House Hunters: Buying in the USA

[laredhead]

I live about 1 mile and a half from a railroad track and sometimes the sound of the whistle is louder than at other times, depending on the wind direction.  There are about 2 to 3 trains a day, and one around 4:30 in the morning like clockwork, but evidently I have gotten used to it and don't really hear them anymore.  I have double paned windows and that cuts down on the sound a lot.  Maybe there are very few trains that go by their development.  The third house was certainly an interesting floor plan, and the wife was correct that it would be a good house if you had adolescent children where they would be in another part of the house.  Spiral staircases as the only means of access between floors are a no-no with me, especially as I get older.

 

If they can afford to finish the basement in a few years, that 1700 sf will almost double to a really huge house.  As with most new builds in that price range, it was rather generic.

[Tara1665]

First time I've heard vocal fry on a man.

[DownTheShore]

Listen to the guy who does the Match. com commercials for another example.

I lived across the street from busy rail tracks that are used for passengers and freight. You get used to the noise. The only disconcerting thing was when a freight train would go by, being pulled by four or more engines. THEN the house would shake.

[topanga]

I agree that the Baltimore couple was annoying. They flew to Texas (both of them?) to buy a chaise attachment for their sectional sofa. So how much was the airfare? And how much did the piece cost, and how much were the shipping charges? That sounds like a very expensive piece for a sofa. I know they said they loved the sofa so much that they took all of those extra steps to keep it, but the sofa looked pretty generic. You mean they couldn't find a sofa anywhere in the Baltimore, DC, or Northern Virginia area that felt as comfortable as their old sofa? 

 

--I'm not telling people how to live. If they can afford that extravagance, who am I am to judge? (Okay, yes, I'm totally judging). But I can't believe they were so proud of that fact and wanted to broadcast it on national TV.

 

 

Listen to the guy who does the Match. com commercials for another example.

I lived across the street from busy rail tracks that are used for passengers and freight. You get used to the noise. The only disconcerting thing was when a freight train would go by, being pulled by four or more engines. THEN the house would shake.

I guess I've been too influenced by movies. Homes that shake because of a train going by make me think of the movie "Seven." I'd always be worried that one day I'd find

my spouse's head in a box.

[proserpina65]

Listen to the guy who does the Match. com commercials for another example.

I lived across the street from busy rail tracks that are used for passengers and freight. You get used to the noise. The only disconcerting thing was when a freight train would go by, being pulled by four or more engines. THEN the house would shake.

My parents' half-acre lot backed up to a major spur off the main East Coast freight line.  Trains multiple times a day, and often sitting there idling for a couple of hours waiting their turn to get onto the main line.  Plus, whistles blowing when they got to the crossing about a mile, mile & a half away.  You get used to it.  Same thing with highway traffic noise.

[AlleC17]

Going back to the Austin 'lunkheads'  (lol) the friend who would be renting makes furniture and uses power tools and wanted to build his business up, right?  Or am I not recalling that correctly?  Anyhow, I would NOT want to be their neighbor!  Power tools are loud and obnoxious...my brother made furniture, using my garage when he lived in my house and the weekends were awful.  I just wanted to relax, but the constant noise made that impossible.  So, yeah...I would not want to be the neighbor there.

[chessiegal]

Going back to the Austin 'lunkheads'  (lol) the friend who would be renting makes furniture and uses power tools and wanted to build his business up, right?  Or am I not recalling that correctly?  Anyhow, I would NOT want to be their neighbor!  Power tools are loud and obnoxious...my brother made furniture, using my garage when he lived in my house and the weekends were awful.  I just wanted to relax, but the constant noise made that impossible.  So, yeah...I would not want to be the neighbor there.

Or a neighbor with a pool that has, bless their hearts, a stereo system that they feel they must share their taste in music with the entire neighborhood, while some of us are just trying to spend a quiet afternoon on our porch. Yes, I'm bitter.

[Ottis]

That's profiling. Men with beards are not terrorists.

 

 

Correction: Men with beards are not *always* terrorists. Some are. 

 

I agree that those two guys won't possibly fit in that house. Did they take out the wall that made the toilet space so tight? That was crazy.

[DownTheShore]

I didn't even think about the noise from the power tools, but you're right, AlleC17.

Wonder if they investigated the local noise ordinances before buying? Also they might have a problem running a business in an area zoned residential.

[AlleC17]

I guess it depends on whether it is really a business or a hobby, but if he is doing that all the time, I would think there would be zoning issues for sure.

 

Re; blasting music...one doesn't need to have a pool either.  lol  I board my horse in the country roads of Waimanalo, HI and its surrounded by plant nurseries etc.  One would think the only noise is when they get out the tractors to do whatever needs doing, but nope...across the street is a nursery and the owner BLASTS his music...luckily not too terribly often!  It would be far worse if one lived by that sort of constant noise, so I feel for you chessiegal.

