House Hunters International - General Discussion

[aghst]

Seems like the Oaxaca couple quickly adjusted their budget to expectations.

I would have thought she would have insisted on the third property but maybe throwing the husband a bone since she's the one pushing for the move.

They probably planned to create his business to complement hers before he quit his job.  In fact, probably got it off the ground so they knew they'd have the income.

But she wanted to move down to anywhere in Mexico based on her college experience?  Probably more to the story, like they are counting on reducing their housing expenses by a lot.

[nickieca1]

I actually liked the gay guy from New Zealand moving to Brisbane episode...sure he was over the top...but I think that's just his way, he came across as funny and sensitive but and had a great witty sense of humor...his agent was a bit more snarky, but funny also..I don't know I thought it was really entertaining.

[LittleIggy]

Always nice to see Taniel!

[Grizzly]

Paris. It's been a while since we've seen Adrian. Love her, "Get over it." Indeed. I'm wondering how old Jenny is. Oh, from what she said, 40s. Lola is so cute. Not sure why Adrian thinks she has to convince Jenny to live in a specific place. If Jenny wants to spend more to be further away from work in a quiet area with more space, let her. Nope going to sit side saddle on her toilet.

[mojito]

Paris

If I were just reading transcripts from the homeowner talking head, I'd think she was Alison Victoria. Not just expressing what she likes or dislikes, but wanting to define herself, very sure of herself.

I liked when she asked another woman how she finds people to date in Paris, the woman replied, "Dating apps."

I, too, wonder why Adrian was so insistent about location.

[StatisticalOutlier]

11 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Paris. It's been a while since we've seen Adrian.

It can be a while longer as far as I'm concerned if she's going to be so insistent on imposing her wishes on her client.  And even worse, winning.

And they did it again--in one of the apartments (I think the third one?), Adrian opened the wardrobe door a little and you could see all the clothes stuffed in there.

[buttersister]

Maybe they cast Adrian in the dual role of realtor and opposing spouse/friend? 😂 Canadian woman had chosen the 16th—bougie? Really? Been several years since I was in Paris, new to me. I love the 7th, the 15th is less $$ for access to the Tour Eiffel and those places were finds.

Adrian is very savvy about real estate in Paris, so besides the producer-driven conflict, she’s normally steering hunters in Paris. But usually towards her properties in the Marais! 😂😂

 

 

[seacliffsal]

In my opinion there was no comparison between the flat in the 16th and the one she took in the 15th.  I often wonder if the house hunters are disappointed in what they chose after filming an episode in which they are shown other flats (i.e. "I could have had 3 balconies and a wonderful view [the view of the flat she chose was her office building....just saying...]).  Adrian saying (in a discouraging way) that families (gasp) lived in the 16th isn't the negative that she thinks it is.

[Crashcourse]

I usually like Adrian but I didn't like her attitude this episode.

[Rootbeer]

3 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

It can be a while longer as far as I'm concerned if she's going to be so insistent on imposing her wishes on her client.  And even worse, winning.

And they did it again--in one of the apartments (I think the third one?), Adrian opened the wardrobe door a little and you could see all the clothes stuffed in there.

Just remember that it's all for show; the househunters have already chosen a place before the show is ever filmed.  So, Adrian was simply playing the part she was given.  She probably didn't participate in the real househunt and didn't even know the househunters before filming started.

Same thing with the decoys.  The producers pick them and decide on the location and cost and many, if not most, of them are already occupied and the unit is not actually on the market when the show is filmed.

[Crashcourse]

Whether Adrian was playing a part or not, she still came across as annoying.  Also, I have to believe she has some input into how she's being portrayed.  

[LittleIggy]

I wonder why someone who has wanted to move to Paris for twenty something years hasn’t studied French enough to be at least passably conversant in it.

[Mar]

1 hour ago, Crashcourse said:

Whether Adrian was playing a part or not, she still came across as annoying.  Also, I have to believe she has some input into how she's being portrayed.  

My favorite episodes are always the ones from France, in particular Paris. I simply can’t stand Adrian I wish they would find a different agent to do these episodes. She is rude and pushy and impolite. Yes, she is knowledgeable, but she gives me a headache.

