3-Way Home Swap: How Circular Swaps Work

What Is a Circular Home Swap?

A circular home swap — also known as a three-way swap, 3-way swap, or chain swap — is an exchange where three (or more) parties swap homes in a chain. Instead of two parties swapping directly, each party moves into someone else's home, forming a circle.

Here's how it works in practice:

• Mette lives in a 3-room flat in Vanloese and wants to move to Oesterbro
• Jonas lives in a 2-room flat in Oesterbro and dreams of Vesterbro
• Sara lives in a 4-room flat in Vesterbro and is looking for something in Vanloese

None of the three can swap directly — Mette doesn't want Vesterbro, Jonas doesn't want Vanloese, and Sara doesn't want Oesterbro. But in a circular swap, Mette moves into Jonas's flat, Jonas into Sara's, and Sara into Mette's. Everyone gets exactly what they want.

A → B → C → A. That's the core of a circular home swap.