Real Estate Shows: Different Shows, Same Storylines

[Gam2]

Oh good grief. What kind of genius even thinks of a show like that and what kind of geniuses give it the green light? We're going to hell in a hand basket, for sure. 

[MelinaBallerina]

Yay!  We bought the Farm is back!  So far, most everything has been in the northeast, but I'm hoping for a Texas or west show soon.  I've got my land (18 acres), so this show gives me ideas of how to situate the house, barn and pastures. Most of the episodes have people actually looking for farm sized land, but the ones that go for less than 5 acres REALLY have no business calling it a FARM.  

[MortysCleaningLady]

On ‎6‎/‎19‎/‎2017 at 6:55 AM, MelinaBallerina said:

Yay!  We bought the Farm is back!  So far, most everything has been in the northeast, but I'm hoping for a Texas or west show soon.  I've got my land (18 acres), so this show gives me ideas of how to situate the house, barn and pastures. Most of the episodes have people actually looking for farm sized land, but the ones that go for less than 5 acres REALLY have no business calling it a FARM.  

They just aired a North Carolina episode, but I hated the couple.   I'm always a bit suspicious of people who know nothing about farming jumping in with both feet.   Start with plants, add in chickens or bees and then move to livestock unless you have direct experience -- I have two tomatoes  and a shih Tzu, so I am probably dead wrong.

[MelinaBallerina]

Gotta be careful with chickens.  I started with 15 for fly control in the horse pens.  Now I have 60!!!  They're addicting. ;)  

Log Home Living is pretty good, too, but I get tired of 1 million + budgets.  I don't care how the rich live.  I want to see houses in my range.  It's better for ideas.

[Jaded]

HGTV is showing new episodes of Love It or List It, Too at 9am and 10am in the morning. They did today anyway. 

[MelinaBallerina]

So, FYI/AE is finally airing the episodes from season 3 of Unplugged Nation (a year later)  Figures.  I'm actually living in the boonies now and only have internet, not cable, so I can't watch without paying for a subscription.  Gosh darn it!!!!

[magdalene]

I wasn't sure where to post this - is anybody else watching Netflix "The Worlds Most Extraordinary Homes"?  There are some amazing modern homes in this British documentary, with the most gorgeous views and vistas. 

Often I think the very rich can have just as much atrocious taste as the rest of us but these homes ......wow, I am envious.

[CrazyInAlabama]

The one of the We Bought the Farm (I think that's what it was on) was the second season seemed to be very few episodes, but several of them were the type of people who move to the countryside to show everyone else who's farmed for generations how to do everything better.    The woman in Pennsylvania that wanted to grow lavender, and have a business was so unprepared for farm life, and I'm sure she will be sitting in air conditioned comfort, directing her minions while they do the work.   They'll also be selling that place in a couple of years.     She should have bought a huge greenhouse, and then she could have controlled the crop better.      I hate the ones (just like on House Hunters) where they want vintage, historic houses, with the open concept, blinged out kitchen, full master suite with spa bathroom, and big closets.       I bet the reality of vintage homes is a big shock to a lot of these people.      

I used to live near Washington, D.C. and there were a lot of realtors that sold properties to people who commuted to DC from the Shenandoah Valley, Gettysburg, and other places where they will easily spend hours a day commuting.     The same realtors usually got the listing when the buyers got sick of expensive fix ups on their historic homes, and the life crushing commute.   

[blueray]

On 9/23/2018 at 7:59 PM, magdalene said:

I wasn't sure where to post this - is anybody else watching Netflix "The Worlds Most Extraordinary Homes"?  There are some amazing modern homes in this British documentary, with the most gorgeous views and vistas. 

Often I think the very rich can have just as much atrocious taste as the rest of us but these homes ......wow, I am envious.

I saw some of this. However I couldn't stand the hosts. They were really annoying. The houses were cool though.

[Writing Wrongs]

My favorite house hunting show is the UK Escape To The Country. I would have a hard time picking a place, because everywhere looks so beautiful. I love all the different types of styles and locations.

