House Hunters International - General Discussion

[Dirge]

On 8/30/2024 at 3:53 PM, aghst said:

That would be cool if they appeared on another episode as they looked for another place.

One episode with her was enough for me! I was surprised that after already having been deployed to Germany before, she didn't seem interested in learning the language at all. I guess when you've mastered the art of eye rolling, you don't need any other language. 

[chessiegal]

When we were on the QM2 going to Hamburg, we had lunch with a German couple and their young son. They mentioned he was bored because he didn't speak English yet. IIRC, they said they start teaching it in school in the 7th grade (maybe sooner). We didn't meet any adults in Germany who didn't speak English.

[proserpina65]

21 hours ago, aghst said:

But curry wurst is suppose to be big.  Aside from ME food like kebap, there are a lot of restaurants advertising Asian fusion cuisine, in fact chains of them.

Just like Indian food is huge in the UK, it seems like ME and Asian food are big in Germany.

None are those are traditional German foods, however.  Those are various ethnics foods which are popular there because of a large immigrant population.  Which is a good thing, imo.

20 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

It's fine not to like German (or any country's) food, taste preferences vary.  My issue with her was that she decided to announce it for everyone to hear.  She could have just said that comment off camera.

There's no such thing as off-camera on shows like this.  Like I said, her saying it on camera didn't bother me at all.  Everything else about here did.

 

[snarts]

Seville, Spain: Florida family with two young daughters moving to a city they've never visited. Really didn't address why they were moving or how they intended to support themselves abroad other than continually mentioning they wanted a change. Oh, and a throwaway comment that his career demanded much of his time. Yep, that's why they pay you...

Budget was $2200/mo, they wanted to be close the girls' school and didn't intend to have a vehicle.

Option one was a multi-story townhome with 4 bedrooms and a rooftop deck for $2400/mo. It was really the only choice for them being in town and a five minute walk to the school. The other two, while far less expensive ($1500 & $1700),were both out in the suburbs.

Unsure why they needed the huge townhome. For maybe the first time ever, they didn't even mention having family or friends visit :)

 

 

[chessiegal]

4 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

There's no such thing as off-camera on shows like this.  Like I said, her saying it on camera didn't bother me at all.  Everything else about here did.

Agreed. I finally got around to watching this. So, they met in Germany when she was working there. She knows what it's like to live there. She was definitely one of the more unlikeable house hunters. 

[aghst]

5 hours ago, snarts said:

Seville, Spain: Florida family with two young daughters moving to a city they've never visited. Really didn't address why they were moving or how they intended to support themselves abroad other than continually mentioning they wanted a change. Oh, and a throwaway comment that his career demanded much of his time. Yep, that's why they pay you...

Budget was $2200/mo, they wanted to be close the girls' school and didn't intend to have a vehicle.

Option one was a multi-story townhome with 4 bedrooms and a rooftop deck for $2400/mo. It was really the only choice for them being in town and a five minute walk to the school. The other two, while far less expensive ($1500 & $1700),were both out in the suburbs.

Unsure why they needed the huge townhome. For maybe the first time ever, they didn't even mention having family or friends visit :)

 

 

They must have a lot of money in the bank.  They don't seem too worried about work.

Because the wife was doing all the research, listening to travel podcasts, to choose Seville as the destination.

Notice no mention about how the destination might provide income opportunities or that they would just use an office and work remotely?

For that matter, they don't talk about how long they'd be there.  So can you even get a visa to stay longer than the 3 months Americans are allowed to stay for one stretch without even having visited the place?

Would Spain grant a visa for first-time visitors to the city where they plan to live?

They would have to be sure that these Americans have financial resources, that they wouldn't try to find jobs, because a work visa is a much higher bar to clear.

As for the house they chose, of course she was going to make a stand for the townhouse.  The other ones were boring and too far away from school.

At least these Floridians aren't home schooling.

 

 

[BAForever]

Florida to Seville bugged. Lots of questions about their back story, income, and no friends, relatives and grandparents to visit. She kept yapping about charm, it was a beautiful place, but more modern than charm- and those stairs. A total waste of the 2 downstairs bedrooms, plus a tiny kitchen, plus the daughters now share a bedroom. I'd have taken house #3 with the pool. Sure, you have to get a car, but saving $700 a month in rent gets you a car and then some.

Hate these people who want to "know they live in ____." Look out the window,  you'll know. 

Plus I thought they were selfish putting their needs above kids- and they made a presentation to let kids know benefits of move. 

They were annoying AF. 

Rant over.

[aghst]

The Seville townhouse had a living room with a ceiling which had arches formed with red bricks.  Looks very nice but I wonder about a brick falling out and landing on someone.

They had some other nice architectural features, not necessarily Spanish charm but more interesting than the other two homes.

Yeah if they were going to live in the suburbs, why bother moving to Spain in the first place, especially to be so far away from the daughters' school?

When the girls are older, one of them can live downstairs but who knows how long they plan to stay in that home or in Spain?

