House Hunters International - General Discussion

[proserpina65]

Recently watched a re-run in London with Richard.  Young couple with a cat looking in East London.  The place the girl liked was over-budget and wouldn't have come furnished.  There was a large stove with what looked like 4 oven doors, and all I could think was "is one of those a proving drawer?".

[aghst]

LA to London.  College sweethearts and engaged Kenny and Jessie both gave up their jobs in California so that she could do a PhD program at Kings College.

They will be living on a college stipend and savings so they want to stay under $2600 a month.  Kenny thinks they should go for a 1-bedroom while Jessie wants 2 bedrooms because Kenny’s parents will visit.

She also wants a big kitchen for Kenny who does the cooking and no carpets because she does the cleaning.  They also want to be near a Tube station

Richard finds them 3 properties in the Queens Park area, which is west to northwest London.

House 1 is a 1 bed, 1 bath place for $2200.  Immediately Jessie has a strong reaction vs. the carpet, claiming it’s difficult to keep clean and how she’d have to vacuum every day.  

She tells Richard that they’re ready to look at an uncarpeted property next!

House 2 is 2 bed, 1 bath for $2500.  As they enter the property, she starts complaining about carpets in the stairs and hallway leading to the apt, which seems recently renovated and does in fact seem to have wood floors throughout.

Jessie says second bedroom is tiny and it’s misleading to call it a 2-bedroom place.

House 3 is 2 bed 1 bath but $3000 a month.  It’s spacious downstairs for the kitchen and living room.  But upstairs is carpeted though the second bedroom is roomy.  Jessie notes that there is carpet but doesn’t rant this time.

So they eliminate House 3 because of costs.  Kenny talks up House 1 because it has the lowest rent.  Jessie says they MUST have 2 bedrooms to host Kenny’s parents.  Kenny agrees since it’s still under their budget.

3 months later, Kenny has found a job so money pressures have alleviated.  Jessie uses that second bedroom as a study because it’s too small for a bed.

Kenny’s parents have already visited — so maybe there were definite plans for them to visit and she felt pressure.  

[Grizzly]

She was pretty neurotic about the carpets. It was a bit overdone. Hope her PhD isn't in acting.

[aghst]

Ontario, Canada to Costa Rica.  Canadian couple with 11-year old daughter wants to move to CR to escape the snow.  Husband found a job managing resort golf courses while wife Wendy would be working from home.

They want at least 3 bedrooms for Wendy’s office, be near to drop off daughter Paige for school bus and want a view, for $450k.

House 1 is a new condo for $419k.  It’s not close to the school bus stop and it only has a shared pool.  Wendy doesn’t want to have to drive Paige and pick her up from the school bus stop.

House 2 is 3 bedroom with small private pool and within walking distance to bus stop for $439k.  But no view.

House 3 is above the town with nice ocean views.  Only 2 bedrooms and price is $469k.  Wendy says she’s afraid of heights so would be nervous driving Paige to and from bus stop, downhill and uphill.

They eliminate House 3 because of price.  They end up choosing House 2 for proximity to school bus.

 

[surfgirl]

  On 2/27/2025 at 4:19 AM, aghst said:

Wendy says she’s afraid of heights so would be nervous driving Paige to and from bus stop, downhill and uphill.

Expand  

Some of these people sound so neurotic that it's a wonder they even managed to get on a plane let alone think they could live overseas!

[proserpina65]

Between the carpet neuroses and the insistence that they had to have a second bedroom for guests who could very easily stay at freaking hotels, I really didn't like Jessie.  I mean, I hate carpets but in those apartments, vacuuming would've taken ten minutes, tops.

[abbyzenn]

I actually didn't mind the couple LA to London.  It was good to see someone stick to their budget - that 3rd place was certainly roomier than the other two but I can see why they didn't take it.  I thought it the place the took they could put a daybed/sofa bed in that dinning area, it was certainly a large area.  I don't think he said what kind of job he gave up in LA nor did he say what he was doing in London other than a "freelance" job so it might not be that much money.  Funny how they talked about his parents so much but other than her mentioning her family background she never mentioned her family.

