House Hunters International - General Discussion

[LittleIggy]

On 3/28/2018 at 10:30 AM, 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.

I freaking adored that place! Would love to live there if the ferry were upgraded. Couldn’t the ferry crank be motorized? Doesn’t seem as if that would be difficult to do.

[awaken]

On 5/18/2018 at 12:27 AM, LittleIggy said:

Re: Brooklyn to Granada, if I had downed a shot ever time Alajandra said “Spanish Charm,” I would have passed out! ? Good thing she found a job to pay for that Spanish charm. Granted, the place was cool, but there was no tub for the little girl and it had those dangerous stairs. 

That view from No. 3’s kitchen was to die for.

Does anyone know how long a Fulbright grant like JJ’s lasts?

I loved how she called him “YayYay”. 

[awaken]

23 hours ago, doodlebug said:

That's why I think most of the stories they tell us about these people are pure fiction.  Unless they're independently wealthy, there is no way these folks don't have something lined up before selling all their worldly goods and moving to a foreign land.

Yes, and miraculously by the end of the episode, the spouse without a job has always found one!  

[debraran]

I think they have to have a place to apply but they don't pick from the 3 shown for sure. There is a great HHI England "behind the scenes" on youtube that tells what it was like for that couple. They get paid a small amount, maybe 1000, but it's mainly for publicity and just being on TV. Seemed like a lot of work for that family since they had a kid, although the moving of furniture etc was done by company.

I think they do a disservice by showing people going to countries that aren't that lax without jobs etc. or vague backgrounds but again, they must want some privacy and the ones with companies or airbnb's make sure you can google and find them. (re the guy with the houseboat in Netherlands for instance)

This participant is like "who cares it is fake" but I'm sure some do. It is that hard to have more factual shows?https://xpatmatt.com/house-hunters-international-is-fake-so-what/

Another behind the scene blog https://medium.com/@natemlambert/what-was-real-and-what-was-fake-d053b511c1c9

Just the thought of moving my furniture out of my house and back in, even if I didn't do it is exhausting to me. ; )

Edited May 27, 2018 by debraran

[Dewey Decimate]

Catching up a little, but was the Dubai manicure woman the one who walked into the first apartment with an ostentatious red handbag, then set it on the ground before seeing the property? It was likely Prada or Chanel or some blah blah I couldn't give a shit about. All I could think of when she did that was "PURSE FIRST".

[Amethyst]

Mixed feelings on the Pittsburgh to Thailand episode.  I really commend the mother for wanting to keep her kids more grounded and away from TV, but how long could that work?  Was the house free of internet as well as TV?  If so, I thought that seemed pretty extreme.  She could have just set limits (for example, 30 minutes of TV a day, one hour of internet) instead of just cutting it off cold turkey.  These kids aren't always going to do yoga and read books during their free time, and if there's anyone they want to catch up with at home, they'll be going to the nearest wifi kiosk in Chiang Mei.  

As for the husband, the same thing applies.  Of course he should focus on his family when he's at home, but after the kids have gone to bed?  It's not weird to turn on the TV and zone out for a bit.  People do it all the time.  

I think it helps that the kids are younger.  It's easier to make new friends when you're small, so there isn't as much added pressure to keep in touch with their friends back home.  Younger children are more adaptable, too.

I guess I'm too entrenched in technology, but this way of life could absolutely work for some people.  I would be interested to see how this family is faring in a year or so, assuming they're still in Thailand.

[LittleIggy]

The Ontario to Oaxaca couple: I hope there is a good dermatologist down there because those two will be having a lot of melanomas removed. They were already red as lobsters. That view really was to die for.

[mojito]

Ontario to Oaxaca

LittleIggy, they should bypass the dermatologist and go straight to the oncologist.

Funny how she fussed about not wanting a big house to take care of, yet at the house, she fussed that the kitchen and bedrooms were too small. Go figure.

