House Hunters: Buying in the USA

[Lisin]

Here's your place for discussing general show stuff. 

[JasmineFlower]

There's a House Hunter's special airing tonight instead of the regular HH episodes. It's called "That's So House Hunters" and I haven't watched it all yet but it's sort of the VH1 "I Love..." or "Best of... " treatment of House Hunters. They show different House Hunters clips from over the years and then comedians (mostly lesser known ones) make jokes about the clips. Looks good, I'll be taping the second airing. No idea if some of the TWOP's thread faves (Mickey Mouse lady, Turtle lady, etc.) are included.

[texplant]

Turtle lady, doggy door lady, and no round toilet seat guy are all included.

Edited April 2, 2014 by texplant

[NYGirl]

I loved the format and laughed throughout the show. I hope they do it again.

[zivadanielle]

I did not know in advance TSHH was going to be on, imagine my delight when I realized what it was about...it was soooo funny.  I was cackling pretty much the whole time. 

I was hoping we'd see foot skin guy too.  

Also, what was that at the beginning with House Hunters 3D with Suzanne Whang?  Was that just the intro (I tuned in a bit late)? Or part of a general April Fools theme of which I presume TSHH was part I wonder. 

 

 

 

[Honey]

Since this is for general chatter, I'll put this question here.  Do they bleach the teeth of all the people appearing on the show?  The majority of the population does not have super white teeth, but everyone on the show does.

[Rhondinella]

I think the most incredulous I was at this show (outside of the HH International Ugly American Freak Show) was the lady who wanted an apartment in Manhattan for like $2000 per month or something.  And then she was just astounded to learn that would only get her a one-room (not one bedroom, one ROOM, period) place.  The bed was a Murphy bed that folded up into the wall because you literally slept in the living room.

I'm not horrified or surprised that that's what $2000 per month will get you in Manhattan, but I was shocked by the woman's naivete.  The realtor kept trying to wave her off, but she insisted on seeing the places anyway.

[auntjess]

I missed the "That's So..." show, and don't see it when I search.
Did they have the cornfield lady or the shower-facing-a-mirror lady?

It's nice to find 2 mods speak house reality TV.

[MsChicklet]

House Hunters Renovations branching out from SoCal

[txvoodoo]

Oh, yay, so we might get some HHers who aren't actors! Or at least, professional actors.

[auntjess]

I think folks here will appreciate http://www.hgtv.ca/photos/gallery/?gid=6de87f25228a34488b5868fba7132c55#!/0 this link I got on Facebook.
Can't you imagine some of the HHs going through this house?

[mlp]

Thanks for posting that link.  I'd give a lot to be able to visit that place.  I don't usually care for ice cream colors and pinks in decorating but it all works there and looks marvelous.  I love the credenza in the entryway and the dining room set and the wallpaper in the breakfast nook. 

[ChlcGirl]

Oh my goodness.  I would kill - KILL I SAY - for that emerald velvet chair and fuchsia settee in her bedroom.   And that wallpaper in the entryway.

[auntjess]

You see houses of this vintage on those "sell this house" shows, but they look their age, and this house is just so pristine.

[slasherboy]

Moving over here from TWoP and auntjess, I just read that you were headed this way too.  I'll probably post stuff in the wrong place for a while, for forgive me my ignorance (for a while, anyway).

Saw the couple buying in the desert last night (Arizona? I was eating ice cream at the time and was pretty involved in making puddles with the chocolate syrup) and couldn't believe the McMansion aspects of the house they chose.  The marble!  The columns!  The hallways!  The staircase!  The man wanted BIGGER! BIGGER! BIGGER!  All I could picture was those kids skateboarding down the hallways.  Gonna cost a fortune to cool that thing in the desert.

Highly anticipating the Amsterdam episode tonight.  Holland is my fantasy trip and I love these episodes the best.

 

[jcbrown]

slasherboy I wish I had been involved in something so diverting while watching the Phoenix show. They were something else. she had periodic extreme vocal fry, they totally disagreed with each other's taste and he was downright rude about it, and he kept going on about hating desert landscaping. To which I yelled at the TV several times, "then don't live in f**@ing Phoenix!" He, in particular, was a quintessentially entitled HO.

[mojito]

Anyone watch Living Alaska? What a contrast in "needs" vs House Hunters. Here we see people requesting indoor plumbing and being happy when they see a complete kitchen with appliances and countertops that are in good shape.

[Mrs. P.]

Anyone watch Living Alaska? What a contrast in "needs" vs House Hunters. Here we see people requesting indoor plumbing and being happy when they see a complete kitchen with appliances and countertops that are in good shape.

Except last night's episodes with the newlyweds from Washington.  She was determined to get the typical HH kitchen - granite, stainless steel, etc.  The husband really seemed to want an Alaskan-type home, but she got her way.  They wound up with a home that looked like any new construction in the 'lower 48.'

[mojito]

Well, we don't see all people with moderate needs. But nowadays, some is quite remarkable!

