House Hunters International - General Discussion

[South]

On 8/21/2022 at 6:01 PM, Jodithgrace said:

This isn’t good. My DVR, which is set to record only new episodes, has nothing scheduled after this Tuesday. Does this mean that this “season” is over, and we can’t expect any new episodes until 2023, or do they just take some kind of break? 

What am I expected to do without my weekly dosage of quirky couples with fake conflicts, inspecting phony properties, so that they can live in cities that I envy? No more five foot ceilings, or toilets off the kitchen? No more searching for three bedroom, two bath properties on the beach but in town, walking distance to everything but secluded, all for $800 per month? Say it isn’t so!

Let’s not forget first floor dwellings with elevators, pads in the heart of Amsterdam with acreage for Princess, the Hamster.  Also, the desire for American-sized, styled and designed everything, but with old world charm, and hopes to tumble out of bed and land in a quaint pub/cafe/gallery, but without the pesky tourist crowd. And of course, the ones who must live far into the countryside so they will have peace and quiet to write the next Great American Novel, but also must be within walking distance of the kid’s school and spouse’s work.  They can’t say we aren’t paying attention.

[proserpina65]

On 11/20/2022 at 10:22 AM, chessiegal said:

Today, Westminster Abbey is not a Catholic church - it's Church of England/Anglican. Henry VIII/Anne Boleyn and all.

They weren't getting married at Westminster Abbey.  They were getting married at Westminster Cathedral, which is the largest Catholic church in the UK.  Two different places.

[chessiegal]

7 minutes ago, proserpina65 said:

They weren't getting married at Westminster Abbey.  They were getting married at Westminster Cathedral, which is the largest Catholic church in the UK.  Two different places.

I was referring to the poster who commented on how hard it was to get married in Westminster Abbey, followed by a comment that all Catholics were welcome - I misunderstood the poster, thinking they were referring to the Abbey.

[Bethany]

Haven't watched this in ages as I got fed up with the fake arguments and generally annoying people.  However I tuned in today as they were in Zurich which is a city I love.  Had to turn it off after less than ten minutes.  Young couple with a baby and all the husband can do is talk about needing to be in a "vibrant" part of the city so they could enjoy the nightlife and eat and drink out every evening.  Um, sure.  Either he's a total manchild and can this marriage be saved or else this was yet another fake scenario because they just have to have the Big Disagreement in every episode.

Edited November 22, 2022 by Elizabeth Anne

[AnnMarie17]

So we’re in London on vacation and guess who we ran into last night?! No one else we know will get how fun this was for us, so I had to share it here! 🇬🇧

[Thumper]

17 minutes ago, AnnMarie17 said:

So we’re in London on vacation and guess who we ran into last night?! No one else we know will get how fun this was for us, so I had to share it here! 🇬🇧

Tell us more!  What did you say?  What did he say?  And then what did you say ?  Etc etc 😂

[AnnMarie17]

43 minutes ago, Thumper said:

Tell us more!  What did you say?  What did he say?  And then what did you say ?  Etc etc 😂

Well, he was seated at a table with some people, so we stalked him much longer than  I care to confess, because we didn’t want to interrupt him. When he finally got up to leave, we approached and asked for a photo, which he obliged. 
 

We may have just come from several drinks at a pub, so I pleaded with my husband to BE COOL  and not say anything weird, like “we love you”…then of course I proceeded to say “we just love you” at least three times  🤣

It was surreal to see him..we couldn’t believe our eyes; but then he laughed and we KNEW it was him  😁

[Tess23]

AnnMarie17, you win the internet tonight! That is so fun!

[aghst]

Mexico City - Interesting choices but they really picked the neighborhood based on where they were dropped off and proximity to a park for their dog?

Since she had to be on her own for a week at a time, it made sense to accede to her choice, to be near the park and in the neighborhood, even if it exceeded the budget.

The third house was the best value.  Surely there must be parks in that neighborhood and they had a bigger outdoor space.

The house they chose had better furniture but only one full bathroom and then those stairs which were not good for their dog or their parents when they visit.

Probably moved to Mexico City for budget but give the husband's work situation, it's strange they'd move to a foreign country where she'd have to spend a lot of time with him away for duty.

[cinsays]

57 minutes ago, aghst said:

Mexico City - Interesting choices but they really picked the neighborhood based on where they were dropped off and proximity to a park for their dog?

