House Hunters International - General Discussion

[LittleIggy]

18 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Belgium. At least they admitted they knew going in that closets were not common. The daughter was cute wanting a small room so she didn't have much to clean. Can she quickly grow up and be on HH? I am so shallow, Nabil is not making my hot list.

Then I’m shallow, too! He’s no Kevin, but then who is? 😏

[ECM1231]

Just saw the Belgium episode. Such a nice family! The dad had a great laugh! I'm sorry the wife wasn't on board with house #2, as the kids liked it, it had a great yard and pear trees! Plus, 2 baths. #3 was a good compromise, I guess. Realtor Nabil was dressed so shabbily. 

[mojito]

On 1/20/2022 at 1:12 PM, ECM1231 said:

And also PUERTA (PWERTA). I hate when folks say PORTO or PORTA. They say that with Puerto Rico too.

Then you must love how people mispronounce Tijuana.

[Grizzly]

Puerto Vallarta. Taniel again 🙂. Is he reminding anyone else of an actor? The woodwork in house #1 was gorgeous! Where were they going to work in house #3? Oh, desks in the bedrooms. Wonder if the walls will start closing in.

[aghst]

What time was it recorded?

My Tivo indicates a repeat, Australia to Portugal from 2020, at 10:30 PM

[ECM1231]

15 minutes ago, Grizzly said:

Puerto Vallarta. Taniel again 🙂. Is he reminding anyone else of an actor? The woodwork in house #1 was gorgeous! Where were they going to work in house #3? Oh, desks in the bedrooms. Wonder if the walls will start closing in.

But the price difference between the two was significant-- $1000/month. Their children were young and I honestly didn't think the house was that small. Ymmv. Plus, there was a community pool and playground where the kids could meet other kids.

I'm curious about Taniel's ethnicity. Neither his first name or surname seem to be Latino.   

Never mind. I found it. He's Lebanese.https://www.leveragere.com/articles/view/852/taniel-chemsian-a-close-up-of-his-trajectory

5 minutes ago, aghst said:

What time was it recorded?

My Tivo indicates a repeat, Australia to Portugal from 2020, at 10:30 PM

It aired and recorded tonight at 10:30 pm.

[mojito]

Puyallup, WA to Puerto Vallarta

Though bland, I guess they chose the best house for them.

Nothing says exposing their children to "diversity" like living in a gated community in a poor country. I guess they'll get plenty of diversity once they start attending private school...

[ItsHelloPattiagain]

6 hours ago, mojito said:

Puyallup, WA to Puerto Vallarta

Though bland, I guess they chose the best house for them.

Was it just me or did the husband on this episode have the same hairstyle as Howard Wolowicz from the Big Bang Theory? I could not get past his hair!

[LittleIggy]

Yay, it’s Taniel! 

[aghst]

The diversity is just a rationalization for them wanting to go down and save the cost of living.

If either of the kids go to school and have established friends, it would kind of suck to move so maybe they're rationalizing about diversity.

Though it's commonly expressed on HHI, parents saying they wanted to give their kids this great experience and learn other cultures and peoples.

Probably producers make those suggestions about things to talk about on camera.

Houses seemed fine.  Sounds like they're repeat visitors to PV so as long as their costs are low, they don't have too many requirements other than meeting their budget.

[cinsays]

16 hours ago, ItsHelloPattiagain said:

Was it just me or did the husband on this episode have the same hairstyle as Howard Wolowicz from the Big Bang Theory? I could not get past his hair!

his hair and his voice were kind of strange to me

[LittleIggy]

Cabo: I love the place they picked. I noticed they didn’t mention all the guests they had had visiting. 😆 That guy would get on my last nerve.

[mojito]

Cabo

I really liked the female. She was so laid back and easy, yet I got the feeling she was no pushover and he probably spent more energy trying to please her than vice-versa. Which is good, because he was kind of annoying. He seemed to crave attention, she obviously lets all his chatter go in one ear and out the other.  Inwardly, she was probably rolling her eyes as he went on about all his visitors from the US and parties and beer pong. Yes, he specified beer pong. 

[kirklandia]

Puerto Vallarta house hunters are from Puyallup.  I couldn't believe they said it is a suburb of Seattle.
Puyallup is 35 miles away - yet only 10 miles from Tacoma.  Does that mean Tacoma is also a suburb of Seattle?

