House Hunters: Buying in the USA

[Bellalisa]

A friend of mine, who is in Italy for a year, and has a blog about it, was recently contacted by HHI. They have been living there 6 months when contacted. We all convinced her NOT to do it. When she posted on facebook asking if she should do it or not, one friend was all IMPRESSED that she was found through her blog: "wow your blog must be so well-known, well-read and popular if HHI found it!" I was thinking No, not really. Someone's job is to troll for blogs about Americans living overseas. Thankfully she did not do it. 

[cassaundroll]

Why "replace windows in the Craftsman" when you can just install storm windows for a lot less and retain the architectural and historic integrity of the building?  You know: up for summer (screens) and down for winter (glass).  See?  This is why I'll never be a realtor; I would be making all kinds of crazy talk suggestions like this that would put the window replacement guys, etc., right out of business...

[Peanutbuttercup]

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.

 

It was late 2011 or early 2012. She did apply to be on the show but she thought it was real and that they were going to set her up with an agent and help her find an apartment. Then they didn't even get back in touch with her until she had actually moved and found her apartment -- she was surprised when she told them she was already set up and they said great, that's exactly what we want!

[ShuFace88]

I watched the single mom in Fayetteville, Georgia last night and was amazed at how much how you can get for $230,000.  Of course, the buyer was complaining that everything was too small.  Do you really need more than 2,000 square feet for you and your son?  It seemed like the sister might be staying there more than "occasionally" by how invested she was in each guest room.  I did appreciate that she wanted wood floors in the dining areas because she didn't want to yell at her son for "being a typical 4-year old".  

[KLovestoShop]

That friend of the LA man was nothing short of a shrill harpie.  What a total bitch who tried to inject her opinion into everything.  But the thing that really got me was at the end when she said something to the effect of "shut up and get me to the airport before I miss my plane". 

[topanga]

 

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!

 

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.

 

Oh, man. My heart started racing just watching the close-up shot of those bats. I agree with the rabies risk. One of my co-workers had a bat flying around her home during the night. And because she couldn't confirm that the bat didn't bite her, because she was, you know, asleep, she had to undergo the complete series of rabies vaccinations. No fun.

 

 

And I just saw the episode about the Florida family moving from Tampa to Pensacola. It was nice to see a couple that needed a large house because there were 3 teenaged kids at home, not because they wanted several guest rooms. But the wife was a tad dramatic. "Oh, no. All three bathrooms must be gutted." The bathrooms were fine. Maybe a little '90s for her taste, but I can guarantee that the kids--the son, anyway--won't care that their bathroom doesn't have granite countertops.

[BearCat49]

 

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.

I doubt the show has that much effect on the buying public, JMHO.  And what percentage of that public actually watches HH?  The show doesn't discuss staging.  As you said above, certain things "give an overall unfavorable impression of the room".  That's the point.  For example, old wallpaper gives buyers an impression that tons of time would be required.  Cleaning and decluttering, i.e. the basics, make the most difference when selling, IMHO.  (So, for your example, I'd suggest yanking down the wallpaper and repainting in a neutral but working around the old appliances.)  The goal is to appeal to the largest number of buyers possible.

 

A friend of mine, who is in Italy for a year, and has a blog about it, was recently contacted by HHI. They have been living there 6 months when contacted. We all convinced her NOT to do it. When she posted on facebook asking if she should do it or not, one friend was all IMPRESSED that she was found through her blog: "wow your blog must be so well-known, well-read and popular if HHI found it!" I was thinking No, not really. Someone's job is to troll for blogs about Americans living overseas. Thankfully she did not do it. 

Yes, I'm sure they're still doing some trolling.  It doesn't seem like they're relying on it as much.  You're right - some grunt did a search for expats living in Italy.  Am curious - what was the main reason her facebook friends advised against grabbing that 15 minutes of fame on HHI?

