House Hunters International - General Discussion

[Crashcourse]

I think the wife said she was studying biology or something.  

Adrian looked wacky as ever. 🙄

[chessiegal]

I just checked Cunard's policy on pregnant passengers. They won't take anyone past 24 weeks. 8 months would be a no go.

[seacliffsal]

For whatever reason, Adrian bothered me this episode.  Maybe it was her "Americans think they have everything and we have nothing' comment, which, maybe some Americans think that, but don't lump/stereotype all of us because it's just not true that we all think that.  Or her statement about getting the best health care ever.  Again, maybe, maybe not.  She certainly was tainting Americans and America-but limit the criticism.  Some Americans, some healthcare... Adrian has never been my favorite realtor but she just rubbed me the wrong way here.

They chose the right apartment for themselves, but the way the husband focused on the dog barking made me a bit concerned about how much their dogs bark.  I have new neighbors with three non-stop barking dogs and it's kind of driving me crazy.  So, if he's already concerned about how much their dogs bark, maybe it's an issue with which they should deal.  Otherwise, I thought the couple seemed really nice.  I often watch shows and wonder if I could be friends with the featured participants and I definitely could be friends with them (the sniping, critical, entitled house hunters are the ones I definitely couldn't be friends with...).

[snarts]

Paris: story was that the wife recently finished her doctoral studies at Vanderbilt (logo flashed) in something science-y, couldn't find a job in Nashville and was recruited by a renowned research organization based in Paris. Hence the move.

Guessing they'd been in a short term rental and were now moving into a place long term. 

[aghst]

Great for her career but he's young to not be working in a career-track job himself.

They chose to have a family rather early, just before she got the big job.

But they did seem to sightsee around France a bit, there were some snapshots including a selfie with Mont St. Michel.

[buttersister]

I liked them (and they liked each other). For reasons covered, they’ve been in France, or Europe, for awhile. Possibly in ugly house—quickly deconstructed. And yes, his concern about the noisy dogs felt confessional.

Quote

Maybe it was her "Americans think they have everything and we havenothing' comment, which, maybe some Americans think that, but don't lump/stereotype all of us because it's just not true that we all think that.  Or her statement about getting the best health care ever.  Again, maybe, maybe not.  She certainly was taintingAmericans and America-but limit the criticism.  

1. Watched an expat in France yesterday talking about various levels/details/costs of Healthcare there. The point was everyone could get care, but for some, not in Paris, waiting six months for a scan could be a disaster. (So is no scan for you, here.)

2. Adrian’s spiel felt completely “realtor dealing with expats.” Between her newsletter, website and YouTube videos, she’s always hustling. She definitely dialed it up here.

[Pi237]

Paris one got me/I thought for sure they’d already been living in the house fitted out for a baby with spacious bathtub & so, would choose that one. Was surprised they chose the one where their dogs will torture all of the surrounding neighbors- and if you live by endless barkers, trust me, it’s torture. 

[snarts]

Scotland: cute family. Kids are the perfect age for the move. Sounded like she was able to keep her current position/working remotely. He seemed very excited to leave education and it appeared the home-based business was doing well.

They seemingly chose the best option for them. #1 lacked the workspace he needed and seemed to be a longer commute to town. #3, the condo with no outdoor space at all, was not a good fit. Plus, both we're at the top of their budget $320k. #2 was a stand-alone home with a workshop and backyard, and was in town and underbudget $285k.   

[buttersister]

What’s the over/under on Aussie dad putting in that second bathroom? Or Mrs. Scotland hiring GC? 😀

[aghst]

I get that she has family back in Scotland but that has to be a downgrade on lifestyle.

Big adjustment in weather.

Guess they liked cashing out on selling their Melbourne home and saving money on housing in Scotland.

Usually, Australians move to the UK for career opportunities but that doesn't seem to be the case here.

[Notabug]

On 4/11/2024 at 9:31 AM, BAForever said:

Me too @chessiegal. Can't fly at 8 months pregnant. They didn't seem to match as a couple. Bet it's a short term move.

