House Hunters: Buying in the USA

[Quof]

I bought my first house in the summer.  Imagine my surprise when, the day after Labor Day, I looked out to find my driveway full of teenagers. Turns out, that's where the school bus picked up, and there was no sidewalk for them to wait.  When I sold the house, I felt no guilt in not disclosing this fact to potential purchasers.

[aguabella]

48 minutes ago, Quof said:

I bought my first house in the summer.  Imagine my surprise when, the day after Labor Day, I looked out to find my driveway full of teenagers. Turns out, that's where the school bus picked up, and there was no sidewalk for them to wait.  When I sold the house, I felt no guilt in not disclosing this fact to potential purchasers.

I can't think, off the top of my head, of any disclosure requirement that might apply to that situation, Quof.

I certainly wasn't suggesting that residents have any type of legal, disclosure requirement for these types of situations.  No guilt either required or expected.  They'd be considered caveat emptor / buyer beware, to me.

Was merely explaining that in my experience, if you simply ask them, most homeowners are incredibly and surprisingly honest about their neighborhood.  I believe they're flattered that someone valued their opinion and took the time to chat with them.  I suspect they view the potential buyer's behavior as neighborly.

That's all.

Edited August 22, 2016 by aguabella

[Quof]

Nope, I checked the Disclosure Statement very carefully when I signed it - nothing about "annoying groups of teens"!

I only spent 2 years in the house, long enough for me to ban many of them, one by one, for such offenses as spitting on the ground (why do they do that?) and cutting across the lawn.  I suggested to those who remained that they pick up a shovel and clear the snow from the driveway.  

[chessiegal]

Well I must live in Oz. We also found out after we moved in that our driveway is the bus stop. We've never had a problem. In fact, the kids take our newspaper thrown in the driveway and put it on our front door step. We also make sure snow is shoveled so they don't have to stand on the street. We are heroes with our neighbors (we have no kids). They love us.

[Albino]

Is there something about the high altitude in Denver that caused tonight's female House Hunter to have such a loud, squeaky, fingernails-on-a-chalkboard voice?

Another pair of entitled, engaged millennials who feel they deserve a Grand Entrance!  God knows they've earned it since they've been working like dogs for at least 3 years now.  She complain-squealed endlessly about the fake wood floors, the kitchen linoleum, wall colors, and lack of "charm".  (Except for that bank teller door which...yes...was pretty cool but completely out of place.)   

I really shouldn't watch HH any more.  My blood pressure shoots up about 30 points five minutes into the show. 

Edited August 23, 2016 by Albino

[dga28]

you live and learn i guess but probably because of my personality and profession, i am skeptical and check out everything about a home or neighborhood before i buy.  i check out demographic of the neighborhood, whether if there are too many kids, habits of the neighbors, check out airial views to make sure no railroad tracks are nearby, airplane traffic overhead, try to envision what the landscape and privacy would look like in the winter, if buying in the summer and the summer if buying in the winter, busy roads at different times of the day, where neighbors park their cars, noisy dogs, flood potential, etc....

[Diane M]

I think that Denver couple should have chosen the small Denver house instead of the huge new house 30 miles from Denver.  Considering they really wanted to buy in the city, they could have taken their time to renovate that little house, lived in it for a few years, then sold it at a profit.  Most young couples don't live in the same house forever, so why not enjoy an established neighborhood much closer to work?

[Ohwell]

44 minutes ago, Diane M said:

I think that Denver couple should have chosen the small Denver house instead of the huge new house 30 miles from Denver.  Considering they really wanted to buy in the city, they could have taken their time to renovate that little house, lived in it for a few years, then sold it at a profit.  Most young couples don't live in the same house forever, so why not enjoy an established neighborhood much closer to work?

I agree.  I think there's plenty of time for moving to the 'burbs when you have kids, but if it's just the two of you, it makes more sense to be where you really want to be--in the city.   