How long do you think it'll take for them to get bored of the beach?

[LittleIggy]

Ontario to Oaxaca: I laughed when she said “Where will I get my hair done?” I thought, “You get your hair done?” ?

[Gothish520]

On 5/29/2018 at 12:24 PM, mojito said:

Ontario to Oaxaca

LittleIggy, they should bypass the dermatologist and go straight to the oncologist.

Funny how she fussed about not wanting a big house to take care of, yet at the house, she fussed that the kitchen and bedrooms were too small. Go figure.

How long do you think it'll take for them to get bored of the beach?

OMG she was a bit ridiculous - "This is too much house for me! The rooms are too small!" And she complained about one kitchen not having enough room, but the last place with the even smaller kitchen she didn't complain about. 

Also, I'm sure they are lovely people IRL, but they were terrible actors - their conversations sounded fake and unnatural.

On 5/22/2018 at 9:46 AM, Kiki620 said:

The Romanian couple was very sweet and likable.  The Realtor was so dry!

Wife: "It's so small you can't swing a cat in here!"

Realtor: "No pets allowed."  Ha - loved it!

I liked them, they were very low-key and did not have any unreasonable expectations. 

[LittleIggy]

Chicago to NZ: The dad reminded me of Jim Gaffigan.

[Pickles]

Chicago to New Zealand. The husband kept talking about all of the maintenance with the third house. If they are renting, what maintenance would they have to do?

[LittleIggy]

MN to Amsterdam: I wanted to hit the wife with a Pijp! She was so annoying. She obviously thought she was too adorable for words. 

I watched an episode on demand in which the couple were Aussies who moved to Poland so the hubby could work in his dad’s business. I couldn’t believe they picked the third floor walk up since the wife had just found out she was expecting! I bet she regretted it later.

[suebee12]

Mn to Amsterdam:

From watching this episode, I have now discovered that I cannot enjoy touring a city and surrounding area unless I have a home in a certain section of town that will make me feel as though as I am home! What the heck was she talking about? Yes, I would like to be where I want to live but if it isn't financial feasible, pick a place that you can afford and is in an OK area. Basically, you sleep and eat there...you see the new sights by going to them....what is to stop them from enjoying them even if they don't live in Pijp? They both said that the second apt was only a block from all the "fun" things. The big draw back with that apt was no outdoor space but if there is a park, I could be happy.

[mojito]

MN to Amsterdam:

She said up front that she wanted a place that was very Dutch. But then she commented on stairs, liked the king-size bed because it was American, balked at room sizes. And what was his comment on a plain, white room with some sort of white frame over the bed, and a light fixture and nothing else looking as though it were designed by a woman? At that moment, the real estate guy cleared his throat. Was that his reaction to the stupid comment?

I was surprised that in the end, the husband didn't declare that he landed a job or learned that he could work his old job in Amsterdam. 

[doodlebug]

MN to Amsterdam highlighted a lot of stuff that really annoys me about the show.  The wife, who claims to be outgoing and adventurous, who dreams of new experiences in foreign lands; say that she wants a 'real' Dutch home and then is absolutely flabberghasted that the apartments are small, aren't open concept, that the refrigerators aren't full size and seems positively shocked by the concept of a water closet.  She's also the one who insists on living in a trendy, expensive neighborhood after exclaiming that the move was all about getting out into the world and broadening their horizons.  The realtor looked disgusted with them on more than one occasion and I don't blame him.

Meanwhile, the husband, a self described homebody who is very concerned about the budget because he doesn't have a job and she took a pay cut; insists that they must have a second bedroom for guests?  Why?  If the budget is really so tight, find a one bedroom in budget and get a list of nearby Airbnb properties that family and friends can use.  Any family or friend who expects you to exceed your means in order to put them up for free should be cut from the guest list pronto.  Then, after all the whinging about the costs, his joblessness and the necessity of a second bedroom; he's fine with choosing the most expensive property of all, one whose 'second bedroom' is the size of a walk in closet and not even big enough for a bed.  Once again, why?

