House Hunters International - General Discussion

[Thumper]

I saw part of a rerun show tonight; I think it was from January.  It was a couple moving with their young son from a big house in Connecticut to an apartment in Stockholm.  They were very odd.  Did they pick a one-bedroom?  I kept wondering where their son was going to sleep!  She was into photography and I don't know if he was coaching football for pay or if he was volunteering.  Just very, very odd.

[Gothish520]

On 3/8/2018 at 8:18 PM, slasherboy said:

I know very few people (one) who have their morning coffee on their balcony, and even less who sit outside with their cocktails in the evening.  Oh yes, it happens, especially, I would think, somewhere like Florida where the weather is mild at night and they may be retired with few oblilgations and aren't inside helping the kids with homework, putting the dinner dishes in the dishwasher, dealing with "life".  Then, yes, maybe.

New Englander here. I love sitting on my front porch in the morning or afternoon with my coffee when weather permits, and sitting out there in the evening with a glass of wine. No kids, and loading the dishwasher takes two minutes. 

[debraran]

On 3/22/2018 at 2:10 AM, magemaud said:

Tampa to Brussels family: What a breath of fresh air! A very likable family with totally reasonable expectations and a realistic budget, who treated each other with respect and calmly discussed the pros and cons of the various properties. No whining or bickering! No drama! Eager to embrace another culture, the wife even spoke French! More programs like this, please! 

I liked them too. They had a few normal couples where the back story wasn't such a mystery and they were likable. My daughter loved visiting Brussels when in England for a year. I still smile at her picture having waffles in quaint places and the chocolate she brought home. ; )  I really liked the first home and that large yard (even the "smiley" toilet seat)  The second was nice too but modern for my taste and an hour to work isn't too bad but can get draining after time. My son does it daily and wishes he could cut it in half. The third was pretty too, lots of room and light but not furnished and isolated.   I loved their pick the most.

I assume they are renting their Tampa home but no mention I remember of how long hubby was in Belgium? I also didn't hear her say anything about school. Did I miss that or just not part of the story?

[Mrs. Hanson]

21 hours ago, Thumper said:

I saw part of a rerun show tonight; I think it was from January.  It was a couple moving with their young son from a big house in Connecticut to an apartment in Stockholm.  They were very odd.  Did they pick a one-bedroom?  I kept wondering where their son was going to sleep!  She was into photography and I don't know if he was coaching football for pay or if he was volunteering.  Just very, very odd.

Okay, I am glad someone else saw this as I was truly perplexed.  They were both unemployed!!!  And moving to Sweden!!  WTF?  You kept wondering where their son was going to sleep?  I kept wondering when he was gonna walk!!  They were carrying him everywhere!!!  They eventually picked the two bedroom that had no doors - apparently hanging a tension rod with some funky textile was beyond him.  I kept missing the first few minutes of the "bumper" shots - were they from Sweden?  Was he stationed there?  Did they once travel there?  Did they have relatives there?  Why do I care?  Most importantly, did the wife ever demand he stop volunteering his time 30 hours a wek, re-living his glory days as a football player and, oh I don't know.....get a job?

[judylo]

The Stockholm couple ... yes, weird! I too wondered where they thought they would put the kid. The wife had lived in Stockholm at some point, I think they said. The episode was boring, so I deleted it and can’t check on my memory. But I think the wife had a Swedish-sounding name. Annika? And she was a photographer. The husband looked quite too big and out of shape to be a football coach. They were living on savings, they said.

[mojito]

Quote

That's exactly what I thought when the husband said he had a job at Landstuhl - why didn't he get a package deal for the two of them right away?

He probably wasn't in any position to bargain for anything. He seemed to be a government contractor. They could find several people to fill that position (hospital admin, it sounded like) with no problem. DC is filled with government contractors looking for work. Many are displaced federal workers.

Edited March 27, 2018 by mojito

[biakbiak]

Maybe the husband in Colombia could fit in the showers if he laid off the steroids!

[Babalooie]

Gotta love when Richard the agent in the UK brings on the snark.  He's the best.

Lady looking at an unfurnished house in Surrey:  It's unfurnished.

Richard:  Shall we leave?

