House Hunters International - General Discussion

[Ohwell]

I know she skyped with her boyfriend at the end.  I just wondered how he felt about her living arrangement, whether or not it's common in Europe.

[Dewey Decimate]

9 hours ago, Ohwell said:

Conversely, why would a couple want to share an apartment with another person?  You'd think that a young couple would definitely want some privacy.  

Like so many HH plotlines, I think there's so much more to this story that we don't know. 

The giveaway regarding the roommate (excuse me, flatmate) that irritated me was when she kept repeating how she really didn't want "flatmates" PLURAL. I kept thinking, wouldn't the natural thing be to have one roommate, since you're in a 2BR apartment? Then, whaddya know... a couple shows up at the end. Editing/script fail.

[Ohwell]

Yeah, I forgot about that.  

[biakbiak]

I know a bit about the rental market in Prague, my parents lived there for four years and have several friends who live there, and I question the $600 price on the first one bedroom given its location.

I wonder what she ended up paying in the end because the place was only $1000 so she would be well under her budget depending on how they divided the rent.

[Honey]

On 1/7/2017 at 2:17 PM, Ohwell said:

That's another thing that was confusing because at the end I could have sworn she said she got a job with an international company, then she said something about a travel blog.  I wonder if the relationship with the BF in England is still going on.

Yes, she said she got a job with a social media company, so now she gets to take pics and write.  Things she loves to do and now she makes money doing it.  It sounds like she's working to promote tourism in the country/city or something.

[Ohwell]

35 minutes ago, Honey said:

Yes, she said she got a job with a social media company, so now she gets to take pics and write.  Things she loves to do and now she makes money doing it.  It sounds like she's working to promote tourism in the country/city or something.

Ok, thanks.  

[spankydoll]

Whys is it that the spouse who maces the least investment financially and career wise also have the most opinions?

[magemaud]

23 hours ago, spankydoll said:

Whys is it that the spouse who maces the least investment financially and career wise also have the most opinions?

It's often because they use the excuse, "You're going to work, but I'm the one who will be HERE all day..." 

[VanSensei]

Oh dear God. I feel like I repeat myself when I watch this show  BUT: learn about the country before you move! Someone needs to fucking tell these people: "Either live with it or go home."

[chocolatine]

23 hours ago, VanSensei said:

Oh dear God. I feel like I repeat myself when I watch this show  BUT: learn about the country before you move! Someone needs to fucking tell these people: "Either live with it or go home."

The Augsburg husband was the stereotypical ugly American. "I like suburbs because they're safer than cities" - do you know ANYTHING about European cities, jackass? Of all the dumb things that have been said by HHIs, that was one of the dumbest. Also, it irked me how he talked about his wife. Before they even saw any houses, he kinda threw her under the bus by saying she was going to be very "vocal", but she ended up being mostly positive and open-minded, whereas he found something to complain about in every house.

BTW, the way he talked about his commute to work makes me think his job is in Munich. Munich real estate is VERY expensive (I paid 550 EUR/month for a 400sf studio when I lived there in the late aughts) , and many people who work there, especially with large families, live in Augsburg. There is a fast train connection between the two city centers, but I guess if you're in a rural area, like where the third house was, you'd have to drive.

Edited January 11, 2017 by chocolatine

[MsProudSooner]

As someone who lived in a rural area the entire time my kids were growing up, I want to smack these people who talk like living in a rural area is a sentence worse than death.  Unless you are stuck without a car, it's simply not that big of a deal.

[JasmineFlower]

I can't stand these episodes where one spouse will be traveling a lot and doesn't seem to care at all that the other spouse will be alone or alone with a kid a decent amount of time and their comfort zone isn't what the other spouse's is and what they want sits at odds with that. This was an otherwise cute couple in Devon, England, but I liked the husband less and less as the episode progressed because of this. You know what wasn't in that after? Her with friends, her son making friends, or her and her son socializing or mentioning any of that being easy where they wound up. Annoys the heck out of me.

