House Hunters: Buying in the USA

[topanga]

I just finished watching the episode with the Indianapolis couple, and I wonder if the houses they looked at represent typical Indianapolis architecture. The three houses they saw all had oddly-shaped rooms or slanted ceilings, or the entrance to the room would be in an odd location.

 

I’m surprised that two of the homes would both require long commutes to work, and the house they ultimately chose required the husband to commute an hour each way. They aren’t even married yet, so he has no idea how draining that commute will be, especially after they start having children.

 

And maybe I’m just jealous of the girlfriend, but I can’t imagine having the kind of relationship with my mother where I’d trust her to set me up with my future fiancée and also let her be my real estate agent. (She’s not a Realtor? I noticed that the daughter didn’t call her a Realtor). In fact, both of their mothers were the ones who fixed them up. Sounds like an arranged marriage, although it seems to be working out. But why are they just now engaged after 7 years? It’s not like they were teenagers when they started dating. 

[laredhead]

Topanga, the Indianapolis guy did say he takes a long time to make a decision, so maybe he was the one who wanted to wait to get married.  I was surprised that they chose the house that was so far from his work, and I agree with you that the commute isn't going to fun in the winter when there is a snowstorm and then children arrive.  I'm glad she got those hardwood floors she kept talking about.  Wonder if he will get his German shepherd?

[Gurkel]

 

I'm glad she got those hardwood floors she kept talking about.  Wonder if he will get his German shepherd?

Oh, yeah. And that's something that pissed me off. Everything she wanted was a "deal breaker." But whenever the guy would talk about getting the German Shepherd, she would get all snotty and go, "maybe." Perhaps she was just kidding? Who knows.

[PRgal]

My theory is that the vocal fry is picked up from younger women watching that blasted show that shall not be named with the people whose names all start with "K".  Even some of the episodes in the South where I'm from feature women with the irritating fry.  I guess they're transplants from elsewhere.

Fry has to predate THAT show. I think it goes back to valley speak, maybe even earlier. Clueless came out the summer before I turned 16 and WHATEVER is fry, no?

[chessiegal]

Fry has to predate THAT show. I think it goes back to valley speak, maybe even earlier. Clueless came out the summer before I turned 16 and WHATEVER is fry, no?

 

As I posted uptrend, Terry Gross on "Fresh Air"  on NPR had an entire show on it last week.

 

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.

 

http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2015/07/23/women-talking-getty_wide-12fe0d1221e95632929f44729ecb992befeccd53-s1600-c85.jpg

Edited July 29, 2015 by chessiegal

[Babalooie]

Right about the vocal fry.  The K people just brought it back into the forefront.  Some of the buyers on HH are too young to remember Moon Unit Zappa and her Valley Girl record.

[CocoaGoddess]

The two DC lawyer turds on House Hunters completely embodies everything I've come to hate about this show, right down to repeatedly referring to their dog "Barksdale" throughout the entire episode. Oh my god, make it stop.

The whiny wife going on about how "beautiful" the dirty, stained hardwood floors were. Oh, those holes and the cracked, splintered wood? CHARACTER! HISTORY! 

[DownTheShore]

I've come to detest those couples with faux children. That storyline is way overused.

[CocoaGoddess]

If anyone cares, you can watch HGTV live through their HGTV app for Android and iOS, and they also have the most recent episodes available for streaming. The app is pretty good, considering. You do have to have an active cable account though to log in and watch, but if you've missed any recent gems or you want to watch HGTV away from home, it's pretty good for that. 

[Taylorh2]

Brad & Heather want to relocate from San Francisco to Silicon Valley, CA

 

"So even with their 'two million dollar budget, Brad & Heather may have to make some major concessions"

 

sigh

[zenme]

I just watched the couple in Chicago this morning.  She was an interior designer who liked Victorians, and he wanted something like a loft with beams.  Of course, she wins out and gets the Victorian apartment.  She was so annoying though and was critical of the design choices in the homes they saw.  I was so looking forward to seeing what house they chose and get a taste of her design aesthetic.  Well, I found out what it was: blah.  She has an unimpressive style for someone who gets paid for it.

[NYGirl]

I was watching this morning.  Heather of Brad and Heather annoyed the crap out of me with her nervous laughter every 2 minutes..  She thought she was auditioning for realtor of the year or something.  I did like the house they chose though, except for the kitchen.  I liked the first house best  Too bad it was too far from work.

 

I remember Chicago couple the first time but I watched anyway.  I think these young people can't see past the seller's furnishings, colors, decorating, etc.  They don't seem to realize that they get the house all empty and can "make it their own".