Man after being told that he would have to use the ferries:  Is there any other way to get there?

Richard:  You could swim.

Edited March 31, 2018 by Babalooie

[doodlebug]

I'm always thrilled to see Richard, his dry humor is such fun.  When I saw the unfurnished house, I was practically shouting at the TV that they needed to take it anyway.  Furnish the place from thrift stores and flea markets, who cares?  It was absolutely gorgeous, the kind of place that is almost never a rental.  The fact that it was just a short walk to the school was frosting on a very delicious cake.  So glad they took it.  Of course, since they'd already taken it before filming, I suspect the whole "the place must come fully furnished" plot line was totally invented for the show.

Who would want to live in a house where they had to pull themselves across a river to go anywhere?  How do you bring a big piece of furniture in or move one out?  How many trips across for a load of groceries?  It's the kind of place that sounds cool at first, but just ends up being a pain in the neck, IMO.

Edited March 28, 2018 by doodlebug

[Irlandesa]

12 hours ago, doodlebug said:

Who would want to live in a house where they had to pull themselves across a river to go anywhere?  How do you bring a big piece of furniture in or move one out?  How many trips across for a load of groceries?  It's the kind of place that sounds cool at first, but just ends up being a pain in the neck, IMO.

It sounds like a nice little vacation rental but a full time house?  No.  What happens if you break an arm?  How do you leave your house/go back to your house?

[Mittengirl]

Darwin HHer: “If you aren’t doing anything scary, you aren’t doing anything interesting.”  “I can’t share a sink with my husband.”  Idiot.

[TVForever]

10 hours ago, Mittengirl said:

Darwin HHer: “If you aren’t doing anything scary, you aren’t doing anything interesting.”  “I can’t share a sink with my husband.”  Idiot.

Yeah, the whole “must have double sinks” thing gets me every time. For one thing, I prefer my  bathroom time solo, no matter how many sinks are available. I like the look of double sinks, but lack of them is not a dealbreaker for me.

[BlossomCulp]

What's gets me in the HHI episodes where they get all snotty and demanding about things like double sinks is that almost always they ARE RENTING.  The things they expect that aren't common in the area of the world they are looking in is bad enough but when they are also expecting perfection for 6 months to a year (most of the time) it's just stupid.

[AlleC17]

On 3/28/2018 at 4:30 AM, doodlebug said:

I'm always thrilled to see Richard, his dry humor is such fun.  When I saw the unfurnished house, I was practically shouting at the TV that they needed to take it anyway.  Furnish the place from thrift stores and flea markets, who cares?  It was absolutely gorgeous, the kind of place that is almost never a rental.  The fact that it was just a short walk to the school was frosting on a very delicious cake.  So glad they took it.  Of course, since they'd already taken it before filming, I suspect the whole "the place must come fully furnished" plot line was totally invented for the show.

Who would want to live in a house where they had to pull themselves across a river to go anywhere?  How do you bring a big piece of furniture in or move one out?  How many trips across for a load of groceries?  It's the kind of place that sounds cool at first, but just ends up being a pain in the neck, IMO.

I would, BUT only if the little ferry was covered.  I would not want to be pulling that in a downpour.  LOL  If it was covered though, I would LOVE it. 

[walnutqueen]

Darwin realtor totally lost me with his "I think these dogs should've been left in America".  Ass.  Wipe.   I think your dawgs should've been fed to the crocodiles, mate.

 

 

ETA - and by "dawgs", I don't mean cherished pets.  I mean his nasty feet, and the rest of his personality, if need be.

Edited March 29, 2018 by walnutqueen

[mojito]

Quote

Darwin realtor totally lost me with his "I think these dogs should've been left in America".

I agreed with him. Dogs can't go on an elevator? They can't negotiate stairs? I have bad knees and those stairs looked very, very shallow to me and easy to get up. I don't like when people don't give animals credit for having any ability to adjust to a new environment or handle stairs. I watched my dog handle stairs the first time. She was very deliberate. Not so the second time. 

