House Hunters International - General Discussion

[kirklandia]

Misogyny, sexism, and harassment has been a big issue in Esports.  Many women have found it to be a toxic environment.  Hopefully the situation is improving.

[aghst]

I don't think she's doing Esports.  I think it's called Twitch, where she streams herself playing games and enough people watch her to make money.

[Crashcourse]

I was getting dizzy with just a brief glimpse of the South Korean gamer's room with those lights.   😵

[LittleIggy]

11 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

She plays video games online in front of an audience. 

People actually pay to watch that? 🤦‍♀️

[tessaray]

2 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

People actually pay to watch that? 🤦‍♀️

I assume mainly via ads. Just like Youtubers make money off the number of eyeballs they have. Though some are probably influencers getting paid directly.  

Imo, it's like watching bowling on TV - more fun to do than watch but people seem to like it. 🙂

[amarante]

I have read that some of the professional gamers have sponsors and so they monetize that as well. Also since she has a very targeted audience, the number of followers would impact buys from the video game and other related industries.

Also - evidently there are now tournaments which have the potential for someone to earn a lot of money.

As a female gamer, it probably works both ways. I have read that female gamers get a LOT of trolls and vicious DM's. On the other hand, since there aren't that many in the field, she would be a unique commodity. 

But she obviously needed a separate room to set up her equipment and to be able to do whatever is necessary for her work. She was totally unlike some of these people who *need* a home office or separate craft room in order to spend a few hours doing whatever they do. I find it boggling that someone who doesn't actually work from home can't use the guest room as a place to set up their computer and files - especially now when almost everything is digitized.

I remodeled recently and had a custom wall unit/desk built for my office/den area and it has ONE small file cabinet which chiefly holds empty files folders. I almost never print and I do everything possible to store everything digitally - At this point, my paper files consist of my tax returns for 7 years and duplicates of my Trust, Will and Medical Power of Attorney plus death certificates for my parents because you need originals for that - best advice I got was to order more death certificates than you think you could possibly use because every entity you deal with needs an original certificate. 

Edited September 18, 2021 by amarante

[amarante]

47 minutes ago, tessaray said:

I assume mainly via ads. Just like Youtubers make money off the number of eyeballs they have. Though some are probably influencers getting paid directly.  

Imo, it's like watching bowling on TV - more fun to do than watch but people seem to like it. 🙂

I think the analogy to watching video games is closer to golf except for the demographics.😂 TV Golf skews old and affluent which is why there principally ads for brokers and alter kocker cars like Cadillacs and Lincoln Continentals. 

I have read that there is a community that surrounds so there is a lot of interaction with the "player". That would explain why she commented a few times that with the change in time zones she would have a new audience that would potentially be watching her/interacting with her 

Edited September 18, 2021 by amarante

[aghst]

I think if her toddlers were seen in the background while she was streaming her gaming sessions, whatever brand she has in that world would be damaged and possibly her earning prospects.

That is why she needs a room where she can close the door.  Plus because of the time zone difference, she might be doing her games streaming thing when her husband and kids are asleep.

[Pine]

I hope that all the Australian House Hunters truly love where they are, since the entire country is on complete shutdown.  

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 9/17/2021 at 3:05 AM, aghst said:

They chose Korea over returning to the US and were willing to put their younger child into a local school rather than an international school.

But maybe it’s better for his pilot career to be in Korea.

They can’t speak the language or know how to take the subway but there must be some other base families to socialize with.

I think Korea over the U.S. is a great choice.  They get to move to a foreign country, but have lots of support, both institutional and social.  I think it's wonderful they're putting the younger kid in a local school.  What a great opportunity.

Sure beats the hell out of spending three years at Fort Hood in Texas.

The main thing I know Korea for these days is its superb internet infrastructure, so I do wonder if the wife's gaming had something to do with their choice.

And...I was thinking that a calm demeanor would be an asset for a pilot, but this guy took it to a whole nother level.  On the one hand, he seems like he would handle a mid-air emergency just the same as he handles starting his car in the morning, but then again, wouldn't military pilots benefit from more of an edge?

 

1 hour ago, tessaray said:

I assume mainly via ads. Just like Youtubers make money off the number of eyeballs they have. Though some are probably influencers getting paid directly.  