They said they sold everything back in FL so that's going all-in, especially to a place they're visiting for the first time.

I've only been to Seville a couple of times.  I don't recall people doing things in the river.  I think there's a lot of large boat traffic so it's not a river where you can kayak or something.

Other places in Andalusia, they will find nature, for things like hiking or bicycling or go to the southern coast.  They would need a car though or they might consider moving out of the city.

She said she likes cities, not sure why though, she didn't mention anything about going to restaurants all the time or enjoying all the cultural things bigger cities offer like museums or the churches.  The Seville Cathedral is kind of a big deal, they showed it in the background but they didn't seem especially interested in it.

At the end though, they seem to be hosting a party on their roof terrace so maybe that's the appeal, to socialize, meet people.  When the daughters get older, that should also be an advantage for their social lives.

[BAForever]

You think they are there for the long-term @aghst? Their story had a lot of missing pieces. Did they speak Spanish I wonder?

Agree with you about river- that's not a daily trip probably. 

I'd still pick #3 and find a closer elementary/primary school for kids. 

[aghst]

You can never tell because the cover stories are always dubious.

They don't seem to be pulling some social media stunt, though maybe the wife is interested in doing a travel blog, as she seemed to read that kind of content.

But I don't think there's money in that any more.

I would assume they found an international school where their daughters would at least be taught in English and maybe Spanish as well.

It would be very tough for them to be thrown into a regular school where just English is taught.

In Sweden, English classes are required after Swedish.

In Finland, they're required to learn not just Finnish but English and Swedish as well.  All the place names have both Finnish and Swedish names though, whereas English signage is much more limited, though everyone at least in the center of Helsinki speaks English.

Southern European countries don't seem to push English and other foreign languages as much but I think a lot more people take it upon themselves to learn English, maybe even taking private classes that they pay for, to make themselves more marketable in the whole EU job market.

[Chit Chat]

13 hours ago, aghst said:

They said they sold everything back in FL so that's going all-in, especially to a place they're visiting for the first time.

From the picture they showed, their home in Gainesville was gorgeous!  It's in a college town, so they probably had no problems selling it.  And with the costs of homes in Florida, I'm sure they'll be fine living off of their proceeds from the house & selling all of their belongings for a while. 

What I didn't like about the place they chose was that there wasn't a good view from the windows other than the rooftop.  The view from the front was the building across from them.  I didn't see the view from the back of the apartment.  Also, was it 4 sets of stairs?  That would get old very quickly for me, but to each his/her own! 

I liked the third property with the pool.  The kitchen was tight but wasn't horrible!  I've had smaller kitchens than that and was able to make it work.  

14 hours ago, BAForever said:

Look out the window,  you'll know. 

How many times have all of us screamed at the tv, 'look out the effing window!!'

[surfgirl]

Uch, the Digital Nomad Douche Bro episode. I can't stand these guys.

Hyper Smaller Dude: I'm a digital nomad! 

Me: Tell me you're a douche without telling me you're a douche.

He's in the car with the real estate agent and he says, "Are we in Cambodia or what, we've been driving forever!" Dude, that's considered a rude comment to most Vietnamese people. This guy has done zero research learning about local culture. Such an embarrassing tool. These are the kind of Americans and foreigners who go someplace to live cheaper and they take and take from the local culture but they don't add anything to it. 

*steps off soapbox*

Edited September 6 by surfgirl

[debbie311]

Florida to Seville:  I would be interested in knowing the back story here.  She kept saying they (she) wanted to make a "major change." To sell everything you own and move to a place you have never been seems pretty foolhardy to me, especially with two young children. No mention of jobs. It was pretty obvious to me that the wife was driving the decision, the husband seemed willing to go along with her, whatever. I knew they would go for the townhouse. The only place for those kids to go outside to play is up on the rooftop. It really wasn't a place for kids. 

[proserpina65]

On 9/4/2024 at 9:59 AM, snarts said:

Unsure why they needed the huge townhome. For maybe the first time ever, they didn't even mention having family or friends visit :)

Well, the space was so much more like what they had in Florida. /s

On 9/5/2024 at 4:48 AM, BAForever said:

Hate these people who want to "know they live in ____." Look out the window,  you'll know. 

I get wanting the interior of your home to have character.  God knows I hate modern design.  But ultimately, yeah, base your decision on practical things such as location, closeness to schools, walkability, price, and the like.

On 9/5/2024 at 4:48 AM, BAForever said:

A total waste of the 2 downstairs bedrooms, plus a tiny kitchen, plus the daughters now share a bedroom

I wouldn't care about two small children sharing a bedroom except for the existence of the downstairs bedrooms in a house which is already over-budget.

17 hours ago, Chit Chat said:

From the picture they showed, their home in Gainesville was gorgeous!  It's in a college town, so they probably had no problems selling it. 

I didn't think it was particularly attractive, but it was big and in a college town, so I'm sure they made good money off the sale.