[juliet73]

I'm hoping the Chicago couple that were on tonight are on a Where Are They Now sooner than later. He was quite attractive. I could stare at him all day. Oh, and I want too see how the house turned out too. ;)

[Empress1]

I'm hoping the Chicago couple that were on tonight are on a Where Are They Now sooner than later. He was quite attractive. I could stare at him all day. Oh, and I want too see how the house turned out too. ;)

He didn't quite do it for me, but I get it. He reminded me of Bradley Cooper.

 

I think they're going to go way over $150K, but I'll be curious to see how it turns out.

[truther]

I just want to say I was shocked, SHOCKED, that they went with the house that was already being renovated when they looked at it.  

[laredhead]

Yes, $150,000 is just the tip of the iceberg with the Chicago house if they plan to do everything they said.  The outside of that house needs some love too, because I did not think it was very attractive at all.  I liked the realtor.  He had a quick answer for every project and most of it sounded realistic.  An adding machine and a cha-ching sound should have been added to the sound effects every time he gave them an answer.  I also want them to be on a future HH Renovation or Where Are They Now episode. 

 

Hmmm, maybe they should have contacted that woman flipper who totally destroyed the Chicago brick bungalow with her latest flip to help them with this renovation.  

[Empress1]

Noooooo! You know she was watching this rubbing her hands together, too.

[Empress1]

The Atlanta-area couple's son was so cute. Every time he was on I was like "Aw!" The wife was a little annoying with her "Where's my oasis?" I liked the husband a lot though (and he has a great smile).

Atlanta is so cheap!

[roseslg]

Which house did the Atlanta couple pick?  I had to go to bed. 

[Empress1]

The split-level house.

[KLovestoShop]

What's with the new mantra on this show "I want to live in the kind of house I grew up in".  It seems so many of the couples only want houses like a ranch or split level because it's the house they had as a child.  A lot of the recent couples have that idea of wanting a type of house they had as a kid.  

 

I wonder if the Chicago couple realize that they can spend $60K alone to completely redo one room, especially if one of them wants high end of everything.  When you do a full on renovation it can go wayyy over $150K, especially in big cities where the cost of rebuilding is higher than in other locations.

[Tara1665]

I too was wondering about the whole have your house be like the one you grew up in. I lived in to many houses when I was kid because my dad relocated a lot. Expand your wings and find your own style!!!

[DownTheShore]

We lived in a four-room apt for most of my childhood and a four-room small ranch for the rest of it. I don't want to relive in either of them, so. I don't understand this need to get the same kind of house one had as a child. Unless I had been raised in a truly unique home, I would want something different.

[scootypuffjr]

The split-level house.

I knew that was the house they picked when, in the preview, the wife said words to the effect that she hated split-levels and was ready to turn around immediately and walk out of the door once she saw all that carpet. Sometimes they try a little bit *too* hard to fool us! That said, I'd have picked that one too - I've never even been inside a split-level house, but it's hard to beat five bedrooms and three baths for that price.

[CherryAmes]

I spent my teen years in a split level and found, at least in the floor plan we had, that noise carried all over the house.  I don't know how my parents stood the chaos. The one kind of house I'd never be interested in is a split level!

[NYGirl]

Well the guy last night in Clemson SC...I wanted to punch him so hard!!  He was so damn annoying.  While looking at the first house he must have said "this is at the top of our budget" no less than 10 times...shut up for God's sake.  You can always offer less!!

 

They ended up with a split level because he grew up in one and used to hide in the closets (eyeroll).  But he did mentioned about 10 times that he grew up in one.  My goodness..so freaking annoying.

[Pickles]

I thought the Clemson couple chose the first house--the one with the front porch. I believe the split level was the second house. I liked the wife, but I agree the husband was really negative.

[juliet73]

OMG, the SC husband was such a pill! Halfway through the 2nd house, I had to mute the TV because he was sooooo negative! I can't imagine being married to him.

[NYGirl]

I thought the Clemson couple chose the first house--the one with the front porch. I believe the split level was the second house. I liked the wife, but I agree the husband was really negative.

I think you're right pickles.  He just annoyed me so much that I didn't pay much attention. 

[StatisticalOutlier]

We lived in a four-room apt for most of my childhood and a four-room small ranch for the rest of it. I don't want to relive in either of them, so. I don't understand this need to get the same kind of house one had as a child. Unless I had been raised in a truly unique home, I would want something different.

 

I've always liked mid-century modern (even before it was retro cool), and attributed it to my growing up in a house that was built in 1955--we moved in when I was born not long after that.  But now that I think about it, if I had grown up in one of those in the new addition in town, built in the early 1970s, I don't think I'd have any kind of hankering to live in one of those now.  So I'm not sure if my ardor for mid-century modern has anything to do with growing up in one after all; maybe it's just a coincidence.

