House Hunters International - General Discussion

[LittleIggy]

Cabo: OMG! I loved that place they got. I kept saying “They better pick that first place”! Seemed like a nice couple.

[LittleIggy]

Sunshine Coast: I’m an animal lover, but I got so sick of the wife going on and on about Eddie, her horse (sure didn’t see anyone else riding him). She just came off as selfish, IMO. I loved the first house.

[amarante]

9 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Sunshine Coast: I’m an animal lover, but I got so sick of the wife going on and on about Eddie, her horse (sure didn’t see anyone else riding him). She just came off as selfish, IMO. I loved the first house.

It looked like they had acquired additional horses for the children as I saw a pony in one of the closing scenes.

There was also a lot of tack in the tack room and based on how the show operates, they had already moved into the home and probably didn't move out their own tack to minimize disruption. The horses were all mysteriously missing when they toured.

I think they bought the place for the land and the experience it would provide their children. They were essentially planning to tear it down as the value was in the land. 

I enjoy the shows when rich people are touring fabulous places like this episode and the recent one in Mexico. The shows in Australia with limited budgets are particularly boring because the housing is generally so banal - it's like HH Domestic when people are touring tract homes in Iowa. 

[aghst]

Cabo San Lucas - $2 million budget down there, they wanted a 5 BR, 5BA villa with views of the Pacific.

They went for the most expensive option even though the wife wanted to stay on budget and charming Mexican details.

They had two older children, with at least one about to leave the nest but they wanted a home big enough to host them and friends.

Sounds like he is retired but wanted to buy and flip homes down there or "invest" in them somehow.  Said the Pacific side of CSL is more quiet or tranquil or something like that?  Most of the other CSL episodes have been about people who wanted a vacation home, with restaurants and views nearby.  I guess the older couple didn't prioritize that as much.

Interesting though, most of the budgets in CSL have been a fraction of their budget.

[SusanM]

I haven't watched this show in years but caught an episode a few days ago that reminded me of why I stopped watching!  Couple relocating from the US to New Zealand and the big dilemma is "he moved them there because he once visited New Zealand and now wants New Zealand charm" and "she is being forced to leave all she loves behind for him so she wants US style comfort".  In this day of easily googled information though why does this show insist on fake back stories?  A quick internet search showed that the move to New Zealand was for HER job not his.  Why wasn't that a good enough reason to focus their house hunting on??

[amarante]

1 hour ago, aghst said:

Cabo San Lucas - $2 million budget down there, they wanted a 5 BR, 5BA villa with views of the Pacific.

They went for the most expensive option even though the wife wanted to stay on budget and charming Mexican details.

They had two older children, with at least one about to leave the nest but they wanted a home big enough to host them and friends.

Sounds like he is retired but wanted to buy and flip homes down there or "invest" in them somehow.  Said the Pacific side of CSL is more quiet or tranquil or something like that?  Most of the other CSL episodes have been about people who wanted a vacation home, with restaurants and views nearby.  I guess the older couple didn't prioritize that as much.

Interesting though, most of the budgets in CSL have been a fraction of their budget.

The Pacific side had a better climate as it was significantly cooler in the summer. In my experience that makes a big difference in quality of life.

The house they chose was fabulous. I think some of the urge to be close to the action is when people are looking for a vacation home and/or one that can be rented out.

Also I would imagine a lot of the people who are looking for less expensive properties don't want to buy a car so that they would have to factor in the expense of just normal day to day travel even if they weren't bar hopping every night. 

The whole idea of walkability would be a big factor in terms of determining net monthly housing costs since a car would probably be at least $500 a month.

I also wonder about furnished versus unfurnished homes. I realize that many vacation style homes - even in the US - are sold furnished because that is the market but I have my doubts as to whether there really are significant numbers of furnished homes and apartments as they seem to be very prevalent on house hunters International. If someone truly has no furniture it is really an expense to get even the basic items.

But then I don't get why anyone would move to a new country and want to purchase a home immediately. This seems especially ridiculous when it is theoretically people without an income who are starting up a business. If I were *truly* moving someplace new and relying on only my savings to support myself by launching a new business, the last thing I would do would be to sink all of my money into purchasing a home versus keeping as much as possible as a safety net.