[MartyQui]

3 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

 

I wonder why someone who has wanted to move to Paris for twenty something years hasn’t studied French enough to be at least passably conversant in it.

 

And have some idea of the accent…that part where she was trying to pronounce “Bourgogne” was painful!

[StatisticalOutlier]

3 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

I wonder why someone who has wanted to move to Paris for twenty something years hasn’t studied French enough to be at least passably conversant in it.

Excellent point.  And she's wanting to date! 

[Grrarrggh]

5 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

I wonder why someone who has wanted to move to Paris for twenty something years hasn’t studied French enough to be at least passably conversant in it.

Eh, there are a lot of Parisians who speak English better than many Americans lol. I wonder if she knows much French history or culture or if her background story is just more HH merde. 

[aghst]

6 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

I wonder why someone who has wanted to move to Paris for twenty something years hasn’t studied French enough to be at least passably conversant in it.

She said she spent 20 years to be able to do the job she has, which involves climate change

I'm thinking maybe she works for a UN agency where she obviously works in English.  But there aren't specific programs for climate change at universities.

She said she worked in the Calgary oil and gas industry.  Was that part of the 20 years?

She either has a scientific background or some kind of administrative role running programs to mitigate climate change.

But still not clear how the education or maybe industry experience she acquired in 20 years prevented her from having relationships.  Plenty of people in demanding jobs have relationships, get married, start families.

In the aftermath, they didn't show her walking her dog in the nearby parks.  At one point, Parisians walking their dogs on the streets of Paris used to be a problem.  Now as is the case everywhere else, the dog owners have to pick up after their dogs.

 

[LittleIggy]

She said she had wanted to move to Paris to work for 20 years.

[Thumper]

I figured Adrienne wanted her to live in the “busy” area because she said she’d like to meet men!  
 

[aghst]

16th is further away from the places tourists visit.  The HH presumably don't need to visit those places but they are the things which make Paris beautiful.

The 7th, which is where the second house was, has street markets and lots of cafes, museums, a lot of river frontage, Champs de Mars and Esplanade des Invalides, a big open space.

It also has a UNESCO office, which may be where she works.

It's also closer to places where singles might frequent, though maybe she is going to take the advice of her co worker and use dating apps.

[StatisticalOutlier]

15 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

She said she had wanted to move to Paris to work for 20 years.

After our snark about her not learning French during those 20 years, I re-watched her explanations and the voiceovers, and she didn't say that.  Or at least not in the way that some other recent ones have, one in particular who wanted to move to some Harry Potter-type place (or Lord of the Rings?) since she was little.

The Calgary -> Paris HH had a grandfather and a father in the oil and gas business in Alberta, and she, too, worked in the oil and gas industry.  The narrator said a job in Paris opened up that would allow her to follow her dream of working in the climate change field (although actually, working in the oil and gas industry is working in the climate change field but not like most people think of it).  Nobody said her 20-year dream was to live in Paris with this career, although until I re-watched it, I thought they did.  At best, it's a little murky.

What I was wondering was whether her shift to green is in atonement for previous sins.

18 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

Eh, there are a lot of Parisians who speak English better than many Americans lol.

She obviously wasn't filtering for that, to judge from the guy she did have a date with.

47 minutes ago, Thumper said:

I figured Adrienne wanted her to live in the “busy” area because she said she’d like to meet men! 

Then Adrienne needs to get with it, because HH's work friend said the way to meet people is on dating apps.

When I was 30, I moved into a condo that was in a complex with almost exclusively old people in one-bedroom apartments.  It was heaven.  They were so quiet, and were home all day to keep an eye on things even though the place didn't need it. 

It's true that I didn't meet any boyfriends on the premises, or even in the neighborhood, but instead I met them at work or through friends or when I was out doing things.  Or in today's terms, on dating apps. 

ETA: 

Quote

16th is further away from the places tourists visit.  The HH presumably don't need to visit those places but they are the things which make Paris beautiful.

One of my major regrets in life is not knowing the ins and outs of all the arrondissements in Paris like I know the areas of many US cities.  In Paris, it's all nicely divided up by numbered areas.