[Empress1]

I agree. I think the third house was 2500 square feet, which is a lot of house for two people. The Denver market is hot; I bet they'd come out ahead financially if they held onto the city place for a few years.

[juliet73]

3 hours ago, Diane M said:

I think that Denver couple should have chosen the small Denver house instead of the huge new house 30 miles from Denver.  Considering they really wanted to buy in the city, they could have taken their time to renovate that little house, lived in it for a few years, then sold it at a profit.  Most young couples don't live in the same house forever, so why not enjoy an established neighborhood much closer to work?

I agree,  but these two didn't seem like the type to renovate...they didn't seem very handy and they were making a huge deal about painting. Plus,  if they got the older smaller home, they wouldn't be able to show off their big brand new house to their millennial friends.

[seaELare]

Has HH been so blatant about product placement in the past?   During the Denver episode the big honking ad for GM vehicles was sickening.  

[Empress1]

The GM placement is new, I think. Must be a new sponsor, and I'm guessing they paid quite a bit since the placement is so egregious.

[KLovestoShop]

Did not like the Denver couple at all.  Maybe it's the Millennial thing again, but when the man saw the yards, he looked like a deer in headlights thinking about all the work it would be.  And didn't he even say something to the effect that he wouldn't even know how to take care of a yard?   

[aguabella]

f forced to guess, I'd say that HGTV and HH have probably engaged in product placement for at least 10 years.  In the old days, everyone remember contractors and homeowners picking up materials at an orange-themed big box retailer?  Say, Home Depot?  Or occasionally, depending on the show and its sponsors, blue - Lowe's? 

Before the network basically eliminated design shows / pro designers, I can remember many episodes sponsored by Ikea or Home Goods, including shopping trips within the episode itself.  And yes, local businesses count, too.  Anybody remember the shop across from Sarah Richardson's office?  Or the vendors Candace visited during Divine Design?  It's all product placement.

Here's an article from 01/08 referencing HD and a Color Splash episode probably shot in 2007:

http://www.tvweek.com/in-depth/2008/01/home-depot-makes-splash-on-hgt/

And another from 2010 mentioning "Car Hunters" and Scripps' "long partnership" with GM:

(ETA:  Corrected link and add'l paragraph - sorry, everybody!)

http://adage.com/article/media/house-hunters-chevy-ad-ads-tv-shows/147380/

Although this article discusses special commercials, named "Car Hunters", produced specifically for HH episodes, I believe they were also providing the vehicles for use during the show long before 2010.

It's too bad that 8 minutes commercial time out of a 30 minute episode isn't sufficient for the networks.  Well, bottom line - anything to make more $$$, increase their stock price and yes, don't forget - pay management bonuses!

Edited August 24, 2016 by aguabella
Correct 2nd link, add'l paragraph re: Car Hunters, GM product placement

[aguabella]

14 hours ago, dga28 said:

you live and learn i guess but probably because of my personality and profession, i am skeptical and check out everything about a home or neighborhood before i buy.  i check out demographic of the neighborhood, whether if there are too many kids, habits of the neighbors, check out airial views to make sure no railroad tracks are nearby, airplane traffic overhead, try to envision what the landscape and privacy would look like in the winter, if buying in the summer and the summer if buying in the winter, busy roads at different times of the day, where neighbors park their cars, noisy dogs, flood potential, etc....

For most people, the purchase of their home is the largest financial transaction of their lives.  They should definitely use all available means to avoid making a mistake and insure their future happiness.

Sounds like you're verifying most of the publicly available information and possibly doing drive-bys, dga28.  Although it's depressing, this one popped into my head: the sex offender registry.  (You can find them in almost all neighborhoods, regardless of the demographics.)

And, yes, I'd definitely recommend walking the neighborhoods at various times of the day and speaking with people.  They'll give you behind the scenes, non-public information.  (No time, today or I'd list several examples.)  Believe me, it's invaluable.  Plus, it's a great entre to the neighbors, if/when you do eventually move in.

