House Hunters International - General Discussion

[laredhead]

Andyourlittledog2, I watched that episode with the same reaction.  Who wants to live with roommates when you are in your 30's, if there is another option?  Is shared housing a thing in that area because it's so expensive to live there?  I guess if you are just out of college that would be a way to live in such a desirable area if you don't have a high paying job.  In each of the shared houses, they looked so clean and neat that I thought a cleaning service must have been employed to get them in shape for filming.  They looked like model homes. 

BTW, I can't even remember which place she chose now.  

[cinsays]

9 minutes ago, laredhead said:

Andyourlittledog2, I watched that episode with the same reaction.  Who wants to live with roommates when you are in your 30's, if there is another option?  Is shared housing a thing in that area because it's so expensive to live there?  I guess if you are just out of college that would be a way to live in such a desirable area if you don't have a high paying job.  In each of the shared houses, they looked so clean and neat that I thought a cleaning service must have been employed to get them in shape for filming.  They looked like model homes. 

BTW, I can't even remember which place she chose now.  

yeah, bad enough to room with someone you know but have never lived with before, but who knows what kind of people you are going to have to deal with in this situation. and she was going to be sharing a bathroom with some guy, without even meeting him? nope

[Chit Chat]

1 hour ago, laredhead said:

BTW, I can't even remember which place she chose now.  

The 2-bedroom apartment close to her work.  She's sharing it with her landlord.  At least she got the bigger bedroom with an en suite bathroom.  Hopefully she and her landlord get along well.  

[mojito]

13 hours ago, aghst said:

She says she came out of her shell when she came to Australia, would never have tried to get a job being a radio on-air personality back in London?

Somehow I doubt she could make a radical personality change just like that.  But how would she get a first-time radio job?  Easier to get an opportunity in a small market but to be natural and comfortable on the air?

I thought she got the attention of the radio station from her YouTube channel. And it was through YT that she probably learned to be comfortable in front of a camera (there's no live audience in or even crew in front of you). It's believable to me that she never considered radio until the opportunity presented itself. 

Every time she stated that she was an adult and should have her own place, I thought that maybe she should acquire some adult money first. 

I don't believe that this woman was insisting on her own place. She had to know she couldn't afford it. It was all a fake premise, so I find no fault with the agent and friend; they were just playing a part.

[Chit Chat]

4 hours ago, mojito said:

I thought she got the attention of the radio station from her YouTube channel. And it was through YT that she probably learned to be comfortable in front of a camera (there's no live audience in or even crew in front of you). It's believable to me that she never considered radio until the opportunity presented itself. 

IIRC, that was the story. She did so well with her YouTube channel that she was noticed by the radio station.  

4 hours ago, mojito said:

It was all a fake premise, so I find no fault with the agent and friend; they were just playing a part.

It may be fake, but if it wasn't, I wish her friend would've been more supportive in her quest to live alone.  If she didn't like living alone, then she could do the shared living in the future.  

[buttersister]

Rerun of mixed emotions. CA couple to Nice, with Adrian. And a storyline I could never believe. She's an accountant with the thriving Beverly Hills practice expanding to Europe. The couple clearly plans to move to France full time at some point. The kids aren't sold on this plan. So her answer is to get a starter apartment (translation: a place for her that the rest of them could squeeze into on occasional visits). His idea (playing along that the whole family is moving over any day not) is to get a place that fits 4 people. 

His bon mot: If I don't agree with her, I'm in for it. 

Naturally, they get her tiny place, which will work just fine for her. Hilariously, the end story is that the kids have come over a couple of times and they "just love it" including their "cozy" closet--hate to think who's got that bottom bunk. Although maybe I know, as the photo of their son staring sadly into the sunset speaks for itself. Heh, as if the 21st Century househusband is, what, living with her in Nice? Hardly. Unless one of their siblings in CA feels like being full time teen wranglers.

Adrian, I'll take that 2B/2B, huge fridge!

[South]

On 6/8/2023 at 8:57 AM, cinsays said:

yeah, and for the realtor to show her a home that was $1.3M and her to even consider it? no way

glad the daughter got to get her dog

i was wondering if it was situated such that the daughter could safely ride a bike into town to meet with friends.  also got the impression that the mom would have been fine with the daughter not making any friends and just being buddies with mom

The mom really seemed to expect that she and her daughter would be alone together forever, a team.  

[Orcinus orca]

8 hours ago, buttersister said:

CA couple to Nice, with Adrian. And a storyline I could never believe.

