House Hunters International - General Discussion

[chessiegal]

The only time we close a bathroom door is when we have guests. With just the two of us, the bathroom doors stay open when being used. 🤷‍♀️

[proserpina65]

1 hour ago, chessiegal said:

The only time we close a bathroom door is when we have guests. With just the two of us, the bathroom doors stay open when being used. 🤷‍♀️

I live alone but my bathroom doors are closed all the time.  Things happen in bathrooms with smells I don't want spreading into my bedroom or living room.  Although the downstairs bathroom door is open when I'm in there IF the cats get to the door before I close it.  Because you know how cats are.

So yeah, the place with no bathroom door would be a "hell no" for me.

[Jodithgrace]

I think that Hannah’s move to the Netherlands would have been a lot easier without that huge ball and chain attached to her ankle. 
Let’s see, difficult staircase, long commute, no privacy, and a higher price…what’s not to like? I hate it when people just don’t stand up for themselves. 
I’m sure that podcast is raking in the extra dough they need to support hubby’s Dutch charm. 

[ECM1231]

13 hours ago, Grizzly said:

I'm surprised Floor hasn't pushed him into a canal. Yes, let's go for the expensive place with no door on the bathroom and an hour commute for the breadwinner because it has wooden beams that they'll probably hit their heads on. 🙄

😂

Totally agree with your assessment of this husband. When I think of charm, I think of quirkiness and vintage, low ceilings, etc. Large windows letting in lots of light, modern kitchen/bath don't equate to charm in my book.

His wife was very giving, imo. I can understand wanting the spouse who isn't relocating for a job, to feel comfortable, but an hour commute for her and being a few hundred dollars over budget is a big compromise on her part. I think her husband was selfish.

[Bastet]

3 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

Although the downstairs bathroom door is open when I'm in there IF the cats get to the door before I close it.  Because you know how cats are.

Yep - I never shut the bathroom door* because cats take great offense to that.  But I'm glad I have a bathroom door.

*Unless other people are here, but if it's my parents or my closest friends, and I'm just peeing, I'll leave it open enough for a cat to squeeze in; they're all cat people, too, and are the same way.

[proserpina65]

19 hours ago, ECM1231 said:

😂

Totally agree with your assessment of this husband. When I think of charm, I think of quirkiness and vintage, low ceilings, etc. Large windows letting in lots of light, modern kitchen/bath don't equate to charm in my book.

His wife was very giving, imo. I can understand wanting the spouse who isn't relocating for a job, to feel comfortable, but an hour commute for her and being a few hundred dollars over budget is a big compromise on her part. I think her husband was selfish.

I thought he was a complete asshole. I see them being divorced in a year.

[cinsays]

21 hours ago, Jodithgrace said:

I think that Hannah’s move to the Netherlands would have been a lot easier without that huge ball and chain attached to her ankle. 
Let’s see, difficult staircase, long commute, no privacy, and a higher price…what’s not to like? I hate it when people just don’t stand up for themselves. 
I’m sure that podcast is raking in the extra dough they need to support hubby’s Dutch charm. 

do people actually make much money doing podcasts?  or maybe some do, but i can't see this guy having much of a following.

[TVForever]

3 hours ago, cinsays said:

do people actually make much money doing podcasts?  or maybe some do, but i can't see this guy having much of a following.

With a good-sized audience, yes. But it sounds like his podcast is new, so it could take awhile. I wonder what it's about.

[seacliffsal]

I wanted to applaud Flor when she said 'I don't think he knows what Dutch charm is...'  I know I have written it before, but if people are looking at homes/apartments in a country, then those homes represent that country.  The husband kept referencing 'American style' when the style is very European.  I love the modernity we see in various episodes.

Oh, and I think the wife should have pointed out that he could take the train everyday to Utrech if he wanted to be in a large city as he did not have a job to get to-let him do the commuting.