This is a common fallacy.  Lots of people fly with medical conditions.  The airlines can make suggestions or recommendations, medical caregivers can do the same, but, if a pregnant woman chooses to travel outside of expert recommendations; no one is going to stop her from what I've seen.

It is not inherently dangerous for mom or baby to fly on a commercial airliner these days.  People worry about cabin pressures, etc, but these are risks everyone else takes to fly.  Airlines allow people in wheelchairs dependent on oxygen who cannot walk independently to hop on board; a pregnant woman is the least of their worries.  There is concern that an OB emergency might occur in the midst of the flight, but that is exceedingly rare and, let's face it, plenty of pregnant women live in situations where medical attention is not quickly available.

I practice OB in the midwest.  I had a pregnant patient who was British, living in the US for her husband's job.  She came to see me just a couple weeks before her due date; her father in London died suddenly, she needed to go home and wanted a copy of her records.  She figured if anything happened once she got there; well, Great Britain has a better record that the US when it comes to childbirth.  It was late fall, she wore a baggy overcoat, went home for a week and returned and had her baby here.  No one at the airport, on the plane or anywhere else said a word about her pregnancy, let alone tried to determine if she was breaking their arbitrary rules.

On 4/11/2024 at 1:42 PM, chessiegal said:

I just checked Cunard's policy on pregnant passengers. They won't take anyone past 24 weeks. 8 months would be a no go.

Only if she admitted she was pregnant when booking the trip. Don't ask, don't tell seems to be the norm in these situations.

[BAForever]

Thanks for the information @Notabug, did not know all of that. I moved to a new state 6 months pregnant, and it was a struggle getting a new OB, new pediatrician, touring hospital, etc. Can only imagine how difficult an international move would be. I'm guessing they had been there in short-term housing a few months.

[proserpina65]

On 4/11/2024 at 6:32 PM, buttersister said:

I liked them (and they liked each other)

I did too.  They seemed reasonable in their requests and also understood that they might not get everything they wanted.  And they weren't insisting on central Paris for a change.

I liked the couple in Falkirk for a lot of the same reasons.

On 4/11/2024 at 2:11 PM, seacliffsal said:

Maybe it was her "Americans think they have everything and we have nothing' comment, which, maybe some Americans think that, but don't lump/stereotype all of us because it's just not true that we all think that. 

Yeah, that was annoying.  I know damned well that other countries have things we don't.  France, for example, has pastries the quality of which you cannot get here, even in the best bakeries.  (Ummm, eclairs!)

On 4/11/2024 at 2:55 PM, aghst said:

Great for her career but he's young to not be working in a career-track job himself.

Eh, not everyone aspires to have a career.

On 4/13/2024 at 5:32 PM, aghst said:

I get that she has family back in Scotland but that has to be a downgrade on lifestyle.

Big adjustment in weather.

Depends on what kind of lifestyle you want.  But yeah, Scottish winters are going to be quite the shock.

[chessiegal]

9 minutes ago, proserpina65 said:

France, for example, has pastries the quality of which you cannot get here, even in the best bakeries. 

We have a bakery near us that has pastries that are just as good as what I had in Paris. It can be done.

[chessiegal]

Amanda needs to get over herself. Psst....No one gives a crap what you are doing in your outdoor space.

[Notabug]

12 hours ago, chessiegal said:

Amanda needs to get over herself. Psst....No one gives a crap what you are doing in your outdoor space.

I found her to be a little hard to take.  She's moving to Spain but knows no one there other than the realtor?  Yet, she needs space to entertain 20 or more guests?  I get some family or friends may visit at some point, but, with only 1 spare bedroom, most are going to sleep elsewhere.  She is going to have to get busy making friends locally if she wants to hold big parties.

I also found her 'I am stubborn and always get my way' schtick annoying.  It's not the realtor's fault she wanted every amenity under the sun and wanted to pay a pittance for it.  It doesn't work that way, and, having traveled and lived all other the world, she must surely know that by now.  And, how does someone with her extensive travel background, decide to move somewhere permanently while apparently doing nothing to learn the language before arriving?

All in all, I found her sort of vapid and overly impressed with herself.

