House Hunters: Buying in the USA

[Ohwell]

Now that you mention it, I do remember him saying he was a drummer, but I forgot the insurance broker part. 

1 hour ago, MizMamie said:

And they plan to fix up and rent out the coach house because they need some supplemental income to afford it all. How do these people get mortgages?  

Question for any real estate agents out there:  Are mortgages based on the potential for rental income, or does a person have to qualify for the amount of mortgage, regardless of whether they get rental income?  I thought it was the latter case. 

[msmarjoribanks]

1 hour ago, MizMamie said:

Emily the retro rad chef has been on a few Food Network shows per her website (https://www.emilyellyn.com/), and her boyfriend said he was an insurance broker and a former professional drummer.  Of course, they went with the most expensive house, #3 (the blue painters tape on the coach house's front door gave it away), and proceeded to tear down many walls so she could have a bigger kitchen and a bathroom that would hold the bathtub he bought her. And they plan to fix up and rent out the coach house because they need some supplemental income to afford it all. How do these people get mortgages?  

I thought she was annoying and her retro look needed more work. Having a few pairs of Dame Edna cat glasses and white/blond hair doesn't make you retro. Or rad. 

I used to watch the Next Food Network Star and remembered from that (I checked, it was back in 2012), but as you say I guess she's some kind of current personality too (my HGTV obsession has supplanted my Food Network watching).

I figured they'd go with the third one due to the coach house, but I don't get it.  I'd much rather pay less and not have to deal with (or share my yard with) tenants or the stress of being a landlord.  I mean I do get it, I know $1500/month (or whatever) less the $50K more mortgage is a lot less, but ugh.  And that assumes you can find tenants who won't complain about the chickens and the drumming and the RVs supposedly there often.

[StatisticalOutlier]

2 hours ago, MizMamie said:

and a bathroom that would hold the bathtub he bought her

I was going to ask if people really buy things like bathtubs if they don't currently have a place for them, but then I realized "he" probably didn't buy the bathtub until after they'd bought a place that could hold it.

 

Quote

I thought she was annoying and her retro look needed more work. Having a few pairs of Dame Edna cat glasses and white/blond hair doesn't make you retro. Or rad. 

Oh, the look was plenty for me as it is.

 

1 hour ago, Ohwell said:

Now that you mention it, I do remember him saying he was a drummer, but I forgot the insurance broker part.

Aah, I remember that now, and that he's a health insurance broker. 

 

9 minutes ago, msmarjoribanks said:

I'd much rather pay less and not have to deal with (or share my yard with) tenants or the stress of being a landlord.  I mean I do get it, I know $1500/month (or whatever) less the $50K more mortgage is a lot less, but ugh.  And that assumes you can find tenants who won't complain about the chickens and the drumming and the RVs supposedly there often.

Maybe they want to short-term rent it--aren't they in Orlando?  That could bring in some serious money, and people there for only a few days will probably find the chickens charming.  But the drumming and RV-filled driveway probably won't earn them rave reviews.

[twinks]

Their reno totally killed the charm and vintage feel that she "loved."  I understand why they did it and I hope they add some vintage-like features with the reno.

[Mittengirl]

On 10/3/2018 at 11:06 PM, msmarjoribanks said:

Modern farmhouse -- what does that mean? Modern and farmhouse are opposites in my mind.

I saw an episode (not entirely sure it was HH) where someone wanted “industrial farmhouse”.  What the what?

 

Is retro rad lady a real chef or just another food blogger?

I am fairly certain there were no lenses in any of the glasses she wore.  I watched the late night rerun to check and I never saw a single tiny bit of reflection and when she turned to the side I swear you could see the inside of the frames where the lens should be.  I have anti-reflective coating on my lenses, but you can still see them.  And yes, I have no life.

Edited October 5, 2018 by Mittengirl

[suebee12]

Well, HH did it again....they snuck in a tiny house episode and to make it worse, an island tiny house. I almost never watch "beachy" house hunters and then add the tiny.....YUCK. I immediately deleted it...they can run them but I don't have to watch!!!!!