[Crashcourse]

That carpet hating woman got on my last nerve. 

[Dirge]

  On 2/27/2025 at 4:41 PM, proserpina65 said:

Between the carpet neuroses and the insistence that they had to have a second bedroom for guests who could very easily stay at freaking hotels, I really didn't like Jessie.  I mean, I hate carpets but in those apartments, vacuuming would've taken ten minutes, tops.

Expand  

The carpet yammering got on my nerves. His parents stayed for 3 weeks - that would have been an expensive hotel stay. I can't imagine imposing on someone for that long. 

[BAForever]

  On 2/28/2025 at 4:19 AM, Dirge said:

The carpet yammering got on my nerves. His parents stayed for 3 weeks - that would have been an expensive hotel stay. I can't imagine imposing on someone for that long. 

Expand  

Agree @Dirge. Got some real insight about his upbringing and the strong cultural beliefs about children taking care of their parents as they age. Three weeks in a tiny apartment with one bathroom and one true bedroom would be hard.

[proserpina65]

  On 2/27/2025 at 6:28 PM, abbyzenn said:

I actually didn't mind the couple LA to London.  It was good to see someone stick to their budget - that 3rd place was certainly roomier than the other two but I can see why they didn't take it.  I thought it the place the took they could put a daybed/sofa bed in that dinning area, it was certainly a large area.  I don't think he said what kind of job he gave up in LA nor did he say what he was doing in London other than a "freelance" job so it might not be that much money.  Funny how they talked about his parents so much but other than her mentioning her family background she never mentioned her family.

Expand  

She got on my nerves, obviously, but I thought they picked the right place.  I had the same thought about that lounge area, that a sleeper sofa could make a second sleeping space for company.

No way would I let anyone stay with me for 3 weeks.  Well, maybe Chris Hemsworth, but he wouldn't need his own bed.

 

[buttersister]

It’s a cultural thing. The husband already expressed guilt over moving to London, and away from his parents, who were depending on him. Not sure how long it’ll take the carpet hater to get her degree, but if the parents are still alive, he’s going back. IMO.

[Pine]

LA to London, the only comment she made about her family, was they came here as slaves, and weren't allowed to learn to read.   

[StatisticalOutlier]

  On 2/27/2025 at 4:19 AM, aghst said:

Ontario, Canada to Costa Rica.

Expand  

Seems to me if you're going to embrace pura vida to the extent that hardly a sentence goes by without mentioning it, you should not be pronouncing the country Cawsta Rica.

[Jodithgrace]

The “new” (according to my DVR) portmanteau episode that aired Thursday night was a couple of reruns smushed together, I think. I don’t usually remember episodes well enough to say for sure, but I definitely remember that one with the giant musical robot. I wonder how their band is doing these days. I forgot the band name or I’d google them. But is there much call for a viola, cello, and giant drum machine? At least they found a house with room, even if it did cost more. 

[Grizzly]

Valencia, Spain. Do not watch if you're in a testy mood. He wants it all for under $1000. And she has a whiny voice. The apartments are pretty nice.

[aghst]

  On 3/5/2025 at 4:02 AM, Grizzly said:

Valencia, Spain. Do not watch if you're in a testy mood. He wants it all for under $1000. And she has a whiny voice. The apartments are pretty nice.

Expand  

He claimed that he saw a lot of places online for $1000 or less.  So maybe that’s how they found the place they were shown choosing and the show came up with two other places.

It met all their criteria except the second bedroom which she supposedly wanted.  Maybe that’s wasn’t a real want.

They’ve been traveling a lot, staying mostly 1-3 months in different European places.  Now they’re doing a Digital Nomad visa which allows them to stay more than the 3 months allowed by Schengen to Americans.  So probably they try one year and then decide.

Maybe they’re still keeping their home in Honolulu which is why they want fully furnished.  Also may be why the husband thinks 1 bedroom is enough, because it’s short term.

[aghst]

Phoenix to Lisbon.  Another young couple wanting a change, more driven by Ariel than Tucker, who wants it to be like back home in the phoenix suburbs as much as possible.