[snarts]

Cabo: I LOVED the place they chose, so much so that I was already mentally spending the $450k.

Edited to add, I found it! https://www.ladera.mx/

Puerto Vallarta: In terms of families moving to another country yet choosing to live in a gated community, I'd say that it's still exposing the kids to different people/cultures. Arguably not as much as being immersed in a non-gated community but they're still interacting (shopping, dining, living) in a different country.  I'm sure that their community is a mix of ex-pats & locals. To me, it not much different that choosing a gated community here in US, I guess it gives you an extra sense of security/belonging?

Edited January 28, 2022 by snarts
added link

[aghst]

There's got to be HOA or maintenance fees.

Looks like these places had amenities or even if not amenities, then common areas needing maintenance.

23 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Cabo: I love the place they picked. I noticed they didn’t mention all the guests they had had visiting. 😆 That guy would get on my last nerve.

Yeah how often were they planning to entertain?

How long are people going to stay over?  These days, do you want to spend time indoors with people outside your immediate household?

[Grizzly]

The Hague, Netherlands. Floor will find the middle ground for this couple.  What parents don't understand is kids are very adaptable. These 2 are worrying about the kids adjusting and I think the kids will do fine. It's the husband who might not be able to cope.

[Koalagirl]

11 hours ago, Grizzly said:

The Hague, Netherlands. Floor will find the middle ground for this couple.  What parents don't understand is kids are very adaptable. These 2 are worrying about the kids adjusting and I think the kids will do fine. It's the husband who might not be able to cope.

I liked this family but I was so annoyed that the wife ended most of her sentences with her voice going up high (pitch, not sound).

[aghst]

12 hours ago, Grizzly said:

The Hague, Netherlands. Floor will find the middle ground for this couple.  What parents don't understand is kids are very adaptable. These 2 are worrying about the kids adjusting and I think the kids will do fine. It's the husband who might not be able to cope.

Seems like another case where one of the house hunters, in this case the wife, is playing the city vs. burbs script.

She really didn't push hard for the two places in or near the city when it came down to making the decision.

Wonder if the house hunters have any input on the fake choices they come up with or the producers find them and then give them a narrative, such as being in the city to make it appear like they seriously consider these other places when it's often the case that the house hunters have already chosen or are already living in their home.

 

[chessiegal]

55 minutes ago, aghst said:

Wonder if the house hunters have any input on the fake choices they come up with or the producers find them

Unless they have friends who let them use their place, I think that would be the producer's job.

[Rootbeer]

1 hour ago, aghst said:

Seems like another case where one of the house hunters, in this case the wife, is playing the city vs. burbs script.

She really didn't push hard for the two places in or near the city when it came down to making the decision.

Wonder if the house hunters have any input on the fake choices they come up with or the producers find them and then give them a narrative, such as being in the city to make it appear like they seriously consider these other places when it's often the case that the house hunters have already chosen or are already living in their home.

 

I think production usually finds them although a few house hunters have admitted that friends or family of theirs were recruited and their homes used.  I don't believe the owners of the decoy homes are compensated for their use and they have to clear out for a day or two for filming.  I think TPTB take what they can get when it comes to decoys which is why some are so obviously not suitable for the hunters.

[deirdra]

I suspect they look at current listings for suitable homes to tour just before arriving in town. Some will have already been moved out of or under renovation and others will be furnished and well or poorly staged.

[seacliffsal]

I liked the home they picked near The Hague.  They will easily be able to get into the city center while enjoying a larger home and more peaceful setting.  I thought the rental price was pretty reasonable. Enjoyed Floor as the agent.  

[aghst]

1 hour ago, seacliffsal said:

I liked the home they picked near The Hague.  They will easily be able to get into the city center while enjoying a larger home and more peaceful setting.  I thought the rental price was pretty reasonable. Enjoyed Floor as the agent.  

One thing that struck me, these larger homes still had narrow staircases.

I think all 3 did?  Or at least one of the larger homes, #2 or #3, also had these types of steep and narrow staircases.

I've only been to Amsterdam in Holland.  It's well understood why those canal homes were so narrow and thus had narrow staircases.  It was to maximize use of space but also they taxed homes at one time based on their width, so they built them narrow and tall.

I don't think that's the case any more with how these homes are taxed.  That tax regime was from centuries ago.