[LittleIggy]

6 hours ago, amarante said:

It looked like they had acquired additional horses for the children as I saw a pony in one of the closing scenes.

There was also a lot of tack in the tack room and based on how the show operates, they had already moved into the home and probably didn't move out their own tack to minimize disruption. The horses were all mysteriously missing when they toured.

I think they bought the place for the land and the experience it would provide their children. They were essentially planning to tear it down as the value was in the land. 

I enjoy the shows when rich people are touring fabulous places like this episode and the recent one in Mexico. The shows in Australia with limited budgets are particularly boring because the housing is generally so banal - it's like HH Domestic when people are touring tract homes in Iowa. 

The only other equine I saw was said pony. I just didn’t like the woman. She seemed to have such a sense of entitlement.

[ArtFossil]

On 11/23/2021 at 4:33 PM, proserpina65 said:

How many years has he had to put his wife's wants ahead of his before the kid even came along?  I have sympathy for that.

For me, that doesn't matter. With a 13 year old son, it's the son's time, not the father's.

On 11/26/2021 at 12:43 PM, amarante said:

The Pacific side had a better climate as it was significantly cooler in the summer. In my experience that makes a big difference in quality of life.

The house they chose was fabulous. I think some of the urge to be close to the action is when people are looking for a vacation home and/or one that can be rented out.

Also I would imagine a lot of the people who are looking for less expensive properties don't want to buy a car so that they would have to factor in the expense of just normal day to day travel even if they weren't bar hopping every night. 

The whole idea of walkability would be a big factor in terms of determining net monthly housing costs since a car would probably be at least $500 a month.

I also wonder about furnished versus unfurnished homes. I realize that many vacation style homes - even in the US - are sold furnished because that is the market but I have my doubts as to whether there really are significant numbers of furnished homes and apartments as they seem to be very prevalent on house hunters International. If someone truly has no furniture it is really an expense to get even the basic items.

But then I don't get why anyone would move to a new country and want to purchase a home immediately. This seems especially ridiculous when it is theoretically people without an income who are starting up a business. If I were *truly* moving someplace new and relying on only my savings to support myself by launching a new business, the last thing I would do would be to sink all of my money into purchasing a home versus keeping as much as possible as a safety net.

I know I'm probably alone in this, but I just can't tolerate this couple with a $2 million dollar budget. To me, that's obscene. 

(Plus, for me, the Sea of Cortez is the ONLY place to be. Absolutely magical.)

Edited November 28, 2021 by ArtFossil

[javajeanelaine]

Horsewoman was annoying. It was all about her even though she tried to justify it in terms of her children

[proserpina65]

On 11/27/2021 at 8:32 PM, ArtFossil said:

For me, that doesn't matter. With a 13 year old son, it's the son's time, not the father's.

And for me, it does matter.  I think a kid that old doesn't need to be coddled.  Although someone did say they thought he might be special needs, which is different.  Still, I didn't like the wife at all.

[Grrarrggh]

4 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

And for me, it does matter.  I think a kid that old doesn't need to be coddled.  Although someone did say they thought he might be special needs, which is different.  Still, I didn't like the wife at all.

That old? He's not 25. 13 is incredibly young. 

[Grizzly]

Los Cabos, Mexico. Nice to see that good looking places can be had for a decent price. I understand they need space for the business, but that 1 bed/bath had great views and amenities. And Jasmine and Miruka are believable as a couple. They have a nice yin and yang. Glad they went with under budget. It's easy to add charm.

[proserpina65]

14 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

That old? He's not 25. 13 is incredibly young. 

13 is not incredibly young.  He's a teenager, and in my opinion, teenagers do not need to be coddled.

Clearly we're not going to agree on this, so I'm dropping it.

10 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Los Cabos, Mexico. Nice to see that good looking places can be had for a decent price. I understand they need space for the business, but that 1 bed/bath had great views and amenities. And Jasmine and Miruka are believable as a couple. They have a nice yin and yang. Glad they went with under budget. It's easy to add charm.

Yeah, it was good to see that many places for a decent price.