[StatisticalOutlier]

6 minutes ago, suebee12 said:

Well, HH did it again....they snuck in a tiny house episode and to make it worse, an island tiny house. I almost never watch "beachy" house hunters and then add the tiny.....YUCK. I immediately deleted it...they can run them but I don't have to watch!!!!!

But then you miss them going $200,000 over their $250,000 budget to live in a 150-square-foot shipping container, while renting out the two bigger units on the property to people who aren't staying there permanently.  Oh, and she didn't want to be near tourists--but has two short-term rental units.

There was another tiny house episode later.  As expected, their trailer was parked at the woman's parents' house in Maryland, but fear not--they were going to be moving it!  To the man father's house in West Virginia.

Apparently their planned visits to the Grand Canyon and "the Moab desert" (pronounced moe-obb by him) will have to wait, but that means he'll have plenty of time to get the pronunciation right before they get there.  And yes, people who want to be mobile definitely should consider a tiny house that has a porch that requires separate transportation, and a park model that requires professional movers and escorts at $4/mile.

[suebee12]

11 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

But then you miss them going $200,000 over their $250,000 budget to live in a 150-square-foot shipping container, while renting out the two bigger units on the property to people who aren't staying there permanently.  Oh, and she didn't want to be near tourists--but has two short-term rental units.

Darn! Sounds like a disaster to me! Sounds like I made a wise choice not watching.....(actually I could record the late showing but I think I can contain(couldn't resist using that word!) myself.

[StatisticalOutlier]

2 minutes ago, suebee12 said:

Darn! Sounds like a disaster to me! Sounds like I made a wise choice not watching.....(actually I could record the late showing but I think I can contain(couldn't resist using that word!) myself.

It's a disaster that's somehow not interesting.  So containing yourself is the right call--unlike in some situations.

[LittleIggy]

14 hours ago, Pickles said:

The Orlando episode last night with the retro food/cooking lady. I only halfway watched, but I think they said they had only been together five months. He moved in on their first date. They were now buying a house together. Wow. Okay. She was a little too quirky with her look for me, but I guess that is her whole deal. What did he do for a living?

I think it was mentioned he was in insurance. I think. I was boggled by the “together for five months now buying a house together” thing too.

[LittleIggy]

1 hour ago, Mittengirl said:

 

I am fairly certain there were no lenses in any of the glasses she wore.  I watched the late night rerun to check and I never saw a single tiny bit of reflection and when she turned to the side I swear you could see the inside of the frames where the lens should be.  I have anti-reflective coating on my lenses, but you can still see them.  And yes, I have no life.

No lenses? Oh, bitch please! 

[Empress1]

12 hours ago, suebee12 said:

Well, HH did it again....they snuck in a tiny house episode and to make it worse, an island tiny house. I almost never watch "beachy" house hunters and then add the tiny.....YUCK. I immediately deleted it...they can run them but I don't have to watch!!!!!

I loathe everything about tiny houses so I was mad that they did this. Deleted unwatched.

[doodlebug]

13 hours ago, Mittengirl said:

Is retro rad lady a real chef or just another food blogger?

I am fairly certain there were no lenses in any of the glasses she wore.  I watched the late night rerun to check and I never saw a single tiny bit of reflection and when she turned to the side I swear you could see the inside of the frames where the lens should be.  I have anti-reflective coating on my lenses, but you can still see them.  And yes, I have no life.

 

I noticed the same thing, the frames were empty, she didn't even bother to get plain glass in them.  Poseur.  I already thought she was way too extra, but that sealed the deal.  I presume her YouTube videos are tagged as 'retro rad' since she used the stupid, meaningless phrase about 983 times during the episode, I figured she was trying to get hits for her website.

I agree with whoever said that renters weren't going to be too thrilled with a place where much of the yard is taken up with chicken coops and apparently 2 huge RV's will be in the driveway much of the time.  No matter how cheap the rental, it would be too much for me.

They seemed like EXACTLY the sort of couple that would move in together after one date and buy a house together after only 5 months.  I wouldn't be surprised to hear that it was long since over, except they picked the fixer, so they'll probably hang on until they film the HHR episode

.

[msmarjoribanks]

22 hours ago, Mittengirl said:

I saw an episode (not entirely sure it was HH) where someone wanted “industrial farmhouse”.  What the what?

