House Hunters International - General Discussion

[Crashcourse]

5 hours ago, buttersister said:

Battle of the Grandparents! Having the time and means to travel sounded to me like her parents would be frequent visitors (they were also used to being with the little kiddos). Also, nice lady had lived steps away from them in Wheaton, so, yeah

And that might have been why the husband wanted them to stay in a hotel.  He'd probably seen enough of his in-laws in Wheaton.  

Battle of the Grandparents, indeed!

[Thumper]

Yeah, one of us always gave up our bedroom when guests came to stay.  It was just understood and not really a big deal.   
 

[Bastet]

We didn't have a dedicated guest room when I was a kid, we had a sofa bed in the office.  So if we had weekend guests (which wasn't common, thankfully), I took that sofa bed and the guests got my bed.

I've done the same thing; no guest room, just a mildly uncomfortable bed option in my office, as I prefer to put my few guests up at a local hotel.  (But if someone just wants to crash overnight, they're welcome to.)

In general I think it's silly to pay year-round for a guest room that will be unused less than it's used, but if you're talking about rotating grandparents, I can understand considering a dedicated guest room.  It still doesn't seem a big deal to shove the kids (with those young spines that can sleep anywhere) somewhere else in the house for the visit in order to provide the grandparents with a proper bedroom, though.

Edited October 29, 2022 by Bastet

[Notabug]

11 hours ago, Bastet said:

We didn't have a dedicated guest room when I was a kid, we had a sofa bed in the office.  So if we had weekend guests (which wasn't common, thankfully), I took that sofa bed and the guests got my bed.

I've done the same thing; no guest room, just a mildly uncomfortable bed option in my office, as I prefer to put my few guests up at a local hotel.  (But if someone just wants to crash overnight, they're welcome to.)

In general I think it's silly to pay year-round for a guest room that will be unused less than it's used, but if you're talking about rotating grandparents, I can understand considering a dedicated guest room.  It still doesn't seem a big deal to shove the kids (with those young spines that can sleep anywhere) somewhere else in the house for the visit in order to provide the grandparents with a proper bedroom, though.

When I was a kid, we gave up our beds and either slept on the sofa or in sleeping bags on the floor when houseguests came.  However, most of our guests didn't stay more than a few days at a time.  I would imagine that her parents, having traveled from Chicago, will be staying for weeks at a time which will get old; particularly if they visit while the kids are still in school and there is a homework and bedtime routine that needs to be kept.  Much harder when all the kids, at whatever age, are in the same bedroom.

If her parents are planning extended stays in Ireland; then an Air BnB is probably a good option for them and it sounds like they could afford it.

[mojito]

I’d love to stay in a hotel room on somebody else’s dime. Show of hands…who thinks he would offer to pay guests’ hotel stay when they're actually coming in for a visit?

Edited October 30, 2022 by mojito
More specific question.

[Crashcourse]

1 hour ago, mojito said:

I’d love to stay in a hotel room on somebody else’s dime. Show of hands…who thinks he would offer to pay guests’ hotel stay?

He did say he would pay.  I think he's just tired of being so close to them for so long. 

[Bastet]

That's a good point on the probable length of these visits; in that case, even if I had a dedicated guest room, I'd rather go the rental house route (presumably, they wouldn't want to stay in a hotel that long).  That's too much togetherness and disruption of routine, otherwise (for everyone).  

[mojito]

On 10/27/2022 at 7:26 PM, jcbrown said:

This HH in Paris and her berets and her dog berets. Poor dog. And I was surprised she keyed in on Hemingway with no mention of Stein, Toklas, or others. I expect she'll take up bullfighting next.

And this won't end well...

[aghst]

The price difference is $200 a month between the final two choices in Ireland.

Would they have hotels in that suburb or would they have to stay in Dublin hotels?

Probably hotels there are easily $200 a night if not more.

Working for a coffee roaster must pay well enough.  Doesn't sound like the kind of professional job you'd move overseas for.

There was also the Costa Rica episode on Thursday, a guy who hosted parties in Brooklyn moves down chooses the cheapest place though he was talking like he wanted some extravagant pad.

[buttersister]

Oh, Floor, is Hague wife going to make friends among families and expats or pick up shopping sisters downtown? Please. Alana, no one is buying your give me hustle and bustle. Lovely town, nice couple, absolute bullshit conflict line.

LOL, nice filming the big decision on the beach. Right by house #1. Surprise!

Geez, why do people climb into tubs?