[walnutqueen]

13 minutes ago, mojito said:

I agreed with him. Dogs can't go on an elevator? They can't negotiate stairs? I have bad knees and those stairs looked very, very shallow to me and easy to get up. I don't like when people don't give animals credit for having any ability to adjust to a new environment or handle stairs. I watched my dog handle stairs the first time. She was very deliberate. Not so the second time. 

You're right about that, but this realtor showed a really dismissive attitude about the pets themselves, and that is not OK in my book.  And the dogs were ageing, which means limited ability to negotiate those very things.

I'd make the same allowances or accommodations for a child or an elderly parent when finding a home.

Either way, the lovely doggies looked very happy frolicking on the beach, and that's all that really matters to me.

[laredhead]

I thought the realtor was funny when the wife said she absolutely could not share a bathroom sink with another person, and the realtor said he had never had anyone tell him that before.  I guess he doesn't show many apartments or houses to Americans.  If foreigners listened to some of these Americans, they would think we all live in houses with giant bathrooms that have a soaking tub, huge shower and 2 sinks.

I loved the outdoor space in the townhouse they chose.  All 3 of the choices were nice.  Now I need to go read a little bit about Darwin, Australia.      

[chessiegal]

8 minutes ago, laredhead said:

I thought the realtor was funny when the wife said she absolutely could not share a bathroom sink with another person, and the realtor said he had never had anyone tell him that before.  I guess he doesn't show many apartments or houses to Americans.  If foreigners listened to some of these Americans, they would think we all live in houses with giant bathrooms that have a soaking tub, huge shower and 2 sinks.

I loved the outdoor space in the townhouse they chose.  All 3 of the choices were nice.  Now I need to go read a little bit about Darwin, Australia.      

I recommend Bill Bryson's In a Sunburned Country. In addition to him being an entertaining author, so much good info on Australia.

[Kohola3]

15 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

I recommend Bill Bryson's In a Sunburned Country. In addition to him being an entertaining author, so much good info on Australia.

One of my favorite books of all time.  Great guide to all things Australian!

Realtors from countries all over the world must look askance at Americans....

[KLovestoShop]

The friend on the Grand Bahama episode was a giant pain in the ass. She's a total bitch who, to me, appeared to be jealous of her friend's wanting a nice place on the water.  The realtor was getting really pissed at the friend. If I were there, I would have punched her in the mouth.  And why the hell should she care about what she spends----it's not her freaking money.  And of course, she listens to El Cheapo.  

[MarthaEllisanne]

10 hours ago, KLovestoShop said:

The friend on the Grand Bahama episode was a giant pain in the ass. She's a total bitch who, to me, appeared to be jealous of her friend's wanting a nice place on the water.  The realtor was getting really pissed at the friend. If I were there, I would have punched her in the mouth.  And why the hell should she care about what she spends----it's not her freaking money.  And of course, she listens to El Cheapo.  

True, but I got the feeling that the friend was afraid of being mooched when the free-spirited pineapple artist runs short of money.  The friend lives on the island and knows how expensive it can be.  

[CherryAmes]

10 hours ago, KLovestoShop said:

And of course, she listens to El Cheapo.  

It was a set up though since the house was already chosen!  But I do agree with you about the way these people allow themselves to be presented when they're on these shows.  Do they have any idea how obnoxious they will come across when the show is edited and then aired?

[Thumper]

The friend annoyed me too, but then I thought maybe she was just overacting her role for the cameras.

I admired the adventurousness of the buyer, but I wonder what her son thought about her moving so far away?  Don't think I could have moved so far away just as my son was leaving for his first year of college.  OTOH, maybe he thought it was cool he could go "home" to the Bahamas!

[nanometer]

On 3/21/2018 at 11:10 PM, magemaud said:

Tampa to Brussels family: What a breath of fresh air! A very likable family with totally reasonable expectations and a realistic budget, who treated each other with respect and calmly discussed the pros and cons of the various properties. No whining or bickering! No drama! Eager to embrace another culture, the wife even spoke French! More programs like this, please! 

Backtracking and getting nitpicky here. The family was likable overall, but I noticed that the wife said a couple of things that gave me a bit of pause. In the opening shots, she said to one of her kids (paraphrasing), "Isn't it great to be so close to England?" Later, she made a comment about wanting to experience more "Parisian culture." Couldn't help wondering if she preferred a move to somewhere bigger, more familiar, and/or "cooler" in her eyes, and accidentally let that slip.