Edited August 24, 2016 by aguabella

[Mittengirl]

I remember a show that was on several years ago where people would spend the night (or two?) in the home they were thinking of buying.  There was one episode where a nearby family had teenagers that were noisy late into the night.  Don't remember if they bought it or not.

[laredhead]

I totally agree with everyone about the Denver woman's voice.  Like fingernails on a blackboard to my ears.  As for the yard maintenance, I believe the husband said "we don't have any experience with yard maintenance".  Well, guess how you get that experience?  You get a yard and a lawn mower or you hire someone to do it for you.  I'm beginning to wonder if many of these people were ever made to mow a lawn, wash a car, clean a house, or do laundry and/or dishes.  Household chores were a normal and expected part of my years living at home with my parents.

The first house was 3 bedrooms and 2 baths in a 1,000 sf?  that place was miniscule.  The dining room table looked like an oversized TV tray.  I thought the other 2 houses in Aurora were pricey considering some of the finishes.  For $380,000 (2nd house) I would expect more than sheet vinyl flooring in the bathroom, laminate flooring, and laminate counters.  I did agree with the HH husband when he criticized those oak looking kitchen cabinets.  There is some very inexpensive ceramic or porcelain tile on the market that could have replaced that bathroom floor.  Even in the house they bought, there were finishes that cheapened the look of the house, IMO.  Moving to the suburbs might get you space, but you're going to have to pay for the upgrades.  Not sure if a long commute is worth it for such a nondescript house since they don't have children and need play space or good schools at this point.  Given what we were told, I would have found a smaller house in Denver even if it meant spending big bucks.

[Ottis]

Quote

I think that Denver couple should have chosen the small Denver house instead of the huge new house 30 miles from Denver.  Considering they really wanted to buy in the city, they could have taken their time to renovate that little house, lived in it for a few years, then sold it at a profit.  Most young couples don't live in the same house forever, so why not enjoy an established neighborhood much closer to work?

I live in Denver. You're right, their choice was inexplicable, and I suspect had more to do with being near their parents (who probably handle things for them) and familiar stomping grounds than the house. They were far out east toward the airport. That's far, far from downtown and I don't even know if buses run out there. Given their youth and the stage of their lives, that first house would have been perfect and they almost certainly would have made money in a few years after fixing a few small things. 

As for price, Denver is a red hot market and has been for several years.  Rents are even worse. You gotta buy in sometime. If it helps any, Boulder, which is 25 minutes northwest, is even more pricey.

Edited August 24, 2016 by Ottis
Random capitalization

[topanga]

13 hours ago, KLovestoShop said:

Did not like the Denver couple at all.  Maybe it's the Millennial thing again, but when the man saw the yards, he looked like a deer in headlights thinking about all the work it would be.  And didn't he even say something to the effect that he wouldn't even know how to take care of a yard?   

Plus, I've never seen a HH never question how much work will be required to keep a 2500-3000 sq. foot house clean. And even though it's just the two of them, unoccupied rooms still get dusty.  Or will they have regular maid service? 

[AuntiePam]

1 hour ago, topanga said:

Plus, I've never seen a HH never question how much work will be required to keep a 2500-3000 sq. foot house clean. And even though it's just the two of them, unoccupied rooms still get dusty.  Or will they have regular maid service? 

Good point!  Not just cleaning -- washing all those wonderful windows and getting cobwebs from those 20-foot ceilings -- but utilities -- heating and cooling.  It's not always possible to close off unused rooms. 

[Kohola3]

If they ever really cook anything there are those pesky dishes, pots, pans, and silverware. I wonder if either of them knows how to run a dishwasher.

[iMonrey]

The Seattle couple buying their first home:

{sigh} I hate to be that person, but . . . sometimes you just want to take aside the girl and say "Honey? Your boyfriend is gay. Maybe you don't realize it, and maybe even he doesn't realize it yet, but you need to face it now before you go any further in this relationship." I tried to give the guy the benefit of the doubt but aside from finding basements so creepy he had one too many eyerolls during his interview segments.

