House Hunters International - General Discussion

[aghst]

50 minutes ago, amarante said:

Prefacing by stating that I KNOW the storylines are fake but I don't understand why some of the patently ludicrous storylines continue to be used.

Why on earth would someone move to a place they have never lived and use all (theoretically) of their savings to purchase a home.

In the unlikely scenario of my moving to a rain forest to open a yoga retreat, I would want to preserve as much of my capital as possible and so I would rent a place until I was confident that I would be living permanently in the place and had sufficient income to support myself for the foreseeable future.

I also feel this way about moves in the domestic version of HH. I can't imagine moving to a strange city and purchasing a home without living in a rental for at least a year to get a feeling of where I actually wanted to live. 

38 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

I got transferred from the DC area to Atlanta when I worked for the federal government. That meant the government paid for my move. If I chose to rent, they paid the moving cost, and that was it. If I chose to buy, they paid moving costs plus the costs associated with buying a house. They also paid for a one-week house hunt. That was enough for me to figure out where I wanted to live. I bought a house.

I definitely agree that for overseas, it would make more sense to rent first.  Especially in Europe, the red tape is said to be a mess.

I can see buying if you move within the US and you know that a real estate market is hot and there's a good chance to build equity and make a good profit.

Especially if you've sold a home in your previous location, there's a tax advantage to do an exchange, rather than cash out of the first hoe.

[amarante]

17 minutes ago, aghst said:

I definitely agree that for overseas, it would make more sense to rent first.  Especially in Europe, the red tape is said to be a mess.

I can see buying if you move within the US and you know that a real estate market is hot and there's a good chance to build equity and make a good profit.

Especially if you've sold a home in your previous location, there's a tax advantage to do an exchange, rather than cash out of the first hoe.

I am not saying there might not be a reason to purchase a home for economic reasons like increased reimbursement for corporate moves especially if one has familiarity with the area. 

My comment was based more in terms of a typical HHI scenario where there is no job and they are planning to start a business. I am prudent and so would want to preserve my nest egg rather than purchasing and having no nest egg to fall back on or am saddled with a property that is hard to unload. 

I own a place but I am also not someone who has a compelling need to own a home if it didn’t make logistical or economic sense. I realize story lines are fake and the HHI have most likely been living in their home for awhile but the storyline of them claiming they are sinking everything into the “move” is so patently ludicrous and if actually true, the people are fiscal idiots. 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

[Crashcourse]

On 7/8/2022 at 11:50 AM, chessiegal said:

Eh, could have been the production company contacted her. Few days of filming and she picks up some extra cash, does something different. 🤷‍♂️

And production probably regretted picking such a sourpuss. 

[deirdra]

Without a job or local bank history of solvency, it is probably hard for foreigners to rent.

[amarante]

33 minutes ago, deirdra said:

Without a job or local bank history of solvency, it is probably hard for foreigners to rent.

You can always pay 6 months or so up front and I am sure you can find a rental if that was indeed the issue.

I realize that the storylines are arbitrary and made up - the people who bought a place have no doubt been living there for a good period of time.

Of course I can't imagine any scenario in which I would move to a tropical "paradise" and open a yoga studio or wellness retreat.

Are there really a significant number of people who pay to have yoga instruction on line. I would assume that with yoga someone would want an instructor in person to help make sure I was following appropriate form. 

[seacliffsal]

The Berlin to Stockholm woman really emphasized being a single mother-more so than any other that I remember.  It made me think that even though she told us otherwise that the divorce was not her idea.  Also, does she share custody with the father?  She just seemed really unenthusiastic about the move.  The first apartment with two bedrooms actually seemed to be a good fit-yes, I understand the girls wanted separate bedrooms, but the second bedroom in that apartment was huge (it had a living and dining area in it) despite what the mother said.  

It amuses me when the realtors/participants talk about getting the "perfect" home when they are renting and are able to move out at the end of the lease if they are not happy.  Not quite as much pressure when one is buying.

[amarante]

1 minute ago, seacliffsal said:

It amuses me when the realtors/participants talk about getting the "perfect" home when they are renting and are able to move out at the end of the lease if they are not happy.  Not quite as much pressure when one is buying.

And of course there are the ones who claim that the space is boring or cold. Isn't that what one's personal decorative choices are supposed to be for?