I couldn't even watch it - the gunked up fake eyelashes were so unsightly that I had to turn it off.

[javajeanelaine]

Plus the wife doesn’t seem to like her husband very much.

[buttersister]

They reran that super-picky, somebody's been alone for a long time, "world traveller" landing in Amsterdam for a couple years--with a very pregnant Sarah (I think, definitely not Flor). But I didn't remember the three-months-later introduction of her new boyfriend, the tall, well-built dude who recently applied for a delivery guy job (we didn't find out if he'd gotten it. Shoot.)

[seacliffsal]

Just watched the annoying lawyer moving from D.C. to Tokyo.  Liked the realtor but not so much the client.  It was fun to see the apartments and the neighborhoods.  Ah, memories.  My apartment in Japan had the tatami mats in both rooms and I could not shut the door when I was using the toilet (my legs were too long...).  Good times.  

[Andyourlittledog2]

I watched Content Creator Girl in Amsterdam and really hated her.  Self-involved, always performing for the lens, very sure that she is so special and can get what she wants in spite of her budget. The 'realtor' was, she said, someone she met on social media and was funny but dished it out as far as why are you here exactly, for the apartment or the city? I honestly think the HH crew didn't like her much either. They sure let her obnoxious personality really shine throughout the episode.

ETA: Content Girl said she was afraid she'd get bored. I immediately thought that she should be more afraid that she is going to be boring because I thought she was as boring as...you know.  Maybe she is in the right 'job' because she's an arm's length away and mostly viewed through photos and very short videos onlline. I doubt anyone who spends much time with her are impressed.

The Tokyo guy was weird but I think he's that way honestly. I agreed with him about the units he was shown but that's Tokyo for you. He's a very tall man in a very short place that is all about economy of space.  With his emphasis on budget that was not going to work out perfectly for him. I loved the realtor.

Edited June 15, 2023 by Andyourlittledog2

[aghst]

Tokyo guy seemed to be convincing himself that he needed to get out of his comfort zone and try things he's been resistant to try.

But this fellowship or whatever gives him an income in Tokyo seems like a safe decision, why turn down that money even if his lifestyle in a foreign country may be uncertain?

My guess is he doesn't have to speak Japanese at the job and they assured him he could afford a nice place but maybe not as spacious as Americans are used to.  Presumably may have visited to interview so he had an idea.

He ruled out #2 because he didn't want to figure out how to make one train change?  Maybe one of the things out of his comfort zone would be using public transportation with a crowd of people.

He had to know he was going to have a lot less space before he accepted the job in Tokyo but he kept harping on it, though maybe the producers encouraged him to play that up because it's not like HHI viewers never heard that opinion before, that homes outside America are so much smaller.😏

 

[mojito]

Tokyo Lawyer

I wonder if, when you agree to do HHI, you also agree to follow a script? I would not want to be depicted the way many people are when they film this show. 

I kept imagining some personal trauma had driven him to this move. Like someone dumped him for being "too boring" or "too robotic". I give him credit for trying to change. Six months is a safe period. Enough to get exposure but not be depressed very long if the place doesn't agree with him. 

[chessiegal]

7 minutes ago, mojito said:

I wonder if, when you agree to do HHI, you also agree to follow a script?

Someone who was on HH said he and his wife agreed they would not say anything the producer(s) were pushing them to say. In the end, they kept reshooting scenes over and over and realized when their episode aired, the editors managed to get them saying things out of context.

[debbie311]

Per her Instagram account, Sarah Eggar and her husband and baby are moving back to Amsterdam and she will be resuming her filming on HHI.  I always enjoyed watching her episodes.

[Chit Chat]

I just saw the episode with the couple from Minnesota moving to Brisbane.  It shows that it was a new episode, but it might've actually been a repeat.  Anyway, looks like quite a few of these shows feature Brisbane lately.  It looks lovely there! 

This couple chose the rental apartment that appeared to be the lower level of a house.  One angle of the place looked like an apartment complex.  I was confused!  That was my least favorite of the choices, but since it was the cheapest, maybe it was the right choice for now.  I'm not sure if the garage area that was made into the bike shop and workspace for her was insulated.  I'm worried that critters and bugs can squeeze into the areas around the garage door.  I would've passed on this apartment for that reason alone!  I think that the bathroom was out there too.  No thanks!