[Spunkygal]

15 hours ago, Writing Wrongs said:

My favorite house hunting show is the UK Escape To The Country. I would have a hard time picking a place, because everywhere looks so beautiful. I love all the different types of styles and locations.

I love that show, too, and Netflix also has Escape to the Continent which is also great. I just stumbled on it today. Episode 1 was in France and, wow, every property, view and village were gorgeous. We were told in the update at the end that the couple bought a house in one of the villages, but not one of the houses shown. Episode 2 was in Austria, and while the views were amazing, the houses weren’t that great. Hope you can see this show sometime!

[Writing Wrongs]

I also found I Escaped to the Country, which revisits people from the original show to see how they are doing.

[hoosier80]

Bored tonight, so started watching First Time Flippers.  Good grief.  I had to turn the channel as some moron decided he knew how to install a countertop by watching a how-to video.  His partner was concerned, but let him go ahead and cut though the material for the hole for the sink.  I just couldn't watch it, as I knew it'd be a total cluster.  There was an episode before that one where the two women flippers at least knew when to call in contractors; they started trying to hang expensive cabinets and then one said, nope, we're not ruining these cabinets - stop - I'm finding a contractor.

So I surf around and I found Buying Alaska on some random channel (part of Discovery I think?).  As I'm watching, I'm like nah, I could never live there, at least not in these homes.  A  freaking outhouse?  No way.  I get irritated enough when I have to get up to go to my bathroom during the night.  I cannot even fathom going out to an outhouse, especially when there could be bears (or whatever else) could be out there, too.  And what if you are sick?  And you want to walk out there in the winter?  While I think we can all get too materialistic, I still like my electric, heat, and indoor plumbing.  And for those homeowners with kids, where in the world do they go to school? And seeing all the wood stoves, what if you had a fire or another emergency?  Again, a hard pass for me.  Maybe a vacation visit would be nice, but that would be it.

[CrazyInAlabama]

Did anyone see the HGTV show with the woman who grew up in a polygamous family, helping another polygamous family decided to either fix up the current house, or buy a new one?    I didn't even get the name of it.       Way too much talk about sleeping arrangements, and totally boring otherwise.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I just ran across a new show (at least to me).   Million Dollar House Hunters, on FYI.    It's on Thursday night from 10 eastern/ 9 central, two half hour episodes.    I watched the one they said was in Palm Springs, but all three houses were actually at Tradition Golf Course, in Ultima, I guess it's part of Palm Springs.     I can't imagine having a $4.5 million budget for a house.  

[chessiegal]

17 minutes ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I just ran across a new show (at least to me).   Million Dollar House Hunters, on FYI.    It's on Thursday night from 10 eastern/ 9 central, two half hour episodes.    I watched the one they said was in Palm Springs, but all three houses were actually at Tradition Golf Course, in Ultima, I guess it's part of Palm Springs.     I can't imagine having a $4.5 million budget for a house.  

Or having that much money and wanting to be on a TV show.

[CrazyInAlabama]

But if you go house shopping for a $4.5 million house, but don't go on TV, you won't show the poor people like us what we're missing out on.     I did enjoy the houses though.   

Edited June 22, 2019 by CrazyInAlabama

[suebee12]

Did anyone else catch the show about choosing whether to live in the City or in the Burbs? A young couple were picking out their first home in the Nashville area. She wanted to live in the city and he wanted the burbs with more room. They looked at two small condos with around 700 sq feet of space and then looked at two houses in the country...well, sorta' the country! The one they chose was about 20 miles outside of Nashville and was quite roomy and really nice. The second Burb choice was the one that caught my eye. It was in East Nashville and I really wondered if the Nashville Flippers had done it. I didn't recognize the house but it sure had a lot of things in it that DeRon and Paige do in their flips. Anyone else see this show?

