House Hunters: Buying in the USA

[aguabella]

On 12/5/2017 at 6:15 AM, laredhead said:

Ah, the couple who needed to move and renovate before their "baby girl" was born.  They had another child, a boy, but I don't think they even mentioned his name.  All I heard about 25 times in the 7 or 8 minutes allotted to the WATN episode was the name "Ellington" or "Ellie" as they called her.  This one was worse than the "Jackson" episode for me because this child was the 2nd one, not the one and only.  Anyway, on to the house reviews.  Yes, they knocked out every wall in the house that they could so as usual, it looked like they were living in one giant room which they were.  Little did our ancestors on the frontier know they were way ahead of the trend of open concept when they built one room cabins out of necessity.

The 3rd couple with 5 or 6 children I sort of remember from the original episode.  I like what they did to their house, but kept falling asleep and then proceeded to erase the episode when I woke up.  Maybe I can find it on the HGTV website to watch it again while I'm more alert.  As for the woman who didn't want an en suite, while that is really unusual, I thought it was a pretty smart idea to make the guest room the en suite arrangement if she frequently has guests.  That kind of keeps the guests in their own little corner during their stay, more like a hotel.   

One more thing, Ellington's mother referred to their new sink as a farmhouse sink.  It was not a farmhouse sink, it was a large single bowl sink.  The woman was really wanting a girl because she said bathing Ellington in the sink made wonderful memories, or something like that.  Geeeeze, that portion of the episode really grated on my nerves.    

I felt for the little boy ("Mac"), too, laredhead.  Guess they didn't care about leaving the place they'd brought their first-born home to, lol.  If a sink's that special, did they rip out Mac's sink from their previous home and save it for him?   Just exclude it from the contract - the new owners wouldn't care, haha!

Most people give their guests free rein of the basement, hopefully including a bathroom.   (Can't remember if she had one, however.)  Wait for it, next update, her h / contractor will have installed a bath, adjacent to that master / office, the larger room of the two, lol.

[aguabella]

On 12/1/2017 at 5:13 PM, mojito said:

San Diego Doctors with $1.5M

I don't think either of them could spit out more than one sentence without saying "actually". 

They were concerned with their cats and chickens. It was funny seeing that at their current home, which has no back yard, they use the front yard for the chickens and, it looked like, vegetable gardening. I'm all for people using their yard space that way. To me, living rooms, formal dining rooms, and front lawns are so often under utilized.

They mentioned that was a rental home.  I'm all for utilizing the space efficiently but if it were one of my rental properties, they wouldn't have had chickens (the smells, neighbors) or removed a front lawn.  (Unless they ignored their lease terms.)

Touring many homes, I frequently see offices and/or playrooms set up in living or dining rooms.  Everyone uses the space to suit their needs.

Naturally, for staging purposes, it's a good idea to reconsider those rooms.  Unfortunately, it might give the impression that the home's too small.

Edited December 7, 2017 by aguabella

[aguabella]

On 12/2/2017 at 8:21 AM, Ohwell said:

This was an unusual episode in which the husband's nasally voice was even more annoying than the wife's. 

And while it's nice that they have the front yard for their chickens, I have read articles recently about outbreaks of salmonella among people who don't know how to safely handle chickens.  Maybe they don't wash their hands or something?  All I know is, I wouldn't want to have chicken farmers as neighbors. 

Yes, it's salmonella but hoping, as ER docs, those two wash frequently.  That said, don't know anything about SD zoning but agree, if a neighbor, I wouldn't want them around.

Their coop appeared flimsy.  (Perhaps it's constructed that way to allow them to move it around the yard.)  Rodents and if they go outdoors, their own cats might be attracted to that coop.

[Empress1]

I was excited to see the Chicago buyers whose renovation was a giant disaster. It looks like they got it all sorted out but wow, what a headache that must have been when it was going on. I remember their episode (they were on Renovations, not regular House Hunters) very well. I bet they’re glad to have tenants to recoup some of the $320K they spent! That’s not that much less than the purchase price of the house!