[Scout Finch]

Nashville to Costa Rica: Couldn't help but think that their temporary separation had been either due to him having been unfaithful and her still working through some anger, which would then be understandable OR she's just a very unpleasant person in general who is really difficult to live with. I'm leaning towards the latter. I also think there's a very strong possibility that they'll return to Nashville--but not together!

Edited April 2, 2018 by Scout Finch

[doodlebug]

The wife in the DC to Aviano episode last night was one of the worst I've seen on this show.  She came across as immature, unreasonable and generally awful, IMO. Hubby was an Air Force nurse and said he requested the transfer to Italy because she insisted on moving to Europe.  She was also a nurse, sounds like she had been military but was now out and not working.

Anyway, she kept babbling on about needing 'Italian charm' and living out amongst Italians (fine goal, no problem with that) and away from Americans which is tough to do in a military town.  Meanwhile, he kept pointing out that he needed to be on call for work so little things like cell phone service and distance to the base were necessary to consider.  Most military who choose not to live on site are required to live within a 10-15 minute drive and, obviously, being reachable by phone when on call is a must have.

She just kept doing this whiny singsong baby voice, 'I don't want to be reasonable', 'I always get my way'.  In the end, they did choose the house that was closest to base despite the fact that she whined about its lack of 'Italian charm' (translation: she didn't like the Italian tile in it) and living amongst the American peasantry and despite the fact that she like the other 2 houses better, one of which was an hour's commute for him, the other of which had no cell coverage due to the mountains.

I give her credit for trying to learn Italian and teach it to her kids, too; but the whiny tantrumy behavior was beyond annoying

Edited April 3, 2018 by doodlebug

[jcbrown]

22 minutes ago, doodlebug said:

She just kept doing this whiny singsong baby voice, 'I don't want to be reasonable', 'I always get my way'.  In the end, they did choose the house that was closest to base despite the fact that she whined about its lack of 'Italian charm' (translation: she didn't like the Italian tile in it) and living amongst the American peasantry and despite the fact that she like the other 2 houses better, one of which was an hour's commute for him, the other of which had no cell coverage due to the mountains.

I give her credit for trying to learn Italian and teach it to her kids, too; but the whiny tantrumy behavior was beyond annoying

 

And the giggling! She was awful. I don't understand why people sign on for relationships like this. He talked about how she always got her way and she thought that was the way it should be. I agree with you. I really disliked her.

Edited April 3, 2018 by jcbrown

[CherryAmes]

But if she always gets her own way why did they end up in the best house for him?  That;s what kills me about these shows.  One spouse seems more than happy to come across as unreasonable - to say the least -  but usually in the end the house THEY ALREADY CHOSE - ticks the boxes and it's compromises all round.  Aarghh.

[doodlebug]

1 hour ago, CherryAmes said:

But if she always gets her own way why did they end up in the best house for him?  That;s what kills me about these shows.  One spouse seems more than happy to come across as unreasonable - to say the least -  but usually in the end the house THEY ALREADY CHOSE - ticks the boxes and it's compromises all round.  Aarghh.

Of course, I suspect it was because that was the only house they looked at that would've been acceptable to his military superiors.  The guy is a nurse, he takes call from home at times, he said so on the show.  Therefore, renting a place that's an hour from the hospital or one that doesn't get cell phone reception up in the mountains is never going to happen. 

He repeatedly said that the only reason he took the assignment in Italy was because she insisted she wanted to live in Europe and she said the same.  I didn't get the impression that he had much input into the choice nor that it necessarily was going to advance his career; just that she insisted because she has dreamed of it since she was a kid. 

In her case, even though they pretended that the house they chose was her last choice, I am sure it wasn't.  I think she was more than happy to appear unreasonable because it wasn't a stretch and she does call the shots.