And while I'm on a mean streak, for a couple who says they like to bike ride so much, maybe they should do more of it? Just saying.

[Pickles]

I didn't think the Seattle guy was gay. I thought he was a huge drip! Why would she settle for him? She was cute and seemed to have a lot on the ball. Her dad was the realtor and I bet he was gnashing his teeth over that big dope. He complained about everything and was afraid of basements. Give me a break.

[proserpina65]

On ‎07‎/‎23‎/‎2016 at 3:47 PM, juliet73 said:

I too,  like to know what these twenty somethings do for a living.  After they announce their jobs,  I fast forward to the houses; I don't care about the rest of their backstory. 

I'm glad the show displays the home prices. Back in the day when the show first started,  they never mentioned the cost of the homes or the towns...and they were ALWAYS in California. That's when Suzanne Whang was on it too. 

I do miss the days when the HHers didn't always 'buy' any of the houses they showed, or the rare episode when they admitted to having looked at more than 3.  I remember one ep with 3 generations of black women who'd looked at dozens of houses, and their agent brought them back to one they'd previously rejected; the kitchen had been renovated in the meantime, and that house turned out to be pretty much perfect for their needs.  (I realize that most of this story was probably total bull, but it made for more interesting viewing than what we get in every episode now.)

[laredhead]

Poserpina65, that episode is real oldie but goodie.  I remember it well.  Now that we know more about the show, the renovated kitchen was probably what those women did after they bought the house and they were just pretending it was back on the market with a kitchen renovation.  I do like the fact that now they give you the square footage and price of the houses which they did not do in the early days of the show.

[StatisticalOutlier]

14 hours ago, Ottis said:

I live in Denver. You're right, their choice was inexplicable, and I suspect had more to do with being near their parents (who probably handle things for them) and familiar stomping grounds than the house. They were far out east toward the airport. That's far, far from downtown and I don't even know if buses run out there.

But they said the house was 30 miles from downtown Denver, and the airport is 20 miles out.  To get 30 miles out and still be in Aurora, I think you'd have to be down south by Parker somewhere.  Holy hell, I'd kill myself before I'd even think about making that commute. 

I think Ottis is right and the HHs' choice had everything to do with being in their old stomping grounds and near family, and it was always going to be that way because I can't imagine someone actually deciding between that house and the really small one in Denver.  They were polar opposites in every single respect, except being expensive. 

[JasmineFlower]

Tampa episode was a bit strange to me - not the couple, I enjoyed them, especially the funny husband - but, every house was absolutely barren. It seemed clear to me with them looking at houses that there are few move-in ready homes that are finished down to every detail in their price range in the area they wanted. But even more, given how empty these homes were, it got me thinking about why that is. If someone in Tampa or nearby in Florida knows the deal, I'd love some clarity. There was no mention of any of these homes being short sales or foreclosures, but I wondered if these homes were bought during the boom and the homeowners rented them out in recent years waiting for the prices to return a bit and then are selling now for not as much of a loss. Just a guess, but the emptiness of the homes without a single one of them being a new build, stood out to me.

I liked the couple for the most part. Really glad the husband got an office. I mostly liked the wife too because though this couple wanted different kinds of homes, they were on the same page in life and that came across loud and clear so it was cute to watch them. But you know I was rolling my eyes at wife, acting like the idea that these boys just had to have separate bedrooms was critical. Like life would be ruined if this didn't happen. The husband, who seemingly contributes to paying half the bills for the house and family, deserves a home office since he works from home if he's to the point of begging for one. So yeah, two of your boys can share, probably not unlike you did growing up and trust me, they'll still grow up to be functioning adults. In fact, they may be better ones since they had to learn to share.

