Member profile: Sergio “You remember the people more than the places”

At HomeExchange, we love letting the people who know best do the talking: our members. Sergio lives in Paterna, in the province of Valencia, and has been exchanging his home with HomeExchange since 2012. After 36 exchanges, mostly with his family, he looks back on how he discovered the community and shares his advice for new members.

A second chance for home exchange

What’s your name, how old are you, and where do you live (city + region)?

My name is Sergio, I’m 49, and I live in Paterna, in the province of Valencia.

How long have you been a HomeExchange member, and what made you join the community in the first place?

I’ve been a member since 2012. It’s something I’ve never told anyone, but it’s the truth, so here goes. My first “exchange” was many years ago, not through HomeExchange, and it went wrong. It was supposed to be a non-simultaneous exchange: they came to stay at my home, but the dates I suggested for going to theirs never worked for them… In the end I stopped insisting, and they never wrote to me again. Years later, I started looking into whether HomeExchange had tools to keep freeloaders in check, and I realized it did, so I decided to give it another try, because I find it an incredibly rewarding way to travel. And my experience couldn’t have been better: 99% of my exchanges have been a 10 out of 10, and I’ve done quite a few by now. By the way, the platform I used back then, the one that didn’t work out, no longer exists.

Traveling as a family and staying in touch with hosts

Do you usually travel alone, with family or with friends?

Apart from one exchange I did on my own as a hospitality stay, all the others have been with my family.

What has been your best exchange, the one that left you with the best memories, and why?

It’s impossible for me to pick just one, because I’m a very enthusiastic person and I have a great time wherever I go, ha ha ha! Besides, for me the most important thing is the people I’ve exchanged with. In fact, I’m still in touch with quite a few of them, so it’s impossible to choose just one. And you can’t choose between the coves of the Costa Brava and those of Alicante: both are incredible.

His advice for new members

What advice would you give to members who have just joined the community?

To remember that the people you exchange with matter more than their homes. In the end, you remember them more than the places. What I mean is that, without being pushy, the best thing is to keep the communication flowing.

If you could change just one thing about the platform (anything you like!), what would it be?

I think very highly of the platform. I believe all the truly important issues are well handled, and I’m not saying that to flatter anyone, but based on my experience with other platforms (as I mentioned). I know there are still some details to polish, but the fundamentals are there.