[Grizzly]

The Hague. Healthy budget. The first house seemed really spacious. From the map, it looked like Alana could walk to the beach. To me, that's better than a shop or restaurant. At least they aren't worrying about going down to 1 income. Pretty sure plenty of people live downtown with kids, Casey. #2 was quite modern. Plus was no stairs. #3 felt like a compromise that no one was happy with. Glad Alana isn't missing the city.

[aghst]

The city center Hague home was probably too expensive for them.  Between what they chose and the city center one, it was $1500 a month in difference.

Maybe the wife really didn't care about the hustle and bustle but maybe she doesn't want to fix herself breakfast or lunch, just go out to a cafe, though that could be expensive to do for every meal.

They must wait for sunny days in places like The Netherlands to film.  Or at least it can't be raining.

The one they chose was the best value, not only the cheapest but the most roomy.  Still I get the appeal of the city center of a European city, especially for younger families.

[mojito]

I was thinking, while watching The Hague episode, how people want to live in the city to be near cafes and shops, and that basically, they want to step out of their homes and have the ability to spend money and consume. 

[aghst]

24 minutes ago, mojito said:

I was thinking, while watching The Hague episode, how people want to live in the city to be near cafes and shops, and that basically, they want to step out of their homes and have the ability to spend money and consume. 

Well people who can afford homes in high-demand areas will likely have money for spending on things like restaurant meals.

So if one can allocate $20-30 per person for a simple meal one or more times a day, every day -- talking burgers or maybe salads with chicken, no alcoholic beverages -- then it would be convenient to be near all those establishments, to offer variety.

It's like going on vacation all the time.

I don't know if the wife in The Hague episode envisioned that kind of lifestyle or talked it up for the sake of the show.

[Notabug]

11 hours ago, aghst said:

Well people who can afford homes in high-demand areas will likely have money for spending on things like restaurant meals.

So if one can allocate $20-30 per person for a simple meal one or more times a day, every day -- talking burgers or maybe salads with chicken, no alcoholic beverages -- then it would be convenient to be near all those establishments, to offer variety.

It's like going on vacation all the time.

I don't know if the wife in The Hague episode envisioned that kind of lifestyle or talked it up for the sake of the show.

I kept thinking 'What is she going to do with the toddler while spending her days visiting cafes?'.  It seemed like she was looking for amenities that she would enjoy, not stuff for her child.  If I were looking to live in an urban area with a young child, I'd be looking for things like parks, playgrounds and libraries where I could walk with my kid.  I just don't picture any little kid being content to spend hours at a cafe so mommy can make friends.

[seacliffsal]

The house they chose in The Hague had like a million stairs that I think will get old after awhile with carrying various things up and down all of the time.  I know it's hard to have limited stairs when looking for four bedrooms, but the one-story flat seemed really ideal (although way over budget).  I laughed out loud though when Flor was talking about how in the suburbs the wife would only see families around so it would be much harder to make friends than being in the city center.  Huh?  What?  Those are exactly the kind of people with whom young families make friends-other young families!!!  Trying to make controversy when there aren't any really starts showing up because the plots no longer make sense.

[aghst]

I don't know if it's the case in The Hague but in the Netherlands, they taxed those tall canal homes by their width.

That is why they built the homes so tall and narrow, which meant these steep, narrow staircases.

But I recall one Amsterdam episode where they had a modern building well outside the canal ring and it still had those steep, narrow stairs.

I guess the Dutch got used to it.

[Pine]

Hague episode.  I kept thinking that the wife is going to be a "bolter", haha, she just didn't seem that into having a child or sharing the adventure with a child.  :)

[MakingBacon]

I think the couple in The Hague didn’t have any real disagreements on where to live. The wife wanting to live in the city center was likely just a storyline for people who couldn’t bring the drama. HHI always seems to be trying to bring some drama to hold our attention.

[aghst]

Couple to the hinterlands in the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia.

I'm actually leaving for Brisbane soon, will spend some time in Noosa as well.  I don't understand the appeal of the hinterlands, at least for tourists, but I saw the lookout they showed, out to the plains.  Looked nice but I assume the coastal areas are more congested and expensive.

I assume their budget was USD, which right now would go a long ways in Australia.

The home they chose was the best, fully updated.  It's interesting, first lesbian relationship for the Canadian woman and the Australian woman had never paid rent before, usually getting accommodations as part of the various jobs she did.

In fact she had to share things like bathrooms and living spaces, she said.  Now they have a home that she only shares with her partner and they have two sinks in the main bathroom!

They talked about having the kids over so they apparently plan to entertain and they now have a swanky space.