[Pickles]

To me, the MN to Amsterdam couple were the picture of ignorant, ugly Americans. They are thinking they are so worldly moving to Europe, yet they are just dopey.

[mojito]

Madrid, Spain

An awkward watch for me. I think Mario is very infatuated with the Trey, but I don't think the feeling is as mutual. They didn't seem to know each other well enough to cohabitate. I kept thinking, "It'll never last."

[LittleIggy]

13 minutes ago, mojito said:

Madrid, Spain

An awkward watch for me. I think Mario is very infatuated with the Trey, but I don't think the feeling is as mutual. They didn't seem to know each other well enough to cohabitate. I kept thinking, "It'll never last."

Yep, I was thinking that won’t last long. However, I think it’s Mario who will get fed up since he talked about them being inside a lot because of where they were living. I wouldn’t want to be stuck in my old hood either.

[LittleIggy]

13 hours ago, suebee12 said:

Mn to Amsterdam:

From watching this episode, I have now discovered that I cannot enjoy touring a city and surrounding area unless I have a home in a certain section of town that will make me feel as though as I am home! What the heck was she talking about? Yes, I would like to be where I want to live but if it isn't financial feasible, pick a place that you can afford and is in an OK area. Basically, you sleep and eat there...you see the new sights by going to them....what is to stop them from enjoying them even if they don't live in Pijp? They both said that the second apt was only a block from all the "fun" things. The big draw back with that apt was no outdoor space but if there is a park, I could be happy.

Really. I thought that the big master bedroom in the apartment in the less chic area and the extra money in the pocket would make up for having to walk a few extra steps to bars and restaurants. Going out to eat and bar hop adds up fast!

[doodlebug]

7 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Really. I thought that the big master bedroom in the apartment in the less chic area and the extra money in the pocket would make up for having to walk a few extra steps to bars and restaurants. Going out to eat and bar hop adds up fast!

I liked that place, too.  Of course, it was ‘too noisy’ while living in the trendy neighborhood in the midst of bars, restaurants and clubs was undoubtedly going to be quiet as a church.  Also, if the budget is so darned tight, how often do they expect to be visiting all those expensive venues in the touristy part of town?  Why the insistence on living there?  If experiencing Europe is really the goal, find a cheaper place and use the savings to do things other than hang out with the tourists.

I have friends who are fortunate enough to travel  a lot.  Every trip is the same. They lie at the hotel pool or shop in the tourist area all day and then go to the trendy area to eat and drink every night.  Same thing, every day.  They might hit a museum for an hour or two during the week, but not always. I don’t understand the point of it. If they find a bar or restaurant they like, they’ll go back every night rather than try something new. They could have the same experience staying home. It’s their money, but it makes me sad.  This couple seemed like that sort and the wife’s condescending comment at the end about how other people just weren’t as adventurous and open as them because they didn’t decide to move to the trendiest area of a modern European city made me wince.

Edited June 2, 2018 by doodlebug

[LittleIggy]

The big master bedroom in the apartment that wasn’t in the Pijp was not on the street side anyway. The agent noted that to the wife.

[doodlebug]

On ‎6‎/‎1‎/‎2018 at 11:42 PM, mojito said:

Madrid, Spain

An awkward watch for me. I think Mario is very infatuated with the Trey, but I don't think the feeling is as mutual. They didn't seem to know each other well enough to cohabitate. I kept thinking, "It'll never last."

I thought exactly the same thing.  Mario seemed like he just wanted to get away from living with his parents and needed a room mate.  Meanwhile, Trey seemed to be somewhat spoiled and not used to sharing space with anyone, as well as completely unfamiliar with the sort of lifestyle that living in Madrid would provide.  I also got the impression that he's not terribly open to new things and new places and is never going to give Spain a chance anyway.  I give it 6 months at the very most until Mario is back with mom and dad and Trey is in South Dakota again.  I also thought Mario's remark in the followup that they stay in all the time and he isn't loving it was very telling.  They don't have enough in common to make it last.