From what they showed of the 16th, it looked charming and I could see being happy walking home through there, looking at those buildings. 

 

Edited April 30, 2022 by StatisticalOutlier

[amarante]

I think there the long commute must have factored into her choice. Evidently there was no direct way to get from the first apartment to her place of work.

There is a certain adventure that one has when one lives in an area that is truly metropolitan and filled with interesting shops and cafes and restaurants. I lived in Greenwich Village for several years and just walking around the area was full of serendipitous things to see and encounters. You would not get that kind of energy in a "family" neighborhood.

Also there is a concept of geographic undesirability. Despite dating Apps someone from the Bronx is going to have a hard time with a relationship with someone in Brooklyn. Also if you are meeting up with people in a central area, it is much more convenient to be able to walk home rather than have to deal with a long commute on public transportation.

But I am an urban girl - the most suburban I have ever done is growing up in Brooklyn which is pretty urban by most HH standards on this show even though the street that I lived on was single family or duplex and tree lined. But no big back yards and we could definitely see into our neighbor's homes - literally and not just that we can see their home as some HH complain about. 

[aghst]

16 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

From what they showed of the 16th, it looked charming and I could see being happy walking home through there, looking at those buildings. 

 

It's quieter and you won't see as many tourists as in the inner arrondissements.

So that may be more desirable for everyday life.  There are certainly cafes and such but not as many of them.

She cited the Bois de Boulogne, a big park area.  My first visit to Paris I stayed in the 16th and I remember being warned not to go there at night.

Other thing I remember were long metro rides to get anywhere.  Trains became packed as you got closer to the center and most trains didn't have AC and still may not.

If all she wanted to do was walk her dog in the park, there are plenty of nice parks even in busier areas.

For instance, Jardin du Luxembourg is between the 5th and the 6th.  Lot of people come there but there are always open benches and seats for people to sit for hours.  There are also little playgrounds and other things for little kids to do, so it's both a neighborhood park and the site of the former Senate, so there's a grand palais with big water features.

 

[StatisticalOutlier]

2 minutes ago, aghst said:

Other thing I remember were long metro rides to get anywhere.  Trains became packed as you got closer to the center and most trains didn't have AC and still may not

When Adrienne was bad-mouthing the 16th, she said it wasn't just one train or one bus ride from work, and then said something about a 20-minute walk across the river to the office.  Would that be in addition to the train/bus rides?  It wasn't clear.

If it really is a 20-minute (1-mile) walk to the office (which doesn't seem terrible to me, especially if you're walking through a city where interesting things are happening), is the commute via transit so onerous because of the train and bus routes that would get her to work?  That is, do they veer way away from the straight path you'd take while walking, and you have to veer back?

[aghst]

Without knowing the locations of her work and where she's living it would be hard to say how many changes she would need to make on metro.

There are also buses.

But the inner arrondissements have several lines criss crossing because they fall in the middle of the individual metro lines.  So more choices, like you could have two metro stations about the same distance away.  But one of the metro stations may serve two lines instead of one so you can avoid a change in those stations.

[Crashcourse]

19 hours ago, aghst said:

In the aftermath, they didn't show her walking her dog in the nearby parks.  At one point, Parisians walking their dogs on the streets of Paris used to be a problem.  Now as is the case everywhere else, the dog owners have to pick up after their dogs.

I had a friend who visited Paris many years ago, and he said his biggest problem was side-stepping the dog poop on the sidewalks and streets.  It's nice they're trying to solve that problem. 

[chessiegal]

We went to Paris twice, first 6 years ago, then again the next year. We were dodging dog poop on the sidewalks both times.

[LittleIggy]

5 hours ago, chessiegal said:

We went to Paris twice, first 6 years ago, then again the next year. We were dodging dog poop on the sidewalks both times.

Seems you would still be today: 

https://tamarathiessen.com/french-letters-dog-poop-france/

[Grrarrggh]

10 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

One of my major regrets in life is not knowing the ins and outs of all the arrondissements in Paris like I know the areas of many US cities.  In Paris, it's all nicely divided up by numbered areas.

