House Hunters: Buying in the USA

[Haleth]

And I always cringe when the wife in an episode wants a chandelier over the bathtub, and I think how water-spotted the crystals are going to get from the steam, and what a pain it is to take apart and clean a chandelier to begin with - much less one perched over a hard surface like a porcelain tub.

 

When we had our bathroom redone and I mentioned I liked the look of a chandelier over the tub the contractor told us it was against code.  He said we could do what we wanted but he wouldn't install one because it was a safety hazard.  I think the ceiling has to be very high for it to pass code, so yeah, cleaning one that is 8' from the base of a tub would be a pain.

 

It also makes me crazy when HHs turn down a home because the walls are the wrong color or it has wallpaper or ugly fixtures.

Edited August 15, 2014 by Haleth

[ChelseaNH]

"Eeeek, gold-colored faucets!"

 

Yes, too bad they're soldered directly to the foundation so they can't be changed...

 

Even high-end faucets cost a couple hundred dollars.  Likewise toilets.  Countertops and appliances are easy changes, for the most part.  Flooring changes are a piece of cake if you do them before you move in.  I get that house hunting can be overwhelming, but try not to be quite so helpless.

[cassaundroll]

"Is this the dining room"?  Honey, it's a room; once it's your room, you can assign any function to it you want to!

[laredhead]

Cassaundroll, I agree about the room designations.  I went to an open house last weekend and the realtor stated that the house was not staged so that buyers could decide how they wanted to use the spaces.  It was a semi-open floorplan with several rooms that could interchangeably be used for dining, a study, a living room or whatever.  We both joked that if she got an HH from HGTV in there, she would have to explain to them what the rooms were.  She was all too familiar with the HH storyline about buyers being too clueless to realize they can make a room what they want it to be.  Having said that, the HH Where Are They Now episodes this week showed the couple who bought an older Tudor style house and remodeled it with some interesting additions to suit their family's needs.  Since the original show, she has had 2 more children and they carved out another bedroom to accomodate their growing family.  He was the HH who liked to walk barefoot to church which was very odd. 

[NYGirl]

That's one of my big pet peeves.  When they ask...'what's this room for?'   I always yell at the TV and say..anything you want.  I really feel that whatever the realtor tells them is what they'll use it for.

[chessiegal]

What cracks us up is when they walk into a room with cabinets, refrigerator, and range and say "Is this the kitchen?" No, it's the bathroom.

Edited August 16, 2014 by chessiegal

[Patrizio]

I was really impressed by the Austin, Tx couple's reno. I know they do this for a living, but they have really good taste. I liked the dresser(s) on either side of the fireplace. I thought it would be a great place to stash tablecloths, napkins, ect. They did a great job with the kitchen cupboards too, did'nt come in and say they'll have to go just because they found some mice poo in one. Nice vibe b/t the two of them.

[laredhead]

I think the Austin, TX couple were also on Buying the Beach or Beachfront Property or something like that.  They bought a beach house on the Texas Gulf coast for their son to live in while he was going to college.

[BearCat49]

Yes, the Austin couple did buy the beach house for their son during college with the expectation that it would eventually become a vacation rental but it appeared on an episode of HH - no big deal.

 

JMHO but I wasn't that big a fan of their reno.  It was a good job but only in the context of a flip, IMHO.  Sounded as if they hadn't really done much work besides their previous home that they'd owned for many years, IIRC.  She spoke of having difficulty staining the floor and mentioned it was their initial time. 

 

The cabinet doors were definitely dated and would have looked good with added trim molding, IIRC.  Yes, painting was the obvious choice, if you're flipping the home.  Nice job on the f/p but that's a basic selling feature.  WRT the dressers, IIRC they were a little too shabby chic for my taste.  I prefer craftsman-style built-ins as a f/p surround.  Again, however, it makes sense for a flip.

