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House Hunters: Buying in the USA


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I cannot believe they could not not find something larger, or at least with 2 full bathrooms.

 

Given the market in Denver and their budget, I'm not surprised with what they finally got.  Median home price in Denver is currently around $320,000 for a single family and the market is very tight.  

 

And I agree with others, the voice made my head hurt.  

Camom?  How the hell did you entertain if you couldn't see the living/family room while you were cooking?

 

Yes.  That must have been awful for DH, too!  I am assuming there was no man cave. I know it was hell, pure HELL when DH was without a man cave and his poor friends would have to watch sports in our den! But I'll tell you, the absolute worst was when DH and I used to have to share a one-sink bathroom! For so many years we had longed to brush and floss our teeth side by side...I don't know how we made it.

  • Love 5

I am sorry about your husband, NYGirl.

 

I know it's a matter of personal taste but I never wanted double sinks.  Movies and TV where couples are standing at their double sinks have you thinking that it's cute and adorable.  I don't like for my SO to see me brushing my teeth because it is not a pretty sight, lol.  Brushing while he's in the shower and vice versa works just fine.

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NYGirl and Ohwell, I hope you can see for me the double sink issue is only snark! As a matter of fact, I detest anyone occupying the RR when I'm in there.  I don't care if I'm just washing my hands! Who wants to hear the sound of someone tinkling while you are brushing your teeth?  Not me, and I really can't stand trying to blowdry my hair and get ready while DH is showering.  Too much humidity, and my hair can't handle it. 

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Camom?  How the hell did you entertain if you couldn't see the living/family room while you were cooking?

 

I don't know how I did it!  The upside is that guests couldn't see my messy kitchen either.  I also get a kick out of people choosing a home based on serving Thanksgiving dinner.  Or needing a huge yard for their 2 pound dog.  

 

NYGirl, I also have a special needs adult daughter.  The saving grace now is that we do not have to share a bathroom.  The girl is in there forever!  LOL

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I thought it was funny that the mother in the Beaver, PA episode brought along her daughter to help her choose the best house, and the daughter was pushing her to buy the newer house with no yard which wasn't practical for the large dog they had.  Then the daughter ends up living in the detached apartment of the older house that the mother chose.  I don't think the mother needed the daughter's advice, and with the daughter being 22, she probably isn't going to be living there much longer anyway. 

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I thought it was funny that the mother in the Beaver, PA episode brought along her daughter to help her choose the best house, and the daughter was pushing her to buy the newer house with no yard which wasn't practical for the large dog they had.  Then the daughter ends up living in the detached apartment of the older house that the mother chose.  I don't think the mother needed the daughter's advice, and with the daughter being 22, she probably isn't going to be living there much longer anyway.

 

Agreed.  My husband told my kids, "You can have a say in the house we choose if you help pay the mortgage."

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(edited)

Sadly, it ruined the house they bought. The sea foam kitchen island was hideous. She needs to learn how to use accessories in her color so she doesn't screw up the larger, well-decorated space.

 

I have no idea how so many of the people on this show, the younger ones especially, can afford these expensive houses. We live in a fairly expensive area, and have a nice house, but we saved for years and managed our money closely in order to do it. I could not imagine being 25 or 30 and owning a house even over $200,000. My first house, when I was 31, was $69k! I lived in a cheap place in the Midwest then.

 

When was that?  You have to factor in inflation AND the average house price of your municipality.  In Toronto, a single family home averages about $1M Canadian (roughly $770K US as of today's exchange rate).  My parents purchased a single family home in what was, in 1980, a new development for around $220-250K.  They were in their early 30s at that time, with a baby (moi) and my mom's parents to support.  That home in today's money would be about $650K Canadian.  However, because housing prices are SOARING in Toronto, houses in that neighbourhood are nearly twice the inflation.  House was 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath with an unfinished basement.  After the basement was fixed, it became a six bedroom, 3.5 bath (which, of course, brings up the price, but it STILL shouldn't be $1.2 M or so in today's money).

 

ETA: I think some people who buy these huge homes are either in A LOT of debt or have help from family for their down payment.  My parents, on the other hand, had ZERO HELP.  Just a lot of savings. 

Edited by PRgal

Where can I sign up to be friends with Nabeela and attend a parTAY at her fancy Chicago abode? 

 

Her friend was funny: "Hooked on onyx" haha.   They never did show what she was going to do with that bathroom did they? 

 

I thought the same thing!  I would definitely go to one of Nabeela's parties, she seemed like so much fun.  And her purple eye makeup in that first scene was on point.

 

I would love to see what they do to the bathroom and the kitchen.  She could be on one of the Where Are They Now? episodes.  Although the onxy comment confused me.  Isn't onyx black?  That hideous bathroom was brown and white marble.  

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(edited)

Found the listing  for the place Neebla bought:

 

https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/1458-W-Monroe-St-60607/home/14092161

 

 

Isn't onyx black?  That hideous bathroom was brown and white marble.

