House Hunters International - General Discussion

[seacliffsal]

I really liked the England couple (and their children) as well as the realtor.  Just a very pleasant episode for me to watch.  No bickering (amazing!) and they seemed to actually like each other (a rarity for this show!).  The choices were all nice and the house they chose seemed to suit them.  This is the first time I have seen this realtor and thought he had a very nice demeanor.

[buttersister]

The Brit realtor looked familiar, I think he's been on before (I notice Brits that aren't Richard), but I could be wrong.

Sorry Mrs. Baker didn't get her most excellent kitchen, but they chose a good house.

[aghst]

2 hours ago, seacliffsal said:

I really liked the England couple (and their children) as well as the realtor.  Just a very pleasant episode for me to watch.  No bickering (amazing!) and they seemed to actually like each other (a rarity for this show!).  The choices were all nice and the house they chose seemed to suit them.  This is the first time I have seen this realtor and thought he had a very nice demeanor.

 

49 minutes ago, buttersister said:

The Brit realtor looked familiar, I think he's been on before (I notice Brits that aren't Richard), but I could be wrong.

Sorry Mrs. Baker didn't get her most excellent kitchen, but they chose a good house.

The realtor is vaguely familiar.

Yeah I don't know if the wife was serious about 1 bathroom.

They don't know how long he's going to be at the UK base but if it's some number of years, the kids may reach puberty and then they're going to want their own bathroom.

I don't know if people in the military deployed overseas get a housing allowance?  Or some extra money because housing in England may be more than in FL.  So if the wife really wanted "charm" -- as opposed being prodded to say she wants English charm -- they could always dig into their pockets more for something with charm and room for the family.

[Kimboweena]

29 minutes ago, aghst said:

I don't know if people in the military deployed overseas get a housing allowance?  Or some extra money because housing in England may be more than in FL.

Yes, you do get a housing allowance if you're living off base.  And there would be a cost of living adjustment that would be probably be higher overseas  Within the U.S., if you live off base the housing allowance varies depending on where you're living. 

[buttersister]

I was tempted to yell at the wife to go get some British design magazines and get to decorating. But, you know, I didn't buy the one-bathroom bit either.🤣

[mojito]

Korea to Puerta Vallarta

This is the first time that I have ever said this...I really loved the woman's dog. Too bad she's 11, this seems to be the most important being in this woman's life.

I didn't care for any of her choices. This was a good case of not doing enough research before moving, because she thought that for $750 she could live large at the beach. 

[buttersister]

Just when I was going to throw my TV off the balcony rather than see another minute of Milan in Mexico, VO lady saves it!

Milan rattles on about how travel opens her eyes to other people's situations, etc. (while the camera pans to the dog's pearl collar;-), VO lady says, Milan will have to open her eyes to her budget not getting her all she wants. With full snarky tone.

Milan, STFU forever.

[aghst]

Yeah it sounded like someone exaggerated how affordable PV is.

It's so well known, you figure it's wishful thinking to be near the beach without a lot of compromises.

I forget how much it was but a gay couple bought in the Romantic Zone in a recent PV episode, in a modern condo high-rise, with nice rooftop pool.

So PV seems to have a wide range of prices.

[dogdays2]

I could relate to Milan and Lea. So what if she dresses her dog in a fake pearl collar?  The dog is clearly her child.   If you don’t have a significant other or kids, your pet(s) often fill that void.  I’ve been there.  I’m sure no one would complain if she had a nicely dressed child.  If it gives her pleasure to buy clothes or whatever for her dog — who clearly provides joy in her life — good for her.  

She didn’t know what she was getting into with real estate in PV but also didn’t complain about how things ended up.  

[proserpina65]

On 1/23/2023 at 4:43 PM, seacliffsal said:

I really liked the England couple (and their children) as well as the realtor.  Just a very pleasant episode for me to watch.  No bickering (amazing!) and they seemed to actually like each other (a rarity for this show!).  The choices were all nice and the house they chose seemed to suit them.  This is the first time I have seen this realtor and thought he had a very nice demeanor.

The husband kind of annoyed me with his constant complaining about sharing a bathroom.  I found myself telling to shut up because people share bathrooms with their kids all the time.  Even though I would've wanted a second bathroom too, and I live alone.  It just bugged that he kept repeating it, I guess.

I would've chosen the first place, for the charm because I hate modern houses, but then again, I'm one person.