 

Why "replace windows in the Craftsman" when you can just install storm windows for a lot less and retain the architectural and historic integrity of the building?  You know: up for summer (screens) and down for winter (glass).  See?  This is why I'll never be a realtor; I would be making all kinds of crazy talk suggestions like this that would put the window replacement guys, etc., right out of business...

What episode?  Trying to figure it out.  BTW, doing what's right for a client is never crazy talk, IMHO.  And, if/when a realtor does their part by selling someone a home, the storm window purchase allows the window guys to attempt to upsell the client!

 

It was late 2011 or early 2012. She did apply to be on the show but she thought it was real and that they were going to set her up with an agent and help her find an apartment. Then they didn't even get back in touch with her until she had actually moved and found her apartment -- she was surprised when she told them she was already set up and they said great, that's exactly what we want!

Always amazes me how many people think reality television is real!  How was her experience?

 

That friend of the LA man was nothing short of a shrill harpie.  What a total bitch who tried to inject her opinion into everything.  But the thing that really got me was at the end when she said something to the effect of "shut up and get me to the airport before I miss my plane". 

I was curious why he wanted her around.  Yes, I heard him tell the touching story about their grandfathers.  But, why be such close friends (apparently), even though she seemed so unpleasant?  Is that a cultural difference?  If/when he ever married, is that the type of woman he'd feel comfortable with? 

Edited August 25, 2014 by BearCat49

[Bastet]

I watched the single mom in Fayetteville, Georgia last night and was amazed at how much how you can get for $230,000.  Of course, the buyer was complaining that everything was too small.

 

I had to turn it off.  Mostly because the houses were so interchangeable and boring, but also for her ridiculous space requirements and twisted definition of the word "small."  I just was not in the mood to suffer her, and when I find myself grumbling at people through the TV I know it's time to quit.

 

HH: This bedroom is kind of small.  Very small.

Me:  There is an entire bedroom set it in with ample move to walk around in between.

 

HH:  Oooh, I like these double sinks.

Me:  There is only one of you. 

 

HH:  [3,000 square feet] That's more like it.

Me: Are you running a group home?

 

Then there was the nonsense about wanting something newer, when she was looking at a house constructed about 10 years ago, and needing new construction so nothing will break down on her.  Good idea, because things are made to last today, compared to back in the days of a disposable society.  Oh, wait ...

Edited August 25, 2014 by Bastet

[DownTheShore]

Why "replace windows in the Craftsman" when you can just install storm windows for a lot less and retain the architectural and historic integrity of the building?  You know: up for summer (screens) and down for winter (glass).  See?  This is why I'll never be a realtor; I would be making all kinds of crazy talk suggestions like this that would put the window replacement guys, etc., right out of business...

I was taking a close look at those windows in that house - especially the second floor - and they looked like they were in really poor shape, needing more than just a scrape and paint.  That's why I thought those windows were going to have to ultimately be replaced.  They can get replacement windows that duplicate the originals and are more energy efficient.  As someone whose lived with aluminum storm windows, they are a PITA in the long run if you want to keep them working smoothly and keep them well maintained.  I don't know if they powder-coat them now, but I had to scrub those aluminum ones with a toothbrush to get the discolorations off the frame. 

[BearCat49]

??? Which house, what episode, cassaundroll? Sorry, I'm going blank on that. . With just one sentence about the backstory, I can usually place it. For example, last night was the single mother whose sister wanted her own room in the cheap tract homes in GA! Guess they all run together these days, lol.

Agree, Bastet. Was giving the GA single mother the benefit of the doubt, ignoring her / going along with it until she got to the 10-yr old home. Say what?? Maintenance on such an ancient home! Couldn't figure out why she needed (or wanted) so much space. Hope she can afford a cleaning person and yard help. Or, maybe the sister, hahaha ...