[aghst]

11 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Los Cabos, Mexico. Nice to see that good looking places can be had for a decent price. I understand they need space for the business, but that 1 bed/bath had great views and amenities. And Jasmine and Miruka are believable as a couple. They have a nice yin and yang. Glad they went with under budget. It's easy to add charm.

First time I’ve seen them feature San Jose, which looked more low key than the party-centric Cabo San Lucas.

Also had them take a boat ride near that arch, with close drone shots.

Otherwise the properties were just ok but for around $900, what can you expect.

The previous Cabo episode had a couple looking for a $2 million villa with views of the Pacific.  So they have a quite a range down there.  Wonder what the electricity bill is like if they have to run the AC often.

[Grrarrggh]

8 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

13 is not incredibly young.  He's a teenager, and in my opinion, teenagers do not need to be coddled.

"Teenager" is just a word and a concept. A 13-year-olds brain, or even an 19-year-olds brain is still growing and very immature. And I think the world would be a healthier place if more people were "coddled". 

Edited December 1, 2021 by Grrarrggh

[tessaray]

Let's move on from discussing the kids in the episodes. 

[LittleIggy]

Outback OZ: I was surprised that the rents were relatively high in a place out in the boondocks. It was interesting to see a place in OZ that wasn’t on the coast.

[Dehumidifier]

8 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Outback OZ: I was surprised that the rents were relatively high in a place out in the boondocks. It was interesting to see a place in OZ that wasn’t on the coast.

You would have liked this mini-series that was on PBS years ago: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081949/

[Cetacean]

Outback OZ, one wonders if she is still there.

[aghst]

10 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Outback OZ: I was surprised that the rents were relatively high in a place out in the boondocks. It was interesting to see a place in OZ that wasn’t on the coast.

That's what I was thinking as well.  But they mentioned that it was a mining town and if there was a sudden surge of economic activity and workers and limited housing, I can see why prices would go up.

Presumably she's getting paid well enough as a bartender for her to move there and rent?

I don't know how an American gets to work in Australia though.  Did she already have a job in the Gold Coast when she first moved to Australia and still has a work visa that she could seek another job?  She said she applied to a bunch but the only response she got back was from this town.

The other thing is, it's 1000 miles from the Gold Coast, which is a popular area with costly real estate and that may also influence costs?

One other thing, service or tip is included in most restaurant prices.  There is also a surcharge on like weekends or Sundays (if they're open at all) and holidays.  So restaurant and bar workers get a living wage.  But that could also put an upward pressure on housing prices too.

[MartyQui]

She had a Canadian accent, she probably just went to school in Boston.  It's almost impossible for Americans to get a job on their own in Australia, but I think it's easier for Canadians.  She's on Linked In as a freelance graphic artist based in Boston...which is also weird if she's Canadian, because you need a visa sponsor.  So any which way, the story has holes.

[Crashcourse]

HHI stories are almost always sketchy, but I liked the hippy dippy Outback OZ woman.

[deirdra]

4 hours ago, MartyQui said:

She had a Canadian accent, she probably just went to school in Boston.  It's almost impossible for Americans to get a job on their own in Australia, but I think it's easier for Canadians.  

Canada & Australia are both Commonwealth countries so it is easier to get work visas.  In places like Banff, pre-Covid, lots of people working in hotels & other attractions are from other Commonwealth countries.

[LittleIggy]

Near Brisbane: I like the boyfriend. He was funny. Nuts to buy a house with someone you have known for only three months.

[aghst]

11 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Near Brisbane: I like the boyfriend. He was funny. Nuts to buy a house with someone you have known for only three months.

Yeah didn't she say a couple of times she's not sure about him long-term?

Something like I like him for now and then she balked at paying too much now for a house because she wasn't sure about long-term prospects?

But they chose the most expensive home which she pushed them to do.

She referenced giving up a career in finance so maybe she's the one buying.

[Grrarrggh]

Redcliffe AU female hunter had an odd accent. Seemed to be a mix of New York, Russia, Australia with just a bit of rhotacism or a stuffy nose.

[aghst]

Oh, and she mentioned Crocodile Dundee more than once as inspiration for her going to Australia in the first place?🤔

Whatever works, certainly a beautiful country to see.