On 1/23/2023 at 7:30 PM, aghst said:

They don't know how long he's going to be at the UK base but if it's some number of years, the kids may reach puberty and then they're going to want their own bathroom.

Eh, teenagers can share a bathroom with adults.  I grew up in a house with 5 people sharing one bathroom and we managed.  What they want and what they actually need aren't the same thing.

[Grizzly]

Vaucluse, France. I wonder if Andy is good but slow with renovations or if he's awful and Rachel doesn't want to say that. But she is vehement that he not ruin her France fantasy with sawdust. How are they affording this? I'm not hearing anything about working. Omg, Andy is a private pooper!!! I'm dying. Give him a few weeks and Andy will be mayor of that tiny village. I think they made the right choice.

[Thumper]

That pretty blonde realtor (Eleanor?) reminds me of actress Emma Thompson.

Edited January 27, 2023 by Thumper

[mojito]

10 hours ago, Thumper said:

That pretty blonde realtor (Eleanor?) reminds me of actress Emma Thompson.

Every time I see her (I know I've seen her at least once before), I think the exact same thing. 

She's towered over the couple.

They were such opposites. He was practically bouncing off the walls and laughing and she was so...still. 

[seacliffsal]

I loved choice #3 which was the totally renovated home with 3 bed/3 bath.  Of course, I don't always want to be in the middle of "everything" so while it appealed to me, I get that they wanted a more active location (although they may regret it during the high tourist season...).  Although the husband had a lot of energy, he wasn't nearly as over the top as so many other house hunters have been, so I enjoyed his energy rather than wishing he would just go away.  My understanding is that they kept their Pittsburgh home so they actually own two homes.  There's some money somewhere...

[aghst]

Seems like they want a vacation home for now while they continue to work back in Pittsburgh.  For a change, these house hunters couldn't work remotely.

So I can see wanting to be near amenities.  Maybe they don't plan to have a car all the time when they go to France so they want walkability.

She talked about cooking, liking to learn recipes dependent on seasons because French cuisine is tied to fresh produce?  Really?  Is it any more about fresh produce than other types of cuisines?

But until they're living full time in France, are they cooking more or going out more?  They did say they like going to market days every week so maybe a bit of both.

Not sure why they wanted 3 bedrooms just for themselves but if they do plan to have friends and family come over, things like the number of bedrooms and bathrooms matter more.

They all had good outdoor space.

BTW, a bit confusing, they referred to Vaucluse.  There is a city called Vaucluse in the eastern part of France and it is near the Swiss border, actually not far from Bern.

But Vaucluse is also a department (or like a state) which is in the southern part of France, just north of Marseille.  The biggest city is Avignon and the Luberon are a huge tourist magnet, famous for the lavender fields among other things.

They mostly talked about Vaison-la-Romaine which is on the northern part of the Vaucluse.  This city has a Roman amphitheater, which they didn't mention in the episode.  I don't think it's as huge a tourist attraction as other cities and villages in the Vaucluse.

Edited January 27, 2023 by aghst

[Shorty186]

Which house did they choose in Vaucluse? My recording cut off just before the reveal.

[seacliffsal]

The first one that was right in the center of town, had the nice kitchen, 1 1/2 baths that could use some remodeling, and the narrow balcony.

[HappyHanna]

On 1/26/2023 at 11:03 PM, Grizzly said:

Vaucluse, France. I wonder if Andy is good but slow with renovations or if he's awful and Rachel doesn't want to say that. But she is vehement that he not ruin her France fantasy with sawdust. How are they affording this? I'm not hearing anything about working. Omg, Andy is a private pooper!!! I'm dying. Give him a few weeks and Andy will be mayor of that tiny village. I think they made the right choice.

She has a website that gives the real story about their France home buying.  https://www.maisonavaison.com/ so it appears they got some kind of loan to fund it,  though I didn't dig enough to see exactly how. 

It looks like they are looking to rent it out long term until someday. 

[proserpina65]

On 1/27/2023 at 10:30 AM, seacliffsal said:

I loved choice #3 which was the totally renovated home with 3 bed/3 bath.  Of course, I don't always want to be in the middle of "everything" so while it appealed to me, I get that they wanted a more active location (although they may regret it during the high tourist season...).  Although the husband had a lot of energy, he wasn't nearly as over the top as so many other house hunters have been, so I enjoyed his energy rather than wishing he would just go away.  My understanding is that they kept their Pittsburgh home so they actually own two homes.  There's some money somewhere...