Edited June 3, 2018 by doodlebug

[LittleIggy]

Re: Richmond to Medellin: I liked the husband (and his wind chimes). He seemed like a mensch. He was right - if you don’t have A/C, you need a breeze. Didn’t like the wife. Glad Dave got his breezy place. Looks as if they have hooked up with the expats.

[Kohola3]

Sorry but that whole wind chime thing got on my last nerve - I had to turn it off halfway through.  And why would a former cop want to live in the drug cartel capital of the world?

[Pickles]

Columbia couple. Did not like her at all. At the end they were saying how you have to get out of your comfort zone, yet they were pictured with only expats. Why did they have to leave Richmond, VA and move to Columbia after the policeman husband retired? The wife kept saying it was time for him to retire and be safe. Couldn't he have been safe somewhere in the US? When I think of Columbia, "safe" isn't the first thing that springs to mind. I felt like we were missing some big part of the story. 

[mojito]

Quote

When I think of Columbia, "safe" isn't the first thing that springs to mind. I felt like we were missing some big part of the story. 

I think the couple's funds were limited. He has a pension, but they're probably both too young to receive social security benefits yet. So they're living on savings and whatever he gets from his pension. I didn't find their story curious, just their choice of home.

Medellin is not the Medellin of the Pablo Escobar days of the 1980s, and people from the US are living comfortable retirements there. Not enough time has passed for me to feel comfortable there. I've been surprised to see Americans moving to Nicaragua on HHI, which is not looking too steady on its feet with good old Daniel Ortega still involved in the mix some 40 years later. (Anyone remember the Sandinistas? Iran-Contra Affair?)  Nicaragua is currently in a crisis state.  All this to say that I'm still leery of the "previous" lawlessness of places like Nicaragua and Colombia, and I'd look to other places to retire south of the border.

I've a feeling that if their finances were better, this couple might've stayed put in the US. They didn't ooh and aah over the climate or the people or the culture or the many new activities they could engage in as most North Americans do. They just seemed to be looking for an affordable life.

[Kohola3]

6 minutes ago, mojito said:

 All this to say that I'm still leery of the "previous" lawlessness of places like Nicaragua and Colombia, and I'd look to other places to retire south of the border.

I agree.  Instability in so many of these places would scare me.  I understand a cop who wants to retire;  that's a tough way to live as you get older and a tough job on so many fronts  And I would have loved to have retired early. But to quit entirely and be financially insecure seems a little extreme - couldn't he have found some other work that didn't require putting his life on the line and still make a living wage?

Do any of these people look into such things as the standards of health care in other countries?  As a former flight nurse who picked up US and Canadian citizens who fell ill outside of their home countries, I have seen some really horrific standards of care.  That alone would give me pause!  They were not elderly but old enough to have health issues in the not so distant future.

I think there was something hidden in this story.

[LittleIggy]

I have heard that Medellin now is not like the drug cartel days. I wish there had been some mention of the change because the first thing people still think of when they hear “Medellin” is the cocaine cowboys days.

[sempervivum]

1 hour ago, mojito said:

think the couple's funds were limited. He has a pension, but they're probably both too young to receive social security benefits yet. So they're living on savings and whatever he gets from his pension. I didn't find their story curious, just their choice of home.

She was a sales rep for a drug company- good ones are pretty well-compensated, so I wonder why she HAD to retire along with him. If they would have moved out of the DC corridor they could have afforded something reasonable for $200K, especially if she continued working. They certainly didn't seem like they enjoyed each other's company much.

1 hour ago, Kohola3 said:

They were not elderly but old enough to have health issues in the not so distant future.