Kind of odd, that home is right next to a caravan park -- RV park I guess.  And the windows are quite open to the outside.  Good for bright rooms, not so much for privacy.  Window coverings may not be cheap to install.

[Grizzly]

Granada, Spain. What a gorgeous area. The prices didn't seem too high for a city center. To me, Sabrina came across as quite immature. Bit of a whiny brat to poor Nick. At least there was something about each apartment she liked. Sam was just concerned with price.

[Bluesky]

12 hours ago, aghst said:

Couple to the hinterlands in the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia.

I'm actually leaving for Brisbane soon, will spend some time in Noosa as well.  I don't understand the appeal of the hinterlands, at least for tourists, but I saw the lookout they showed, out to the plains.  Looked nice but I assume the coastal areas are more congested and expensive.

I assume their budget was USD, which right now would go a long ways in Australia.

The home they chose was the best, fully updated.  It's interesting, first lesbian relationship for the Canadian woman and the Australian woman had never paid rent before, usually getting accommodations as part of the various jobs she did.

In fact she had to share things like bathrooms and living spaces, she said.  Now they have a home that she only shares with her partner and they have two sinks in the main bathroom!

They talked about having the kids over so they apparently plan to entertain and they now have a swanky space.

Kind of odd, that home is right next to a caravan park -- RV park I guess.  And the windows are quite open to the outside.  Good for bright rooms, not so much for privacy.  Window coverings may not be cheap to install.

Was that a two family home?    Cheap rent.   When they go into the bedroom and complain about lack of privacy I wish the agent would walk over to the drapes and shut them.   There were black drapes in the bedroom.  
 

Just now, Bluesky said:

Was that a two family home?    Cheap rent.   When they go into the bedroom and complain about lack of privacy I wish the agent would walk over to the drapes and shut them.   There were black drapes in the bedroom.  
 

Also was that part of the rain forest?

[aghst]

On 11/4/2022 at 8:07 PM, Grizzly said:

Granada, Spain. What a gorgeous area. The prices didn't seem too high for a city center. To me, Sabrina came across as quite immature. Bit of a whiny brat to poor Nick. At least there was something about each apartment she liked. Sam was just concerned with price.

One of my favorite places that I've seen.

They're not going to get any Alhambra views for their modest budget.

In the end they choose the cheapest one and further out from center so more commute.

Neither of them are doing what they went to college for, so I wonder if this was really about exploring a new place or getting relatively easy jobs.

Will they have a budget to see other places in Europe?

The husband mentioned something about being there for years but they said they're taking less pay than they were earning in Oregon.

May be a short term adventure.

[chocolatine]

The Oregon hipsters moving to Granada were very cute together, but he seems to be a big cheapskate, so I wonder how long it'll be until she's tired of it. It almost always seems like the Spain HHIs have tiny budgets so we get to see mostly cramped, poorly lit, old-fashioned apartments. I'd love to see some more expensive Spanish apartments for a change.

[aghst]

Some episodes of Mediterranean Life featured Spanish villas with lot of bedrooms and expansive outdoor spaces.  They weren't in a city though.

[Hedgehog2022]

On 11/3/2022 at 10:50 AM, Notabug said:

I kept thinking 'What is she going to do with the toddler while spending her days visiting cafes?'.  It seemed like she was looking for amenities that she would enjoy, not stuff for her child.  If I were looking to live in an urban area with a young child, I'd be looking for things like parks, playgrounds and libraries where I could walk with my kid.  I just don't picture any little kid being content to spend hours at a cafe so mommy can make friends.

YES! The most important thing should be a safe, family friendly environment with easy access to parks and pre-schools. I didn't get her obsession with being near"cafes"...I'm pretty sure there are plenty of Starbucks in the Hague that she could relax at while her daughter is at preschool or at an activity. Little kids don't do too well at adult coffee places or "cafes" as they get bored after they've consumed some cookies or other kiddie treats.

[buttersister]

Exactly. And since it's not news to Hague mommy, I can only think the storyline was more BS than usual. I suspect she's not the vacant urbanite they'd created a story about. At least, I hope not! LOL!

[Ottis]

On 10/16/2022 at 10:22 PM, mojito said:

Crappy beach. I mean, the sand looked nice. The part that wasn't covered in seaweed. The water looked very seaweedy, too, and not a tempting place to take a dip.

Mexico ep ... yes, each time they showed the beach, I was trying to figure out what all the brown was from the sand out into the water. It looked like it extended a good 10-30 feet. I guess it was seaweed, though it looked like the water was actually brown in a couple of shots. Whatever it was, was nasty.