[aghst]

On 11/29/2023 at 10:11 AM, ECM1231 said:

😂

Totally agree with your assessment of this husband. When I think of charm, I think of quirkiness and vintage, low ceilings, etc. Large windows letting in lots of light, modern kitchen/bath don't equate to charm in my book.

His wife was very giving, imo. I can understand wanting the spouse who isn't relocating for a job, to feel comfortable, but an hour commute for her and being a few hundred dollars over budget is a big compromise on her part. I think her husband was selfish.

It does seem like she was giving into him too much.

But it seems like she really liked him, breaking her 1-hour date rule.

She was going to go join him in LA until this opportunity in the Netherlands came up.

One of them alluded to him giving up his dream job to move for her job.

She said she was indifferent to where they lived, though she wouldn't have minded the short commute.  But he cited that there would be more things to do in Utrecht and that it was closer to the airport.  Did they plan to fly a lot or have visitors fly in?

Maybe for now she wanted to give him what he wanted to shut him up.

[cinsays]

15 minutes ago, aghst said:

It does seem like she was giving into him too much.

But it seems like she really liked him, breaking her 1-hour date rule.

She was going to go join him in LA until this opportunity in the Netherlands came up.

One of them alluded to him giving up his dream job to move for her job.

She said she was indifferent to where they lived, though she wouldn't have minded the short commute.  But he cited that there would be more things to do in Utrecht and that it was closer to the airport.  Did they plan to fly a lot or have visitors fly in?

Maybe for now she wanted to give him what he wanted to shut him up.

as if that will work.............

[abbyzenn]

Agree with all the comments on the Utrecht husband.  I wouldn't say the place they chose had any "Dutch" charm.  It was very modern excepting those wooden beams which I don't really recall seeing in historic Dutch homes - made me think more of England..  Note that this place had a full sized refrigerator (which he commented on).  They didn't say how they handled the doorless bathroom.  When they have all those guests I doubt the guests would like being in the shower in the doorless room unless there's a house rule that no one can go on that floor when someone in using the bathroom.

I'm a broken record here but hey buddy look outside and listen to those around you and you'll realize you're not in LA or Utah.

[BAForever]

On 11/30/2023 at 3:26 PM, abbyzenn said:

I'm  a broken record here but hey buddy look outside and listen to those around you and you'll realize you're not in LA or Utah.

This times 1000. I don't get how an inanimate object has "charm" whether it's Dutch or English or Australian. You pick a home for your needs- neighborhood, proximity to work or other important factors, like size, number of bedrooms, office space, stairs vs no stairs. Things like charm, while lovely, would be low on my list. Dutch hubby was a jerk. Want charm- go for a walk in Ulrect.

[Chit Chat]

On 11/29/2023 at 7:34 AM, laredhead said:

I really wish that I had not erased the Utrecht episode after I watched it, because I wanted to count the number of times the husband said "Dutch charm". 

It was too many times to count!!  That got annoying after the second time he said it.  Wah! Dutch charm.  Wah! Dutch charm.  The commute for her is going to get old really quick.  He also mentioned how going up and down the stairs was a chore (or something along those lines.)  He's probably already tired of dealing with them!  I like wood beams in a home, but those were too low.  I'm short, but that gave me claustrophobia just seeing them on TV!

I liked both the modern apartment and the one closer to her work.  He can go visit things in town if he wants to soak up the Dutch charm or fill his apartment with all of the Dutch knick-knacks he can find!  Good luck to them! 

[Grizzly]

Texas/Alaska to Thailand. Tommy's a character. I don't understand why having a baby makes joining the military a better choice than attending college. Never home to help with the baby. The pay couldn't have been much. But I guess money in instead of money out?

These places are nice and modern. It will be interesting to see which factor turns out to be the most important to him. Nice point, Umy. He saves so much money he can afford to take his daughter to a nice place. Yeah, didn't think the girl's mother would let her go to Thailand. 

