House Hunters International - General Discussion

[Kohola3]

From a guest point of view, if I am spending long days with friends or family, I am perfectly happy to retire to my hotel or rental for some private downtime, not floundering around trying to avoid my hosts for my "getting up" and "going to bed" routines.  Even with a second bedroom you are still sharing one bath which means establishing some sort of schedule for when you can all fit into it. 

Stop obsessing about that second bedroom.  I bet most people would be happier having a few hours away from the group.

[laredhead]

I have a 3 bedroom house and I live alone.  I can count on one hand the number of times in 15 years that I have had an overnight guest.  The first 2 years I lived here, I had a bedroom set up as a bedroom with a bed, dresser, etc.  Then I decided I wanted to use that room as an "office", so I got rid of the bedroom furniture.  The 3rd bedroom is used as what I call my climate controlled storage unit because my house doesn't have an attic, and because I live in south Louisiana, storing things outside in a non-air conditioned storage building is not a good idea because of high humidity, heat, and bugs.  My brother visited from Nashville a few months ago, and he slept on the couch in the den for 2 nights.  After watching HHI I have decided I must be very anti-social because I don't have overnight guests on a constant basis.  I like my privacy, and I don't like staying at other people's houses when I travel.  I prefer a hotel where I can get up when I want, watch the TV programs I want to watch, etc.  Those overseas HH's probably have one visit from relatives soon after they move, but i bet after that, the visitors dwindle and they end up with an unused room.   That would be a great question to ask them if there is ever a show called HHI Where Are They Now.  

[doodlebug]

26 minutes ago, laredhead said:

I have a 3 bedroom house and I live alone.  I can count on one hand the number of times in 15 years that I have had an overnight guest.  The first 2 years I lived here, I had a bedroom set up as a bedroom with a bed, dresser, etc.  Then I decided I wanted to use that room as an "office", so I got rid of the bedroom furniture.  The 3rd bedroom is used as what I call my climate controlled storage unit because my house doesn't have an attic, and because I live in south Louisiana, storing things outside in a non-air conditioned storage building is not a good idea because of high humidity, heat, and bugs.  My brother visited from Nashville a few months ago, and he slept on the couch in the den for 2 nights.  After watching HHI I have decided I must be very anti-social because I don't have overnight guests on a constant basis.  I like my privacy, and I don't like staying at other people's houses when I travel.  I prefer a hotel where I can get up when I want, watch the TV programs I want to watch, etc.  Those overseas HH's probably have one visit from relatives soon after they move, but i bet after that, the visitors dwindle and they end up with an unused room.   That would be a great question to ask them if there is ever a show called HHI Where Are They Now.  

Me, too.  I've lived alone in a 3 bedroom home for 27 years now.  I only got a place this large because smaller homes are tougher to find and for resale. One of the bedrooms has a bed and a dresser.  In 27 years, other than brief periods where one of my sibs was between houses and stayed with me, I have maybe had a dozen overnight guests. BTW, the dresser stores my off-season clothes. My third bedroom is set up as an office/sewing room and has a daybed that no one has slept on in maybe 20 years.  I keep the doors closed to keep my dogs out of them so I don't have to clean them often.

I think it is simply ridiculous that all of these people, especially those moving to old European cities, think they have to have a place for houseguests.  Housing is very expensive there, rooms are small; to waste valuable resources so someone might come and stay with you for free is stupid.  I think it's at least a little bit producer-driven though, I don't really think there are that many people out there who lack common sense. If friends and family can afford to fly over there, they can afford to stay somewhere else.  Help them out by finding nearby B&B's or Airbnb's or hotels using your knowledge of the area; that is plenty hospitable. Unless, they're moving to Europe to open their own B&B, there is no reason to find accommodations for guests.

[Kohola3]

6 minutes ago, doodlebug said:

I think it's at least a little bit producer-driven though, I don't really think there are that many people out there who lack common sense.

I agree with both of these statements although I do think some of the younger ones are quite naive about how much they will be missed and think that their families will be jetting over at every opportunity.