As an old, I can say that until you start to have health problems, it's hard to envision just how much such things can change your attitude toward 'adventure' and risk taking. That said, she looked kind of rough, especially considering the way she kept claiming to be so much younger than the husband.  She also seemed to walk rather stiffly, and I kept wondering just how much activity she was really capable of ('I have to be able to walk to the shops and cafes!')

[Pickles]

I also think the Columbia couple's funds were probably limited. But, I don't think they wanted it to appear that way. At one point, the husband said something about how they had been high earners or at the top in their fields. Something along those lines. I wonder if they had friends who had already moved to Columbia and liked it, so this couple was following? It would not be the place for me. Good healthcare would be at the top of my list. 

[mojito]

Once the Medellin couple is able to collect social security, their monthly income could easily increase over $4000. So they're just treading water for a bit until then.

Anyone doubting the quality of health care in Colombia should probably do a little research. Like America, it's very possible to get top-notch care, but unlike America, it won't cost a fortune. Medellin is building a reputation in medical tourism.

[LittleIggy]

11 hours ago, sempervivum said:

She was a sales rep for a drug company- good ones are pretty well-compensated, so I wonder why she HAD to retire along with him. If they would have moved out of the DC corridor they could have afforded something reasonable for $200K, especially if she continued working. They certainly didn't seem like they enjoyed each other's company much.

As an old, I can say that until you start to have health problems, it's hard to envision just how much such things can change your attitude toward 'adventure' and risk taking. That said, she looked kind of rough, especially considering the way she kept claiming to be so much younger than the husband.  She also seemed to walk rather stiffly, and I kept wondering just how much activity she was really capable of ('I have to be able to walk to the shops and cafes!')

They weren’t even in the DC corridor. They were in Richmond! I live in the Shenandoah Valley and it’s quite affordable, I think.

Edited June 6, 2018 by LittleIggy

[puppytoes]

11 hours ago, mojito said:

Once the Medellin couple is able to collect social security, their monthly income could easily increase over $4000. So they're just treading water for a bit until then.

Anyone doubting the quality of health care in Colombia should probably do a little research. Like America, it's very possible to get top-notch care, but unlike America, it won't cost a fortune. Medellin is building a reputation in medical tourism.

Medellin looks like a beautiful city.

[doodlebug]

21 hours ago, sempervivum said:

She was a sales rep for a drug company- good ones are pretty well-compensated, so I wonder why she HAD to retire along with him. If they would have moved out of the DC corridor they could have afforded something reasonable for $200K, especially if she continued working. They certainly didn't seem like they enjoyed each other's company much.

She didn't say she was a pharmaceutical rep, she said she was in medical sales.  That covers a lot of ground and it could well be that she worked as a clerk in a medical supply store or for a home health agency or some such which is not that well compensated.  I'm a doc and most pharmaceutical reps are far younger and, yes, more physically attractive than her.  I liked her and her husband, thought the wind chime thing was silly, but he's right, cross ventilation makes a huge difference in a tropical climate.

Edited June 6, 2018 by doodlebug

[Thumper]

On 6/5/2018 at 10:00 AM, Kohola3 said:

I agree.  Instability in so many of these places would scare me.  I understand a cop who wants to retire;  that's a tough way to live as you get older and a tough job on so many fronts  And I would have loved to have retired early. But to quit entirely and be financially insecure seems a little extreme - couldn't he have found some other work that didn't require putting his life on the line and still make a living wage?

Do any of these people look into such things as the standards of health care in other countries?  As a former flight nurse who picked up US and Canadian citizens who fell ill outside of their home countries, I have seen some really horrific standards of care.  That alone would give me pause!  They were not elderly but old enough to have health issues in the not so distant future.

I think there was something hidden in this story.

(My bolding.)   I think about health care all the time when I see folks on this show!  Then I just figure I am unadventurous (which I am!)  lol    My adventure is watching this show and going on trips when my husband forces me to.  And I do enjoy those trips!