[buttersister]

Thailand guy went for the view he stressed he wanted most. And oh yeah, a place for his daughter. Who isn’t going to Chang Mai anytime soon. Every time they mentioned that she still needed a passport, I thought, right, Mom’s jumping on that. 🤨

I guess four grand would buy two hotel rooms for a month all over Thailand —as long as Dad doesn’t spend it on his travels first. LOL—go, Dad. You’ll have plenty of time to save up for your daughter’s visit, when she’s 18.

 

[Crashcourse]

I liked the Thailand dad, and while that wouldn't be my destination, I can understand why he'd want to get away and make a new life for himself.  And he hasn't abandoned his daughter. 

[snarts]

London, UK: always good to see Richard. The couple's demands weren't too crazy, other than a slightly low budget ($3k) for two bedrooms. I didn't really love any of their options.

I've not heard zones being used to describe London real estate previously. I was curious why all three options were in the London Bridge neighborhood (South of Thames) when his work place was on the North side. I would've thought looking in the East End might have provided more options with a similar commute.

Then again, Richard's the expert

[proserpina65]

On 11/30/2023 at 2:39 PM, seacliffsal said:

I wanted to applaud Flor when she said 'I don't think he knows what Dutch charm is...'  I know I have written it before, but if people are looking at homes/apartments in a country, then those homes represent that country.  The husband kept referencing 'American style' when the style is very European.  I love the modernity we see in various episodes.

I hate the modern apartments but yeah, that still bugs.  Would it kill them to say they wanted 'historical charm'?  Because that is what they mean.

7 hours ago, snarts said:

London, UK: always good to see Richard. The couple's demands weren't too crazy, other than a slightly low budget ($3k) for two bedrooms. I didn't really love any of their options.

I've not heard zones being used to describe London real estate previously. I was curious why all three options were in the London Bridge neighborhood (South of Thames) when his work place was on the North side. I would've thought looking in the East End might have provided more options with a similar commute.

Then again, Richard's the expert

I imagine south of the river is still a bit cheaper than north of it.  Even the East End has gentrified.

[abbyzenn]

Queens to London:  I thought all 3 choices were pretty good.   None seemed tiny like so many of the flats we see on here.

I did laugh when the wife asked about how close the gym was to the first place and scoffed that it was about a 20-25 minute walk away - couldn't that be considered part of your workout?  I realize later she did say that working from home and therefore having no co-workers the gym would be a place to meet people.

The third place was a little bit odd with those double doors that opened up to the walkway - so anyone just walking by could walk right in.  How did the husband think he could put a bbq out there?

The one they chose did seem like the best for them.  It was nice to see the wife insisting on staying within budget.

[aghst]

I guess they were referring to the London Underground zones.  But I think the lowest fare equates to zones 1 and 2 which is pretty much most or  all of central London.

Previous episodes in London they had target neighborhoods like say Paddington or Chelsea.

HHI tries to place London homes in relation to the nearest Tube station but buses reach a lot of places which are some distance away from the nearest Tube stations.

I tried to use the bus more but you really need apps or consulting the TFL Journey Planner website, unless you’re familiar with the bus routes.  In any event, bus may be better option for some trips than the Underground.

I think they made the best choice, in the location they wanted with plenty of room to set up workspaces for both of them.  She was right on, the second bedroom isn’t worth the extra $600 a month.  He probably was arguing the devils advocate on the 2 bedroom apt for the sake of the show.

 

 

 

 

[TVForever]

Queens to London:

This was my first time seeing anything about zones in London, too. Thanks for the explanation, @aghst.

This show is usually better about throwing in an explanation for the (mostly US) audience for things like this.

[Quof]

24 minutes ago, TVForever said:

This show is usually better about throwing in an explanation for the (mostly US) audience for things like this.

You mean like quoting prices in US dollars, even for house hunters who have no connection to the US? 🙂

[Grizzly]

Cork, Ireland. Gee, is she going to be working from home? The first place did need a lot of work. The kitchen and bathroom would need to be done before I moved in. So I hope the dogs don't have to go out too often. On the plus side, you could let them out while you're in the shower.