 

Perhaps tptb purposely said they were downsizing b/c HH isn't technically a flip show.  Doesn't seem like they'd need to but that'd be a HH thing to do - phony up the plot.  We'll see if they appear on HH for a third (???) time when they suddenly decide to upsize after unloading the flip. 

[topanga]

 

What cracks us up is when they walk into a room with cabinets, refrigerator, and range and say "Is this the kitchen?" No, it's the bathroom.

Or when the couple either walks into a kitchen that either needs minor updates or is renovated and just isn't their style, and they say, "This will be a complete gut." Really? A few updates won't do? Or, heaven forbid, they keep the kitchen as is.*

 

*I know this response must be encouraged because the couple often ends up in a home with a kitchen they hate, and at the end of the show, they say they can live with it for a while.

[cassaundroll]

Another pet peeve: -ing.  Lighting.  Flooring.  No...  Light.  Floor.

Edited August 18, 2014 by cassaundroll

[cassaundroll]

Did I hear "old, outdated granite countertop" on one of these (weekend marathon on my DVR; sorry)?

Also: "double-French doors"???

[KLovestoShop]

Yeah, you've been hearing "outdated" granite for a few months now from a few of these younger house buyers.  I guess they feel that since mom and dad had granite in their houses, that granite is for oldsters.  Just shows how stupid they are as in a few years, quartz countertops will be out of favor.  I remember when corian was the thing, but now, you hardly see it anywhere. 

[CoolMom]

Yeah, you've been hearing "outdated" granite for a few months now from a few of these younger house buyers.  I guess they feel that since mom and dad had granite in their houses, that granite is for oldsters.  Just shows how stupid they are as in a few years, quartz countertops will be out of favor.  I remember when corian was the thing, but now, you hardly see it anywhere. 

 

I was telling my husband that I still want Corian in my kitchen because I like it. We are planning to downsize when our youngest goes to college in in a few years,. I have settled on waiting to see what is the new thing before we do anything to the kitchen and baths.  We built this house 12 years ago, when we are watching HHs we are amazed how many people say how outdated cabinets are that are exactly like ours (honey oak) but they are good quality and solid wood.  HHs makes me very afraid to put this house on the market.  

[DownTheShore]

My sister used Corian for her counters and backsplash at her shore cottage ant that stuff is great.  I'm down here now, looking at it as I type this.  It's been wearing very well, looks as good as the day it was installed and she was able to get it in the perfect color to match her color scheme in this "open concept" area (lol - it had to be "open concept" because the cottage is too small for anything else). It's easy to keep clean and is standing up to the wear-and-tear of rental use.

 

I don't understand at all why the HH'ers on TV look down on it.  It's a very good product.

[cassaundroll]

Speaking of beach cottages (great segue, DowntheShore), is there anyplace here to discuss "Beachfront Bargain Hunters"?  Because I am one...  :)  Looking for that place on the ocean to rent out now and occupy half the year later.  It's also a wonderfully snark-worthy new show!

Edited August 19, 2014 by cassaundroll

[stafford]

Cassaundroll, I too wish there was a place to talk about HGTV in general and some of their more "offbeat" shows. I just caught a couple of episodes of Elbow Room and there is pleanty to snark about with that show too. It reminds me of Trading Spaces where the "design", no matter how outlandish, is king. Currently he's building a 25 foot tree house with a zip line for a household with three small children. Is he (or the parents) crazy?

[BearCat49]

That's what we call Chip's designated "neato" project for each episode.  Don't know about giving it a forum b/c it's been cancelled ??  They're just burning off a few episodes that were in the can.  The zipline episode's a rerun, BTW.

 

Another annoying househunter - the husband in Bentonville.  Somehow I don't think they'll have both their gutted kitchen and bathroom done in 6-8 weeks.  No offense to their church pals but how about a contractor?  Can't see that guy getting his hands dirty - or his violet, straight-legged pants, for that matter.  That house needed too much work for a beginner DIY'er, IMHO.

amazed how many people say how outdated cabinets are that are exactly like ours (honey oak) but they are good quality and solid wood.  HHs makes me very afraid to put this house on the market.  