Edited April 18 by Notabug

[chessiegal]

Amanda clearly went on this show to promote herself and business. She has her own web site plus numerous mentions on other sites. LinkedIn tells me there are 3 degrees of separation between the two of us. Yick! Don't even want to know what the connections are.

[BAForever]

Love to hate on Amanda off to Madrid. Figured she was "content creator" or influencer or something similar. 

Figured there may have been some family $$, just a guess, living alone in LA., all her travels and sleep away camps as a child.

Knew which one she'd pick. She was as annoying as advertised. 

 

 

[Pine]

We will have to add Amanda to the Love to Hate group.  Oh no, textured walls, how dare they show her such a pitiful place.   Sometimes I think some of these people really are like they portray themselves, and aren't acting on a script.

[proserpina65]

Glad I'm not alone in hating obnoxious Amanda in Madrid.  She's totally a trust fund baby who's never really had to pay for things.  Honestly, I was surprised the realtor was able to find anything in central Madrid with two beds/two baths, but of course it was to small for that whiny witch.

[Grizzly]

Kin Kin, Australia.  Matthew is good looking and seems pretty grounded. But picking up a snake, hard pass! And can't he pee inside? 

[buttersister]

18 minutes ago, Grizzly said:

And can't he pee inside? 

And if not, nobody needs to hear about that. Good luck, Lisa. 

Edited April 19 by buttersister

[aghst]

What is Amanda's business?

She talked about joining Meet Up groups, meeting other expats.

She said she was introverted so forcing herself to meet people helped overcome her shyness.

Some Meet Up groups are nothing more than businesses to try to get people to book tours or workshops.  But others are people planning get togethers around a common interest.

I've done some local hiking groups but never Meet Ups overseas -- never stay long enough to do so.

I can understand wanting space to host these events.  Otherwise they have to try to take over some restaurant and people may not want to be forced to spend at some place.

She chose one that is $1600 or 25% more than her budget.  But after the first house she admitted that she set her budget too low.

She was inspired by her grandmother to travel.  Maybe the grandmother left her money.  But I didn't get the sense that she was that well off.  She talked about working in LA and leaving because of the high costs of housing there.

She could charge some nominal fee to host events, since she may supply food and drinks.  Or maybe it could be a potluck situation.  But that doesn't seem like a profit-oriented activity. More like she chose to spend more on a bigger place because she wanted to socialize.

It may just be easier if she tried to arrange events at restaurants, with everyone spending whatever they wanted to, though the restaurant wouldn't let a group occupy several tables without them spending a good amount of money.

[LexieLily]

On 2/10/2023 at 10:29 AM, seacliffsal said:

I really didn't like the Puerto Vallarta House hunter.  Leaving 3 children behind in another country doesn't coincide with the image she was presenting.  Custody/visitation could be an issue unless her ex-husband is extremely accommodating (allowing the children to go to another country).  She said how she is sad that she will miss seeing those 3 children at various events, etc., is totally on her as she is the one choosing to move to another country.  And all the talk about finding a place for her 5 children, again, doesn't make that much sense since 3 of her children are in another country.  I know I am really overstating my dislike of this situation/choice that the mother is choosing, but it does really irk me (she was doing an online business so it's not like she had to move for her career, she chose to move and leave 3 children behind).

Oh, and I figured choice #2 wasn't going to be it as in the long shot I noticed a banner hanging from the railing that stated "for sale" (I may be wrong on that but thought I saw it).

I was more focused on how much of an ex-boyfriend the ex-boyfriend/father of the younger two was and whether or not he was in the picture at all, considering how she portrayed a clear division versus the three older children that weren't coming with her and the two younger ones that were.

[snarts]

Kin Kin, Australia: Interesting dude. Surprised his work isn't focused on the environment or sciences. I didn't quite understand the suit jacket with bare feet look in the Australian bush. #3 was definitely the nicest option but I highly suspect they were already involved and he was just moving in. 

[chessiegal]

8 hours ago, Grizzly said:

And can't he pee inside? 

He's a guy. 

[chessiegal]

7 hours ago, aghst said:

What is Amanda's business?

I took one for the team. This is from her web site. 

Quote

Amanda Weisman is a social media + digital marketing specialist who combines creativity with analytical thinking to amplify the digital presence of leading brands.