[buttersister]

As someone who relocated and had to start working immediately (with employer expectations), the wife’s rental idea was the only thing that made sense.

Poor husband, I’d bet he agreed from the jump but worked hard to sell his bad options. 😏

[Jodithgrace]

I have no problem with a person who has a specific need, such as a place to work from home, mentioning it at each location. It’s not frivolous like a swimming pool or (insert country here) charm. It’s a necessity. 
So, even if Cork wife (who really looked like she belonged in Ireland with her red hair) had a room to work in, in the fixer upper house, there would be constant noise and disruption. Plus, the kitchen was tiny…remodeling it wouldn’t help. 
I liked the upside down house they chose. But they never addressed how the blind dog adjusted to those stairs. 

[Pi237]

15 minutes ago, Jodithgrace said:

 But they never addressed how the blind dog adjusted to those stairs. 

I was waiting on that, as well. How can you block off the entire side of the staircase? And a shower with a full window ? How odd. Just imagine showering, turn around and some dude casually standing there, eating some fried pratai, watching.

Loved Cork, more of that location, please!! But wasn’t impressed with any of the options.  Especially, the one across the street from the pub. What happened there!? Everything was cracked and trashed. Too much pub access. 

 

[buttersister]

10 hours ago, Pi237 said:

Everything was cracked and trashed. Too much pub access. 

No doubt. Surprised they featured it. But as it was empty, maybe the realtor was adding As Seen on TV to the listing.

[aghst]

The Cork couple were likable.

Wife said the job and location change was sprung on her and she wasn’t happy at first.

But she seemed to have a good attitude about the move and the husband also seemed to prioritize listening to her concerns, especially being in the center, not isolated in the country.

Maybe at least one of the dogs is old so they didn’t feel compelled to pick the country home, which was the best setup for the dogs.

They must have saved up some money if buying was a real possibility, not just an HHI narrative.  So maybe the fact that the house they chose was well below budget is indicative that budget was important to them.

Agent James is funny, same dry wit in this episode — you see the rolling city — as in the other Ireland episodes he’s been on.

 

Visited Cork 20 years ago on a business trip.  I think it’s way more built up.  From those aerial shots, it looked like a lot of newer tract homes.  In fact it kind of looked like the opening sequence of Weeds — “little boxes on the hill side, little boxes all the same …”

I didn’t think to visit other parts of Ireland but Dublin, Cliffs of Moher and all the GoT locations are on the bucket list.

[Crashcourse]

12 hours ago, aghst said:

Visited Cork 20 years ago on a business trip.  I think it’s way more built up.  From those aerial shots, it looked like a lot of newer tract homes.  In fact it kind of looked like the opening sequence of Weeds — “little boxes on the hill side, little boxes all the same …”

I visited Cork 15 years ago with a friend who was on a business trip and it looks different now, but yeah, things change over time.  I was there for a few days and had a great time.  The thing I remembered the most was that the McDonald's hamburgers tasted much better than they do here, lol.  

[aghst]

1 hour ago, Crashcourse said:

I visited Cork 15 years ago with a friend who was on a business trip and it looks different now, but yeah, things change over time.  I was there for a few days and had a great time.  The thing I remembered the most was that the McDonald's hamburgers tasted much better than they do here, lol.  

I thought it was interesting that James said Cork is the true capital of Ireland, not Cork.  Said something about it being the center of Irish food culture or something like that.

My recollection was that I went to an Indian restaurant and it was the most expensive Indian food I'd ever seen.  Probably hadn't had Indian in London yet.

They smoked liked fiends.  When I landed at Cork airport and everyone made it to the gate, you heard all these lighters go on as people were lighting their cigarettes.  They couldn't smoke at Heathrow but it was a different story in Ireland.

So no non-smoking sections in restaurants.

But I recall going to McDonalds, not for burgers but they had like banana milk shakes which the US McDonalds didn't have.