Could it be the cabinet door design, CoolMom?  A little trim molding might do the trick.  They sound like nice cabinets, worth saving.

Edited August 19, 2014 by BearCat49

[stafford]

Thanks BearCat49 for the info. I can see why it's cancelled since he also had three trampolines installed about 12 feet off the ground for the little girls. I hope the parents have good medical insurance.

[Bastet]

Cassaundroll, I too wish there was a place to talk about HGTV in general and some of their more "offbeat" shows.

 

There is.  There is a thread for talk of HGTV as a whole in Misc. TV Talk, or for show-specific talk you can request a forum for any show that doesn't already have one.

[laredhead]

We might be seeing the Bentonville couple on a future HH Renovation episode.  Obviously they both work at Wal Mart since Bentonville is home base of that company.  She was also a fan of brightly colored pants. 

[CoolMom]

Could it be the cabinet door design, CoolMom?  A little trim molding might do the trick.  They sound like nice cabinets, worth saving.

 

They have trim around each door, we could add crown molding and/or have them stained a darker color.  I just keep seeing them on HHs shows where they say the honey oak is dated and the cabinets are almost my identical cabinets. The funny thing is we choose them because we felt the oak would never really go out of style. The laugh is on us there, right?

[OSM Mom]

I love oak cabinets and think they're a classic look. People are too dang critical and picky.

[chessiegal]

CoolMom - I wouldn't worry about your kitchen cabinets until you list the house. A good real estate agent, with the emphasis on good, will always ask buyer's agents for feedback from people who have viewed the house. If the cabinets turn out to be a turn off, which I doubt they will (they sound lovely to me), then you can do something. We used 2 different agents when we sold and bought our last house as we were moving 40 miles away. Our listing agent always asked buyer's agents for feedback, and gave us some info that helped us make some small inexpensive changes that made a difference. Our buyer agent always asked us for feedback to give back to the listing agent - just part of what they do.

 

And I definitely wouldn't make assumptions on what you see on HH. What we see on that show is viewed by a very tiny part of the population.

[BearCat49]

There are several reasons why asking for buyers' feedback doesn't typically work, in my experience, chessiegal.  By the time most sellers receive enough feedback to make a difference, their home is already what we'd consider a "stale" listing.  Another reason is that most buyers lie when they provide feedback.  Most people are nice and they don't want to criticize someone's home.  So, when asked for feedback, they select something obvious and impersonal, e.g. "it's on a steep hill".  And, because many sellers so rarely receive true, honest feedback, they get a little huffy when they do and ignore it, anyway!

 

The best thing for most sellers to do IMHO is ask potential agents for staging advice prior to listing and make it clear that they truly want the criticism.  Otherwise, many of the agents won't provide an honest assessment because they know that many sellers don't want to invest the time necessary to properly prepare a home for sale.  And, at that point in time, the agents' priority is to obtain your listing.  So, they won't criticize your home, either!

 

Don't know why the trim molding popped into my head, CoolMom.  IIRC, I was surprised that the TX agent/ new flipper didn't do it.  I wouldn't worry about random HH comments, either.  When you eventually sell, you can assess the situation at that point in time.  The quickest, easiest thing is do what flippers typically do - paint the cabinets and update the hardware.  I always advise clients to have them professionally sprayed - not that expensive, BTW.  If you do nothing else and want to save $$$, you can start with hardware.

 

Although I agree that people are too critical and picky, OSM Mom, unfortunately, it's those same dang people that make up the buyer pool for homes!  Sellers can always find a small percentage of buyers that will appreciate their finishes, whatever they are, but the goal of staging is to make your home appeal to a majority of the buyers.

 

It's funny, laredhead, I've been thinking the same thing about HHR and some of these HH participants.  That's where HHR got its first batch of participants.  Hadn't watched it in quite awhile.  Caught up with a bunch of episodes OnDemand and I didn't remember a single one of the HHR participants from HH.  Am curious if they no longer draw from original recipe HH for HHR.  Anyone know?