Edited August 26, 2014 by BearCat49

[Patrizio]

I guess I don't have y'alls expertise in  these matters, but I thought the house the Fayetteville woman bought was pretty nice and a good price. Not everyone wants a fixer upper, or a house that little maintenance was done. It's not a wonderful experience when the water heater or air conditioning unit or major appliances have to be replaced shortly after moving in. I also thought it was sweet how the Mom expressed her pride that her daughter was able to afford a nice house. Not everyone realizes their dream of home ownership, good for her and her son.  

[NYGirl]

This afternoon I had to watch..sort of like  a trainwreck...my #1 most hated homeowner, Patti!  She's the daycare owner (Kiddie Kingdom) in Virginia that made her reluctant husband pay $132,000 over budget so she could have this giant new build.  She added a conservatory for her daycare yet she uses the basement for that.  It has a suite for her mom...who still has not moved in.  She had to have every single upgrade.  That poor husband will be working until he dies at his desk so that Patti could entertain in a large space. 

[LuckyBitch]

A friend of mine, who is in Italy for a year, and has a blog about it, was recently contacted by HHI. They have been living there 6 months when contacted. We all convinced her NOT to do it. When she posted on facebook asking if she should do it or not, one friend was all IMPRESSED that she was found through her blog: "wow your blog must be so well-known, well-read and popular if HHI found it!" I was thinking No, not really. Someone's job is to troll for blogs about Americans living overseas. Thankfully she did not do it. 

 

A few months ago, after reading about an episode of HHI here, I checked the person's blog which someone here linked to. I can't remember what episode it was, but I starting browsing around on old posts on her blog and I saw a comment by an HHI producer telling her they'd like to talk to her about possibly being on the show. 

Edited August 26, 2014 by LuckyBitch

[izabella]

I watched the single mom in Fayetteville, Georgia last night and was amazed at how much how you can get for $230,000.  Of course, the buyer was complaining that everything was too small.  Do you really need more than 2,000 square feet for you and your son? 

 

I'm sure she won't enjoy cleaning 2000+ square feet all the time! 

[BearCat49]

I guess I don't have y'alls expertise in  these matters, but I thought the house the Fayetteville woman bought was pretty nice and a good price. Not everyone wants a fixer upper, or a house that little maintenance was done. It's not a wonderful experience when the water heater or air conditioning unit or major appliances have to be replaced shortly after moving in. I also thought it was sweet how the Mom expressed her pride that her daughter was able to afford a nice house. Not everyone realizes their dream of home ownership, good for her and her son.

IMHO that's the main fallacy about new construction, i.e. that it's pristine, perfect and worry-free. It's actually quite common to experience problems with new construction and be stuck chasing down g/c's and dealing with subs to correct the issues after moving into a new home. Buyers should hire an inspector and research builder track records and litigation history but often neglect these tasks, mesmerized by the home's shiny and new outward appearance.

OTOH, it would be unusual, again IMHO, to be dealing with a water heater, HVAC or other major appliance shortly after moving into a resale property b/c inspectors can access those units and typically provide estimates of their remaining useful lives so a buyer knows what they're getting into. In addition, in general, it s/b fairly obvious to an inspector and even a relatively well-informed buyer if routine maintenance was neglected by a seller.

The 10-yr old home didn't appear to be a fixer-upper. (Did I miss something?) And, to me, 10 years is pretty minor along the age spectrum of resale homes. I wouldn't even call it "old".

[NYGirl]

My son moved into a house in January.  Everything was in good shape and the inspector said all appliances/HVAC were good.and the water heater was good for another 2-3 years.

 

About 2 months ago, his water heater broke.  A week later his refrigerator broke and believe it or not right after that the dishwasher.  And to top off the trifecta, his stove would not shut off and they had to unplug it.  The repairman said it would be very expensive to fix.  We could NOT believe that every appliance broke in the matter of 2 weeks!  He did have to buy a new stove, but the other appliances were fixed.

 

You could tell that the previous owners did take care of the place as it was in spotless condition.  Just some bad luck...but the inspector didn't see it coming.

 

Edited to Add:  I forgot that the second thing to go was the washer!!  It leaked..right after the water heater.  The only things that didn't need repair is the dryer and microwave.