[darbar]

I can't stand some of these buyers and their insanity. The Alabama couple who moved from Boston drove me crazy. She's so scared of bugs and smells. Sheesh, don't they have bugs in Boston? And don't things smell in Boston? She's just too darned weird seeing snakes around every corner. She'd crap her pants here when she saw her first stink bug.

[zivadanielle]

I can't stand some of these buyers and their insanity. The Alabama couple who moved from Boston drove me crazy. She's so scared of bugs and smells. Sheesh, don't they have bugs in Boston? And don't things smell in Boston? She's just too darned weird seeing snakes around every corner. She'd crap her pants here when she saw her first stink bug.

Oh did she have that terrible purple eyeshadow?  Or am I thinking of someone else?  There was something generally weird about her too...and I say that as a fellow northeast liberal LOL.  I think that was the first time I'd seen someone loudly proclaim their political views on HH. 

[formerlyfreedom]

jelley, I moved your post to the House Hunters International thread, since they are already talking about the show there.

[roughing it]

I saw the California couple moving to Boulder, Colorado last night.  Poor guy didn't have a chance.  Did you know she had family that was going to visit from Australia??  After she mentioned it for the fiftieth time, I finally realized, "hey, she's from Australia".  Oh, she also hates carpeting and oak...oak, oak, oak!

[darbar]

Just watching the couple from Grand Rapids, and the husband is a complete jerk. If the wife didn't like something, he'd love it. And with their $150,000 budget, he wanted a fully brick exterior, hardwood floors, and all the other bells and whistles that costs money. He was constantly complaining about things looking cheap. Well, honey, with only $150K, you're not going to get travertine, marble and granite.

[Taylorh2]

I wonder how far from Detroit is Grand Rapids ?  Maybe $150,000 is more then enough money to buy a house there.

[Rhondinella]

I wonder how far from Detroit is Grand Rapids ?

 

 

157 miles, according to Google.  Pretty much on the complete opposite side of the state.

[darbar]

According to City/Data, the mean housing prices for all liveable units in 2011 in Grand Rapids was $131, 700. That number includes townhouses, condos, multi-family and single family residences.

[darbar]

Who the heck buys a house based in if you can have an old school bus on the property? This guy from Durham is a freak.

[Cgr]

OK I finally got signed up on this site.  Took me awhile to figure out how!  LOL  

I have barely watched HH since Twop announced it shut down.  I missed all the snark.  I will try to watch and join the fun!  

[DownTheShore]

The one I had to wonder about was the one that took place in Michigan or Wisconsin or Minnesota, and the guy wanted the property with forty acres because he didn't want to be near people, he'd have to drive like an hour to his job, and his wife was going to be staying at home with a new baby and there was absolutely nothing around there for her to do.  I really had to wonder about that guy, because his need for distance from his neighbors seemed almost pathological.  And she, like a fool, went along with his choice.

[Ohwell]

I remember that episode about the guy wanting so much space and privacy.  I felt so sorry for the wife being stuck at home with a new baby.  Now, he might be a really nice guy who just doesn't like to be around people, but he just seemed strange to me.  I was actually worried for her and the baby because of him, and because of the isolation.  I hope they're doing OK. 

[DownTheShore]

I can see that situation causing a marital crisis further down the line.  She didn't seem like the type of woman to turn into a Stepford Wife, and being home alone with a baby and the housework in that isolated setting - when she said multiple times that she's a people person - just seems like a recipe for disaster.

[Taylorh2]

I just watched a repeat of a Alexandria, VA episode. Th male HH actually complained about a fire hydrant on the edge of front yard. What?!  Why would you complain about a fire hydrant being in the front yard ?

Edited May 23, 2014 by Taylorh2

[izabella]

You should never complain about fire hydrants!  You will be happy if there ever is a fire.  Insurance companies like it, too, and if you're not right in a city where fire departments are close by, insurance companies will give you a bit of a break on your homeowners insurance.

[OSM Mom]

Having just bought our first house and finally finished moving in, I can't imagine doing it basically twice just to be on a TV show. Too much work.

[DownTheShore]

There was that one woman who was on HH three times, the one who wanted to be a singer.  First she bought a house in California, then she decided to be a country singer and moved to Nashville.  Then she caught herself a husband who seems to have money and they bought a house by a lake.

[laredhead]

Down by the shore - if I remember correctly, her name was Shawna.  In the 3rd episode, she and her husband had a young child.

[chessiegal]

We're watching a repeat in Atlanta we haven't seen before. The husband didn't want carpet because it contains "old foot skin". We were cracking up. That was a new one. In the first house, he said about the master bedroom that it would fit a king bed, but wouldn't fit The King. He was a funny guy.

[Bastet]

Is that the one with Kefla from old-school Road Rules?  I know he was in an Atlanta episode, and although I may be conflating it with another one, I think he was the crazy foot-skin guy with a "man cave" obsession.  Which is thoroughly annoying, but he has always been a reasonably charming guy who makes it work. 

 

Atlanta episodes are usually so dreadfully boring, though, in terms of largely interchangeable homes.  There is varied housing stock, but one wouldn't know it from watching HH.

[DownTheShore]

I hate when it's an episode where the realtor just shows several homes in the same private community - so boring.  That seems to happen a lot of times in the southwest shows.