 

It wouldn't surprise me if they're no longer tying it to HH.  On HH, you receive a measly stipend of $500 but I've heard that the HHR folks receive a large amount of cash plus possibly the services of a designer and/or contractor.  And, the first 30 minutes of HHR is basically a HH rerun. 

 

Yes, I was thinking about Walmart, too WRT Bentonville but didn't hear them say "retailer" when they mentioned him.  I may have missed it.  IIRC, they said she was recruiting for his employer.  Hmmm, if he does work for Walmart, he may want to tone down the drinking comments.  Aren't they known for conservatism?  I don't know if that extends to drinking but sometimes it's best to appear professional on camera, IMHO.  And, the South, e.g. Southern Baptists, etc. 

Edited August 20, 2014 by BearCat49

[chessiegal]

All I can say is buyer's feedback made a difference. We did not have a "stale" listing - we sold our house in 45 days and ended up having a bidding war after making changes based on buyer's feedback.

[DownTheShore]

It seems to me that a lot of times the paint color choices (or wallpaper type) in the kitchens are dated and that in turn makes the cabinets seem dated too, especially if they are not really decade-specific themselves.  We've got the honey-oak cabinets at the cottage, but the door style is the timeless Shaker style, so when my sister remodeled she just changed out the hardware to a brushed nickel finish to match what was on the accent pieces in the rest of the room (small lamps, clock, some picture frames) which tied things together.

[cassaundroll]

Just to prove that I CAN say something, positive: love, love, loved the Seattle houseboat episode.  Interesting real estate, likable people, beautiful scenery. 

 

Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.  That Napa Valley couple: insufferable!!!  She had to be 60, if she was a day, and he looked like The Lost Weekend.  How did they have kids?

Edited August 20, 2014 by cassaundroll

[Patrizio]

The Arkansas people had to be Walmart, it was specifically mentioned that a "national retailer" had their home in Bentonville. I'm sure we'll be seeing them on HH Reno. I guess I watch too much HH b/c I remember all of the people from their episodes, and I'm only impressed with 50% of what I'm seeing. I did think that the fiberoptic lights in the basement ceiling of the house in Utah was different, and would have loved to see it with the lights dimmed at least-it probably looked cool. I want to see what the gay guys in DC do with that house, that'll be a HH reno must see.

[BearCat49]

Ok, thanks Patrizio - so they did say "retailer".  Missed that.

 

So you're seeing the HH participants back on HHR.  Ok, will probably start noticing that, too.  Ashamed to admit (lol) that I've seen 100% of HH episodes back to the Suzanne Whang days.  Am probably not noticing the participants as much b/c they all run together and I purposely try not to focus on them too much!  Saw 2 minutes of an HHR rerun yesterday and recognized the couple but it was from HHR S1 so we'll see.  The other HHR episodes were much more current.

 

No, it's great that the feedback system worked for you, chessiegal.  Was only explaining what happens much of the time.

 

Thanks for making my point, DownTheShore.  Oftentimes it's possible to easily update by making small changes instead of automatically gutting everything.

[Peanutbuttercup]

I really liked the couple in Florida last night. They actually didn't care about stainless steel appliances and granite countertops and said they'd rather spend time together as a family than working to get a blinged out house! The wife was against an "open concept" floor plan because she didn't want to spend her time keeping the kitchen clean! And they ended up with the best house IMO and didn't disturb the bats!

Edited August 21, 2014 by WendyCR72
No need for spoiler tags here. Thank you!

[Angeltoes]

At the beginning of the Florida episode they showed the family in an observation tower and gazing out over a sea of houses. We went there when I was a kid (pre-Disney invasion) and all you could see then was acres of orange trees. Thank you, Walt Disney.

Also this couple needs to teach their wee ones how to pick an orange. You don't dig your heels into the earth and pull on the orange with all your might until the branch snaps and you go sailing backwards. You gently twist the orange until it comes off into your hand.