 

[debbie311]

Americans who want "charm" in other countries also want at least two bathrooms, three or four bedrooms, a good-sized kitchen like they had at home and a yard.  In or near the city center, close to bars and restaurants. The thing is, to find a historic-type house with those amenities is way out of their budget.  It must drive the real estate person crazy.

I notice in all these house hunter shows that they complain about a house having no charm or character.  Especially if the walls are white and the room is empty.  Duh.  It's up to you to add the charm with furniture and accessories. I'd rather have a clean slate to work with than a bunch of horrid crap, as in ugly wallpaper and window coverings.

[chessiegal]

1 hour ago, debbie311 said:

It must drive the real estate person crazy.

You have to keep in mind these folks have probably lived in the house they "chose" for quite some time. The "real estate agent" may or may not have had anything to do with finding their property.

[Notabug]

19 hours ago, chessiegal said:

You have to keep in mind these folks have probably lived in the house they "chose" for quite some time. The "real estate agent" may or may not have had anything to do with finding their property.

At some point, there was a real estate agent involved and, if the impression we're given by the show is correct, they undoubtedly drove that agent right over the edge.

20 hours ago, debbie311 said:

Americans who want "charm" in other countries

The major problem I have with all the requests for 'charm' seem to be based on some Disneyfied cartoon version of the lifestyle in the other country and not the day to day reality of life and living there.  Many of these hunters seem to have learned about other cultures from riding It's a Small World at DisneyLand.  

Quote

 The kitchen was tight but wasn't horrible!  I've had smaller kitchens than that and was able to make it work.

My grandmother was an amazing cook who also loved to bake and managed to feed her husband and 7 kids delicious completely homemade meals from a kitchen about a quarter the size that most househunters deem adequate.

[aghst]

"Charm" is just an HHI shorthand for the nonstandard (from an American POV) architecture or interior or exterior design that you often see in Europe.

It can be housing that goes back decades or even centuries (but renovated inside), it can have decorative elements, it could have style that goes beyond function.

It can be as simple as red-brick construction, which isn't common in the US in recent decades, especially outside of big cities.

It's anything that is different or better than the tract homes or cookie-cutter home design which is common in the US because a handful of multi-billion dollar home construction companies build the same kind of designs.

That even goes back a couple of decades, it's not limited to new construction.

[surfgirl]

IMO, on HHI the word 'charm' is equal the the word 'craftsman'on HH. Most of these nitwits don't know what either word actually means. I think most of the ding dongs who spout off about 'oooh look at the craftsman details!' are really talking about craftsmanship NOT Craftsman-style architecture. Similarly, on HHI 'charm' can be an arched doorway or a few indoor bricks or a winding stairway that they then bitch endlessly about going up and down all day. 

Edited September 7 by surfgirl

[Notabug]

6 minutes ago, surfgirl said:

IMO, on HHI the word 'charm' is equal the the word 'craftsman'on HH. Most of these nitwit don't kniwnwhat either word actually means. I think k most of the ding songs who spout off about 'oooh look at the craftsman details!' are really talking about craftsmanship NOT Craftsman-style architecture. Similarly, on HHI 'charm' can be an arched doorway or a few indoor bricks ir a winding stairway that they then bitch endlessly about going up abd down all day. 

I am particularly amused by the househunters in the Netherlands who want 'Dutch charm' and then complain about the narrow rooms and steep staircases.  

[javajeanelaine]

Seville woman did not appear to care what her kids needed or what her husband wanted.  She bugged me.

[Chit Chat]

7 hours ago, Notabug said:

My grandmother was an amazing cook who also loved to bake and managed to feed her husband and 7 kids delicious completely homemade meals from a kitchen about a quarter the size that most househunters deem adequate.

She sounds amazing!  My fondest memories are of the small homes we had and where we managed to fit 10-12 people into the eat-in kitchen for holiday meals.  I don't know how we did it, but we managed, and it was great!

Some of these buyer's demands are lost on me.  You could give them a place like the Biltmore Estate, and they'd still find something to bitch about.  😏

[javajeanelaine]

Just saw an Amsterdam episode with a couple and a dog.  It was nice to see a couple who didn’t snipe at each other.

[ML89]

On 9/7/2024 at 12:54 PM, surfgirl said:

IMO, on HHI the word 'charm' is equal the the word 'craftsman'on HH. Most of these nitwits don't know what either word actually means. I think most of the ding dongs who spout off about 'oooh look at the craftsman details!' are really talking about craftsmanship NOT Craftsman-style architecture. Similarly, on HHI 'charm' can be an arched doorway or a few indoor bricks or a winding stairway that they then bitch endlessly about going up and down all day. 

One of my favorite moments, I think it was an Italian house, is the guy asked for "modern" and the agent took them to a very modern architecture/minimalist apartment. The guy said "but not like that" and the agent said something like "oh, you want new things in it, not modern" and uh, yeah, that.

Except they keep using it!