I would have trepidation about buying property in Mexico. It is a country with a lot of beauty and some great people, and also unpredictable violence. I've been to downtown Monterrey many times, the fancy part with armed federales on corners, and yet tourists have been shot and killed there through restaurant windows. I visited a large company in northern Mexico and we had to be escorted from the local airport with security in cars in front and behind us. I can't imagine being alone on a beach in Mexico if someone decides to come after you.

[Grrarrggh]

1 hour ago, Ottis said:

I would have trepidation about buying property in Mexico. It is a country with a lot of beauty and some great people, and also unpredictable violence. I've been to downtown Monterrey many times, the fancy part with armed federales on corners, and yet tourists have been shot and killed there through restaurant windows. 

Sounds like everyday in the United States of America.

[Grizzly]

Phnom Penh, Cambodia.  They are a cute couple. The first place was certainly nice and modern. No where to eat except the balcony. Second place seemed OK. Karl should get the cheapest place, save his money and then find a new place if they live together/get married. I wrote that before seeing #3. It does look a little....worn. I'm wondering if Socheata works. Had to laugh every time they showed James's foot outside the tuk-tuk. He is tall, wonder if he ever has issues. I'm surprised she pushed for that place. I wish them well.

[amarante]

The couple from San Francisco moving to Berlin had to be putting on an act.

Surely no one who lives in the Bay Area would be shocked that a two bedroom apartment in the heart of the city/desirable for young professionals would be small and expensive.

I didn't even think the apartments shown were that small or that expensive.

And - again - many people in expensive metropolitan areas don't have a spare room for guests. At most they have a pull out sofa in the living room. 

[aghst]

Cambodia wasn't too different from the Vietnam episodes they've had, except the house hunters were a young couple with her being a native there.

I believe these SE Asian countries really shut down for the pandemic, or at least Vietnam did.

That might have kept prices down, instead of the growth these countries were seeing before the pandemic.

But he found a job so he's got good reasons to stay in Cambodia for awhile.

[Ottis]

On 11/8/2022 at 3:46 PM, Grrarrggh said:

Sounds like everyday in the United States of America.

Maybe in Chicago? I’ve never needed security traveling through the US. 

[Grrarrggh]

4 hours ago, Ottis said:

Maybe in Chicago? I’ve never needed security traveling through the US. 

And I never needed security traveling through Mexico. 

[StatisticalOutlier]

A Costa Rica episode I actually enjoyed!  Or, I enjoyed the couple, and they seemed fond of each other.  As the agent said, they turned what they thought were lemons into lemonade.  Good for them. 

Plus they both work remotely and didn't once call themselves digital nomads. 

[Grizzly]

Merida, Mexico. In her list of must haves there was close to mom, close to shops and restaurants.  Um, how about close to schools? Are these 3 kids going to go to school? Maybe they are spending their days in the pool. Hope they have an income since the little kids won't be little forever. Can't stick them all in the same bedroom forever. Isabella has a good head on her shoulders.

[kirklandia]

On 11/8/2022 at 8:03 PM, Grizzly said:

Phnom Penh, Cambodia.  They are a cute couple. The first place was certainly nice and modern.

I saw the M Residence sign in front of the first apartment building. I thought it sounded familiar, some kind of chic hotel chain? So I went to their website. I immediately recognize the decor and amenities in the photos.

http://m-residence.phnompenhbesthotels.com/

[cinsays]

10 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Merida, Mexico. In her list of must haves there was close to mom, close to shops and restaurants.  Um, how about close to schools? Are these 3 kids going to go to school? Maybe they are spending their days in the pool. Hope they have an income since the little kids won't be little forever. Can't stick them all in the same bedroom forever. Isabella has a good head on her shoulders.

yeah,  usually there is some mention of school distance, but i assume with the way the mom feels about being able to do what you need to do to be successful in life, that must be a big consideration.

i was shocked that they ended up in the 2-bedroom.

and that is not a large bedroom for 3 kids and i only saw 2 beds. how can that work for any period of time???

i think the agent should have found a 3-bedroom closer to relatives if that was the main concern even if it was a bit more. 

[mojito]

12 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Isabella has a good head on her shoulders.

I was impressed with her. It was hard to believe that she wasn't quite 12 yet. 

How this family functions financially is quite a mystery. 

It was puzzling how Merida was described as being a safe place to live, and that one complex was described as being known for its safety. 

[aghst]

On 11/11/2022 at 10:41 AM, StatisticalOutlier said:

A Costa Rica episode I actually enjoyed!  Or, I enjoyed the couple, and they seemed fond of each other.  As the agent said, they turned what they thought were lemons into lemonade.  Good for them. 