My retirement home is right on Lake Huron with a beautiful view and a lovely sandy beach and I built it so that the second floor is a private guest suite.  The first year I had several visitors, the second year I had a couple and this year I've had two.  And I am only 2 hours away from most friends and family.  Expectations  just never pan out and tons of people repeatedly flying across oceans is pretty unlikely.

But, of course, the producers simply MUST have some point of conflict so this is not going away.

[Ohwell]

2 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

From a guest point of view, if I am spending long days with friends or family, I am perfectly happy to retire to my hotel or rental for some private downtime, not floundering around trying to avoid my hosts for my "getting up" and "going to bed" routines.  Even with a second bedroom you are still sharing one bath which means establishing some sort of schedule for when you can all fit into it. 

This.  Some people don't realize that just because friends and family want to visit with you, that doesn't mean they want to stay with you.  I'd much prefer to stay in a hotel.

[Lisa418722]

Last year a coworker went to Paris (her boyfriend's family paid for everything) and while they were there my coworker and her boyfriend met up with friends who had moved to Paris.  Beyond that, I've never known people who go visit friends and family in another country (or sometimes in another state) regularly.  When the Amsterdam wife was determined to have a 2nd bedroom, even though that 2nd bedroom was tiny, I kept asking myself "how many people will visit you?"  I'm glad the husband got his view overlooking the canal because I think that was the best place, even if it was $100 over the budget.  

I have a 2 bedroom condo and when I bought it my parents did visit regularly, they lived about 3.5 hours away.  My dad passed away a few years ago and after that, my mom got to where she couldn't drive here to visit, so no one has slept in the bedroom for over eight years. I have a bed in the 2nd bedroom/office, but sometimes I think about getting rid of the bed to open up more space since the room is also a storage space (no basement or attic), but for now, I'm keeping the bed. 

[doodlebug]

50 minutes ago, Lisa418722 said:

Last year a coworker went to Paris (her boyfriend's family paid for everything) and while they were there my coworker and her boyfriend met up with friends who had moved to Paris.  Beyond that, I've never known people who go visit friends and family in another country (or sometimes in another state) regularly.  When the Amsterdam wife was determined to have a 2nd bedroom, even though that 2nd bedroom was tiny, I kept asking myself "how many people will visit you?"  I'm glad the husband got his view overlooking the canal because I think that was the best place, even if it was $100 over the budget.  

I have a 2 bedroom condo and when I bought it my parents did visit regularly, they lived about 3.5 hours away.  My dad passed away a few years ago and after that, my mom got to where she couldn't drive here to visit, so no one has slept in the bedroom for over eight years. I have a bed in the 2nd bedroom/office, but sometimes I think about getting rid of the bed to open up more space since the room is also a storage space (no basement or attic), but for now, I'm keeping the bed. 

Quite frankly, if I was a friend of the Amsterdam couple and decided to come over to visit, I'd get one look at that 'bedroom' the size of a broom closet and check right into a hotel.  I don't care how much her parents love her, that woman's mom and dad aren't going to be sleeping double in a twin bed in an alcove. I did love the canal view apartment that they took, though, gorgeous.

I do think all of these couples overestimate the number of visitors.  Presumably, their friends and family mostly live within a couple hours radius back in the US.  After one or two people make the trek over to them; everyone else will be waiting for them to return to the US to visit, figuring it's much easier for the two of them to come home than for the rest of them to go over there a few at a time.

[biakbiak]

People’s family and friends are different and I imagine they know if people will visit.  We have someone using are guest room at least once a month, my parents who live abroad also get frequent visitors in their guest rooms, and I have frequently gone and stayed with friends and family. Not to mention a two bedroom is just nice to have if your a couple when your sick or just for the extra space. 

All of that said that two bedroom was a closet and the other bedroom was also small with no room for storage so it was definitely needed as a closet. I was shocked you could market it as a bedroom but I imagine it would look larger if it didn’t have all the shelves.

Edited September 22, 2018 by biakbiak

[slasherboy]

No way would I sacrifice living in that beautiful apartment on the canal to accommodate any possible visitors.  I'd love to live there.