[DownTheShore]

Sometimes when these couples go on and on about wanting to put their own stamp on a home, I'm thinking to myself, "cook up some cabbage several nights a week and your stamp will be on that house!"

The sense of entitlement to immediate decorating gratification really annoys me, especially when they are buying something other than new construction. You clean the place, you paint the place, you fix anything that's broken, and then you gradually make changes that reflect your tastes.

[Peanutbuttercup]

All of these couples that want to "put their stamp on" the house end up with houses that look exactly like every other house showcased on HGTV anyway. I guess their "stamp" is shorthand for I have no individual sense of style or design. I like to do what everyone else is doing. I am a sheep.

[Bastet]

The Buffalo episode was a nice change from the usual boring script.  The knee-high snow on the ground showed why I’d never live there despite the dirt-cheap (as compared to my market) housing, but watching someone tour three interesting homes and then begin work on restoring one she’d bought for $50k (!) was enjoyable.  I wish they’d held this episode back in order to get follow-up footage from further into the renovation.

 

I lost track of which homes were in the historic district, but if any of them that had vinyl replacement windows were included I’m stunned the owners could get away with such a thing.

[Ohwell]

The Buffalo episode was refreshing but I thought all the homes were really ugly.

[Empress1]

I saw the Buffalo episode at 1 AM (couldn't sleep). Housing there is damn near free! I would never live there, but wow, it's cheap. And it was refreshing to have someone who didn't want the holy trinity, and she and her friend really did seem to know about the ins and outs of the historic architecture. He was a good person to go house-hunting with.

 

I could definitely see potential in the homes but they needed a ton of work. #2, the one she ended up with, needed the most work with the paneling and drop ceilings and hideous bathroom, but I could see the potential in it. (It was my least favorite from the outside - that painted green brick on the second story? Why why why?) It's basically a total renovation though. I actually hated the color she painted the dining room, but I'd be really curious to see how the house ends up looking. Definitely would want a follow-up on her.

[ByaNose]

When she said her budget was $100,000, I was like good luck with that. Who knew? Usually, anything at $100,000 or below (more than 2 bedroom) is a foreclosure. Then I see she only spent $50,000. Color me shocked! Granted this house needed a lot of work. Hopefully, this house will be a future renovation episode. That said, the houses were really ugly and I would never live in Buffalo during those winters. I live in Philly and I barely survive our winters. LOL!!!

[Never more]

The Buffalo houses were definitely not located in the historic districts as suggested in the narration. Really liked the house hunter though. A pleasant change from the usual self-entitled whiners.

[ByaNose]

Yes, HH'er seemed like such a nice person. No weird hang ups & didn't mind doing work. I would really like to see what she has done to the place. It's personally not my taste but I can appreciate the work that goes into it.

[Mondrianyone]

Can someone explain to me what was meant when the Buffalo girl (sorry, I had to say that) mentioned that she got the house for $50K because she found out that that's what the original owner of the house was asking?  Or that's what the owner of the house was originally asking?  (Placement of the modifier really changes the meaning, and I can't remember which it was.)  Anyway, why would an earlier price, by the same owner or a previous one, invalidate the current asking price?  Forgive me if this is a stupid question.  I just didn't get it.

[Bastet]

I thought she said the latter, with the idea being "you couldn't sell it at $50k, and now you're asking $80 despite all these issues, so let's just go back to the original $50k and call it a day."  Now, what resemblance that bears to what actually happened, who knows.

[ByaNose]

I'm glad someone explained it. I didn't get the "back to the original price of $50,000" either. And, how she got the seller to agree to it is odd, too.

[Mondrianyone]

Thanks, Bastet.  That makes more sense than the non-explanations I was coming up with.  Somehow I got the idea that she'd found some legal loophole that for whatever reason entitled her to the original asking price.  (Like, once you put a house on the market for a certain price, you're obligated to stay at that price or below it.)  I guess since she works in preservation, I figured she has better access to statutory technicalities than the rest of us normal people.  Or, as you say, the whole HH take on it is just a fairy tale anyway.

 

Those prices are enticing, but the seven-foot wall of snow that locked the whole city indoors last year definitely is not.

[JasmineFlower]

I was assuming the house was previously listed and then taken off the market for the required number of days for it to be considered a new listing or something similar to that. The old price was $50k, the new listing had it at $80k, and the old price isn't clearly shown when first looking at the house but a good realtor would look to see about past listings. Clearly the house hadn't had any work done in that time, so she offered the old asking price and got it. An old price doesn't invalidate the new asking price, just might show what the seller is really willing to accept or knows the house is really worth. That was my read, but I completely agree that the entire phrasing make it a bit odd.