[ByaNose]

On 12/7/2017 at 11:51 PM, Pegasaurus said:

 That woman and her "baby girl".  Everything was about the girl.  Barely a mention of the adorable son.  "We just can't imagine life without Ellie!" (or something to that effect)  I felt bad for the little boy.  And regarding the one-room thing.... how many people do that then regret it when they actually have to all live in one room.  Some defined rooms, please.

I don’t recall seeing Ellie’s parents before but did catch them on Where are they now? First off, I cant believe how they talked about Ellie like she was their only child. Not only is it bizarre in general but to go on television and talk about it like you only have one kid is beyond strange. Hopefully, someone who knows them will spill the beans on here. LOL!!! That said, the house turned out really nice but the inside looked smaller after knocking the wall down. I know it’s the in thing to do but their kitchen was practically at the door way. It was light and airy which I do like. All the finishes were beautiful (lots of white) but I think the house might have been two small or something. 

[laredhead]

I finally watched the Fort Worth diva episode which was original shown mid-November.  I just couldn't bring myself to watch it after reading the comments here.  Yep, she was a total diva and over acted to the max.  Her husband is a saint in my opinion.  Did it ever occur to her that he liked working in the yard to get away from her demands for constant attention?  I cannot believe they have been married for 31 years.   I didn't like any of the houses, and I noticed her self proclaimed negotiating skills and knowledge didn't get them even a one penny reduction in the final sales price. 

Aguabella, you noted that the train station condos looked sad, and I agree.  The HH was going on and on about the nice kitchen, but the appliances looked low end builder grade, and so did the granite counters.  The condo fees on that place were very high, but unless all utilities are included, I didn't see anything there worth $500 a month.  How many times would you ever use that ballroom/meeting hall, and probably would have to fork over a rental fee for it anyway.

Edited December 10, 2017 by laredhead

[MoreCoffeePlease]

Quote

San Diego guy had a bit of a burned out surfer vibe, but also seemed really young.  It's a good thing he's an ER doctor, because I can't really imagine many people putting their faith in him as their doctor willingly. 

Ha!  I wonder how many doctors go into emergency medicine thinking "I don't even really need to have a good bedside manner .... people have no choice when they see me!" 

This couple was one of the least lovey-dovey couples I have seen on the show. I don't recall them even touching at all. Wife seemed like a stick-in-mud. Interesting too how the husband said he grew up in AZ but then went to school in Minnesota.  Brrrr!

[laredhead]

Anyone watching HH Out of the Box this week?  Texas woman last night had $100,000 budget to buy something unique and make it her own.  $100,000 doesn't go very far when you are purchasing and fixing up a building that was not originally a house.  The town with the old movie theater looked like it had a lot of abandoned buildings that could be prime real estate for residential space, but here would have to be some commercial business there to attract people to live there.  Of course, if someone is a lottery winner and wants to live in a very small town, that's an option too.  I could not see the dairy farm being fixed up for even $200,000.

[Boofish]

4 hours ago, laredhead said:

Anyone watching HH Out of the Box this week?  Texas woman last night had $100,000 budget to buy something unique and make it her own.  $100,000 doesn't go very far when you are purchasing and fixing up a building that was not originally a house.  The town with the old movie theater looked like it had a lot of abandoned buildings that could be prime real estate for residential space, but here would have to be some commercial business there to attract people to live there.  Of course, if someone is a lottery winner and wants to live in a very small town, that's an option too.  I could not see the dairy farm being fixed up for even $200,000.

I watched and was disappointed there was no follow-up only a graphic rendition of what she wanted to do. Same with the family that purchased that beautiful church; this type of show screams for a follow up and it there is not going to be one I really don't want to watch

[biakbiak]

2 minutes ago, Boofish said:

I watched and was disappointed there was no follow-up only a graphic rendition of what she wanted to do. Same with the family that purchased that beautiful church; this type of show screams for a follow up and it there is not going to be one I really don't want to watch

Same. I mean I  guess the graphic rendition is better than nothing but it is still very lame.

[Mrs. DuRona]

RE: not wanting an ensuite...