 

 

[Crashcourse]

I don't remember being around that many smokers, but after all those years I guess my memory is a little fuzzy.  I do remember going to a Chinese restaurant, and the food was delicious. 

[Grizzly]

Chambrils, Spain. I couldn't stand Maggie, or that too short dress she was wearing, or her voice saying things were too small and sad. Does she have a life besides her kids? I think it's cool that Gabe has kept in touch with this Spanish family he summered with. I hope he is able to enjoy this new chapter and am so glad he got the place he wanted.

[cinsays]

On 12/14/2023 at 4:02 AM, aghst said:

The Cork couple were likable.

Wife said the job and location change was sprung on her and she wasn’t happy at first.

But she seemed to have a good attitude about the move and the husband also seemed to prioritize listening to her concerns, especially being in the center, not isolated in the country.

Maybe at least one of the dogs is old so they didn’t feel compelled to pick the country home, which was the best setup for the dogs.

They must have saved up some money if buying was a real possibility, not just an HHI narrative.  So maybe the fact that the house they chose was well below budget is indicative that budget was important to them.

Agent James is funny, same dry wit in this episode — you see the rolling city — as in the other Ireland episodes he’s been on.

 

Visited Cork 20 years ago on a business trip.  I think it’s way more built up.  From those aerial shots, it looked like a lot of newer tract homes.  In fact it kind of looked like the opening sequence of Weeds — “little boxes on the hill side, little boxes all the same …”

I didn’t think to visit other parts of Ireland but Dublin, Cliffs of Moher and all the GoT locations are on the bucket list.

so they picked the house with the impossible stairs that i would think the old blind dog would have a problem with? hope they still like their choice

[proserpina65]

On 12/13/2023 at 1:32 PM, Jodithgrace said:

I liked the upside down house they chose. But they never addressed how the blind dog adjusted to those stairs. 

I didn't like the house although I can see why it being finished and close to center city was helpful.  But I did feel really sorry for the blind dog have to climb those stairs of death.  I'm assuming they mostly carry her up and down them.

On 12/13/2023 at 1:53 PM, Pi237 said:

Just imagine showering, turn around and some dude casually standing there, eating some fried pratai, watching.

It faced the back of the other buildings and the outside space had a high wall, so I don't think random dudes could just wander by.  The husband did say you could barely see any of the other units from the outside, let alone inside the shower.

On 12/13/2023 at 1:53 PM, Pi237 said:

Everything was cracked and trashed.

I was more concerned with the obvious signs of water damage in the upstairs rooms.  I suspect there were problems with the roof.

On 12/14/2023 at 4:02 AM, aghst said:

Visited Cork 20 years ago on a business trip.

A friend of mine has a boyfriend who lives in Cork and from the way he talks, it has become much more built up in the last several years.  (Crazy story about how they met: the B&B she'd arranged was overbooked and the owner recommended Sean's house as an alternative.  She didn't realize until the final day of her visit - when she tried to pay him - that he didn't have another B&B.  He was just a friend with a spare room.)

[sskrill]

I get that London guy hadn't been there before but the way he described what he was looking for was weird to me.  His comments made it sound like he thought he was moving to some post apocolyptic penal colony.  I mean, in the internet age you can learn everything you need to know about where you're going ... see exact buildings and doorways on google maps, calculate walking distance to everything you might ever want to see while there, etc.  Also, how is he from NYC and so trepidatious about such a move?  I grew up in NJ and I find London so much easier and safer to navigate than NYC.

My famlly traveled all over Europe in the mid 70s with wrong sided cars and paper maps .. and we lived to tell about it.  

I liked the apartment they picked - I would have picked the same.  I hope he settles in quickly so they can explore all the other cities just an hours flight away.

 

 

[aghst]

On 12/14/2023 at 8:30 PM, Grizzly said:

Chambrils, Spain. I couldn't stand Maggie, or that too short dress she was wearing, or her voice saying things were too small and sad. Does she have a life besides her kids? I think it's cool that Gabe has kept in touch with this Spanish family he summered with. I hope he is able to enjoy this new chapter and am so glad he got the place he wanted.