[biakbiak]

1 hour ago, slasherboy said:

No way would I sacrifice living in that beautiful apartment on the canal to accommodate any possible visitors.  I'd love to live there.

And neither did they since it’s the one they went with even though it was $100 over their budget.

Edited September 22, 2018 by biakbiak

[Ohwell]

.

Edited September 22, 2018 by Ohwell

[slasherboy]

4 hours ago, biakbiak said:

And neither did they since it’s the one they went with even though it was $100 over their budget.

 

Yep.  I watched to the very end.  Episodes in The Netherlands are my favorite.

Edited September 23, 2018 by slasherboy
To say "Thank You!" to Ohwell for the support.

[kirklandia]

I am an introvert, so my need for "down time" can be an issue whether being a houseguest or hosting one.  And, as I get older I am less able to be comfortable crashing just anywhere.  And, my last visitor informed me that I snore!  

All that being said, I find my favorite part of extended visits with friends and family happens at the beginning and end of the day.  Lazy mornings chatting over coffee, cozy evenings at home.  Maybe because it feels less like a formal visit and more like we are just hanging out together like we used to.  Luckily, most people I know have the space. I would not want a friend or family member to overextend their budget or sacrifice their daily comfort for my very occasional visits.

Edited September 23, 2018 by kirklandia
Fumble fingers

[doodlebug]

9 hours ago, kirklandia said:

I am an introvert, so my need for "down time" can be an issue whether being a houseguest or hosting one.  And, as I get older I am less able to be comfortable crashing just anywhere.  And, my last visitor informed me that I snore!  

All that being said, I find my favorite part of extended visits with friends and family happens at the beginning and end of the day.  Lazy mornings chatting over coffee, cozy evenings at home.  Maybe because it feels less like a formal visit and more like we are just hanging out together like we used to.  Luckily, most people I know have the space. I would not want a friend or family member to overextend their budget or sacrifice their daily comfort for my very occasional visits.

Absolutely! That’s the real problem, time and again, we see people who are on tight budgets prioritize guest space over other issues that are far more important to their everyday lives.  In the Amsterdam episode, aside from the fact that the ‘guest room’ was  the size of a closet, the place was in a bad location for his job.  Sacrificing a reasonable commute for space for occasional visitors is not sensible and, most visitors would feel terrible if they discovered that day to day conveniences were sacrificed for them.

[proserpina65]

On ‎09‎/‎19‎/‎2018 at 11:04 PM, Kohola3 said:

Texas to Belgium - didn't these two talk about kids before they got married.  That whole story was extremely tiresome.  

Yes, they certainly needed to learn French but a lot of people in Europe also speak English so it's not like they were going to be totally isolated.  Liked the Realtor's response to "it's so dated" - "but you can still use it" or something like that.  If it all functions, shut up already. You are renting in Belgium, it's not your forever home.

If she'd mentioned babies or nurseries one more time, I was prepared to reach through my tv screen and punch her in the uterus!  My god, that was tiresome.  Not that he was that much better - he seemed pretty immature, but still.

[proserpina65]

On ‎09‎/‎22‎/‎2018 at 1:13 PM, Lisa418722 said:

Last year a coworker went to Paris (her boyfriend's family paid for everything) and while they were there my coworker and her boyfriend met up with friends who had moved to Paris.  Beyond that, I've never known people who go visit friends and family in another country (or sometimes in another state) regularly. 

I have a friend whose husband is in the Army.  He's been stationed various places, and I've gone and stayed with them twice in Ottawa, and once in North Carolina.  But I could drive both times AND they had houses in both places with multiple bedrooms/bathrooms.  They're in Texas now, but in a studio apartment, so it'll be a hotel for me.  And if he'd ever been stationed in Europe, I'd probably have needed a hotel then due to space/cost.  Which is fine, because I don't expect them to base their housing choices on my occasional visits.  I'm crazy like that, I guess.