This site has a pretty good overview https://worldinparis.com/paris-arrondissement-guide 

[amarante]

17 hours ago, aghst said:

Without knowing the locations of her work and where she's living it would be hard to say how many changes she would need to make on metro.

There are also buses.

But the inner arrondissements have several lines criss crossing because they fall in the middle of the individual metro lines.  So more choices, like you could have two metro stations about the same distance away.  But one of the metro stations may serve two lines instead of one so you can avoid a change in those stations.

Not very different from New York City's subway system.

I grew up in one of the outer boroughs and was equally far (or close) to an IND and a BMT line. I went to high school that was served by the IRT Lexington Avenue line so depending on what I wanted to do I could change at Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn or Union Square or do a shuttle at Times Square. Of course at certain times I would also have to change from the local to the express or I would wind up taking the really long route through the tunnel rather than under the bridge - but then again if you worked on Wall Street you had to take the local. 

[Amethyst]

Adrian has grown on me, but I don't know why they have her as the sole realtor for the Paris locations.  Part of the fun of the show is seeing how different realtors react to the HHs yet they stick with Adrian for Paris (even weirder considering how large Paris is) and no one else.

I'm thinking this episode was more producer driven.  HHs rarely deviate from the location they truly want, even if it's out of budget.  Adrian only showed one property in the 16th and didn't exactly make it sound appealing.  That said, I agreed with the final choice.

Also couldn't believe how little French Jenny knew, even if the decision to move was job driven rather than a desire to live in Paris.  It's been a long time since I studied it, but "pas mal" was considered very basic French, like how are you and what's your name.  Again, a more producer driven episode?

[LittleIggy]

Paris: I’m surprised Jenny didn’t pronounce Bois de Boulogne  “Boyz duh Baloney”!

Edited May 2, 2022 by LittleIggy

[deirdra]

When I was in Paris in the 1970s & 80s, there were men in green suits and in green mini-zamboni-looking carts whose job it was to pick up dog poop, but they couldn't be everywhere all the time, so people were constantly dodging poop.  And although there were garbage bins, Parisians walking out of the Metro or fast food joints would just drop their tickets & garbage on the ground with the dog poop. 

[proserpina65]

On 4/28/2022 at 11:03 PM, Grizzly said:

Paris. It's been a while since we've seen Adrian. Love her, "Get over it." Indeed. I'm wondering how old Jenny is. Oh, from what she said, 40s. Lola is so cute. Not sure why Adrian thinks she has to convince Jenny to live in a specific place. If Jenny wants to spend more to be further away from work in a quiet area with more space, let her. Nope going to sit side saddle on her toilet.

Yep, that would've been a deal breaker for me, the tiny toilet room.  I have no problem with separate toilet rooms, but I want enough space to get my legs around the thing.  I'd have chosen the first place even though it was more expensive.  The travel time to work wouldn't have been that bad, imo, and it was near enough to more exciting neighborhoods when she wanted to go out.

On 4/29/2022 at 12:04 PM, seacliffsal said:

In my opinion there was no comparison between the flat in the 16th and the one she took in the 15th.  I often wonder if the house hunters are disappointed in what they chose after filming an episode in which they are shown other flats (i.e. "I could have had 3 balconies and a wonderful view [the view of the flat she chose was her office building....just saying...]).  Adrian saying (in a discouraging way) that families (gasp) lived in the 16th isn't the negative that she thinks it is.

IRL we know that flat wasn't actually available and the HH had already taken the other one, but yeah, there was no real comparison.

[amarante]

5 minutes ago, proserpina65 said:

 

IRL we know that flat wasn't actually available and the HH had already taken the other one, but yeah, there was no real comparison.

Except location which is the only basis for comparing houses or apartments.

Obviously one can get a bigger cheaper house or apartment if one doesn't live in the central part of the city. Manhattan is more expensive than Brooklyn. The west side of Los Angeles is more expensive than Winnetka and apartments in that specific Parisian district are more expensive than an apartment with a longer commute.