[JasmineFlower]

2 hours ago, chocolatine said:

The Augsburg husband was the stereotypical ugly American. "I like suburbs because they're safer than cities" - do you know ANYTHING about European cities, jackass? Of all the dumb things that have been said by HHIs, that was one of the dumbest. Also, it irked me how he talked about his wife. Before they even saw any houses, he kinda threw her under the bus by saying she was going to be very "vocal", but she ended up being mostly positive and open-minded, whereas he found something to complain about in every house.

I wasn't a fan of his either. He was a bit too snarky about his wife (I asked him through the TV, why did you marry her after one of his barbs). And I did find the wife much more positive and open what the area had to offer, even the ones not in her desired area. And the thing that got me was that they said they both thought their kids were too sheltered and needed more exposure to other places and cultures, and yet every decision he made was seemingly to keep him in his Michigan comfort zone which would be less of an experience for his kids as well. I didn't get that one bit after their stated reasons for moving. The After shots seemed to be them talking to friends they made that I hope I heard wrong, sounded like expats themselves. Great job on exposing them to other cultures if so, Dad.

There was an episode with a similar issue recently in Italy where the wife acted like she wanted her kids to be exposed to her Italian roots and spend summers there like she did learning the language, exploring the city, learning to cook, etc., but it was the non-Italian husband who had to point out they were coming there for the kids in particular, not for her peace and quiet vacation time and the in-city places are where the kids were going to get the most exposure.

[CherryAmes]

On 1/9/2017 at 4:56 PM, magemaud said:

It's often because they use the excuse, "You're going to work, but I'm the one who will be HERE all day..." 

That's often a pretty valid excuse IMO. Not when it means the working spouse faces a ridiculous and avoidable commute of course but otherwise, hells ya!  I was the stay at home spouse when we first moved to England and believe me my husband (unlike most of the working spouses on HHI) was really invested in making sure we lived somewhere that was going to offer a good quality of day to day life for me and for the kids!  He was gone all day what difference did it really make to him?  As long as we were near a pub it was all good for him :).

What really bothers me most though are the ones where the working spouse seems to think it's perfectly ok to choose a house in an area that the staying home all day spouse finds unsafe.  There were a few like that but the one that comes to mind first was one in some country where most of the expats live in gated communities and working spouse thought it would be just fine to leave his wife and baby home alone all day in a house somewhere that even the real estate agent said was a little dodgy but working spouse wanted a big yard.  Wanted to reach through the screen and give him such a smack!!

[abbyzenn]

Michigan to Augsburg:  That city center place was too small for a family of six - not so much because of the bedroom situation but that small dinning/living area.  Yeah I also don't get why someone moves overseas to "broaden their cultural experiences" and then wants everything just like home.  The wife was certainly more open and I wonder if she hammered him into moving to Augsburg.  Funny there was no mention of schooling for the kids - were they home schooling?

When they show the decoy houses/flats can't they find ones that are at least presentable.  I think it was that Colchester one where the two not chosen were full of stuff - obviously not ready for someone to move in.  Whenever I see this I know it's not the one they'll pick.

[AuntiePam]

The San Diego to Devon couple were both annoying.  He was unnecessarily sarcastic and she had a bit of vocal fry, and was way too accommodating.

He wanted rural English charm and she wanted easy access to shops.  The place they chose was a remodeled church, not at all toddler-friendly, but my guess is they'll be moving before the baby is walking.  I didn't see any shops or cafes close by.

Husband praised the church for English charm but the interior had nothing "English" about it.  And he complained about tractor noise near the country house, as if it were like being next to a steel mill running 24/7. 

[Spunkygal]

I did not like the Devon couple. She was afraid to be with a child in "the middle of nowhere" (give me a break!!) and he wanted rural but bitched about a nearby farm. He wanted peace and quiet and didn't want to hear a tractor. Never mind that the tractor wouldn't be running 24/7 and would probably be in operation only certain times of the year and during the day when he's at work. And I get irritated when they see a church and immediately say "oh there must be a cemetery nearby." Well, buddy, those neighbors are quieter than tractors. But I don't t remember seeing a cemetery near the church/house they chose. 

[chocolatine]

I got a really bad vibe from the Devon husband; he didn't seem to have any respect for his wife's wishes, not even the affectionate-but-slightly-condescending "whatever makes you happy" spiel that many HHI husbands do.