 

 

For the episode outside of Raleigh, NC with 4 teenagers and a blended family. I missed the beginning. Can someone explain to me what the heck was going on with the family dynamic? They are a blended family and I got that, though not sure of the split of whose kid is who. But they were apart for 3 months? And now everyone is back together? Didn't get what that meant exactly even though I'm sure it's fairly simple.

[ByaNose]

The mother had two girls. Basically, Marcia & Jan. The father has two boys. Basically, Greg & Peter. They are a blended family and lived in separate places since their rental lease was up early. That said, I'm not sure why they couldn't stay together at his mothers?! Maybe, they weren't married yet or aren't married at all. I missed that part.

[Taylorh2]

Is this thread for all the different HH shows, and not just the ones on HGTV ?

[Pickles]

The Raleigh blended family--they had been married for 3 years. He and the boys moved in with his mother and she and the girls moved in with a friend for 3 months. I guess no room for all of them at his mother's? Six additional people would be a lot.

[Bastet]

Is this thread for all the different HH shows, and not just the ones on HGTV ?

 

No.  This forum is for the show House Hunters, with different threads for the different versions of the show: this one for House Hunters, one for House Hunters International, and one for House Hunters Renovations.

 

There is a real estate shows thread in Genre, though.

[StatisticalOutlier]

I saw the Buffalo episode at 1 AM (couldn't sleep). Housing there is damn near free!

 

Literally.  Her friend said he bought his house from the city for $1.  I took an urban planning class in college almost 40 years go (holy shit!) and wrote a paper about urban homesteading in Baltimore.  It sounds like the same sort of deal--you get the house for free or $1 or whatever, and agree to renovate it and live in it for a certain amount of time.  Given the state of Baltimore over the past few decades, I'd say it maybe didn't work out like they'd hoped.  But it still sounds like a good idea to me.

 

Have we seen an episode before where the realtor was waiting inside each house, and the HHs would knock on the door?  I was wondering if that's what they do up there in the winter, so the realtor can go in and turn on the heat or something, but it's all fake for the show anyway so I'm wondering why they were doing it like that.  In some urban areas, I think we see the realtor meet the HHs on the sidewalk or outside, if they're not all riding in the same car.  Maybe this was a way to avoid anyone spending any time outside at all because man, it looked cold.

[Patrizio]

I am originally from Buffalo, it is extremely cold in the winter, with costly snow removal and astronomical heating bills. it's a great city- the arts, food, and beauty of the parks (Olmstead designed some) are outstanding. Couldn't live there though. My occupation enables me to work anywhere, so I choose to live where the weather is mild with easy access to mountain or beach life. The house this HH chose had some beautiful features though, and I would hope that she is on the renovations show.

[Empress1]

Here's an article about the house for a buck program in Buffalo. I would expect that a house on sale for that cheap would either be a total renovation or, as appears to be happening, a situation where what the buyer is after is the land it's on and will just raze it. 

 

I saw an episode where a daughter was buying a house for her family - her, her parents, and her grown brother - in the Boston area. I thought it was really sweet that she did that, although I wondered what would happen if/when she married. It's asking a lot for a spouse to live with in-laws right out of the gate. The house they ended up with made the most sense: within her budget, had two bathrooms, and had the most space. (When they said her parents insisted that since the daughter was paying, she should get the master I was like "Damn right.") They were a little far from downtown but the commuter rail was right there - which, from a noise perspective, didn't bug me as I doubt it runs all night and probably runs less frequently when it's not rush hour.

[Ohwell]

I only saw the last few minutes of the Boston episode and I'm sorry I missed it.   I, too, wonder what happens if she decides to get married.  I guess the brother can move out any time? 

Edited August 7, 2015 by Ohwell

[Bastet]

On one hand, I wanted to tell the brother to either shut up or buy his own house, but on the other his main insistence – that the house have two bathrooms – was reasonable, so I couldn’t get too annoyed.  For me, there are way too many adults in that house, but if it works for them, great.

[Empress1]

I guess the brother can move out any time? 

I would assume so. I also wondered if he was paying her some rent. I'd let my parents live in my house for free, but not my able-bodied brother. They made it clear that neither the parents nor the brother were contributing to the purchase of the house.

 

On one hand, I wanted to tell the brother to either shut up or buy his own house, but on the other his main insistence – that the house have two bathrooms – was reasonable, so I couldn’t get too annoyed.

I agree. In that situation, I'd probably want an en suite master bath and the rest of the folks could use the second bathroom.