[proserpina65]

On 9/6/2024 at 2:59 PM, debbie311 said:

I notice in all these house hunter shows that they complain about a house having no charm or character.  Especially if the walls are white and the room is empty.  Duh.  It's up to you to add the charm with furniture and accessories. I'd rather have a clean slate to work with than a bunch of horrid crap, as in ugly wallpaper and window coverings.

There is such a thing as architectural charm, which is not something the renters can add.  Often that comes in old buildings that tend to also include limited space/no yard or balcony/small appliances/big price tag.  The smart people realize this.  The house hunters who whine about missing one or the other at the price they can afford annoy me to know end.  Me, I would sacrifice space for historical charm, but I'm just one person.

On 9/6/2024 at 4:13 PM, chessiegal said:

You have to keep in mind these folks have probably lived in the house they "chose" for quite some time. The "real estate agent" may or may not have had anything to do with finding their property.

We do still get to watch some of them roll their eyes at these unreasonable requests, though, which is fun.

 

[paramitch]

I've been continuing my bingewatch on Max while I do other things, and as always, the show is so weirdly inspiring and maddening -- I would love to have an ocean view one of these days, even on my peasant freelancer salary, so... this show lets me dream, at least.

Meanwhile, my favorite house hunters of all time are still the older couple from Seattle who moved to (I think) Mexico or South America, coastal. (I can't remember their exact episode!) They had both worked and saved, and she had survived a major accident and had scars on her face, and the two were absolutely kind people and visibly so in love. She had wanted an ocean view, and the husband gave in at the end (pretty predictably). Then she gave a speech about working for things that matter and the importance of dreams, and I almost teared up. They just seemed like the loveliest people.

And on to the snark!

(PS -- Sorry these are old, I've been bingeing and it's fun to follow the comments here even if ancient!)

On 7/25/2018 at 8:04 PM, Kohola3 said:

Las Vegas to Berlin.

If that weenie of a husband uttered the word "budget" one more time I was going to shoot the TV.  Can't believe she gave into him.

That husband, I swear to God, sounded EXACTLY like Corky St. Clair from Waiting for Guffman. You be the judge. 

On 7/26/2018 at 3:36 AM, LennieBriscoe said:

Las Vegas to Berlin:

The weenie of a husband (he's practically elfin in stature) "really developed a love for Germans, their culture, and their history"? Should have stopped at "culture," Mein  Vocal Fry Herr (JMHO).

I'm getting tired of men who, because of the budget they've chosen, don't mind if OTHER family members share tiny bedrooms.

I couldn't believe their pick was the freaking two bedroom with three kids. That poor teenaged son basically camping out in the living room! Gah. The husband was so selfish.

On 10/4/2018 at 9:33 PM, Irlandesa said:

The woman in tonight's Paris episode could have been neighbors with Adrienne.  Long commute be damned! She should have gone for it.  Imagine having a cafe with Adrienne, going to the Farmer's Market with her---breaking a baguette. What could have been.

Life would be a dream to be able to go hang out in a cafe with Adrienne. Or Richard, for that matter! Love both of them so much.

On 10/9/2018 at 5:02 AM, rlc said:

I’ve given this too much thought. I’ve despised many, many, many people on this show, and on paper, there have been many people worse than sloth boy, but I think he annoyed me more than any other participant on this show. The fact that he decided that they are moving to Costa Rica on a whim, and the fact that his wife just allowed him to make the decision? Ugh. And the whining about his dream kitchen? Cannot stand him. The sloths were cute, though.

Look, I adore sloths too, but sloth man gave me the creeps. He just seemed slightly unbalanced in a way that made me uncomfortable. I was just happy that his wife at least surprised me by showing real backbone and unwillingness to let him run right over her on everything.

On 12/27/2018 at 10:03 PM, LittleIggy said:

SA to Sydney: I feel bad for the wife not getting anything she wanted (like the Bristol wife).

I felt so bad for that woman, and I know some disliked her, so it's always interesting to see the different impressions. I just felt so sorry for her -- her husband was just so cold and smug, and while he was handsome, he just had this very mean face and demeanor to me. He kept mocking what she wanted, and it was so jarring beside her confessionals, which were basically "I was Googling plane tickets back home" (with her trying to keep her tone light, but she was obviously serious).

On 12/28/2018 at 10:00 PM, LittleIggy said:

Bristol: I felt bad for the wife having to leave a job she had had for 18 years. What kind of company (the husband’s) gives someone 48 hours to make a decision like that?

I felt she was understandably nervous and stressed -- she gave up her entire life and job of 18 years to move across the world, and he just mocked her the entire time. Ugh. (And knowing all along that they didn't get her ocean view, it just felt like an especially sad choice by them or the producers for the storyline.)

On 2/1/2019 at 7:52 AM, sempervivum said:

Merida -They were desperate to have their kids 'learn about how other people live'. So instead of the first place, which looked to be in an actual lower middle class neighborhood, or the last place, which was on a public beach (there were lots of what looked like Mexicans there), they picked the giant American style place in what looked liked an isolated upper class neighborhood. And I assume the school the dad picked out previously was an international one, meaning not P.S. 100.