[AuntiePam]

chocolatine, I got a bad vibe too.  His wife was too reticent, too willing to compromise.  He's probably not a hitter but it did seem like he thought his thoughts had priority over hers -- he was almost demeaning toward her.

[TVForever]

I just don't get how the Devon husband goes on and on and ON about wanting "English charm in the countryside", blah, blah, and then complains about the tractor sounds from a nearby farm. In the countryside. Where the farms are.

Somebody help me understand...

[chessiegal]

7 minutes ago, TVForever said:

I just don't get how the Devon husband goes on and on and ON about wanting "English charm in the countryside", blah, blah, and then complains about the tractor sounds from a nearby farm. In the countryside. Where the farms are.

Somebody help me understand...

The producers told him he needed something to complain about and fed him the stupid tractor noise line. Plus he said several times he would be on travel much of the time, which makes it even dumber.

[Kohola3]

28 minutes ago, TVForever said:

Somebody help me understand...

It's like people who buy a house near and airport and complain about planes or next to a zoo and complain about the noise from the animals.  Clueless.

[mojito]

Quote

 "I like suburbs because they're safer than cities" - do you know ANYTHING about European cities, jackass? Of all the dumb things that have been said by HHIs, that was one of the dumbest. 

I don't know. I thought, "This feels loud" sounded pretty stupid. 

But the Devon dude fretting about a tractor running "all day" was downright stooooopid. 

I didn't understand how the kid's fingers were going to get "caught" in square spaces that were bigger than anyone's fingers. Her comment about the ridiculously small 'fridges....definitely smackworthy, as was his complaint of a window that people could see in, because I guess England is so third world that one can't purchase blinds or curtains. 

I would've been all over the house they chose, though. Loved it. The expensive home was nice, too, and I would've found an appeal to the occasional tractor noise and baa-ing of sheep. 

It was nice to see the sunny side of England. Watching HHI in the UK practically throws me into my SAD, it's so gray and gloomy. 

Something that has always bothered me and I have not gotten used to, after all these years: how HHI maps color the sea/ocean gold. I always have a hard time orienting myself because I reverse the land and the sea. 

[JasmineFlower]

4 hours ago, AuntiePam said:

chocolatine, I got a bad vibe too.  His wife was too reticent, too willing to compromise.  He's probably not a hitter but it did seem like he thought his thoughts had priority over hers -- he was almost demeaning toward her.

Let us take away the "almost". He acted as if her want to be near shops and other people so it was easier to socialize was a ridiculous request to make. She even said specifically he would be away a lot and it would be easier on her since she didn't know anyone there and he said she needed to come around to his way of thinking and didn't plan on budging. It was incredibly dismissive, so I'm perfectly okay with also calling his actions rather demeaning as she is his life partner and mother to his kid. He didn't seem to have a ton of respect for her wants and the things she thought would be best for the two of them acclimating in general and especially when he was traveling.

I really was disappointed in the "After" like I said, I was hoping for her and the son's sake she would mention making some nearby friends and finding a park and play group for her and her son or something. But it was just them in their place, showing that she had an internet hookup for her work and that's about it. It was an uncomfortable dynamic by the end.

Edited January 12, 2017 by JasmineFlower

[ChelleGame]

On 1/11/2017 at 6:44 PM, Kohola3 said:

On 1/11/2017 at 6:15 PM, TVForever said:

Somebody help me understand...

It's like people who buy a house near and airport and complain about planes or next to a zoo and complain about the noise from the animals.  Clueless.

Major pet peeve. major.

A ton of new people (San Francisco overflow) moved into our town and bought homes/condos next to the high school football field. It's been there since the 1930s. They started a petition and became a very vocal force because they didn't like the friday night lights from the football games. Huge fight. They won. Even though the field is only used from late August to mid-November they threw enough money around to change a very nice tradition. Now games have be done so lights are off by 9pm or they team plays on Saturday afternoon. Wrecked havoc on the schedule, team lost division ranking because the more competitive schools couldn't adhere to the schedule.  Alumni came back in force after that. They woke a sleeping giant. I didn't give a hoot about high school football but it made me so angry (they moved next door to the field!) that I joined the effort. Games and pep rallies returned but it threw the team off for three seasons and created a ton of bad blood.  Why, new people, why?