Typically lifestyle choices impact one's decision on balancing aspects of a home. Single people without children tend to want to live in areas where there is lots of interesting street activity. People with children need more space which is why that other location in Paris was called a "family" neighborhood.

When I lived in Manhattan I didn't need a large apartment or a large refrigerator because other factors were more important to me. 

[proserpina65]

On 4/30/2022 at 3:51 PM, aghst said:

16th is further away from the places tourists visit.  The HH presumably don't need to visit those places but they are the things which make Paris beautiful.

The 7th, which is where the second house was, has street markets and lots of cafes, museums, a lot of river frontage, Champs de Mars and Esplanade des Invalides, a big open space.

It also has a UNESCO office, which may be where she works.

It's also closer to places where singles might frequent, though maybe she is going to take the advice of her co worker and use dating apps.

Eh, Paris's metro system is really quite efficient.  It's easy enough to get to those places from the 16th.

On 4/30/2022 at 4:03 PM, amarante said:

There is a certain adventure that one has when one lives in an area that is truly metropolitan and filled with interesting shops and cafes and restaurants. I lived in Greenwich Village for several years and just walking around the area was full of serendipitous things to see and encounters. You would not get that kind of energy in a "family" neighborhood.

And that's fine but not what everyone wants.  I like the closeness of those things, but wouldn't want to live among them.

8 minutes ago, amarante said:

Typically lifestyle choices impact one's decision on balancing aspects of a home. Single people without children tend to want to live in areas where there is lots of interesting street activity.

If that is something they want.  All that street activity would drive me crazy after awhile.  I'd rather live somewhere quieter where I could get to the activity when I wanted it.  For me (a childfree single woman), the place in the 16th would have been preferable to the place she chose.  The second place was way too small and actually looked like an efficiency or a hotel room.

[Vivigirl10]

On 4/29/2022 at 9:12 AM, mojito said:

If I were just reading transcripts from the homeowner talking head, I'd think she was Alison Victoria. Not just expressing what she likes or dislikes, but wanting to define herself, very sure of herself.

It's funny that you say that because I thought she looked eerily like Alison!

I got the feeling that Jenny and Adrian kind of hated each other.  Adrian made a few digs (get over it!) and they would both look at each other and do that big, open mouthed laugh all the while wanting to roll their eyes.  It was kind of funny watching it through that lens!

That elevator - yikes!

My first apartment in Chicago was a studio with baby -sized appliances, a kitchen in the wall that hid behind folding doors, and a bathroom that you had to walk through the closet to get to.  It was glorious.  But such is being young - couldn't (or wouldn't want to) do it now!

[laredhead]

Kiki620, I don't think I would ever get in that elevator.  It was barely big enough for 1 person.

 

[aghst]

2 minutes ago, laredhead said:

Kiki620, I don't think I would ever get in that elevator.  It was barely big enough for 1 person.

 

They're common.

A lot of these buildings are over 100 years old so they had to retrofit an elevator.

Usually they're enough for 2 or 3 people or one people with some big suitcase.

This is not just in Paris but all of Europe.

Some buildings they can't easily install an elevator because they don't have a clear space where they can install a shaft from the ground floor to the top.

I just stayed in a hotel in Lisbon which had an elevator going up to the 4th floor.

But I had to go to the 5th floor for reception so I had to drag my suitcases up and down that last floor.

 

[amarante]

1 hour ago, aghst said:

They're common.

A lot of these buildings are over 100 years old so they had to retrofit an elevator.

Usually they're enough for 2 or 3 people or one people with some big suitcase.

This is not just in Paris but all of Europe.

Some buildings they can't easily install an elevator because they don't have a clear space where they can install a shaft from the ground floor to the top.

I just stayed in a hotel in Lisbon which had an elevator going up to the 4th floor.

But I had to go to the 5th floor for reception so I had to drag my suitcases up and down that last floor.

 

They are also in converted brownstones in Manhattan. Same reason as they are adequate for what they are especially since the alternative is walking up four or five flights of stairs.

[CrazyInAlabama]

He's British, she's American, they met in Las Vegas, they did long distance for four years, and married a short while ago.   He was at school in Glasgow, she lived in Philadelphia.  They're house hunting in London, where he has a job at a university.   