So you have the larger homes, one in the suburbs.

Maybe the Dutch got used to those narrow staircases and prefer them?  Because the two larger homes had room for the kind of expansive staircases you see in other countries, including the US.

I wonder what happens to seniors though.  I'm sure there are single story homes, away fro city centers.  You'd think there would be a lot of turnover if people get too old to go up and down those stairs.

 

[mojito]

16 hours ago, Grizzly said:

These 2 are worrying about the kids adjusting and I think the kids will do fine.

Yeah. Especially the 12-year old. They talked about the kids playing in the street, but I doubt she does much of that anymore.

4 hours ago, Koalagirl said:

I liked this family but I was so annoyed that the wife ended most of her sentences with her voice going up high (pitch, not sound).

You mean ending each sentence as though she's in the middle of listing items in a series?

Lots of people talk like this. For me, though, it's one of the telltale signs of a person being Canadian. 

[chessiegal]

5 hours ago, Koalagirl said:

I liked this family but I was so annoyed that the wife ended most of her sentences with her voice going up high (pitch, not sound).

It's called upspeak. It's usually women who do it. When we taught courtroom procedures to our forensic lab staff, we did mock trials for prep when they testified as expert witnesses. We had to coach women who did it, because it sounds like they are asking a question when they are making a declarative sentence. Upspeak makes them seem like they are unsure of what they are saying.

[Koalagirl]

39 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

It's called upspeak. It's usually women who do it. When we taught courtroom procedures to our forensic lab staff, we did mock trials for prep when they testified as expert witnesses. We had to coach women who did it, because it sounds like they are asking a question when they are making a declarative sentence. Upspeak makes them seem like they are unsure of what they are saying.

Thank you! I knew it wasn’t vocal fry but couldn’t remember the term “upspeak.”

[Grrarrggh]

1 hour ago, mojito said:

Yeah. Especially the 12-year old. They talked about the kids playing in the street, but I doubt she does much of that anymore.

Really? I hope she does. I rode my bike all the time around the neighbourhood as a 12-year-old, would still swing on the swings etc. 12 is still so young!

I hated the husband in the Hague episode. His wife sounded like a Stepford automaton, the way he described her. All she does is cook and send the children to school. Yikes. I knew she was going to give in to being the mother martyr. 

[deirdra]

3 hours ago, mojito said:

Lots of people talk like this. For me, though, it's one of the telltale signs of a person being Canadian. 

I'm Canadian and the only people I know who talk like this are females who are unsure of their decisions, seeking approval for their ideas, and most of them are American. The up-talk is sort of like asking "don't you agree?" at the end of a sentence. The term for it, "uptalk"' wasn't used until a New York Times piece in 1993. But in the UK many people take it as a given that the speech pattern arrived from Australia, going so far as to dub it the Australian Question Intonation. It is often associated with the way teenagers talk in Southern California, but it has spread because teens elsewhere think it it cool.  It makes me think that they are not very bright or are insecure.

Edited February 3, 2022 by deirdra

[mojito]

1 hour ago, deirdra said:

But in the UK many people take it as a given that the speech pattern arrived from Australia, going so far as to dub it the Australian Question Intonation.

My mistake. You're right. Australia. (Yes, I know the difference between the countries. Can name the states, territories, and provinces of each.) Definitely, I mis-typed (as opposed to mis-spoke). The Aussies talk like this. After I wrote this, I thought about all the people I listen to from Canada, and couldn't attach that manner of speaking to them.  Then I got sidetracked before I could...backtrack.

The funny thing is that I don't have an ear for accents, and  this very upsweep that is the only way I feel I can distinguish an Aussie from someone from the British Isles. (I said I don't have an ear!)

I don't even have much of an ear for Canadian vs US accents, just ways of saying words.

Edited February 3, 2022 by mojito

[Pine]

Could not finish the Hague episode,  the wife had the most annoying laugh.

[Grizzly]

Milton Keynes, England. Great to see Richard get out of London. But why does he think they could spend more? If that's the real budget, that's what they can spend. The 2 bed place seemed big enough. Glad she was able to find work. That was a sweet office set up. Hope their family has a nice guest space for them when they visit the US. 

[LittleIggy]

Milton Keynes: I thought the on budget place seemed fine and spacious. Glad they got a cat!