At her core, Amanda is a storyteller. She tells the stories of businesses and individuals as a content creator and social media strategist. She tells the stories of the world as a published writer, photographer, traveler, and thought leader.

Born and raised in the hustle of New York, Amanda sought early on what it meant to be a trailblazer. Her passion for media later brought her to Los Angeles where she earned global recognition for her top tier clients. Since experiencing the benefits of remote work, she now enjoys being location independent.

Amanda’s skills, expertise, and expansive network make her an ideal representative for a diverse roster of clients. She believes that everyone has a story – it’s just a matter of getting it out there. Amanda has intensive experience working with renowned clients in the fields of innovation, tech, nonprofit, health, science, entertainment, art, finance, entrepreneurship, real estate, architecture, food & beverage, design, fashion, music, environmentalism, investing, smartphone apps, film, aviation, public figures, influencers, founders, authors, news outlets, consumer products, fundraisers, social orgs, travel + tourism, and much more.

She takes a holistic approach when it comes to digital marketing. By offering a variety of services, she is able to create one of a kind experiences for her clients that are tailored to their individual goals and needs.

Amanda has spoken at conferences around the globe and has appeared on television. The places she goes and the people she meets are constant reminders that opportunities are endless when you are doing what you love. Amanda’s interests include community building, writing, data & analytics, culture, travel, photography, arts and sciences, and innovation. She is a proud alumni of Emerson College in Boston where she majored in Journalism with a Multimedia focus.

Amanda is a passionate and driven individual who is always looking to take the next big step. The best dreams she experiences are while awake: the ones she seeks and the ones she lives.

Let’s connect: LinkedIn

She seems pretty good at BS.

[BAForever]

Matthew from Kin Kin was a bit of an odd duck. Thought he'd pick #2, really thought the privacy would win out. Guy was nicely dressed (even sans shoes) all episode. He hopped out of his van in clean, unwrinkled clothes, so I'm calling some shenanigans on him. 

If the big trees were the deciding factor, and he walks a lot, why not just walk to find big trees.

Unique guy.

[Crashcourse]

The pee in the woods dude annoyed me.  I laughed when the real estate agent called him out for wearing a suit, then she jumped back when she saw him with that snake. 

[proserpina65]

12 hours ago, aghst said:

But I didn't get the sense that she was that well off.  She talked about working in LA and leaving because of the high costs of housing there.

I got the sense that she was well-off because of all the travel.  And yes, she talked about the housing costs in LA but it didn't seem to me she was referring to HER housing costs.  She said something like "people pay a huge percentage of their income on housing" but not that she spent that much.  I'd watch it again to check, but that meant I'd have to spend more time listing to her whine, so no thanks.

 

[Crashcourse]

5 hours ago, chessiegal said:

I took one for the team. This is from her web site. 

She seems pretty good at BS.

Seems like she's another influencer.  

[aghst]

Or she makes her income by selling herself so her Linked In is like people resume's with some inflation of experience and skills.

Maybe appearing on HHI helps these people who depend on self-promotion to get clients.

 

She came across strong, more than most house hunters and more than many women of her age.

Opinionated people do repel others.  But it's not the worst thing in the world for young women to be talkative.  Better that than to "know their place" and be lacking in confidence to speak up for themselves.

People who talk a lot often end up in politics so who knows where she will end up.

[Pine]

Although I didn't like her, I have to say in her defense, I am a very shy person.  Went to Europe by myself in my 20's, stayed 5 years.  All bets were 3 weeks max.  I truly enjoyed being on my own, especially museums etc....one can linger for as long as they want.  Of course I met many people and friends over there.

[proserpina65]

On 4/19/2024 at 2:36 PM, aghst said:

She came across strong, more than most house hunters and more than many women of her age.

Strong?  Not really.  She came across as whiny and totally out of touch with what to expect in her price point to me.

 

[Notabug]

On 4/22/2024 at 11:56 AM, proserpina65 said:

Strong?  Not really.  She came across as whiny and totally out of touch with what to expect in her price point to me.

