Show HN: Swaphouse – Free home swapping for remote workers
swaphouse.ioWe built Swaphouse as a side project to help remote workers swap homes for free, instead of paying for hotels or Airbnbs.
Every home listed is remote work-friendly (reliable Wi-Fi, dedicated workspaces), and matching is based on mutual interest via a swipe system (like a dating app, but for homes).
It’s 100% free. We’re two people, bootstrapped, working on this during nights and weekends. Would love any feedback or ideas.
I like the idea, but it being free is actually not great in this situation. If I am going to swap homes with a stranger, I'd rather there be some kind of gate to make sure they are serious. I'd also rather that you guys just handled the $25 insurance for every visit, so it is a constant, not an option I would need to deal with. I'd rather pay $50/visit and a membership fee to improve safety than have it be free. That still is way better for me than a hotel, and give you all a little bit of revenue.
I worry a bit about crime as well. With no vetting of the users, what stops someone from setting up a fake profile, getting someone to show up a specific time and place, and then doing who knows what to them? Even if that is an edge case, it is a really serious edge case.
Thanks for bringing this up. This is exactly why we partnered with Truvi. They offer optional home swap damage protection (max $25 per swap) and also screen your guest before swapping to minimize risks. More info: https://swaphouse.io/damage-protection-truvi
It’s entirely optional, so if you want that extra peace of mind, you can go for it. That said, it ultimately just needs to feel good as well. We always recommend really getting to know the people you’re swapping with — having a video call for a virtual intro and house tour, and meeting face-to-face for the key exchange. The damage protection is a great extra layer if you want it.
Appreciate the feedback!