Edited April 3, 2018 by doodlebug

[Pookyl]

On 10/03/2018 at 2:21 AM, laredhead said:

I could not believe the Melbourne couple chose that tiny loft place.  I'm not sure I would want to live there by myself.  The prices for real estate there are incredible.  How do people afford to live there if they don't have good paying jobs?  Not everyone can be a doctor or a millionaire.  I loved the house in the rural are and could live there very happily, but as we know, it probably was a plant and not even for sale.  Yes, the wife was annoying and she kept reminding him and everyone who was within earshot how much she gave up to follow him to Australia. 

We have pretty good wages/salaries here. For example my 19yr old daughter was paid as a waitress $20/hr on a normal day and $36/hr on public holidays. Many jobs are unionised and the rest are individually negotiated salaries. 

Property IS expensive though. Owning your own place is the great Australian dream but many of us settle for renting.

Melbourne is the 2nd largest city in Australia and it’s about as rural as Paris so God only knows where the ‘rural’ area was.

[biakbiak]

22 minutes ago, Pookyl said:

Melbourne is the 2nd largest city in Australia and it’s about as rural as Paris so God only knows where the ‘rural’ area was.

It was in the Yarra Valley, they weren't more specific than that, so not really daily commuteable for a lot of people.

Edited April 4, 2018 by biakbiak

[Pookyl]

On 12/03/2018 at 8:42 AM, juliet73 said:

"Maybe the dingo ate your baaaaabyyyyyy."

Sorry...I couldn't resist.

Hi all,

It puzzles me why this phrase is considered amusing especially given how many words and phrases are a ‘no-no’ in America.

For future reference the only people who find the phrase “the dingo took/ate/stole my baby” funny are Americans.

It’s offensive to Aussies. 

[Pookyl]

8 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

It was in the Yara Valley, they weren't more specific than that, so not really daily commuteable for a lot of people.

Aah, ok that makes sense. It’s about 1-1.5hrs one way so up to 3hrs per day commute. The Yarra Valley is beautiful with vineyards etc and popular weekend destination.

[Gothish520]

18 hours ago, Pookyl said:

Hi all,

It puzzles me why this phrase is considered amusing especially given how many words and phrases are a ‘no-no’ in America.

For future reference the only people who find the phrase “the dingo took/ate/stole my baby” funny are Americans.

It’s offensive to Aussies. 

I had only heard the basics of the case at the time, and had not heard or thought about it since. I had no idea that the couple had been exonerated and it was determined that the baby had actually been taken by a dingo. According to the internet, comedians and talk-show hosts apologized for making the case the butt of many jokes.

[CherryAmes]

18 hours ago, Pookyl said:

It’s offensive to Aussies. 

Not just Aussies.  I hate when that phrase gets used on TV.  It's not the least bit funny.  But I think a lot of people don't know the comment is based off a real life incident.  

[nanometer]

On 4/3/2018 at 12:16 PM, doodlebug said:

He repeatedly said that the only reason he took the assignment in Italy was because she insisted she wanted to live in Europe and she said the same.  I didn't get the impression that he had much input into the choice nor that it necessarily was going to advance his career; just that she insisted because she has dreamed of it since she was a kid. 

Hope this posting works out well for him.

I'm usually okay with trying what you dreamed about, but she didn't get into why this move is such a big deal. Is she part Italian? Fascinated by some part of Italian culture like the food, art, language, history? Has a secret thing for Italian men?

Or, she built a fantasy based on travel blogs or movies like Eat Pray Love.

[nanometer]

On 3/28/2018 at 7:47 PM, Mittengirl said:

Darwin HHer: “If you aren’t doing anything scary, you aren’t doing anything interesting.”

What a dumb saying! Notice that seconds later, you see a crocodile in a driveway.

[jcbrown]

I actually ended up enjoying the episode in France with the photographer and her wife looking for a place shepherded by the magnificent Adrien Leeds (apologies for sp). I thought the couple was a little odd (not least, the terrible cocker spaniel hair on the photographer, no offense to cocker spaniels) but enjoyed seeing the places they looked at and the interaction between the three of them.

[AnnaRose]

2 hours ago, CherryAmes said:

Not just Aussies.  I hate when that phrase gets used on TV.  It's not the least bit funny.  But I think a lot of people don't know the comment is based off a real life incident.  