Ariel wants city center, to be immersed in the new culture while he wants peace and quiet, outdoor space for their dog, more space and stay under their $1200 budget.  So he’d be more open to living outside of the city.

They want 2 bedrooms since they both will be working at home.  This couple also seems to be taking advantage of a Digital Nomad Visa but they seem to be thinking more long term than the Valencia couple.  They both talk about learning Portuguese.

House 1 is in a suburb, about 40 minutes by train west of Lisbon.  It’s 2 bedrooms for $1200.  Ariel is not receptive to being so far away from the center of Lisbon.

House 2 is in the center of Lisbon, 2 bedrooms but $1400.  Tucker is wary about it being over the budget.  It’s not fully furnished so they’re looking at additional expenses on top of a higher rent.  No outdoor space for Luna, their dog.

House 3 is also outside of Lisbon, 15 minutes by train.  But it’s 1 bedroom with a little yard for the dog for $1000.  Not ideal for both having to work.

They eliminate House 1 and while Tucker argues for House 3 because of the lower rent, Ariel says why leave Phoenix if they weren’t going to try to have a lifestyle which would be a lot more different than living in the suburbs of Phoenix.

Three months later they say they’ve adapted well to their new life and work.  They don’t mention price at all.  They say their dog is now a city dog — well there are parks nearby.

[proserpina65]

  On 3/5/2025 at 4:02 AM, Grizzly said:

Valencia, Spain. Do not watch if you're in a testy mood. He wants it all for under $1000. And she has a whiny voice. The apartments are pretty nice.

Expand  

I hated them from the moment he said they met at a Christian youth leadership school (or some such nonsense, basically about harassing people into believing the same thing as them, imo).  Then he pissed me off with his "I've spent hours on the internet looking at apartments and I think we can get everything we want for under $1000" bullshit.  Like, never mind the real estate professional who works in Valencia.  He obviously knows nothing.

The apartment they chose was great, though.  Just not 2 bedrooms with a balcony for under $1000.  Take that, annoying guy!

  On 3/5/2025 at 2:45 PM, aghst said:

He claimed that he saw a lot of places online for $1000 or less.  So maybe that’s how they found the place they were shown choosing and the show came up with two other places.

Expand  

He was such an asshat about it, though, and clearly there wasn't a place for under $1000 which met all their criteria because they didn't end up with one.

I do wish the show would be honest about these digital nomad people only being there for a limited time, but then again, they like the house hunters to pretend they're looking for their dream homes, so . . . 

  On 3/5/2025 at 3:01 PM, aghst said:

They eliminate House 1 and while Tucker argues for House 3 because of the lower rent, Ariel says why leave Phoenix if they weren’t going to try to have a lifestyle which would be a lot more different than living in the suburbs of Phoenix.

Expand  

You knew she was going to get her way.  Honestly, the third place looked like a perfect compromise and was definitely a lifestyle change for him but it wasn't what SHE wanted so I knew they weren't going to end up there.

And seriously, he gave up a career as an auto mechanic to do whatever social media crap they claimed to be doing?  That's insane, imo.

Edited March 5 by proserpina65

[surfgirl]

When I hear these people crowing about their digital nomad visas, all I can think of is: "Tell me you're a slaker dbag without telling me you're a slaker dbag."

[aghst]

These couples looked young so they may still be looking for what to do long term.

Or maybe they're willing to take lower-paying job for a chance to have these experiences.

When I was their age, I wasn't backpacking through Europe but maybe that would have been an interesting path.

Even when I was working, my first trips abroad, I tried to save as much money as possible.  I could probably have stayed at hostels but the accommodations were maybe one cut above, own bathroom, place where you could lock up your belongings without worrying about leaving your backpack.

So a lot of house hunters were looking to move for a short period of time especially when travel blogs and social media were at their height and people wanted to showcase living abroad -- even if for a few months.

I prefer to see people making longer-term moves but as long as they're not doing it for a social media stunt, these couples seem to just want to share an experience, maybe before starting families back home.

[buttersister]

Late to the party, caught the couple who were White Lotus freaks. All I was thinking about was the two of them taking a ride on Greg/Gary’s yacht.