On ‎09‎/‎22‎/‎2018 at 2:05 PM, biakbiak said:

People’s family and friends are different and I imagine they know if people will visit.  We have someone using are guest room at least once a month, my parents who live abroad also get frequent visitors in their guest rooms, and I have frequently gone and stayed with friends and family. Not to mention a two bedroom is just nice to have if your a couple when your sick or just for the extra space. 

All of that said that two bedroom was a closet and the other bedroom was also small with no room for storage so it was definitely needed as a closet. I was shocked you could market it as a bedroom but I imagine it would look larger if it didn’t have all the shelves.

True, but would you have based your overseas apartment choice on whether or not people would visit?  Or on your budget and personal needs?

[CherryAmes]

On 9/22/2018 at 2:05 PM, biakbiak said:

People’s family and friends are different and I imagine they know if people will visit.  We have someone using are guest room at least once a month, my parents who live abroad also get frequent visitors in their guest rooms, and I have frequently gone and stayed with friends and family. Not to mention a two bedroom is just nice to have if your a couple when your sick or just for the extra space. 

When we lived in the UK we knew we'd get visitors, especially my parents!  But even so we didn't look for a place and base our decision on that.  I really don't think any of the HHs actually do either!  It's just another one of the tiresome little inventions they trot out so there is some discussion and faux tension before they reveal the place they already knew they were renting!  

[meep.meep]

On 9/22/2018 at 7:38 AM, Ohwell said:

This.  Some people don't realize that just because friends and family want to visit with you, that doesn't mean they want to stay with you.  I'd much prefer to stay in a hotel.

Or they are well aware that their own friends and family are cheapskates who want to take advantage of them living in a foreign country.  That way their vacation isn't so expensive.

My dad was in the army, we lived overseas when I was a child, and all the families came to visit.  If you know that's what your family is like, it isn't strange to try to plan ahead.

[biakbiak]

2 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

True, but would you have based your overseas apartment choice on whether or not people would visit?  Or on your budget and personal needs?

Well for me a second bedroom is for my own personal needs and as an added bonus for guests. Obviously if my budget was an issue I would have to weigh it on the priority list like all the HH on this show appear to do and frequently don’t go with the extra room even when it was on their list so it appears to be mainly a producer driven talking point. 

[Kohola3]

Opera singers in Germany - have they  never heard of curtains?  What was all of that angst over the "fishbowl" apartment?   It was clearly the only option. 

But I did like them better than most of the hunters we've seen lately.  Rather interesting couple.

[chessiegal]

1 minute ago, Kohola3 said:

Opera singers in Germany - have they  never heard of curtains?  What was all of that angst over the "fishbowl" apartment?   It was clearly the only option. 

But I did like them better than most of the hunters we've seen lately.  Rather interesting couple.

My husband was live googling them (is that a term?). My husband is from Alabama, and I didn't detect a bit of southern accent in the husband's language. My husband suggested as an opera singer he had weeded it out. I thought the husband was a hoot - great sense of humor. My husband said he has won many awards and is currently in a Placido Domingo production. Good for them.

[LittleIggy]

1 hour ago, Kohola3 said:

Opera singers in Germany - have they  never heard of curtains?  What was all of that angst over the "fishbowl" apartment?   It was clearly the only option. 

But I did like them better than most of the hunters we've seen lately.  Rather interesting couple.

I kept saying, “They are called curtains or blinds, hon. Look into it.” ? But, yeah, they seemed like nice people. A whole family of gingers!

1 hour ago, chessiegal said:

My husband was live googling them (is that a term?). My husband is from Alabama, and I didn't detect a bit of southern accent in the husband's language. My husband suggested as an opera singer he had weeded it out. I thought the husband was a hoot - great sense of humor. My husband said he has won many awards and is currently in a Placido Domingo production. Good for them.

Placido! ? I’ve had a crush on him since forever.

[LittleIggy]

Germany: What was the husband’s name? I want to google him now. BTW, I must be crazy but I loved the tile in the funky apartment bathroom.

[biakbiak]

4 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

What was the husband’s name? I

Nick Brownlee and the wife was Jen Feinstein.

