House Hunters International - General Discussion

[aghst]

14 hours ago, BAForever said:

Never sure if what I'm watching on HHI is new or not. New Zealand to Cambodia. Nice Kiwi couple with 2 young boys- they definately picked the best house and seemed very likable, but I screamed at the TV when older son was sticking his head thru guard rails on boat trip. Neither parent had eyes directly on child. Makes me stabby.

New one for me.

Yeah the price savings seemed like a big deal for them, even though she found a job and said they have no money worries.

They're going from one of the highest cost of living places to one of the lowest, so I guess they were looking to reduce costs.

Few times I've been to Asia, you can go out to eat at local places spending a fraction of what you'd spend at Western-style restaurants.  Phnom Pehn probably has some of those but why would people spend more, especially when street food is one of the big draws?

But she did ask for an oven though didn't seem to insist on it.  Nor the pool for that matter.

 

[proserpina65]

17 hours ago, seacliffsal said:

The thing about the 'castle' house (and, no, it didn't look like a castle) was that it was actually two homes one of which they could have rented out so they would have ended up making money on the $1500 rent.

I liked that one the best, especially with the obvious sub-letting potential, but the one they chose was the closest to base so it made the most sense.  (I think they were renting, not buying, but they were going to be there for 4 years.)

 

[Notabug]

On 10/17/2024 at 1:02 PM, proserpina65 said:

I liked that one the best, especially with the obvious sub-letting potential, but the one they chose was the closest to base so it made the most sense.  (I think they were renting, not buying, but they were going to be there for 4 years.)

 

It could very well be, depending on their duties, that the soldier has to live within x minutes driving distance from the base.  That's not an unusual requirement for key personnel.  If that was the case, the castle house could never have been a contender, even if it wasn't already a done deal before the show was filmed.

Edited October 20 by Notabug

[Seelouis]

4 hours ago, Notabug said:

It could very well be, depending on his duties, that the husband has to live within x minutes driving distance from the base.  That's not an unusual requirement for key personnel.  If that was the case, the castle house could never have been a contender, even if it wasn't already a done deal before the show was filmed.

Wife. They were two women 

[aghst]

She said she didn't want a long commute.

But she also loved cars and talked about getting a second one.

I guess she loved cars being parked in that 2-car garage most of the time.

Though there are some beautiful drives in that part of the world.

[Notabug]

5 hours ago, Seelouis said:

Wife. They were two women 

Oops!  Sorry, I messed up.  I corrected my post.

[proserpina65]

On 10/19/2024 at 3:06 PM, aghst said:

She said she didn't want a long commute.

But she also loved cars and talked about getting a second one.

I guess she loved cars being parked in that 2-car garage most of the time.

Though there are some beautiful drives in that part of the world.

There is a difference between commuting to work and driving for pleasure.  Plus, she might just like tinkering with cars.

[surfgirl]

I'm watching the one where the AmericN special Ed teacher wants to find a husband...in Viet Nam...and she needs THREE brs just for her clothes. WTAF? Downsize your closet needs lady.

Also, the first place was perfect bc that balcony was HUGE! And the brown she was complaining about, she can make that into the stylish apartment by adding color and carved wood accents. Whatever, she has zero imagination.

Edited October 23 by surfgirl

[Dirge]

7 minutes ago, surfgirl said:

I'm watching the one where the AmericN special Ed teacher wants to find a husband...in Viet Nam...and she needs THREE brs just for her clothes. WTAF? Downsize your closet needs lady.

Also, the first place was perfect bc that balcony was HUGE! And the brown she was complaining about, she can make that into the stylish apartment by adding color and carved wood accents. Whatever, she has zero imagination.

Agreed! That lovely big balcony and the on-price rent was great. 

[surfgirl]

Oh man, now that little older dude who is a later in life MMA guy? In Pattaya Thailand? I cringe. Two minutes in and I'm thinking, 'Tell me your on 'roids without telling me you're on 'roids.' Ai yi yi. Also, I always side eye these parents who seem to be having a mid life crisis and they whine about having to leave their kids. BUT they leave their kids anyway because they're selfish and self obsessed. 'I wanna buy fresh produce everyday at the supermarket.' 'I cant find my preferred energy drink here.' 'I'm in SE Asia but I HATE bugs!' If he can't handle ants let alone bigger insects he's in the wrong country! 

ETA: How could I forget, he broke up with his last girlfriend because she would not kill a bug for him. OMFG.

Edited October 23 by surfgirl

[aghst]

9 hours ago, surfgirl said:

I'm watching the one where the AmericN special Ed teacher wants to find a husband...in Viet Nam...and she needs THREE brs just for her clothes. WTAF? Downsize your closet needs lady.

Also, the first place was perfect bc that balcony was HUGE! And the brown she was complaining about, she can make that into the stylish apartment by adding color and carved wood accents. Whatever, she has zero imagination.

