House Hunters: Buying in the USA

[aguabella]

I'd vote for the HGTV app, too - although the small screen (plus ads, BTW) isn't preferable.

Everyone knows the primetime lineup is repeated overnight, correct?  The 9pm/8CT - 11pm/10CT shows repeat at 12am/11pm CT plus the 8pm/7CT repeats at 3am/2CT.  That's helpful if/when you immediately realize the dvr (or operator lol) malfunctioned.

IIRC, the next repeat airs about 26 - 30 days after that initial air + first repeat.

Good luck, all.

Edited May 28, 2017 by aguabella

[aguabella]

On ‎5‎/‎22‎/‎2017 at 10:31 AM, Babalooie said:

From Family of Five Seek Larger Home in Tampa S112 - Ep 11 repeating today from 8/25/16: 

As a teacher, it was irritating to hear the wife say, "My husband is not the most handiest in the world."  As much as the producers feed dialogue ideas to them, they should have caught that.  The houses were typical Florida houses.  I live in one a couple of hours away from them.

 

On ‎5‎/‎23‎/‎2017 at 9:23 AM, mojito said:

You give producers a lot more credit than I do.

Have to agree with mojito, here.  They're on a tight budget in the field.  Plus, HH is only semi-scripted.  The field director / producer's primary function is plot selection / development.  (e.g. the contemporary vs. craftsman or city vs. suburbs)

If a couple describes the homes and most importantly, remembers said words for the multiple shots, following their instructions and creating sufficient conflict as they go, they'll let them continue, using their own words.

In fact, they probably prefer that method b/c they do want to recreate an actual house hunt - or attempt to, anyway.  If grammar suffers along the way, so be it.

[aguabella]

On ‎5‎/‎16‎/‎2017 at 3:46 PM, Mittengirl said:

I often wonder, when the agent says the buyer can add a garage, upper story, etc., if they are certain that it is allowed by code, or are just saying it is possible from a building standpoint.   That lot may not have been big enough to build his three car garage, especially depending on how it would be placed on the lot and how wide of a driveway he wanted.   When you add in any required setbacks it could become a huge chunk of land.

The answer is ... the realtors usually pull it out of their a**, lol.  (Excuse my French, please.)  For them, it's always about closing a sale and receiving that next commission check.  (You guessed it - my realtor friends know not to ask me a question if they don't want to hear the real answer!)

Realtors are not required to be either local building inspectors (to verify code) or contractors.  Buyers should perform their own due diligence by checking permits and consulting their own experts, if necessary.

In the FL situation, a 2.5 car tandem garage might work, adjacent or attached to the home.  That way, they might not lose their entire backyard.  And, it could provide better curb appeal.  (Although garage construction is relatively inexpensive, those 3 car (or whatever) garage demands often become 2 if/when a homeowner confronts the reality of the build cost, lol.)

And the setback - my thinking was that lot might easily receive a variance.  It was a corner lot so their build wouldn't (significantly) impact any neighbors.

[msrachelj]

On 5/25/2017 at 11:10 PM, AuntiePam said:

He couldn't have been for real.  Not just the sleep-shower thing, but thinking that the walls in an old house would be so thick that the WiFi wouldn't work.   He had to be putting us on. 

Why did  he have to lie in the shower? What an idiot. And what was with the wifi? I almost threw something at the tv. My brother lives in a 150 year old house and the wifi is fine. He seemed rather stupid and childish. 

This show needs a revamp. I personally fast forward all the bull shit & lies in the beginning. I don't care about how  you met, your rotten kids, etc. And you all lie about what you have to have in a home. I'd say I hate about 90% of the couples on this show and only watch for the homes. 

[aguabella]

On ‎5‎/‎19‎/‎2017 at 7:04 AM, mojito said:

North Shore of LI.

That renovation would've had to include some mechanical system to move people and items up those stairs. Kids, groceries, and oops. Slipped on the ice and sprained my ankle. No, no, no. The view just wasn't that good. (And that leaning telephone pole was such a detractor.) I don't remember if I ever felt so strongly about someone picking the wrong home.