[KLovestoShop]

I thought the Florida couple was crazy.  Sorry, but while bats might have their place, it certainly isn't in a house.  Don't people realize that bats are one of the most rabid of animals?  A neighbor had a bat in his house and the bat landed on his head for just a couple of seconds, and he had to go and have rabies shots.  The doctor at the hospital said that bats are dangerous because they are very often rabid and having them in houses is dangerous.  I had a nest of baby raccoons in a flower pot, and animal control came to get them  (the mother was chasing everyone who got near to them and attacked a neighbor's dog--mother raccoon was rabid), and he told me that his previous stop was for bats in a house.  He caught them and two of the three were rabid.  Bats are not fun and games animals. 

[DownTheShore]

I don't think that I'd be worried so much about the bats being rabid, I just wouldn't want them nesting against the house, just because of their noise and droppings.  They could have put up a bat house somewhere else on their property; God knows Florida could use all the help it can get reducing the mosquito population.

 

I was really surprised that they took the Craftsman.  While I like the style, I kept shouting at the TV "there's no air conditioning and you're going to have to replace all those windows!!"  LOL

[buttersister]

Dr. Jay in L.A. should have held out for script approval--one minute he wants to plant an organic garden, next, he's in a condo saying he has no time for anything but work and his music. Heh, maybe he meant that he'd hire someone to plant and tend the garden? I don't know because his childhood friend would not shut her pie hole about him being in a sleek "bachelor pad" of her choosing. He seemed pretty happy having his humungous family over for dinner in the first house (the one he genuinely liked), so good for him.

His realtor was one of the more obvious actor plants, though, he held the paperwork like a prop!

[DownTheShore]

I can't even remember the realtor in that show, the friend monopolized it so much!  I thought she was a real PITA.  She wasn't paying attention to what he wanted, just what she wanted for him.  Granted, she was right in advising him that there might be more problems with an older home than with a new condo, but just because she apparently gave him the right advice in the past, doesn't make her an expert on what he needs now.

 

If he just finished his residency and he can afford a $600+K house, then he can afford to hire someone to cut his grass, so that backyard was no insurmountable problem, the way she was making it out to be.  I don't think that he would have been happy in that condo, especially if he likes to get together with his family often.

[Haleth]

Something I've always wondered about... the scenes at the end of each show with the new homeowners "entertaining."  Are these really friends and family or are they HH production staff playing the part of friends and family?  Anyone know?

 

Big thumbs up to Corian.  As for dated cabinets you can replace the doors cheaply and easily with something more current.  (I did 11 doors for $500, including a few with glass.)

[chessiegal]

Well, despite Dr. Jay's real estate agent holding paper awkwardly, he is not an actor plant. He is a real estate agent with ReMax.

 

http://www.remax.com/realestateagentoffice/simivalley-ca-93065-adammartinez-id27166574.html

[cassaundroll]

This whole "style" business is purely commercially driven; Americans are led around by nose -- or like sheep -- by Madison Avenue.   Why do even skirt lengths and pant widths change from season to season?  To sell more clothes, of course!  Savvy shoppers simply buy one of each (preferably at Goodwill when they're currently out of style) and switch the items over every year!  Impervious to fashion.  The one reason I would hire a realtor rather than sell a house myself is so I wouldn't have to listen to this generation's ludicrous complaints!

Edited August 22, 2014 by cassaundroll

[cassaundroll]

Dr. Jay in L.A. should have held out for script approval--one minute he wants to plant an organic garden, next, he's in a condo saying he has no time for anything but work and his music. Heh, maybe he meant that he'd hire someone to plant and tend the garden? I don't know because his childhood friend would not shut her pie hole about him being in a sleek "bachelor pad" of her choosing. He seemed pretty happy having his humungous family over for dinner in the first house (the one he genuinely liked), so good for him.

His realtor was one of the more obvious actor plants, though, he held the paperwork like a prop!