 

Yeah, I wouldn't call her strong at all.  Delusional maybe.  A strong woman would've done more research and known exactly what she could afford instead of somehow thinking she could get the realtor to magically pull a rabbit out of a hat and get her a dream apartment for a pittance.  Just because you want to entertain 20 people at a time in your apartment, doesn't mean you automatically get a huge space without spending the money for it.

[chessiegal]

Julie in Munich: As if her upspeak wasn't annoying enough, she threw in some vocal fry for good luck.

[Grizzly]

30 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

Julie in Munich: As if her upspeak wasn't annoying enough, she threw in some vocal fry for good luck.

Beautiful area. So disappointed that the realtor wasn't Kevin. They seemed like a nice couple who wanted mostly the same things. But yes, her speaking style was grating. Wonder if the Germans also dislike it.

[aghst]

8 hours ago, chessiegal said:

Julie in Munich: As if her upspeak wasn't annoying enough, she threw in some vocal fry for good luck.

 

7 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Beautiful area. So disappointed that the realtor wasn't Kevin. They seemed like a nice couple who wanted mostly the same things. But yes, her speaking style was grating. Wonder if the Germans also dislike it.

They sold everything, she gave up her job and he found a new job.  So they believe in this adventure, at least for now.

She’s trying to learn German and seeing if she can get a work visa.  Maybe learning German will change her speech.

Otherwise they both seemed cheerful and enthusiastic about their move, wanting to live in the city center, to experience big city life after living in Tucson, going for the liter steins of beer at the Biergarten.

But they’ve been together for 9 years starting in college and married for 1.5 years?  So probably not a permanent move, especially if she can’t get a work visa and they plan to have children.

House they chose is just 1 bedroom, in city center with a work space for him.  It will suit their needs for a couple of years.

[seacliffsal]

Bavaria is one of my favorite regions and I really enjoyed this episode.  I liked the couple-no fake fights, put-downs, etc., but, her continual up speak at the end of every single sentence was too much.  Even in a half-hour (20 minute) show it was just too much which was a shame as they were a really nice, positive couple.

[javajeanelaine]

Amanda has made my list of most annoying house hunters.

[aghst]

One of my DVRs recorded an episode in San Mateo, Costa Rica, where a young woman from Montreal said she visited and fell in love with the place and decided to move there and work remotely.

Her friend was nitpicking all the choices.

In any event, I wondered if this was a repeat which one DVR erroneously recorded as new and the other DVR didn't.

She chose the most expensive choice with a nice wrap around terrace and she wanted to bake so it also had the biggest kitchen.

I don't recall seeing it before.

[Grizzly]

2 hours ago, aghst said:

One of my DVRs recorded an episode in San Mateo, Costa Rica, where a young woman from Montreal said she visited and fell in love with the place and decided to move there and work remotely.

Her friend was nitpicking all the choices.

In any event, I wondered if this was a repeat which one DVR erroneously recorded as new and the other DVR didn't.

She chose the most expensive choice with a nice wrap around terrace and she wanted to bake so it also had the biggest kitchen.

I don't recall seeing it before.

I think the copyright said 2024. I was getting tired of the friend.

[Pine]

I think that the friend was jealous, and perhaps a bit in love with her Montreal friend....just a thought. 

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 4/19/2024 at 7:02 AM, chessiegal said:

I took one for the team. This is from her web site. 

Quote

She is a proud alumni of Emerson College in Boston where she majored in Journalism with a Multimedia focus.

Even I, an alumna of a famous football school and not a published writer, know when not to use "alumni."

On 4/19/2024 at 12:40 PM, Crashcourse said:

Seems like she's another influencer.  

Excuse you.  According to her website, she's a thought leader.

Quote

She tells the stories of the world as a published writer, photographer, traveler, and thought leader.

 

Quote

Amanda has intensive experience working with renowned clients in the fields of innovation, tech, nonprofit, health, science, entertainment, art, finance, entrepreneurship, real estate, architecture, food & beverage, design, fashion, music, environmentalism, investing, smartphone apps, film, aviation, public figures, influencers, founders, authors, news outlets, consumer products, fundraisers, social orgs, travel + tourism, and much more.