Edited August 27, 2014 by NYGirl

[jcbrown]

When we bought our condo in Northern California it was ten years old. We were advised not to buy anything newer because 10 years was the limit for litigation against the builder so we would not get caught up in anything like that. I would have to know a whole lot about the builder before being comfortable with new construction.

[BearCat49]

You never know, NYGirl. You just do your best and then hope for the best!

It's also important to check out inspectors' backgrounds, BTW. Some of them work too closely with certain realtors and believe they won't receive repeat engagements if they delay/complicate too many sales. It's not always best to automatically select the inspector recommended by your agent. And, you always want to make sure an inspector carries insurance, including e&o (errors and omissions) insurance.

With all due respect to agents and inspectors ... Unfortunately, there's always a few bad apples. OTOH, your son's situation might have simply been bad luck and nobody's fault.

Edited August 27, 2014 by BearCat49

[WendyCR72]

Just a quick note about snarking on those appearing on the show. I admit to doing it about paint colors and the granite and whatnot, but just to be on the safe side, and to respect everyone, let's try not to dwell on their accents/pronunciations unless it's indecipherable or whatever. It just makes for a nicer forum.

 

Thanks, all! Carry on!

[KLovestoShop]

I binged watched old HH yesterday afternoon, many of which I've never seen before, and as usual, there was a goodly number of head scratching home buyers.

 

First was the Chesapeak Bay couple with a young child, where the wife said she didn't care if there was a kitchen in the house, because she didn't cook, but if there was a kitchen, it had to look good for company.  Was she serious?  She doesn't go into a kitchen, so what does she feed that poor child?  More important to them was having a tequilla room, so I guess they make Margaritas for the baby every night.

 

Next was the couple from Hawaii where the wife didn't want to be near a stream.  That's got to be one of the weirdest ever, having a stream phobia.  The realtor showed them a house where there was a stream two doors away and the wife was freaking out.  And then her husband, a pediatrician, who showed their old house and pointed out the filthy grout in the kitchen.  He said as a pediatrician, that's something he can't have in a house---grout filled with mold and germs.  Does he not know that there are products that clean the grout and it doesn't have to be moldy?  And they bought the house right next door their old one, despite the fact that they didn't want a house where they had to share a driveway, but they pick a house with a shared driveway. 

[meep.meep]

 

Moving to Las Vegas to help form a church:  He was hilarious!  Reminded me of Richard Pryor.  But "casita"; what?

We love the casita lady!  When I start getting whiney and complainey, my daughter will ask me, in soothing tones, "Do you need to go to your casita?"

 

I saw a weird episode last night (a repeat) about a couple moving to an island off Vancouver to live off the grid.  Nobody ever said what they were going to do for money.  Everything in their price range had an outhouse a long way from the main house.

[BearCat49]

And they bought the house right next door their old one, despite the fact that they didn't want a house where they had to share a driveway, but they pick a house with a shared driveway.

 

I would call the shared driveway a HH red herring. The producers had them talk up that (supposed) dislike, knowing it was included in the house they'd previously purchased.

 

When we bought our condo in Northern California it was ten years old. We were advised not to buy anything newer because 10 years was the limit for litigation against the builder so we would not get caught up in anything like that. I would have to know a whole lot about the builder before being comfortable with new construction.

Glad everything worked out for you with that strategy, jcbrown. In my experience, they usually have the kinks worked out on new construction in a few years. In serious situations, sometimes groups of homeowners team up to pressure the builder. Usually, it's simply multiple punchlist items that were overlooked. I've rarely seen anything that's pristine and perfect, however.

Another way to protect yourself on resale home purchases, besides checking out an inspector's background, is to ask the seller to provide a home warranty. They're not that expensive so sellers don't typically mind throwing them in, especially if it's a buyers' market. And, buyers, if they care to, can purchase them on their own, too.