Plus they both work remotely and didn't once call themselves digital nomads. 

Easy to root for them.

Maybe they need to save up some money for things like IVF.

Meanwhile they spend a bit more to be in a good location.  It's not the distance, it's the unreliable roads in bad weather.

[kirklandia]

I really enjoyed  seeing an episode in Costa Rica that didn't focus on beach life.

I have friends who owned a winter home on Lake Arenal, and was lucky enough to visit them there.  They are expert birders, and we went on some wonderful outings (including a visit to the volcano and La Fortuna). We always left at dawn, and had to be back before dark because the roads were so bad.

[Grizzly]

Fife, Scotland. Once you get past his nervous laughter, they are a charming couple. I give her props for saying, Yup going to live in Scotland for the rest of my life. So long as we're by shops and restaurants. Wow, that Scottish tartan carpet and green tile bathroom makes #2 attractive. With so much space, I wonder if they could rent out a room?

[aghst]

6 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Fife, Scotland. Once you get past his nervous laughter, they are a charming couple. I give her props for saying, Yup going to live in Scotland for the rest of my life. So long as we're by shops and restaurants. Wow, that Scottish tartan carpet and green tile bathroom makes #2 attractive. With so much space, I wonder if they could rent out a room?

I thought that choice was ridiculous, unless they have a lot more money than they're letting on.

Maybe he banked a lot of equity from a previous startup or something.  Even $950k was a healthy budget, though maybe not in the Bay Area.

But the idea that he could always work from Scotland for a Bay Area/California company seems dubious, unless he has some high level coding skills that employers are willing to accommodate him.

Generally, tech companies are pushing their employees to return to office rather than work from home, even though many of them are spending most of their days in front of a computer screen.

Wife said she hoped to find a job in event planning in Edinburgh.  But the home she pushed for is much further than the other home they were considering.

Who does all the upkeep though?  In addition to all the rooms in that castle, it had huge grounds.  Do they mow the grass there?

I can believe that they decided they need to be near family, to help take care of the kids, though I don't know if elderly parents are always going to be able to do that.  Another reason seems to be they're getting a bigger space than the apartment they lived in.

Husband seems to believe being near the countryside is a great childhood for their children.  Yeah they may love the animals but there's a big tradeoff in weather.

Certainly for the $1.1 million they spent, they wouldn't even get 2 bedrooms in the Bay Area.

[seacliffsal]

I really enjoyed the Scotland episode (have been to Fife)-most notably because it's Scotland, but also a nice couple who actually seem to like/love each other, and a nice budget that allowed us to see more than 1or 2 bedroom flats.  I was really surprised that they took the castle home as it was huge and expensive (I thought the first home was really nice, too).  Two great choices and what a spectacular home they chose.  I wonder if parents are helping with the budget.  As she is an event planner, I wonder if they would rent out portions of their home and garden as event spaces-it would seemingly be a good way for her to work (part-time) while taking advantage of the huge and beautiful property that they bought.

[StatisticalOutlier]

12 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Fife, Scotland. Once you get past his nervous laughter,

Assuming you can.  I couldn't. 

[badgerwoman]

10 hours ago, aghst said:

But the idea that he could always work from Scotland for a Bay Area/California company seems dubious, unless he has some high level coding skills that employers are willing to accommodate him.

Generally, tech companies are pushing their employees to return to office rather than work from home, even though many of them are spending most of their days in front of a computer screen.

I am in tech, but not at a tech company.   And we have over seas workers but they are not directly employed by  us - but thru a third party.  If a company doesn't have a foreign office, it is unlikely to employ  you if you are overseas unless thru a third party.  There's all sorts of tax/legal implications as Elon Musk is learning when he tried forcing every Twitter worker back to the office and had to back off in the overseas offices.

[Grrarrggh]

She could be using the Fife house in her business as an events coordinator. You could definitely host things there. 

[Grizzly]

London. That is quite a shirt Richard is wearing. I'm curious what the basement in San Fran was costing them. The English basement seemed to have a strange configuration. #2 was short on space but I liked the style. And 3 was too far away. I wonder how much it costs to get married at Westminster Cathedral?

[aghst]

Tulum, Mexico, seems like it was purely a budget decision.

She mentioned the NYC rents.

So they chose the one below their budget, not the one above it.  Both would be way below what NYC would cost..

[Grrarrggh]

I've never been a nut for natural sunlight, but I don't think I could live in that flat in Tulum. I'd have to spend the whole time in the bedroom.