[Grizzly]

Sunshine coast, Australia. When the realtor was saying I don't know who's making the decision on if they'll live by the beach for her or bush for him, I knew the daughter would have final say.

Amsterdam. Usually I would be with everyone else in making fun of the touchy feely profession. But I really liked these guys. They seem like such a great couple. And they vibed with Sarah. So funny at how happy Sarah was about the budget. But there must have been some money from selling Guillermo's business. No way is daily meditations raking in over 3k a month. Those were some spacious, bright apartments for Amsterdam. No narrow, steep staircases that I saw. 

[Dirge]

Sunshine Coast: As soon as I saw that the third place was walking distance to school (and halfway between the beach and bike trails) I knew they'd pick that. Very sensible. 

Amsterdam: I loved Sarah but the guys grated. The money to be made in life coach and astrologer - I rolled my eyes so hard that they about popped out of my head. That first place was gorgeous but the second one was a good choice. 

[aghst]

  On 3/12/2025 at 6:04 AM, Dirge said:

 

Amsterdam: I loved Sarah but the guys grated. The money to be made in life coach and astrologer - I rolled my eyes so hard that they about popped out of my head. That first place was gorgeous but the second one was a good choice. 

Expand  

That one guy, the astrologer life coach, and Chipper Sarah brought out the worst in each other.

I would hope that their decision to move to Amsterdam, one from NYC and one from Shanghai, was based on something more substantial than Daniel’s astrological charts.  Like he must have had reasons to believe he would have clients in Amsterdam or at least he could still make money with the clients he already had?

Guillermo was basically jobless, no more “digital marketing” money, so maybe he was willing to go anywhere.  Presumably felt that their relationship was solid enough to move in together.

House 1 was nice but it had a wet room shower and that spiral staircase?  Well it is Amsterdam and they did have the canal.

House 2 was okay, seemed to give them the most space.  They really didn’t show how they furnished it.

House 3 wasn’t so bad, would have saved a lot of money but seemed to be the smallest and maybe not their preferred area.

[aghst]

  On 3/12/2025 at 6:04 AM, Dirge said:

Sunshine Coast: As soon as I saw that the third place was walking distance to school (and halfway between the beach and bike trails) I knew they'd pick that. Very sensible. 

Expand  

The guy wasn’t that insistent about actually living in the hinterlands, just that he wanted to go mountain biking.

Wife made it clear that they weren’t going to live so far from the coast and school and amenities.

It made sense that they chose the more roomy house with a yard and a pool over the apartment in a high rise, even with the water views.  Especially for the same price.

[proserpina65]

  On 3/12/2025 at 2:53 PM, aghst said:

The guy wasn’t that insistent about actually living in the hinterlands, just that he wanted to go mountain biking.

Wife made it clear that they weren’t going to live so far from the coast and school and amenities.

It made sense that they chose the more roomy house with a yard and a pool over the apartment in a high rise, even with the water views.  Especially for the same price.

Expand  

Yeah, they went with the one near the daughter's school where there would lots of amenities for the whole family and yet still close enough to both the beach and the mountain biking trails.  Wise choice.

I did really like the house in the hinterland, but, like the wife, I could never have lived there.  For a lot of reasons: bugs, spiders, snakes, drop bears, etc.; it is Australia, after all.  😁

The guys moving to Amsterdam annoyed the hell out of me.  Or, more accurately, Daniel annoyed me.  I kept saying "Run, Guillermo, run!".  I hated how Daniel seemed to mostly discount his partner's concerns and insisted that somehow they should be able to get what they wanted in the canal ring.  Not for what you wanted to spend, dumbass.

[Chit Chat]

  On 3/12/2025 at 7:04 AM, aghst said:

House 1 was nice but it had a wet room shower and that spiral staircase?  Well it is Amsterdam and they did have the canal.

Expand  

It was nice, but having the bedroom on the third level (up the spiral staircase) looked like a fire trap to me.  Maybe there are outside stairs like there are in a lot of apartments, but they didn't show one.  I'm guessing there was a toilet on the main level, if not, that wasn't practical.  I liked house #3 the most.   I loved the kitchen opening up onto that big balcony.  They snubbed their noses at that place.  I didn't think house #2 was any better.  YMMV.

