Ep 4: Swapping Homes and Connecting Cultures with Claire Lutton of HomeExchange

Listen to this episode to find out how HomeExchange supports its international members when swapping homes globally

In this episode, I have a special conversation with Claire Lutton, the US team lead for member support at HomeExchange, French a B Corp company. As a member myself for the past three years, it was a pleasure to delve into how this platform creates such personal and unique travel experiences. We discuss how swapping homes is not just about finding a place to stay, but about connecting with people, living like a local, and even finding support in unexpected situations.

Key Takeaways

A Personal Way to Travel: Home swapping offers a more personal and respectful alternative to hotels, allowing you to immerse yourself in a local culture and connect with your host.
More Than Just Holidays: The platform can be a vital resource for more than just travel, providing accommodation for emergencies, family reunions, or even as a temporary workspace with a change of scenery.
A Strong, Supportive Community: With a very low cancellation rate, the platform is built on a foundation of mutual respect. In the rare event of a cancellation, the support team successfully finds a replacement in over 90% of cases.
Bridging Language Gaps: HomeExchange effectively supports its global community by using integrated translation tools and a 24/7 SOS service to handle urgent issues in any language, ensuring members always feel supported. I also integrates with a very easy-to-use and helpful chatbot.

Episode Highlights

01:54: Claire shares her personal journey of moving from France to the US and how her language skills have shaped her career.
04:44: Claire discusses her own extensive experience with over 100 exchanges and hosting members in her home.
07:05: The conversation touches upon the strong friendships that can form through the platform.
10:18: Claire shares a moving personal story about using HomeExchange during a family emergency and how it led to a lasting friendship.
14:48: How the support team uses technology like translation tools and a 24/7 SOS service to assist members globally, no matter what language they speak.

About Clare Lutton and HomeExchange

Claire Lutton is the Team Lead of the Member Support Team for the US at HomeExchange. Originally from France, she has lived in the US for over two decades and has always worked in roles that utilise her bilingual skills.

Connect with HomeExchange

HomeExchange: homeexchange.com
If you’d like to sign up, feel free to use this referral code to earn some Guest Points: sonia-daeb9

About Sonia Kampshoff

Sonia is an experienced, multilingual digital marketing consultant focusing on Google Ads and advertising on social media. She works with small and medium-sized companies, agencies and charities across ecommerce and lead generation accounts, supporting them from strategy and planning all the way through optimisation and management.

Languages are integral to her identity and career, so much so that in September 2025 she created and hosts this podcast, telling stories of people who merge their language skills with the work they do – and inspiring many more to learn languages and build a career on these valuable soft skills.