 

[BradandJanet]

My mind also went rather quickly to critters and (giant) bugs when I saw the apartment the Brisbane couple took. A visit to the bathroom in the middle of the night could be very interesting. 

[mojito]

12 hours ago, BradandJanet said:

My mind also went rather quickly to critters and (giant) bugs when I saw the apartment the Brisbane couple took. A visit to the bathroom in the middle of the night could be very interesting. 

I hear rustling in the brush, I will no longer need a toilet.

Really, would you want to use a flashlight to see the path to the toilet, or would you rather not want to know what's there?

[aghst]

Canada to Christchurch, New Zealand.

Family of 4 with mother setting the main requirement that they be near a beach, even though husband’s job is in the CBD, relatively far away from water.

Wife also wants to stick to $2000 budget so that she doesn’t have to work and can spend more time with the kids.

House 1 is in the CBD, really close to husbands work but no water views.

House 2 is like a dream home, high on a hill overlooking the coast line, much more spacious than the other homes, with million dollar views, pool and hot tub.

House 3 is right on the water but is only two bedrooms, though there is a separate cottage which could become a third bedroom, but the rooms and common spaces are small.

Only House 2 is over budget at $2300, the other two are below budget.  Wife insists the children, a 12-year old girl and a younger brother, can share a room.

Daughter is about to hit puberty and she’s going to want to share a bedroom with her younger brother?  Just so they can stick to budget and mommy can stay at home?  Kids are both going to hit teenage life.  They are not going to want to spend as much time with mommy as much as they used to.

The other selfish thing is they have just one car and wife wants hubby to commute on bike so that she has the car.

They eliminate House 1 and she pushes for House 3 which is still a 30 minute commute by bike each way, saying the children couLd share a bedroom.  Husband says they will need therapy because they will be on top of each other.

He advocates for House 2 but she’d have to work for them to afford it.  Also means he’s riding up and down that hill on bike as well as spending a lot of time commuting.

So she agrees to getting a job — something at a school.  Kids love the pool and hot tub and their own rooms.

But what do you know, no more talk about mommy spending time with the kids.

Even though he chose House 2 knowing he’d have a long commute, why didn’t he fight more for House 1 with the easier commute?  Looks like she’s dominant in the marriage.

Not sure how often she goes to the beach.  They have a great view of the ocean but it takes some effort to go down the hill to the beach.  That’s the other thing, he’s the one who should have the car or they need a second car.

She talked about how they love to travel and wanted to live overseas but when insisting on being near tHe beach she said she agreed to move from Canada to New Zealand to be near the beach.

I’ve been to the Christchurch area a couple of times.  There are stunningly beautiful water landscapes to the south, southeast and east of the city.  They’re suburbs, not part of the city.

They’re all great places to visit, to hike.  But to be near work, schools, restaurants, shopping, they’re not as practical as living in the city or in some other more developed suburbs.

You can reach them in less than 30 minute drive from the city so great on weekends.  Yet she convinced him to take on a long and difficult commute.

[laredhead]

The New Zealand wife got on my nerves.  Was she planning to spend 24/7 on the beach?  I couldn't believe that she thought the children could share a room at their ages, especially for the daughter.  I thought the house they chose had only 2 bedrooms and House 1 had 3 bedrooms.  I was so done with her by the end of the episode I guess I wasn't paying enough attention.  Yes, all of a sudden she could go to work to afford what she wanted, and I guess all that time she was going to spend with the children (we hear that statement 100 times at least), went out the window. 

The house they chose is lovely, but her constant whining and demands made the episode less than enjoyable for me.  I should have watched it w/o sound.

[Orcinus orca]

56 minutes ago, laredhead said:

The house they chose is lovely, but her constant whining and demands made the episode less than enjoyable for me.  I should have watched it w/o sound.

Totally agree.  That whole "must be by the beach" theme is wearing thin with all of these episodes.

The house they chose was only $300 a month above their limit.  Did she need a full time job for that extra 300 bucks?  I call BS on that whole episode.

If she had been staying at home, why would she need a car every single day?  Growing up, we had one car which my dad took to work.  We all made do just fine.

[mojito]

Canada to NZ

I know that NZ has perpetually Spring weather (or late-winter, early-Spring weather in my neck of the woods), but to hear a Canadian go on about heat in a place that doesn't get much lower than 40 degrees was dumb to me. There are these things called blankets,--and some of them are electric--that people can use when they sleep. 

1 hour ago, laredhead said:

Was she planning to spend 24/7 on the beach? 