She moved, taking a lower salary, to find a husband.

She's really invested in her wardrobe.  She might consider a lifestyle change, such as a change of diet, being more active.

She says she's never saved, rather have experiences than a "fat wallet."
 

Seems like she invested a lot of money into her wardrobe and is spending money for a larger apt. just to store those clothes.

 

I"ve only visited Vietnam once.  Those scooters are spewing a lot of smog.  Owning a car is prohibitive because they charge a lot to register, in addition to the cost of the car and fuel. So the huge young population value the mobility of those scooters and won't take buses, which would help with the very bad pollution.

[Grizzly]

58 minutes ago, aghst said:

Seems like she invested a lot of money into her wardrobe and is spending money for a larger apt. just to store those clothes.

Way too much stuff! Tutus and tiaras? If she were a toddler, I'd say she was on the wrong show. Do have to admit that custom dress was exquisite and looked great on her.

[Jodithgrace]

I just couldn’t deal with that Hanoi woman with the 34 boxes of clothes and accessories! I mean, how many clothes can a person wear? And we’re not even talking about changes of seasons. I’m sure it gets cold at some point, but it’s not Canada! It sounds like she’s always buying new stuff and not wearing what she already has. And if she, like my late husband, has clothing in 20 different sizes, it’s time to get rid of what doesn’t fit. Sorry. OTT conspicuous consumption just bothers me. 
So she picked the apartment she didn’t prefer just so she could cram 3 bedrooms with clothes..well, good for her, I guess. She is a special ed teacher, so that is a noble calling. I’m not sure I would choose Hanoi as the place to meet men, but what do I know? I’m 73 and won’t be swiping left or right anytime soon. 

[Crashcourse]

The Hanoi woman wants a husband, but I can't imagine any guy wanting to be with someone who loves blowing money on clothes and shoes.  I thought she was annoying as hell.  Good luck finding that husband. 🙄 

[Notabug]

3 minutes ago, Crashcourse said:

The Hanoi woman wants a husband, but I can't imagine any guy wanting to be with someone who loves blowing money on clothes and shoes.  I thought she was annoying as hell.  Good luck finding that husband. 🙄 

Not only blowing money on clothes and shoes, but ALL her money on said stuff.  Not sure how old she is, but she looked to be pushing 40.  Why would anyone want to take on that burden?  She said herself that she doesn't save money, so she is apparently looking for someone to do that for her out of their income so she can spend hers on more junk.

I love clothes and I have a lot of them.  I'm also plus size.  However, I would never in a million years choose a place to live based on how much space there is to store my huge wardrobe.  Presuming she was talking about the typical packing boxes for clothes, 34 of them would hold literally hundreds of pieces of clothing.

I did think her custom-made dress was lovely.  Had some friends who went to Viet Nam and she had some tops, skirts and pants made from various lovely silk fabrics and they were beautifully fitted and absolutely gorgeous.

[Crashcourse]

I thought the custom-made dress was lovely, and I could see having one made as a "treat" while on vacation somewhere, but that's probably just the beginning of her blowing money on custom-made outfits.  Sure, it's her money and she can spend it however she likes, but if she wants to be married, she'll have to compromise.  

[surfgirl]

On 10/23/2024 at 11:45 AM, Crashcourse said:

she'll have to compromise

Did she seem like a compromiser to you? 😂

[Chit Chat]

On 10/23/2024 at 12:44 AM, surfgirl said:

And the brown she was complaining about, she can make that into the stylish apartment by adding color and carved wood accents. Whatever, she has zero imagination.

Each time she said, "it's so brown," I'm yelling at the TV, "it's unpainted wood," and she could add lots of accents around the cabinets and furniture.  I liked that apartment the most, but the second one was good too.  I would want the balcony with either of those.  I did not like that mix of colors in the third apartment.  That was a little too much "pop" of color for me!  I'm glad she's happy with it though. 

I think the second & third apartment had a better laundry setup, so that would be something I'd seriously consider when weighing my options.  Didn't the 1st apartment have a washer/dryer combo?  I've used that kind years ago, and it's better than no washer or dryer, but I'd prefer separate units if space allowed.  

[aghst]

NYC to Wiesbaden, Germany.

First new episode in awhile.  Young couple, she’s a corporate lawyer and he’s a financial analyst.  She wants to take a break, maybe start a family.

So he learns about how great Germany is from an Army buddy and gets himself a job with the Army base in Wiesbaden.

They want 3 bedrooms with an office space for him and no more than $3000.

He wants to be near his job while she wants to be in the center.  He likes traditional German style while she wants modern.  But we see that these wants are not dealbreakers for either.