Since she had to be on her own for a week at a time, it made sense to accede to her choice, to be near the park and in the neighborhood, even if it exceeded the budget.

The third house was the best value.  Surely there must be parks in that neighborhood and they had a bigger outdoor space.

The house they chose had better furniture but only one full bathroom and then those stairs which were not good for their dog or their parents when they visit.

Probably moved to Mexico City for budget but give the husband's work situation, it's strange they'd move to a foreign country where she'd have to spend a lot of time with him away for duty.

yeah, after them mentioning the dog was old and they were worried about him falling thru the back of the stairs and then about the parents not wanting stairs, i had immediately eliminated that one from even being considered. guess those things didn't really matter that much.

[Crashcourse]

Those stairs scared the heck out of me.  The realtor said that they could install a railing but, since they were renting, I wonder if they can even do that.  

[cinsays]

19 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

Those stairs scared the heck out of me.  The realtor said that they could install a railing but, since they were renting, I wonder if they can even do that.  

and that doesn't do anything to prevent the dog from dropping thru them

[Grizzly]

Cairns. Australia.  I'm not a fan of creepy crawlies but she's overdoing it. What did this couple have in common? House #2 had gorgeous floors. I even liked the modern kitchen, it wasn't white. No way will Kim agree to live that far from town. Had to laugh at the realtor saying screens would keep out all the insects.

[aghst]

Both had to go into tHe city for jobs so the modern home in the jungle made no sense.

Neither seem to have very high paying jobs so maybe family money to buy instead of rent.

How does flight attendant afford nice apt. in Dubai and afford to build up big wardrobe?

[Grizzly]

Maybe the people who want to walk to pubs and shops aren't so crazy. Reader's Digest cited a Canadian study that found people who live in neighborhoods within walking distance to retail shops and other services had a 50% less chance of developing type 2 diabetes. And a 54% chance of not getting high blood pressure.

[Jodithgrace]

I’m wondering where Dubai girl is planning to wear all those clothes. From what I know, Sidney is very casual, and Cairns even more so. If I were her, I would sell them all on consignment and start fresh with Australia appropriate clothes. But that’s me. 
I’ve flown Emirates Airlines and recognized her uniform immediately. Dubai is an extremely expensive city to live in, but maybe she started out as a stewardess and worked her way into a better job. She did find a job in finance once in Australia, which is not something that a regular stewardess could do. 
She is really going to have to loosen up a bit about the wildlife. It’s encouraging to see that she’s made peace, if not friends, with the resident spider. I would have picked up that blue tongued lizard in a heartbeat. 

[CattyK]

The husband in the Cairns episode didn’t seem to be very good at listening to his wife and addressing her concerns.  I don’t blame her for being concerned about critters that she might encounter in or near the house.  
 

[proserpina65]

On 11/25/2022 at 11:02 PM, Grizzly said:

Cairns. Australia.  I'm not a fan of creepy crawlies but she's overdoing it.

No such thing as overdoing it.  You would not catch me anywhere near the rainforest.  Yeah, I know there are plenty of things to kill you at Australian beaches, too, but still, ugh.

On 11/26/2022 at 7:40 PM, Jodithgrace said:

She is really going to have to loosen up a bit about the wildlife. It’s encouraging to see that she’s made peace, if not friends, with the resident spider. I would have picked up that blue tongued lizard in a heartbeat. 

I would've died.

[aghst]

I just returned from Australia, first time in Queensland.  I didn't go to Cairns, just only as far north as Noosa, which is near the coast.

I got some suggestions to visit the hinterlands, which are inland, where people do bush walks.  There are also wineries in there.

Saw that there are lookouts, where you could see valleys and tree tops.

Just didn't seem as scenic as the coastal areas where they've build nice boardwalks or paved pathways for coastal walks.

Yeah I don't get the appeal of the forests either.  Might be nice if the weather was torrid, to get away from the sun for a day or two.  Otherwise, I prefer the sun, though the sun down there is brutal, supposedly more ozone layer holes so you're likely to burn faster.

[Grrarrggh]

On 11/26/2022 at 10:03 AM, Grizzly said:

Maybe the people who want to walk to pubs and shops aren't so crazy. Reader's Digest cited a Canadian study that found people who live in neighborhoods within walking distance to retail shops and other services had a 50% less chance of developing type 2 diabetes. And a 54% chance of not getting high blood pressure.