 

Ha, ha!  

For some reason this discussion reminds me that I was reading some old posts on a local real estate blog and saw a discussion of a listing for this odd house not too far from me that is in the style of a barn, and advertised it as offering "urban barn living."  The listing further described it (yes, in all caps) as "ARCHITECTURALLY UNIQUE AND STUNNING."  In addition to other commentary (bonus, you will be able to say "yes, my kids were raised in a barn!"), it was noted that calling the architecture of a barn "unique" is a little bit strong -- we are in Illinois, after all.

Edited October 6, 2018 by msmarjoribanks

[msmarjoribanks]

If there was discussion of it, I missed it, but recent (week or so ago) episode with the young couple from Mahopac. NY.  He was a teacher, she did some marketing thing in (I think, not stated) NYC, they met at Penn State but her family was in the area. They saw a fine place that needed a bit of fixing up, no garage, in their budget, and then two (IMO) really cute places, one 30 minutes farther away (the wife already had a 90 min commute), and one way over budget.  Shockingly (not), they went with the practical first one (which was totally fine).

I felt bad about the wife's commute, but thinking about it, I bet if they went closer to NYC (assuming that's where she worked), prices would go from apparently reasonably affordable to crazy very quickly, and given the proximity of her family they seemed to be thinking about a future and kids.

Anyway, I thought they were a pleasant couple.  They tried to make up a style conflict (cape cod vs craftsman), but you could see it was not serious.

[LittleIggy]

11 hours ago, Empress1 said:

I loathe everything about tiny houses so I was mad that they did this. Deleted unwatched.

I watched it. They ended up with a $400,000 property that had two rental units on it and a tiny (170 sq. ft.) converted shipping container they lived in. It was weird. I bet they stayed in one of the apartments when they were vacant.

[LittleIggy]

I saw a rerun this afternoon in which a young woman was looking for her first house. It was refreshing to hear her reply, to her best friend who said the master bedroom was too small, something to the effect that she could fit a bed and a dresser in there and that was all she needed.

[QuinnM]

On 10/2/2018 at 11:31 PM, juliet73 said:

It would seem so since he didn't want the "cooking mess" in the kitchen. But it's not like he could really prep food or cook it in his butler's pantry. It only had a microwave, an oven and an espresso machine. 

Finally catching up to this bit of nonsense on the TiVo.  What a waste of space.  So basically we have open plan so that the person in the kitchen can still be part of the social atmosphere of the home.  Then we have a butlers pantry so that the servants aren’t visible as they go about their duties.  And we put the servants items in that area, like the espresso machine.

In real life the first clip after move in he’s yelling at his partner to come into his butlers pantry and get his espresso.  I can only imagine the fun he’ll have in that small space with a baby strapped to his chest trying to prepare dinner, bottles and espresso.  

Crazy town, really crazy town.

[ByaNose]

I just watched the butler pantry episode. OMG!!! Between hearing the word butler pantry every 5 seconds and their vocal fry voices I was gonna hurl. They were soooooooo annoying. They are made for each other. Also, $409,000 seems pricey. I almost thought it was a California episode. Who knew Kansas City was that upscale & expensive. BTW!! Did I mention how annoying their voices were.........

[ByaNose]

On 10/5/2018 at 1:08 AM, LittleIggy said:

I think it was mentioned he was in insurance. I think. I was boggled by the “together for five months now buying a house together” thing too.

I was more shocked how kooky she was & how normal he was. I wouldn’t have put them together at all. Also, when he started to say how they long they been dating I thought he was going to say 5 years and then he said 5 months!!! Doesn’t it just take 3 or 4 months to get cast on this show?  

[Ohwell]

30 minutes ago, ByaNose said:

I was more shocked how kooky she was & how normal he was. I wouldn’t have put them together at all. Also, when he started to say how they long they been dating I thought he was going to say 5 years and then he said 5 months!!! Doesn’t it just take 3 or 4 months to get cast on this show?  

All I can say is, she must be a damn good cook. 

[doodlebug]

26 minutes ago, ByaNose said:

I was more shocked how kooky she was & how normal he was. I wouldn’t have put them together at all. Also, when he started to say how they long they been dating I thought he was going to say 5 years and then he said 5 months!!! Doesn’t it just take 3 or 4 months to get cast on this show?  