[deirdra]

25 minutes ago, amarante said:

And of course there are the ones who claim that the space is boring or cold. Isn't that what one's personal decorative choices are supposed to be for?

And it makes them sound like idiots. Look for the bones and flow you like. I prefer a boring blank canvas to something with loud tiles or dated something or other that would compete with the colours and decor that I prefer.

[Grrarrggh]

16 minutes ago, deirdra said:

And it makes them sound like idiots. Look for the bones and flow you like. 

And a single room does not have flow. Flow requires walls. 

[QQQQ]

7 hours ago, chessiegal said:

I got transferred from the DC area to Atlanta when I worked for the federal government. That meant the government paid for my move. If I chose to rent, they paid the moving cost, and that was it. If I chose to buy, they paid moving costs plus the costs associated with buying a house. They also paid for a one-week house hunt. That was enough for me to figure out where I wanted to live. I bought a house.

Huh. Sometimes we get free donuts in the teachers' lounge. And once I got to choose a sweatshirt from the lost & found box at the end of the school year.

[chessiegal]

Being a federal employee is a good job. I started because I needed a job, and that was the first offer I got. I had no idea what a good career move it was.

In my situation, I was able to figure out where I wanted to live during my week of house hunting.

I have a hard time thinking about people buying a house in a foreign country.  Seems daunting.

[amarante]

14 hours ago, QQQQ said:

Huh. Sometimes we get free donuts in the teachers' lounge. And once I got to choose a sweatshirt from the lost & found box at the end of the school year.

Many corporations will pay all moving expenses which could include closing costs or other costs associated with purchasing a home.

I think it would probably be difficult to get people to move unless  covered all the costs of moving which can be significant. 

Obviously taxes aren't relevant to the government but a private corporate would be able to deduct the expenses from their corporate taxes and the employee would NOT have to pay taxes on the value of the "benefit" since moving more than 50 miles (I think it is 50 miles) means that one is entitled to deduct all moving expenses from personal income taxes. 

Edited July 10, 2022 by amarante

[BAForever]

5 hours ago, QQQQ said:

Huh. Sometimes we get free donuts in the teachers' lounge. And once I got to choose a sweatshirt from the lost & found box at the end of the school.

You forgot hunting through lost and found for clothes for kids! Every sports jersey and hoodie my kids owned was from school lost and found. 

[ArtFossil]

On 7/7/2022 at 1:10 PM, amarante said:

I think we are all used to fakety fake stores on HH and the stories on HH International seem to be more fake than the domestic version.

Regarding the Nice woman I am not buying for a nano-second that she is expanding her tax practice by opening up a branch in Nice. I haven't seen my tax accountant in person for years. Everything is done by email and then a telephone conversation to go over. 

Her explanation of lower tuition prices was equally ridiculous - she is in California and there is an excellent state system. No need to set up residency in France to afford tuition. And then do a year abroad as most upper middle class college kids do. 

I would assume the place in Nice is some kind of vacation home but I can't imagine how teenagers sleep in those Murphy bunk beds. They look worse than the beds in a jail cell. I have seen built in bunks in beach vacation rentals but they are generally intended for young small children. 

Perhaps she is using the "excuse" of setting up a branch office as a way to write off all of her travel expenses as a business expense because there is no other rational explanation for why she needed to buy a horrid place completely unsuitable for a family with kids in a vacation spot.

Everything you said.

My assumption is that the Nice woman just wants an excuse to be away from her family every month.

Edited July 11, 2022 by ArtFossil

[ArtFossil]

On 7/7/2022 at 10:35 AM, letusprocrastinate said:

If you're a U.S. citizen living abroad, you're required to file a tax return every year and it has to include income generated in the other country or countries in which you reside.  If your income and asset situation is as such that you'd just be filing a return to show the government you're still alive and kicking, or if you're a citizen who has never resided in the United States and spends 24/7, 365 living elsewhere, you're still supposed to do it.

But "required" doesn't mean that everyone does it (goodness, no), so a number of years back Congress passed FACTA, which means the government, especially the IRS, is paying more attention to Americans living abroad.  In particular, they are looking for those people who may be using that status as a means to keep significant amounts of income, assets, etc away from the U.S. taxman.  They can also use this to keep an eye on dual citizens who may live in the States but use the citizenship of the other country to have bank accounts, etc in that country.