[Vivigirl10]

I watched an episode of Impossible Listing last night.  Commenting here as I don't see a specific thread for it.  The focus was on a mansion in Palm Springs that needed to be brought out of the 80's and have the long-grown kids rooms removed.  I did like it for the real estate porn!  But then the show also seems to focus on the real estate group in typical reality show fashion.  The owner, Aaron, seemed to me to want to present himself as some sort of zen master, when in reality he's a drama queen running around like a chicken with his head cut off.  He accused one of his other agents, Arvin, of pushing him out of his own deal.  It was so glaringly obvious that Arvin thought he was either being helpful or showing Aaron what he was capable of.  Arvin was smart enough to grovel and apologize at the feet of Aaron, who then seemed to acknowledge his original intent (like a light bulb went off - duh).  I'll watch again for the real estate but have a feeling the "characters" may quickly grow tiresome.  

Edited to add: I watched another episode and Aaron didn't grate on me as much.  Now I'm more worried about the presence of "the Hoff's" daughter...yikes...

Edited February 14, 2020 by Kiki620
Watched another episode.

[2727]

2 hours ago, Kiki620 said:

I did like it for the real estate porn!  But then the show also seems to focus on the real estate group in typical reality show fashion.

The fake office meetings and pep talks are awful. I've been watching it on mute with CC because I can't stand Aaron's voice* but still like seeing the transformations. I was surprised they managed to shift the house with all the marble statuary, even with the significant price drop and restaging.

I have enjoyed Unsellable Houses with the twin sisters. They do nice work and have an interesting business model of paying for the renovations and then splitting any excess profit with the sellers.

 

 

* I'm a former speech/language pathologist so the full on vocal fry probably bothers me more than most.

Edited February 13, 2020 by 2727

[CrazyInAlabama]

I watched Listing Impossible, just to see the expensive estates.    Also, to see how bad some of the owner's taste is.       I guess this is gone for a while, or forever, since I don't see it listed on CNBC's schedule now.    

[Irlandesa]

I watched Impossible Listing for the expensive house porn I want, but don't get, from My Lottery Dream Home.

I hope they do another season not only because of the gorgeous homes but because it's a changeup from most real estate shows about selling.  Normally, the "heroes" (designers) come in and do a cool reno or staging of the home and then the real estate agent tells them that the value has increased more than they spent on those renovations.  And then they can go buy an even more expensive next house.

But with IL, most of the owners have their houses priced higher than the market dictates. IL still has its formula but it's not the same one that all the other shows tend to use.

 

[CrazyInAlabama]

They're reshowing "Selling New York" with the Gumley, Kraft, Kleier Real Estate company, CORE, and Warburg.    This must be really old, because I haven't seen this show in quite a while.  I really missed this show too.    

It originally ran from 2010-2014.   

Edited March 26, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[Razzberry]

I used to watch Love it or List It, but got tired of there always being some major unexpected problem that wasn't budgeted for.  I guess that's there way of adding suspense or excitement, but it just annoyed me.

I like that flipper show in Texas where they buy like $500. houses at auction that have to be moved.

Buying Alaska is pretty good, but I have to wonder how long the wives stick around after a couple years of snow, short days, isolation, and interminable fishing.

Saw a show about million dollar RVs that were awesome, but talk about depreciation!  These buyers had money to burn.

 

[CrazyInAlabama]

"Sell This House" (or something like that title). was on again this morning.   Both set in New Jersey (one was Cherry Hill).    The second one with the nurse who had three grown daughters and was selling the home to move was hysterical.    Her house had all kind of stuff sitting around, the decorating was full of cutesy stuff, zebra curtains, all kinds of things laying around.   Nothing had been painted in years, and I wouldn't even have looked at it.     At least the host did a real back splash with tile (even though I don't think it went with the counter tops, and repainted cabinets at all-I would have put a textured white or off white subway, not the shiny beige they used), and did a decent job.  (The preceding episode used peel and stick tile over the current back splash).      The woman kept having meltdowns, and interfering with the work.    Both A&E episodes were new, because they wore masks, and talked about Covid.      They did mention that places in suburbs are now selling very well, due to the exodus from the cities. 

I think sometimes the networks buy the rights to do the first run of a series, and then the producers sell to other networks after that.  

Edited October 22, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[Kemper]

Is Sell This House the one that had Roger and Tonya?  Where he would put sheets over everything?  If it is, and the episodes are new, have they changed hosts?