Anyway.

The Devon couple picked an odd house for a baby that's about to start crawling. I felt bad for that woman. Hopefully, she's made some friends. Loved the house in the country with the sheep running in the field.  Was lucky enough to visit the Downton Abbey House (Highclere Castle) and the sheep in the endless meadows was my favorite part. Well, besides the house itself.

[chocolatine]

Canada to Bucharest lady was so annoying. Her co-worker seemed very low-key, so I don't know how she can stand it for more than five minutes.

I have mixed feelings about Bucharest. I'm originally from Chisinau, Moldova, my family emigrated 25 years ago when I was a kid, and in my mind the Romanian-speaking part of the world is still a Communist hellhole. But I have to grudgingly admit that the parts of the city they showed on HHI are really nice. Nowhere close to Paris (nice try, realtor dude) but pretty nice.

Edited January 15, 2017 by chocolatine

[scrb]

Just watched the episode of a couple from New Jersey moving to Salzburg.  They found an apt. 20 minutes away for $650 a month, which would allow them to travel.

Husband is in "e-commerce marketing" while she was going to use her "hospitality experience" to do something on the Internet.

At the end, they had a logo in their living room of this website:

http://survivingeurope.com/

Seems like the blog is their main income, which sells overpriced (though unique) t-shirts and other gear.  They also managed to get sponsors to provide them with cameras and trips to Greece.  

They must be getting good traffic to get some sponsors.

Of course they have a post describing their HHI experience.

Well they weren't too demanding about nice kitchen or anything like that.  She supposedly wanted to be in town but they couldn't afford it.

[Crisopera]

Canada to Bucharest lady obviously considered herself adorable.  She was not.

[Ohwell]

53 minutes ago, Crisopera said:

Canada to Bucharest lady obviously considered herself adorable.  She was not.

 

7 hours ago, chocolatine said:

Canada to Bucharest lady was so annoying. Her co-worker seemed very low-key, so I don't know how she can stand it for more than five minutes.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who found her annoying as hell.  It was interesting to see the apartments in Bucharest though.

Edited January 14, 2017 by Ohwell

[mojito]

The Canada to Bucharest woman seemed to think that she was "The Most Interesting Woman in the World". I'm always leery of people who feel the need define themselves ("I'm the kind of person who...." etc.). She was like that. 

[Ohwell]

Since she mentioned throwing parties so many times during the episode, I was expecting at the end to see a bunch of people dancing in her apartment.  Instead, she was sitting at an outside restaurant table with a few "friends."  

I don't know what the word for "hip" is nowadays, but that's what she thought she was. 

[puppytoes]

I nominate the Canadian Woman ( who has to be closer to 60 yrs old) as the most annoying house hunter international person on HGTV.  We are supposed to believe that she is the wild party animal who is the life of the party.  Sorry but I am not buying it.  I had to fast forward just to see what apartment she picked.  I really got sick of her obnoxious babbling.

[Kohola3]

1 hour ago, mojito said:

I'm always leery of people who feel the need define themselves ("I'm the kind of person who...." etc.).

People who describe themselves as picky, perky, or funky.....never are.

[Irlandesa]

I hate to be harsh because I know people like her.  Sometimes they feel like they have to be cutesy because they're in a receptionist or customer service role where it works.  And they can't shake the behavior in their real lives.  But it does come across as artificial. 

That said.  I'd watch hours of her if I got to see more of Dragos.  Not to be shallow (but I will be) yet he just did it for me, especially when he was laughing and seemed genuinely amused by her.  (*sigh* See, it does work.)

[Ohwell]

18 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

That said.  I'd watch hours of her if I got to see more of Dragos.

Yes. Dragos was the really the only reason I kept watching the show.  

[Mittengirl]

Bucharest lady reminded me of those 50-something women who want to be besties with their daughter's friends.  

[Ohwell]

Her only saving grace was the shoutout she gave to Earth, Wind & Fire, but even then I can picture her dancing all around, thinking she was hot, like Elaine on Seinfeld.