So there is a market for ex-pats needing accounting and tax-related assistance, and if she's on the European side of the pond it's easier for French and other European clients and anyone else in Europe she needs to contact on behalf of her clients to work with her since they're not dealing with the time zone difference with California. 

BTW, I did see that episode and I also felt bad for the teenagers.  I bet they'll be spending as much time as possible away from the flat.

Another quick thing:  Think of all the business-related expenses she can deduct on her own taxes.

Easy enough to do online and via email. Maybe one telephone call. I still can't imagine the market for the Nice woman's services.

Edited July 11, 2022 by ArtFossil

[ArtFossil]

On 7/9/2022 at 2:48 PM, seacliffsal said:

The Berlin to Stockholm woman really emphasized being a single mother-more so than any other that I remember.  It made me think that even though she told us otherwise that the divorce was not her idea.  Also, does she share custody with the father?  She just seemed really unenthusiastic about the move. 

If your job in Berlin is more hours than you'd like, wouldn't it make sense to look for a different job in Berlin instead of moving to Stockholm? With the added consideration that Berlin is more affordable than Stockholm.

That said, I love all episodes in Sweden.

[amarante]

10 minutes ago, ArtFossil said:

If your job in Berlin is more hours than you'd like, wouldn't it make sense to look for a different job in Berlin instead of moving to Stockholm? With the added consideration that Berlin is more affordable than Stockholm.

That said, I love all episodes in Sweden.

It seems to be the same mindset as people who are incredibly busy but buy a second home which they have to fly to in order to relax.

I am much more relaxed napping in my home with a good book or a bingeworthy show streaming than shlepping somewhere to "unwind".

[Notabug]

2 hours ago, ArtFossil said:

If your job in Berlin is more hours than you'd like, wouldn't it make sense to look for a different job in Berlin instead of moving to Stockholm? With the added consideration that Berlin is more affordable than Stockholm.

That said, I love all episodes in Sweden.

I got the impression that there was definitely more to the story; like maybe there was a reason she and her daughters wanted to put some distance between themselves and her ex; which might also explain her flat affect/seeming depression.

[QQQQ]

16 hours ago, ArtFossil said:

That said, I love all episodes in Sweden.

Remember when Rick Rossovich from Top Gun was on a Swedish episode?!

[proserpina65]

On 7/7/2022 at 7:29 PM, Dehumidifier said:

I never went to the bathroom in the middle of the night until, I would say, my late 30s. Do teenagers and pre-teens usually have to do that?

Some do, I guess.

On 7/8/2022 at 3:18 PM, chessiegal said:

I know dozens of women through my social club who have 2 homes. While they're not living paycheck to paycheck, I'd say they are comfortable, but not super rich. They just close up one home while they're living at the other. They say it's not a big deal. I asked because we've toyed with the idea over the years.

You move in very different circles than I do.  For pretty much anyone I know,  just the taxes alone would be far more than we could afford without winning the lottery.  (Well, except for some of the lawyers I occasionally work with, but I definitely don't consider them as part of my social circle.)

I know maybe 2 people who have second homes, and those are beach houses they bought with relatives.  I envy the hell out of them.  Although now that I think about it, my aunt & uncle used to have a place semi-close to Ocean City, Maryland, and by semi-close I mean about an hour away and it was a camper/trailer they kept on a lot.  Still closer than here, though.

On 7/8/2022 at 3:36 PM, Dehumidifier said:

There is a PBS show called Barefeet with Mickela Mallozi. She is a dancer based in NYC who goes to various neighborhoods in the city exploring the culture of a great variety of ethnicities. You don't even have to leave the country to do that! 

Not quite the same thing as living in a different country.

[TVForever]

On 7/7/2022 at 7:29 PM, Dehumidifier said:

I never went to the bathroom in the middle of the night until, I would say, my late 30s. Do teenagers and pre-teens usually have to do that?

25 minutes ago, proserpina65 said:

Some do, I guess.

Yep. Especially during " that time of the month."  Trust me, nothing about that  setup they showed us is realistic for a pair of opposite-sex siblings of that age. You might be able to get away with it with very young kids, but what pre-teen/teenaged girl wants to share any kind of bedroom (let alone a closet-sized one) with her brother. Or vice versa?  On vacation for a few days, maybe. For regular full-time living? GTFOH with that. What parent would even want that?

[Ms Blue Jay]

Did a search for the word "houseboat" in this topic to find that you all discussed this hilarious episode "Cozy Houseboat Living in London" 1 year ago.  Why does Canada receive these episodes 1 whole year later?  Sigh!