[CrazyInAlabama]

I love seeing Richard.    He always seems nice to the people, like this couple, who have zero clue what authentic style costs, and what they can afford.     The couple certainly had a long wish list for their budget.   I have to laugh when the couples want authentic, and classic, and then still want every modern appliance, and bigger rooms. 

UK is one of the few countries where a U.S. military spouse can work without a work permit, so that was a good choice for their overseas tour.    (Other countries don't allow working without a permit, unless the spouse works on a U.S. base). 

Richard only seems to be snarky to the ones who are pretentious fools, like the ones who seem to think they're being invited to the palace for tea.    

Edited February 4, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[Crashcourse]

Another American woman looking for English "charm." 🙄

Richard is a saint.

[BAForever]

40 minutes ago, Crashcourse said:

Another American woman looking for English "charm." 🙄

Richard is a saint.

So true. I love his voice.  The HH were dopes, but they seemed so young. I think Richard saw their youth. 

[aghst]

9 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

Another American woman looking for English "charm." 🙄

Richard is a saint.

 

9 hours ago, BAForever said:

So true. I love his voice.  The HH were dopes, but they seemed so young. I think Richard saw their youth. 

They said they chose it on a map.  They said they ruled out London because of costs?

But they didn’t particularly seemed interested in spending much time in London, though it was only a 35-minute train ride.  But dining and entertainment in London may be more pricey.  Also didn’t mention travel to Europe either.

Instead their splurge is wall climbing?  Speaking of walls, that sad gray wall wasn’t the dealbreaker she claimed it was.

He talked her into the cheaper place by saying $200 in rent savings would be used for getting a cat?  Does a cat cost that much to feed and take care of?

Maybe they’re getting to travel and they didn’t show it.  I think they could have made the cheapest place work by setting up her workspace in the main bedroom or the living room.  Most of the time that second bedroom wouldn’t be used because they wouldn’t have guests all the time.

And it’s not clear that she’d always be working from home either.  The space of the two bedroom is enough for a couple.  Three bedrooms is overkill unless they started having children right away.

 

[Jess14]

I also didn't understand why the Milton Keynes couple needed 3 bedrooms... I mean, if it was in budget, fine, but it wasn't, and how often does she actually think they are going to have guests in Europe? She was perfectly willing to get a job to help out with expenses though, so she didn't bother me as much as some others who seem to want to go way over budget with no real way of paying for it. 

[aghst]

Maybe they searched for places within their budget and found that this town had a lot of rentals in their price range and even offering 3 bedrooms.

They said their first choice was Oxford.

Or maybe they plan to run a meth lab.

[Cetacean]

17 minutes ago, Jess14 said:

I mean, if it was in budget, fine, but it wasn't, and how often does she actually think they are going to have guests in Europe?

Every single ex-pat insists on guest rooms for visitors. I'd wager they end up as junk rooms or "walk in closets".  They all seem to think that people will flock across the Atlantic at the drop of a hat.

But overall I did like the couple.  They were very kind to each other and didn't amp up the drama at all.  And since we know they had already rented the place before it was filmed, it was simply necessary to have others that were in contrast to what they chose.

[aghst]

The visitor guest room is probably a HHI trope in many cases, with the house hunters rarely having guests to justify the higher rents.

But I can believe that a young couple, going overseas for the first time, not having ever been out of the country previously, will have family and friends over.

Or at least it's their intention and belief that people will visit them.

As it happens, this couple is planning to go back because her sister just gave birth so they're not completely independent of ties to family.  Emotionally they may not want to let go of the people who were in their lives.

Whereas some people can make a lot of friends easily and don't have quite the same energy to maintain ties to family and friends back home.

Maybe that's why they didn't talk about determining the budget and the type of home based on plans to travel while they're in Europe.  The husband said that posting in the UK was important for his career and the wife had to give up her young career in order to go with him.

So they're probably thinking they will return to the US as soon as they can.  Again speaks to their emotional dependence to their social circle back home.  They may think of this time as a necessary evil, not something they're embracing necessarily as a unique opportunity.

[CrazyInAlabama]

56 minutes ago, Jess14 said:

I also didn't understand why the Milton Keynes couple needed 3 bedrooms... I mean, if it was in budget, fine, but it wasn't, and how often does she actually think they are going to have guests in Europe? She was perfectly willing to get a job to help out with expenses though, so she didn't bother me as much as some others who seem to want to go way over budget with no real way of paying for it. 

