juliet73

What is with AV mugging for the camera so much this episode? UGH, with the fake buyers! Again, same floorplan, same kitchen layout with same casual dining banquette, similar finishes in the bathrooms, etc as all their other homes. I didn't see a formal dining area or a main level bath. She couldn't get the ugly stove hood or the island to match that vintage "whiskey bar" cabinet? They went from a small backyard to basically a non existent one due to the unnecessary addition. I rolled my eyes when AV mentioned that people pay more for HER homes because she takes risks. Nope, she's just limiting her buyer pool, IMO. Not many people want ugly blue kitchen cabinets that you literally need a ladder to reach, no mudroom, no backyard, etc. I really don't understand why it takes $600k to remodel a house. Other shows that add floors/additions, etc do it for half that. According to the cook county recorder, the last entry for this address was 12/7/2018 and it was listed as "mortgage for $142,500." So I doubt it sold. The house across the street (4bed/4bath 3500sq ft and completely updated) sold in Oct 2018 for just barely over a million and it was on the market for almost a year.

Melbourne: The wife was beyond annoying and ditzy! She acted liked she had never seen an open concept house before. The husband could have done a lot better!

Austin: I can't see them getting married. She was awful. Stop with all the "craftsman" crap HH!!

Agree! And it looks like everybody that she overshares with doesn't care either! Once again, this reno has the same layout, etc as all of their others. Not impressed. I can see why AV would be pissed that D that didn't call her about the $30k addition fiasco because that is a lot of $$$$. But on the flip side, I don't see her calling him when she spends over $6k on an ugly vent hood! She totally overreacted about the appliances. The "fireplaces" were horrible! She should have done without or at least installed electric inserts instead of those lame candles. So the fake buyers at the end are just brought in so AV can brag about how awesome she is? The house was purchased in Dec 2017 and won't be listed until March 2019?! After watching this season and all the self inflicted problems and wasted money spent on incompetence, I have come to the conclusion that besides being greedy and having no common sense, these two have no management/leadership skills. Obviously, since they are complete morons, they need a site manger or superintendent on their jobs every.single.day. and they need to use the same dependable crew all the time. IMO, they shouldn't have any more than 2 houses going on at the same time and at different stages so they/the crews aren't overextended. Maybe a third if it's in the final stages (painting, staging, etc). Since the houses are all located in the same neighborhood, the site manager can be available for 4 hours at each house every day. And once all the "trade work" is complete, then AV should be able to take over. There is absolutely no reason for that addition to have been built incorrectly. Within a day or two (maybe sooner/later - I'm not a professional) someone (a legit super/site manager) would have noticed it was wrong. I would much rather see them not go so far over budget because of their own idiocy and see that the homes sell in a reasonable time frame at a reasonable price rather than see them tack on the overages to the sale price because of their unprofessionalism and then taken off the market because they aren't selling. I just can't wrap my brain around how they spend their money. Lose a few thousand waiting for the job to be done properly vs losing tens of thousands because it's wrong and then paying more money to have it done correctly. Same with losing a little bit of money on accepting a lower asking price vs losing a lot of money by holding on to it and taking it off the market and then probably selling it below asking anyway a few months later. The guy that does all the woodworking should have his own show. He does great work!

I find it even harder to believe that she can just up and move to a country with no job and get access to free medical care. Everything seemed really off about this episode. I can't believe she was even considering house #3! He pointed out that the elevator being broken was a concern, but what about the 100 steps she had to climb to get to the bedroom?! She wore those horrible shorts in the beginning of the episode too. Just when my eyes stopped bleeding, she appeared at the end wearing them!

I liked the show, but I didn't care for Madeline. She was written just too smug, too perfect and too happy. I liked the investigator the most. The parents were completely useless and seemed "dim" to me. I don't like Kelsey Grammar - I think he's swarmy IRL. That being said, I liked him in this. I agree with other posters though in that if every episode is going to be an inmate who was wrongly imprisoned because of KG and set free, then this show is going to get old real quick. I stopped watching Bull after 4 eps because he won every single time. I'm sure it was Brian Husband (guy who hit Levi with the baseball bat) who is the murderer. I'm curious why the law firm couldn't hire Levi to be a runner, etc. Instead a drug addict (former) who was exonerated for murder can only find a job working with children? I don't think so. As much as I like Riley Smith (Levi), he has the "Eddie Cibrian touch". Everything either one of them are in only lasts one season...if that.