I agree, mojito.  I pulled up that house while I watched the episode, wondering if they had an alley or some other type of rear access.  (Didn't notice another entrance but it did have a nice backyard, IIRC.)  BTW, HH omitted the fact that the home was a block from their neighborhood's private beach and didn't mention their HOA.  (They probably take care of snow removal.)

I took a quick look at other homes in the neighborhood.  IIRC, the only homes selling for $1M or more were newer and/or totally upgraded with beach access, i.e. waterfront.  Bet they'd be lucky to recoup their $650K+ investment if they sold now.  (They haven't sold yet so it's probably not a flip.)

If anyone cares to view the photos and information, PM me.  I checked the neighborhood out quickly so if another poster notices something significant about the RE values, I'd love to hear it.  (I'd rather not publish their address on the thread.)

[aguabella]

On ‎5‎/‎2‎/‎2017 at 0:04 PM, camom said:

I live in a townhome and pay $220/mo dues (in California).  That covers the landscaping, pool, outside maintenance (fencing, exterior painting, new roof, etc.), water & trash, termite control, and insurance, including earthquake insurance.  (I still have my own insurance policy for the interior and contents, but it's much cheaper than having to insure the building.)  I feel like I'm getting a great deal for my money.

I think the townhome they picked was a good choice for them.  Once they start having kids they'll want to move most likely, but for now it's a good fit.

Agree, camom, that's a fair price for those expenses.  You didn't mention a charge to top up the reserve.  (It's usually one of the most significant line-items on either an HOA budget or cash flow statement.)  Does your HOA intend to fund major capital improvements / repairs / replacements via special assessments?  It can pose an issue upon resale.  (I'm sure you understand this topic; other readers might be interested.)

[aguabella]

On ‎4‎/‎28‎/‎2017 at 4:46 PM, laredhead said:

I agreed with the Park City wife about the odd layout of the kitchen in the house they purchased.  There was a small sink in the corner close to the refrig and range, but the main sink and dishwasher were all the way across the kitchen from the cooking area.  I don't know how adding the large flat topped island she plans is going to help that unless they will be moving the dishwasher closer to the cooking area.  Kitchen planners advise a reasonable size working triangle, but that triangle was a bit lopsided.

I also did not like the master bedroom with the bathtub in the bedroom, and there were no doors to separate the bedroom from the other parts of the bath.  There was just a curtain hanging over the doorway. 

The backyard was nice, but I'm not sure I would want to live adjacent to a park.  Sure it's convenient when you want to take the kids to the park to play, but there will be constant noise from people in the park 7 days a week.

Usually it's a dead giveaway as to which house will be chosen if 2 are furnished and one is empty, but last night all three were furnished and I really couldn't tell which house they would choose.

Had the same thoughts about the Park City episode, laredhead.  (Sorry to be slow.)

Noticed the kitchen triangle was kaka (a technical term, lol) but then decided that the planners didn't intend the large sink as part of the triangle.  (They had the small sink in the kitchen.)  I'm sure you noticed that island with the dishwasher was slightly outside of the kitchen, adjacent to their semi-formal dining room.

During the closing scenes, they demoed that area.  Too bad - the island and sink is one of those features they might have appreciated, if they'd lived with them for awhile.  It'd be great for both washing up and prepping.  The island functions as both casual dining and serving, too.

One of my pet peeves, as a cook, is potluck guests invading the kitchen with their dishes when I'm doing final prep work.  That island might keep folks out of the main work area.  (Yippee!)

I pulled the listing / photos and noticed the kitchen had an adjacent, large pantry.  (They didn't tour it on HH.)  The kitchen was slightly small so they could blow out that wall and recapture that space.  Or, given the island dining space, they could eliminate the small table and banquette seating in the kitchen, replacing it with lowers for both storage and work area plus another serving bar, if/when needed.  And, the latter job would be a much smaller, cheaper project for the kitchen. 