House 1 is an unfurnished, old apartment in the center with a garden, has 4 bedrooms for $2700.  Helen likes some of the decorative details but would prefer an open plan.  Trung likes that it’s near his work and the price.  It’s unfurnished so they’d need to buy appliances, furniture and even light fixtures.

House 2 is an open plan apt. With 2 bedrooms 1.5 baths and partially furnished.  It has big living space and a separate nook for Trung to work.  It’s $3000 and also near his work and her preferred central location.

House 3 is some distance from the center and his job but it’s a 3 bedroom penthouse apartment with a big wraparound terrace, nice finishes, furnished for $3200.

 It would be a long commute and far from the center that she said she wanted.  But Helen loves it or so she says.  Trung doesn’t like the location or price.  The German agent jokingly threatens to choke him if he doesn’t stop complaining about every little thing in the apartment.

They eliminate House 1, Trung says he want House 2 but Helen says they should live their “best lives” and enjoy the luxury.

But in the end they choose House 2, for the price and the commute.  Really, $200 was that much, less than 105 more than their budget?

3 months later, they’ve made friends and host them for dinner.  Trung loves the commute, he uses those scooter shares to get to work while she starts her day with croissant and coffee at the bakery down the street.

She says maybe they’ll start a family but for now it appears they want to live their best lives.

 

 

 

 

[ECM1231]

I loved the 1st house with the 4 bedrooms. At $2700/month, it was a steal, even if they had to furnish it.  The location was great, too. 

[snarts]

8 hours ago, aghst said:

First new episode in awhile.  Young couple, she’s a corporate lawyer and he’s a financial analyst.  She wants to take a break, maybe start a family.

While I agree they seemed young, they were actually 40+. She mentioned working as an attorney in NYC for 15 years & one of the pictures shown included a big 40th birthday sign. 

[seacliffsal]

I loved the first apartment-it was huge and had a garden!  She talked about wanting open concept if they have kids.  I think it's great to let kids play in a room and shut the door just to have some peace...  Anyway, it would be 2 years before it would really make a difference with children as one would have to get pregnant and then it's really not until the child starts walking that she may want 'open concept' so she can watch the kids.

Also really liked the penthouse-nice outdoor space and views.

So, of course, they took the other apartment.  But, they seem nice and happy so am glad they are enjoying their home and living in Germany.  Overall, I really enjoyed this episode.

[Notabug]

15 minutes ago, seacliffsal said:

I loved the first apartment-it was huge and had a garden!  She talked about wanting open concept if they have kids.  I think it's great to let kids play in a room and shut the door just to have some peace...  Anyway, it would be 2 years before it would really make a difference with children as one would have to get pregnant and then it's really not until the child starts walking that she may want 'open concept' so she can watch the kids.

Also really liked the penthouse-nice outdoor space and views.

So, of course, they took the other apartment.  But, they seem nice and happy so am glad they are enjoying their home and living in Germany.  Overall, I really enjoyed this episode.

My mom would deliberately send us to the basement to play and shut the door behind us.  There was a play space set up there with a lot of toys, but mainly she wanted us out of her hair.  I do not understand the mindset of these people who think they need to have their kids directly in sight 24/7.

Otherwise, I though they had a nice selection of places on this one.  I personally loved all of the beautiful woodwork in the first place and would've taken that one and found some used furniture and appliances to furnish it.

Edited November 14 by Notabug

[proserpina65]

On 11/13/2024 at 11:23 PM, aghst said:

First new episode in awhile.  Young couple, she’s a corporate lawyer and he’s a financial analyst.  She wants to take a break, maybe start a family.

So he learns about how great Germany is from an Army buddy and gets himself a job with the Army base in Wiesbaden.

They want 3 bedrooms with an office space for him and no more than $3000.

He wants to be near his job while she wants to be in the center.  He likes traditional German style while she wants modern.  But we see that these wants are not dealbreakers for either.

God, she was so annoying.  He was no great prize either, needing a 3rd bedroom for the kid they haven't even started trying for yet, but her insistence they had to live their best life now and needed that last apartment because it reminded her of NYC just pissed me off.

I would've taken the first place in a heartbeat because I hate modern style and I hate open floorplans.  I loved the woodwork in that apartment and I loved the rooms.

[ECM1231]

1 hour ago, proserpina65 said:

would've taken the first place in a heartbeat because I hate modern style and I hate open floorplans.  I loved the woodwork in that apartment and I loved the rooms.

Ditto! I despise open floor plans, too, and the woodwork was gorgeous. My son lives in a circa 1893 Victorian with all the original stained woodwork, which is in excellent condition. Sure, an older home is going to have issues, but it's worth it to me to live in such a beautiful abode. 

🤷 Different strokes and all ...

[aghst]

Maybe they didn't want to buy kitchen appliances and other furnishings, especially if this move isn't long-term, that is they plan to return to the US at some point.