And much more?  Really?  Much more than the 29 she already mentioned by name? 

Quote

Born and raised in the hustle of New York, Amanda...

Hustle but no bustle.  What part of New York is this?

 

On 4/25/2024 at 9:34 PM, chessiegal said:

Julie in Munich: As if her upspeak wasn't annoying enough, she threw in some vocal fry for good luck.

I admire your skill in differentiating upspeak and vocal fry.  I actually thought she was avoiding the fry pretty well, but it came on strong toward the end, for some reason. 

The husband's job confused me.  He said it took him months to find a job with a German company, but said he works 100% remote.  So why did it need to be a German company?  Especially if, as he claimed, engineers aren't paid very well in Germany.

I was surprised that $1200 would get them that much abode in a major European city.

[aghst]

Cadiz episode, they wanted a big home for their growing family.

He wanted to be close to his base -- he's a naval officer -- and she wanted to be close to the beach.

This time the husband was convincing when he said commute was a big deal for him, said he's over with commutes of 30 minutes or more each way.

So in the end they choose a larger home with the best commute over a smaller home closer to the beach.

They go $100 over budget of $2400 rather than potentially saving $200 with their other choice.

Family has moved around a lot but this is the first international move for his naval career.

She's going to be a stay at home mom because she may not have a work visa and the language obstacle may also be an issue.

But I don't believe she had a big career or anything so this move was probably a promotion for him which allows her to not have to work.

She was however the one emphasizing the budget a lot in the episode.

[Jodithgrace]

I knew they weren’t going to take the beach house, which was filled to overflowing with personal “stuff,” not what you would leave in a rental home. Not just art work but knickknacks and refrigerator magnets, etc. It was obviously being lived in and merely borrowed for the show. 
Option #2 was the best, especially since it came with maintenance, even at an extra fee. 

[Dirge]

The woman moving to Cadiz said that military spouses are NOT given work permits, so this is one time I didn't mind the obsession with price - I think a lot of other international house hunters are expecting that they may find some work along the way. 

She'll probably be ferrying that "aspiring child actress" around, anyway. 

[proserpina65]

14 hours ago, aghst said:

So in the end they choose a larger home with the best commute over a smaller home closer to the beach.

They go $100 over budget of $2400 rather than potentially saving $200 with their other choice.

I would've chosen the beach house in a second.  I actually hated the one they chose but obviously I'm not the one living there.  Still, it was cheaper and close to both his base and the beach.

8 hours ago, Dirge said:

She'll probably be ferrying that "aspiring child actress" around, anyway. 

I read that as "spoiled brat".

[seacliffsal]

So, I laughed out loud when the wife in Spain proclaimed when visiting the first home that it didn't have any 'Spanish traditional charm' when they were standing right in front of a stone wall.  At least make the criticisms match what we're seeing.

[aghst]

London to Da Nang, Vietnam.

Young couple with a toddler son.  They’ve known each other since they were teenagers.  They were teaching when they learned of a teaching opportunity in Vietnam.

The wife is half Vietnamese, though she’s lived all her life in London.  They had to decide quick whether to move.  She hoped to be able to save a lot of money by moving.  That I suspect is the main reason though she talks up wanting to learn more about her ancestry and culture.

She wants 2 bedrooms, near work and beach, $600 max.  Berry the husband wants 3 bedrooms for parents to visit and a home with outdoor space.

First home is a high rise apt with ocean views.  Two bedrooms and many amenities at $600.  But it’s far from her work.  Too far to walk.

Second home is actual home, 3 bedrooms at $700, so just over budget.  Much closer to work but still a long walk and pretty close to the beach.  It has a giant tank with tropical fish and an inside koi pond with koi fish.  Wife thinks home is too large to take care of and thinks taking care of the fish as well would be too much.

Third home is a penthouse apt. But only 1 bedroom at $450.  It has partial views of the ocean and is closest to work for her and day care for the kid.  But Berry complains about the size though it has a huge balcony which lets him practice his nunchucks.

They eliminate house 1, he pretends to want the house but they choose the 1-bedroom apt. Well under budget.

She notes that the Vietnamese at the airport laughed at her for not speaking Vietnamese.