My husband and I work different schedules, and I will wake him up if I go into the closet in the morning, never mind having an attached bathroom.  We actually use the smaller bedroom in our apartment as our main one, and the "master" as our office because it's quieter, and keep our clothes in the bigger office closet so that I don't wake him up in the morning.  Works for us really well.  I feel like if we were to ever buy a house that had an ensuite, we'd designate that as our guest room, and use another room as our master.  But yeah, not something we want or need, and would probably have on our "don't want" list.

[NYGirl]

I watched out of the box last night and I could not stand the wife.  I didn't like the concept either.  I'm guessing they chose the church?  I fell asleep.  I haven't been watching much lately as I've been falling asleep at around 10:00... I miss you guys.

[Boofish]

13 hours ago, NYGirl said:

I watched out of the box last night and I could not stand the wife.  I didn't like the concept either.  I'm guessing they chose the church?  I fell asleep.  I haven't been watching much lately as I've been falling asleep at around 10:00... I miss you guys.

They did choose the church

[Pickles]

The out of the box shows. I almost wonder if those people really buy those properties or if it is all just a setup for the show. Like others are saying, they just show a graphic of what people want to do. There is no "six months later, this is what I have done". I am a bit suspicious.

[biakbiak]

6 minutes ago, Pickles said:

The out of the box shows. I almost wonder if those people really buy those properties or if it is all just a setup for the show. Like others are saying, they just show a graphic of what people want to do. There is no "six months later, this is what I have done". I am a bit suspicious.

According to the internet the building that was shown last night, the old creamery in Baker City, OR was indeed sold for $50k in the summer of 2016.

[topanga]

33 minutes ago, Pickles said:

The out of the box shows. I almost wonder if those people really buy those properties or if it is all just a setup for the show. Like others are saying, they just show a graphic of what people want to do. There is no "six months later, this is what I have done". I am a bit suspicious.

It all feels so gimmicky. ‘Look at how cool we are. We’re going to live in a church/bank/shipping container.’ 

[Pickles]

4 minutes ago, topanga said:

It all feels so gimmicky. ‘Look at how cool we are. We’re going to live in a church/bank/shipping container.’ 

Exactly. How many people really are looking for such a unique place to live?  Plus, once you try to configure it for everyday living, how many hidden costs pop up? Seems like it could turn into a really expensive experience.

[chessiegal]

HGTV used to have a show that featured just these types of homes - people who turned churches, schools, and so on into homes. One featured a bank in the town I grew up in. I really enjoyed that show - they had before pictures so you could see what people had done.

[biakbiak]

30 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

HGTV used to have a show that featured just these types of homes - people who turned churches, schools, and so on into homes. One featured a bank in the town I grew up in. I really enjoyed that show - they had before pictures so you could see what people had done.

Yeah I liked that show, there were actually several different showsmwith rhe theme. However, I only found them interesting when we saw the finished product. If they did HH Renovations Out of the Box, I would be all over it.

[chocolatine]

Re: HH Out Of The Box

I wonder how much of the pain it is to get non-residential buildings rezoned for residential use. I agree that the renderings they show us in the end are underwhelming, and we never find out how much the rehab ended up costing. I did think the top floor of the creamery in last night's episode looked stunning with its arched windows, but it must have cost major $$$ just to make the building structurally sound.

Another concern would be the locations of the "out of the box" places. None of the areas in last night's episode looked like they would be safe at night.

[biakbiak]

19 minutes ago, chocolatine said:

None of the areas in last night's episode looked like they would be safe at night.

Baker City is a pretty sleepy town of less than 10k.

[irisheyes]

2 hours ago, chocolatine said:

Re: HH Out Of The Box

I wonder how much of the pain it is to get non-residential buildings rezoned for residential use. I agree that the renderings they show us in the end are underwhelming, and we never find out how much the rehab ended up costing. I did think the top floor of the creamery in last night's episode looked stunning with its arched windows, but it must have cost major $$$ just to make the building structurally sound.

Another concern would be the locations of the "out of the box" places. None of the areas in last night's episode looked like they would be safe at night.

I think they said they were budgeting $700K for renovations. 