[walnutqueen]

I saw a weird episode last night (a repeat) about a couple moving to an island off Vancouver to live off the grid.  Nobody ever said what they were going to do for money.  Everything in their price range had an outhouse a long way from the main house.

 

He is a carpenter by trade, and can "fix anything".  As a local boy, I'm sure he can get enough work to pay rent and buy what he can't hunt, fish & gather.  She's an agricultural grad student who has already spent a year volunteering at a local food co-op in the past, so she probably has decent connections for growing some of their food.  I wonder if they made it?

[harrie]

Next was the couple from Hawaii where the wife didn't want to be near a stream.  That's got to be one of the weirdest ever, having a stream phobia.  The realtor showed them a house where there was a stream two doors away and the wife was freaking out.  And then her husband, a pediatrician, who showed their old house and pointed out the filthy grout in the kitchen.  He said as a pediatrician, that's something he can't have in a house---grout filled with mold and germs.  Does he not know that there are products that clean the grout and it doesn't have to be moldy?  And they bought the house right next door their old one, despite the fact that they didn't want a house where they had to share a driveway, but they pick a house with a shared driveway. 

 

Totally agree; I thought exactly the same thing. 

 

In that same string of shows was a couple in NC - he was a teacher, and she worked in the school office or something.  They had horses that I believe lived in their present back yard; and she wanted a new home with room for the horses, but he kept saying they could stable them and visit them some weekends.  (Something tells me he wasn't really into the horses.)  Two houses had good land, one did not - guess which one they chose?   And the comment was something along the lines of "and the stable is only an hour away."  What, they couldn't find something any farther?   Those poor horses; I hope the stable people are nicer to them than the teacher guy seemed to be. 

[NYGirl]

OMG I've been watching HH Off the Grid the last 2 nights.  I cannot understand how they can live like that and I cringe throughout the episodes...especially the one with the bathrooms in the woods...

[stafford]

Are the Producers so desperate for a new spin on a homebuyers idiosyncrasies that they select a guy that HATES chandeliers or any hanging lights? He walks into one place and says "What's this?" referring to a ceiling light (he likes can lights) as if the Realtor purposely brought him to a place she knew darn well he wouldn't like because of one light fixture. Oh, and good luck buddy when you solution to one pendant light in a kitchen is just cut it off at the top...it was all just so stupid to set up fake problems for fake choices.

The home buyers on last night's episode were looking for a condo in Chicago. They say their budget is up to $200,000 and they want the usual...three bedrooms, open concept, dark hardwood floors, upgraded kitchen, new appliances and NO hanging lights. I thought the realtor did a good job finding them what they wanted but when she mentioned the prices of $190,00 to $200,000 on two condos they freaked out because that was at the top of their budget. Here's a thought if you can't afford $200,000 then don't offer it as your budget (duh).

Cleary their fake budget was a set up because they bought a condo for around $170,000.

Ugh, this show has gotten more and more ridiculous. I think I'm done.

[Enigma X]

I am from Chicago. The area that the Chicago couple with the guy who hates chandeliers moved into has been supposedly up and coming for the last 20 years. It is still struggling to stand. I will be surprised if they don't move within a year. 

[laredhead]

The husband of the Chicago couple last night had the most ridiculous dislike of chandeliers.  Easy and fairly cheap to replace.  Yes, time for the producers to quit coming up with stuff for HH's to gripe about.  I also wondered about the price of the house they chose.  Given the generous square footage, as opposed to the one that was less than 800 sf and $200,000, the place they chose was almost too good to be true.  Enigma X, your observation about the neighborhood explains the great deal they got.  Maybe they should have remembered the old saying, if something seems too good to be true, maybe it is.  Hope they can get their money out of it if the neighborhood doesn't improve and they have to move. 

[Pickles]

The Chicago husband (actually I think they were engaged) was weird. At the end he said how he could hear his girlfriend brushing her teeth in the bathroom while he was trying to sleep and how much he hated that. He was not joking around at all. He was totally serious. I was thinking that girlfriend should get out now.