But I understand her point, Gabe would be uprooting them because of his fond memories, which aren't hers.

She'd be leaving behind her family and friends.  At least now with her daughter in Scotland, there is something for her to look forward to in Spain.

Danville, CA is a nice suburb in the SF Bay Area.  So again why would she give that up?

If they've been living in the Bay Area for decades, their home would probably be worth a lot and can easily pay for this home in Spain.  But maybe they didn't sell the home back in the US so this is a second home, which would be a good idea because if she doesn't adjust well to living in Spain, they'd be able to return to the US more easily.

I don't know how real "unobstructed sea views" was a thing for Gabe but they chose the one he wanted, the biggest one, though Maggie didn't like the kitchen or the bathrooms.

 

[proserpina65]

On 12/16/2023 at 9:11 PM, aghst said:

But I understand her point, Gabe would be uprooting them because of his fond memories, which aren't hers.

I thought they both were annoying as hell.  I got sick of his not realizing that the real estate market had changed a lot since he was a teenager and her "that's not big enough, new enough, I thought we'd get more for the money" crap pissed me off.  Honey, you want right on the ocean, you're going to pay one hell of a lot for it.

On 12/16/2023 at 9:11 PM, aghst said:

though Maggie didn't like the kitchen or the bathrooms.

She was being as unreasonable about that kitchen as he was about having some trees in the way of his sea view.

[Thumper]

I missed the end of the family-of-four moving to France tonight.  What house did they choose?

I found their focus on the Christmas markets a little much, given that they would be living there all year!  ( Might have been producer driven, I realize.)

[chessiegal]

2 minutes ago, Thumper said:

found their focus on the Christmas markets a little much, given that they would be living there all year!  ( Might have been producer driven, I realize.)

It seems many channels are pushing Christmas themed shows considering we are so close to Christmas.

[Jodithgrace]

I’ve got an absolute boatload of HHIs upcoming on my DVR over the next day or so. I’m only supposed to be recording new episodes. Are these all Christmas themed? I hope not. Do they have a whole lot of episodes they shot in 2023 to get rid of? I’ve been getting two new episodes per week all year…how many can they possibly shoot? 

This Christmas themed one was annoying enough. I get that they want to be settled in by Christmas. They only mentioned it about 50 times. At least the husband talked about barbecuing. Otherwise it would seem like they are only going to be there one month out of the whole year. 

The rents were so high! Whew! The contrast is funny. We’ve seen people get decent apartments for less than $500 per month in some places, and here they can’t even find what they want for $7,300! And I understand that the prices are commensurate with the rents, so even food shopping for 4 will be a lot. I guess she must be paid a bundle for some kind of veterinary related job, if they can afford for him to be a SAHD. 

[ECM1231]

1 hour ago, Thumper said:

I missed the end of the family-of-four moving to France tonight.  What house did they choose?

The last one. 2 bedroom smaller one just 5 minutes to the town center and right on budget for $1,000. The husband will have to squeeze a desk into his bedroom.

[aghst]

2 hours ago, Thumper said:

I missed the end of the family-of-four moving to France tonight.  What house did they choose?

I found their focus on the Christmas markets a little much, given that they would be living there all year!  ( Might have been producer driven, I realize.)

 

2 hours ago, chessiegal said:

It seems many channels are pushing Christmas themed shows considering we are so close to Christmas.

 

1 hour ago, Jodithgrace said:

I’ve got an absolute boatload of HHIs upcoming on my DVR over the next day or so. I’m only supposed to be recording new episodes. Are these all Christmas themed? I hope not. Do they have a whole lot of episodes they shot in 2023 to get rid of? I’ve been getting two new episodes per week all year…how many can they possibly shoot? 

This Christmas themed one was annoying enough. I get that they want to be settled in by Christmas. They only mentioned it about 50 times. At least the husband talked about barbecuing. Otherwise it would seem like they are only going to be there one month out of the whole year. 