[aghst]

San Diego to Denia, Spain, a middle aged couple with 2 dogs, no children.  Say they want to get better work-life balance.  They need office space -- will be working from home -- and outdoor space for their two dogs, for a $1500 budget.  Husband says they want to be in center and character.

House 1 is in the center and has older details, for $1200.  But wife says it's too small.  Lot of stairs too so they'd have to go up and down a few times  to take dogs out.

House 2 is outside of  the city, has nice views, pool, big yard for $1900.  Wife loves it and husband worries that  wife will push for it.

House 3 is a condo, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths but a lot of stairs up and down, for $1600.  It's near the center but not in the center so husband brings up price, stairs and location.

They eliminate House 1.  Husband pretends it's tough to pass up a much lower than budget option.

They choose House 3, they figure the dogs can manage the stairs.  

Three months later, all is well.  When are things not ever well?  You always have house hunters happy with their decision, their move to another country, how jobs have gone well

[chessiegal]

  On 3/19/2025 at 8:53 PM, aghst said:

When are things not ever well?

Expand  

A few years ago, they did several "Where are they now?" on HHI. I remember one couple had split up. Learned they really didn't like each other all that much. 🤣

[aghst]

Johanesburg to Phenom Penh to Phuket, Thailand.  Young couple with Junior a young son who looks to be about 8 years old.

So the couple grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, supposedly love at first sight -- apparently she was a brunette and now a blond.  They moved to Cambodia as teachers and loved it over there, paying $700 a month for roomy place with 2 bedrooms and a lounge.

But then they visited Thailand for vacation and wanted to move there, especially the wife who wanted to be near the beach.  She watched some Youtube video which made her believe that she could get an apt. near the beach with at least 1 bedroom for about $700, which is their budget.

The agent  disabuses them of the idea of getting multiple bedrooms.  In fact at their budget, they can only get a studio.

They also want to be near Boat Avenue, which is apparently the center for shops and restaurants, as well as a beach and her work.  Oh they have a low budget because only she has gotten a new teaching job and the husband is unemployed for now.

It appears they're mostly looking at properties in Bang Tao, which is on the west coast of Phuket island.

House 1 is near work and beach as requested but is a studio for $900.  Husband says kitchen is in the bedroom!  Well yeah that is what a studio is.  The couch isn't a sleeper sofa but the boy should be able to sleep on it.

What it lacks in space though, it makes up in amenities, such as a roof top pool.  It is also closest to Boat Avenue.

House 2 is also near beach and her work and is an "alcove studio" so the kitchen is not in the bedroom!  But wife notes that the space in which their bed is isn't completely closed off from the living room and kitchen where their son would sleep.  It's the only one on budget at $700

House 3 is further south and twice the distance to her work, though it's close to the beach.  But it actually has a bed space which closes off completely.  They both make a deal about how it has privacy.  But despite less than desired location, it's $200 over budget at $900.

They rule out House 1 and wife doesn't want to deal with the traffic or nor do they want to pay more so they choose House 2.

 Three months later, he's found a job but Junior sleeps with the couple?  Oh well, Junior won't be getting a little brother or sister any time soon.😊

Obviously they can't stay in this place more than a year or two.  Couple is still young so next house hunt, they're going to cite privacy as one of their top asks.

 

 

[Jodithgrace]

They say that they are saving up for a sleep sofa so hopefully kid will be out of their bed soon. 
Another couple with champagne requirements on a beer budget. 

[aghst]

I wonder about these young house hunters who go to Asia because of the very low cost.

Sure they can earn enough to own a decent place, probably teaching English over there.

But are they going to do that indefinitely?

The years they spend living in Asia, they could be trying to develop more remunerative careers.  Not saying money should be the main goals in their lives but in this Phuket episode, they've already started a family and in a couple of years the boy is going to be too old for them to live  with his parents in a studio.

Maybe they're lifers in teaching but a lower cost of living country means they also don't pay much either.  IF they return to their native countries, will they have  money put away?  Can they transition to jobs which would allow them the higher cost of living?

