Homes For Your Holidays

Through ThirdHome, you could unlock luxurious stays around the world with your second property. Founder WADE SHEALY explains how it works.

- By SAMANTHA FRANCIS

ThirdHome is redefining travel one luxury property at a time, thanks to American entrepreneur Wade Shealy. Through the company, members offer their vacation homes for bookings of three to seven nights—similar to private global exchanges for beachfront villas, ski chalets, and mountain retreats—and earn “keys” that act as travel credits for staying at other members’ homes.

Shealy had the idea for ThirdHome when he was working in resort real estate at Hilton Head, South Carolina, in the 1980s. Over time, he saw how clients bought vacation homes and grew bored returning to them year after year.

Since launching in 2010, ThirdHome has grown into the largest private network of luxury second homes in the world. Its portfolio consists of more than 20,000 properties in over 100 countries, with property values ranging from US$500,000 (S$642,636) to US$50 million. To date, more than 1,600 members have completed over 50,000 home exchanges.