You cannot get cast on the show until you've actually successfully purchased the home, so they really bought a house after far less than 5 months together.  I figure it was a stunt to promote her YouTube career, and he was just along for the ride.  

[msmarjoribanks]

On 10/5/2018 at 11:17 PM, LittleIggy said:

I saw a rerun this afternoon in which a young woman was looking for her first house. It was refreshing to hear her reply, to her best friend who said the master bedroom was too small, something to the effect that she could fit a bed and a dresser in there and that was all she needed.

I remember that one.  I really liked the HHer.

[msmarjoribanks]

Just watched a new one with a couple moving back to Birmingham, AL.  No major conflicts but an exaggerated style one.  Two houses in their desired location, one under budget but needing some work, with great potential, one really cute but tiny yard and over budget.  Third one not really in their desired area.  Alleged conflict between wife's style (craftsman) and husband's style (MCM), and likely real issue with the wife not liking the first place because it looked like a "Brady Bunch place."  Kitchen supposedly needed gut, but they didn't really show why, the oven was old but the other appliances were SS so I wondered if they really were that old, and the cabinets were the all so popular white.  Anyway, it was enough under budget that they could do the work they wanted, and they basically redid it.

I thought they made a good choice and the new exterior paint made a big difference on how attractive the first place was (it was nice inside, albeit with some needed changes), and it had a great lot compared to the second, which is something you cannot fix.

[laredhead]

I thought the Birmingham house was much improved with the new exterior paint job.  It now looks more expensive, IMO.  I also noticed that they were replacing the deck.  You could see new lumber stacked outside the doors, and some new boards had been nailed down.  The old deck was probably unsafe, and I remember they did not walk out on it like HH's usually do.    Their dogs were pretty cute.

Back to the HH's and the episode with the "butler's pantry".  A few minutes ago I was reading through the open house listings in my area today, and there is a brand new house listed with what they are calling a "back kitchen".  This is one of those open concept houses where you see the kitchen, living room, and dining room as soon as you open the front door.  The appliances in the immediately visible kitchen are a professional looking range, a refrigerator behind custom cabinet doors, and a dishwasher hidden under the counter.  The "back kitchen" has a wall oven, a microwave oven, a double sink, and the washer and dryer.  Of course both of these rooms have white cabinets, granite counters, SS appliances, etc.  Call me an old fuddy duddy, but I don't want the microwave in a separate room because I use it constantly.  Oh, and this house also has an outdoor kitchen with a fireplace, and big screen TV, or as I call it, another room to keep clean.  In other words, it has everything people are told they need and are being sold on by designers and contractors.  I live in south Louisiana, and there aren't that many days when you can use an outdoor kitchen, between the pouring rain, heat, and humidity.  I have a very deep covered porch with a high ceiling and large ceiling fan, but there are few days where it's comfortable sitting out there.  It sounds wonderful in real estate listings, and people fantasize about sitting outside and drinking coffee, having drinks in the evening, etc., but in practical use I don't see the value.  We are still in the 90's here with humidity to match, so A/C is my luxury. 

One other thing, most of these new builds are on very narrow lots, so if you are sitting on your outdoor kitchen area, the neighbors are about 10' away - seriously.  If your TV channels aren't tuned to the same station, it could get interesting with the noise.    

Edited October 7, 2018 by laredhead
Spelling correction

[chessiegal]

We know Birmingham fairly well, have good friends who live there, and were disappointed they didn't mention the neighborhoods of the 1st 2 houses. I'm guessing Homewood where our friends live.

[mojito]

Birmingham

Watching HGTV, you'd think that you are the only person in the world who calls it "sun" and not "natural light". I thought the paint job on the house went from boring beige to boring charcoal gray. Oh, and that dash of color: the black front door! I wonder what people would say about MCM-type homes if there had never been a TV show called "The Brady Bunch"?

[ByaNose]

1 hour ago, mojito said:

Birmingham

Watching HGTV, you'd think that you are the only person in the world who calls it "sun" and not "natural light". I thought the paint job on the house went from boring beige to boring charcoal gray. Oh, and that dash of color: the black front door! I wonder what people would say about MCM-type homes if there had never been a TV show called "The Brady Bunch"?