[Enigma X]

laredhead, people, especially hipster types new to Chicago, never learn with that particularly neighborhood. It is almost tragically funny. They move there and soon learn it was a mistake. I am in my late 30s and this has been going on with that particular neighborhood since I have been in my late teens. The realtors sell the proximity to better neighborhoods, downtown, and the beautiful Garfield Park Conservatory to people, and they assume that gentrification is imminent. Nope!

[Kris223]

Not sure when it aired originally, but I watched a Springfield, VA (D.C.) area one the other night where their budget was $650K and they wound up buying a model house that was $20K (I think) over their initial budget but by the time they had done all the fancy upgrades it was more than $100K over their budget. They looked at 1 perfectly nice house that was actually under their budget but the wife didn't want it because it was too small for when they have their families over. Despite having plenty of bedrooms for their kids and her mother. And she was really playing up the I always get what I want angle which I thoroughly despise.

[Amethyst]

Word to your whole post, Stafford.  The chandelier stuff was so obviously staged.  

 

Did anyone else think the realtor didn't give a crap that they were on TV?  She didn't crack any jokes, she rarely smiled.  I wonder if she just didn't care, or if she was camera shy.

 

This is the first time that I've heard someone say they would rather not have an en-suite bathroom.  She can't just close the door when she's brushing her teeth?

[Enigma X]

 

This is the first time that I've heard someone say they would rather not have an en-suite bathroom.  She can't just close the door when she's brushing her teeth?

 

Or use the other bathroom? Usually an en-suite is not the only bathroom. 

[NYGirl]

Not sure when it aired originally, but I watched a Springfield, VA (D.C.) area one the other night where their budget was $650K and they wound up buying a model house that was $20K (I think) over their initial budget but by the time they had done all the fancy upgrades it was more than $100K over their budget. They looked at 1 perfectly nice house that was actually under their budget but the wife didn't want it because it was too small for when they have their families over. Despite having plenty of bedrooms for their kids and her mother. And she was really playing up the I always get what I want angle which I thoroughly despise.

 

You can read what I had to say about this particular HH up a little bit.  She's #1 on my list of hated homeowners.  They paid over $130,000.00 over budget because of her!!

 

As far as chandelier guy I thought it was strange but I am not thinking that's producer driven.  It's way too ridiculous!!  And as far as the ensuite..they had 3 bathrooms!!  I mean really?

[Neurochick]

First was the Chesapeak Bay couple with a young child, where the wife said she didn't care if there was a kitchen in the house, because she didn't cook, but if there was a kitchen, it had to look good for company.  Was she serious?  She doesn't go into a kitchen, so what does she feed that poor child?  More important to them was having a tequilla room, so I guess they make Margaritas for the baby every night.

 

 

Maybe the husband is the one who cooks.  A man is just as capable of feeding a child as a woman.

[Bellalisa]

When we moved into our brand new home, after having an inspection done, tons of stuff had to be fixed by the builder. What a headache! The tile floor in the master bathroom started cracking. Turns out there was no subfloor put in! The bathroom was really cold: turns out they sheetrocked over a heating vent! The kitchen floor had this big ridge in it- there was a problem with the subfloor, they had to come in and rip up the vinyl floor (1993!) and resand the subfloor after we had moved in. I'm still finding dust today. It went on and on and on. This is a cookie cutter poorly constructed "slap em all up with a different crew doing each job and no one really overseeing the work" new home in a big development. My parents hired a builder to build their custom home and he did a good job, they had no issues.

 

Then with a brand new home, it is NOT work free. I realized this having never moved into a new home. You need to hang up curtains and window treatments, there are no rods or any hardware already there. You need to hang towel racks in the cabinets- just hardware etc, lots of little stuff like that. Then the home is normally one color: beige so you have to paint every room eventually unless you like builders beige. 