[CrazyInAlabama]

It's just Tanya, and a bunch of crafts people, and stagers.    Yes, the A&E ones on Saturday mornings are new.   I think they show them on FYI or DIY sometimes too (I think they're all part of the same cable group).    Roger left the show before it ended years ago (2003-2011), and they had another designer, then the show disappeared (at least as far as I know).   Roger had an online furniture, and design website.   Sometimes, they used to stage and design celebrity houses too in the first batch of shows

Part of the staging on the 2020 season is to make sure that potential buyers can look at great pictures.   

I used to laugh when I saw Roger make a bed or table out of cardboard boxes, and sheets.  

Then it came back with Tanya this year.     

Edited October 22, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[chessiegal]

13 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

Yes, the A&E ones on Saturday mornings are new.   I think they show them on FYI or DIY sometimes too (I think they're all part of the same cable group). 

DIY is part of Discovery channels, not A&E.

Quote

A+E Networks® is a collection of culture brands that includes A&E®, HISTORY®, Lifetime®, LMN™, FYI,™, Vice TV and BIOGRAPHY®. 

 

[ParadoxLost]

On 3/27/2020 at 5:34 PM, Razzberry said:

I used to watch Love it or List It, but got tired of there always being some major unexpected problem that wasn't budgeted for.  I guess that's there way of adding suspense or excitement, but it just annoyed me.

I always thought that there was no real question in that show on if they were going to love it or list it.  The major surprise that ended with them not getting some of the major things they wanted was the sellers who were going to list and the major issue that had be fixed was always the reason they did pre-selling remodeling and the surprise is totally feigned.  Those that have a more minor set back are the ones never intending to list it.

On 10/17/2020 at 12:41 PM, CrazyInAlabama said:

"Both A&E episodes were new, because they wore masks, and talked about Covid.      They did mention that places in suburbs are now selling very well, due to the exodus from the cities. 

The last time Million Dollar listing New York had a season in a real estate downturn was overly dramatic.  I wonder if they will spend it lamenting the mass exodus or if they will branch out to the higher end suburbs.

[friendperidot]

Someone above mentioned Escape to the Country. I love this show, I've watched it quite a bit, on DABL, on Roku and I think Prime too. I love the scenery of where they look, I love that they don't want space for "entertaining" and then cut a stalk of celery or a carrot at then end. They don't have to be escrow, in fact many times they don't buy any of the houses. I love the reception rooms that all the houses have, I love that bedrooms are doubles or singles or master. I love that so many of the houses are converted from something else. I love that when they say something like, this is a rather new build, from the 1930s because if it's old, that means 300 or 400 years old but updated in the 1970s or the 1980s. 

I watched Sell This House on it's first run through many years ago, and enjoyed it briefly again, but I got so tired of the "people don't know what this space is for" nonsense. According to this show, house buyers are extremely stupid, they cannot decide for themselves what a room is for or see beyond the paint color. It just irritates me and I dislike all the stupid white sheets. I get the decluttering and cleaning, but the open house viewers just gush over the most stupid things. I think they are recruited to say the nastiest bs they can think of in the first viewing and then gush over the changes.

[CrazyInAlabama]

So Clinton Kelly's new show (I'm assuming it's going to be on the Discovery streaming service after tonight's preview) is Self-Made Mansions.   On the premiere episode he is showing huge houses to two couples from Shark Tank, (Cut Buddy, and Keto Cookies-Cookie Department), and I just noticed he's calling the "master" bedroom, the "Primary".      He might have done that on the first half of the episode with the Cut Buddy couple, but I just noticed it with the second.      

[Scout Finch]

I was just looking at dollhouses and came across this one. The seller is asking $495 because it's apparently from the early 1900s but that seems like an awful lot to pay because whoever buys it is going to have some major reno costs. Of course, it will need a "total gut job!" 😁

 

Edited January 5, 2021 by Scout Finch
I should entertain myself further by writing real estate listings for dollhouses!