On the aerial and maps, their "park" appears very small and narrow.  They're at the end of the street;  if they walk across the adjoining street, they're at the (much larger) open space.  Given the above and their sheltering trees, I doubt they have much noise.

Didn't see any other open bathrooms (yuch!) when I checked out a few other neighborhood homes.  It appears the tract is semi-custom.

Yes, HH is making the guessing game tougher these days.  In their price range, it's common to stage the entire home.  That looked like staging furniture, to me.  The office/den contained no paper whatsoever.  And, they didn't show us the (likely empty) pantry or walk-in closet.

It's common for stagers to be somewhat slow, retrieving their rental furniture, if/when a home sells quickly.  Plus, these guys had scheduled a reno.  So, no rush to move in.  Perfect for HH!  Tricky, tricky ...

P.S.  If anyone cares to check out the listing info and neighborhood, PM me.  Will shoot you the link.  Not comfortable posting participants' home addresses.

Edited May 28, 2017 by aguabella

[SanDiegoInExile]

On 5/26/2017 at 8:29 PM, laredhead said:

I wish I could figure out the scheduling of HH in my area of the country.  I'll try to locate the St. Paul episode, because I certainly do not want to miss someone who likes to nap in the shower and must live within spitting distance of a hockey rink.    

The main trick is figuring out whether your provider is giving you an East Coast feed or a West Coast feed.  I live in CA, and when I had Comcast as my provider, the SD version of HGTV got the West Coast feed.  The HD version was the East Coast feed!  Comcast eventually sync'd that up, so that both channels were West Coast Feed.  I now have DirecTVnow as my provider, and it is solely a East Coast feed.

My friend lives in Denver and he had always gotten the East Coast feeds.  I believe it recently changed and he now gets West Coast feeds, which means the initial 10PM Pacific Time airing happens at 11PM Mountain Time (with the rerun at 2AM).

I think what is also complicating things is that HGTV is getting creative with their schedule.  For the longest time, HGTV aired HH every Mon-Fri @10PM.  Now they tossed that dreck hillbilly Home Town show onto Tuesdays, pre-empting the usual Tuesday HH.  What's most bizarre to me though, is the way they count "seasons".  I still haven't figured that out.  Or why they are on Season 129?  Makes no sense at all.

[chessiegal]

13 minutes ago, SanDiegoInExile said:

What's most bizarre to me though, is the way they count "seasons".  I still haven't figured that out.  Or why they are on Season 129?  Makes no sense at all.

Looks like recently HH has been having 13 episode seasons. So If you are showing 4-5 new shows per week, you can burn through a season in a month.

[MsTree]

10 hours ago, aguabella said:

You didn't mention a charge to top up the reserve.  (It's usually one of the most significant line-items on either an HOA budget or cash flow statement.)  Does your HOA intend to fund major capital improvements / repairs / replacements via special assessments? 

Capital contributions are set up to fund the HOA's reserve acct. They are taken at close of escrow and are usually the sum of 3 months HOA dues (minimum).

Every month the HOA's management company sets aside a portion of ALL dues collected. That percentage goes into the reserve account every month. This account pays for replacement of all common area amenities as described in the Reserve Study.

[mojito]

Quote

I now have DirecTVnow as my provider, and it is solely a East Coast feed.

How do you know about these feeds?

[chocolatine]

Isn't napping in the shower - with the water running, I assume - a drowning hazard? Not to mention a huge waste of water.

[Kohola3]

44 minutes ago, chocolatine said:

Isn't napping in the shower - with the water running, I assume - a drowning hazard? Not to mention a huge waste of water.

I call BS on that whole thing. It's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Drowning would be too good for that moron.

[aguabella]

14 hours ago, MsTree said:

Capital contributions are set up to fund the HOA's reserve acct. They are taken at close of escrow and are usually the sum of 3 months HOA dues (minimum).