[Pine]

The girlfriend of the chandelier and no ensuite buyer should definately run as fast as she can.  He was just wierd.  And he wasn't very nice to her at all.  What neighborhood is that in Chicago where they bought?

[Enigma X]

 

What neighborhood is that in Chicago where they bought?

 

East Garfield Park.

[izabella]

I am from Chicago. The area that the Chicago couple with the guy who hates chandeliers moved into has been supposedly up and coming for the last 20 years. It is still struggling to stand. I will be surprised if they don't move within a year. 

 

Neither East Garfield Park, where they purchased, nor Humboldt Park, where one of the other two homes were, are what I would consider safe places to invest in a house and live without constantly being on alert for crime and personal safety issues at night.   Wicker Park is better, but that place was very tiny for two people with the itty bitty bedrooms.

[KLovestoShop]

Neurochick, the husband also said that he doesn't cook, so a kitchen wasn't as important to him as the tequila room. 

 

Last night on the House Hunters off the Beam, as I call it, who in their right mind moves to Bhutan and lives in a place like it's the 16th century?  You can get an idea of different cultures without living like one of those undiscovered tribes in the Amazon.  It sounded to me like the husband wasn't really into this whole idea, but the wife wanted it.  You can live rustically, but not having water and having to use a Ben-Jo is not my idea of living.  I was in Japan for a vacation, and saw my first Ben-Jo and just about died.  I finally knew where the term "cop a squat" came from.  Sorry, not for me.  I'm not hauling water just to wash my hands and flush the Ben-Jo.  

[Pine]

At least the price per month, on the Bhutan HH was not extreme!  Some of these other international HH's make me wonder where those high prices come from.

[laredhead]

Bellalisa, I agree with you about the HH's who want a new house because they think there is no maintenance involved.  What are they going to do in 5 years when the exterior needs painting or other routine maintenance is necessary, or the roof leaks, or something inside goes wonky.  At some point they will have to maintain the house.  My advice to people who don't like home maintenance is to rent a nice place where things are done for you and the price is included in the rent.  If home ownership is a must, then have the names of several reliable repair people on speed dial.

[FozzyBear]

Bellalisa, I agree with you about the HH's who want a new house because they think there is no maintenance involved. What are they going to do in 5 years when the exterior needs painting or other routine maintenance is necessary, or the roof leaks, or something inside goes wonky. At some point they will have to maintain the house. My advice to people who don't like home maintenance is to rent a nice place where things are done for you and the price is included in the rent. If home ownership is a must, then have the names of several reliable repair people on speed dial.

Or go the condo route. It's like a happy medium. You own property that you can sell, mortgage, whatever, but many major repairs are part of your HOA. Of course you might be able to see your neighbors...

[jcbrown]

 

Neither East Garfield Park, where they purchased, nor Humboldt Park, where one of the other two homes were, are what I would consider safe places to invest in a house and live without constantly being on alert for crime and personal safety issues at night.   Wicker Park is better, but that place was very tiny for two people with the itty bitty bedrooms.

I thought it was odd that they were looking in a city at at least two places that had stairways up the back to an outside door into their unit and safety never came up. I would want to know about security in such a place.

[KLovestoShop]

One of the comments I heard a lot this week was "The neighbors are so close, we have no privacy", all the while seeing that they're buying in the city of Chicago, or living in newer subdivisions that have very small lots and practically zero lot lines.  It drives me nuts, especially when you have a couple who have a low budget and want a house "with character" (that seems to be the big buzz word for today's homebuyers).  If you don't want to be close to your neighbors, get a bigger budget or buy a farm on a few acres.

[charlieboo]

I had to turn it off.  Mostly because the houses were so interchangeable and boring, but also for her ridiculous space requirements and twisted definition of the word "small."  I just was not in the mood to suffer her, and when I find myself grumbling at people through the TV I know it's time to quit.

 

I found it so annoying that she was obsessed with having a very long set of steps so her son could bounce down them. Because doesn't everyone make a huge investment based on a game their 4-year-old will be tired of in 3 months? And let's see how much fun those steep steps are to run up and down all day.

