With the success of Airbnb and home exchange programs, it was only a short time before companies began to get even more creative with their home-swap communities. Crafted as an exclusive membership for designers and visual artists such as architects, film makers, stylists, photographers, and interior designers, Behomm is an invitation-only home exchange program for those with a similar love of tasteful things and beautiful homes around the world.
To join, members must be one of 98 creative disciplines and have a superb place. Once accepted, they are afforded the comfort of a beautiful, magazine-worthy home when traveling from a fashion designer’s Danish beach cottage to a 4,300-square-foot city penthouse.
Created by graphic designers Eva Calduch and Agust Juste from Barcelona, Spain, the couple grew weary of browsing through similar sites to find homes that matched their taste levels. After finding an architect’s apartment in Minorca, they realized their search would be easier if they focused on the residences of their peers. Today, at the time of publication, the company is a little over a year-and-half old.
“Our whole house breathes our profession and Behomm allows us to experience the same thing in another culture,” shares graphic designer Carme and architect Ramon on Behomm’s website.
The site has around 1,200 members, and the first 300 were offered free lifetime memberships. Yet, the annual dues are extremely reasonable (around USD $113) considering the level of homes in the database. Those fees aren’t even due until after their free trial ends, one year from start date. And where are these houses located? Mostly in Spain and the US, but also scattered throughout the globe in places like South Africa, Brazil, Bali and Japan.
Since membership is by invitation-only, there’s a higher level of safety offered to home owners, which is essential in a residence that is most likely home to expensive and fine home furnishings. Unlike Airbnb, no money is exchanged between swappers, but rather a bartering system is set up in advance. Upon arrival, it’s not abnormal to find special treats waiting for guests.
The streamlined membership process also provides its members the opportunity to make friendships with like-minded individuals or even to begin new business ventures with said individuals. To get an invitation, you can submit a request to the founders through the site. Currently 10 to 20 percent of applicants get rejected (often because of messiness), so be sure your home is tidy, stylish and in good condition before applying.