Every month the HOA's management company sets aside a portion of ALL dues collected. That percentage goes into the reserve account every month. This account pays for replacement of all common area amenities as described in the Reserve Study.

You post as camom, too?  That's possible?  No worries ... 

RE is regulated by the states so HOA reserve study / reserve funding requirements vary significantly by state.  In fact, last I checked, many states require neither study nor reserve funding.

I'm assuming you're referring to your HOA?  Not sure why you capitalized "all" WRT dues collection.  The budget % allocated to the reserve can be expressed as a % of either the total budget or the monthly dues amount per unit.

As long as an individual HOA complies with applicable state statutes, they may fund capital replacements / upgrades any way prefer, via either monthly reserve contributions or special assessments.  That's why it's important for buyers to review the HOA financials.

[aguabella]

On ‎5‎/‎2‎/‎2017 at 0:04 PM, camom said:

I live in a townhome and pay $220/mo dues (in California).  That covers the landscaping, pool, outside maintenance (fencing, exterior painting, new roof, etc.), water & trash, termite control, and insurance, including earthquake insurance.  (I still have my own insurance policy for the interior and contents, but it's much cheaper than having to insure the building.)  I feel like I'm getting a great deal for my money.

I think the townhome they picked was a good choice for them.  Once they start having kids they'll want to move most likely, but for now it's a good fit.

camom,

On my initial reply above, I didn't notice the contents of your (  ) after "outside maintenance".  Sorry, the word "maintenance" means "expense currently" to my brain.

Anyway, reviewing those items, fencing may include both a repair and capital component, a new roof is capital and painting is expensed unless part of a major project.  Perhaps "outside maintenance" is your budget category for reserve funding?

So, no big deal - see my general comments about HOA reserves, above - if you're interested in this topic.

[Dejana]

On Thursday, May 25, 2017 at 8:32 PM, Pickles said:

The St. Paul episode that just aired. They buyer had to be able to lie down in the shower, because he sleeps while showering. Seriously, he had to come up with this ridiculous quirk for the show. And, disgustingly, he would lie down in the shower in each house to test them out. He seemed like a total dope. His wife just kept smiling.

Ooooh, I've heard of someone who did this before! One of the RAs of my freshman dorm told us that the year before, there'd been a girl who took extremely long showers, like 45 minutes to an hour, and finally she was asked what she was doing in there. Apparently, her shower at home had a timer, with the water cutting off after about 10 minutes, so her family didn't worry about her accidentally drowning, should she doze off. Wonder if our HHer is so fancy!

Edited May 29, 2017 by Dejana

[Oldernowiser]

Watching Oahu episode...what is UP with his eyebrows? Overzealous aesthetician?

[SanDiegoInExile]

8 hours ago, mojito said:

How do you know about these feeds?

How do I know? I look at the website for the program/network and I compare it to what is on my television.  Nearly all non-news cable channels have two "feeds":  One for the Eastern/Central timezone and one for the Pacific/Mountain timezone.  The mountain time zone gets a special feed for over-the-air broadcasts, usually managed by the local stations instead of a "network feed".

Up until a few years ago, most cable channels had only a single feed, so everyone watched the same airing of a show at 9PM in the east, 8P in the central, 7P in mountain, and 6P in the Pacific.  Cable networks -- and the advertisers paying $$$ -- didnt like that because no one is home at 6P in CA to watch something.  So a West Coast feed solved that problem.  As cable companies made the change, viewers were irate because they lost the chance to watch simultaneously with their East Coast pals.  Plus they didn't have to stay up til 11PM, since 'prime time' ended at 8PM.

The satellite companies still mostly run on a single East Coast feed.  I am in a CA hotel right now and they have DirecTV. So all  the dozens of cable networks are on East Coast time.  HH aired at 7PM PT.  The only real dreadful thing about living on the west coast and getting east coast feeds is that once you hit 11PM or Midnight PT, almost all the cable channels are showing middle-of-the-night infomercials.