[JasmineFlower]

The four adults in the house is cultural as well, which I don't think was mentioned explicitly in the episode. It is not uncommon for that to happen with a first or even second generation family from the islands. Not at all. And rent would not be expected from the brother if he wasn't able to really contribute. And to me, it seemed like he was just starting out, possibly still even in school or just getting out. I think she was 26 and I don't remember how old he was, but it was at least a few years younger because he was born here and she was born in Trinidad. I was somewhat unclear on the setup before, but it seemed like the family was living together in an apartment that was likely her parents place, where her brother was also not paying rent, and the daughter wanted to buy a house for the whole family because she was moving further in her career. They were just moving the family to a better, larger space essentially, with the only dynamic changing being that the daughter would be making the purchase.

Edited August 8, 2015 by JasmineFlower

[Babalooie]

Has anyone noticed that when the new feature, "The Checklist", is shown, the house with the fewest checks is frequently the one selected?  Why bother with the checklist?  It happens on the USA and international episodes.

[topanga]

Oh, my goodness. The NJ couple that moved to Georgia was so annoying. Initially I liked the wife because she said, quite rationally, that they don't need a 4000 sq. foot house when it's just her, Ron, and their 6 year old son living at home. And then when they saw the houses: "Oh, this is too small. This room is too small." I haven't even finished the episode yet because they bothered me so much.

[Empress1]

The CO couple seemed nice. If I were one of their sons though, I'd be irked at having to share a room in a six-bedroom house. Maybe they'll get their own rooms as they get older. I thought they'd go with house #3.

[Peanutbuttercup]

I liked the Colorado couple too. Totally shallow of me but I kept thinking what an attractive pair they are. I thought they would go for house no. 2. I liked that they were okay with having their children share bedrooms and not everyone having their own private kingdom (and bathroom). It was refreshing. I also wondered what rank the husband was, just because I'm nosy like that.

[topanga]

I liked the Colorado couple too. Totally shallow of me but I kept thinking what an attractive pair they are. I thought they would go for house no. 2. I liked that they were okay with having their children share bedrooms and not everyone having their own private kingdom (and bathroom). It was refreshing. I also wondered what rank the husband was, just because I'm nosy like that.

Yes, they were a pleasant couple. And very easy on the eyes (especially Gunnar). And I think I'm shallow, too. Anyone whose career is a full-time visual artist must come from money or have a spouse who makes all of the money. I know she owns a gallery, but that's not exactly a cash cow, is it?

 

The kids were sweet, too. They seemed like funny, pleasant little people, just like their parents.

[Kathcart]

What's Spanish for Pill Who Never Shuts Up? Ay, this woman who took time out from bitching and complaining to move from Newton MA to Guatemala with her husband and three kids!!

[Taylorh2]

I live in Denver. If you take the house they picked (# 1)  and put it in Denver, it'll be listed at $1,000,000  or more.

Edited August 13, 2015 by Taylorh2

[topanga]

I wish the show would do a better job of disguising the house that the family eventually "chooses." Hide the cable wires, put away the paint brushes and pain cans, and put the boxes in the closet, please.

[Taylorh2]

I wish the show would do a better job of disguising the house that the family eventually "chooses." Hide the cable wires, put away the paint brushes and pain cans, and put the boxes in the closet, please.

 

All that doesn't always mean it's the house they already bought.

[topanga]

99 times out of 100, that's the house they end up buying (meaning, they're already under contract).

[laredhead]

Just saw the Colorado episode.  The house they chose is gorgeous, but I wonder what kind of heating bill they have in the winter.  Yikes - heating 6,000 sq feet of an older house must be expensive.  Someone has taken care of that Victorian over the years and kept the beautiful woodwork and details.

 

The Houston to Minot, ND couple must have experienced total weather and sticker shock.  I think Minot is one of the coldest places in the U.S. during the winter.  I recently read that their housing shortage is not so dire since the oil boom (fracking?) has abated somewhat.  Who would have thought that the average house would cost $400,000 in Minot?  The first house was the model home with all of the bells and whistles.  It looked like someone was living there, and the agent said it wasn't for sale.

[Ohwell]

I thought all of the homes they showed in Minot were depressing-looking.  There must be some other, nicer-looking homes that aren't brown or beige or taupe on the outside?  Maybe some brick?

Edited August 14, 2015 by Ohwell

[buttercupia]

Minot was depressing but the couple was awesome.  Great attitudes and adorable kids.  I hope they do well.

[truther]

I thought all of the homes they showed in Minot were depressing-looking.  There must be some other, nicer-looking homes that aren't brown or beige or taupe on the outside?  Maybe some brick?

Wasn't there a woman looking for houses in North Dakota a couple years ago -- an older physician who ended up buying some huge old Victorian place that she could use for business and personal functions?  I remember really liking her.  Though the more I think about it, the more I think it was South Dakota.