Richard was such a hilarious creeper sending the couple into the tiny houseboat and then looking through the portholes at them.

The boat rocking would drive me insane!  I don't understand this couple, especially with a baby on the way!  I live near a highway and I already find the noise of that intolerable.  There would be no escape from the sound of other boats whizzing by, or tourists in rowboats, or whatever they have going on there.

Edited July 13, 2022 by Ms Blue Jay

[mojito]

Austin to Spain

I can never get enough of these house hunters who have an extensive wish list but don't have funds for all the features they want. Now that this jet-setting couple--3 years out of college-- has lived in Austin for a year and moved to Spain, they can make it through anything, they said so themselves. 

They didn't impress me much as a couple, but I give them credit for trying something new.

[MartyQui]

Austin to Spain

When the husband listed his rules for housekeeping (an efficient way to load the dishwasher?!) I thought better her than me!

[ECM1231]

1 hour ago, mojito said:

I can never get enough of these house hunters who have an extensive wish list but don't have funds for all the features they want. 

Amen! They bugged me, he more so. An able-bodied man of 25 can't hand wash dishes? I'll concede about the a/c as Madrid does get hot.  But they wanted a lot for their paltry $1600 budget. So entitled!

[ECM1231]

7 minutes ago, MartyQui said:

Austin to Spain

When the husband listed his rules for housekeeping (an efficient way to load the dishwasher?!) I thought better her than me!

The wife should just let him do the loading, then. I did actually chuckle because while I generally am not an anal person, I am particular about how I load my dw. My husband usually clears the table and puts dishes in the sink and I load the dw. On the off chance that he does load, I sometimes rearrange. I do appreciate the help and would never say anything to him about it.

[amarante]

On 7/7/2022 at 4:29 PM, Dehumidifier said:

I never went to the bathroom in the middle of the night until, I would say, my late 30s. Do teenagers and pre-teens usually have to do that?

Not generally.

My first "adult" apartment was a loft in Greenwich Village which had a really nice loft space since the ceilings are 14 feet or so. 

Now that I think back on it I NEVER could have lived there past my early 30's as the idea of going down the ladder in the middle of the night strikes me as death defying. It is more than enough to stumble towards my en suite at 3 AM. 🤷🏼‍♀️😄

I also eye two story homes with a bathroom on only the top floor with the same horror although I didn't think twice about it when I was in college and shared a house with three other girls with only one bathroom on the second floor.

[Ms Blue Jay]

A dishwasher would be an absolute deal breaker for me.  I think it depends on if you grew up in a home that felt the same way or not.  Even when my parents had no money, dishwasher came first LOL.  Meanwhile I know other people who have never used one or refuse to use theirs.  (Insane, to me, but that's me......)

Edited July 13, 2022 by Ms Blue Jay

[Crashcourse]

53 minutes ago, ECM1231 said:

An able-bodied man of 25 can't hand wash dishes?

I was yelling at the tv, "You can't wash the friggin' dishes by hand for just the two of you?"  He got on my nerves.

[jcbrown]

3 hours ago, MartyQui said:

Austin to Spain

When the husband listed his rules for housekeeping (an efficient way to load the dishwasher?!) I thought better her than me!

When he talked about all his rules, I told her out loud to break their engagement but I don't think she heard me. He seemed like a smug control freak and I didn't like the way he seemed to put her down.

That place they picked was bizarre, IMHO. It looked like the weird expando-bed in the loft was a twin--how are they going to sleep in that together? And the low slanted ceiling in that place along with the lack of closet would be a deal-breaker for me. Not to mention the bathroom being on a different level from the sleeping area.

[aghst]

I can't hate for wanting a dishwasher.

There are certain things, once you have them, you can't go back, you won't go back.

That first property they eliminated, they have two courtyards at the bottom of the light well in Spanish buildings.  So everyone else in the building overlooks their outdoor space.

Met the price requirement but no AC, no dishwasher.

They didn't say what they taught but maybe English?  He said he studied Spanish since high school but did she?

Seems like in this case, they wanted any job they could get, just so they could move to Spain.  Then had a modest wedding so that instead they can have a European trip before settling into that small apartment, which they chose because it made more financial sense.

So they're earnest about having this foreign experience, which is more than can be said for a lot of people who appear on HHI.