Don't mean to sound like their parents but what's their plan?

White Lotus season 3  includes a character who wants to spend a year in Thailand at a meditation center in a monastery.  She comes from a rich family though the plot is that her father has engaged in illegal activity and they may lose their wealth.

So  she got them to take her and the whole family on a very expensive trip to Thailand but she may not be able to afford to do this gap year.

Maybe she can get a teaching job there.

[buttersister]

I couldn't get over how she watched some old videos and decided that she could have a 2-bed in a popular area for cheap. And moved her family to a new country based on that, not actual research with realtors. LOL! Right, back to Cambodia in a year or SA?

[Grizzly]

Maybe now that he has a job, they can afford a 1 bedroom.

[surfgirl]

It's really incredibly selfish if these parents to force their child to sleep on a couch because mom wants to live out some free spirit dream she had. Why do these people even have kids if they are going to put their own desires before the needs if their child?!?

[proserpina65]

  On 3/19/2025 at 9:09 PM, aghst said:

But then they visited Thailand for vacation and wanted to move there, especially the wife who wanted to be near the beach.  She watched some Youtube video which made her believe that she could get an apt. near the beach with at least 1 bedroom for about $700, which is their budget.

Expand  

I got so tired of her insisting they should be able to get a separate bedroom for $700 despite the realtor telling her it wasn't possible.  Honey, don't believe everything you see on YouTube.

[proserpina65]

I got really tired of the Irish woman in NZ complaining about how noisy it was at house #1.  Honey, you just moved from Dallas.  That was practically silence in comparison.  I really thought they should've taken the first place because house #2 needed so much work.  The kitchen didn't even have a real floor!

[ECM1231]

  On 3/27/2025 at 5:27 PM, proserpina65 said:

I got really tired of the Irish woman in NZ complaining about how noisy it was at house #1.  Honey, you just moved from Dallas.  That was practically silence in comparison.  I really thought they should've taken the first place because house #2 needed so much work.  The kitchen didn't even have a real floor!

Expand  

I was confused by that couple. Didn't they meet in NZ? But the husband was from Texas, originally, and yet he had the strangest accent. I couldn't quite place it, but no way was it a Texas accent. My DIL is a born and bred Texan, and neither she nor her family sound like the husband.

 

I thought the wife was being selfish because the place they chose was much farther from her husband's job. Those outside steps to the house were a horror. Have fun schlepping groceries up to the house, or bringing the baby carriage up and down. I agree that house 1 was a better choice.

[BAForever]

Miami to Tulum (might be a repeat)- no way this couple stays together for more than a year or two. She's so high maintenance.

[aghst]

  On 3/27/2025 at 11:40 PM, ECM1231 said:

I was confused by that couple. Didn't they meet in NZ? But the husband was from Texas, originally, and yet he had the strangest accent. I couldn't quite place it, but no way was it a Texas accent. My DIL is a born and bred Texan, and neither she nor her family sound like the husband.

 

I thought the wife was being selfish because the place they chose was much farther from her husband's job. Those outside steps to the house were a horror. Have fun schlepping groceries up to the house, or bringing the baby carriage up and down. I agree that house 1 was a better choice.

Expand  

Yeah unless the husband's asks were fake in the first place, like being near the beach and close to work.  So maybe his commute is actually 5 minutes more or whatever.

HHI back stories have to be looked at with a side eye.  Same with their rationales for moving to another country, the wish list, etc.

[surfgirl]

Crazy Justine of Vanuatu was on tonight. I just laugh abd laugh at Sam's reactions to her nutty comments.

"Are there spiders in the outdoor bathroom?!?"  

"Oh no, they stay in the bush."

Girl, if you don't like spiders the South Pacific aint gonna be your friend!

[proserpina65]

  On 3/28/2025 at 4:03 PM, aghst said:

HHI back stories have to be looked at with a side eye.  Same with their rationales for moving to another country, the wish list, etc.

Expand  

Yeah, totally, but sometimes they're just so out of whack that it makes my head hurt, and this was one of those times.