[awaken]

On 1/6/2017 at 3:16 PM, Babalooie said:

This is not meant to be shallow, though it may come off that way.  I've seen two recent episodes in which the husbands were fairly nice looking and the wives had gained quite a bit of weight since their wedding, as we saw because the wedding photos were shown.  Are the producers playing that game now?  I didn't catch the name of the medical condition of the wife in Colchester, but she was cute and bubbly.  Not sure about the MN wife in the US episode, except that she had children, which can cause it, too.  As I said, not being shallow or snarky, because I gained weight after marriage and children, myself.

I feel like there have been quite a few episodes recently where the husband is a major stuffy dweeb, with a beautiful, vivacious partner and I wonder what on earth she sees in him!  Of course, IRL, I would never comment on things like that!

On 1/10/2017 at 10:11 PM, chocolatine said:

The Augsburg husband was the stereotypical ugly American. "I like suburbs because they're safer than cities" - do you know ANYTHING about European cities, jackass? Of all the dumb things that have been said by HHIs, that was one of the dumbest. Also, it irked me how he talked about his wife. Before they even saw any houses, he kinda threw her under the bus by saying she was going to be very "vocal", but she ended up being mostly positive and open-minded, whereas he found something to complain about in every house.

 

On 1/11/2017 at 0:43 AM, JasmineFlower said:

 And the thing that got me was that they said they both thought their kids were too sheltered and needed more exposure to other places and cultures, and yet every decision he made was seemingly to keep him in his Michigan comfort zone which would be less of an experience for his kids as well. I didn't get that one bit after their stated reasons for moving.

Ugh, couldn't stand this guy.  It seemed like he was extremely uncomfortable with being out of his tiny Michigan comfort zone and was trying to recreate it the best he could.  I also wondered where the kids would be going to school (with GERMANS in a CITY perhaps? scary!!) and why they never mentioned proximity to school as a consideration.  

[Peanutbuttercup]

My 17 year old nieces are far more eloquent, charming, and mature than Canada-to-Bucharest lady who sounds like she is trying way too hard to be ~young~.

[AuntiePam]

8 minutes ago, Peanutbuttercup said:

My 17 year old nieces are far more eloquent, charming, and mature than Canada-to-Bucharest lady who sounds like she is trying way too hard to be ~young~.

Trying to hard to be entertaining, maybe  She's probably the one with "personality" in her circle of friends (who have some inhibitions).  I picture her surrounded with people who think she's crackerjack funny. 

[Spunkygal]

DonT forget she wants to visit Turkey because she says the guys there are hot! They may be, but IMO, that's an immature thing to say on a TV show which is about house hunting and not reality dating, especially at her age.

[Ohwell]

I got the impression from the way she was dressed that she was trying too hard to be young as well.

[JasmineFlower]

I didn't mind the Canada to Bucharest woman as much as others seemed to have. She was loud and inappropriate to a certain extent, but it seemed well within her general positive, over-the-top personality and I didn't find any part of it offensive. Trying too hard on screen? I'd say so. But also completely aware that she's loud and overly social since she said as much, so it didn't come off that poorly to me. Her awareness of herself was different than I've seen of many HHs. As to her talking about guys - We don't keep it strictly to house talk in here, we talk about what we see in the episode in total with the couple, the city, and the houses. We wonder about the kids, if a husband is a abusive because of the vibe he was giving off, how quickly a couple will break up, why someone is dating a ginger rapper and not embarrassed by it. etc. No difference here, this is her life which isn't a typical 50-something's life. So yeah, a show about house hunting, but still an overall TV show with many facets. She was talking about having parties and meeting guys - two things I actually believe she was going to try to do for once. I know we've heard others talk about hoping to meet someone and I can't remember that being a complaint in the past, so I assume it's the "at her age" part that bothers some.

Could I have stood to hear about her kids? Sure, but I also get if she or they didn't want that on-screen. I also suspect she's a widow whose husband died suddenly because she feels overly into the life is short and you have to live it to the fullest philosophy. But if this is what she wanted to put on camera? I was okay with it in this instance because it felt way more authentic than I've seen with many, many others. Was she trying to be too young? Absolutely. But I think that's her. I mean, I wouldn't be wearing ill-fitting, non-flattering, hip-hugging hot pink tights and a halter tank on-screen either, but this woman was totally comfortable with that for reasons unknown. So, I'm good with her doing whatever and that's coming from someone almost half her age. I don't see her needing to act a certain way given her age if she's just being herself and I think she was. I know plenty of 50- and 60-somethings not that different than her in terms of being up for a party whenever and looking to have fun with life constantly. But they'd have come off much better, more polished, and not trying as hard as this woman did. I'm guessing if you don't know anyone who is like this in her general age range, this came off way worse than it did for me. 

