Londoners Brian and Catriona Luckhurst created the Home Exchange 50plus website to make it possible for older adults to travel inexpensively around the world by swapping homes with each other. Photo courtesy of Brian Luckhurst

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Some years ago, Londoners Brian and Catriona Luckhurst were looking for an inexpensive way to vacation in Brittany, France. With young children, the cost of traveling and lodging was too high. Their solution? Swap homes with someone who wanted to vacation in London.

“We swapped our four-bedroom, semi-detached house in Twickenham in west London for a six-bedroom detached house in a rural location in Brittany,” said Brian Luckhurst. They stayed for two weeks, and shared the home with another family during the third week, another potential option for exchangers.

Another couple, Jane and Alan Shakesshaft, have exchanged over 20 times in order to visit the U.S., Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Spain and France. They have found an additional plus to exchanges: “We seem to ‘inherit’ their friends and families, getting invited for meals, trips out, picnics, etc.,” they said of their exchange partners.

The fact that the site is limited to older adults also has its benefits. Many of the site’s users are already retired or working part-time. They therefore have more time to go on vacation, and more flexible dates to travel, offering a larger pool of potential vacation dates and making it easier to schedule exchanges throughout the year.

User John Mensinger says he appreciates the site’s clientele because they “don’t need to take vacations in the summer.” He ended up swapping his California home for a spring vacation on the island of Cyprus. The island was filled with “wildflowers complementing the ancient Greek and Roman ruins and accompanied by the fabulous vistas of the Mediterranean,” he described.

“We enjoyed visiting small wineries, walking in the countryside, and eating tasty and fresh local food, both at home and at tavernas. Our exchange home had a pool and views of the Mediterranean. It was impeccably clean and comfortable,” Mensinger recalled.

For more information, visit www.homeexchange50plus.com. A one-year membership on the website costs $45; a two-year membership is $70, and five years costs $125. Members pay no fees to homeowners when they exchange homes. Registration is required before you can contact other members.