After a couple of months, I wonder if they'll grow tired of the trek to the beach and of the beach itself, and if it'll occur to her that the water's pretty chilly year-round. Anyone else think they probably now have a second car?

The plot of this episode was pretty thin. 

[tinderbox]

It’s probably unfair of me but I was completely turned off by the Canada to NZ wife and mother.  Imagine living with her. 

[buttersister]

On behalf of the daughter, let's say she has her own room and we don't need to call the NZ equivalent of Child and Family Services. She'll soon be old enough to get away from her narcissist mother and $5 says she does. Son, as well, eventually. The husband chose this. Happy Father's Day to him.

[aghst]

On 6/16/2023 at 4:58 PM, Chit Chat said:

I just saw the episode with the couple from Minnesota moving to Brisbane.  It shows that it was a new episode, but it might've actually been a repeat.  Anyway, looks like quite a few of these shows feature Brisbane lately.  It looks lovely there! 

This couple chose the rental apartment that appeared to be the lower level of a house.  One angle of the place looked like an apartment complex.  I was confused!  That was my least favorite of the choices, but since it was the cheapest, maybe it was the right choice for now.  I'm not sure if the garage area that was made into the bike shop and workspace for her was insulated.  I'm worried that critters and bugs can squeeze into the areas around the garage door.  I would've passed on this apartment for that reason alone!  I think that the bathroom was out there too.  No thanks!

 

They had a good attitude, not too demanding.  No jobs but do wither have work visas?  They moved from a cold place to a warm place, no complaints about getting away from tough winters as you often hear from house hunters leaving a cold place for a warmer locale.

He lived there for a couple of years as a kid and wanted to move there?  At first his wife broke up with him, then married and followed him there.

I guess the budget had to be adhered to.  He gets a job working in a bike shop but maybe they don’t plan to stay there long.  Would seem like they’d need more income than such a job would seemingly bring.

 

[proserpina65]

9 hours ago, laredhead said:

The New Zealand wife got on my nerves.  Was she planning to spend 24/7 on the beach?  I couldn't believe that she thought the children could share a room at their ages, especially for the daughter.  I thought the house they chose had only 2 bedrooms and House 1 had 3 bedrooms.  I was so done with her by the end of the episode I guess I wasn't paying enough attention.  Yes, all of a sudden she could go to work to afford what she wanted, and I guess all that time she was going to spend with the children (we hear that statement 100 times at least), went out the window. 

The house they chose is lovely, but her constant whining and demands made the episode less than enjoyable for me.  I should have watched it w/o sound.

It was house 3 which only had 2 bedrooms. God, that woman was annoying. I'd kill for only a 15 minute drive to the beach.  They should have taken the house closest to the husband's job. It's not like he was going to be using the car. 

[Pi237]

That shot of the kids in the pool, one side was just a straight drop quite a long way. That gave me such anxiety because I see our kids sitting on the edge of the pool constantly.  You’d have to watch them and their friends like a hawk there. 

[CalicoKitty]

7 hours ago, buttersister said:

On behalf of the daughter, let's say she has her own room and we don't need to call the NZ equivalent of Child and Family Services. She'll soon be old enough to get away from her narcissist mother and $5 says she does. Son, as well, eventually. The husband chose this. Happy Father's Day to him.

That wife was one of the most annoying people ever.  I feel sorry for her husband and kids.  That episode was not pleasant to watch.  She was so self-centered and demanding.  Was the house they chose the one where they were going to put the 2 kids in the primary bedroom upstairs with the amazing view and they were going to take the smaller bedroom/bathroom downstairs because the primary didn't have a door?  The wife was really upset about the missing door. She really wanted her privacy.  I didn't think it would be that much of a problem since the parents would be on a different-and private-floor.  Those kids were too old to be sharing a bedroom.

[Andyourlittledog2]

Watched the episode where the very attractive world traveling mid life couple bought a home in Mexico's 'Maya Riviera'.  When they mentioned that they both cashed in their entire retirement accounts to have the money to take this risk I just about choked. In my world you cash out retirement if you need an organ transplant to live long enough to actually retire. Not for a house. In a foreign country, especially one that is known to be unsafe and risky.  They said they were both risk takers and neither was good at being the voice of reason. I guess not. 

[buttersister]

Maybe this is them retiring now? (That's a one-way ticket.). Apparently, expats who aren't employed but have chosen to retire to Mexico full time, can enroll in what sounds like government-driven health plan, after becoming a resident. I wonder if they cashed out to have the funds to become permanent residents of Mexico. 