I'm willing to bet they are also wealthier than those who don't, and that makes a huge difference.

[Bethany]

1 hour ago, Grrarrggh said:

I'm willing to bet they are also wealthier than those who don't, and that makes a huge difference.

Possible but I think the biggest difference comes down to how much time someone spends walking vs time spent in a car or taking public transit.  I used to live deep within the rich heartland of suburbia and we might as well have been living out in a rural community.  We had no store within a realistic walking distance.  Every errand had to be done by car.  Now we're in a small town and I can walk to almost everything.  I love it.

[Grizzly]

Granada, Spain. I guess the wedding photography business is not a high paying one. $450 is not going to go far. At least they don't need another bedroom for guests. Let's see what $400 can get them. It's bigger than I expected, thought it might be a studio. 

[mojito]

10 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Granada, Spain. I guess the wedding photography business is not a high paying one.

In a time when everyone carries around a smart phone, more people think they're photographers and many people find smart phone photos perfectly acceptable. I take photos for my city (I'm merely a hobbyist) and am told all the time that my photos are so fantastic. First, I use camera, not a cell phone. Second, I care about focus. Third, I edit. These days, that practically makes you a professional. Add video, particularly drone footage, and you're next-level and on your way to being a Spielberg. 🙄 

I was stunned when the guy said they'd saved up enough for three months of living, and then declared his rental budget to be $400. Made me wonder how much they'd saved.

Still, I'm glad they found a place they like and are living the life they want. 

[aghst]

Loved the first two places.  How can you go wrong if you have a view of the Alhambra?

I've been researching Granada, particularly the Albaicin for an upcoming trip.

I have been before, still love it.

The second property, towards the top, are not near the plaza at the bottom of the Albaicin where all the restaurants are.

But it sounds like she wants to cook, not go out to eat so much.  Being vegans could be tough though there are always a few vegan restaurants.  But Granada is one of those places where if you order a drink, usually alcoholic, you get a free tapa.

That $500 place with the terrace was incredible.  I'd stay there long term, though it is very inconvenient, you have to walk a quite a ways downhill and then walk uphill again.

There is a place to park up there but it's a hike away.  Also restaurants, cafes and bars with views of the Alhambra but not as many as down in Plaza Nueva, which sits between the hill up to the Alhambra and the hill which is the Albaicin.

There are mini buses which squeeze through narrow streets.

As far as their budget maybe they're starting out in wedding photography.  They would need to build up a client list and portfolio.  Seems like a lot of their photo work was for social media and they got noticed.  Both do seem to have some talent.

Unless they become hits on IG or Youtube, wedding photography may be more consistent. Some people will spend into 5 figures for wedding photos and videos and even drone videos for destination wedding.

I don't know if the Spanish spend like that for weddings.  Some Americans and definitely a lot of Asians spend big for wedding photos.  You often see some Asian couple with the bride to be in a wedding dress getting photos done in all sorts of places, definitely a lot in Australia and New Zealand but Europe as well. They're traveling that far and also paying for a photographer to travel with them, that's how serious they are about wedding photos.

They did say they plan to stay there for a long time.  Man at those rents, it's easy to see why.  Granada is away from the Andalusian coast and near the mountains.  In winter, it gets cold and you can see snow-capped Sierra mountains behind the Alhambra.  There is an airport nearby but I don't think there are flights to other European cities.  They'd have to go down to Malaga, which is about 1 to 1.5 hours away, for international flights.

I'd have loved to live in Granada for at least some short time when I was their age.

[proserpina65]

23 hours ago, aghst said:

That $500 place with the terrace was incredible.  I'd stay there long term, though it is very inconvenient, you have to walk a quite a ways downhill and then walk uphill again.

There is a place to park up there but it's a hike away.  Also restaurants, cafes and bars with views of the Alhambra but not as many as down in Plaza Nueva, which sits between the hill up to the Alhambra and the hill which is the Albaicin.

When I visited Granada, my hotel was just across the street and slightly down the hill from the Alhambra.  I got lucky and my room was on that side of the hotel.  The view from my window at night, with the Alhambra all lit up, was incredible.  Didn't have a balcony but I moved a chair in from of the window and just sat there for some time.