I didn't like the kitchen. I don't care for the huge custom hood and no upper cabinets look. It looks unfinished. I liked the homeowners. They seemed like a fun couple. I want them to be my neighbors. Theo was super cute!

I hate hearing AV and D constantly say their homes are so unique and there isn't anything like them on the market. Because I have nothing better to do, I went to Zillow.com and put entered 5B/3ba, 5000+ sq ft in Wicker Park and Bucktown between $1 million - $2.4 million. The active listings all pretty much look the same. Same layouts - open concepts with formal LR and DR combo, kitchen with oven against the wall and the sink in the extra long island, compact casual eating area and the family room in the back. Masters have 5 pc baths and huge walk in closets and all have finished basements. Very small or non existent backyards because an addition took up all the outdoor space or it's nothing but decks. They all have similar color schemes and finishes. Even the homes that have less beds/baths and sq ft all look the same. I would think if they (or other builders/flippers/rehabbers) are renovating these smaller homes into these multi million dollar mansions, the potential buyers are going to be families. A single person or a couple with no children aren't going to be the majority looking at a 5 bedroom, 4000+ sq ft house. With that, I'm surprised at the lack of mudrooms, finished basements or family rooms with no built ins/storage for toys, etc. Small, shared bathrooms and small closets in the bedrooms and non existent grassy areas in the backyard. I can't imagine paying over $2 million dollars for a house and I can't install a playset in the backyard or my dog has no place to go to the bathroom because the yard has been eaten up by an addition and/or deck. I don't even think the Evergreen house had a main floor bathroom. If it did, they never mentioned it or showed it.

This episode was awful.

I grew up in a Chicago suburb. When people ask, I always say "outside of Chicago." Most of the time, the next question is "which suburb?" I saw nothing special or different about this reno vs the others. I liked the staircase and the herringbone floor, but I'm not impressed with AV at all and this particular home certainly doesn't warrant a $2 million + price tag. She needs to get over herself and take her stupid vent hoods with her!

Hoyne: I agree with everyone else... this house was a fail. AV needs to get over herself. She drives me mad when she brags about how original her designs are. Nope, all her homes look the same. Rectangular boxes, identical layouts, brass fixtures, gaudy vent hoods, white subway tile, unnecessary "vintage" pieces and needless additions. I understand not wanting to move walls, etc for the potential buyer since the framing was already done. However, AV didn't have to be such a b!tch to her or Donovan about it. He really needs to wash his hands of her and move on to a different partner. Hopefully, someone who is way more professional, more budget conscience, and isn't so selfish and egotistical! Onto the house...the front doors open out? And no porch overhang? So not only is her "vintage, French" door surround going to get ruined from the elements, but also visitors get to stand outside in the rain and snow. Hopefully, when the door is opened, people won't fall backwards down the porch steps because the it opens in the wrong direction. I don't understand why AV never includes a foyer in the plans. I think if she did, a coat closet wouldn't be an afterthought or non existent like in this house. The "mudroom cabinets" should have been installed near the back door, not at the opposite end of the family room. I liked the shower in the master, but everything else was meh. Considering they spent over $550k on renovations, I would have expected a lot more. This house did not say "London flat" at all. It said "I'm way overpriced with no vintage details or character left. I'm completely generic on the inside and totally ugly on the outside." The woman buyer at the end was so annoying and her overacting was just too much!

What bothers me about Connor's mom's pic on IG is it is so unrealistic. Obviously, there is some suspension of disbelief with this show, but this particular detail is just lazy writing, IMO. Yes, I believe C's mom would post it on social media just to "brag" about hooking up with a college kid. However, that picture would have been edited to show just her and Asher. Anyone or anything else that would have taken the attention off of her would have been cropped out before being posted. I'm over Gabriel and Nate. I like when the show intertwines a case of the week along with Annalise and the K5. This season seems to lack that. The eps either revolve around Miller, Gabriel, Nate or all of the above.