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, aghst said:

I can't hate for wanting a dishwasher.

There are certain things, once you have them, you can't go back, you won't go back.

I had one my whole life until this house, and I obviously didn't reject it for not having a dishwasher (I'm not going to put one in until I renovate the entire kitchen; the cabinets are too shallow to retrofit one in and there's no good place for a portable one), but I'm not going to claim I don't mind not having one -- I grumble every fucking night about washing the dishes and will do the dance of joy the first night I don't have to.  (Almost every day, I make something for lunch and cook dinner, so that means a lot of things to wash each night.  Maybe if I just generated a dirty pot, plate, fork, and glass per day I wouldn't bat an eye, but that's not my situation.)

[Kenzie]

Austin to Spain

The one they chose did have the best view but I guess you need to be young and in love to take an apartment with a labyrinth of hundreds of feet of narrow hallways and stairs just to get to the front door.

The bathroom with the fronts of the toilet and bidet just inches from the wall made me think of the converted garage I lived in my first year at college. The bathroom was so small I had to enter almost sideways to clear the sink and when I bent down in the 30" square shower to scrub my feet my derrière stuck out through the curtain.  😀

[Grrarrggh]

8 hours ago, jcbrown said:

That place they picked was bizarre, IMHO. It looked like the weird expando-bed in the loft was a twin--how are they going to sleep in that together? And the low slanted ceiling in that place along with the lack of closet would be a deal-breaker for me. Not to mention the bathroom being on a different level from the sleeping area.

They'll be sleeping downstairs in the full bed. At least they didn't waste money to have an empty room for their once a year guests. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

I'm only one person and sometimes I have to run my dishwasher multiple times a day.  I guess it's stranger than I thought.  People could always buy a dishwasher though.  The key is - you need room.  If there's no spot for it, you have to push it around the kitchen all day to move it out of your way.  I know from experience.

[StatisticalOutlier]

17 hours ago, aghst said:

That first property they eliminated, they have two courtyards at the bottom of the light well in Spanish buildings.  So everyone else in the building overlooks their outdoor space.

It reminded me of an episode from years ago, where a woman got a place in India that had a big patio and later found out that all the neighbors above her threw their trash out their windows and it landed on her patio.  She moved.

17 hours ago, aghst said:

So they're earnest about having this foreign experience, which is more than can be said for a lot of people who appear on HHI.

I'm realize I'm in the minority, but I liked them.  Probably because they chose travel over a wedding.

The thing about dishwashers is that they use less water than hand washing.  I wonder if more people knew this they might choose to use the dishwashers they have. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

1 hour ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

It reminded me of an episode from years ago, where a woman got a place in India that had a big patio and later found out that all the neighbors above her threw their trash out their windows and it landed on her patio.  She moved.

People do lit cigarettes too, which start fires.  So awful.

1 hour ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

The thing about dishwashers is that they use less water than hand washing.  I wonder if more people knew this they might choose to use the dishwashers they have. 

I know.  I have some cheap friends who I guess, want to save the electricity?  I will never understand it.

[proserpina65]

22 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

I was yelling at the tv, "You can't wash the friggin' dishes by hand for just the two of you?"  He got on my nerves.

I hate doing dishes and would list a dishwasher as one of my "really, really want" items, and I was yelling at the tv about it, too.

20 hours ago, aghst said:

I can't hate for wanting a dishwasher.

I understand wanting it, but they needed to be more realistic about what they'd get for what they wanted to spend.  Clearly a dishwasher and air conditioning cost more.

20 hours ago, jcbrown said:

That place they picked was bizarre, IMHO. It looked like the weird expando-bed in the loft was a twin--how are they going to sleep in that together?

Getting to the front door was incredibly weird.  All I could think was "how do you escape if there's a fire?".  But I think the loft was the "second bedroom/closet" area; the main bedroom had a larger bed which took up the entire space.

3 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

The key is - you need room.

Yep, if there's no room for a dishwasher in a kitchen, it's hard to make room for it without renovating the entire space.

2 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

The thing about dishwashers is that they use less water than hand washing.

If your dishwasher works well.  Mine's quite old and I often have to run it twice to get everything clean.  Not sure that uses less water.  Still less onerous than washing by hand, though.

2 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I'm realize I'm in the minority, but I liked them.  Probably because they chose travel over a wedding.