[buttersister]

I know it's a rerun, but always nice to see Richard in London. Although ... there was a little too much whining for my taste (or Richard's) among the partners. Especially when one was super-concerned that the kitchen in the eventual selection was too small for his partner, the cook. It was an eat-in kitchen, for cryin' out loud. Not enough counter space? A large kitchen table right there.

Suffice to say, it was bigger than mine, where I somehow manage to cook daily and have prepared dinner for 6-14. No table.

[Thumper]

1 hour ago, buttersister said:

I know it's a rerun, but always nice to see Richard in London. Although ... there was a little too much whining for my taste (or Richard's) among the partners. Especially when one was super-concerned that the kitchen in the eventual selection was too small for his partner, the cook. It was an eat-in kitchen, for cryin' out loud. Not enough counter space? A large kitchen table right there.

Suffice to say, it was bigger than mine, where I somehow manage to cook daily and have prepared dinner for 6-14. No table.

Yeah, I thought that comment was a stretch.  For an apartment in Europe, it seemed like plenty of counter space.

[Chicken Fingers]

London: Yeah, when they were saying that kitchen seemed too small, it sounded completely fake and produced. I thought they were a sweet couple. 

[seacliffsal]

I enjoyed the London couple and episode.  I am always pleased when the house hunters seem to like each other which actually doesn't happen that often IMO.  I could not believe they passed on the first apartment-that was amazing (and I knew at some point the on-leave hunter would have a job).   I always enjoy the scenery in HHI. 

[abbyzenn]

The London guys did have two great apartments to choose from.  While I liked the living room better in the one they chose I would have gone for the first one with that great outdoor space.  I guess the "not enough counter space" was the theme of this show.  Having once lived in an apartment with about a foot of counter space to the left of the kitchen sink and just enough space on the right to have a dish drainer (no dish washer) and was able to cook I looked at what looked like 5 feet of counter space and wondered what the heck was he talking about.

Regarding the second apartment with the red kitchen - whoever lived in that one should be embarrassed to show such a messy apartment.  

[mojito]

I can't say that in my apartment-living years, I ever requested outdoor space. That request seems so dumb to me, especially if you don't have a dog. This London guy annoyed the crap out of me. He goes on and on about the budget, but then turns around and asks for more than the expensive place had to offer. I hope it's HHI editing and not idiocy on the part of the house hunter.

[Orcinus orca]

Just now, mojito said:

I hope it's HHI editing and not idiocy on the part of the house hunter.

Never underestimate the idiocy of the public. Bear in mind that these nimrod sold their souls for 15 minutes of fame.

What a proud moment when they tell their grandkids "I made a fool of myself on HH".

[aghst]

Those House Hunters tried even Richard's patience.

Richard didn't drive them, all the houses seemed to be close to each other so it seemed they just walked around, including stopping at that pastry shop and taking coffees to go and heading to House #3.

Sounds like the one guy got a big enough pay raise from taking the job in London that the other guy didn't have to work.

I wonder what's more common, people moving for higher-paying jobs or people moving despite taking a pay cut.

We've had both on HHI but I would think most people wouldn't take a big step back in compensation.

[Chicken Fingers]

The Hague: I hated the house she chose--like a claustrophobic little fishbowl. I wonder if she was planning to age in place there with that staircase, or maybe move to her elderly parents' house eventually. The second house was lovely and cosy, with a fireplace and outside area, and near the beach. 

It was nice to see a sensible older woman on her own, torn between moving away from her college-aged kids and trying to spend a last bit of time with parents in their 80s. A lot of us can identify with that phase of life.

Edited June 23, 2023 by Chicken Fingers
typo

[snarts]

The Hague: I adored her, the city and the house she chose. Tugged at the heartstrings with her talk off wanting to move home for many years and now being able to do so but still obviously missing her kids.

Just me, or was there's potentially something romantical going on with her co-worker? 

[mojito]

The Hague

I liked this house hunter. I liked when Floor was trying to tell her that she didn't have to have a dishwasher: one plate, one knife, one fork, to which she responded, "Thank you" as though she were insulted.

The home she purchased will make a good rental someday. 

 

[abbyzenn]

I agree The Hague house hunter was a refreshing delight.  Her background was one of the more interesting ones on this show - growing up as the daughter of diplomatic service people and living around the world meeting, her husband in a London bar.  She didn't sound bitter but resigned that she couldn't take her children with her back to the Netherlands after her divorce so had to wait until they went to college.