[outtosee]

A friend of mine, who is in Italy for a year, and has a blog about it, was recently contacted by HHI. They have been living there 6 months when contacted. We all convinced her NOT to do it. When she posted on facebook asking if she should do it or not, one friend was all IMPRESSED that she was found through her blog: "wow your blog must be so well-known, well-read and popular if HHI found it!" I was thinking No, not really. Someone's job is to troll for blogs about Americans living overseas. Thankfully she did not do it. 

 

Funnily enough, I was contacted too! I am an American with dual US/Italian citizenship and was living in Italy blogging for about two years at the time when they begged for me to be on the show. I declined. It also didn't help that I was not living a glamorous life (just a working stiff like every other Italian) and I basically lived in a hole in the wall (I know they stage things), so what could they possibly show on tv? :D

[ChelseaNH]

I saw the episode with the woman looking in the Dallas area -- it looked like she worked for a broadcasting company, doing events.  She looked in South Dallas, West Elm and The Colony with her two bossy friends.  My family moved to The Colony back when it was maybe 100 houses and a Stop 'N' Go, so the idea that it could be an up-and-coming area is kind of boggling.  Also, The Colony is well north and west of Dallas, so wherever she worked, there's no way it was convenient to both South Dallas and The Colony.  Oh show, how you lie to us.

[Blergh]

Saw the one with the Romanian expats who now lived in Hawaii with their kids and her parents. Disappointed that they chose the place closest to the wife's fave beach instead of one of the two larger places because even though they all seemed to like the new place and appeared to get along, it was decidedly more cramped for the older couple- and the older couple didn't appear to speak any English so it's almost certain that they have no one besides their immediate family to interact with. Yes, the family has two live in babysitters who care for the kids while the parents work or surf and it's likely their Hawaiian home's more palatial than they'd have had in Romania but the parents appeared to be no older than their mid 60's so they must feel in an odd kind of limbo knowing they will have no autonomy or friends in a strange land for the rest of their lives.

[BearCat49]

Saw the one with the Romanian expats who now lived in Hawaii with their kids and her parents. Disappointed that they chose the place closest to the wife's fave beach instead of one of the two larger places because even though they all seemed to like the new place and appeared to get along, it was decidedly more cramped for the older couple- and the older couple didn't appear to speak any English so it's almost certain that they have no one besides their immediate family to interact with. Yes, the family has two live in babysitters who care for the kids while the parents work or surf and it's likely their Hawaiian home's more palatial than they'd have had in Romania but the parents appeared to be no older than their mid 60's so they must feel in an odd kind of limbo knowing they will have no autonomy or friends in a strange land for the rest of their lives.

 

 

I'm confused - am fairly certain they never stated during the episode that the parents don't speak English.  Yes, they were obviously using their native tongue while interacting with family.  Doesn't necessarily mean they can't speak English. 

 

Also, how does the s.f. assigned to the parents affect their overall integration into the community?  Again, didn't hear this introduced as an issue or concern during the episode.  (Did I miss something?  Could have been asleep, lol!)  If anything, perhaps smaller living quarters would encourage them to get out and interact more.  They're probably walking the kids to the beach every day so ...

 

The wife's actual lines during the episode indicated she was taking her parents' needs into consideration.  If I assumed anything, I'd assume she understands her parents' needs better than I would!  BTW, I thought they'd set up the guest cottage as a separate space for the parents but they didn't.  They must have been happy with their space in the main house and possibly didn't desire separate quarters, away from the family.

 

When viewing HH, I try to avoid assigning backstories to HH participants and making assumptions b/c the plots are typically faked by tptb any way.  It's just my personal approach faux-ality television.  WRT language, my favorite is the mute children that appear so frequently on HHI but can speak the native language fluently by the end of the episode!  Presto, change-o!

Edited September 2, 2014 by BearCat49