The funky apartment will soon be gutted and made into a lovely, spacious but boring two bedroom. It was ginormous.

Edited September 25, 2018 by biakbiak

[proserpina65]

16 hours ago, biakbiak said:

Well for me a second bedroom is for my own personal needs and as an added bonus for guests. Obviously if my budget was an issue I would have to weigh it on the priority list like all the HH on this show appear to do and frequently don’t go with the extra room even when it was on their list so it appears to be mainly a producer driven talking point. 

Exactly.  You'd choose an apartment based on your personal needs, just like I would. 

I agree that the obsession with a second bedroom for all these guests who are going to visit is a producer-driven thing.  It's just a really freaking annoying one, and tends to make me dislike the house hunters.

 

12 hours ago, chessiegal said:

My husband was live googling them (is that a term?). My husband is from Alabama, and I didn't detect a bit of southern accent in the husband's language. My husband suggested as an opera singer he had weeded it out. I thought the husband was a hoot - great sense of humor. My husband said he has won many awards and is currently in a Placido Domingo production. Good for them.

Other than the curtain thing, I really liked them.  I could completely buy how moving to Germany would give them more time together as a family, based on their careers.  Okay, maybe they were a little over the top, but given what they do for a living, it was understandable.

 

10 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Germany: What was the husband’s name? I want to google him now. BTW, I must be crazy but I loved the tile in the funky apartment bathroom.

I liked the tile, and didn't necessarily mind the windows (again, curtains or blinds), but that apartment was too open for me.  I like separate rooms.

[sempervivum]

11 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

BTW, I must be crazy but I loved the tile in the funky apartment bathroom.

No you aren't alone- I thought it was adorable. I hate yellow, but if the floors in the rest of the place could have been painted, I would have taken that one- so open and light. 

 

11 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

I kept saying, “They are called curtains or blinds, hon. Look into it.” 

Curtains would have solved some of the problems in the first place as well. And really, the place they chose, even though it was first floor, was high off the street level; only someone on stilts could have peered in those windows. 

Am I the only one who thought her teeth were the color of cheese? Maybe it was that dayglo pink lipstick. The couple was cute and nice, and had fantastic voices.

[LittleIggy]

6 hours ago, biakbiak said:

Nick Brownlee and the wife was Jen Feinstein.

The funky apartment will soon be gutted and made into a lovely, spacious but boring two bedroom. It was ginormous.

The glamour pic on her site is definitely pre-baby! 

[javajeanelaine]

I really liked them.  It seems like Germany agrees with them.

[mojito]

Quote

Am I the only one who thought her teeth were the color of cheese? 

Nope. Maybe I should have been a dentist, the way I study people's teeth. Hers were good otherwise, though.

Enjoyable couple. I had a co-worker who sang opera (temped during down times) and it was funny the way she always had a stage presence (unlike non-singing actors I have known).  She always looked like she was prepared to perform on a dime. It was kind of a humorous thing to experience, that "here I am, look at me" stance that she had, even while in the break room grumbling about a broken copy machine. I guess opera requires a lot more body language and projecting (and being loud, as this couple described themselves), something hard to turn off when you're off stage, 

[Koalagirl]

Santa Barbara to Bressanone Italy.  Was the daughter Aleca overacting - otherwise what the hell was her problem.  Even her dog looked disgusted with her.

[rlc]

1 minute ago, Koalagirl said:

Santa Barbara to Bressanone Italy.  Was the daughter Aleca overacting - otherwise what the hell was her problem.  Even her dog looked disgusted with her.

How did that obnoxious daughter come from that delightful woman?

[LittleIggy]

1 hour ago, Koalagirl said:

Santa Barbara to Bressanone Italy.  Was the daughter Aleca overacting - otherwise what the hell was her problem.  Even her dog looked disgusted with her.

Poor doggy. I bet he just wanted to walk like a normal dog. OMG, Ms. “Fifty going on Twenty” was so freaking obnoxious! Bet cute real estate agent told his friends about her later and not in complimentary terms. No wonder mom was moving to Italy.