This is a common issue for me. We see so many of these incredibly privileged people saying they want to see the world and give their children a broader view of life and the planet, while also snarking about their need for open floorplans, state-of-the-art kitchens, huge living spaces, and affluent lifestyles closed off from the "common people" they profess to want to live among.

On 1/12/2019 at 7:09 AM, laredhead said:

Anyone see the Los Angeles to Mexico real estate couple episode?  After watching that one, I think HH should come up with a new series based on our observations as to which couple will go the distance and which will be divorced in a year.  This couple made the episode hard to watch for me.  He was very critical of her, and she said some things that were also less than nice - IMO.  His remark to her in the restaurant regarding her slowness in learning Spanish was particularly pointed.  He said she didn't take instructions from him very well.    Her remark that he wanted a horse so he could ride off into the sunset sounded accurate to me by the time the episode ended. 

The husband was really unpleasant in this one. Some of his comments were actually hurtful, not to mention slightly icky and superior (like the one about her "not taking instruction well" -- what is she, a child?!).

On 1/14/2019 at 8:32 PM, buttersister said:

Texas to Orvietto

What business? ”Hate all this stone in the medieval hill town!” said the P.I.T.A. to the long-suffering realtor who hoped calling herself a mentor would help her tolerate Victoria, the mom. LOL! 

Oh my GOD, this woman drove me nuts. All those genuinely beautiful apartments, and she's complaining about the gorgeous brick alcoves, walls, or ceilings. I mean, she picked this town specifically! It was so incredibly strange. And you could tell she was living this alternate storyline in her head of "brave and independent single mom moves to Italy and inspires millions!" Er, not so much, lady.

On 1/17/2019 at 5:21 AM, Pickles said:

The Texas to Mexico couple last night. I didn't give the episode my full attention, but I disliked this couple immensely. They chose to move to Mexico, but the husband was complaining how they gave up so much to move there, blah, blah, and they wanted to get what they wanted, etc. She complained about green tile in a kitchen and orange paint. They complained that their dogs couldn't be off leash. He complained that they weren't right on the beach. Not enough privacy in another place. It was endless. Their agent was fed up with them, as she should have been. They were so unpleasant and seemed so full of themselves. Good luck making friends there.

This was another situation where I wondered if they were purposely trying to find things to complain about because they were such silly little details to be deal-breakers! That kitchen was perfectly nice, darn it. 

And what is it with these people who want to live in total isolation and turn up their noses at simply having neighbors? I don't get it. Some of these people get upset because there's a house on a hilltop half a mile away, as if they'll have a telescope glued to their lives 24/7.

On 12/6/2018 at 11:17 AM, slasherboy said:

I felt so bad for the young woman in Denmark.  She's stuck out in the country with a newborn, no family except for her in-laws, no friends and not many opportunities to make any, and a husband who travels.  I can see her heading back to Texas before the baby learns to walk.

I found her episode so depressing. He's going to be gone all the time, she's pregnant and stuck alone away from people and town, and the worst part was, she was so genuinely sweet and excited about every place she saw! She deserved better than for him to just shove her into his existing former bachelor pad. Ugh.

On 12/13/2018 at 3:20 PM, ML89 said:

I was saying that the whole episode. Not only because that was a weird situation overall and the apartments were terrible (how did someone schlep a fridge up those stairs in that third place???) but also because he, his man bun, his skateboard, eating on the floor, and wanting to live "grungy" and "very Cambodian" were on my last nerve. If you looked up hipster tool, he'd be the illustration.

He was the classic HHI hypocrite because he whined about "local color" and wanted to be so "authentic" and "grungy" but of course everything HE wanted was non-negotiable. I loved that the GF said what I think every time this comes up: "If we want to feel like we live in Cambodia, all we have to do is look/go outside."

On 12/19/2018 at 9:20 AM, doodlebug said:

And expecting their preteen daughter to sleep in a loft with virtually no privacy?  Yeah, sure.  He wanted an 'authentic' Vietnamese dwelling place, but only if he wasn't the one who'd have to deal with the inconvenient things.  As long as he had a Western style kitchen, his kid could sleep on a mattress in the open in the living room, his wife could navigate four flights of stairs twice a day.  The apartment he supposedly liked didn't seem all that authentic to me; just not as new and well maintained as the others.

Ugh, this guy and Manbun from Cambodia should get together and spare everyone else. I was so irritated that this guy insisted on inconveniencing everyone else as long as he got what he wanted for himself. 

On 12/21/2018 at 10:22 AM, LittleIggy said:

Toronto to Limerick: I’m glad they picked the place with the donkey and pony neighbors! I would be back there feeding those cuties, too. I liked the third place, too. The husband already looked Irish. Wonder if there was a pub nearby? 😆

I was sold the minute we saw the donkey and pony! I loved that they chose that place. Just so freaking adorable. My sister is a rural vet tech and she also goes around part time locally and feeds/cares for ponies, donkeys, and goats. Her videos of cute happy braying donkeys, goats, and ponies always make me happy.

