Home exchange community
for creatives
We designed and built from scratch a private home exchange community for creatives and design lovers: invitation-only access, aesthetic curation of every home, secure internal messaging and a native mobile app.
Client
Confidential
Year
2014 – Present
Services
Strategy, UX/UI, Development, iOS App
Platforms
Web · iOS
01 — The Challenge
A niche without a product worthy of it
The Barcelona-based client wanted to create a home exchange community radically different from anything that existed: exclusive, aesthetically curated and built on real trust between its members. The target audience was designers, architects, artists and anyone with a passion for thoughtfully designed spaces.
Existing exchange platforms allowed anonymous sign-ups and applied no selection criteria to the homes listed. The client needed the opposite: an invitation-only access system that eliminated anonymous users from the outset, combined with an aesthetic evaluation process for every home before it was accepted into the community.
The product also had to solve a critical privacy challenge: enabling two strangers to negotiate a home exchange without revealing their contact details until both parties had decided to proceed. And all of this with a high-quality native mobile app, given that the target user was highly digital and mobile-first.
02 — Our Solution
A private community built on trust
We designed the platform around a fundamental principle: trust is not declared, it is built. Every product decision — from the access model to the messaging system — is oriented towards making members feel safe before, during and after the exchange.
The technical architecture combines a responsive web app with a native iOS app, both powered by the same API. The backoffice gives the client's team full autonomy to manage access requests, evaluate homes and moderate the community.
Invitation-only access
Zero anonymous sign-ups. Only members invited by the community or approved directly by the founders can join, guaranteeing authenticity from the very first step.
Aesthetic home curation
Every home goes through an evaluation process that values basic functionality, aesthetics, the creative spirit of the space and its upkeep — not its size or location.
Private internal messaging
Members communicate through an internal messaging system with email alerts. Email addresses are never visible to other users.
Simultaneous and deferred exchanges
The platform supports both simultaneous exchanges (both parties travel at the same time) and deferred ones (on different agreed dates), with an automatically generated exchange agreement.
Trust network and hospitality
Search by connections (friends of friends), "hospitality" mode to host members at home and a "Have a Coffee" feature to connect with locals during trips.
Native iOS app
A native app that replicates the full web functionality with a mobile-optimised experience: the channel that accounts for over 70% of the platform's traffic.
03 — Process
From idea to live product
Discovery & Strategy
User research, competitive analysis, definition of the invitation-only access model and design of the home evaluation system.
UX/UI & Prototyping
Premium design system, onboarding flows, internal messaging, exchange management and a navigable prototype validated with real users.
Development & QA
Iterative sprint-based development: web, iOS app, backoffice, messaging, exchange agreement system and subscription gateway.
Launch & Evolution
Private beta with first invited members, gradual rollout and continuous development of new features guided by real usage data.
04 — The Product in Detail
Every feature designed with a purpose
Invitation, not registration. Community, not directory.
Invitation-only access eliminates the anonymous-user problem at source. Every new member arrives vouched for by someone trusted within the community, or directly approved by the founders after reviewing their profile and home.
This model creates a real trust network: when you exchange with someone, you know that person has been through the same vetting process as you. The platform also includes connection-based search (friends of friends), so you can always find a shared point of reference.
Verified identity
All profiles linked to a real person, approved before gaining access
Contact network
See who connects with whom to find homes through friends of friends
Email always private
No member can see another's email. Internal messaging only
Aesthetic curation
Every home evaluated before it goes live. The criterion is space quality, not price
Exchange request
A member finds a home they like and sends a request through the internal messaging system
Private negotiation
Both parties agree on dates and terms through the messaging system, without revealing contact details
Automatic agreement
The platform generates a PDF document with the exchange details for both parties to sign
Simultaneous or deferred exchange
Members can travel at the same time or on different dates as agreed, with no restrictions on duration
The exchange process, frictionless and risk-free.
The exchange flow is designed to be as simple as possible for the user, without compromising on security. From the first request to the signed agreement, everything happens inside the platform.
There is no financial transaction between members: the exchange is always free between the parties. Each covers their own utility costs during the stay, and the only recurring cost is the annual platform subscription.
A business model with impact beyond the platform.
From the very beginning of the business model design, the client wanted a portion of profits to have a charitable destination. We built into the platform architecture the traceability needed for the team to calculate and communicate this contribution to their community.
This philanthropic commitment, embedded from the start as part of the value proposition, reinforces the premium positioning and the community's values: travelling differently, connecting with like-minded people and contributing to something bigger.
"From day one we were clear that a part of what we generated had to go towards something that truly mattered."
The client directed a percentage of profits towards supporting sustainable development projects led by local communities, aligned with the UN 2030 Development Goals.
05 — Tech Stack
Technologies used
We selected each technology seeking the right balance between development speed, long-term scalability and operational cost.
Frontend & App
- React
- Swift (native iOS)
- TypeScript
- Tailwind CSS
Backend & Database
- Node.js
- PostgreSQL
- Redis
- REST API
Infrastructure & Services
- AWS (ECS, RDS, S3)
- Stripe (subscriptions)
- APNs (iOS push)
- Algolia (search)
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