I did like that about them, but found their unrealistic expectations for their budget a bit annoying.

[Grrarrggh]

Don't they have countertop dishwashers if you don't have the cabinet space? 

[letusprocrastinate]

24 minutes ago, Grrarrggh said:

Don't they have countertop dishwashers if you don't have the cabinet space? 

Yes.

Also, provided you have the floor space, there are dishwashers on wheels (I know a few people who own them, and I've used them in the past).  The electrical cord goes into a normal outlet, the water hose gets connected to the kitchen faucet, and the top of the dishwasher can be used as extra counter space.

Edited July 14, 2022 by letusprocrastinate

[Bastet]

24 minutes ago, Grrarrggh said:

Don't they have countertop dishwashers if you don't have the cabinet space?

Yeah, but I think they're far more trouble than they're worth, given their small capacity and the space they take up.  The portable standing ones are a better option, but one has to have space, of course.

[seacliffsal]

And, of course, when they looked at the third apartment they noted that it had Spanish architecture...ahem, when in Spain, ALL of the buildings are Spanish architecture as they were built in, you know, Spain... I know that they meant Spanish charm, but again, when in Spain (or any other country...).

[jcbrown]

17 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

They'll be sleeping downstairs in the full bed. At least they didn't waste money to have an empty room for their once a year guests. 

Ahh, thanks, folks. I was paying even less attention than I thought, evidently. I totally missed that this was the second "bedroom."

3 hours ago, letusprocrastinate said:

Yes.

Also, provided you have the floor space, there are dishwashers on wheels (I know a few people who own them, and I've used them in the past).  The electrical cord goes into a normal outlet, the water hose gets connected to the kitchen faucet, and the top of the dishwasher can be used as extra counter space.

I had one and it was fine--not ideal but fine.

[Grizzly]

Acala de Henares, Spain. Nick! He should always wear that sweater to bring out his eyes. Dietrich has lived in Spain, he should know rooms are small. I think the 3 bedroom was the best choice. It will ease Audrey's anxiety.

[Grrarrggh]

3 hours ago, seacliffsal said:

And, of course, when they looked at the third apartment they noted that it had Spanish architecture...ahem, when in Spain, ALL of the buildings are Spanish architecture as they were built in, you know, Spain... I know that they meant Spanish charm, but again, when in Spain (or any other country...).

It's the near complete lack of precision of language that cripples too many people these days, of every generation. Instead of explaining that they want the older Spanish look of tiles and beams they babble on about "character" or "charm" or a national architecture when they have no clue what they're really saying because their words mean little to nothing. Sigh. Precision of language people! Stop saying literally when you don't mean it!! And btw, historical doesn't mean what they seem to think. They should be saying historic. Ugh. Rant over. 

Edited July 15, 2022 by Grrarrggh

[seacliffsal]

The husband of the young couple looking for an apartment in Spain says he doesn't intend to bring Chicago to Spain, yet almost every statement he makes is comparing what they are seeing to what they had in Chicago.  This was a beautiful city and I was really surprised by how reasonable the rents appeared to me.  Oh, and Nick!  I love how renters start complaining and he is just "and over here we have a bedroom" not even allowing their complaints to ruffle his feathers.

[aghst]

All this demand for character and local style is just another HHI trope.

Old buildings have "character" and it depends on how much you're willing to pay for character but still have space, nice kitchen and bathroom and things which are essential to some like elevators.

The place they eliminated had all the character they wanted and it looked to be nicely renovated.

I suspect the husband really didn't want to live way out in the country and have to take a bus 30 minutes each way to his school but HHI needed to drive the usual narrative, using the usual tension between the house hunters about where they want to live, with them initially being at odds.

I don't know how far they would need to go to get to Madrid but that seemed like a nice little town.

[sempervivum]

Alcala, Spain- It appears that Alcala is only 35 minutes from Madrid, so those are very reasonable rents. That place in the country was gorgeous, but I was baffled why Dietrick would think taking a bus to get groceries made sense.

[proserpina65]

18 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

Don't they have countertop dishwashers if you don't have the cabinet space? 

Yes, but I've found that kitchens lacking in cabinet space also tend to lack counter space as well.  And as Bastet pointed out, they're so small that they really aren't worth wasting the space on.

[LittleIggy]

On 7/14/2022 at 11:19 PM, Grrarrggh said:

Precision of language people!

Are you a fan of The Giver?