Nice to see Bucharest on here. Would enjoy seeing it again, in particular with someone with almost double this woman's budget but with the same wants in a space so we can see what realistic expectations get you for the money. I feel like so many of these House Hunters speak to someone local or read a forum and they see something along the lines of "most two bedrooms go for about $900-1500 depending on condition and location, but I've seen two bedrooms for as low as $600" and the House Hunter interprets this as $700 can get me everything I want in a 2 bedroom including a view, an updated exterior and decent furniture. And it always feels worse to me when it's someone like this woman, moving from the Toronto area with a low budget and wanting the world for it.

[NYGirl]

I came here to complain about the annoying Canadian woman but I see you've left me nothing to say.  I hated her voice, her stupid perkiness, her stupid complaints about the apartments...and just her in general.  Yes I agree..the most annoying HH ever.

[suebee12]

Finally caught up with the Bucharest HHI. I was really ready to hate the woman on the show from all that had been posted, but she really wasn't all that bad. Now as soon as I saw the first apartment, I would have grabbed it and been super happy! Wouldn't have needed to see anymore, but I know that isn't the way the show goes.  My first thought was "use the couch for visitors" and that was the conclusion she came to BUT another alternative is to sleep on the sofa yourself and offer the bedroom to guests! When my kids came to visit me in Florida, that is what I did so they could have privacy plus I had to get up at 5 AM to go to work, so that way I wouldn't bother them when I left in the morning.

Next up is Dragos...let's do more shows with him! He was adorable! Did anyone else think he could be a younger brother to Maks and Val on DWTS? A really good-looking younger brother!!!! 

[AlleC17]

On 1/11/2017 at 0:36 PM, AuntiePam said:

The San Diego to Devon couple were both annoying.  He was unnecessarily sarcastic and she had a bit of vocal fry, and was way too accommodating.

He wanted rural English charm and she wanted easy access to shops.  The place they chose was a remodeled church, not at all toddler-friendly, but my guess is they'll be moving before the baby is walking.  I didn't see any shops or cafes close by.

Husband praised the church for English charm but the interior had nothing "English" about it.  And he complained about tractor noise near the country house, as if it were like being next to a steel mill running 24/7. 

Ugh, what pissed me off was HE wants to move to the country, without any understanding of what that means.  There are animals, and farms and they make their own noise.  So sorry if that is an inconvenience because it doesn't match your concept of country life.  Other people live there too, jackass and farmers need to make a living. 

[Babalooie]

It's weird when an episode causes me to research the name for a male version of Debbie Downer.   The Amsterdam husband seemed like a Negative Ned or Donnie Downer to me.  It seemed like an effort to smile, maybe it was his facial features, but he didn't seem happy. Neither did the twins.  Once again, they chose the house with more desired features crossed off than boxes ticked.  Well, at least they are getting good cardio.

[Ohwell]

38 minutes ago, Babalooie said:

It's weird when an episode causes me to research the name for a male version of Debbie Downer.  

Donald Downer?  That guy was so depressing.  Maybe he's not really like that, but that's how he came across. 

[TVForever]

2 hours ago, Babalooie said:

It's weird when an episode causes me to research the name for a male version of Debbie Downer.  

Resting D*ck Face?

[mojito]

The Netherlands guy was just not a smiling, cheery type of guy. A lot of people aren't. He was nice enough.  And it was he who stated that they weren't in LA anymore and would have to adjust their thinking and downsize. I didn't think he would ever get talked into that home that cost more than $2800, but he reasoned that his wife and daughters would be there most of the time, so what the hay. The twins were two and they were just relocating to the Netherlands. I don't think I'd be wasting any money on cribs, which is what they talked about a few times, especially when they emphatically stated that there would be no more children.