-low, for the size and location. Some, of similar size, advertise sleeping for 4, so their GPs are higher.
Alright, I see what you mean. Of course, every property is different and not easy to compare. Anyway, it looks like everyone has different standards in mind.
Generally speaking, I just think it’s not good that GP rates have gone up so much in the last few years. At least this is what I’ve witnessed: properties going from 90 GP to 120 then to 150 and now asking for 180 or 200 GP/night, which seems to be the new “average”.
To keep it easy, I consider law the range 0-100, average 100-200 and high >200.
It would be interesting to look at how properties distribute along the curve in statistical terms now, and how they would up until two or three years ago.
Staff are contactable at member service through the site.
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I agree. In another thread I asked if absorbing LoveSwap had been a factor in this inflation.
I am smack in the middle of your “average” 
I generally avoid the “highs” since we are usually just two travelling. I don’t care for big houses, I am travelling for what is to be found near the house, not for the house itself. I should not generalise but sometimes a certain mentality also comes with the “highs”, which I try to avoid. 
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I have once again approached admin via the online form as you suggested thank you
I think your suggestion of keeping it simple and accepting the ‘flaws’ is reasonable. I suppose this started out as simply an exchange platform and although the introduction of points exchanges has added greater flexibility it has somewhat complicated things.
There is an aspect also of ‘un planning’ and being open to possibilities that a random exchange offer might bring. So as you say there is an argument to relaxing somewhat with regard to these technicalities. I’ve seen that HE are working on various adjustments behind the scenes also so they may be already aware of the various criticisms currently discussed on the forum.
I’ve learnt a few things by participating in this forum notably that around 80% of exchanges are using GPs. That’s very interesting because I’ve come to realise it’s going to be the best option for my desire to repeatedly have long stays in Paris.
It’s true that it’s not always simple to have a GP stay accepted even when calendar shows availability. I suspect that many members also use Airbnb etc and don’t always update their HE calendar. The recent introduction of the ‘unavailable’ periods on calendars should help with this. I also think many profiles are members who are not actively seeking any exchanges
@CapBimet sorry I’m in exchange abroad right now and don’t have time to answer all of this. But don’t worry someone from the staff will read the forum and forward suggestions. They don’t rely only on this forum which is quite new, feedback is provided daily from the Facebook groups, livetchat, member support etc for years.
Happy new year with some advance .
The question was how to contact HE staff. The answer is through the site.
If a member has a suggestion then obviously this can be posted in the ’ suggestion’ rubric of this forum. If you already know this it’s a waste of time posting ’ rhetorical questions’, we have enough to do at this time of year. This rubric will be brought to the staff’s attention but it is not a way to contact staff for individual questions or problems.
Suggestions are of course your opinion and will be looked at by the staff in due time.
You called out Etienne for replying how the algorithms work. He was stating the facts and not giving his opinion. You have stated that he ’ argues with members’ when in fact he’s repeating the facts.
In my view you are arguing with every reply that the moderators of the group are giving.
As a member you can share your opinions and suggestions. As an Ambassador you can help and advise other members of course, however your input in this thread has been to criticise the system and the moderators replies, which has done nothing to help the member who posted or to advance the conversation.
Kindly stay on subjet with your suggestions and avoid criticising fellow Ambassador/ moderators’ efforts. Your comment in italics directed to Etienne in your post ’ Amenities Suggestion’ for example is unnecessary.
Enjoy your New Year’s celebration.
Which is exactly what you’re being asked to do, share your suggestions which seem very interesting and may well help in improving the system but avoid making personal comments towards other Ambassadors / moderators.
As far as I can see @GcSyndey is right. I have done the same kind of research. And when I add an airco or a in-home movie theater I get 29 points more. This doesn’t with a lot of the other aminities (and in Amsterdam you don’t need an airco)
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No, it does work the way GcSydney is explaining. It’s not fair but it just works this way. And I’m as frustrated about it as he/she is.