[Babalooie]

JasmineFlower, maybe this will help answer your question.  The market is down in the N. Central part of FL right now, two hours North of Tampa.

http://www.trulia.com/real_estate/Tampa-Florida/

[illini1959]

Quote

But you know I was rolling my eyes at wife, acting like the idea that these boys just had to have separate bedrooms was critical. Like life would be ruined if this didn't happen. The husband, who seemingly contributes to paying half the bills for the house and family, deserves a home office since he works from home if he's to the point of begging for one. So yeah, two of your boys can share, probably not unlike you did growing up and trust me, they'll still grow up to be functioning adults. In fact, they may be better ones since they had to learn to share.

Exactly! Since when do the kids take priority over the adults? How absurd that the dad, like you said - working from home! - should have to forego an office because a couple of kids couldn't possibly share a room.

Not only did they "need" separate rooms, they "need" double sinks in their bathroom. Granted, that's handy, but for kids? Not a necessity. Pretty soon each kid will need his own toilet, too. I grew up in a family of 5 with one bathroom. It's a wonder I function as an adult.

I wasn't crazy about any of the houses, the first one was more my taste but all those stairs would get old. 

[NYGirl]

See......I hated the husband and moreso the wife.  She was so nasty to the pool/office wanting husband about his office.  I kept saying to the TV that he needed an office if he works from home. He was annoying with his pool talk.   I couldn't understand why the boys couldn't play on the side of the house and eventually they decided the same thing . What got me was the second house when she had to use the bonus room as a playroom plus give the boys their own room, thus not allowing him to have an office.

Edited August 26, 2016 by NYGirl

[Kohola3]

Breadwinner works from home.  Home office is not negotiable.  Period.

[Empress1]

1 minute ago, Kohola3 said:

Breadwinner works from home.  Home office is not negotiable.  Period.

100%. No compromising, no discussion. 

I was annoyed when the husband was like "Where are the [kitchen cabinet] handles? I don't want to do any work!" Dude, putting handles on cabinets is not work. Neither is buying a new fridge - you know they put it in for you, right?

I didn't like any of the houses, to be honest.

[laredhead]

Did they buy the house without cabinet hardware?  I can't remember because all of the houses looked similar.  Maybe that was a foreclosure property.  Wonder how far from her job their final choice was.  Long commute time for her was never mentioned and if he has his own business, he's probably used to driving a lot to any where the power washing jobs are.  They also never mentioned school locations with regard to location of house.  Anyone remember where their final choice was located?

I thought buying a house with a pool was a smart idea because children grow up and one of those boys was already 10.  He's not going to be making forts in the backyard for very long, but all of them will use that pool well into their high school and college years.   The husband looked like he was having as much fun as the boys in the pool at the end of the episode and that is something he can share with them.  He probably doesn't build forts with them too often.  The house they bought was the right one for them as outlined by their stated desires at the beginning of the episode. 

I did not like that wallpaper in the bonus/play room though.  Easy fix if they ever get around to doing it.

Edited August 26, 2016 by laredhead
Add a sentence

[JasmineFlower]

2 hours ago, NYGirl said:

See......I hated the husband and moreso the wife.  She was so nasty to the pool/office wanting husband about his office.  I kept saying to the TV that he needed an office if he works from home. He was annoying with his pool talk.   I couldn't understand why the boys couldn't play on the side of the house and eventually they decided the same thing . What got me was the second house when she had to use the bonus room as a playroom plus give the boys their own room, thus not allowing him to have an office.

So this is a thing I noticed lately. What exactly is so terrible about a side yard? Am I missing something obvious or are some of these homeowners being particularly picky? In this case, there was a side yard that appeared completely usable and private, not a downgrade to a backyard. How is that so much worse than a backyard other than possibly not being able to look out a back window and see the kids? Though I'm assuming the house has windows on the side...so again, am I missing something? I've noticed a number of house hunters (on here and other shows - like Buying and Selling) recently acting like a side yard is the kiss of death and cannot fathom life without a backyard like the whole house is unlivable because it has a better side yard than backyard and I don't mean there's a fence immediately out of the back door either. And I find it even more asinine that they complain about a side yard when their backyard is occupied by a pool.