[Kohola3]

Air Force couple in Italy - wow, some of those homes were just phenomenal!  While they had likes and opinions, there was really no drama, fake or otherwise.  And I can see her point about not being isolated but she put his needs ahead of hers which was really nice.  I liked the couple.

[LittleIggy]

1 hour ago, Kohola3 said:

Air Force couple in Italy - wow, some of those homes were just phenomenal!  While they had likes and opinions, there was really no drama, fake or otherwise.  And I can see her point about not being isolated but she put his needs ahead of hers which was really nice.  I liked the couple.

Me too. Personally, I would have to have the fresco house. That place was amazing! I wish I could see the whole place. BTW, there was nothing wrong with the extra bedroom.

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, Kohola3 said:

Air Force couple in Italy - wow, some of those homes were just phenomenal!  While they had likes and opinions, there was really no drama, fake or otherwise.  And I can see her point about not being isolated but she put his needs ahead of hers which was really nice.  I liked the couple.

As soon as I saw the second house, I knew they'd take it. Inside, it was all-American which, given his job as the air force base, told me it existed to cater to the Americans working on the base.  The only thing missing from the post script was the wife mentioning she didn't feel isolated because she discovered (gasp) that many of her neighbors were expats as well.

Quote

Looks as if they have hooked up with the expats.

I always find this funny when the house hunters talk about wanting to see a different culture and then end up associating with other Americans/expats.  I get it to an extent.  There's familiarity, especially with language. But a lot of people don't realize that the effort to get to know a diverse group of people takes a little effort to avoid familiarity. 

This especially bothered me with the accountants who moved from Chicago to--Amsterdam, I think.  They talked about how they only hung out with accountants in Chicago and wanted to move to Amsterdam for diversity.  There's a lot of diversity in Chicago.  I really want to ask them what makes them think, if the only friendships they cultivated in Chicago were related to work, that they'd go beyond their coworkers in another country?

Edited June 7, 2018 by Irlandesa

[biakbiak]

I could not have handled the kitchen in the first house because of how narrow the kitchen was. Because of how large the other rooms were I would spend all my time imagining how to rework the space. Also, I didn’t find the frescos a plus because they weren’t well done, particularly the one in the bedroom.

Edited June 7, 2018 by biakbiak

[doodlebug]

5 hours ago, biakbiak said:

I could not have handled the kitchen in the first house because of how narrow the kitchen was. Because of how large the other rooms were I would spend all my time imagining how to rework the space. Also, I didn’t find the frescos a plus because they weren’t well done, particularly the one in the bedroom.

And the realtor specifically told them that, as renters, they couldn't redo the kitchen anyway.  Not that as a renter, I'd want to do major renovations to someone else' property.  I thought the fresco house was really cool, but even I, a non-cook, would've found that kitchen to be a deal breaker.

On the episodes with military personnel, it's fairly easy to figure out which houses are ringers.  Anything more than 15 minutes commute is off the table, the military requires their people to live that close.  Also, in areas like Aviano, with a huge US military presence and, therefore, tons of rental housing available for the troops, whatever property seems the most 'Amercanized' in addition to being close to base is probably the one they've already chosen.  People tend to pass these places along by word of mouth and hand them down to whoever is replacing them when they transfer out and landlords, knowing that the market is flooded with Americans, will try to renovate their rental units to American tastes.

[Vivigirl10]

10 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

Air Force couple in Italy - wow, some of those homes were just phenomenal!  While they had likes and opinions, there was really no drama, fake or otherwise.  And I can see her point about not being isolated but she put his needs ahead of hers which was really nice.  I liked the couple.

I liked them as well and enjoyed an episode that was drama free!  The closest exception was that the required oddball request was the husband wanting a pizza oven.  It wasn't stressed and overplayed so a big deal wasn't made out of it.  It was also nice that they had an adequate budget to work with instead of the standard, I want to pay $500 a month with 5 bedrooms, a terrace and located in the city center.    