You can also see what feed you are getting by looking at the on-screen guide.  When I had Comcast in CA, the listings were for HGTVw, meaning HGTV West Coast feed.  Same with MTVw or VH1w or AEw.

Edited May 30, 2017 by SanDiegoInExile

[MsTree]

9 hours ago, aguabella said:

You post as camom, too?  That's possible?  No worries

I post as a former Treasurer and President of several HOAs. All HOAs of which I have served, operate in the same way re: financials.

My post was intended to inform. I speak from experience and have no interest in debating knowledge.

[KLovestoShop]

The Florida couple didn't bother me too much, except for her wanting a colonial (like the realtor said, if you want colonial, stay in Connecticut) and the husband and his paver driveway.  He said that pavers wear better, and I know from experience that that is so wrong. We recently ripped out a paver patio because in less than 5 years, those pavers had shifted, some sunk as much as 2 inches and we were constantly having to pull weeds from between the bricks.  Sounds like more of a producer driven want. 

[laredhead]

Finding a colonial in Florida would probably be like trying to find a needle in a haystack.  I agree with you about the paver driveway, KLovestoShop.  Just about all hard surface drives and walks will crack, plus brick seems to be a magnet for moss and mildew and needs to be power washed more than concrete.  Here in south Louisiana where the humidity is high, unless the brick walk is in full sun all day, a brick walkway is an invitation for a slip and fall situation unless it's kept mildew free year round. 

I've got news for the wife who is afraid of snakes, and that is the pond behind their house is a great hangout for snakes as well as the "small" alligator that inhabits the pond.  I would be more afraid of the gator than the snakes, especially with children.  Looked to me like the grass around the edges of the pond needed to be cut which would discourage snakes, and make the alligator easier to see when he comes out of the water onto land to get some sun.  

I liked the model home better than their finished product, but that's probably because the model home was decorated professionally.  I would have loved to find out how the builder made room for a 4th bedroom.  That is what I want to see on these shows, not a recap of every house they looked at.  

[camom]

Quote

Capital contributions are set up to fund the HOA's reserve acct. They are taken at close of escrow and are usually the sum of 3 months HOA dues (minimum).

Every month the HOA's management company sets aside a portion of ALL dues collected. That percentage goes into the reserve account every month. This account pays for replacement of all common area amenities as described in the Reserve Study.

I honestly don't remember if there was an additional fee when I purchased (1994).  In all the years I've lived here, there has only been one special assessment, for new roofs (5 buildings, 40 units).  They could have done it without the assessment, but we wanted a higher quality, longer lasting solution.  They spread the assessment out over 3 years, though, so it was $200/year for 3 years.  In 1984 the monthly fee was $190 and it's now $220, so it hasn't gone up too much in 23 years.

[Kira53]

On 5/18/2017 at 9:18 PM, MsProudSooner said:

How long with the Long Island couple live in that house with all the stairs after their baby comes?  If the value of the house goes up as much as they think it will, they'll be gone before the baby is a year old!

Yes they will flip that house.  I live in that town and we have to put up with a lot for the cost of housing and the high taxes.  That remodel in the million dollar area will give them enough equity to move.  Flip that house and move into one with out stairs or a pole in the middle of the view.  A young single will will buy the remodel and the stairs will be a bonus on their 5 mile run.

[aguabella]

5 hours ago, camom said:

I honestly don't remember if there was an additional fee when I purchased (1994).  In all the years I've lived here, there has only been one special assessment, for new roofs (5 buildings, 40 units).  They could have done it without the assessment, but we wanted a higher quality, longer lasting solution.  They spread the assessment out over 3 years, though, so it was $200/year for 3 years.  In 1984 the monthly fee was $190 and it's now $220, so it hasn't gone up too much in 23 years.