[aguabella]

On 12/10/2017 at 8:16 AM, laredhead said:

I finally watched the Fort Worth diva episode which was original shown mid-November.  I just couldn't bring myself to watch it after reading the comments here.  Yep, she was a total diva and over acted to the max.  Her husband is a saint in my opinion.  Did it ever occur to her that he liked working in the yard to get away from her demands for constant attention?  I cannot believe they have been married for 31 years.   I didn't like any of the houses, and I noticed her self proclaimed negotiating skills and knowledge didn't get them even a one penny reduction in the final sales price. 

Aguabella, you noted that the train station condos looked sad, and I agree.  The HH was going on and on about the nice kitchen, but the appliances looked low end builder grade, and so did the granite counters.  The condo fees on that place were very high, but unless all utilities are included, I didn't see anything there worth $500 a month.  How many times would you ever use that ballroom/meeting hall, and probably would have to fork over a rental fee for it anyway.

You're correct, laredhead.  Homes sell for market value, on average.  No offense to my realtor friends but they don't "negotiate" in the true sense of the word.

That episode was especially sad b/c the train station condos probably sponsored it!  Way to put your best foot forward, huh!  

The ballroom truly appeared authentic, unfortunately.  The charm of something that's authentic doesn't mean that the item or space can't receive routine maintenance, over the years.

Worked in Dallas several times and locals always bad-mouthed FW.  Unless this episode misrepresented the area, guess we know why now.

[chocolatine]

1 hour ago, irisheyes said:

I think they said they were budgeting $700K for renovations. 

But we don't find out if the $700k was enough to do everything they'd planned. That building was literally being held together with ropes, and there were just a few planks where the first floor should have been. It looked like they may have to spend most of their budget on the structural work alone.

[aguabella]

14 minutes ago, chocolatine said:

But we don't find out if the $700k was enough to do everything they'd planned. That building was literally being held together with ropes, and there were just a few planks where the first floor should have been. It looked like they may have to spend most of their budget on the structural work alone.

RE:  HH OOTB, in general

Because they're unusual, most of these projects score a write-up in their local paper.  If you're interested, it usually only requires a couple of minutes, searching.

Even though I wasn't particularly interested, lol, I pulled some info on the TX project.  (See below.)

[chocolatine]

20 minutes ago, aguabella said:

RE:  HH OOTB, in general

Because they're unusual, most of these projects score a write-up in their local paper.  If you're interested, it usually only requires a couple of minutes, searching.

I really don't care that much. I don't think it makes sense to do this kind of show without showing the finished product and talking about the actual costs, but I'm not going to go hunting (no pun intended) for information they don't bother to provide.

[aguabella]

28 minutes ago, chocolatine said:

I really don't care that much. I don't think it makes sense to do this kind of show without showing the finished product and talking about the actual costs, but I'm not going to go hunting (no pun intended) for information they don't bother to provide.

Then, as I implied, i.e. the inverse of what I said:  if you're not interested, don't research it.  Lol, it's probably faster than posting ...

The network / production company only has 22 minutes to air the story.  They found a formula that's yielded stellar ratings, year after year.  Unless and until many viewers vote with their clickers, they'll continue that formula, ad nauseum.

BTW, obviously I agree with you or wouldn't have bothered to pull up some information, myself.  (Will post it b/c I know others are interested, too.)  Would rather see the add'l info than multiple recaps of the house hunt.  I know, however, that nothing about the program will change unless and until ratings decline. 

Edited December 15, 2017 by aguabella

[aguabella]

On 12/13/2017 at 7:44 AM, laredhead said:

Anyone YHH Out of the Box this week?  Texas woman last night had $100,000 budget to buy something unique and make it her own.  $100,000 doesn't go very far when you are purchasing and fixing up a building that was not originally a house.  The town with the old movie theater looked like it had a lot of abandoned buildings that could be prime real estate for residential space, but here would have to be some commercial business there to attract people to live there.  Of course, if someone is a lottery winner and wants to live in a very small town, that's an option too.  I could not see the dairy farm being fixed up for even $200,000.

About the adjacent areas, ever notice they don't pan the camera?  In HGTV-world, if it doesn't appear on camera, it doesn't exist.  Checked out the street around the bank bldg - it had homes but uh, not so nice.

Anybody else believe the realtor's family owned that dairy farm?  They were stretching that.  Prob couldn't find anywhere else to film.