No it isn't, it comes in many color variations:

 

http://hgstones.com/product-category/onyx/

Edited by sheetmoss
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I thought the same thing!  I would definitely go to one of Nabeela's parties, she seemed like so much fun.  And her purple eye makeup in that first scene was on point.

 

I would love to see what they do to the bathroom and the kitchen.  She could be on one of the Where Are They Now? episodes.  Although the onxy comment confused me.  Isn't onyx black?  That hideous bathroom was brown and white marble.  

I hope they do a follow up as well.

 

I loved Nabeela's makeup and outfits.  My favorite part was when they were looking at the home she eventually bought and she ran up to pose on the staircase LOL.

 

I do wish we saw more of the third mansion-y house.  They never really explained that whole thing going on on the lower level--I guess it could've been an apartment?  I loved the roof deck on that one. 

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I decided not to watch the Chicago episode because I figured they'd be showing the same types of condos.  Now I'm sorry I missed it. 

The one condo shown that I believe was on E Delware St--Hancock Bldg was on end of block to the west, I loved the views, esp in the kitchen, I would have taken that place if I had the $$.

Didn't like  Gold Coast hse, too wonky a layout.

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Found the listing  for the place Neebla bought:

 

https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/1458-W-Monroe-St-60607/home/14092161

 

No it isn't, it comes in many color variations:

 

http://hgstones.com/product-category/onyx/

 

Thanks for the links.  Those are some pretty shades of onyx.

 

Seeing the house again, it was definitely the right choice for Nabeela.  I think the noise and foot traffic from her parties would be a lot to deal with in a condo.

I just watched the Nabeela episode. What fun! She needs a big house just for her clothes (she never once mentioned that) on the basis of all the outfits she wore on just this episode. Very stylish.

 

I decided to check out the HGTV Watch app they've been touting, and loaded it on my tablet, which is how I watched it today. You need an account with your cable provider to get into it, which I do, so that was easy.

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Why aren't Nabeela and I best friends?! I love her. I love the house she bought. (It would be a lot of work to take care of, but if you have a $2M home budget, you can afford cleaning help.) If I had that much money, I'd pick that place. I want to go to her parties and fundraisers and raid her closet and have her teach me the ways of purple eye shadow application.

 

That Gold Coast condo had HOA fees of nearly $1800/month! I didn't like the condo. It felt sterile. The deck on #3 was amazing and the master bedroom was gorgeous, but the layout of the home was weird. #1 was a great choice.

Detroit woman was mentally moving herself and all her toiletries and clothes into each house they saw.  I have my doubts that will ever happen.  I can't believe how snotty she was about the brand new white appliances in the first house - so, just because she doesn't like white, he should spend a fortune on new appliances when there are new appliances in the house that he's perfectly fine with?

 

I didn't like how he was trying to set up the family room.  No way is that tv going to fit over the fireplace, and it doesn't need to.  That couch was so long, it cut off the room, too.  I think he'd be better off putting the tv on the side wall, and turning the couch to face it. 

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I couldn't understand either why he wanted the TV over the fireplace when it was clear that it wouldn't fit.

I'm starting to get the impression that a lot of the actions that I can't comprehend are strictly generational, because I'm seeing some of that attitude in the younger members of my family. They want what they want, and by God, they're going to have it - even if it is unnecessary or even if it is more trouble than it's worth. They are not capable of just "making do" or trying an alternative solution. Seems to me a much more stressful way to live, because it's harder fo be happy with just what you have.

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The young engineer buying his first house in Detroit seemed very nice and level headed about his budget and what he wanted in his first house.  He needs to ditch the girlfriend now.  Wow, she was a piece of work with her comments about what she wanted and she certainly wasn't subtle about her desire to move in.  He kept making remarks to her that she should realize meant he was not ready to commit to that yet.  I think my favorite one was when she complained about one bathroom not having enough counter space for her stuff when she came over and he told her she could take it back home with her when she left.  Personally, I would have left her out of the house hunting process.

 

Izabella, I agree with you about the family room furniture placement.  Instead of buying such a long sofa, he should have invested in a small sectional or a shorter sofa and chair.  I'm glad he was able to keep the dining room table since that meant so much to him.    

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Last night's episode.  I have no idea where they lived but the wife wanted one town and the frat boy husband wanted the other town.  He didn't want where she wanted because of an old school rivalry (Smh).  She wanted that town because she worked nearby.  He wanted the town where he worked as a firefighter.  At least they both agreed on ranch style, which shocked me to tell the truth.  But she was so bitchy about the location.  He gave her a look..I was like wow.

 

I'm just watching the Detroit engineer and boy did he tell her.  The look on her face when he said..it was his house said it all.

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Why does every female sound the same?!?  Is this an alien thing that they get conditioned in some spaceship and come out speaking like this...

 

"Oh,  this id soooooooooooooooooooooooooo cuuute!"