@laredhead, yes they chose the third house that was missing the cabinet hardware. They had gotten new ones in the final scene. They didn't mention that it was a foreclosure. As for the area, that's a good point about being close to her hospital. Presumably all locations were a good area for her. I got the impression they were possibly looking in the same school district for all three homes as specifics of the areas were never highlighted much in this episode, making it seem like it wasn't a major issue. Given the age of the boys, I just guess they might be sticking with one area where they can remain in the same school. I don't recall a name being used, but they specifically said the suburbs of Tampa, not in the city.

Edited August 26, 2016 by JasmineFlower

[Empress1]

35 minutes ago, laredhead said:

Did they buy the house without cabinet hardware?  I can't remember because all of the houses looked similar.  Maybe that was a foreclosure property.  Wonder how far from her job their final choice was.  Long commute time for her was never mentioned and if he has his own business, he's probably used to driving a lot to any where the power washing jobs are.  They also never mentioned school locations with regard to location of house.  Anyone remember where their final choice was located?

I thought buying a house with a pool was a smart idea because children grow up and one of those boys was already 10.  He's not going to be making forts in the backyard for very long, but all of them will use that pool well into their high school and college years.   The husband looked like he was having as much fun as the boys in the pool at the end of the episode and that is something he can share with them.  He probably doesn't build forts with them too often.  The house they bought was the right one for them as outlined by their stated desires at the beginning of the episode. 

I did not like that wallpaper in the bonus/play room though.  Easy fix if they ever get around to doing it.

A pool would be as much for me as it would be for anyone else I lived with, and I think it was the same for him. I love the water. 

[iMonrey]

Yes! I couldn't get over the wife's obsession with having a back yard for the kids. There's a pool, moron. Which do you think three kids would rather have, a pool or a yard? Take a wild guess. I'd have given my eye teeth to have a pool growing up. It's better exercise for the kids, too.

Quote

Not only did they "need" separate rooms, they "need" double sinks in their bathroom. 

LOL. What cracks me up is when they look at a perfectly functional bathroom and say "This won't work." As if, it's not even usable. The hall bath had a long counter but only one sink. "This won't work." It'll work, all right. It may not be your ideal but it works, literally. 

[Kohola3]

Quote

They also never mentioned school locations with regard to location of house. 

These things are simply not important.  What IS important is two sinks in the bathroom.  This will shape the future of the children in ways we simply cannot fathom.

[Mittengirl]

I couldn't understand the wife objecting to the pool, either.  Hubby is paying for part of the house, not the kids.  If he wants a pool, why not get one?  And the separate bathrooms - do boys that age really spend that much time in the bathroom?

There have been other episodes where they walk right past a gigantic, flat front yard out to the sloped/small backyard and whine about how there is no place to throw/kick a ball.  How about that quarter-acre you own out front?  I can understand if it is very young kids on a busy street, but it never is.  It is always kids over 10 and the house is in a quiet neighborhood.  

I don't remember my mom or my friends' moms sitting out front watching us every second, either.  I guess we were lucky to have survived playing out front with getting run over or snatched by strangers.  Not to mention all that garden hose water we consumed, after riding our bikes helmet-less.  And I grew up in a very blue collar area where the GM plant was a couple blocks away, between the highway and the train tracks, not these fancy neighborhoods the show features.

Edited August 26, 2016 by Mittengirl

[juliet73]

10 hours ago, Empress1 said:

I was annoyed when the husband was like "Where are the [kitchen cabinet] handles? I don't want to do any work!" Dude, putting handles on cabinets is not work. Neither is buying a new fridge - you know they put it in for you, right?

 

The cabinets already had the holes installed from the existing hardware so it would literally take 5minutes to put the new ones on!

I can't imagine the husband if he drank more than one cup of coffee! Holy smokes! I was ready for him to chest bump his wife through the whole episode!  She was kind of a wet noodle.