[javajeanelaine]

It seems like they were pretty demanding for only $400/month.

[aghst]

Knoxville to Merida.

Wife convinced husband to pick that cookie cutter condo over centro place.

Loft main bedroom so no privacy.

I wonder about these Internet health and beauty products.  Probably ordering stuff with her label from Chinese or Asian manufacturers.  Are those safe?  I would think the big cosmetic name brands do testing and get FDA approval?

Never knew Mayan was still a spoken language.

[mojito]

Knoxville to Merida

Nice couple. Seems they've been together for a good while. Her thinking about where they should live made more sense than his. I'm glad that they're pursuing his desire to learn about his culture.

I'm thinking that Yvonne got some double takes in her street togs. 

This monument took me by surprise. Not my idea of street art. 

[Grizzly]

6 hours ago, mojito said:

Knoxville to Merida

Nice couple. Seems they've been together for a good while. Her thinking about where they should live made more sense than his. I'm glad that they're pursuing his desire to learn about his culture.

I'm thinking that Yvonne got some double takes in her street togs. 

This monument took me by surprise. Not my idea of street art. 

Wholeheartedly  agree about Yvonne's outfits. Wish you had included a picture of when she was sitting by the pool. Wasn't quite sure what she was wearing. How is their son going to get immersed in the culture by being homeschooled?

[kirklandia]

10 hours ago, aghst said:

Never knew Mayan was still a spoken language.

I went on an Audubon birding trip to Guatemala. We were in the Highlands region - staying at coffee farms  surrounded by forests and volcanoes, and in small villages on lake Atitlán.

Over 50% of the population of Guatemala is Mayan. There are over 26 indigenous  Mayan language still spoken there.  The Mayan culture was front and center everywhere we went.  It was fabulous and beautiful.

Here's a sign from one of the trails, in Spanish and Mayan.

[aghst]

DC to Cambridge, England.

Wow they picked the most expensive but the best home, in town like the house dad wanted.  Well best in the sense of having space and a garden, which is great for the kids when they both get older.

Way over both their budgets and longer commute for the wife.

They must not be house poor because hubby wants to take advantage of the amenities of the town center.

[Crashcourse]

17 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Wholeheartedly  agree about Yvonne's outfits. Wish you had included a picture of when she was sitting by the pool. Wasn't quite sure what she was wearing. How is their son going to get immersed in the culture by being homeschooled?

In the opening scene when she was walking down the street in those booty shorts, I felt embarrassed and sorry for the kid. 

[Grrarrggh]

6 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

In the opening scene when she was walking down the street in those booty shorts, I felt embarrassed and sorry for the kid. 

Why? Because she's not a stick figure come to life? 

9 hours ago, aghst said:

DC to Cambridge, England.

They must not be house poor because hubby wants to take advantage of the amenities of the town center.

Just because he wants to doesn't mean they won't end up in heavy debt. He rubbed me the wrong way.

[cinsays]

11 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

Why? Because she's not a stick figure come to life? 

Just because he wants to doesn't mean they won't end up in heavy debt. He rubbed me the wrong way.

and who cares if she has a commute that's probably actually more than an hour each way while working a 12 hour shift

[dogdays2]

As someone who did shift work, long commutes after a long night shift are downright dangerous.  Add to that, driving on the “wrong” side of the road and it sounds scary.  I wondered why they couldn’t live really close to her work - assume if there’s a hospital, there is civilization.  

[Crashcourse]

16 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

Why? Because she's not a stick figure come to life? 

It was because her butt cheeks looked like they were about to come out, and a longer pair of shorts would have looked better.

[seacliffsal]

It appeared to me that they imported their American car to Cambridge with them, so if she was extremely tired coming off of a shift it could be really disorienting to drive the American care in England.  I liked the house they chose, but if I were the one working the 12 hour shifts and being the only wage earner I would so be like "we're choosing the one closest to my work..."

Was surprised the Richard was in shorts (and surprised when recently Nick in Spain wore a sweatshirt). I guess HHI is going for a more casual look.

[aghst]

3 minutes ago, seacliffsal said:

It appeared to me that they imported their American car to Cambridge with them, so if she was extremely tired coming off of a shift it could be really disorienting to drive the American care in England.  I liked the house they chose, but if I were the one working the 12 hour shifts and being the only wage earner I would so be like "we're choosing the one closest to my work..."