So much for looking for somewhere to make her "own".  She listed it shortly after finishing it.  (Not surprised.) 

Disagree with her contention that these bldgs solve the affordability housing crisis.  As you mentioned, laredhead, converting them's too expensive.

Here's an article plus the listing:

http://frontporchnewstexas.com/index.php/2017/03/10/banking-on-history-a-small-town-legacy-cumby-state-bank-building-renovation/

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/201-W-Main-St_Cumby_TX_75433_M71754-52280#photo21

Omg, holy flooring, batman!  Ouch, too many!

Her penny tile idea seemed trite and stereotypical, to me.  And, again, another flooring type!  Perhaps that'd make a better backsplash.

Kitchen, uh, boring.  (Another floor!)  Cost appropriate, although previously completed.

Lose the dark window treatments.  In general, lighten up the space.  Nice curb appeal.

Overall, good job.

Edited December 15, 2017 by aguabella

[Chippings]

Further about the Out of the Box shows, the couple of episodes I've seen were just entirely unrelate-able to me.  Unlike regular HHs, these show a lot of ripped-up places that aren't homes.  It's shown to be a good concept to show three houses that can be lived in and then rationalize buying one -- you can sort of project yourself into the places as well, and yell at the screen when they choose the wrong one.  But I don't know how many of us can relate to renovating a well-located silo or firehouse.   And, like y'all above, I was disappointed not to see how the renovations turn out.  I don't see how this series can be sustained very long at all ..  I'm certainly kind of tired of it already.   (Are you listening, HGTV?  Not lovin' it out here ..)

[biakbiak]

1 minute ago, Chippings said:

don't see how this series can be sustained very long at all ..  I'm certainly kind of tired of it already.   (Are you listening, HGTV?  Not lovin' it out here ..)

It's just a special week that might be repeated two or three times a year like off the grid or some of their other soecial weeks.

[Guest]

6 hours ago, Chippings said:

I don't see how this series can be sustained very long at all ..  I'm certainly kind of tired of it already.   (Are you listening, HGTV?  Not lovin' it out here ..)

Yup!!!

[Chippings]

11 hours ago, biakbiak said:

It's just a special week that might be repeated two or three times a year like off the grid or some of their other soecial weeks.

Oh thank goodness !   Thanks for passing that along.  

[mojito]

Quote

HGTV used to have a show that featured just these types of homes - people who turned churches, schools, and so on into homes. One featured a bank in the town I grew up in. I really enjoyed that show - they had before pictures so you could see what people had done.

One show (this wasn't the only one) was called "Building Character". It was on around 15 years ago. There were some impressive renos. One I was impressed with was an old Texas jailhouse. I don't find the house hunting aspect of this show to be nearly as compelling as the before and after shots and discussion of the challenges posed by converting these places.

[Irlandesa]

I love the Out of The Box angle. I do wish they'd show us the finished product (and I love the HH: OOB Renovation idea) but right now I find it more interesting than the McMansions they often look at. 

[Mu Shu]

I just saw out of the box in West Virginia.  That church was sad looking with the acoustic drop ceilings and austere everything.   I liked the building they chose because the upstairs was cozy and reminded me of a boat, but it looks like they’re pretty much changing it to the point that they should have just done a new build.

the wife sure was a vigorous lady.  I expected her to run off and fight a bear or something in between properties.   They were a cool couple, though. 

[laredhead]

The West Virginia couple knew exactly what they were getting into with rehabbing the old train depot.  They have tackled big renovations before and the husband was very handy and knows construction work.  I liked them too.  The Brooklyn couple; however, might be in over their heads, and I do wonder how long the allure of a country house will last when all you do every time you visit is work, work, work.  I don't know why, but I'm always fascinated by people who live in New York City and so many of them don't have a car.  How will this couple get to their country home?  I don't think Uber is an option.  Do they rent cars for the weekend.  So many questions, but obviously they have a much larger bank account than I do.  Did the guy say he was from Iceland? 

Edited December 16, 2017 by laredhead

[biakbiak]

1 hour ago, laredhead said:

Do they rent cars for the weekend. 

Yes or like many people who have houses upstate, they take the train and have a car at the house. 