It'd be a good idea to review your financials at this point, camom, including the reserve study.  Especially if you plan to sell your unit in the near future ...  A buyer might demand a concession to cover your use and enjoyment of those vast amenities (lol).  Guessing that you'll probably have another 20 years or so on your roofs - from what I've seen.

IIRC, CA requires reserve studies but doesn't require that reserves be fully funded.  Based on my work with RE clients in many states, your dues sound artificially low, even if you lack significant amenities.  If the reserve study indicates that some capital item is due for replacement, it might be nice to know, if only for your own budgeting purposes.

Good Luck!

 

4 hours ago, Kira53 said:

Yes they will flip that house.  I live in that town and we have to put up with a lot for the cost of housing and the high taxes.  That remodel in the million dollar area will give them enough equity to move.  Flip that house and move into one with out stairs or a pole in the middle of the view.  A young single will will buy the remodel and the stairs will be a bonus on their 5 mile run.

Thanks for the local info, Kira53.  They haven't sold it yet (or at least when I checked) so in the RE biz, we wouldn't (technically) call it a flip.  I agree they'll sell it and probably in the fairly near future, i.e. next few years.  I only took a cursory look but got the impression they'll be lucky to recoup their $650K w/o significant, future market appreciation. 

What do you think?  (RE is always local!) Given their fixed issues, i.e. the stairs and impacted view plus a limited buyer pool, they'll probably need a very good market to get their price.

Edited May 30, 2017 by aguabella

[laredhead]

I finally saw the Long Island episode last night and I doubt they use the front stairs at all unless they are going down to the water.  The realtor said was a door at the back and the back "yard" looked flat.  I bet there's a parking area in the back with a street access there.  I cannot imagine hauling a child and everything else connected with day to day living up those steps several times a day.  That place was the victim of a lot of bad remodels.

[aguabella]

17 minutes ago, laredhead said:

I finally saw the Long Island episode last night and I doubt they use the front stairs at all unless they are going down to the water.  The realtor said was a door at the back and the back "yard" looked flat.  I bet there's a parking area in the back with a street access there.  I cannot imagine hauling a child and everything else connected with day to day living up those steps several times a day.  That place was the victim of a lot of bad remodels.

I agree, laredhead.  I pulled the home's info and looked for an alley or other convenient street to access that back door but didn't see it.  Isn't that the first thing a smart realtor (or seller, for that matter) would highlight in photos and showings? 

Also, HH forgot to mention the private beach / beach club!  My posts, 2 previous IIRC, are upthread, if you're interested.  If you'd like to check the home out, PM me for the link.  Perhaps you can find the hidden door or access!

Edited May 30, 2017 by aguabella

[chocolatine]

Did CT-to-FL husband really say that alligators don't attack people? I'm sure the family of the poor little boy who was killed by an alligator at Disney World last year would beg to differ.

[Jobiska]

On 5/20/2017 at 0:34 PM, Empress1 said:

That arrangement will work through the remainder of their 20s, probably, until they start settling down. But that's the kind of area where there tends to be a steady influx of young people, so he'll be fine selling it if he doesn't want to stay. That negative comment about the bannister made me mad - I thought the bannister was gorgeous.

Me too!

Empress1, could you make out where the one suburban house was?

My main takeaway (in addition to agreeing with those of you who said the Philly guys studied up on the HH buzzwords) was that if street parking is that terrible in Germantown, I should feel better about our status in Francisville (also terrible street parking, but walking distance to Center City, which I like).  

Also, that very elevated deck in Germantown, taking up most of the backyard and being at a level where they can peer down into their neighbors' back yards, was very weird.

[mojito]

Quote

Did CT-to-FL husband really say that alligators don't attack people? I'm sure the family of the poor little boy who was killed by an alligator at Disney World last year would beg to differ.

Ridiculous must-haves. Dedicated play space, paver driveway, master bedroom near baby Megan, who was at least seven and would undoubtedly want to be with her sisters upstairs. He didn't like the back neighbors being able to watch him putt (because, unlike him, they have no lives other than watching their neighbors putt) but was fine with the alligators in the body of water off their un-fenced back yard. 