I wondered about why they are airing a lot of episodes in Australia during the pandemic.  Australia has maintained one of the tightest travel restrictions in the past couple of years.

Americans can't easily visit the country, at least for non-essential purposes.  There are many Australian citizens who've not been able to return to the country for almost 2 years, though things are more open in the last month or two.

So how did these American HHs featured in these pandemic-era episodes get to Australia?

Are they showing footage filmed before the pandemic?

Or were these Americans in country before say February 2020?

Or is it a combination of both?

I guess HHI could have hired Australian producers or at least freelancers to coordinate getting crews and scheduling the filming of the HHs, all the logistics things.

Maybe they have more personnel in Australia than in other countries.  Seems like there hav been more episodes in Australia than the UK.

Certainly a lot in Mexico but it's not difficult for Americans to enter Mexico and return back to the US.

There have been episodes in Europe and the UK but seems like more in Australia.

We've had some in Thailand but I don't think any in Hong Kong or Taiwan.  Or China.  But I don't think they had a lot in these countries or much of SE Asia before the pandemic either.

Don't think there have been many in NZ either.  I believe Australia and NZ had on and off travel bubble for awhile but maybe it's not easy to get producers on the ground in NZ.

[Dehumidifier]

I think they have Australian freelancers filming the shows and wonder why so many from one country also. All I know for sure is that I am tired of hearing about the "baach." 

[aghst]

9 minutes ago, Dehumidifier said:

I think they have Australian freelancers filming the shows and wonder why so many from one country also. All I know for sure is that I am tired of hearing about the "baach." 

Other thing is, they've done a lot on the east coast of Australia, mostly Brisbane and points north.

Not so much in Sydney or Victoria or Adelaide.

So that must be where they have camera people and producers.

[buttersister]

Adrian wrote a newsletter announcing she’d filmed a new epi in Paris, her 47th!

Hilariously, she referenced American buyers who are shocked about no elevators in old buildings, tiny spaces, lack of big closets, etc. She explained the whys of all of it—including that some people have too much stuff. Then graciously said that there’s a difference between knowing about those things and seeing them firsthand. So diplomatic! 

[aghst]

Be interesting to know how long after filming the episode shows up on the air.

would it be the next episode with her in it?

Or maybe they filmed several episodes with her that hasn't been aired yet, still editing it and so on.

 

 

[proserpina65]

On 12/3/2021 at 9:31 PM, aghst said:

Other thing is, they've done a lot on the east coast of Australia, mostly Brisbane and points north.

Not so much in Sydney or Victoria or Adelaide.

So that must be where they have camera people and producers.

I know that the Australian television industry was able to get back to work sooner than ours, thanks to Australia's strict initial shutdown, so I suspect that these episodes have been done by Australian crews and that the Americans featured must already have been in Australia when the pandemic started.

On 12/3/2021 at 12:45 AM, LittleIggy said:

Near Brisbane: I like the boyfriend. He was funny. Nuts to buy a house with someone you have known for only three months.

I don't see that relationship lasting at all.  He needs to run like hell from that crazy.  That said, I really liked the house they chose.

[Grrarrggh]

4 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

I don't see that relationship lasting at all.  He needs to run like hell from that crazy.  That said, I really liked the house they chose.

He needs to run? I thought SHE did. 

[Grizzly]

Amsterdam, Netherlands. Floor looks nice. I did not know about the Dutch/South African connection. Always think of S. A. as a British colony. Good educational moment. Not sure about these apartments. Agree #2 had too many windows on the street. But that shower was bigger than the bedroom! Leo looks like he enjoys the bicycle rides.

[LittleIggy]

54 minutes ago, Grizzly said:

Amsterdam, Netherlands. Floor looks nice. I did not know about the Dutch/South African connection. Always think of S. A. as a British colony. Good educational moment. Not sure about these apartments. Agree #2 had too many windows on the street. But that shower was bigger than the bedroom! Leo looks like he enjoys the bicycle rides.

The Brits fought the Afrikaners in the Boer War and took SA from them. The Afrikaans language came from a Dutch dialect.

Leo the dog was adorbs.

