Table of Contents

  1. What are GuestPoints?
  2. How is your home's value calculated?
  3. How to earn GuestPoints
  4. How to spend GuestPoints
  5. How much things cost — real examples
  6. 10 tips to maximize your GuestPoints
  7. The 100 GuestPoints signup bonus
  8. Are GuestPoints taxable in Canada?

What Are GuestPoints?

GuestPoints (GP) are HomeExchange's internal virtual currency. They enable non-simultaneous exchanges — meaning you don't have to travel at the same time as the person staying at your home.

In practice: you host a Chilean family for a week → you earn GuestPoints. Three months later, you use those points to stay in a Barcelona apartment for 5 nights. Neither family ever needs to coordinate calendars.

This flexibility revolutionized home exchange and made HomeExchange the global leader in the space.

Points earned = your home's value (pts/night) × number of nights hosted

How Is Your Home's Value Calculated?

HomeExchange uses an algorithm based on several factors to determine your home's initial GuestPoints value per night:

  • Local rental market value — the main factor. A Paris apartment is worth more than a suburban Montreal condo.
  • Home size — number of bedrooms, square footage
  • Amenities — pool, garden, parking, wifi, etc.
  • Photo and profile quality — a polished profile can slightly influence incoming requests

Typical ranges by region:

Region Pts/night (range) Hotel equivalent
Montreal / Quebec City20–40 pts~$150–300/night
Paris / London40–80 pts~$200–500/night
Barcelona / Lisbon25–55 pts~$130–300/night
Rural / small town5–20 pts~$60–150/night
NYC / Sydney / Tokyo60–120 pts~$300–800/night

How to Earn GuestPoints

1. Host HomeExchange members at your home

The primary source of points. You earn your pts/night value for each night members stay at your place.

2. Welcome bonus (referral code)

By signing up with a referral code, you receive 100 bonus GuestPoints upon membership activation. Use code johanne-3ab93 if you don't have an account yet.

3. HomeExchange activity bonuses

HomeExchange occasionally offers bonus points for specific actions: completing your profile 100%, verifying your identity, or during special events. These bonuses appear in your account notifications.

💡 Tip: The more you host, the more you earn. Very active members accumulate 500-800 points per year just by opening their home for 2-3 weeks annually.

How to Spend GuestPoints

You spend GuestPoints to stay at another member's home in a non-simultaneous exchange. The point value is visible on each listing.

  1. Find a home you're interested in on HomeExchange
  2. Send a stay request with your dates
  3. The host accepts (or suggests other dates)
  4. GuestPoints are debited from your account upon confirmation
  5. If the exchange is cancelled, points are refunded

⚠️ Note: GuestPoints cannot be converted to money and cannot be resold. They are strictly usable for exchanges on the HomeExchange platform.

How Much Things Cost — Real Examples

🗼
Paris 2-br apartment
7 nights · July
~350 pts
Airbnb value: ~$1,800–2,500
🌊
Portugal Coastal Villa
10 nights · September
~200 pts
Airbnb value: ~$1,200–1,800
🏔
Alps Chalet · 3 br
5 nights · Winter
~150 pts
Rental value: ~$1,000–1,500
🎁
Your signup bonus
Code johanne-3ab93
100 pts
≈ 3–10 free nights

10 Tips to Maximize Your GuestPoints

①
Optimize your photos — Listings with 10+ quality photos receive 3x more requests. Invest 30 minutes in bright, clear shots.
②
Target off-season dates — Stays in March, April, October, November cost 20-40% fewer points than July-August. You get more out of the same points.
③
Accept weekday stays — Members looking for weekday homes (remote workers, semi-retirees) are plentiful. More flexibility = more potential exchanges.
④
Explore Portugal and inland Spain — Homes there cost fewer points than Paris or London, but quality of life is excellent. Outstanding value-per-point ratio.
⑤
Complete your member profile — Profile photo, friendly bio, detailed neighborhood description. Hosts choose who stays — make yourself irresistible.
⑥
Book far in advance — The best homes go 4-6 months before the date. Book early for Paris in July or Barcelona in August.
⑦
Use "guest-only" mode — You can accept members without committing to travel immediately. Earn points now, travel later.
⑧
Write personalized messages — Generic requests get ignored. Show you've read the host's profile, mention the neighborhood, explain why you'd be a great guest.
⑨
Collect positive reviews — Be an excellent host and guest, and ask for reviews after each exchange. More reviews = more accepted requests.
⑩
Start with the referral bonus — The 100 GuestPoints bonus from the referral code gives you a head start. Combine them with your first hosting stints to quickly reach your first destination.

The 100 GuestPoints Bonus — Where to Start

If you don't have a HomeExchange account yet, use my referral code to start with 100 bonus GuestPoints. Combined with your first hosting stays, you'll quickly reach your first destination.

Referral code
johanne-3ab93

Are GuestPoints Taxable in Canada?

GuestPoints are not legal currency. They cannot be converted to money and have no official monetary value. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) generally treats non-commercial barter exchanges between individuals as personal transactions, which are not taxable.

For typical personal HomeExchange use — swapping homes to travel — GuestPoints are generally not reportable as income in Canada.

However, if you use HomeExchange commercially (regularly hosting for compensation purposes), the situation may differ. When in doubt, consult a tax professional or accountant.

💡 For typical personal HomeExchange use, GuestPoints are not reportable as income in Canada. Always consult a professional for your specific situation.