I didn't like the third place. It was far too modern inside for me. I liked the first place the best.  I'm with Andy.  There should always be a wall and a door between the bedroom and the bathroom.

[Je suis Rachel]

23 hours ago, HappyHanna said:

She has a website that gives the real story about their France home buying.  https://www.maisonavaison.com/ so it appears they got some kind of loan to fund it,  though I didn't dig enough to see exactly how. 

It looks like they are looking to rent it out long term until someday. 

You are right Happy Hannah! Thanks for sharing my site! Poor energetic and crazy Andy came home to The States one week after filming and had a pretty serious health diagnosis. We've been working through that, but, because of the incredibly unfortunate timing of this health scare, we aren't going back to our sweet little home in the near future.  I will be getting more into that in the blog soonish. We are looking for someone to rent it long term so that it is being used and enjoyed until we can make it back. Yes, we did take out a loan. We in no way, shape or form come from any kind of money. Our thought process was to invest in our retirement home now, so that when we are ready, it is ready for us :) 

Edited January 29, 2023 by Je suis Rachel

[ECM1231]

@Je suis Rachel.  I enjoyed your episode of HH International and now reading about it online. 

[Je suis Rachel]

11 hours ago, ECM1231 said:

  I enjoyed your episode of HH International and now reading about it online. 

Thank you! Even though I'm kind of shy, it was a fun experience.

And to clear up a few questions from above. Andy is VERY handy, but, with his job and being freelance, he sometimes doesn't work for a month and then there are times where he works 7 days a week for 4 months. So he will start projects on his down time and then abandon them when work gets busy. Case in point, he started stripping our stairs.... FOUR years ago! :) 

Also, it seems as though some people question if that is his real personality or if he was putting on for the show. That is what he is like 247. They actually cut out a lot of the crazy wacky stuff he was saying and doing. 

[BAForever]

DC to Lake Arenal. Really liked the couple- not quite sure about how they make money, I'm sure there's a market for helping people move overseas, but is it an untapped market? Anyway, loved their 3 diverse choices. Kind of surprised good internet was not mentioned (internet at my school can be spotty downstairs in the cinderblock "caves"). They made the smart choice. Beautiful place.

[Jodithgrace]

I just got a kick out of how tall he was. (6’9”) I used to date a guy who was 6’7” and I recall that he just filled up a doorway when he arrived. He made me at 5’8” feel petite.

But they were a lovely couple. I hope their business is successful, but I can only judge by how many episodes there are of HHI how many people are moving to foreign countries. 

House #3 was amazing, but they made the wise choice despite claustrophobic ceilings for him. It all about location, and price. 

[kirklandia]

I was really happy to see a Costa Rica episode filmed around Lake Arenal, because that is the part of the country where I have spent time. Houses one and three were not far from the little village where I stayed.

But that is not what I came here to say! I had to stop and get a picture of my TV screen when they showed this:

Because every time I visit one of these fascinating forums, this ad is popping up on my iPhone screen. Mystery solved!

Edited January 31, 2023 by kirklandia

[aghst]

The couple who went to CR is starting a business there and unsure what kind of income they'll get?

They're going to help people moving there to transition and settle in, learn about the services and so forth?

After they learn for themselves?

Maybe there is a need for such services but how are they going to market those services?  Maybe they know someone who does such work and he's given them references?

In any event, looks like budget and location were the big drivers of their choice.  Guy worried about the ceilings being too low but it was the lowest prices so he's just going to have to make do.

 

[RunningMarket]

I had that fruit in Thailand. It tasted like a lychee nut.

[Grizzly]

Bordeaux, France. Eleanor is getting time to shine. They make a lovely couple but I prefer Alex to Haley. She seems to be emoting instead of interacting. "Is it too much to ask to get a bath and everything else I want?" Yes. Go fondle some more grapes. You are marrying French charm, who cares what the house looks like.

[snarts]

Bordeaux, France. I could barely focus on anything other than that beautiful man. He could've been mistaken for a Skarsgård brother. She's a lucky woman. 

All three options were nice and not pricey, under $2k for 2 bed/2 bath nicely appointed. I like seeing non-Paris based episodes. I don't really know much about Bordeaux aside from the wine. 

 

[aghst]

3 hours ago, snarts said:

Bordeaux, France. I could barely focus on anything other than that beautiful man. He could've been mistaken for a Skarsgård brother. She's a lucky woman. 

All three options were nice and not pricey, under $2k for 2 bed/2 bath nicely appointed. I like seeing non-Paris based episodes. I don't really know much about Bordeaux aside from the wine. 