 

Such introspection springing from a fake house hunting show.  I didn't expect that. 

[Kohola3]

I would like to know when "old, like my grandparent's house, and needs gutting" switched to "mid-century modern".

 

I grew up in a houase that was built in 1950. My dear parents, rest their lovely souls, lived there until they died and did very little to it although it was well maintained.  When I put it up for sale, there were horrified comments on the "tiny closets, "closed in" rooms, and "outdated everything" and that it would have to be completely redone on the inside despite the wet plaster walls and hardwood floors.  Nobody called it a mid-century modern.  They called it old.

Edited April 11, 2016 by Kohola3

[shipmate]

Massachusetts ghost guy may be about my favorite house hunter ever! No mention of granite or stainless steel and I could totally understand his aversion. I actually laughed out loud when they pulled up to the house that was next to the cemetery.

Bonus: learning ghosts live in trees! (Who knew??)

[DownTheShore]

One of my sisters lived in a split level for a while and I undestand what CherryAmes said about the noise. But what I did like about it was that there were only about seven steps up or down to each level, if you were basing yourself in the middle kitchen/living/dining level. And it was less effort to get the kids to hear me on the other floors if I was calling out to them.

[StatisticalOutlier]

I would like to know when "old, like my grandparent's house, and needs gutting" switched to "mid-century modern".

 

I don't know, but it sure is annoying because if I were in the market for a house, that's what I would want, and I'd prefer to be buying a type of house that nobody thinks is cool because it would be cheaper.  Those houses also appeal to me because they tend to be pretty small, and I'd want a small (not "tiny") house.  So I'm screwed all around.  Damn hipsters.

[juliet73]

Has anyone watched "Listed Sisters" yet? It's Designed to Sell, Property Brothers and HH all in one. It premiered a couple of weeks ago. I just caught an episode for the first time yesterday.

Edited April 12, 2016 by juliet73

[laredhead]

Juliet73, I just watched Listed Sisters for the first time.  It's the female version of Property Brothers and it's set in Nashville.  I watched the episode with the couple who had 3 children in a 1700 sf house.  The 3 houses they looked at were quite a distance from downtown Nashville and they never said where he worked, only that he was a physical therapist.  My brother lives north of Nashville and according to him, the traffic in the Nashville area is horrible and the commutes are becoming long.  

 

The show is OK, but I'm getting bored with some of the copy cat shows that pop up when a new format is successful.  I'm also bored with the renovations that produce the same results of white kitchens, colorless bathrooms and blah decor.  Supposedly that's what buyers want, but I guess I would not be the typical buyer.    

[Pine]

NO GHOSTS!!!

I truly believe he was playing a character.

some of his words were above who he was portraying.

Really liked that episode.

Edited April 13, 2016 by Pine

[Empress1]

I didn't understand why the Sugarland, TX family bought a house the same size (maybe smaller) as the apartment they left when they complained that the apartment they left didn't have enough space. They've essentially already outgrown that space. Their little boy is ADORABLE though!

[juliet73]

I didn't understand the Sugarland couple either, except she wanted charm. They complained about needing 2 bathrooms, but got the house with 1 bathroom and it was the smallest! And it drives me mad when people complain about a bathroom and say "it's not a place where I'd want to spend a lot of my time." Ummm...it's a bathroom! Take a showet, brush your teeth, do your business. It's not like you're going in there to relax and watch TV or "entertain"!

Edited April 16, 2016 by juliet73

[Mittengirl]

I just saw some house hunting show, don't remember which one, where the male hunter raved about the chaise lounge in the bathroom. It was a big, black, leather-like chair shaped like a patio lounger smack in the middle of the bathroom. I couldn't figure out under what circumstances one would want to lounge in there. While spouse is brushing their teeth? Long, leisurely chats while the better half is using the toilet?

[aguabella]

NO GHOSTS!!!

I truly believe he was playing a character.

some of his words were above who he was portraying.

Really liked that episode.

 

Exactly, playing a character.  IIRC, the wife said they'd met at a party with her "theater" friends.  She indicated he was different, implying he wasn't part of that group.  He must have some connection to it, however, b/c he did appear to be acting.

 

Using the blustery voice and then knitting?  Yes, some guys knit but the chair he was sitting in during the final scenes to knit looked like something you could only last in until the HH scene was over.

 

Didn't the two of them sing a musical theater song at the piano during those final moments, too?  Don't know but to me, that was sort of an acknowledgement of the game.

 

HH recycles the ghost plot periodically.  I have a feeling they noticed the cemetery, adjacent to the decoy house and decided it was time to recycle that one.  Those two were happy to oblige.  The realtor had a snarky look on his face when he mentioned it during his introduction.

 

Just my guess about the episode but I can see him down at his local Westborough pub, laughing about it with his buds over a pint.