 

13 hours ago, Mu Shu said:

But it looks like they’re pretty much changing it to the point that they should have just done a new build.

Yeah the rendering looked like a fairly typical farm house, I was sort of surprised that they could make such a drastic change given the reason for the cost was that the city wanted it to be preserved.

The larger depot outside of town was cool but whdn they mentioned that they had a lot in town it was obvious that they were going with the one that needed to be moved.

[Preppy6917]

5 hours ago, laredhead said:

I'm always fascinated by people who live in New York City and so many of them don't have a car.  How will this couple get to their country home?  I don't think Uber is an option.  Do they rent cars for the weekend.  

I live in a less urban city than NYC (Seattle) and don't own a car. Generally, everything I need is easily accessed by walking, transit, or car sharing. Those combined with the occasional weekend rental is still far less than what my monthly transportation expenses were back when I lived in Texas. If you do the math on the true cost of car ownership, you may be surprised.

[SanDiegoInExile]

On 12/15/2017 at 5:27 PM, Irlandesa said:

I love the Out of The Box angle. I do wish they'd show us the finished product...

The biggest problem is that we see zilch follow through/follow-up.  The Friday episode came closest, but it WAS ONLY 6 MONTHS LATER and they had just moved the train station across town.  At that rate, the house will be liveable in 2027.  And I suspect the other 4 *winners* aren't actual living spaces in this decade.

Next week, we get the return of *Tiny* as the theme-of-the-week.

[chessiegal]

4 minutes ago, SanDiegoInExile said:

Next week, we get the return of *Tiny* as the theme-of-the-week.

Yuck. I'm out.

[chocolatine]

20 hours ago, Preppy6917 said:

I live in a less urban city than NYC (Seattle) and don't own a car. Generally, everything I need is easily accessed by walking, transit, or car sharing. Those combined with the occasional weekend rental is still far less than what my monthly transportation expenses were back when I lived in Texas. If you do the math on the true cost of car ownership, you may be surprised.

I just moved from Seattle to NYC - you can't compare the two. Most apartment/condo buildings in Seattle have parking garages, but in NYC very few do. Monthly parking in a public garage is $300-400 in Brooklyn and $500+ in Manhattan. Insurance premiums in NYC are very high as well. I loved driving in Seattle and could get around easily if I avoided rush hour. Here in NYC traffic is a nightmare most of the time, and most stores, restaurants, theaters, etc., don't have parking.

[mojito]

Quote

I live in a less urban city than NYC (Seattle) and don't own a car. Generally, everything I need is easily accessed by walking, transit, or car sharing. Those combined with the occasional weekend rental is still far less than what my monthly transportation expenses were back when I lived in Texas. If you do the math on the true cost of car ownership, you may be surprised.

You make a good point. Living in NYC without a car would be much easier than living in Seattle without a car, yet, you are still able to do so. Good for you. 

[aguabella]

On 12/16/2017 at 8:35 AM, laredhead said:

The West Virginia couple knew exactly what they were getting into with rehabbing the old train depot.  They have tackled big renovations before and the husband was very handy and knows construction work.  I liked them too.  The Brooklyn couple; however, might be in over their heads, and I do wonder how long the allure of a country house will last when all you do every time you visit is work, work, work.  I don't know why, but I'm always fascinated by people who live in New York City and so many of them don't have a car.  How will this couple get to their country home?  I don't think Uber is an option.  Do they rent cars for the weekend.  So many questions, but obviously they have a much larger bank account than I do.  Did the guy say he was from Iceland? 

I liked the WV couple, too, but have seen many "handy" people overwhelmed by large construction projects.  And, dealing with the requirements of a historical bldg adds another wrinkle.  They'll need at least a few experts, starting with a structural engineer.

I'm sure the Brooklyn couple had local assistance engaged.  No offense to the woman but doubt she'll only work when she visits the property.  Everybody notice her "work" ensemble?  Looked like she was ready to do some shopping in Brooklyn!  She had no work gloves, lovely smooth hands and only mowed a small patch in front of the place while on camera.  She knew the yard crew was already on board.