The rents were so high! Whew! The contrast is funny. We’ve seen people get decent apartments for less than $500 per month in some places, and here they can’t even find what they want for $7,300! And I understand that the prices are commensurate with the rents, so even food shopping for 4 will be a lot. I guess she must be paid a bundle for some kind of veterinary related job, if they can afford for him to be a SAHD. 

I think they were for real bout the Christmas thing.

Both parents and children mentioned looking forward to the snow.  They went in summer or fall to choose the house and be back for Christmas.  They showed videos of their Christmas celebrations in TX.

Sounds like the husband was one of those guys who puts up big Christmas displays outside their home and have big gatherings.

They made a good practical choice but that second home looked magical, especially the master suite with the lighting of the wooden ceiling.

 

I once got on a ferry on Lake Zurich in the summer.  Seemed like a great lifestyle for kids on along the shores in the summer.  Maybe this family will enjoy other seasons there than just winter.

[Crashcourse]

I'm Grinched out already and it's not even Christmas yet, so I couldn't take this episode after about 10 minutes.     

[chessiegal]

43 minutes ago, Crashcourse said:

I'm Grinched out already and it's not even Christmas yet, so I couldn't take this episode after about 10 minutes.     

Buckle up. From the channels I watch we are in for a sleigh ride together until after Christmas. 😄

[Jodithgrace]

Oh dear. I am officially over these Christmas themed episodes and I’ve only seen two! I have nothing against Christmas, but I do not understand people who make a fetish out of it! Every single room got a Christmas mention, except maybe the bathroom. “Oh, this bathroom is so small. Not sure if there’s even room for the Santa throne!” 

That said, I think they picked the right property. I’m sure the husband’s need for an office space doesn’t compare to the family’s need to be close to the Christmas market. 
 

I was amused at the fact that the episode was shot in the summer, based on their clothing, and then suddenly three months later, it’s Christmas! I mean, I guess it could work if they filmed it in August. 
 

I wonder how the wife’s photography business is doing, or if she just spent the three months decorating for, ugh, Christmas!

 

[aghst]

Bordeaux doesn't seem as scenic as other wine regions.

He could do his work anywhere so it's a strange choice of place to stay, unless they were drawn by the low prices.

They weren't as convincing as the Zurich family about celebrating wintry Christmas markets -- I'm not even sure it snows in St. Emilion.

I guess they were budget constrained, didn't really consider House 1 which was the best one.

It was the only one with 3 bedrooms that they asked for but they were asking 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, office space, yard, for $1000.

Kind of a steep ask.

They came from BC.  It they lived anywhere near Vancouver, they were paying way more.

 

[Bluesky]

I can’t believe the family from Canada to France picked the dump.    All they had to do was have the mother work part time, make $100 a week   

[aghst]

The most common way to make money from photography is by doing weddings.

Any other types of photography, you have to be really good and have a really long track record before you could sell your photos for real money.

I don't think she was going to make much money from photography.  But she gave up a career as a nurse?

Maybe burned out and didn't want to do that job any more.  However unlikely that someone who's never sold photos would make the kind of income she made as a nurse.

Also she may not be allowed to get a job in France.  They may be on a digital nomad visa, assuming they plan to stay longer than the 90 days allowed by Schengen for US (and probably Canadian) citizens in France.

So maybe the goal was to find cheaper housing costs in rural France compared to British Columbia, so that she could quit nursing, which may be justified since she alluded to the difficulties of dealing with two young children and her work hours.

[buttersister]

34 minutes ago, aghst said:

maybe the goal was to find cheaper housing costs in rural France compared to British Columbia, so that she could quit nursing, which may be justified since she alluded to the difficulties of dealing with two young children and her work hours.

And she got the house she “wanted.” So, yay for her? 

I wonder if the realtor found them #3 when they were looking for real. She seemed to understand them well. LOL.