They also make money via direct payments from fans, which despite the misogyny in the community, might prove to be an advantage for a skilled and telegenic female player.

I watched a Tetris tournament the other day on ESPN.  I was transfixed, but then again, I remember getting a Gameboy when I was in my 30s, and would sit there and play Tetris (poorly) until my contacts stuck to my eyes.  The gaming setups for the boys in the tournament looked pleasingly low-tech--a chair in their bedroom, and not even a comfortable looking chair.  Ah, youth.

 

 

[LittleIggy]

Korea: Yeah, I think it’s cool that the younger kid is going to a local school. He can learn Korean quickly that way. I wondered if the two kids spoke German.

[LittleIggy]

Oz: The wife looked as if she could be the younger sister of Alex Guarnaschelli. 
Costa Rica: Wonder what the age difference is?

[proserpina65]

On 9/16/2021 at 8:07 AM, Cetacean said:

Way too big for one person.

Eh, what one person considers too big, I consider just fine for one person.  I, too, would've wanted to be at the beach.

On 9/16/2021 at 11:02 PM, Grizzly said:

Bribie Island, Australia. Does Molly look older than Sean? What does this guy have against a little yard work? Get a job and you can hire someone. Those kitchens don't look that outdated. Does he do the cooking? Sure that condo was spectacular, but I think Molly is looking for some privacy after living with resort guests. Nice trade off, she gets what she wants and he can have a boat.

I was with Sean on the yard work.  I hate it.

[Grrarrggh]

I really liked the Costa Rica pair. I wonder if he taught at ODU?

[Grizzly]

Ramstein-Miesenbach, Germany. We need to go to Germany and check on Kevin. At least he doesn't have to put up with this couple that want everything. Are they going to give their daughter the main bed and bath? Couldn't she have stayed with friends for senior year? And does this part of Germany not have parks? Derrick is getting tiresome with wanting a yard to play football with his boys. Play ball in the house.

[Thumper]

7 minutes ago, Grizzly said:

Ramstein-Miesenbach, Germany. We need to go to Germany and check on Kevin. At least he doesn't have to put up with this couple that want everything. Are they going to give their daughter the main bed and bath? Couldn't she have stayed with friends for senior year? And does this part of Germany not have parks? Derrick is getting tiresome with wanting a yard to play football with his boys. Play ball in the house.

I missed which house they chose. Can someone tell me?  I could not tell from the ending.  Was it #3?  Figured it must not have been the one that was located farther away.
Yeah, it seemed that the daughter was going to get the “main” bedroom with en-suite bath — because they promised  her since she’d miss her senior year in high school back home.  Wow — nice for her!  And those bathrooms were big!  I get it but I also shake my head, having shared a bathroom with 9 others growing up, and somehow survived.

[lgprimes]

Positively drooling over the French Riviera tonight (what is Adrian doing way down there??!).

 Such a gorgeous part of the world and the properties were MUCH more affordable than I would have imagined! I’m ready to pack my bags.

[buttersister]

Quote

Play ball in the house.

Yeah, with that nice bonus room in house #3, I noticed the older boy playing his video games, which I'm sure made him almost as happy as his sister. Small town Germany? Parks galore. I was fine with the daughter getting her own bathroom--couldn't be easy to leave your friends at that age--she didn't seem spoiled and if she was whining about leaving, it would have been included. Of course, living in Europe is a great opportunity for her, but at 16? Sure it didn't seem like it back in Kansas.

The realtor was okay, but I miss Kevin, too.

Edited September 22, 2021 by buttersister

[LittleIggy]

1 hour ago, Grizzly said:

Ramstein-Miesenbach, Germany. We need to go to Germany and check on Kevin. At least he doesn't have to put up with this couple that want everything. Are they going to give their daughter the main bed and bath? Couldn't she have stayed with friends for senior year? And does this part of Germany not have parks? Derrick is getting tiresome with wanting a yard to play football with his boys. Play ball in the house.

I’m packing right now! Where is my sweetie! 😱

[Grizzly]

Arnhem, Netherlands. I'm really warming up to Floor. She is exhibiting a sly sense of humor. She is definitely going to need a magic wand. They want to feel like they're in Europe but prefer the place that doesn't feel like Europe because of the size. I knew he could do window boxes on the balcony.