[aghst]

3 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Amsterdam, Netherlands. Floor looks nice. I did not know about the Dutch/South African connection. Always think of S. A. as a British colony. Good educational moment. Not sure about these apartments. Agree #2 had too many windows on the street. But that shower was bigger than the bedroom! Leo looks like he enjoys the bicycle rides.

 

2 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

The Brits fought the Afrikaners in the Boer War and took SA from them. The Afrikaans language came from a Dutch dialect.

Leo the dog was adorbs.

She said the dog was a primary factor in choosing the third place, the outdoor space.  But that little garden was all concrete, not grass.  However, looks like a lot of greenery nearby for the dog.

Didn't catch what she did for work.  Maybe she has no plans to work, especially not that she's pregnant.  So we didn't hear about how she needed to be near city amenities during the day.

Was Floor flirting with them a little?  First the bit about seeing up his skirt from below and then she said all 3 of them could fit in the big shower, have a party.  Being a bit naughty or just being a tease?

OK this is the first Amsterdam episode I recall her being in.  Sarah seemed to all or most of the Amsterdam ones and some in other Netherland cities once in awhile.

Floor seemed to cover most of those other cities, especially southern Netherlands.

Even though it's a small country, there's plenty for both of them.  Or is HGTV closing the book on the chipper American?

[proserpina65]

15 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

He needs to run? I thought SHE did. 

Why?  She was the one who came across as demanding, complaining and hard to please, and she was the one who said more than one thing about not being sure the relationship was good long-term.  He seemed pretty laid back, and I thought he was the one who should get out while the getting was good.

[ECM1231]

S. Africa couple to the Netherlands....gee, the wife dressed very frumpy. 

[mojito]

Picture Perfect in the Whitsundays

Couple from UK. She's originally from Tel Aviv. Beach, beach, beach. She just couldn't let go of that word. I don't blame her for craving sunshine and warmth after 10 years in the UK, but she went on about the beach and her life in Tel Aviv. I'd like to know just how close she was to the water in her Tel Aviv days. She said they went to the beach ever Saturday. I'm thinking that the Whitsunday house furthest from the beach was probably closer than the home she grew up in in Tel Aviv.

At least they picked a good compromise home. Smaller than she wanted, but with views.

[aghst]

1 hour ago, mojito said:

Picture Perfect in the Whitsundays

Couple from UK. She's originally from Tel Aviv. Beach, beach, beach. She just couldn't let go of that word. I don't blame her for craving sunshine and warmth after 10 years in the UK, but she went on about the beach and her life in Tel Aviv. I'd like to know just how close she was to the water in her Tel Aviv days. She said they went to the beach ever Saturday. I'm thinking that the Whitsunday house furthest from the beach was probably closer than the home she grew up in in Tel Aviv.

At least they picked a good compromise home. Smaller than she wanted, but with views.

Lowest priced too.  Supposedly they needed all this room for her studio and the two daughters are growing fast, they're not going to want to share a bedroom in a couple of years.

Views are great at all the locations but nothing about being near amenities, schools for the girls.  Just distance to the beach.

The first property, which had these vast expanses of perfectly manicured lawns, was stunning.  However, in one of the shots, there is something moving on the lawn between the house and the beach.  Looked like some sea creature gliding on the surface of the lawn.

Then she had this thing about wood, which is among the reason she rejected the second house.  She objected to the hardwood floors!  That must be a first on HH or HHI.

He might have retired from the UK military as an officer but he could afford to move the family to Australia and buy a million-dollar home?  No mention of what work he was going to do.

She said she saved money as a photographer.  Not too many photographers are making the kind of money to buy a million-dollar home.  Looks like they were in no hurry to set up a studio for her and what kind of photo commissions would she get in a relatively remote locale?  Besides she's going to be hanging out at the beach a lot of the time.

[Dehumidifier]

1 hour ago, aghst said:

 

She said she saved money as a photographer.  Not too many photographers are making the kind of money to buy a million-dollar home.  Looks like they were in no hurry to set up a studio for her and what kind of photo commissions would she get in a relatively remote locale?  Besides she's going to be hanging out at the beach a lot of the time.

She has a great body. Maybe she was a photographee.