 

[Notabug]

2 hours ago, aghst said:

Maybe they didn't want to buy kitchen appliances and other furnishings, especially if this move isn't long-term, that is they plan to return to the US at some point.

 

Then again, they are moving to Wiesbaden, which is filled with transient Americans, virtually all of whom are government employees.  I am sure there is some sort of message board for military and civilians to buy and sell furniture and appliances as they come and go.  They wouldn't have much trouble at all finding what they need or selling it when they go.  The Ramstein/Wiesbaden US military complex is one of the largest bases in the world.

[aghst]

That could be true.

Unless they're having their furniture shipped over as some house hunters have done in the past, even buying and selling used may be more than they want to take on.

The path of least resistance is to go with furnished for most of the major pieces.

Most of the house hunters are renting -- seems in earlier seasons, there was a greater ratio of buyers to renters -- and they mostly seem to ask for furnished places.

[Meowwww]

5 minutes into this Germany episode and I can’t stand her. She was very “precious”, looking for a modern American apartment when place #1 was perfect.  #2 had zero charm.  Why bother moving to Germany, they could just move here to Minneapolis and get the same thing. 

Edited November 18 by Meowwww

[Dirge]

That couple BETTER not move back in two years after I listened to the husband complain about the things that wouldn't be suitable for a toddler! And he seemed equally committed to having a short commute AND a home office. 

I would've taken that first place in a flash. 

At least it was a new episode!

[snarts]

Detroit to Mexico City: I found this one interesting mainly because my best friend also moved from Detroit to Mexico City years ago and loved it. 

Single woman in her 30s, owns a marketing agency so can work remotely and wants to live abroad. She'd previously tried living in Europe but found aligning with US business hours challenging. Wanted a 2 bed, 2 bath with lots of light in the hip trendy areas of del norte/la condesa for $1500

#1 2 bed/2 bath on the edge of la condesa for $1,900. Amazing Bóveda catalana ceilings. One of the bedrooms was small but IMHO big enough for an office.

$2 smaller 1 bed/1 bath in del norte for $1,750. High ceilings and a big bedroom but the kitchen was ugly

#3 2 bed/2 bath in a less desirable area $1,500. Lost interest here as it was apparent it was just a filler property.

She went with #2. Personally, I would've picked #1.

Edited Wednesday at 06:33 PM by snarts
kitchen not bathroom

[Jodithgrace]

#1 was amazing, but $400 per month over her budget is a lot. #2 wasn’t as nice, but was much cheaper, though still over budget. I had to laugh when she said that the bathroom under the stairs gave her wizard vibes. I guess she wasn’t allowed to mention  Harry Potter. 

[Grizzly]

I didn't like the combat boots with her dress. The realtor seemed cool.

[Dirge]

I had to mute her because her draggy uptalking drove me crazy. I'm not sure I could've passed up apartment number 1 - the extra space and that great terrace - but then I live in California so the rent didn't seem outrageous to me. I was absolutely not invested in whether or not she got what she wanted (the muting might've had something to do with that!)

It was a little hard to tell the neighborhoods without being more familiar with Mexico City. I definitely wouldn't have taken apartment number 3, even just looking at it on a map. Location is really important. 

[aghst]

7 hours ago, Jodithgrace said:

#1 was amazing, but $400 per month over her budget is a lot. #2 wasn’t as nice, but was much cheaper, though still over budget. I had to laugh when she said that the bathroom under the stairs gave her wizard vibes. I guess she wasn’t allowed to mention  Harry Potter. 

 

Well the first place was just $150 more than the apartment that she ended up choosing.

That's not nothing but maybe she preferred the design of the place she chose or it was in a location she liked more.  Maybe she has friends and acquaintances closer to the location of #2.

5 hours ago, Grizzly said:

I didn't like the combat boots with her dress. The realtor seemed cool.

 

It seems Vanessa does all the Mexico City episodes.  She's done at least 4 or 5 of them.

 

2 hours ago, Dirge said:

I had to mute her because her draggy uptalking drove me crazy. I'm not sure I could've passed up apartment number 1 - the extra space and that great terrace - but then I live in California so the rent didn't seem outrageous to me. I was absolutely not invested in whether or not she got what she wanted (the muting might've had something to do with that!)

It was a little hard to tell the neighborhoods without being more familiar with Mexico City. I definitely wouldn't have taken apartment number 3, even just looking at it on a map. Location is really important. 

Loved the ceiling and the terrace in #1 but I wonder if you have to be cautious about the bricks falling out if Mexico City is in a seismic zone.

The prices are like 1/3 of what you pay for comparable properties in CA.

However, I think there's suppose to be a looming water crisis in Mexico City.

[BAForever]

51 minutes ago, aghst said:

However, I think there's suppose to be a looming water crisis in Mexico City.

I've read about that @aghst. Sounds truly frightening.