[Grizzly]

Perth, Australia. Frankly, I'm a little tired of Australia. Didn't pay too much attention to the hunt. They did have a unique meet cute story. That was a lot of wine! And they should get a dog to keep her company. Not sure how her being close to shops, cafes, and restaurants will save them money.

Edited September 23, 2021 by Grizzly
Everyone calls them shops, not stores.

[Grrarrggh]

The Arnhem buyer has obviously never heard of planters. 

[aghst]

On 9/21/2021 at 8:01 PM, Grizzly said:

Ramstein-Miesenbach, Germany. We need to go to Germany and check on Kevin. At least he doesn't have to put up with this couple that want everything. Are they going to give their daughter the main bed and bath? Couldn't she have stayed with friends for senior year? And does this part of Germany not have parks? Derrick is getting tiresome with wanting a yard to play football with his boys. Play ball in the house.

Geneva is not doing any dishes!

She checked for dishwasher in every home.

 

[Crashcourse]

I'm getting tired of Australia, too.

[Dehumidifier]

I had no idea that there were no quiet places or places with a view anywhere near New York until I just started rolling the Sutherland Shire Australia episode from Monday night. 🙄 Did she live in the middle of Times Square?

Edited September 24, 2021 by Dehumidifier
*near

[Grizzly]

London. Richard! Are we Americans all the same? Everyone wants to be near shops and have charm, but don't want to hear traffic noise or have people potentially look at them. Matt has pretty eyes. Brittany does too. Glad they thought of the dog when making their decision. Wonder if they'll name the baby Richard?

[LittleIggy]

The Noosa Hinterlands were gorgeous. Is the MD wife not going to practice medicine anymore and just start pushing herbs and yoga? 
The cabin made of shipping containers was awesome. Stunning view!

[aghst]

On 9/21/2021 at 8:56 PM, lgprimes said:

Positively drooling over the French Riviera tonight (what is Adrian doing way down there??!).

 Such a gorgeous part of the world and the properties were MUCH more affordable than I would have imagined! I’m ready to pack my bags.

I'm not seeing any new recently aired episodes from France with Adrian.

Could this have been a repeat?

[Crashcourse]

I'll just hide in the closet by myself because I have a really unpopular opinion.  I like Richard's personality but I think his beard and moustache are absolutely hideous.   I can't stand to look at him, especially when he's talking. 

[Bastet]

41 minutes ago, Crashcourse said:

I'll just hide in the closet by myself because I have a really unpopular opinion.  I like Richard's personality but I think his beard and moustache are absolutely hideous.   I can't stand to look at him, especially when he's talking. 

Scoot over.

I hate facial hair in general, so it's not a surprise I dislike his, but I find it aggressively awful.

[seacliffsal]

Oh nooooooos, the Netherlands couple didn't want the yard that the upstairs neighbors could (barely) look at, but chose the balcony apartment that everyone on the other side of the fence could see.  Hmmmm...

[aghst]

On 9/22/2021 at 7:37 PM, Grizzly said:

Arnhem, Netherlands. I'm really warming up to Floor. She is exhibiting a sly sense of humor. She is definitely going to need a magic wand. They want to feel like they're in Europe but prefer the place that doesn't feel like Europe because of the size. I knew he could do window boxes on the balcony.

Yeah she got that balcony in a nondescript building overlooking other apartment blocks.

I guess it’s convenient for having a beverage out there, get some air.

Floor is certainly a contrast from Sarah.  Both can be enjoyable depending on one’s mood.  She looks like a rocker chick, must have done some traveling in her younger days, very comfortable speaking English.

[aghst]

22 hours ago, Grizzly said:

London. Richard! Are we Americans all the same? Everyone wants to be near shops and have charm, but don't want to hear traffic noise or have people potentially look at them. Matt has pretty eyes. Brittany does too. Glad they thought of the dog when making their decision. Wonder if they'll name the baby Richard?

Seems like the decision was driven by price but Notting Hill was $200 more though it adds up.

She drove him to get the dog, the cat, start a family, move to London.  Reminded me of the Seinfeld episode where George complained of not having hand in his relationship — “I don’t have any hand, she has the (upper) hand!”

So it was surprising that she agreed with him to take the cheaper house.  But maybe $200 more on top of the $300 over their target was just too much.

I think it’s one of the few times a hunter opted into a longer commute, as opposed to being gaslit but their partner into it.