On 12/24/2018 at 9:11 PM, LittleIggy said:

MN to Nairobi: The husband really annoyed me when he leaned out of the balcony just to be able to get a glimpse of the neighbors’ balcony (it was not adjacent) and said “Is that the neighbors’ balcony? That will take getting used to (or words to that effect).” 🙄

Another HHI mystery (and it's almost always the guy's problem): Oh, horrors, the neighbors! LOL. I have lived in apartments 75% of my adult life and honestly, neighbors are simply a part of my life. And most of the time, they're semi-invisible and give me no issues.

On 2/5/2019 at 9:52 AM, mojito said:

Switzerland to Finland

Geez, 20 minutes is too long to walk? Someone smack that girl for me. She acted as though she'd be wearing snowshoes and slogging through a couple feet of snow each day. And it's not like she's coming from a balmy climate. And what's with everything that's been around for more than a few minutes being "old"? Kids today. They're so annoying and spoiled and they won't stay off my lawn. 

I was especially annoyed that she thought that perfectly lovely kitchen's appliances were "old" simply because they were white (i.e., not stainless steel). They looked perfectly modern and clean and new to me. The realtor even noted that the kitchen had actually been renovated fairly recently.

I felt SLIGHTLY sorry for the HH because she did look absolutely terrified. 

On 3/8/2019 at 5:38 PM, mojito said:

Austin to Bangkok

What a phony excuse to want to leave Austin, we have it all and so does everyone around us, so we want to go somewhere else....where we can live large again and hopefully have more than other people! And using the kids as an excuse for not wanting to really get something different. She was so full of shit and so smack-worthy. I'm sure Austin misses the hell out of her.

Ugh, she is my least favorite kind of HH -- I absolutely understand wanting security and a reasonable amount of safety, but her criticisms were so "rich-person problems" that it was hard to empathize. She did look terrified and not terribly happy to be there.

On 3/25/2019 at 9:00 PM, Bronx Babe said:

[Adrienne] probably also has an apartment in Paris.

Her sweet Texas friend's singing voice sounded like someone stepped on a cat.  I missed the opening scenes.  He better just find a regular day job, lol.

Always love seeing Adrienne! But oh, boy, her friend's voice. Speaking as a formally trained voice nerd, he probably got compliments in karaoke/singing in the car because he has a strong vibrato. The problem is, it's a rather shrill, unpleasant vibrato, and he's singing from his throat, full-blast from note one, and just forcing everything from there. Which also had him frequently going sharp and off-key. He needs to relax, breathe from his diaphragm, and not start every song at 11 -- it's okay to start soft and simple, and then leave the belting for the end.

On 3/26/2019 at 1:35 AM, biakbiak said:

The Nice dude could not have been more cliched if he tried. Also, dude most of the hot dudes you want ogle aren’t going to give you a second glance so don’t dismiss your neighbors because they aren’t hot enough for you.

I hated how bitchy and mean he was about other people's looks. I mean, dude isn't exactly a ten himself by his own standards, so his rude comments about other people's hotness or lack thereof really made me dislike him. I was rooting for him to recover from heartbreak in the beginning, but by the end, I just felt like maybe he deserved to be alone if he was THAT shallow and mean-spirited.

[Grizzly]

Vienna. That shower in the kitchen was really freaking Sara out. I was thinking, it could be worse, the toilet could be in the kitchen. Nope, it's out in the hallway. Well played, show. Achim is a man of understatement, Sara didn't like that apartment. I liked the other 2 apartments. I don't think she can make a wrong choice.

[Crashcourse]

Paris.  I figured the woman would pick the tiny place because of her desired location. 

I wonder if some of the Parisians quietly laugh and snark at Adrienne strolling around on the streets in her "Parisian" outfits. 😏

[aghst]

2 minutes ago, Crashcourse said:

Paris.  I figured the woman would pick the tiny place because of her desired location. 

I wonder if some of the Parisians quietly laugh and snark at Adrienne strolling around on the streets in her "Parisian" outfits. 😏

Maybe she only does it for the show.

Yeah maybe this house hunter was really fixated on the 5th arrondissement or maybe the additional $100 was a big deal.

She quit her job and is trying to start her own consulting business, working from home.  She mentioned digital nomad so that may be how she is able to move there, though I hadn't heard that  France offers digital nomad visas like other European countries have.

The other choice in the 5th is on the ground floor and she worried about security.

Wonder if that's really true, if burglaries mostly occur on the ground floor apartments of these walk up buildings with multiple floors.

Certainly she'd have more privacy on an upper floor.

It wasn't right in the middle of everything like the apt. she eventually chose.  But maybe it would be quieter near the river than in the middle of a busy street.

[Notabug]

2 hours ago, aghst said:

Maybe she only does it for the show.

 

 

 

 

My neighbor is one of the people who directs some of the international episodes.  He's worked with Adrienne a lot and says she is exactly the same in regular life as she is on the show and the wardrobe is her own and that is how she dresses all the time.  He really likes her, says she is fun to work with.