 

Bordeaux is on my bucket list.

It's a strange choice, she dreamed of Paris and he's from Paris -- says he's never met anyone from Bordeaux.

So why did they return from Thailand to Bordeaux, why not other places in France?  Maybe it's better for raising a family and they have specific plans to start a family.

Why do they have a car if they just come from Thailand?  A car would be even more difficult in Paris so why not sell it since both work from home?

The guy was worried about coming up with $2000 a month for rent yet they set that as the budget?  Crypto trading?  Not sure that's a thing.

Depending on when this was filmed, any crypto he owned may have lost a lot of value.  Crypto is so volatile that in a given day, impossible to predict how much it will go up or down.  If he bought it years ago, it would be worth a lot and he may be trying to hold on to make the most he can.

With money being a concern, they eliminate the cheapest choice.  They wanted to be in the middle of everything and be able to enjoy going out.  So maybe they don't have as much financial uncertainty as they let on.

That is a nice choice they made though.

 

[seacliffsal]

Enjoyed this episode in Bordeaux.  My favorite was #1-the location and view!  The townhome that they chose was nice, too.  An elevator!  How posh!  Guess the bath tub wasn't that important after all...  I think there is some family business as she is working remote for that business.  

[StatisticalOutlier]

6 hours ago, snarts said:

Bordeaux, France. I could barely focus on anything other than that beautiful man.

In all my 65 years I can't remember ever being attracted to a blonde, never mind one with facial hair.  Until last night.  Holy cow.

And the woman had fantastic hair.  What a couple.

[eel21788]

3 hours ago, seacliffsal said:

I think there is some family business as she is working remote for that business.  

"Marketing research", whatever than means (one possible translation might be "I'm being supported by my parents.")

[Jodithgrace]

Thinking of crypto currency and wondering if they can still afford their rent. 
 

I wonder why none of the “realtors” in France episodes are ever French. 

[StatisticalOutlier]

2 hours ago, eel21788 said:

"Marketing research", whatever than means (one possible translation might be "I'm being supported by my parents.")

I couldn't tell if the family business was marketing, or if her job was marketing the family business.  I assumed the latter, and that she is disproportionately compensated for maintaining the family business's website.  But it was probably just jealousy talking.

[ArtFossil]

Bordeaux: marketing research for family business (her) + crypto trading (him) = made for each other. 
 

[buttersister]

4 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I couldn't tell if the family business was marketing, or if her job was marketing the family business.  I assumed the latter, and that she is disproportionately compensated for maintaining the family business's website.  But it was probably just jealousy talking.

Nah, legit question. I believe it was the latter, but also, pretty sure she said market research, which is narrowly focused vs. marketing, which requires a variety of expertise.

[ECM1231]

7 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

In all my 65 years I can't remember ever being attracted to a blonde, never mind one with facial hair.  Until last night.  Holy cow.

 

I'm 66 and echo the same sentiment. I've always been attracted to dark-haired, dark eyed men, although I do like facial hair. Yowza, what a good looking man! His future wife was very pretty as well; they'll make pretty babies.

I was surprised at his lack of much of an accent. I do believe he was raised in France, and yet his English was not heavily accented.

For the French charm and being in the city center, I think apartment #1 was worth the extra $100/month. The townhouse was very nice , too, but it didn't have parking either. Was it said how far from the city center the townhouse was?

[Grizzly]

Adelaide, Australia.  2 mill, that's a nice budget. Not sure why that first house was on budget. It was nicely updated but far from the beach, not in the city, nothing special. House #2 was stunning. It had a ton of space. And Jonny didn't blink at going half a million over budget. I do like the style of #3 but will admit it looked a bit stuffy for 2 active boys to live in. Strange how 1 and 3 had very similar stained glass entryways.

[Grizzly]

Phuket, Thailand. Nice family. The first house seemed adequate. Interesting that she wants a closed kitchen. How refreshing. #2 could potentially work. She keeps saying they need room for their stuff but he said they need fully furnished because they sold everything. Realtor finds her a closed kitchen and she bitches that she'll be sweating. Maybe they should ask the kid if he wants to be by the beach or walk to school.

[aghst]

I think Adelaide was new but Phuket wasn't.

I've seen that stained glass in Australian homes.  They look pretty modest from the outside, limited curb appeal.  But they're roomy with some decorative elements and can have a nice backyard.