I agree with that. My only frame of reference of MCM is The Brady Bunch. Even, if the house isn’t really MCM but similar I will say it’s A Brady Bunch house.  I guess a MCM would be call a MCM like everyone calls a Craftsman Style a Craftsman Style house. That said, is Craftsman named after someone named Craftsman? I honestly don’t know.

[msmarjoribanks]

1 hour ago, ByaNose said:

I agree with that. My only frame of reference of MCM is The Brady Bunch. Even, if the house isn’t really MCM but similar I will say it’s A Brady Bunch house.  I guess a MCM would be call a MCM like everyone calls a Craftsman Style a Craftsman Style house. That said, is Craftsman named after someone named Craftsman? I honestly don’t know.

It comes out of the Arts and Crafts movement.  I have a couple of books about craftsman architecture, but sometimes it gets used oddly on HHers.

I will admit that I was really prejudiced against MCM and mid century through 70s architecture in general (partly because I lived in not particularly good 70s houses influenced by the style when growing up and it just felt dated to me).  Having seen what it is supposed to look like on HHers (some episodes) and Restored, and then looking at some local examples, I appreciate it now, and even think good examples can be really beautiful, although my preference is still for older styles (and houses).

6 hours ago, chessiegal said:

We know Birmingham fairly well, have good friends who live there, and were disappointed they didn't mention the neighborhoods of the 1st 2 houses. I'm guessing Homewood where our friends live.

Whenever they do a city I know even slightly and don't mention the neighborhoods it drives me crazy.

Edited October 7, 2018 by msmarjoribanks

[Ottis]

Birmingham... come on. That guy is straight? Is it only me who wondered and then... the wave? 

Also, I’m convinced those poofy winter coats are the fashion industry’s giant joke on consumers. Just 4 years ago they were considered dorky. Now they are everywhere. 

Liked the second house a lot. Especially for two people. Never been to Birmingham. Houses were more expensive than I expected. 

Edited October 8, 2018 by Ottis

[CrazyInAlabama]

Birmingham has very expensive ritzy areas, and still nice but more affordable areas.    House Hunters seems to be showing the upscale selections, instead of the more reasonable starter homes.   Or does anyone buy starter homes besides me?   

[juliet73]

On 10/7/2018 at 5:38 PM, msmarjoribanks said:

I will admit that I was really prejudiced against MCM and mid century through 70s architecture in general (partly because I lived in not particularly good 70s houses influenced by the style when growing up and it just felt dated to me).  Having seen what it is supposed to look like on HHers (some episodes) and Restored, and then looking at some local examples, I appreciate it now, and even think good examples can be really beautiful, although my preference is still for older styles (and houses).

 

If you haven't seen Desert Flippers yet, watch it.  They flip mostly MCM in Palm Springs.  They do beautiful work, IMO.  If you really want to see awesome house porn, google MCM homes for sale in S. California.   If I ever become super rich, that's where I'm buying!

[Empress1]

Ocean City NJ episode: I was in Ocean City this summer so I liked seeing areas where I've been. My friend's parents had a vacation house down there and they made it their permanent home when they retired. The husband said he liked modern homes so he loved the third house, but that didn't look modern to me!

I chuckled because they were clearly there during the off season, given that they were wearing winter coats and boots.

[laredhead]

Was this a retagged beach front HH?  My DVR did not record it for some reason.

[Empress1]

37 minutes ago, laredhead said:

Was this a retagged beach front HH?  My DVR did not record it for some reason.

I don't think so. Usually I can tell the difference because the show formats aren't quite the same - the realtor doesn't go in the house with them during the beach front shows, for example. This had the standard HH format - buyer intro/wish list, little realtor spiel about the challenges of working with them, three properties, etc.

[topanga]

5 hours ago, Empress1 said:

I don't think so. Usually I can tell the difference because the show formats aren't quite the same - the realtor doesn't go in the house with them during the beach front shows, for example. This had the standard HH format - buyer intro/wish list, little realtor spiel about the challenges of working with them, three properties, etc.