Reminded me of the young guy who mowed 4 runs in his front yard, sloppily.  Said he'd mowed as a teenager - looked like he was just messing around.  How many of you agree that he probably did 1 run per camera angle?  In the closing scene, his backyard was overgrown.  He, too, knew help was on the way.

[aguabella]

On 12/14/2017 at 7:41 PM, chocolatine said:

But we don't find out if the $700k was enough to do everything they'd planned. That building was literally being held together with ropes, and there were just a few planks where the first floor should have been. It looked like they may have to spend most of their budget on the structural work alone.

I agree -  I doubt that renovation pencils out.  (They probably placed those cables and the planks themselves, pursuant to a structural engineer's suggestion.)  I certainly hope they went through that building with a contractor and received some expert opinions before closing escrow.

Unless that property has some significant, redeeming qualities, the anecdotal evidence from the other toured buildings seems to indicate that a 700K total project cost would be far too much.  (Thinking about that $500 rent for a small commercial space and the other properties at 100 to 200K, IIRC.   Hope the bagel shop pays add'l rent based on sales, lol!)  If she's ready to start a business, she could find inexpensive space, elsewhere.

Baker City appeared to have numerous vacancies.  I sympathize with her (native) bf 's frustration but unless and until their economy takes off, they might need to consider that 50K as a write-off / mistake / part of their learning process. 

Edited December 18, 2017 by aguabella

[AnnieBeez]

10 hours ago, mojito said:

You make a good point. Living in NYC without a car would be much easier than living in Seattle without a car, yet, you are still able to do so. Good for you. 

I thought this was your original point, Mojito. ;) I live in Portland and just heard from a Seattle exile that our public transportation is so much better. I haven't owned a car for 3+ years. I lived in NYC way back in the day--early 80s. All I did was move my car from one side of the street to the other for street cleaning. Sold it very quickly. No need for a car in NYC, just a pain and an expense. 

[mojito]

Quote

I thought this was your original point, Mojito. ;)

Preppy's point. I was just reinforcing it.

Oh yes, "Alternate Side of the Street Parking". Must've been fun.

My city is making an effort to accompany new corporate complexes with neighborhoods that allow for walkability to both work, shopping, and play. This country's gone from family farms, to cities, to suburbs, and we're returning back to city life again. Maybe we'll figure out a way to overcome the likes of Monsanto and return to family farms again.

I caught another episode of House Hunters OTB. The house hunt is the least interesting aspect of the show. Remove it and focus on the reno and rename the show.

[Irlandesa]

CA to CO couple looking for a house with a view and big enough to house the two of them and their dogs as well as temporarily house her daughter, her daughter's boyfriend and the new baby until they can buy their own home.

Temporarily--why even bother pretending?  They looked for a five bedroom house.  There's no belief in temporary with that kind of purchase. 

I did find it kind of funny that we saw the daughter's bedroom but not her or her boyfriend.  And they showed us the beautiful fence so the dogs could run around and yet no dogs.  Do any of them really exist?

[sheetmoss]

Argh - Chicago couple moving to the burbs

They didn't say whether they had  a car or not, but they sure do now.... that bike ride to train station in winter may be impossible.

Edited December 20, 2017 by sheetmoss

[debbie311]

The Chicago couple.  He came across as a selfish jerk.  They lived in a cramped space and shared a bedroom with their two kids (!) so he could have HIS own space (the second bedroom).  Oh hell no. So when they go looking for a larger place, he basically wanted to replicate their current situation because he liked being in the city and wanted to bike to work.  He wanted his two kids to share a bedroom (a boy and a girl) so that he could have his own room to close the door and play the guitar. The wife was endlessly patient and explained how the boy and girl would eventually need their own bedrooms.

I always have to remind myself that these people have already purchased a home and they are basically play-acting at looking at other houses, but why would he want to make himself look like such a selfish ass?

[debbie311]

Forgot to add about the Chicago guy.  He told his wife he didn't want a house because he doesn't like to do yard work.  She said she would do it if they could get the house.  The last shot showed her mowing their football field-sized back lawn with a PUSH MOWER that he got for her.  Her voice-over comment: "Well, at least I don't have to go to the gym now ..."  You would think hubby could have at least gotten her a power mower.