I can understand not wanting the kids to share a room.  I have 2 boys and one immediately falls asleep when his head hits the pillow.  The other one is a total chatterbox!  However, if I didn't want my kids to share a room and my husband needed an office like this guy, I wouldn't look at any house unless it had 4+ bedrooms!  As for the husband wanting double sinks for the kids, that was stupid!! 

[izabella]

Would you require separate bedrooms for the kids plus a separate play room?  I didn't understand that requirement the wife had.  They're in Tampa.  The kids can play outside all year long, play in the pool, play in their rooms, play, play, play, huge room to play.  But then they showed the kids all crowded together doing their homework at the kitchen counter.

[Kohola3]

I have never understood the whole movement toward Play Rooms, Man Caves, Media Rooms, etc.  It just serves to isolate every member of the family from the others.  What ever happened to family rooms where everyone gathered and communicated?

[Ohwell]

Well, I can certainly understand wanting separate rooms, if possible.   I've got no problem with man caves, sewing rooms, or whatever the homeowners want to make themselves and their kids happy.  And they can still get together around the table or anywhere else around the house when they get ready.  After all, if they can afford it, it's their money.  

[aguabella]

Anyone else think Tampa husband was laying it on a little thick, complaining about renos and specifically, wallpaper?  Get the impression, like me, when they walked in that third house that they were already working on it and had removed those handles themselves?

Yep, you guessed it - it's true!  I rarely look up HH (original recipe) buyers but checked out their purchase.  They closed on that house on 9/15/15 and had done extensive work before filming, including some kitchen work, the hardwood floors and tons of wallpaper removal.  In the kitchen, they installed the granite countertops, upgraded the sink and appliances and yes, removed the basic, builders' special, cabinet pulls. 

She must have wanted that carpet b/c she left it (or installed new, in a similar, neutral shade) in the d/r and l/r.   It was so much work that I'd doubt it was DIY. 

WRT their HH appearance, my guess is she's probably a fan and submitted an application b/c they were working on the home.  The timing must have worked out so they were almost complete with their reno by Feb, 2016 or were willing to coordinate the timing with HH.  HH doesn't allow the participants to move into the homes prior to filming so they left a little w/p and some kitchen finishes (their frig and the infamous pulls) to maintain the drama, lol.

If you'd like to check out the photos, shoot me a PM.  I'm not comfortable linking anyone's home address.

ETA:  The homemade "SOLD" sign the boys held up next to the agent's lawn sign - uh, I don't see that on agent Quyen's transaction list.  Could be they continued living in their first home and rented it out after the show.  Sorry but Grandma wouldn't put up with those 5 for even a day, if you ask me!  (BTW, HH loves to fake those crashing at others' pads scenes.  Whatever ...)

Edited August 30, 2016 by aguabella

[aguabella]

Don't know why I reviewed the Tampa realtor's linkedin - well, IIRC, it popped up when I was searching for the transaction.  Honest, lol ... 

A Star is Born!

Check this out:

                 https://www.linkedin.com/in/quyentrujillo              

 

So, she knew her episode was a "hit" before and/or as soon as it aired???  Mmm-kay ...  She's now soliciting HH participants?  She played the part of "real estate expert" on the show?  What, when she said the line, "Here's the kitchen!"?  Judging a beauty pageant?  Hey, whatever marketing stunt works, right?

I give her props for trying but between the puffery and her limited experience, I wouldn't hire her, myself.  (She's working it so yeah, I'd take another look in a few years.)  In fact, I doubt she represented the HH participants in either side of their transaction.  (Those properties didn't appear on her Zillow transaction list.)  Perhaps their own agent was too busy doing actual RE work (sorry) to surrender nearly 40 hours of their time over a 2 week period.  

In addition, she couldn't supply the decoys from her own listings.  IIRC, she currently has 3 residential listings from $150K down.  She's photogenic though, right?

BTW, does she understand that HH doesn't film in Tampa every month?  If she's counting on a new career as HH star - well, good luck!