Husband was gung ho on moving, even more than the wife, even though they're going to be around her family, not his.

But he gets to work remotely so he can play with his young sons.  Smart move not spending the extra $500k.  Though that home is enticing, smart to see how working over the Internet works for him first.

 

[Chicken Fingers]

I just got around to watching the South American guy in Oslo episode. Why did he have to throw himself on the beds with his shoes on? Why was the real estate agent flirting so desperately with him? I found him a little creepy. 

[Grizzly]

Stuttgart, Germany. Kevin's presence means it will be a good ep. Too bad about the construction, #1 seemed like a great choice. I really can't picture her taking #2 or #3. 2 growing teenagers shouldn't have to share a bedroom and there was no separate space for them to have friends over. Construction will be when they're at work/school.

[aghst]

Yeah it was the obvious choice, only one with 2 bathrooms?

The other ones had big drawbacks, since she wanted to be in town.

So this is the first episode I can recall in a couple of years where the house hunters are riding together to the houses in the same car.

They didn't even bother getting Katy a rental car, so she doesn't plan to have a car -- said it had to be within 15 minutes of central Stuttgart by public transportation.

 

 

[seacliffsal]

Enjoyed the options, but agree that house #1 was the best choice.  Kevin very clearly told her that there would always be construction projects throughout Stuttgart, so with the possible exception of the country home, construction will be a constant no matter where one lives.  I think it would be worst to see a home when no construction was going on and then the next week they start a project (fooled you!).  And, as previously noted, construction is during the work and school day so when they are actually home it won't be bad at all.

Interesting that it seems her taking a job in Stuttgart is what led to her divorce.  

[eel21788]

15 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Stuttgart, Germany. growing teenagers shouldn't have to share a bedroom 

I found it interesting that her only solution to a 2 bedroom was for the son and daughter to share a room. Why didn't she think about giving her son his own room, while she shared with the daughter? I find that much more appropriate.

The arrangement probably wouldn't have had to last more than a year or 2. The son looked as he'd be off to college or otherwise out of the house pretty soon.

[eel21788]

On 6/27/2022 at 12:22 PM, proserpina65 said:

I liked the couple in Brisbane [from Washington, DC].  I understood her reluctance to spend the extra money, but she and the baby will be in that pool all the time, so they'll all get amenities they'll enjoy and it'll be worth it in the long run. 

Since it was a purchase rather than a rent, I didn't think it should be such a big deal. The building was brand new, so I would think that their equity would increase pretty quickly especially after all the units had been sold.

Adding another $20K to the mortgage would amount to somewhere around an additional $100 a month. By my logic, that means they really only went $100 over budget, not $20,000 (I realize the flaws many people with see in that logic).

What they didn't tell us is how much the HOA fees would be to have the pool and the gym. Unlike a mortgage, that is a payment they will have in perpetuity and has nowhere to go but up. That is something that could be a deal breaker for me.                                                           

[eel21788]

3 hours ago, seacliffsal said:

Interesting that it seems her taking a job in Stuttgart is what led to her divorce.  

Yet, he still gave consent to allow her to take the kids out of the country. 

[amarante]

There has got to be more back story to most of these as some just don't make sense as any kind of rational move.

Couple moving from a cold state in the US (maybe Idaho?) to Costa Rica - but not the popular coast line but a theoretically less discovered part in the center of the country.

He was a contractor who had recently been fired. She worked in a fertility clinic. They had two children who appeared to be early teens or tweens. 

He said he was currently enrolled with an agency which was teaching him some kind of web development - sounds pretty scammy to me as nothing in his past indicated an IT background. She had quit her job - liked the medical field but knew that wouldn't be possible in Costa Rica.

They claimed that they still owned two homes and that rentals on those properties were covering their expenses.

As I recall they were shown a fabulous place - had a pool; a view and lovely inside but it was too expensive at $1200 per month so they opted for something not particularly nice for $1000.

I can't imagine actually moving to a foreign country and having such limited financial resources that $200 per month was make or break. I am not for people being profligate but if my resources were that limited I would stay where was - wife continued to work - husband went back into construction or something related or just any job that someone is able to make money - can't imagine heading off to Costa Rico with two children and no way to make a living. 

[mojito]

5 hours ago, seacliffsal said:

Interesting that it seems her taking a job in Stuttgart is what led to her divorce.  

I thought she decided to shake up her life after the divorce. 

She seemed extremely determined to rebound from the divorce, like she heard all the pep talks, read all the books, and was moving forward.