Was surprised the Richard was in shorts (and surprised when recently Nick in Spain wore a sweatshirt). I guess HHI is going for a more casual look.

But the one they chose is better for the family.  The other choice didn't have enough room or as much room.

Presumably even she'd get a chance to enjoy the home including the garden.

Almost cost 30% more than their budget.

[seacliffsal]

5 minutes ago, aghst said:

But the one they chose is better for the family.  The other choice didn't have enough room or as much room.

Presumably even she'd get a chance to enjoy the home including the garden.

Almost cost 30% more than their budget.

Oh, I agree that it was the best house and with the nicest garden.  Maybe I'm just tired of the "I am the one who will be home all day so we should get what I want..."  I thought the house they chose was great-but her commute could get old really fast.

[aghst]

Yeah worst case, it may be a much as triple the commute of the other home out in the suburbs.

If the hubby insisted on taking the kids into the town center often, that would stress him.  They were talking about him putting the kids in a basket in front of a bike but not seriously.

In a couple of years, one of the kids at least would probably need to spend time outside, so they'd have to take him to the playground or they could let him play in the garden.

Couple of years after that, they have to think about schools.  I don't know if either locations was closer to the schools they'd send their kids to.

[dogdays2]

The wife / doctor is in the military (or so I thought she said). If so, they’ll be there 3 years so long - term schooling, etc. Is t relevant. Her housing allowance is around $3k, so they won’t starve.  I did 12-hour shifts with that same commuting time.  I almost killed myself, literally, driving home from work in the morning.  Husband should considering picking her up if she’s coming off a night shift. Seriously. 

[cinsays]

1 hour ago, dogdays2 said:

The wife / doctor is in the military (or so I thought she said). If so, they’ll be there 3 years so long - term schooling, etc. Is t relevant. Her housing allowance is around $3k, so they won’t starve.  I did 12-hour shifts with that same commuting time.  I almost killed myself, literally, driving home from work in the morning.  Husband should considering picking her up if she’s coming off a night shift. Seriously. 

what? and give up his beauty sleep????????

[abbyzenn]

Cambridge couple:  Yeah he was quite annoying.  Maybe with her 12 hour shift work she doesn't work 5 days a week - when I was in a Cardiac ICU the nurses worked 3 days 12 hours.  Still wouldn't want an hour commute.

Like so many other stay at home parents who just have to be in the center of town I really wonder how much time they actually end up spending in town and what to they do there? Wander around a book store?  Sit in a coffee shop for hours?  Between cleaning house, feeding the kids,, and with kids that young they probably nap in the afternoon, how much free time do you have?  I can see not wanting to be in a house out in the country where your nearest neighbor is a mile or so away and the closest town in several miles but then you could take country walks instead of sidewalk walks.

[buttersister]

Quote

Cambridge couple:  Yeah he was quite annoying. 

Times infinity. I can only imagine Dr. Wife wanted that in-town place, too, and their budget was phony. 

At least there was Richard. And Cambridge.

[Grizzly]

Lille, France. Even the downtown apartment didn't seem to be in a bustling district. A lot of buildings seemed to be boarded up. $700 doesn't get much. And that must have been their real budget since all were that price. Not the most dynamic couple but I hope they are happy.

[seacliffsal]

I really hope there is more to his PhD than transcribing the text onto a digital platform.  If that's it, I should have investigated other programs before selecting my program.

She really didn't seem that happy-as she said in an interview, she didn't think they really would move to France.  I would have chosen the one with the outdoor space (even though it was all walled in) as that at least provided some fresh air and somewhere to hang out rather than just indoors (and be good for their dog to get the fresh air throughout the day).

[Crashcourse]

I liked the Lille, France couple and the compromise place was probably the best for them.   

I guess Adrienne wears the beret for the show, because she's the only one I've ever seen wearing one.  

[chessiegal]

1 hour ago, Crashcourse said:

I guess Adrienne wears the beret for the show, because she's the only one I've ever seen wearing one.  

If you go to Adrian's web site where she shows being on HHI, the beret seems to be her signature look. 😉

[Crashcourse]

Yeah, she just looks...pretentious.

[javajeanelaine]

Disagree.  I think her berets are adorable.