[LittleIggy]

I know I get tired of people saying they want a place with “(fill in the country) charm,” but when I saw the place the AF couple chose, I thought “But it has no Italian charm!” ?

[mojito]

Air Force, Italy

I kind of chuckled at a couple things the husband said. One, I believe he referred to a brown-yellow-black granite counter top as "marble". Two, he commented on a house color being "intestinal pink".  At the end, he was sporting a Pepto Bismol-colored sweater. (I like pink, so both were fine with me.)

Nice enough couple.

[Pickles]

Watching the Australian episode. I am kind of loving this real estate agent. Lol!

[Kohola3]

Norfolk Island realtor was a hoot!  He said aloud what I bet 99% of the realtors we've seen would love to say.  "These two are driving me nuts" - ha!

[doodlebug]

5 minutes ago, Kohola3 said:

Norfolk Island realtor was a hoot!  He said aloud what I bet 99% of the realtors we've seen would love to say.  "These two are driving me nuts" - ha!

He was an eye rolling wonder, loved him!  The two ladies doing the househunting were quite a pair, though, they complained about everything even after he told them they weren't going to get what they wanted at their price point.  The one who kept griping about needing a massive amount of 'art space' to pursue her hobby was a real pill.  I'm always amazed at the buyers who get shirty with the realtor because they don't have enough money to get everything they want. Like he said, they wanted a million dollar house for 300 grand, and it just wasn't ever going to happen.

[LittleIggy]

Yeah, I loved that realtor, too! Those old birds would have driven me nuts, too. The art studio lady needs to get her nephew (I think it was her nephew) to help build the studio. That blue ocean ? was heavenly.

[biakbiak]

I hated the realtor. He didn’t appear to know what “cosmetic” means. At one point he called the floor which had collapsed as not a big deal.

Edited June 8, 2018 by biakbiak

[aguabella]

On 5/27/2018 at 12:46 PM, debraran said:

I think they have to have a place to apply but they don't pick from the 3 shown for sure. There is a great HHI England "behind the scenes" on youtube that tells what it was like for that couple. They get paid a small amount, maybe 1000, but it's mainly for publicity and just being on TV. Seemed like a lot of work for that family since they had a kid, although the moving of furniture etc was done by company.

I think they do a disservice by showing people going to countries that aren't that lax without jobs etc. or vague backgrounds but again, they must want some privacy and the ones with companies or airbnb's make sure you can google and find them. (re the guy with the houseboat in Netherlands for instance)

This participant is like "who cares it is fake" but I'm sure some do. It is that hard to have more factual shows?https://xpatmatt.com/house-hunters-international-is-fake-so-what/

Another behind the scene blog https://medium.com/@natemlambert/what-was-real-and-what-was-fake-d053b511c1c9

Just the thought of moving my furniture out of my house and back in, even if I didn't do it is exhausting to me. ; )

Good comment, debraran. Yes, like each of these synopsis, the youtube only explains how "that couple" felt about their episode.  Reading so many of these over the years, it's clear things differ from film crew to film crew, geographical area to area, year to year, person to person, type of house to ...

Some do care about the "reality" of the episode.  Considering that they film 40+ hours per episode, should they work harder?  They're answering to corporate America, i.e. the stockholders.  They'll cut corners wherever and whenever they can to crank up that bonus.

Correct me if I'm wrong but did Nate say "my episode wasn't fake" and then matter-of-factly explain each and every staged bit? (lol) Clicked on it a second time and it demanded an email address so had to pass.  Someone's trying to advertise his travel agency, blog, ...

Personally, long ago I accepted the reality that reality television is, uh, not reality!  Every time I've checked they all had jobs, hadn't sold everything, were just setting up a vacay home / rental, were on an 18-mo sabbatical or s/t assignment with the same employer ... and on and on, lol.