Did you mean "pro"?  LOL, Freudian slip!

 

Really; shut the pie hole, BFF...  "I don't like this, I don't like that"; hello, IT'S NOT YOUR HOUSE.  Realtors must take sedatives in order to keep their tongues.  I was proud of him for getting what he wanted in spite of that onslaught of unsolicited advice.  Shew!

 

At least the chain-link-fencephobe's BF was actually invited to live there (and pay rent) and thus had a right to his opinion; he delivered it very quietly and nicely, too!  She was annoying in her constant attempts to appear "cute" in a six-year-old way.  I somehow got the impression that Daddy, when he "suggested" she invest in a house, also offered to kick in some money toward it?  Maybe he figured cohabitation would prod the BF toward the altar.

Edited August 22, 2014 by cassaundroll

[BearCat49]

Which episode with a chain-link fence, cassundraroll?  Perhaps you're referring to one of the reruns?

 

Yes, WRT the LA doc, Remax rec'd a credit during the closing banners.  The phony realtor phenomenon was a HHI problem.  HHI's improved the last couple of years, too.  It's LA, however, so it's always possible he moonlights and considers RE his day job.  Can't remember hearing over the years that any friends or family who appeared during the closing scene were plants.  Some of the buying buddy stories have been a little fishy but again, more so during HHI.

 

The condo appeared to be an obvious decoy home.  Way out of his budget - I'm sure he would have purchased something more expensive, modern and updated, if he'd gone that route.  I only heard the friend pushing it so didn't hear any contradiction within the script/plot. 

 

One thing I never heard either of them mention, or the realtor, for that matter, was that the older home would be subject to an inspection prior to closing.  Sure, they can't look open up all the walls but they can give buyers some assurances WRT the age and remaining useful life of the property's major systems.  That was a major omission, IMHO.  

===============

 

Agree about the FL home - I would have avoided the bats or required remediation of that situation.  Well, I'm glad they selected the home that already had their furniture moved in, covered with white sheets!  WRT the kitchen, the wife still wanted to have a sight line to her children playing but didn't want the kitchen up front so visitors would be greeted with dirty dishes, etc. as soon as they came in.  That was her big kitchen issue, IIRC.

 

[cassaundroll]

They NEVER mention a home inspection, and it seemed there was a time when they never went down to the basement, looked in the crawl space, or otherwise gave a care to the foundation (one of the costliest issues one can have with a house).  But then, that would detract time and  attention from the color of the wall...

 

Yes, I do DVR reruns and take a while to get to them, too...  Hence, my viewing and commenting are usually a little out-of-sync, but sometimes I've just got to get it off my chest anyway!

Edited August 22, 2014 by cassaundroll

[BearCat49]

No worries, cassaundroll.  If you give us the location and just a bit of the backstory, the rest of us will probably remember the episode, e.g. couple moving from SF to Thailand so yf can rescue dogs (or whatever).  Then we can all commiserate together, lol! 

Edited August 22, 2014 by BearCat49

[cassaundroll]

Moving to Las Vegas to help form a church:  He was hilarious!  Reminded me of Richard Pryor.  But "casita"; what?  First recorded case of "Woman Cave."  Who is supposed to watch the kids while she retreats to the separate house in the back yard to get away from "mom, mom, mom"?  How about, you know, a ROOM?  But they seemed to really like and enjoy each other, which is a rare treat on this show...

[Sun-Bun]

Moving to Las Vegas to help form a church: He was hilarious! Reminded me of Richard Pryor. But "casita"; what? First recorded case of "Woman Cave." Who is supposed to watch the kids while she retreats to the separate house in the back yard to get away from "mom, mom, mom"? How about, you know, a ROOM? But they seemed to really like and enjoy each other, which is a rare treat on this show...

