Real Estate Shows: Different Shows, Same Storylines

[CrazyInAlabama]

"Home Inspector Joe" on HGTV is interesting.   It's set in Connecticut (at least one was over the line in Massachusetts, I think Massachusetts), and it's one of the most expensive housing markets.     What amazes me is that when they pick between two houses, they often (I know they already own one) pick the house with tons of issues.   I wouldn't touch a house with a wet basement, or mold, needs flood insurance, or some of the other issues the 'buyers' decided they could live with.  

I really dislike the design choices in some of the remodels.   Last night they put built-ins next to the fire place, but then put two wooden open shelves on either side.   However, the wooden shelves were so high I would need a 6 ft. step ladder to put anything on the top shelf, and I could barely reach the lower one.   The lower cabinets looked good and were useful, but the shelves added nothing.   I'm guessing the homeowners pick a lot of finishes, and colors, but I don't like the choices in a lot of cases.   

One kitchen (not last night's episode) was absolutely, blinding white, everything was white.   I hated that kitchen.  

A wonderful man is house shopping, to find a house for himself, his mother who needs a lot of care, and his sister, so they can all live together.   The first house they show is a 70's house, that's never been updated.  This one needs a lot of expensive work.  They didn't show a second house, and but used the inspection report to reduce the price.     

Edited February 24, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[CrazyInAlabama]

New show on HGTV, "Buy It or Build It" brothers who moved to Dallas with $4,000 in savings, and that's it.    The premise is one brother remodels, the other does new builds, so the house shoppers look at one for a remodel, and the other is a lot to build a custom home.    Then the shoppers pick one, and the building or remodeling starts.    I know they already had to own one, or bought the lot, and pulled permits, but I still like everyone involved, and a different approach to remodeling or building. 

Another HGTV one that was only a few episodes, "I Bought a Dump...Now What?" three couples, one outside of Birmingham, AL, a father-daughter team in Detroit, and another couple in Richland, MI.   They all have older houses to remodel.   They sort of finished on time, the Birmingham house was about 80%, with a kitchen, main ensuite, main bedroom finished, but they wasted time on finishing the library and speak easy room before finishing the rest of the house.   The Birmingham rehabers sold their other house, so they had to move into the remodel.      They did a great job, but ran into issues with some subs, like the plumber.     

The Detroit house turned out very nicely, the woman flips a lot, with her father.  She wanted her boyfriend (an orthopedic surgeon, with a lot of sports stars as patients) to move in, then he tells her his fellowship ended, and he's been offered a job in Minneapoliis, it's actually the Mayo clinic he works at.     But, she bought four more homes on the same street to rehab.  I really liked her dad.

The Richland (I think Richland, I know it started with Rich), finished, but wasted so much money.    Fiance decided she had to have a cedar shake roof, virtually uninsurable because of fire danger, super expensive for materials, and labor, and took forever.   Instead of quartz, they used marble countertops.   I would have done a metal roof, done by pros, and it would have been better for insurance, done in a week or less, and saved a lot of money. Then there were other expensive finishes, like a custom garage/shop area,  and I think they would have saved a lot, and finished quicker by going with safer finishes, instead of so many trendy, high end, expensive finishes.     

Edited May 22, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[quirkygal]

On 5/18/2022 at 9:23 PM, CrazyInAlabama said:

New show on HGTV, "Buy It or Build It" brothers who moved to Dallas with $4,000 in savings, and that's it.    The premise is one brother remodels, the other does new builds, so the house shoppers look at one for a remodel, and the other is a lot to build a custom home.    Then the shoppers pick one, and the building or remodeling starts.    I know they already had to own one, or bought the lot, and pulled permits, but I still like everyone involved, and a different approach to remodeling or building. 

Another HGTV one that was only a few episodes, "I Bought a Dump...Now What?" three couples, one outside of Birmingham, AL, a father-daughter team in Detroit, and another couple in Richland, MI.   They all have older houses to remodel.   They sort of finished on time, the Birmingham house was about 80%, with a kitchen, main ensuite, main bedroom finished, but they wasted time on finishing the library and speak easy room before finishing the rest of the house.   The Birmingham rehabers sold their other house, so they had to move into the remodel.      They did a great job, but ran into issues with some subs, like the plumber.     

