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 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.
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
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.
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.
Thank you for answering, and I’m really glad you are working on it.
Maybe good to realise that HE doesn’t really counts theGP’s according to your own rules…
the number (and size) of the beds in your home - which is linked to the general size of the home and how many guests can stay in it >>>>> in lots of casas there is no relation between number of beds and size of home. Sometimes a flat in Paris of 60 m2 offers 6 beds (a put up bed, a crib etc) and for example my house offers 130m2 and just one big bed for two. I really think size should matter. But for HE only the number of beds matter…
the location of your home - based on the distance from the nearest tourist sites >>>> is this calculated bij HE or are members themselves the judges of that…
some of the amenities you have added to your listing - for example, having a pool or a garden will increase the GuestPoints value of your home >>>> I hope this will be evaluated with care. Some aminities deserve to be calculated again, like fast wifi which ‘everybody’ likes has no value at all, and the ecofriendly amninities don’t have any value (not even if you can cehck all the boxes) which is strange for a B.Corp.
I live in Amsterdam but my house is not availible for more than 30 days a year… there is a limit to my vacationdays… So the GP"s are still important. And furthermore it’s a principle point, I’m not just complaining for my own benefit…
Some items really do add value on their own. If I add a kids play ground I get 29 points extra. If I delete my dishwasher (!!!) I don’t get less points (and it doesn’t matter whether I keep the playground…). And I do understand we can not satisfy everyone but some of the calculations are really strange and unfair…
I would also think reciprocal is best for long stays but I am just not sure why you would lower the points for longer stays. You still have to have somewhere to go where you are going to have to use points to cover the number of days you are gone. It probably depends on how many points you need to do that. As for having the house occupied that is really a personal preference. Some people find such long exchanges desirable but some are fine with only some occupancy during their absence. Less calls, less possible issues.
ok I think we don’t understand each other, that’s not what I wanted to say, but English it’s not my first language, so no problem. Your opinion stays in this page anyway. Don’t forget to vote about it if you want. bye
I hear you. I think it is a matter of personal views and circumstances. I have two homes on HE, so I don’t necessarily have to be on an exchange, and using points, when I host an exchange. For lowering points to host an extended exchange for GP, to me it is a bit of a ‘mercantile’ analogy, like the idea of a ‘baker’s dozen’, buy 12 buns and I will give you 1 free, buy 2 or 3 and it is full price. I just feel daily guest point values really add up when we are talking about one or more months and it can be more sensible to adjust the daily value; it still represents a large amount in the end.
For occupancy, from an insurance perspective, I always prefer occupancy. Many home insurance policies in North America become invalid if the home is not visited at least every 7 days. Finding someone to do that can be quite complicated, and an imposition on friends and neighbours.
Dear all. I initiated this suggestion and I think we can put this thread aside for now. We have ascertained that admin are aware of this concern / suggestion and that they had already been working on reviewing the points allocation system to be ready in a few months.
As someone mentioned please ‘vote’ at top of thread. In hindsight I now see that the idea is to post a suggestion and others vote and discussion is not really essential in this category.
Happy exchanges
It’s seems it is based on the size of the place.
Appartments in a highly wanted destination (Paris, London, NYC) value less GP than a house with no public transports far from a touristic destination.
In consequence, i often exchange one week for 2 weeks in a big house.
If you are placed in a very wanted destination, you can negociate a longer time or bigger place when you exchange.
I use GP only for very precise needs. Countries where there are a very few listings and/or precise dates.
Next month i’m going to a city where there is 1 listing.
The nearest big city is 1,5 h driving.
Out of that, for hosts who are in a touristic or wanted places, a reciprocical exchange can be more interesting.
I have just joined HE Collection. This has enabled me to increase my points valuation. All properties in Collection have the base point valuation increased by 50%. I can simply diminish or negotiate down as needed
Big extra membership cost though US$1000
No, in our case our house with pool is 207 GP, if I take the pool away, save the changes and reload the page, it is still at 207 GP.
Makes absolutely no difference.