[Grrarrggh]

6 hours ago, aghst said:

He might have retired from the UK military as an officer but he could afford to move the family to Australia and buy a million-dollar home?  No mention of what work he was going to do.

He said he had a job he could do online. They started saying he needed an office but that fell by the wayside. The first house was obviously a holiday place with that bunk room. I knew they'd pick the third the moment I saw the second bedroom already had two beds in it. 

[Grizzly]

Amsterdam, Netherlands. Guess we can see why Sarah hasn't been used lately. Another person who wants charm, maybe she should keep traveling. I guess if you're used to living out of a suitcase, a studio must feel like enough space.

[buttersister]

Cute studio, great location, big tub=not a lot of tension over her choice. Felt for Sarah—who must have swallowed a fair amount of snark—having to pretend asking for appliance replacements was a legit ask.

Meanwhile, one wonders what income was supporting this wandering content creation. Maybe her mom, the sweater complimentor? LOL

[LittleIggy]

I got the impression that Sarah found the woman annoying. I liked when Sarah said something to the effect that you (the HH) would put the charm in the flat. I say that all the time especially when someone complains about a place being too sterile.

[proserpina65]

9 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

I got the impression that Sarah found the woman annoying. I liked when Sarah said something to the effect that you (the HH) would put the charm in the flat. I say that all the time especially when someone complains about a place being too sterile.

I often have a similar reaction, except that does cost money.  If you can find something which comes with period charm already at a price you can afford, that's great, as long as it meets your needs otherwise.  (Now, if the HH is buying, then all they have to do is paint, which is a cheap fix.)

[Crashcourse]

I didn't finish watching Amsterdam because Sarah annoys the hell out of me.  She thinks she's soooo adorable and cute.  I was surprised to see she was pregnant because I thought she was in her 40's.   I prefer Floor.

I got the impression the HH was being funded by parents.  

[aghst]

52 minutes ago, Crashcourse said:

I didn't finish watching Amsterdam because Sarah annoys the hell out of me.  She thinks she's soooo adorable and cute.  I was surprised to see she was pregnant because I thought she was in her 40's.   I prefer Floor.

I got the impression the HH was being funded by parents.  

Well they aired the Floor in Amsterdam episode just a couple of days ago so I don't know if that's indicative of these two Amsterdam episodes being filmed around the same time.

Usually Sarah has done all the Amsterdam episodes so maybe they let Floor cover because Sarah is as big as a house!

Might have been tough for her to get up those steep Amsterdam stairs, where you have to sometimes bend forward and twist as you climb or descend them.

Or maybe Sarah got out of the house after Floor encroached into her territory.  What's going to happen to her chipper persona when she's tired taking care of her baby?

All the properties didn't seem to have stairs.  The one that the "content creator" chose is on the ground floor and if she opens the windows, people can walk in from the street!

Sounds like she's on a digital nomad visa, so she could probably create content in Europe, mainly Instagram pics.  OK, she must do product placement to get income or just tout certain products on her IG feed.

She had a modest budget for Amsterdam so the properties weren't that inspiring.  She chose the best location, to get those IG pics of the canals and then she's near the main train station, which links to the airport.

[LittleIggy]

5 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

I often have a similar reaction, except that does cost money.  If you can find something which comes with period charm already at a price you can afford, that's great, as long as it meets your needs otherwise.  (Now, if the HH is buying, then all they have to do is paint, which is a cheap fix.)

Doesn’t have to cost a lot. A few tchotchkes and throws can do a lot, IMO! 😁

4 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

I didn't finish watching Amsterdam because Sarah annoys the hell out of me.  She thinks she's soooo adorable and cute.  I was surprised to see she was pregnant because I thought she was in her 40's.   I prefer Floor.

I got the impression the HH was being funded by parents.  

I watched despite Sarah. I had forgotten how annoying her voice was. At least, the pregnancy made her more subdued. I prefer Floor, too.

[LittleIggy]

On 12/9/2021 at 11:43 AM, mojito said:

Picture Perfect in the WhitsundaysCouple from UK. She's originally from Tel Aviv. Beach, beach, beach. She just couldn't let go of that word.

Actually it was “bitch, bitch, bitch.” 😏