Sadly, Richard isn't the realtor, it's Toby Brown the realtor (he has the Richard sense of humor).  He wants to be close to the university he teaches at, Imperial College, White City campus.   Budget is $2k a month.   When the wife says they can give up the second bedroom for outdoor space, I guess she doesn't realize that he could end up teaching remote, and will need an office.   Wife also says she wants charm and character, and wants the apartment to charm the pants off of her.  I think she's the one that started the charm remarks.    

#1 is right next to work, about a block away, next to the tube above ground segment, 2 bed 2 bath, $2150, so $150 over budget.  kitchen is tiny, and the tube is right over the back patio.    

#2 basement flat, 1 bedroom, 1 bath,  $1900 a month, kitchen's decent size. bigger outdoor case, and not a train overhead at this one. 

#3 just across the street from his job, you can see the university from teh flat 1 bed, 1 bath, $2,000 a month.  kitchen is great, and big, nice living/dining area.   you have to go down a few stairs to the bath, and the doorway is short, and deck is nice.  

They chose 2.  

Edited May 5, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[Grizzly]

London. Was Richard on vacation? Toby has a good personality, he'll do. The couple has a certain charm. The basement apartment had a decent amount of natural light. Some colorful art would look great on those beige walls. 

[Chippings]

Always on hand for a London episode, and I quite yelped when Toby appeared.  I love Richard, but I loved Toby first!  Can't recall how long it's been since he was the go-to London realtor, at least a couple of years  

He absolutely has Richard's charm, they are quite equal to me.  If they switch off in future that'll be fine.

That was a pretty expensive neighborhood they were looking in, and I'm surprised they could get anything for their budget.  A nice couple and it was nice not to dislike either of them. Good one, altogether!

[aghst]

4 hours ago, Chippings said:

Always on hand for a London episode, and I quite yelped when Toby appeared.  I love Richard, but I loved Toby first!  Can't recall how long it's been since he was the go-to London realtor, at least a couple of years  

He absolutely has Richard's charm, they are quite equal to me.  If they switch off in future that'll be fine.

That was a pretty expensive neighborhood they were looking in, and I'm surprised they could get anything for their budget.  A nice couple and it was nice not to dislike either of them. Good one, altogether!

Though Toby kept going on about charming the pants off her repeatedly.

What was that about?

She said she wanted charm but didn’t want to be too close to husbands work because he might work too much?

 

[Chippings]

5 hours ago, aghst said:

Though Toby kept going on about charming the pants off her repeatedly.

What was that about?

 

 

Yes your point is a good one.  That "British humor" she was talking about ??  If the powers  that be didn't like it they could have edited it out. 

Well anyway fun seeing the places, and it was surprising that they could get as much as they did for that rent, in such an expensive neighborhood.  

[proserpina65]

11 minutes ago, Chippings said:

Well anyway fun seeing the places, and it was surprising that they could get as much as they did for that rent, in such an expensive neighborhood.  

I lived on Queen's Gate Terrace when I was going to school in London, maybe a 10-15 walk from Imperial College.  That is a pricey area, but very nice.

[Grrarrggh]

That was not a British sense of humour, that was a chauvinist with no sense of style sense of humour. Bring back Richard. 

[aghst]

4 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

I lived on Queen's Gate Terrace when I was going to school in London, maybe a 10-15 walk from Imperial College.  That is a pricey area, but very nice.

Didn't know where Imperial College was.  It's smack dab in the middle of royalty, oligarchs and sheikhs, surrounded by Belgravia, Chelsea, Kensington and Hyde Park.

 

[Chicken Fingers]

They mentioned that this was another campus of Imperial College, in the White City neighborhood, which might be a bit more affordable than where the main campus is. (Not that London and affordable should be in the same sentence.)

 

[aghst]

7 minutes ago, Chicken Fingers said:

They mentioned that this was another campus of Imperial College, in the White City neighborhood, which might be a bit more affordable than where the main campus is. (Not that London and affordable should be in the same sentence.)

 

Oh that would make more sense.  White City campus is NW of the main campus, in an area further away from the river and probably less posh.