I liked the funky apartment. I was hoping the HH would pick the apartment with the stunning view just because the daughter was so against it.  

[TVForever]

Bressanone:

My daughter and I remarked that Falafel was probably the most "chill" dog we had ever seen. We realized by the end of the episode that the poor little thing was probably just worn out from life with that whirling dervish Aleca.

I liked all three of the houses, although that first colorful place felt more "vacation" than full-time living. The views from that mountain place were incredible! Ultimately, I would have gone with the in-town place too. And, let's face it, this is Bressanone, Italy, not New York City. The city center seems more small town than megalopolis. I thought it was charming, and I appreciated the introduction to somewhere I never heard of.

[ML89]

Bressanone: That poor agent can be the first guest on Richard and Adrian's spinoff. He looked shell shocked. Daughter TRYING ON THE COAT in the first apartment???  I swear, it's like she saw Legally Blonde and decided to be Reese's pal at the nail place as her real life goal.

I hated, though, that she was right - the in town place was definitely the best. That first place - okay, as someone who lived in a place where you had to climb the stairs to the bathroom? This is NOT a choice you should make (I will never make it again).

[Kenzie]

15 hours ago, Koalagirl said:

Santa Barbara to Bressanone Italy.  Was the daughter Aleca overacting - otherwise what the hell was her problem.  Even her dog looked disgusted with her.

A naturally over the top personality x TV cameras aimed at her made for some very annoying viewing. I just wanted her to shut up and finally I just hit the mute button every time her face popped up.

 

Loved the mom but a little Aleca went a looong way.

14 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

No wonder mom was moving to Italy.

That occurred to me too. Cowbells, goats bah bahing and mountain vistas must seem like paradise after spending the day with that motor mouth.

[slasherboy]

4 hours ago, Kenzie said:

Loved the mom but a little Aleca went a looong way.

That occurred to me too. Cowbells, goats bah bahing and mountain vistas must seem like paradise after spending the day with that motor mouth.

I can't believe (well, yes I can) that Aleca had the gall to put on the current resident's coat (which was too small) and hat and then pick up their musical instrument and start strumming it.  I would be furious!

Point #2: The sound of a jackhammer would seem like paradise after being with Aleca.

[Pickles]

Canada to Stockholm newlywed couple. Not entirely sure this coupling is going to work out. She seemed really homesick for her parents and special needs brother. Didn’t sound like she said yes to the proposal right away. Had only been married 3 weeks. She wanted personal space. Did not end up getting any in that studio apartment. The husband drove me a little crazy with his exuberance and some goofiness. I would need personal space too.

[rlc]

Calgary to  Stockholm: Why oh why did this 12 year old girl marry someone she clearly can’t stand? Gross.

[mojito]

Calgary to Stockholm

The wife looked shell shocked. She displayed almost zero personality and she didn't even seem as though she were living in the moment.

Bad decision, I think, to marry. She reminded me of what I've seen depicted on shows featuring women whose marriage was arranged: unhappy and trying to make the most of it.

[abbyzenn]

Just catching up.

Santa Barbara to Bressanone:  I had read the comments here before watching the show.  Somehow I imagined Aleca was a young girl so I was shocked to see she was an adult.  She was annoying.  One of the worst things I've seen on here was that when touring the one apartment she put the dog in a baby's crib.  I wouldn't want her to put the dog on my bed let alone my baby's.  With the way they were talking about how remote the  3rd place was I thought it would be a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere rather than an apartment building in a small town.   So I just don't get the whole routine of how would you meet people in such a place.

 

Canada to Stockholm.  Why would his teaching job require him to be married or have proof of living together for at least 2 years?  THey were both very immature and the marriage seemed based more on his job requirement than actual love/commitment.  What did she do all day?  No mention of working or studying.  I would go nuts living in that tiny place and can't image living  with another person there.

[ML89]

Canada to Stockholm: They are certifiable, frankly. That tiny studio where someone has to crawl over the other person to go to the bathroom at night versus either of the other two apartments? When they've never even lived together or even out of their homes? That third place was on budget. There's not a bus that goes by so he doesn't have to walk to school? What does she do all day?