[ML89]

Gainesville to Seville: This one was just odd. She looked online and picked Seville - which looks like parts of St Augustine, which is about 90 minutes from Gainesville (obv St Aug is the knockoff) - so it looked familiar? The house they picked seemed like a nightmare to me (I lived in a three story town house without bathrooms on every floor and I have the bad back to prove it). Plus there isn't even the obligatory "we're teaching English/running a podcast" to explain them selling that big house to move....I can't remember, was his name

Tony Amato?

 

 

[Jodithgrace]

The woman moving to Paris said she was starting some kind of consulting business to work from home, but in the 2 month follow up she said that she is teaching in an international school. 
I wanted to see that bed in the cupboard, but they only showed the pullout sofa bed. 

[Chit Chat]

4 hours ago, aghst said:

The other choice in the 5th is on the ground floor and she worried about security.

 I'm wondering if she had a bad experience along the way and just feels safer on an upper floor.  I would prefer that myself.  The realtor kept saying that privacy isn't an issue there, so maybe they're not worried about peeping Toms!  She commented on how us Americans live in our own bubble.  I resemble that remark and am just fine in my little bubble!! 😜

I think she's the first buyer/renter to have ever said 'I don't really care about a big kitchen!'  That was refreshing!  No griping about how she was going to fit 50 people in her apartment & kitchen while she entertains! 

Of course, another scenario where the HH has what they think is a decent budget, just to be told, 'Oh, no!  That's going to be tough!'  The buyer/renter's budget is rarely enough!   

[Chit Chat]

1 hour ago, Jodithgrace said:

I wanted to see that bed in the cupboard, but they only showed the pullout sofa bed. 

I was curious about that too.  I think there might've been enough room in there where she could've put a nice trundle bed in front of that closed cabinet, then it could be for seating and then sleeping.  I've seen some very nice, modern trundle beds that look more like a sofa.  I would prefer that over pulling the big sofa out every night.  

[screamingcow]

I just watched Seville and similarly I thought that their story was off.  After some quick Google research, I found that he was fired without cause from UF as he was abusive towards his players.

https://tucson.com/sports/arizonawildcats/former-ua-soccer-players-detail-struggles-under-ex-coach-tony-amato/article_621f4030-eb48-11ec-8298-e756a268e79a.html

[BAForever]

7 hours ago, screamingcow said:

I just watched Seville and similarly I thought that their story was off.  After some quick Google research, I found that he was fired without cause from UF as he was abusive towards his players.

https://tucson.com/sports/arizonawildcats/former-ua-soccer-players-detail-struggles-under-ex-coach-tony-amato/article_621f4030-eb48-11ec-8298-e756a268e79a.html

Interesting @screamingcow. Nice million dollar buyout. No wonder $ wasn't an issue with no discernable job. Interesting read. Thanks for the research. 

Edited September 19 by BAForever

[snarts]

@screamingcow thanks for sharing this, seems like a real peach. I fear for his daughters and I hope any EU universities conduct a background check before hiring him.

[proserpina65]

22 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

Paris.  I figured the woman would pick the tiny place because of her desired location. 

So did I.  At least it wasn't the Marais for a change.  Although no way would I be sleeping on that sofa bed.  I'd put a single bed in the bedroom.  That still would've allowed space for a desk there.

18 hours ago, Chit Chat said:

I'm wondering if she had a bad experience along the way and just feels safer on an upper floor.  I would prefer that myself.  The realtor kept saying that privacy isn't an issue there, so maybe they're not worried about peeping Toms! 

Maybe, but my knees say there's nothing wrong with a ground floor apartment.  They have these things called "curtains".  Obviously if there's an elevator, that's different, but a lot of older buildings in Paris do not have them.

15 hours ago, screamingcow said:

I just watched Seville and similarly I thought that their story was off.  After some quick Google research, I found that he was fired without cause from UF as he was abusive towards his players.

https://tucson.com/sports/arizonawildcats/former-ua-soccer-players-detail-struggles-under-ex-coach-tony-amato/article_621f4030-eb48-11ec-8298-e756a268e79a.html

That was interesting and infuriating.  It doesn't surprise me that he got away with his behavior at UA for so long.  It does surprise me that UF canned him for it.  Good for them, I guess.

 

[Notabug]

On 9/18/2024 at 2:34 PM, aghst said:

The other choice in the 5th is on the ground floor and she worried about security.

 

She also said the ground floor apartment was near the entrance to the building where there was a lot of foot traffic and had a lot of big windows including in the bathroom.  Adrienne recommended closing the blinds, but, the househunter felt like she'd have to keep them closed most of the time which defeats the purpose of having large windows that let in a lot of light.  I think she felt like she'd be living in a fishbowl with lots of traffic past her windows if she kept them open and just just wasn't comfortable with being on display all the time.

Edited September 20 by Notabug

[Chit Chat]

13 hours ago, Notabug said:

I think she felt like she'd be living in a fishbowl with lots of traffic past her windows if she kept them open and just just wasn't comfortable with being on display all the time.