Regarding Richard’s beard, he definitely let it grow.  He must not have liked wearing masks.

 

Edited September 25, 2021 by aghst

[Cetacean]

6 hours ago, Bastet said:

Scoot over.

Table for three.  I can always imagine food getting in there.  Ugh.

[Grrarrggh]

2 hours ago, aghst said:

I think it’s one of the few times a hunter opted into a longer commute, as opposed to being gaslit but their partner into it.

I think gaslit is a bit extreme. I'm sure I wouldn't want my partner a long commute away while I was home with a newborn. That 4th trimester is brutal. 

[LittleIggy]

9 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

I'll just hide in the closet by myself because I have a really unpopular opinion.  I like Richard's personality but I think his beard and moustache are absolutely hideous.   I can't stand to look at him, especially when he's talking. 

I love Richard, but I hate his beard. It is too bushy. I was thinking tonight, while watching the new episode, that he needs to take a weed-whacker to it! I’m not big on facial hair, but a well-trimmed beard can be sexy. Think Alan Rickman in Diehard. 😍

[buttersister]

I love watching Richard. I dislike facial hair in general, his is no exception.

 I enjoy the realtors who are legit, know what they’re talking about and exhibit good humor dealing with these HHs. 

[laredhead]

I watched the latest London episode and Australian episode last night, and thought the comparison of the couples was interesting.  The couple who moved to Australia (he was from Ireland, and she was from Ohio) had not known each other very long before they married, and moved to Australia.  He was a paramedic with the goal of going to medical school to be a doctor, and she was a designer who liked DIY projects.  They were spending $500,000 on a house!  There was some hidden money there I think.  The woman was very emotional when she spoke about leaving her family to move halfway around the world, and the man at one point, said maybe they got married too soon, when they were each describing what they wanted in a house.  The vibe between them just didn't feel comfortable to me.  I hope their marriage works, and she enjoys the pool she wanted so much.  

As for the London couple, I think they had a good partnership.  Someone mentioned upthread that the husband said his wife had encouraged him to take the job and move to London.  They both seemed to be pretty much in agreement with the type of place they wanted, and I think their relationship showed more maturity and insight into each other's goals, and the reality of becoming parents.  I enjoyed that episode more than the Australian one because there wasn't any bickering.  I liked the apartment they chose, and it's always nice to see Richard and hear his take on the HH's.         

[LittleIggy]

Oz: Since the wife had design and DIY skills, I kept thinking “get a place with projects so she can keep busy.”

[QQQQ]

20 hours ago, Cetacean said:

Table for three.  I can always imagine food getting in there.  Ugh.

It reminds me of Wooly Willy, the magnetic kids' game.

[aghst]

The Perth episode she talked a big game about all the renovations and redesigning she was going to do.

Then supposedly 3 months later, she’d mostly hung out at the pool and took a little retail job.

Maybe she was auditioning for her own HGTV show, since they seem to have a lot of shows featuring young women redesigning and remodeling.

Or maybe she should have spent time developing skills for a career type of job unless she wants her aspiring doctor husband to provide for her.

 

In the London suburbs episode, Richard kept saying they needed to raise their budget.  Sounded like money was tight, that he’d still have his college car and had it shipped over.

They were also having their furniture shipped over as well.

He found the extra $70k because she wasn’t driving him to the rail station and the kids to school.

Or the budgets claimed on this show are fictional.

[LittleIggy]

London: It didn’t appear that the husband was moving for an academic position in London. At least that’s how it appeared to me. A university was never mentioned.

[StatisticalOutlier]

20 hours ago, aghst said:

Or the budgets claimed on this show are fictional.

Apparently the bathrooms are.  We didn't see a single one in London.  Probably helps keep the rent down, but I'd worry about cholera.

[Jodithgrace]

Perth wife was all about the building and remodeling she was going to do. But every time the husband complained about the maintenance of a pool, I kept waiting for wife to chime in with "I'll do the pool maintenance!" But she didn't. And sure enough, in the happily ever after, hubby is skimming the pool and builder wife is "supervising." 

Sigh. I mean she wanted the pool, why couldn't she maintain it? 