[Vivigirl10]

Has anyone watched "One Week to Sell" on HGTV?  I half watched one episode and another one in its' entirety.  I probably should try again before forming too much of an opinion.  Something about the designer, Taylor, rubbed me the wrong way.  I was surprised to read that she and her friend/cohort graduated High School in 2001.  I would have pegged her to be a 24 year old know-it-all right out of college with her liberal arts degree.  Not a woman in her upper thirties.  She just seemed way too pleased with herself.  She also seemed to like to show all her little minoins running around how fabulous and knowledgeable she was.

As with most of these shows, her choices were hit or miss.  Yes, she did have some wins and nice ideas/improvements.  Others appeared a little bit "lipstick on a pig".  For example, putting thin, stick-on linoleum squares over an existing kitchen floor and insisting on calling them "tiles".  She was also way too hyped about the salvaged pieces of furniture she redid.  One was a buffet type table she supposedly found on the curb.  Pretty lines, good shape.  She slapped some white paint on it, called it "custom" and presented it as the most original thing ever created.  In another house, she painted her childhood dresser teal and acted like she was gifting the new owners some family jewel.   

[CrazyInAlabama]

The Clinton Kelly show on HGTV "Self-Made Mansions" must have filmed their first episode/pilot a while ago.   In that one he only had one couple on, Strikepoint media, and they had a huge budget, but he called the "Primary" bedroom the Master in that one.     

I've enjoyed the different episodes, but I find that sometimes I like one couple a lot more than the other.   I really liked the Cut Buddy couple, but some others haven't seemed to nice.    That couple seemed so ice, and were so happy that they could afford a lovely home, and have room to run the business inventory from the massive drive out basement.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I loved last Friday's episode of Self-Made Mansions.   Both couples had decent budgets, and loved their products.  The Kwik-Hang no drill curtain bracket looked wonderful, the Sharks on Shark Tank should have invested in them.    I really liked the couple too, and I like that they did a custom build.     Their kids were so cute, and seemed to be very nice. 

The Cup Board Pro kids are doing so well.   I love that they're sticking together, and wanted a home to stay together.          I really liked the changes they made to the house.   I figured that the third house was the one they owned, after I saw the missing flooring, and renovations.   

I guess that was the last new episode, and this Wednesday morning they're having a marathon, and then another one at the end of March.  

Edited February 14, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[Vivigirl10]

Watched what I believe was the pilot of Farmhouse Fixer last night on HGTV.  I loved seeing Jon Knight!  He seems so likeable with a great personality.  I will definitely tune in again.  I'd like to see more examples of what his designer does before I form an opinion on her work.  I did not like that she painted the staircase entirely one color. I liked the color and a majority would likely have been fine, but it needed a little something else.  Maybe I was surprised that the color extended to the entire exposed wall of the staircase.  Jon's secret project of the chicken coop complete with chicken wallpaper was so adorable!  I did wonder about the longevity of wallpaper in that environment?   Overall, seems like a fun show.

I have to admit, I'm not at all a fan of the overdone, modern farmhouse style of decorating.  I'd be curious how someone would grade the result that is a fan.  I also missed the very beginning when they knocked down an entire portion of the house and a barn.  It sounded like there were some major structural issues so I'm hoping that was the case and not just an excuse to build new.  

[Dawn]

On 3/4/2021 at 12:03 PM, Kiki620 said:

Watched what I believe was the pilot of Farmhouse Fixer last night on HGTV.  I loved seeing Jon Knight!  He seems so likeable with a great personality. 

I had no idea the host was Jon Knight until I started watching it! I was shocked, and delighted that he seems like such a decent, down-to-earth, skilled guy. (I was in junior high when Hangin' Tough came out, so prime age for NKOTB fandom.) 

I mostly liked the outcome, but I agree about the staircase; I wish they had kept the posts white, at least, and/or maybe added a runner. (Every time I see a painted wood staircase, all I can think about is how quickly that paint will get dirty and worn off by the foot traffic.) I also didn't love the ceiling in the living room. The beams would have been nice by themselves, but the whole thing being all that old wood just felt dark and heavy and barn-like in a bad way, IMO. That chicken wallpaper in the coop was so freaking cute! 

On 3/4/2021 at 12:03 PM, Kiki620 said:

I also missed the very beginning when they knocked down an entire portion of the house and a barn.  It sounded like there were some major structural issues so I'm hoping that was the case and not just an excuse to build new.  