 

All those Atlanta homes seem to be very nice and relatively inexpensive.  I never understand why the prospective homebuyers are so picky when they are getting porches, crown moulding, high ceilings, new kitchens and wood floors - things that most homeowners want but never find.

 

California seems to have the most varied housing stock; it makes those shows more interesting.  Though everytime I see one where the yard backs up to a hillside, the first thought in my head is "mudslide".

 

I'd like to see some shows set in coastal Maine or in VT or NH, or on the Delmarva pennisula.

Edited May 31, 2014 by DownTheShore

[txvoodoo]

I think it's funny what one of us thinks is repetitive, versus what another does. :D  I'd like to see more Philly or Boston shows. I'm from Philly, so that's fun for me. And there are different kinds of homes. And Boston has a variety, as well.

 

I've lived all over the US though, and I know there's a lot more variety in every area that we see. Since we know at least 2 of the homes are decoys, I'd love to see them go out of the box for those, in every area! Show us a regular suburban, a historical home, and something in the city. Or a Mid century modern, a Craftsman-style, and a colonial! Mix it up a bit. :D That way, we can see all the different things available in different areas for the 1 price point. 

[txvoodoo]

Question - does anybody else watch Property Virgins? Should we request a forum for it? If so, what topics should it have besides a general? 

 

Also, Income Property. And maybe the Bryan Baumler oeuvre of shows? Any other HGTV/DIY suggestions? 

Edited June 1, 2014 by txvoodoo

[LuckyBitch]

I stopped watching Property Virgins a long time ago because I didn't like the way they ended the episodes with just the announcement of what house they chose but no real follow up after they moved in (if they even bought the house). Do they still do that the same way, or have they changed it by now?

I love Income Property, but I have to admit that I liked the old half hour version better. Since they changed the format and went to an hour, I have a really bad backlog of the episodes on my DVR. I guess I'll get around to watching them eventually.

Edited June 1, 2014 by LuckyBitch

[auntjess]

I love Bryan Baeumler's shows, except the House of ones.
I tried to start a forum for Disaster DIY early on, but apparently I did something wrong, and it was removed.
So, I made a thread, under Everything Else TV for the "behind the drywall" shows, so do go there and talk.
I'll watch Property Virgins sometimes, but don't record it.
 

[Rhondinella]

Feel free to request forums for these shows in the New Show Forum Request under Misc TV Talk.  I know early on in the development of this site some existing forums which had very little or no traffic were deleted.  So that might be what happened to the forum you referred to.  Things are picking up now, though, so I'd go ahead and try it again.

[auntjess]

Thanks, but a lot of the problem is that a show may have a marathon on DIY or HGTV, then not show up again for months.
And then there are the things that only had a few episodes to begin with, and none that merits a separate file.
It would have been nice to have a topic for people with multiple similar shows, like Bryan Baeumler or Mike Holmes, but I can live with what there is.

[Lola16]

Question - does anybody else watch Property Virgins? Should we request a forum for it? If so, what topics should it have besides a general? 

 

Also, Income Property. And maybe the Bryan Baumler oeuvre of shows? Any other HGTV/DIY suggestions? 

Maybe PV with Sandra and PV with Eqypt?

[Vivigirl10]

Holy pinging gaydar last night with the husband of the couple looking for a house in Cali!  I had to laugh when the wife described seeing him for the first time at a party and he was surrounded by throngs of women vying for his attention.  Whatever!

[KimKam]

He also pinged my gadar. I found them both pretty grating and if I were them I would have picked the first house.  It was $100k under the low end of their budget in their desired location.  They could have spent that $100k fixing it up and still be at the low end of what they wanted to spend, but instead she ended up with a super long commute for "Americana" and a modern kitchen. 

[JasmineFlower]

What was up with that wife constantly saying "Americana"? Found it annoying.

 

The first house that was well below the budget. I highly doubt it would have sold for that amount. I'm guessing it was priced low to drive up the price and that it would sell for well over asking. That's what has happened with many homes in LA lately and Studio City at that price doesn't jive. I feel like if it was the House Hunters Renovation edition, we'd have found out how they spent $75-100k over asking after a bidding war and still have $100k worth of work to do and all told, they'd be pushing their $950k budget.

 

Though I laugh all the time at these so-called rolled into one budgets. Your mortgage approval doesn't include renovations, that's a separate loan if you apply for one, so it's not even necessarily conceivable for many to fill in these extra budgets they claim to have. Buying a place for $700k financed and using $100k of personal savings or a separate loan, typically at a higher rate, isn't the same as a $800k mortgage. Really wished they would explain that on a few of these shows, not just House Hunters.

 

Anyway, I liked the place they chose. Woodland Hills is great area and it's a popular area for many who work in the industry, I'm sure she's found co-workers living nearby and it's not nearly as far out as she was thinking even though the commute is a bit longer, but Woodland Hills is not far from Sherman Oaks, so not too far from where they were looking even though it may have seemed like it on the show. That's also not a super long commute in LA, just a decent one, not a killer one at all.