"Oh,  I like this is not Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat I like"

 

Yet I endure this show watching this with two other females and they say nothing about the way these women talk.  And then they all have the same pitch/voice...

 

Does anyone have an ice pick for my ears?

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Detroit Xavier was very cute. Very. And practical! "[The appliances] are new and they come with a home that's below budget." Yes! Call me, Xavier! I don't think I'd include a boyfriend of six months on my house hunt, and he clearly wasn't on the same page re: her moving in (which is totally fair after six months). She definitely has an accelerated timeline in mind, and he is not there with her. At all. (Call me, Xavier.)

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I really liked the guy in the Detroit episode last night, but totally hated his short term girlfriend.  What a nasty piece of work she was.  I don't think she'll make it to 7 months with him, because she was so entitled and wanted to put all her wants into HIS house.  And, if we are to believe her, she supposedly has a house of her own, so why was she acting so bossy with him?  Did they ever say where his new house is located?  Birmingham was a lovely community years ago when my aunt and cousins lived there (near Brother Rice High School) but I have no idea how that neighborhood is now, as they lived there in the late 1960's to the early 1970's.  

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Detroit woman was mentally moving herself and all her toiletries and clothes into each house they saw.  I have my doubts that will ever happen.  I can't believe how snotty she was about the brand new white appliances in the first house - so, just because she doesn't like white, he should spend a fortune on new appliances when there are new appliances in the house that he's perfectly fine with?

 

I didn't like how he was trying to set up the family room.  No way is that tv going to fit over the fireplace, and it doesn't need to.  That couch was so long, it cut off the room, too.  I think he'd be better off putting the tv on the side wall, and turning the couch to face it. 

 

When we bought our house, the previous owner remodeled with brand new  black appliances. I don't care for black appliances but...EVERYTHING WAS BRAND NEW. I learned to love them !!! lol

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Chiming in with the rest of y'all, the engineer from last night was great. Seemed level-headed, practical, nice. The bits with his girlfriend saying she wanted to move in were beyond awkward!

It does make me a little nervous that an engineer possibly working on a car that I or someone I love might be driving is struggling so much with basic measurements and making things fit. His (almost literal) hatchet job on the cabinetry housing the fridge did not inspire trust, and his puzzlement with the obviously too-large tv didn't help.

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Am I the only one tired of hearing, "Oh, wow" at least a half-dozen times in each HH episode?  I realize this is a common expression of appreciation, but come ON....they walk onto the balcony: "Oh, wow!"  They see a living room: "Oh, wow!"   They enter the bathroom: "Oh, wow!"  My ears have been oh,wowed to death!  The directors/crew spend 30 hours per episode - surely they could take a few minutes to re-film a scene and ask these expression-challenged people to come up with something else.  Nice!  Very impressive!  This is great!  Beautiful view!  Unique!   all leap to my mind, but apparently to no one else's.

 

And another thing (I'm on a roll!)....a property does not have a "downfall" which generally means falling from public favor into disgrace.  The word is "downside", meaning something that isn't so attractive about a situation or place....as in small rooms, no tub in the bathroom, being on a busy street.   

 

What bothers me is the show's producers are too clueless to see any of this themselves.

 

Okay, I feel better now. 

Curmudgeonly yours, etc.

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NPR had an interesting discussion on vocal fry and upspeak as a marker of discrimination against young women in the U.S. I see the point, but these speech patterns hurt my ears and I think I'm pretty flexible. House Hunters is a showcase for modern inflection. Of course, the show almost always pairs inflection with a spoiled, entitled, unreasonable young women, so maybe there's really a stereotype in play.

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I posted about the NPR interview in the Pet Peeve thread. It was on Terry Gross's "Fresh Air" this week. One of the guests said vocal fry has been around for many, many years, and basically debunked it all started with the "K's". I forget which female Hollywood star from the 40's she said did it. She also said men do it too.

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I can't find an Island Hunters thread, and I'm sorry if this should go in a different place.

They're now showing people looking for short-term, one-time vacation spots instead of places to buy or rent. The couple tonight was, ostensibly, looking for a private island in Georgia for a 7-night stay. These people had complaints you'd hear if they were buying the place (8' ceilings, bathroom not on the loft level, too many stairs) rather than spending a week.

HGTV should put the show on hold if they've run out of islands or people to buy them.

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(edited)

I can't find an Island Hunters thread, and I'm sorry if this should go in a different place.

They're now showing people looking for short-term, one-time vacation spots instead of places to buy or rent. The couple tonight was, ostensibly, looking for a private island in Georgia for a 7-night stay. These people had complaints you'd hear if they were buying the place (8' ceilings, bathroom not on the loft level, too many stairs) rather than spending a week.

HGTV should put the show on hold if they've run out of islands or people to buy them.

 

I think the rental episodes were repeats. Some of the previous episodes in the marathon with people buying were new to me, if not new. Didn't check the guide.

 

ETA: The 10:30 pm episode tonight is new and has someone buying.

Edited by chessiegal
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