Kirst Irvine has transformed her dating life thanks to a little-known house-sharing app that has allowed her to spend up to a month at a time dipping her toes in multiple cities
A woman who was left frustrated by her local dating pool has decided to spice up her love life by hatching a sophisticated home-trading scheme that has taken her across Europe.
Kirst Irvine, 40, from Newcastle, moved to Edinburgh more than a decade ago after living in London, but has found the Scottish capital’s dating scene lacking. She said she ended up having to “cross-check” with her single friends to ensure they weren’t dating each other’s exes, and likened the city to a “village”.
Instead of accepting a less-than-ideal love life, the Geordie decided to up sticks and indulge in a European tour, and she has participated in a host of once-in-a-lifetime experiences thanks to a home-sharing site. She credits HomeExchange for allowing her to enjoy moonlit Vespa rides through Paris, spontaneous margarita dates, and cosy home-cooked meals.
Kirst told Edinburgh Live she spends up to a month at a time abroad using the app – which facilitates home swaps overseas – dipping her toes in multiple European cities while sharing her two-bedroom, two-bathroom flat. She uses her time abroad to explore new dating horizons while working, allowing her to keep life “varied and lively”.
She said: “You should try to increase the surface area for serendipity. I’m meeting more people, I’m expanding my community, and while I don’t want to be single at this age, I’ve found the tools to keep life varied and lively, experience living in new places and build a life I really like.
“It keeps life interesting.” Kirst started her journey by swapping her Edinburgh flat for a similar London property for a few weeks in July 2023. She moved on to Paris for a fortnight in October 2023, and then enjoyed a two-week trip to Lisbon in March 2024, followed by a week in Amsterdam in July, and month in Berlin in September.
While staying in European cities, Kirst said she uses a mix of Hinge and Bumble to organise dates, some of which have proven unforgettable. During a first date in Paris, she was picked up by a man on a Vespa and whisked through the city’s streets before they stopped for wine.
She said: “That was pretty magical. Even though the actual date itself wasn’t amazing, that will stay with me. Vespas have featured quite heavily in my dating abroad – a guy I dated in Berlin for a month had a Vespa and we spent weekends hopping on and off, a coffee here, a beer there.
“I dated a guy who picked me up in his Tesla and we went for margaritas on a Thursday night, I’ve been cooked for in people’s homes, it’s been fun. Being British and blonde – even though it’s by no means exotic – you do stand out a bit.” Her new dating life is a sight different from what she experienced in Edinburgh, she added, which occasionally saw friends going out with someone another person slept with “a couple of years ago”.
She said: “You see the same faces over and over again and you also have to cross-check with your other single girlfriends. You can be out for brunch with a girlfriend and say you’re going out with a guy next week, but they’ve slept with him a couple of years ago or they’ve crossed paths – the dating pool is quite small.”
But they aren’t always perfect, as some of her experiences have been unusual, Kirst said, adding: “In Berlin, I went on a date with a guy who came on really strong and bought me dark chocolates because he said we could use them for an aphrodisiac later… he did not achieve his aim.
“There’s also a really famous spa in Germany called Vabali and because it’s Europe, you don’t wear swimwear. One guy suggested we go native and go there for our first date. I’m pretty bold but not that bold. While I’m up for fun dates, I also keep in mind my safety and ultimately I’m looking to meet someone more serious.”