This was an interesting read: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.9news.com.au/article/da5ce870-38af-40d2-9ba0-913f54b310b1 So was this: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/3x8phz/kyle_brennan_murder_or_suicide/#ampf=undefined I didn't realize Shelly's mom committed suicide. Apparently, it was a "strange case." Here is an article about it: https://www.villagevoice.com/2012/01/25/the-strange-death-of-flo-barnett-mother-in-law-to-scientology-leader-david-miscavige/

The tax professor said in order to be classified as tax exempt, the religious/charitable side has to outweigh the business side and he used animal rescue as an example. We all the know the Co$ doesn't use the money they make to help the poor, needy, hungry, etc. So their charitable side is basically 0%. However, demanding that auditing be paid in advance and a small price break is offered if you buy a "package deals" is a business. Running holiday sales on auditing as Mike and Leah mentioned is a business. Having sea org members pay a "freeloader's debt" is a business. Displaying a price list is business. So their business side is 100%. I guess I'm not understanding how it ever could have been considered a charitable organization at any time during the past 60+ years. Also, I found this little tidbit on the IRS website: "The IRS may begin a church tax inquiry only if an appropriate high-level Treasury official reasonably believes, based on a written statement of the facts and circumstances, that the organization: (a) may not qualify for the exemption; or (b) may not be paying tax on unrelated business or other taxable activity. This reasonable belief must be based on facts and circumstances recorded in writing. The IRS can obtain the information supporting a reasonable belief from many sources, including but not limited to: Newspaper or magazine articles or ads, Television and radio reports, Internet web pages, Voters guides created and/or distributed by the church, Documents on file with the IRS (e.g. a Form 990-T filed by the church), Reliable information reports from concerned members of the church or the general public and Records concerning the church in the possession of third parties or informants. The IRS must derive the facts and circumstances forming the basis for a reasonable belief from information lawfully obtained. If this information is obtained from informants, it must not be known to be unreliable. Failure of the church to respond to repeated IRS routine requests for information is a factor in determining if there is reasonable cause for commencing a church tax inquiry.

Exactly! Leah mentioned in the 60 minutes segment that she had to pay an additional $300,000 for three months of auditing just because she asked where Shelly was at TC's wedding to Katie Holmes. I can guarantee no other religious organization on earth would make that type of demand!

This show has become pretty stupid. I'm at the point, where I'm only watching to read the characters nicknames on this board. Eyebrows, Caveman, Wolfman, LaRon Hubbard, Jarod referred to as Jason in some of the comments. I know there's more...

Here are clips to the recent 60 minutes episode regarding Shelly and the Co$:

I can see how it happened. Members of an actual church usually make donations or tithing, but are NOT REQUIRED to do either (correct me if I'm wrong) For the sake of easy math, if a church has 100 parishioners and each of them donates $10/week every Sunday for 50 years $520 x 50 = $26,000 x 1000 = $260,000. Keep in mind, these donations are made to help those in need, feed the poor, church upkeep/salaries, youth groups/adult classes, special events, etc. If you are unable to donate, church officials do not force you to mortgage your home, open and run up credit cards (with or without your consent), and/or spend your retirement and college savings. You can still be part of the congregation or you can voluntary leave without being harassed or shunned by your family and friends. Now from what I have watched/learned about the Co$, aside from the free "personality test", you aren't allowed to do anything until you PREPAY and it takes about $250,000+ to get to OT8. That's not counting additional funds towards constructing new buildings, having to repurchase materials "because there are too many semicolons" in the ones you already bought, any courses you have to redo for whatever BS reason, or any additional auditing you have to pay because someone wrote up on Knowledge Report on you. Again for the sake of easy math, if there are 25,000 members (which seems to be the current statistic even though DM brags there are tens of millions) and each pays the minimum of $250,000, you have $6.2 BILLION dollars. Add in all the money that people paid for a few courses and left and the millions of dollars that people like Tom Cruise, John Travolta and Nancy Cartwright (Bart Simpson), among others have donated over the years and all the money they saved by using the slave labor from the Sea Org, and you have a multi billion dollar business in a short amount of time. I'll even throw Davey a bone and say if they had 1,000,000 members and each only paid $20k, that's $20 BILLION! Keep in mind, the Co$ isn't housing the homeless in their empty buildings, helping in the aftermath of natural disasters, feeding the poor, etc. They are buying real estate and handing out $cientology fliers on 9/11.