The Detroit house turned out very nicely, the woman flips a lot, with her father.  She wanted her boyfriend (an orthopedic surgeon, with a lot of sports stars as patients) to move in, then he tells her his fellowship ended, and he's been offered a job in Minneapoliis, it's actually the Mayo clinic he works at.     But, she bought four more homes on the same street to rehab.  I really liked her dad.

The Richland (I think Richland, I know it started with Rich), finished, but wasted so much money.    Fiance decided she had to have a cedar shake roof, virtually uninsurable because of fire danger, super expensive for materials, and labor, and took forever.   Instead of quartz, they used marble countertops.   I would have done a metal roof, done by pros, and it would have been better for insurance, done in a week or less, and saved a lot of money. Then there were other expensive finishes, like a custom garage/shop area,  and I think they would have saved a lot, and finished quicker by going with safer finishes, instead of so many trendy, high end, expensive finishes.     

I just stumbled across "I Bought A Dump" over the weekend and watched while doing chores. It was okay - I might watch another bout with new people and new dumps but it wasn't appointment viewing.

I will say I hope the Detroit lady following her boyfriend around the country was just a producer plot line because otherwise.... Very definition of he's just not that into you. Oh, and I'm terrible at subtly and social cues so for me to pick up on it was particularly sad.  

The only likeable pair was the couple in Alabama. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

Since the Detroit woman was going to do a lot of flips with her dad in Detroit, and the boyfriend lives in Rochester, and works at the Mayo clinic, I doubt they stayed together. 

The Richland girlfriend was a total princess type, went for super high end trendy finishes, and I hope they didn't have to sell within a few years, because that house was going to be way above market prices, even in this market.  

I watched the first three or so episodes of Flip to a Million, fortunately only with a few voice overs by Alison Victoria.   Two couples who flip in other towns go to Dallas, and have to use a certain amount of starter money, and in six months have to flip enough houses to get to $1 million. 

 I really like the two Chicago flippers, DJ and Jason, who seem to really know how to do flipping, and partnering.   They also did a design job to make money.   I like their design taste, and how they choose houses.   

The other couple Jon and Dani irritate me.   They make ridiculous mistakes, including waiving all inspections on the final house, and it turns out to be full of termites, with lots of structural damages. 

The whole premise of this Flip to a Million is awful.   It could work, but the current rules make it hard to ever get ahead.  

Then, they had a storyline where they were going to sell the other house for $470k, had multiple full price offers, and then sold for $450k because of a letter the buyer wrote about her health conditions, and money issues.   I'm wondering if the $450k sale price was the real listing price all along?  I wouldn't be surprised if it was all a storyline, and not the real price at all.   My guess is the house was made to order for the buyer, and the $450k price was the contract price before they ever started the project. 

You don't make a fortune flipping, and doing your own work.  You make money by hiring someone to find properties, and good contractors to supervise the work, and hire the subs.   

I think next monday is the finale, and I know who I want to win.   

Edited August 28, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[Soapy Goddess]

13 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

The other couple Jon and Dani irritate me.   They make ridiculous mistakes, including waiving all inspections on the final house, and it turns out to be full of termites, with lots of structural damages.   Then, they had a storyline where they were going to sell the other house for $470k, had multiple full price offers, and then sold for $450k because of a letter the buyer wrote about her health conditions, and money issues.  

Agree that was a stupid mistake on their part. I thought he said that the market was scarce and houses were going over ask, so they wanted to make their offer more palatable by waiving the inspection. Still stupid, but that was our market only a few short months ago.

I'm on the fence about taking less money for their house, only because it IS a competition. But after seeing the woman & her children, I'm glad they did. Just goes to show that they have a heart. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I really like Jon & Dani.

[CrazyInAlabama]

"Rico to the Rescue" on HGTV, is where he goes to help home owners with stalled remodels.   Since it's in Denver, the prices for the house and remodel are very high.    However, he has shown that some homeowners are an issue too, like the people last night where the wife kept butting heads with the contractors, hiring other contractors to take over, and changing things constantly.     I really didn't like her attitude.  

When the parents decided the daughter's bedrooms didn't need to be done, I was surprised.  So, sacrifice your kid's room for your fancy first floor finishes?   Rico finished the girls' rooms anyway as a gift, but the attitude by the parents shocked me.     I think it said everything about the owners and contractors when Rico said he wouldn't go ahead with the owners on the job site.  

On another show he let the contractor finish part of the job.   I just want to know if the homeowners do any research on who they hire?  It really doesn't look like they do.