[aguabella]

Massachusetts ghost guy may be about my favorite house hunter ever! No mention of granite or stainless steel and I could totally understand his aversion. I actually laughed out loud when they pulled up to the house that was next to the cemetery.

Bonus: learning ghosts live in trees! (Who knew??)

 

I'll bet he'd be thrilled to hear he's your fave!  IIRC, he was speaking in a very blustery manner during the first tour.  (I believe they do film them in order.)  My theory is he simply free associated that routine about ghosts in the trees.

 

Perhaps his connection to theater is via comedy and you'll find him at an "open mike" night in Western Mass somewhere!

Edited April 17, 2016 by aguabella

[aguabella]

I know nothing about the Sugarland area but had to assume the TX couple was completely fixated on the neighborhood and location.  Sometimes that works out, e.g. if you love an expensive area (probably with great schools, although I didn't hear that mentioned), want to get in and don't mind adding on to a home, assuming the lot's large enough.

 

Anyone on the boards who knows that area and doesn't mind filling us in?  (Thanks, in advance.)

 

 

ETA - yes, their little boy was adorable!

Edited April 17, 2016 by aguabella

[aguabella]

I would like to know when "old, like my grandparent's house, and needs gutting" switched to "mid-century modern".

 

I grew up in a houase that was built in 1950. My dear parents, rest their lovely souls, lived there until they died and did very little to it although it was well maintained.  When I put it up for sale, there were horrified comments on the "tiny closets, "closed in" rooms, and "outdated everything" and that it would have to be completely redone on the inside despite the wet plaster walls and hardwood floors.  Nobody called it a mid-century modern.  They called it old.

 

Forgive me for saying so but it flips to cool and retro as soon as they've scored a deal, from you, on the estate sale. 

 

Sorry to hear about your loss.

Edited April 17, 2016 by aguabella

[Sun-Bun]

I'd never seen tonight's episode before and normally steer clear of the big-family-looking-for-a-bigger-house episodes, but since it was taking place in Tennessee, this TN-resident/native had to watch it.

I guess it's the proudly ChildFree crusader in me, but I just couldn't fathom why this couple had 6 children. Good grief...I was judging them hardcore based on that alone...they kept going on and on about keeping the cost down, but all I could think was, "If you'd invest in some good birth control already you wouldn't be nearly as cash-strapped!!!"

Husband was a pastor, so I'm guessing they're likely from one of those churches that doesn't believe in using birth control methods/uses the rhythm method or whatever...I don't even remember which house they ended up choosing at the end because I was too focused on trying to understand how they could afford to raise 6 kids with only his pastor salary...

[Peanutbuttercup]

Husband was a pastor, so I'm guessing they're likely from one of those churches that doesn't believe in using birth control methods/uses the rhythm method or whatever...I don't even remember which house they ended up choosing at the end because I was too focused on trying to understand how they could afford to raise 6 kids with only his pastor salary...

Sunbun, I remember that family from the first time around. There was a lot of discussion about their finances, then too! Mostly I think people were wondering how they could afford the house (and the children) because his "congregation" that they showed appeared to be about twelve people sitting on folding chairs in some dimly-lit small rental space. How on earth does that even pay one person's full time salary?

[Kohola3]

How on earth does that even pay one person's full time salary?

 

Probably pictures himself as the next Joel Osteen.  Now that he's had his 15 minutes of fame on HH, he probably expects the donations to come pouring in.

[proserpina65]

Massachusetts ghost guy may be about my favorite house hunter ever! No mention of granite or stainless steel and I could totally understand his aversion. I actually laughed out loud when they pulled up to the house that was next to the cemetery.

Bonus: learning ghosts live in trees! (Who knew??)

I decided a long time ago that I could never live close to a cemetery, no matter how perfect the house, so I get this guy.

[Bastet]

It sounds pretty good to me -- quiet, nobody building something tall enough to obstruct your view, etc.  I would never live next to a school, daycare center, church, etc., but a cemetery would be no issue for me.

[Kohola3]

...a cemetery would be no issue for me.

 

Nor me.  Nice and quiet, nothing going on at night, nobody to complain if the dog barks. I'd love it.  Beats the hell out of living next to my crappy, nasty neighbors who, when it rains, order me to make sure none of "my" rainwater touches their property.

[biakbiak]

It sounds pretty good to me -- quiet, nobody building something tall enough to obstruct your view, etc.  I would never live next to a school, daycare center, church, etc., but a cemetery would be no issue for me.

Plus as I pointed out to my boyfriend the cemetery that was near one of the houses was so old, there wouldn't be people visiting or funerals!

[OSM Mom]

Beats the hell out of living next to my crappy, nasty neighbors who, when it rains, order me to make sure none of "my" rainwater touches their property.

And just how in the hell are you supposed to accomplish that?