Yes, the part they knocked down was a later addition (still old, but more late 1800s) and basically had no foundation under it -- just some rotting wood beams, and a crumbling rock wall. The whole thing sloped horribly, including one door that had about a 3-inch gap between the door and the top frame on one corner (but was basically level with the frame on the other corner). It was bad, and they really had no choice. But they matched the look well with the new build, which I appreciated.

[Vivigirl10]

Interesting to hear that they have new episodes of Sell This House.  I've been catching the original episodes on a channel that seems to be showing a lot of throw-back series, like Nanny 911 (I'll have to pay attention to what the channel is called).  I had forgotten how Roger loved to pick shocking paint colors.  In one episode he painted this God awful paneling a booger green color.  I can't imagine that simply taking the paneling down would have been that much of a cost (it ran around the room like wainscotting).  Instead, they called attention to it and not only was it ugly, it was in horrible shape.  In another episode, he painted an entire Boston condo purple and lilac.  That's going to appeal to the general public?  Sometimes it's so stupid to watch it hurts.  But for some reason, I've always found the show entertaining!

[CrazyInAlabama]

HGTV "Happily Whatever"  a limited series I imagine.   It's for house hunters who work remotely, and can live anywhere.  They want to either downsize a little from their current vintage huge house.      Nice couple with two kids, live in Cincinnati, OH, and look at a possible house there, that is interesting, but quirky.

A work in progress in Orlando, FL. with a pool, and a great yard.  $800k  I hope they get a pool fence.   But the inside is mid renovation in several rooms. 

Third house is Savannah, GA.   $775k 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, 6200 sq. ft.  I'm not thrilled about second floor bedrooms with doors onto the balcony for little kids. 

They pick the Orlando house.  

[Kemper]

On 5/7/2021 at 9:55 PM, CrazyInAlabama said:

HGTV "Happily Whatever"  a limited series I imagine.   It's for house hunters who work remotely, and can live anywhere.  They want to either downsize a little from their current vintage huge house.      Nice couple with two kids, live in Cincinnati, OH, and look at a possible house there, that is interesting, but quirky.

A work in progress in Orlando, FL. with a pool, and a great yard.  $800k  I hope they get a pool fence.   But the inside is mid renovation in several rooms. 

Third house is Savannah, GA.   $775k 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, 6200 sq. ft.  I'm not thrilled about second floor bedrooms with doors onto the balcony for little kids. 

They pick the Orlando house.  

So is this basically House Hunters with a twist? Would never imagine anything like that coming.🤓

[CrazyInAlabama]

It reminds me a lot of the show that was on HGTV for a while, where the people chose from buying a house in their current city, and considered one or two in the new city.      I liked this version of it, with the original city, and two more cities, I wonder if they'll change it up next episode?   They often like to do that, and I'm guessing that was the pilot episode.     

Happily Wherever-Currently in L.A., Shayla & Toby are so adorable.  They met at a Shakespeare play.    $2480 a month rent in their current L.A. home, in just 700 sq. ft.    Their budget is 600k or under, 4 bed 2 bath 3,000 sq. ft.   with a meditation room or area.   

House 1-L.A. 2 bed 1 bath 744 sq. ft., $599,999. Silver Lake.  Nice, redone kitchen.    Tiny living room, bedrooms are small,  Close to her family, they didn't show the bathroom, no real yard.   

House 2-Littleton,  CO.  2 car garage, beautiful, 550k, 4 bed/4 bath, 2700 sq. ft., solar panels, beautiful up to date living and kitchen. with a finished basement, with egress windows on the basement bedrooms.   Main bedroom is huge, bathroom is lovely, upper deck is great, back yard is huge.  (House goes under contract.  so I'm sure that if they really want that one, it will miraculously come back on the market.) 

They go to Garden of the Gods, in Colorado Springs.    It's amazing, and it's a must see if you go to that area.   (I lived in the Springs for 7 years). 