I can't believe Flor couldn't come up with better options.  That first place where the only bathroom was in the master bedroom and there was no wall between them was terrible.  While the second pace had lovely and what looked like spacious living/dining room (I can't remember the kitchen) and outdoor space  it, like all three properties had a terrible second "bedroom."  One of the beds was like a bunk bed above what Flor said she could use as her home office, one had a very narrow stairway up to it.

I wonder if she keeps that door to the alley way locked - it would be a long way to go to let guests in to the house or if there was a way to lock/unlock from the house.  But then I guess The Netherlands is a lot safer place than the US.

[aghst]

Maybe budget was the reason The Hague house hunter ruled out the bigger, more expensive home.

She also was insistent on not living below someone so she did get that.

She was fed up with taking the subway so she wanted to bike everywhere.

If she had a 3 bedroom home in Brooklyn, as part of a divorce settlement, she'd probably be able to afford more than $425k, you'd think.

Unless she wanted to save some of it for retirement or helping her kids out.

[Chicken Fingers]

She did mention the expense of having two kids in college. She was probably also thinking of the budget for flying back and forth, which a lot of people don't seem to consider. Still, I was surprised she didn't take the house that was 15k over her budget, since the HHI people always seem to do so. How dare they have a sensible person on the show.

[Crashcourse]

5 hours ago, snarts said:

Just me, or was there's potentially something romantical going on with her co-worker? 

They showed a scene of her meeting up with the co-worker and another woman with a child, and I thought that was his wife.  

I liked the house hunter, so if that small place suited her, then good for her.

 

And her parents were lovely.

[Chit Chat]

On 6/18/2023 at 11:48 PM, CalicoKitty said:

Was the house they chose the one where they were going to put the 2 kids in the primary bedroom upstairs with the amazing view and they were going to take the smaller bedroom/bathroom downstairs because the primary didn't have a door? 

I think they got the 3-bedroom house.  I was really annoyed when she told her husband (at the beginning of the home search) that he could commute.  She sounded like she wanted to be on permanent vacation.  At least they both compromised, and it looks like they're happy.  

16 hours ago, Chicken Fingers said:

It was nice to see a sensible older woman on her own, torn between moving away from her college-aged kids and trying to spend a last bit of time with parents in their 80s. A lot of us can identify with that phase of life.

I enjoyed that episode.  I loved the second (cozy) home she looked at.  It's too bad that it was over budget.  The house she chose is cute, but I hate a spiral staircase, and that would've been a dealbreaker for me.  I'm glad that it's working out for her though!  It's good that she can be near her parents, but it's tough to be away from her kids.  Things are much easier when one's family is in the same area, but that's not a reality for most of us.  I see this as a potential problem for so many people who are moving to other countries and are so far away from their family.  It's difficult enough when you're a few states away from family, but to be thousands of miles away is especially tough.  

[aghst]

1 hour ago, Chit Chat said:

I think they got the 3-bedroom house.  I was really annoyed when she told her husband (at the beginning of the home search) that he could commute.  She sounded like she wanted to be on permanent vacation.  At least they both compromised, and it looks like they're happy.  

 

The Christchurch, NZ episode?

There was no compromise, she got the house she wanted, with the long commute for the husband, who didn't put up a fight.

It was the most spectacular house but inconveniently up a hill (hence the spectacular views) so it made for a tough commute on bike, with her getting to use the one car they have.

[Chit Chat]

57 minutes ago, aghst said:

There was no compromise, she got the house she wanted, with the long commute for the husband, who didn't put up a fight.

I just watched this a while ago, and at the end, the husband really seemed to like the more expensive house and was on board with the commute.  She wasn't twisting his arm about it at that point.  I was shocked that he really seemed to want that house.   She agreed to it with the condition that she'd go back to work.  It showed him riding his bicycle up to the house and he said he didn't mind the commute.  They both felt like it was the best choice for their family.  

As much as she annoyed me at the beginning of the search, she actually compromised more by agreeing to get a job.  There's no telling how the editing ended up portraying this couple vs. what happened in the scenes we didn't see! 

[aghst]

Sure he liked the house but the first house they eliminated was really close to his work, though not close to the beach at all for her.

Maybe he's an avid bicyclist so he wanted the longer commute for a workout.

Just seemed like she is used to getting her way.