The realtor kind of brushed it off and said something along the lines of it not being a problem there, but I don't like feeling like I'm on display either.   I can't remember if the apartment she chose had a washing machine in it (I think it did.) 

I'd like to see a more detailed tour of the cities these folks are moving to and see what's what as far as the practical details, i.e. what kind of grocery stores are available, and for those without washer/dryers in their apartment, are there laundromats easily available, or do you take your clothes to the dry cleaners? Are there medical facilities close by? The list goes on.....

Most of these people seem to be moving for the "charm" of it all, but I need to know details on how a particular area is going to impact my daily life.  Charm only gets you so far.   

[proserpina65]

10 minutes ago, Chit Chat said:

I can't remember if the apartment she chose had a washing machine in it (I think it did.) 

It might've been the one with a washing machine but no dryer.

I'm not big on letting light in, so keeping blinds closed wouldn't bother me, but she could always have used sheers which would let in let while still obscuring the view in.  Oh well, she seemed happy enough with the place she chose and she wasn't obnoxious about any of her must-haves, which is a nice change of pace for HHI.  And she was already familiar with the area, unlike so many of the people we see on this show.

 

[chessiegal]

19 minutes ago, Chit Chat said:

I'd like to see a more detailed tour of the cities these folks are moving to and see what's what as far as the practical details, i.e. what kind of grocery stores are available, and for those without washer/dryers in their apartment, are there laundromats easily available, or do you take your clothes to the dry cleaners? Are there medical facilities close by? The list goes on.....

The way the show is structured, showing 3 homes/apartments, and the summary at the end talking about the 3 choices (you really only need to watch the last 5 minutes), there is no time for sightseeing other than something vague said about the areas. It's a formula that has worked for this show for decades. Sightseeing, other than some activity they throw in, is another show.

[surfgirl]

1 hour ago, chessiegal said:

you really only need to watch the last 5 minutes

I do this alot tbh!

[Chit Chat]

1 hour ago, chessiegal said:

It's a formula that has worked for this show for decades. Sightseeing, other than some activity they throw in, is another show.

Yeah, they've got to go with what works for the show.  I wouldn't mind seeing 2 properties and then give the extra time at the end of the show to see how the buyers/renters are settling in, rather than the 30 seconds they show now, but that's just my curiosity and probably not something others want to see! I get that! 

[seacliffsal]

Just watched the Paris episode and loved the second, ground floor apartment.  However, I am shocked when the house hunters will obviously do whatever the producers tell them just to be on t.v.  All of the house hunters statements about wanting French charm flew out the window as the second apartment not only had stone walls but wood beams in the ceiling!  That to me would be such historic French charm-but I guess she was identifying French Empire charm instead (which I never really saw in the apartment she chose).  Also, the argument about people seeing in the windows, the windows faced the courtyard, not the street, and there were visible plants between the window and the courtyard, so no direct views into the apartment.  In other words, even if one's 'line' is to demand charm, just say 'no' when one is standing in the midst of historic charm and interest.

[Chit Chat]

On 9/23/2024 at 8:04 AM, seacliffsal said:

In other words, even if one's 'line' is to demand charm, just say 'no' when one is standing in the midst of historic charm and interest.

I wonder how people moving to this country would define "American charm!" 

[buttersister]

You know, cookie-cutter house near the mall and drive-through!

[ECM1231]

1 hour ago, Chit Chat said:

I wonder how people moving to this country would define "American charm!" 

Craftsman or Farmhouse, open floor plan inside, with a huge kitchen island, white cabinetry, and farmhouse sink. Don't forget that it must be in a neighborhood within walking distance of coffee shops and restaurants, but the neighbors can't be TOO close!

[proserpina65]

10 hours ago, ECM1231 said:

Craftsman or Farmhouse, open floor plan inside

The irony being that Craftsman & Farmhouse style houses generally don't have open floor plans.

[snarts]

Kaiserslautern, Germany: blended military family of six + a dog. Budget was $1600/mo. The backstory said she was career military and had lived abroad until the pandemic. She had three teenagers. He was a long-term friend from her early military days and they reconnected and got married in 2021. Together they also have a young child. Looking for a 3-4 bedroom home near a train station for her and an easy commute for him.

Option 1: ugly, old, small house 45 minutes from his office and nowhere near a train station $1500. 4 beds/2 baths but some of the rooms the realtor referred to as bedrooms were questionable (one appeared to be a downstairs sitting/dining room) 

Option 2: town/rowhouse 3 beds/3 baths, walking distance to the train station. $1600 large open living space but shared walls and no private backyard for the dog. 

Option 3: big modern-ish 5 bed/2 bath 20 min walk to train station. Under construction and ready in 4 weeks. 

They chose #2 with the only downfall being the lack of a private backyard means more walks for the dog. 

I loved how she'd fostered a love a travel in the kids. In the follow-up, they mentioned all the cities they'd already visited and where they were excited to go next.