Sherman Oaks: After a quick Google search, I found that the wife is (was) a publicist and the husband is a regional sales manager for an industrial machinery and equipment company. I really didn't care for her. She seemed disgusted at cosmetic things along with everything else. I think the realtor was over her. At least he admitted the bathroom was functional and didn't need to be gutted immediately. I thought the house was too open and there seemed to be a lot of wasted space. I liked the kitchen, but they lost a ton of storage. I didn't like the formal dining room being just a few steps away from the casual dining area. I didn't like the fireplace either. The pool still looked green and they should have budgeted for a safety gate to be installed around it. IMO, this reno had so much potential, but in the end, it had no personal style. It was cold and generic with a few trendy finishes.

Olive is an expert in symbolism now? So much so that Ben asks her for more informationinstead of, oh I don't know, using Google? Grace is still super annoying. I can't believe she or Ben didn't use a magic eraser on the front door. Not a fan of the cave man. But I think he plays well off of Michaela since both characters have the personality of a wet noodle and both of them are horrible actors.

I wanted to punch her in the throat when she blamed everyone, but herself about the "stolen" sink. I read this: "Eckhardt said a stone fireplace, three clawfoot bathtubs, stained glass art and vintage wall sconces were taken out of the home and will all be restored." Tony and Miriam Ruiz say they’re not impressed by the preservation efforts they’ve seen so far, which included witnessing original wood moldings get tossed in a Dumpster and coming home to find a hydrangea bush torn out from the parkway in front of the home, a bush that Ruiz said she would have wanted to have the opportunity to save and replant.

I don't even know where to begin with this episode! I can see why all the neighbors are pissed about what AV did. The house is a complete eyesore from the back and doesn't fit in at all anymore with the rest of homes in the area! There was absolutely no need to add that huge addition to the back! She kept saying over and over how she was staying true to the era of the home, but the only thing that stayed was the fireplace. Everything else was ripped out. She pays a lot of money for vintage doors, windows, etc. She should go to Habitat for Humanity once in a while; I'm sure she could find awesome stuff there for half the price. She'd probably find the sink that was "stolen" there. I didn't understand why so much time and money was wasted on the chicken coop. The stove hood was atrocious! The rest of the house looked like everyone other house she's done. No character, trendy finishes and overpriced/unnecessary pieces that add "character." I can't find anything online that confirms this house sold so it probably didn't. I'm not surprised though because no one is going to pay $1.3 million for a home in a $650,000 neighborhood.

I think the people that Mike wronged while he was in the Co$ are now on good terms with him is similar to how addicts/alcoholics make amends during recovery. When you look at both situations, neither were in their right frame of mind. Once you are free, whether it be from a cult or from an addiction, I think it's easier for people on both sides to understand/forgive and move on. I don't know how accurate this celebrity list is, but it was an interesting read. Towards the end, are some the perks Tom Cruise, or "TC" as he is referred to at the Co$, and other celebrities have received. http://home.snafu.de/tilman/faq-you/celeb.txt

TX ep: Buyers commented how quiet the neighborhood was at the 3rd house until they go out in the fenced in backyard that backs up to a very green forest. The husband complains how loud it is because he can hear the neighbor's air conditioner and the wife thinks the dog will be annoyed by all the "chirping bugs." In the 2nd house, the wife didn't know if she could get past the ONE red wall in the dining room! UGH! They both had the personality of wet noodles! Cincinnati: The husband seemed to complain about everything. And fyi, they do make baby gates for super wide entries. Also, the niche in the dining room of the 2nd house was probably for a buffet/china cabinet.

I hate when people walk into a formal dining room and are shocked because there is carpeting! They question why anyone would do that because of food messes. Do these people not use a plate? And eat at a table? They'll probably "entertain their guests" in there twice a year anyway so I don't get all the fuss. Also, it drives me crazy when buyers walk through an empty house and complain about how low the light fixtures are in the eating areas. Again, TABLES PEOPLE!!! And finally, when people walk through a galley or smaller sized kitchen and bitch that they won't have enough room to walk around if both the dishwasher and the oven doors are open at the same time! Why would anyone ever have an oven door open for more than a few seconds?? UGH!!!