[proserpina65]

On 9/22/2021 at 11:08 PM, Grizzly said:

Perth, Australia. Frankly, I'm a little tired of Australia. Didn't pay too much attention to the hunt. They did have a unique meet cute story. That was a lot of wine! And they should get a dog to keep her company. Not sure how her being close to shops, cafes, and restaurants will save them money.

Maybe they won't need a second car in order to get to grocery stores?  That's usually what they mean when they talk about being close to shops.

On 9/23/2021 at 5:16 PM, Crashcourse said:

I'm getting tired of Australia, too.

I'm not tired of Australia, but I do wish they'd use a few more places IN the country, not just the same few cities/towns.  Like, I could do without seeing Noosa for a little while.

On 9/24/2021 at 12:30 AM, LittleIggy said:

The Noosa Hinterlands were gorgeous. Is the MD wife not going to practice medicine anymore and just start pushing herbs and yoga? 
The cabin made of shipping containers was awesome. Stunning view!

I wanted to watch that one for the visuals, but just couldn't with the stupid holistic crap.

On 9/24/2021 at 2:11 AM, aghst said:

I'm not seeing any new recently aired episodes from France with Adrian.

Could this have been a repeat?

It was.  This was the episode where the "second bedroom" was a weird bed in a bathroom, literally right next to the toilet.

On 9/24/2021 at 9:22 PM, aghst said:

Seems like the decision was driven by price but Notting Hill was $200 more though it adds up.

That was the one with the crazy wallpaper, right?  I don't think I could've lived with that.

On 9/26/2021 at 12:28 AM, LittleIggy said:

London: It didn’t appear that the husband was moving for an academic position in London. At least that’s how it appeared to me. A university was never mentioned.

Maybe aghst was talking about a different episode?  The one I saw didn't involve the suburbs at all and there weren't any kids yet.

 

[LittleIggy]

47 minutes ago, proserpina65 said:

 

Maybe aghst was talking about a different episode?  The one I saw didn't involve the suburbs at all and there weren't any kids yet.

 

No, we were referring to the same episode. The husband was a professor of finance in the US, but no mention was made of an academic job in London, just a job in finance.

[proserpina65]

3 minutes ago, LittleIggy said:

No, we were referring to the same episode. The husband was a professor of finance in the US, but no mention was made of an academic job in London, just a job in finance.

Okay, maybe I'm the one who saw a different episode then.

[Rootbeer]

5 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

Maybe they won't need a second car in order to get to grocery stores?  That's usually what they mean when they talk about being close to shops.

I'm not tired of Australia, but I do wish they'd use a few more places IN the country, not just the same few cities/towns.  Like, I could do without seeing Noosa for a little while.

 

 

The major problem I have with Australia is that I think the houses are generally kind of boring and uninteresting.  I much prefer the architectural styles seen in Europe and Asia.

[Chicken Fingers]

On 9/21/2021 at 11:13 PM, Thumper said:

I missed which house they chose. Can someone tell me?  I could not tell from the ending.  Was it #3?  Figured it must not have been the one that was located farther away.
Yeah, it seemed that the daughter was going to get the “main” bedroom with en-suite bath — because they promised  her since she’d miss her senior year in high school back home.  Wow — nice for her!  And those bathrooms were big!  I get it but I also shake my head, having shared a bathroom with 9 others growing up, and somehow survived.

Right? I was a military brat and moved countries in both middle school and then in late high school, and my parents wouldn't have dreamed of giving me their room to make up for anything. It was all Shape up or ship out! at my house.

[Pine]

On 9/25/2021 at 6:09 AM, laredhead said:

I watched the latest London episode and Australian episode last night, and thought the comparison of the couples was interesting.  The couple who moved to Australia (he was from Ireland, and she was from Ohio) had not known each other very long before they married, and moved to Australia.  He was a paramedic with the goal of going to medical school to be a doctor, and she was a designer who liked DIY projects.  They were spending $500,000 on a house!  There was some hidden money there I think.  The woman was very emotional when she spoke about leaving her family to move halfway around the world, and the man at one point, said maybe they got married too soon, when they were each describing what they wanted in a house.  The vibe between them just didn't feel comfortable to me.  I hope their marriage works, and she enjoys the pool she wanted so much.  

I didn't realize that they are already married.  I worry too.  If she doesn't run home in 3 years, then they will stick together.  (engaged to someone in another country and lived there for a few years, went home, glad I didn't wed.)