As long as I keep tuning into this nonsense, House Hunters will continue with the contrivances.

Anyone else having a problem in the last couple of weeks with the pages on this forum loading correctly/promptly? Something's not right.

Edited May 31, 2017 by mojito

[Ottis]

On 5/20/2017 at 6:58 AM, Pickles said:

I liked the young guys in Philadelphia. Crazy, as you said, for them all to troop through the houses. Yes, bring a parent or someone with house buying experience. Hopefully, the parents were behind the scenes advising. I thought the guys came across as good kids (young men). No drunken frat boy vibes or entitled behavior. Pretty remarkable that the four seemed to get along so well. 

Catching up here ... these episodes about young, single home buyers are almost always about location, i.e. "being close to restaurants and bars."  The house can have all sorts of issues, but if they can walk to bars, that's the choice. There is very little suspense about which house they choose when they are 25, single, no kids. The buyer here seemed to recognize that the home in the suburbs was for a later stage in his life.

[Kohola3]

1 hour ago, mojito said:

Anyone else having a problem in the last couple of weeks with the pages on this forum loading correctly/promptly?

Last night all of the titles at the top were in Japanese.  OK today. 

[ByaNose]

Every young couple on HH is always looking for the house near restaurants and bars. It's like they can't drive there. They need to be able to walk. Personally, I want to be near a Costco. Yup! That's where I'm in my life right now. LOL!!!

[Diane M]

They probably want to be close to restaurants and bars so they can have a drink or two without having to drive home.

[msani19]

There's also something to being able to walk to different places without having to drive everywhere. Constantly looking for parking stinks and paying for parking is even worse. 

[biakbiak]

16 minutes ago, Diane M said:

They probably want to be close to restaurants and bars so they can have a drink or two without having to drive home.

Quote

There's also something to being able to walk to different places without having to drive everywhere. Constantly looking for parking stinks and paying for parking is even worse. 

Both od those things arewhy I like living near bars and restaurants as well as small grocery stores so I can run out and get something. I wouldn't want to live near a Costco because I would have to drive there regardless because I couldn't carry home what I get when I go there and there is sufficient parking.

[ByaNose]

2 hours ago, biakbiak said:

Both od those things arewhy I like living near bars and restaurants as well as small grocery stores so I can run out and get something. I wouldn't want to live near a Costco because I would have to drive there regardless because I couldn't carry home what I get when I go there and there is sufficient parking.

Wait! You can't carry a year supply of toilet paper & battery's? LOL!!!

I totally get why people want to have the convince of bars, restaurants & shopping in walking distance. I was just saying that's the go to line for HH. Just like stainless steel, granite countertops & this kitchen needs to be gutted were last years go to lines. LOL!!! 

[mojito]

I give people credit for not wanting to use their cars.

[BTBAM310]

There are 2 huge pet peeves I have with this show:

1.  Why do they bother going to look at a house when one of the two people looking can't be there? "Today they're looking at a ranch, but Mike had to work, so Carol brought her best friend."  Why not just film it when they're both available? Has anyone ever picked a house that only one of them looked at? When trying to guess which home they picked at the end, I automatically rule out any house in this scenario.

2. The overuse - and any use - of the word reno - JUST SAY RENOVATE OR RENOVATION!!! When my ex would watch Property Brothers, I would have headphones on and see 'reno budget' on the screen and think "what does the city Reno have to do with this???" It's part of the dumbing down of America I guess. along with people saying asterix or asterik - IT'S ASTERISK!!!

[laredhead]

BTBAM310, as to your first comment about one of the HH's not looking at a house, it's probably because that person didn't want to spend the time saying the same line over and over for editing purpose, and they found a friend or relative who wanted their 6 minutes (if that much) of TV fame.  I cannot remember an episode where a house was chosen by only one spouse, but there might be one or two over the years where that has happened.  There are probably some fans with great memories who can provide that info for us.