Rental house, # 3-Castle Rock, CO- bed bath  sq. ft. 2 bed 2 bath, full sized washer/dryer in unit,  $2,000 a month rent.   (I used to live in Colorado Springs, and I love Castle Rock).    Main bath is lovely, and closet is big.   Just rent for 6 months or a year, see what cities you like, and if you can stand the weather.    

I like the idea of renting in Colorado for a while. 

They pick the Colorado 1 bed 1 bath rental for 1600 a month.  That was a great idea, they can look around, see if Castle Rock will work for them, and if they can stand a winter in Colorado.  I think the real reason they would move back to California is if the wife doesn't want to be that far from her family.   Or like people I knew when I lived there, one family member moves, and everyone else visits, and falls in love with the area, and moves.

Edited May 16, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[SunnyBeBe]

Is this the correct thread for a HGTV show called Home Again with The Fords. Brother Sister return to their hometown Pittsburg to renovate client’s childhood homes. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

Happily Whenever-the couple, Eiman & MIchael, and son Zeyd,  live in NYC now,   Budget $800k, 3 bed, 2 bath.    They live in a 1200 sq. ft. apartment in NYC, rented for $5,000 a month.   She's a singer, he's a businessman.  

NYC-Condo with doorman, Upper West Side, 2 bed, 2 bath, $850k 1,000 sq. ft. Updated kitchen, living room has no windows. it's first floor, no views.    The son would get the bigger bedroom.  

Beacon NY (Hudson Valley) -townhouse, $750k,, over 2,000 sq. ft. 3 bed 2.5 bath, great kitchen, living/dining area.  huge main bedroom, giant walking closet , huge en suite bath.  They don't mention HOA costs either.    

 Nashville-single family house, $365k on two acres,    3 bed 1.5 bath 1900 sq. ft.     The wife wants chickens, cows. (husband mentions she's afraid of birds).   She's already talking about putting a big bath tub in the main bath room.   

They choose the house in Nashville.    I'm shocked.  I thought the Hudson Valley one was going to be it.   I predict they'll be back in NY within a year. 

(As far as I can tell, this was only a three episode run.   The two men deciding between Cincinnati, Savannah, and Florida,  then the couple deciding between Colorado and California, and the NYC-Nashville episode).

Edited May 22, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[CrazyInAlabama]

Happily Whenever-

They're actually running new episodes on HGTV late on Thursday nights.

Last night was kind of boring.   The couple were moving in together, her family's in Iowa, so they looked at an urban townhouse, no outside space.

Second place was another city in Iowa, outside of the city, with a great view.  However, no fence to keep their two dogs in, I think a new build, and close to the woman's relatives.

Third house was a huge house in Houston, near his relatives, but a very small back yard.   They picked the one with the view, on almost two acres in Iowa.     I wonder what happens when they let the two dogs out, and they disappear?   

Next Thursday is another L.A. based couple, and supposed to be new. 

[pep4]

Happily Wherever tonight, LA-Palm Springs-Phoenix:  I'm shocked they would be able to get that much for $600k in LA.  Mid-City is a nice neighborhood, no?

And I'm pretty sure they filmed this during the pandemic, based on how far the realtors kept their distance.

[CrazyInAlabama]

My guess is that they did on Happily Wherever is just like the other real estate shows, they already bought the Phoenix house, and the Palm Springs house and L.A. condo were decoys.   I wonder if the L.A. condo was that price, or just part of the story line?  

I figured that the Phoenix house was it, when the wife kept mentioning how close her relatives lived.     I liked the Palm Springs house, but after seeing the median age was mid-50's, the couple wouldn't buy there.   The biggest issue I had with the Phoenix house was that there were stairs everywhere.   However, that house did have the pool, and the grass in the back yard, so I figured that would be their pick. 

Edited June 4, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[CrazyInAlabama]

Sell This House.   On Saturday mornings either 9-10 am Central, or 10-11 am Central, on A&E.    They show reruns from FYI, that air on Saturday or sometimes Friday evenings.     The newer ones are in Georgia, the first season was the NJ, area mostly.     