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I can’t tell wheather the value of your house is correct, but I have found out that the size of the house doesn’t matter, which I really don’t understand! What counts is location, the number (and size) of beds and some specific aminities. Logical aminities as garden and balcony but also less logical ones as playground (not interesting for peolple without kids), airco (not interesting in northern countries), inhome cinema theater (how do you even know when your system is one, and why would you give 29 point for such an obscure aminitie?), also for an elevator you get 29 points. Which is only interesting if you have an appartment… For me space has lots of value! But in the system of HomeExchange an appartment of 40m2 with 4 beds has more value than my 130 m2 house with place for 2 people to sleep.
And HomeExchange is a B.Corp organization but still non of the Eco-Friendly Amenities add any value. I check all the boxes, but that has no value in terms of extra GP’s.
I agree, this system should be evaluated.
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I understand and no system will please everyone anyway. If you live in Amsterdam as I think I understand, giving the new law, gp exchanges will be so limited that it won’t be a real problem I guess, you’ll probably have to do only reciprocal exchanges to make it easier for you.
For the rest, yes the items don’t necessary add a value, for example in my case if I add a swimming pool, as I’m not on the top of the range, my value doesn’t change. If I add a swimming pool and a garden, then it adds value. An item only doesn’t add a value, as I said it’s different for everyone depending on his other equipements, on the gp range he’s in etc.
I read this suggestion from some members (most of us don’t complain about that) for years on facebook, but maybe the staff will make a step in that direction some day. For what I know, it won’t be now cause they’re not working on this for now in the projects that have been presented for 2025.
Wishing you a happy new year in any case !
Hi everyone!
Thank you very much for sharing your opinions on this heated topic 
We’ve seen a lot of comments and discussion about this topic over the past years and we currently have a crew within the team who’s actively working on this topic. We’re at the stage of reviewing all our options to improve the system in general and it’s hopefully an improvement that we’ll be able to communicate on in more detail in the coming months!
Thank you very much for your patience while we work on this subject and please rest assured that all the feedback we’ve seen over the years are being taken into account 
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I think I’ll just have to sit this one out and wait to see results that the team are working on in coming months.
I did just receive a direct reply from a person in admin. As expected a long explanation about how it works etc and that they are working on improving the system.
In my case it said that as I accommodate just two people it was the main reason. However like we know other comparable homes accommodating two people can be ‘worth’ more than mine. I actually added my large sofa as a put up single bed but the difference was fairly subtle and I don’t want enquiries for three people.
So for now I’m pinning my hopes on whatever the revised system will bring.
I also would prefer reciprocal exchanges but I’ve reached out to nearly a hundred members for this even with dates flexible and in the future and just one exchange. That’s over the past year, my first.
Exchanging works well for shorter more common stays like interstate trips for me within Australia not very difficult to line up. Long haul international stays of 1-3 months to one specific destination really narrows it down. I’m not here to see the world I want a second home(s) of sorts in central Paris where I have a network of friends. Long recurring stays in a familiar city are the travel that interests me these days.
I’m making good progress and starting to connect with members for whom this is attractive but it’s always with points.
So when you’re searching a GP stay of 6 weeks or more the values do make a big difference and that’s why I’m here discussing the topic. Small apartments like my own are typically 120/140 points yet I’m maxed out at 89.
Interesting to see on this post that about 80% of échanges are with GPs
For your objective GcSydney, you might also consider house sitting or pet sitting platforms. These are often for extended stays.
If I were negotiating a 1 to 3 month exchange on HE, I would discuss a point reduction. IMHO the “nightly” GP evaluations were not really conceived for extended stays.
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I actually thought just the opposite of you that points stays were conceived as day per day exchanges and mostly longer exchanges rather than the typical short number of days exchanges I get requests for. I hear people saying 4 weeks or we had a couple of back to back exchanges and were gone 7 weeks on points.
I was referring to staying with the same host for 30 to 90 days, not back to back cumulative exchanges. Rather than take the nightly GP value and multiply by 90, I believe hosts should be open to a GP reduction for such extended stays. Someone lending their house for 90 days seems to me to be motivated to have their home occupied rather than sitting empty. In that sense, they could offer the incentive of a reduced GP value to guests.
Personally, for such long-term exchanges, I would prefer a reciprocal exchange.
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