I don't give them six months. I don't understand why they married at all and that place was a recipe for disaster. He's Mister Impulsive and she's a wet blanket. He's also way way too much. I'm really beginning to feel such sympathy for these sales agents.

Edited September 27, 2018 by ML89

[Babalooie]

16 hours ago, Pickles said:

Not entirely sure this coupling is going to work out.

Well,  I came here to say what everyone has also said.  She looked miserable and seemed like she didn't like him 90% of the time.  She smiled now and then, but was WAY too low key.  Yes, a recipe for disaster.  Maybe they're a pretend couple.

[BlossomCulp]

Not having seen this episode but I wonder if he works for some sort of religious organization that would not hire someone who is gay so getting married "proves" he's not?  And she's going along with it for reasons of her own?  Too Dr Phil?

[Ohwell]

I thought the Stockholm couple was kind of cute together and I think it probably did her some good to get away from her family for awhile.

Also, the real estate agent was hot. 

[doodlebug]

5 hours ago, BlossomCulp said:

Not having seen this episode but I wonder if he works for some sort of religious organization that would not hire someone who is gay so getting married "proves" he's not?  And she's going along with it for reasons of her own?  Too Dr Phil?

He said that they either had to have lived together 2 years or be married for her to come with him.  That doesn't sound like a religious organization to me.  I think he might've been talking about her getting a visa to live there, especially since it sounded like she wasn't planning to work.  He had a job and would've gotten a work visa, but, if she was going to accompany him, I suspect the rules were that they either had to have a history of cohabitation or a marriage license.

They both seemed pretty naïve and immature.  They said that neither one had ever lived apart from their parents, both lived at home while in college.  She was worried about how to shop for food and plan meals, for goodness' sakes!  They must've been really sheltered, and, in that case, I think moving thousands of miles away from home was not such a good idea.  I wouldn't be surprised to hear that she is already back in the US at mom and dad's.

The apartment they chose would be a real challenge, even for a couple who knew each other very well and were accustomed to spending a lot of time together.  I cannot picture 2 people who seemed to have had very little time together on an everyday basis making that work well.

[Irlandesa]

57 minutes ago, doodlebug said:

They must've been really sheltered, and, in that case, I think moving thousands of miles away from home was not such a good idea. 

I think you're right about the Visa reason for their marriage.

I actually think moving thousands of miles away from home for a while is not a terrible idea. Some people can learn independence close to their parents but for others, moving far away is the perfect test of learning what you're capable of.

[Ritalin Smoothie]

After seeing the eye candies that are the "real estate agents" from Bressanone and Stockholm, I decided to google the names Agostino Oberhofer and Joel Pettersson and went directly to the Images results, which confirm my suspicion that these guys aren't agents at all.  Really, I don't mind the show putting pretty faces on (and they are so purty), but it just reinforces how artificial the made-up background stories and house hunts are.  Still, I watch every new show because I do enjoy seeing foreign properties. 

Edited September 29, 2018 by Ritalin Smoothie

[LittleIggy]

9 hours ago, BlossomCulp said:

Not having seen this episode but I wonder if he works for some sort of religious organization that would not hire someone who is gay so getting married "proves" he's not?  And she's going along with it for reasons of her own?  Too Dr Phil?

He was working for an international school so it wouldn’t be a religious school. I thought it was a visa requirement.

[LittleIggy]

Florida to Vietnam: Give up tenure? Uh, no! I wouldn’t do it. Anyway, I thought it was sweet that Ann the agent invited them to her wedding for luck since they had a long and happy marriage.

[mojito]

Florida to Vietnam

* The agent looked like she was 14 years old.

* When you're in your 60s, declaring that you were an only child makes you look silly.

* What was wrong with the size of the refrigerator? There's just two of them and there's fresh food on the streets.

* Likable couple.

* No mention of the kids coming to visit. I think they were glad to be free of those boys.

* At the oven-less place, no whining about not being able to cook a Thanksgiving turkey