[mojito]

Bergen County woman home shopping with her BFF. They're over 30 now and the BFF is painfully aware of it, because almost all of her comments are about where the nursery will go. The home buyer purchased the condo and not the house with the large lot. I don't see purchasing a home to include a husband you don't have--and don't seem close to having--let alone a baby. Plan for what you're sure of--you. You'll both probably get another house anyway. If the BFF has a boyfriend, she must be hounding him about getting married. 

[Totale]

$1000+ a month HOA in NJ?  I get that she wasn't on the same page lifewise as her blonde, eager to breed BFF, but that was still awful steep.

[laredhead]

The Grand Rapids episode was almost unwatchable with the sound on because of the little girl vocal fry voice of the wife.  Good grief, it hurt my ears.  I wasn't impressed with any of the houses, and it was sort of predictable that they would choose the house that had no furniture in it.

Also watched the episode where the boyfriend was moving from Atlanta to the Washington area to be with his girlfriend and her 3 children.  His obsession with columns was odd, but I did have to agree with him that one of those houses had some columns that seemed unnecessary.  On a recent decorating show I was watching, the first thing the designer did was remove non-support columns to improve the appearance of a room.  I liked the couple, and there was no drama or snarking which was nice.  His comment at the end that they were becoming friends with the next door neighbors because they had a pool was funny.    

[camom]

The NJ friend drove me crazy.  I hate it when friends think they know what the buyer likes more than the buyer herself.  (I see a lot of that on Say Yes to the Dress, too.)

[ByaNose]

NJ woman paying $1022.00 a month in HOA and there is no washer/dryer in the unit? Hell no! If I'm paying that HOA somebody should be doing my laundry. Also, her bff was beyond annoying and she should thrown her over the balcony. Ooooooops!

Edited June 2, 2017 by ByaNose

[KLovestoShop]

I despised the NJ friend.  She needed to shut the hell up or pay her friend's mortgage.  And what was with her concern about a future family?   It's the girl's first home purchase, and no one said she can't sell the place and buy a different property. 

But what I didn't get is that $1000+ HOA.  What the hell costs that much to warrant such a high fee?  

Another thing I'm getting tired of hearing is CRAFTSMAN.  Does everyone only want a craftsman style house?  

Edited June 2, 2017 by KLovestoShop

[MsTree]

13 hours ago, BTBAM310 said:

Has anyone ever picked a house that only one of them looked at?

Considering the buyers have already bought their house before the show, I'm sure there were a few chosen where only one partner/spouse pretended to be seeing it for the first time. 

[Kohola3]

Quote

Does everyone only want a craftsman style house?  

Most of them who say it have no idea what it means which makes that constant demand especially annoying.  That plus the fact that if they DO see a real craftsman they start freaking out because it's not "open concept" and has no walk in closets.  NOT the hallmarks of true legacy craftsman homes.

[Ohwell]

10 hours ago, laredhead said:

The Grand Rapids episode was almost unwatchable with the sound on because of the little girl vocal fry voice of the wife.  Good grief, it hurt my ears.  I wasn't impressed with any of the houses, and it was sort of predictable that they would choose the house that had no furniture in it.

Oh that woman's voice hurt my ears!

[mojito]

She had a squeaky, nasal voice, but I didn't hear much of a vocal fry. She did a lot of uptalking. Craftsman versus modern, neighborhood feel versus privacy, yadda yadda yadda. He was willing to claim anything at sublevel as his own, while his wife could have everything else upstairs. How generous of him, giving his wife space shared with him and the two boys. 

I think it's time for me to take a vacation from this show again. 

[jcbrown]

It was the intense upper Midwestern accent (and I'm from the Midwest but do not talk like that!) and the squeaking. They were awful and just kept repeating the same stupid wants (the dining room ! no dining room! sports memorabilia!). Grow out of your stereotypes, people. I did not like either of them.

Edited June 2, 2017 by jcbrown