 I'm watching the Grey in Georgia episode, in Marietta, where the house has stuff on every surface.  Wife has a brain tumor, so renovations stopped.    I'm getting tired of everything getting painted trendy colors, including the stone back splash in the kitchen.  Yes, they painted a stone back splash.   Mostly the house needed the clutter cleaned out, and basic maintenance.   

Every episode at least one wall gets wallpaper, and they swap the seller's furniture with trendy staging furniture.     

There was another episode from this season, also in Georgia, where the wife's parents died at least three years ago. They had a huge house, but it was full of stuff, including a massive amount of furniture.   After three estate sales, the house was still full of stuff everywhere.    The couple should have donated everything left over after three estate sales, and I wonder if they brought in an estate sale company, or did their own sales?    The house looked so much better after they cleared out a lot of furniture, and all of the collected stuff from the parents.   The daughter and husband should have called an auction company in to sell everything, and empty the house.    

The couple moving from Roswell, GA to San Francisco amazes me.    Pfiffer and Corey moved to Roswell, from Atlanta, and now are moving on.    Why don't people clear out personal stuff, and excess furniture before listing?    So the fix by the show is change out classic front porch lights to something modern, which won't match the house.   

 I love Tanya's optimism where she says selling the huge house in GA, will help the couple buy a place in San Francisco that will cost two to three times more.    That's so unrealistic, when they look in SF, three times what their Georgia house nets (they haven't been in the home that many years) it won't even be a down payment on anything they'll want to live in.     

You can certainly tell the show is sponsored by Sherwin Williams paint.    

40 Year Old Property Virgins (HGTV Wednesdays), interesting, because the home buyers have substantial down payments.   First episode in San Diego area, he has $250k, and ends up with a two bedroom condo.   The other strong contender was a 3 bed, 2 bath mobile, in a fancy gate mobile park.   He could have bought for cash, but that would still leave $1,000 a month for the park lot rent, and the amenities, the buyer goes for the condo.     

Second episode, living in parents basement, and the woman house shopper wants a few things, a giant tub, a karaoke space, and lots of entertainment space.   However, they're looking 100 miles from where they live now, in the Poconos.    I know people came to do karaoke for the end of the show, but I bet that never happened after the filming.     I hope they found people to do karaoke with in the Poconos, because I bet people won't drive 100 miles for bad singing. 

One Week to Sell-I don't like the projects, or the concepts for staging.    The Great Indoors-they have a huge dining room on the house, and the host says "it's too big", so build a huge bench in the dining room, and out of MDF.  If I walked into a sale home, and saw some cheap MDF bench to shrink the dining room, I'd walk out and find another house to buy.   

Edited August 28, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[CrazyInAlabama]

New episodes of 40 year Old Property Virgins last night.    The two men in Las Vegas certainly looked at some spectacular places, but it was so sensible of the house hunter to keep in the apartment, saving money, and waiting for the right place at the right price to buy.  I don't care if it was a real buying episode, I just watch for the houses. 

The second episode in East Hanover livng in the future in-laws house was fun.   I want o drop in for Sunday dinner.   The daughter fills 20 of 25 closets in her parent's house.   She pretty much needs a giant family room, to turn into her personal closet.    The giant closet in the Vegas house the two men in the previous episode wouldn't be enough to hold her clothes.   So the spoiled wife gets the two story condo, with the biggest closet.     My guess is they'll keep looking to find a place with an entire room to turn into a gigantic closet. 

Edited September 2, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[CrazyInAlabama]

"Call the Closer"   Now has it's own thread under Lifestyle shows.    So I moved this there.   

Edited November 23, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[Vivigirl10]

I've just discovered "Escape to the Country" on Dabl.  What a refreshing show!  I see it's been discussed here and the reviews have been positive.  It's great to see such interesting homes and the buyers always seem to be so positive and enthusiastic about the search.  Criticism, when it occurs, is reasonable and warranted.  So different from House Hunters!

I've been following a few social media sites and designers who are decorating now in the Grand Millenial style.  It's not radical, but it's certainly a change from modern farmhouse.  I wonder if we are poised to start to see a shift in trends?  Maybe not just in the style of Grand Millenial, but anything that differs from what I feel like we've been stuck in for so long.