And the houses didn’t have names. I don’t know if I love or hate that aspect of the Beach Front show—they name the houses. 

[msmarjoribanks]

11 hours ago, Empress1 said:

I don't think so. Usually I can tell the difference because the show formats aren't quite the same - the realtor doesn't go in the house with them during the beach front shows, for example. This had the standard HH format - buyer intro/wish list, little realtor spiel about the challenges of working with them, three properties, etc.

Good to know -- I assumed otherwise and was going to skip it since the beach format bugs me for some reason.  

[jcbrown]

I did not like the dimwit in Ocean City . She  was all concerned about stairs because of "how much stuff our kids have"--and whose fault is that? Then she was all stressed about her kids throwing themselves off the roof deck. It's called natural selection, dumbass. Why do kids have to be wrapped in cottonwool these days? <shakes cane>

[KLovestoShop]

The Orlando woman was a big pain. She's got a small budget, but she wants it all. And her need for a huge bedroom so she can dance around when she gets dressed in the morning was just too much.  Then when she said there's no such thing as a perfect house, but she wants perfect, I just about lost it.  And why did she keep calling hard wood floors, wood tiles?  She actually removed the oak trees (I've never heard of an oak tree phobia), but at least she donated them. 

[kirklandia]

That tiny house in Hawaii -  disaster is an excellent descriptor.  You may remember the location, Pahoa, as the community near the recent and lingering Kilauea volcanic eruption.

Add to this the Beachfront and Island shows featuring homes that may blow away or wash away any time now.  A couple of days ago they showed an episode on Panama City Beach, which is currently in the path of Hurricane Michael.

I hope House Hunters everywhere are doing their due diligence.

[LittleIggy]

46 minutes ago, KLovestoShop said:

The Orlando woman was a big pain. She's got a small budget, but she wants it all. And her need for a huge bedroom so she can dance around when she gets dressed in the morning was just too much.  Then when she said there's no such thing as a perfect house, but she wants perfect, I just about lost it.  And why did she keep calling hard wood floors, wood tiles?  She actually removed the oak trees (I've never heard of an oak tree phobia), but at least she donated them. 

Wouldn’t it take years for those little saplings to grow anyway? At least she didn’t insist on a gas stove.

[Empress1]

7 hours ago, KLovestoShop said:

The Orlando woman was a big pain. She's got a small budget, but she wants it all. And her need for a huge bedroom so she can dance around when she gets dressed in the morning was just too much.  Then when she said there's no such thing as a perfect house, but she wants perfect, I just about lost it.  And why did she keep calling hard wood floors, wood tiles?  She actually removed the oak trees (I've never heard of an oak tree phobia), but at least she donated them. 

She didn't have an oak tree phobia; she didn't want trees at all because they could fall on her house in a hurricane. I think she replaced the oak trees with some kind of bushes.

I don't think I've seen any buyer insist on an electric stove like she did. Gas, yes, as we know, but not electric. I've seen buyers that didn't seem to care either way, but I can't recall any that were insistent about electric.

She has a very kind and generous friend, letting her move in while she was being treated for cancer.  

[mojito]

Quote

I don't think I've seen any buyer insist on an electric stove like she did. Gas, yes, as we know, but not electric. I've seen buyers that didn't seem to care either way, but I can't recall any that were insistent about electric.

I guess winds that can knock over trees can really do some damage to gas lines.

I thought it was funny that she had to ask if some floors were real hardwood (they looked really cheap to me, and I was watching it on TV), proving that she had quite a discerning eye.

Edited October 10, 2018 by mojito

[Empress1]

23 minutes ago, mojito said:

I guess winds that can knock over trees can really do some damage to gas lines.

I thought it was funny that she had to ask if some floors were real hardwood (they looked really cheap to me, and was watching it on TV), proving that she had quite a discerning eye.

I was like " ... No, girl" when she asked if the floors in the first house were real. I did laugh when she asked "What is 'high-end laminate?'"

Edited October 10, 2018 by Empress1

[SpiritSong]

On 10/7/2018 at 6:17 PM, CrazyInAlabama said:

Birmingham has very expensive ritzy areas, and still nice but more affordable areas.    House Hunters seems to be showing the upscale selections, instead of the more reasonable starter homes.   Or does anyone buy starter homes besides me?   