They were a military couple, and UK doesn't require a work permit for the wife.   Many other countries do have strict work permit requirements, or don't give them to an accompanying spouse.   Other countries have treaties with the U.S. forces, where a spouse can't work for a local company, or legally work in that country.   Many with the treaties require many of the on military base jobs go to locals, and there are very few jobs for a spouse.   

I'm sure their posting in England will be two or three years maximum, and might even be shorter depending on career moves. 

It was nice that the wife could find a job she could do from home.  

Edited February 5, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[Jess14]

On 2/5/2022 at 1:51 PM, aghst said:

The visitor guest room is probably a HHI trope in many cases, with the house hunters rarely having guests to justify the higher rents.

But I can believe that a young couple, going overseas for the first time, not having ever been out of the country previously, will have family and friends over.

Or at least it's their intention and belief that people will visit them.

Yes. I have no doubt that they will have guests from time to time. I completely understand not wanting a one bedroom for instance, so that guests have somewhere to stay. It’s just that it seems unlikely that they would have guests so often that a second bedroom couldn’t function as a workspace and guest bedroom.

[seacliffsal]

I liked the young couple in England mainly because they seemed to like each other.  Way too many episodes where I wonder why the couples are even together.  For no other reason I would have gone with either of the over budget options solely due to having some outdoor space.  Yes, they could have saved $200/month by going with the two bedroom option, but I think the extra money for some outdoor space was well spent (and I don't really think there was doubt that she would be able to get a job).  He should be an officer as he joined after getting his college degree, so although they are young, he would at least be getting a solid housing allowance.  And I love that they got a cat!

[proserpina65]

On 2/5/2022 at 1:22 AM, aghst said:

The space of the two bedroom is enough for a couple.

Some people like space, and if they can afford it, then good for them.  (Says the single person with a three bedroom house.)

On 2/6/2022 at 7:08 PM, seacliffsal said:

And I love that they got a cat!

That's who needed the third bedroom.

[CrazyInAlabama]

Couple lived in Dubai for 16 or 17 years, and are moving back to London, and Richard Blanco is their agent.     I'm going to enjoy this one.   They have a huge round dining table, that easily fits at least 10 people.    The husband is a HR professional.   The nice thing is they know exactly where they want to be.   

In Dubai they had drivers, and other household help.   Their budget is $3,000 a month, and they're looking in Twickenham.   

The first house wouldn't hold the round dining table, so that's off the list.     They chose the second house, but the third was actually better, since it had a guest house/apartment for her visiting parents.  I wonder if her parents are actually moving in permanently.   If they are then I would have picked the house with the attached apartment.  Or if she goes back to work, and they get a live in nanny they'll need the apartment.    I liked the gardens in the second and third home.   Richard was adorable as always. 

I didn't know HR paid so well, but apparently it does.   

Edited February 9, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[Dehumidifier]

Woman from Dubai. Guess it's not just the stupid Americans (as they are always called here) who talk a lot about how much better properties are in their old country.

[Grizzly]

London. This woman knows it rains a lot in London and her daughter won't want to play outside? That bugs me more than the dining table. I understand the table is a connection/reminder of her homeland. Does Dubai have any old buildings? In the end, I did like this couple. They didn't fight, they didn't stress our Richard too much. And their little girl is adorable.

[ECM1231]

I missed the very beginning of the Dubai couple's episode, but boy it seemed like they were living in the lap of luxury. The wife lost her job and the husband, who was raised in the UK, suggests they move back to England. Idk how long a flight it is from Dubai to London, but I guess she's expecting many visitors, so they need to keep that big dining table. The wife rubbed me the wrong way; she almost sounded like she was slumming. In Dubai we had this, we had that. My heart is breaking for her that she now has to clean her own house, do her own laundry, and her own driving.

Nice to see Richard, though.

[LittleIggy]

2 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

Couple lived in Dubai for 16 or 17 years, and are moving back to London, and Richard Blanco is their agent.     I'm going to enjoy this one.   They have a huge round dining table, that easily fits at least 10 people.    The husband is a HR professional.   The nice thing is they know exactly where they want to be.   

In Dubai they had drivers, and other household help.   Their budget is $3,000 a month, and they're looking in Twickenham.   

Of course they did since Dubai can get cheap exploitable labor from places like the Philipinnes.