Edited August 30, 2016 by aguabella

[Pickles]

The couple tonight buying in Westchester. She was 26 and he was 29, but I would have guessed they were 35. They seemed a bit snarky with each other. Yikes, those taxes!

[HawaiiTVGuy]

On 8/24/2016 at 7:41 AM, iMonrey said:

The Seattle couple buying their first home:

{sigh} I hate to be that person, but . . . sometimes you just want to take aside the girl and say "Honey? Your boyfriend is gay. Maybe you don't realize it, and maybe even he doesn't realize it yet, but you need to face it now before you go any further in this relationship." I tried to give the guy the benefit of the doubt but aside from finding basements so creepy he had one too many eyerolls during his interview segments.

And while I'm on a mean streak, for a couple who says they like to bike ride so much, maybe they should do more of it? Just saying.

Is this an episode from this season?  

[juliet73]

Westchester: Finally an episode where they mentioned property taxes!  They both looked about 10 -15 years older that their actual age.  Ugh, the guy was a tool! He wants a house for around $600k with a finished basement, an inground pool, land, and low property taxes...in Westchester??!! He has a better chance of getting struck by lightning while cashing in his billion dollar lottery ticket! I'm glad they picked the 2nd house. It looked contemporary on the outside, but the inside looked very colonial. I see him and his friends were still able to use the pool table in the unfinished basement.  Fingers crossed that the BRASS faucets work in the master bathroom ;)

Edited August 30, 2016 by juliet73

[buttersister]

2 hours ago, juliet73 said:

He wants a house for around $600k with a finished basement, an inground pool, land, and low property taxes...in Westchester??!!

LOL. But it was his DREEEEAM to have a big-ass house in Westchester and now it's come true! Also guessing he'd say his insisting the pool table be upstairs (still, again, some more, passive-aggressive much) at the end was, what's it called? Sarcasm?

[JasmineFlower]

3 hours ago, juliet73 said:

Westchester: Finally an episode where they mentioned property taxes!  They both looked about 10 -15 years older that their actual age.  Ugh, the guy was a tool! He wants a house for around $600k with a finished basement, an inground pool, land, and low property taxes...in Westchester??!! He has a better chance of getting struck by lightning while cashing in his billion dollar lottery ticket! I'm glad they picked the 2nd house. It looked contemporary on the outside, but the inside looked very colonial. I see him and his friends were still able to use the pool table in the unfinished basement.  Fingers crossed that the BRASS faucets work in the master bathroom ;)

He needed to buy a clue. You aren't get everything he was demanding for $500k within an hour of the city at all, in any direction. Not in Westchester, North Jersey, or Southern CT. Give me a break with that list on that budget. Remember, he wanted to be under $500k, she was the one who knew better and said $700k, and that budget is barely scratching the surface with that wish list.

And was I the only one laughing about his insistence of an above ground pool in Westchester? Good luck with that not bringing down the value of the house. A pool is fine, but aesthetics in Westchester, like many established suburbs, are important. And who wants to tell him that a pool adds to the property taxes? LOL!

I absolutely rewound the DVR twice to double check I'd heard the ages correctly. I'm still having a hard time matching 26 and 29 to the two of them and they're a nice looking couple. But neither of them looks even close to being within a decade of being on a college campus, let alone in high school.

[JasmineFlower]

4 hours ago, HawaiiTVGuy said:

Is this an episode from this season?  

It wasn't a new episode this month, but it is from 2016. I think it originally aired in the spring. Their budget was something like $650k and they are not married yet, they are buying a place now because of rising prices and have lived together for a bit.. And I remember they met online. The real estate agent is her dad, they bike ride as mentioned (though not obviously physically fit - him or her), and he wanted a townhome and she wanted single family home with a backyard. Hopefully that's enough for you to remember it or find it when it re-airs.

FWIW, I didn't think the boyfriend was gay, but I was watching them and wondering if they'd get divorced soon after the wedding or settle in for an unexciting life of being sorta content some of the time.