The one and only house I ever bought, and still live in is a 'starter" home. 2 bedroom, 1 bath bungalow. I can age in place, and it's been paid off for many years. I'm single, and it was the best decision I ever made. 

[SpiritSong]

On 10/9/2018 at 9:24 PM, kirklandia said:

That tiny house in Hawaii -  disaster is an excellent descriptor.  You may remember the location, Pahoa, as the community near the recent and lingering Kilauea volcanic eruption.

Add to this the Beachfront and Island shows featuring homes that may blow away or wash away any time now.  A couple of days ago they showed an episode on Panama City Beach, which is currently in the path of Hurricane Michael.

I hope House Hunters everywhere are doing their due diligence.

I love being near the water but shake my head at the HHs who buy property with a "pretty little creek" or right next to a river. Sooner or later, they're going to have to deal with floods. Even with flood insurance, what a huge hassle to rebuild or fix a house with a lot of water damage. I'd rather my house burn to the ground than be flooded. So much less clean up, and either way all your possessions are going to be ruined.

[Bastet]

13 hours ago, SpiritSong said:

The one and only house I ever bought, and still live in is a 'starter" home. 2 bedroom, 1 bath bungalow. I can age in place, and it's been paid off for many years. I'm single, and it was the best decision I ever made. 

Yep; I'm never going to need more space than I do now -- I hate kids, and hate cohabitating with anything other than a cat or two -- so I bought my house intending to be here forever.  It's paid off, I've replaced the roof, plumbing, electrical, and windows over the years so those things will easily last my lifetime and beyond, done some cosmetic work to "put my stamp on it" (and I will remodel the kitchen and bathroom some day, but not as a "total gut job"), and only unforeseen circumstances would lead me to ever buy another house.

[sistersledge]

State college, PA - the wife had a very irritating voice. I actually live in state college and have for only about 18 months, but I knew exactly where those houses were. The one they picked is pretty far out, but not a big deal I guess if you don’t mind driving 25 minutes through farm country everyday. My parents actually toured the townhouse, it is smaller than it seemed on tv. The third house is not far from me but it was a very strange house. It backs up to a busier road and there is no yard. It kind of looks like it’s behind another house. It’s an older development and I’m guessing the lots were bigger and at some point someone decided to sell half a lot. It’s not the only house that’s like that in that area. Anyway I remember the listing (we bought a house a few months ago), and it was a flip. Very strange layout.

[msmarjoribanks]

5 hours ago, sistersledge said:

State college, PA - the wife had a very irritating voice. I actually live in state college and have for only about 18 months, but I knew exactly where those houses were. The one they picked is pretty far out, but not a big deal I guess if you don’t mind driving 25 minutes through farm country everyday. My parents actually toured the townhouse, it is smaller than it seemed on tv. The third house is not far from me but it was a very strange house. It backs up to a busier road and there is no yard. It kind of looks like it’s behind another house. It’s an older development and I’m guessing the lots were bigger and at some point someone decided to sell half a lot. It’s not the only house that’s like that in that area. Anyway I remember the listing (we bought a house a few months ago), and it was a flip. Very strange layout.

I wasn't sure about the location/distance from where they wanted to be, but guessed they'd pick the second one, as it seemed the best option for them and the third was SO over budget.  Interesting information about the third one -- since they didn't really focus on the negatives like the busy road and seemed to have a small yard (which they wanted), I was wondering why they'd only shown a 2400 sq ft house in State College and if one a bit smaller or with an unfinished basement might have been cheaper.  Guess not.

The husband's desire to relive his college fraternity days was something I expected to bug me, but they were pleasant enough, reasonably cheery, not too picky.  Wife's voice was annoying, though.

Edited October 12, 2018 by msmarjoribanks

[ByaNose]

The only problem I had with the State College couple was that they called their house a Craftsman. It looked more colonial to me but what do I know. Overall, it was a nice house and starter home. It was the perfect size. It wasn’t too small or too big. Although, I would have preferred white cabinets, too. The basement looked like the husband was still hanging on to his youth but they don’t have any kids so you might as well do it while you can.