Now what kind of moron doesn't yet know the correct terminology for the female version of Man Cave?! Ahem: it's referred to as a Lady Lair, and yes, mine is fabulous. ;)

But seriously....so I FINALLY saw the Chicago episode with the annoying bleached blonde vocal-fryer with the makeup gun set to "whore" and the odd obsession with chandeliers. In an industrial loft that had to have her precious downtown views, of course. She was definitely at the top of the annoying scale for my HH participants. Although I did love the place they ended up choosing, completely gaudy chandeliers and "romantic" decor choices aside---her husband obviously didn't give two shits about decorating and let her have total reign over the home style choices in there. Ick.

Also, the couple who bought that loft in Toledo?

What a fuglyassed place, and that bar they kept jizzing nostalgic about looked completely stupid and cramped in there. Wifey was totally ready to live out her suburban mommy dreams while hubby is still demanding an adult fratboy existence for the next "5 years".

Good luck with that, kids---seemed like you two were on completely different pages of your life plans together.

[Peanutbuttercup]

Something I've always wondered about... the scenes at the end of each show with the new homeowners "entertaining."  Are these really friends and family or are they HH production staff playing the part of friends and family?  Anyone know?

 

I have a friend who was an International House Hunter. She told me that the "friends" she was entertaining at the end of the show were a bunch of people she'd never seen before in her life -- apparently random ex-pats rounded up by the film & production crew. That said, I would guess that most of the time the U.S. versions include real friends & family.

[DownTheShore]

But seriously....so I FINALLY saw the Chicago episode with the annoying bleached blonde vocal-fryer with the makeup gun set to "whore" and the odd obsession with chandeliers

ROTFLMAO!

[Bellalisa]

I just stopped by to complain about annoying vocal fried friend of the single guy in LA. I guess she really, really, really wanted to be on TV! She was beyond annoying. This was not scripted at all, it was her every brain fart. What a whiny, annoying voice. 

I agree the condo was pretty awful. It looked bad for 1/2 million dollars. Bad layout, bad finishes and no view or deck to speak of.

[BearCat49]

You're right, Bellalisa.  She supposedly so wanted her 15 minutes of fame (or infamy) that she flew into LA to do HH!  No way was that condo a serious option for him.  For the extra 200K of budget $$$ available, he could easily find something more appropriate.  Dr. Jay didn't need to settle for a dump.

 

When did your friend do HHI, Peanutbuttercup?.  Don't know for sure but it feels as if they're more authentic the last couple of years.  They've had real people, anticipating a relocation, apply for the cast instead of having to troll websites for expats / bloggers already living overseas.

 

Sun-Bun, I wasn't convinced that the 8 yr Chicago fiancé (or whatever it was) cared about much of anything WRT the bleached blonde makeup maven - or cared about being married to a woman!

Edited August 25, 2014 by BearCat49

[peggy06]

I caught an episode the other day that stunned me - a 20-year-old buying (not renting, buying) a loft condo in Chicago. I swear her budget was something like $500,000. Boy, times sure have changed. It used to be either the dorm, or sharing a very basic apartment with two or three friends. If she and her family can afford it, I suppose it's a good investment, but just a tad different from the usual student life. I didn't love her place, as it was right next to noisy trains (and I know you get used to noise, but even on the show, that was noisy). It also had a weird layout as far as the bathroom and laundry room. But there again - as a 20-year-old college student, no doubt she had to "settle" when shopping, even with family help.

 

Interested in the discussion about kitchen updates when planning to sell. I want to think most buyers are not as picky as the HH. Heck, most HH probably aren't as picky as the show makes them pretend to be. In looking at houses, I don't ever remember thinking kitchen cabinets were a deal-breaker. Old appliances and old wallpaper would be more off-putting to me. Not that those things can't be changed, but they can give an overall unfavorable impression of the room.

 

Then again, maybe this show is having a CSI-type effect on buyers, and teaching them unrealistic  expectations. Last time I was buying and selling, HGTV was still showing stuff like Room by Room and Decorating Cents. No House Hunters or Property Brothers or their ilk.

Edited August 25, 2014 by peggy06