I only know the phrase from Seinfeld, back in the nineties, when Elaine said it as a dig at that incredibly obnoxious woman she was speaking to who was going on and on about her fiancee (so she could keep pointing out that she was engaged,) and that she lost her fiancee, the poor baby - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghCTZF61ey0

[debraran]

On 4/3/2018 at 1:53 PM, CherryAmes said:

But if she always gets her own way why did they end up in the best house for him?  That;s what kills me about these shows.  One spouse seems more than happy to come across as unreasonable - to say the least -  but usually in the end the house THEY ALREADY CHOSE - ticks the boxes and it's compromises all round.  Aarghh.

That's true, it's who they want to make the "bad guy" in the show, but sometimes,my favorites usually, they have them both be nice and accommodating.  I guess that would be boring all the time. They have a good "behind the scenes" on youtube by a woman who finds a home for her family in England. Tells a lot about background of search and being on show.

[Ohwell]

I liked the guy moving to Beijing, and the apartment close to work was the best choice.  However, I was disappointed at the end when they showed him with some "friends" and Sabrina, who showed him the apartments, wasn't there.  I liked her and I thought they were actually a couple.  

[Mittengirl]

I liked the guy moving to Beijing, but - he was surprised that a building built 500 years ago has small rooms?  Really? 

[slasherboy]

I liked when he said, "This building is 500 years old?" the realtor dryly replied, "It's been remodeled."

[chocolatine]

Sabrina was great! Loved her quip about the remodeled 500-year-old house and her comments that she wished the HH were more direct because she doesn't know what he really thinks when he says "interesting."

I've never been to China so I loved the Beijing travel porn. If I ever get to go, I want to AirBnB one of those cute little 500-year-old hutong houses.

[Suck It Trebek]

On 4/3/2018 at 12:49 PM, jcbrown said:

And the giggling! She was awful. I don't understand why people sign on for relationships like this. He talked about how she always got her way and she thought that was the way it should be. I agree with you. I really disliked her.

I got the sense she thought she was cute with that behavior. The pouting, the smirking about how she always gets her way. Ugh. Couldn't stand her. 

[Pickles]

The Tennessee dentist moving to New Zealand, because she no longer wanted to be a business owner and wanted a simpler life. Couldn't she have had a simpler life in the US? Maybe sell her practice and teach at the dental school? Or go into one of those chain dental offices where she would not be the business owner? Seemed like something else was going on.

[laredhead]

This did not seem to be a permanent move to New Zealand to me.  I kept thinking she was just taking a break from what she had been doing, and was using the New Zealand job to fill time until she decides what to do next.  They kept saying they did not bring any furniture with them which led me to believe it was in storage somewhere back in the states, or still in the house they had in Tennessee.  Maybe they were renting out their U.S. house while they live in New Zealand and that's why their budget was so low.  I don't remember their names, so can't Google them to find out if they are still there.  Beautiful views in some of the scenes.  

[BlossomCulp]

Yeah I can sympathize with the notion of wanting to make a complete break and get as far away as you can from the stress and tension!  The problem with HHI is that they can't just say that, noooo, they have to make up some silly backstory that raises more questions than it answers.

[doodlebug]

3 hours ago, Pickles said:

The Tennessee dentist moving to New Zealand, because she no longer wanted to be a business owner and wanted a simpler life. Couldn't she have had a simpler life in the US? Maybe sell her practice and teach at the dental school? Or go into one of those chain dental offices where she would not be the business owner? Seemed like something else was going on.

Yep, there  are a lot of practice options for dentists right here in the US.  There are the chains, Sears, Walmart, go to work for someone else, jobs at public health clinics or dental school clinical supervision.  For that matter, most medical/dental practices have a practice manager to do the business stuff that the doc can't or doesn't want to do.  Her kids both looked to be school age, couldn't her husband perhaps help with some of the business stuff to free her up to practice?

As it was, I thought she was a real Debbie Downer.  She complained about virtually everything they saw.  Nothing met her standards.  How dare landlords expect her to live with carpeting?  I also noticed a couple of times where she made it clear that she was the breadwinner in the family and therefore, she would have final say on the house.  Had she been a male and spoke that way, there would have been an uproar and rightfully so.  I felt sorry for her husband, she doesn't seem like she'd be much fun to live with.