House Hunters International - General Discussion

[Dirge]

On 8/30/2024 at 3:53 PM, aghst said:

That would be cool if they appeared on another episode as they looked for another place.

One episode with her was enough for me! I was surprised that after already having been deployed to Germany before, she didn't seem interested in learning the language at all. I guess when you've mastered the art of eye rolling, you don't need any other language. 

[chessiegal]

When we were on the QM2 going to Hamburg, we had lunch with a German couple and their young son. They mentioned he was bored because he didn't speak English yet. IIRC, they said they start teaching it in school in the 7th grade (maybe sooner). We didn't meet any adults in Germany who didn't speak English.

[proserpina65]

21 hours ago, aghst said:

But curry wurst is suppose to be big.  Aside from ME food like kebap, there are a lot of restaurants advertising Asian fusion cuisine, in fact chains of them.

Just like Indian food is huge in the UK, it seems like ME and Asian food are big in Germany.

None are those are traditional German foods, however.  Those are various ethnics foods which are popular there because of a large immigrant population.  Which is a good thing, imo.

20 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

It's fine not to like German (or any country's) food, taste preferences vary.  My issue with her was that she decided to announce it for everyone to hear.  She could have just said that comment off camera.

There's no such thing as off-camera on shows like this.  Like I said, her saying it on camera didn't bother me at all.  Everything else about here did.

 

[snarts]

Seville, Spain: Florida family with two young daughters moving to a city they've never visited. Really didn't address why they were moving or how they intended to support themselves abroad other than continually mentioning they wanted a change. Oh, and a throwaway comment that his career demanded much of his time. Yep, that's why they pay you...

Budget was $2200/mo, they wanted to be close the girls' school and didn't intend to have a vehicle.

Option one was a multi-story townhome with 4 bedrooms and a rooftop deck for $2400/mo. It was really the only choice for them being in town and a five minute walk to the school. The other two, while far less expensive ($1500 & $1700),were both out in the suburbs.

Unsure why they needed the huge townhome. For maybe the first time ever, they didn't even mention having family or friends visit :)

 

 

[chessiegal]

4 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

There's no such thing as off-camera on shows like this.  Like I said, her saying it on camera didn't bother me at all.  Everything else about here did.

Agreed. I finally got around to watching this. So, they met in Germany when she was working there. She knows what it's like to live there. She was definitely one of the more unlikeable house hunters. 

[aghst]

5 hours ago, snarts said:

Seville, Spain: Florida family with two young daughters moving to a city they've never visited. Really didn't address why they were moving or how they intended to support themselves abroad other than continually mentioning they wanted a change. Oh, and a throwaway comment that his career demanded much of his time. Yep, that's why they pay you...

Budget was $2200/mo, they wanted to be close the girls' school and didn't intend to have a vehicle.

Option one was a multi-story townhome with 4 bedrooms and a rooftop deck for $2400/mo. It was really the only choice for them being in town and a five minute walk to the school. The other two, while far less expensive ($1500 & $1700),were both out in the suburbs.

Unsure why they needed the huge townhome. For maybe the first time ever, they didn't even mention having family or friends visit :)

 

 

They must have a lot of money in the bank.  They don't seem too worried about work.

Because the wife was doing all the research, listening to travel podcasts, to choose Seville as the destination.

Notice no mention about how the destination might provide income opportunities or that they would just use an office and work remotely?

For that matter, they don't talk about how long they'd be there.  So can you even get a visa to stay longer than the 3 months Americans are allowed to stay for one stretch without even having visited the place?

Would Spain grant a visa for first-time visitors to the city where they plan to live?

They would have to be sure that these Americans have financial resources, that they wouldn't try to find jobs, because a work visa is a much higher bar to clear.

As for the house they chose, of course she was going to make a stand for the townhouse.  The other ones were boring and too far away from school.

At least these Floridians aren't home schooling.

 

 

[BAForever]

Florida to Seville bugged. Lots of questions about their back story, income, and no friends, relatives and grandparents to visit. She kept yapping about charm, it was a beautiful place, but more modern than charm- and those stairs. A total waste of the 2 downstairs bedrooms, plus a tiny kitchen, plus the daughters now share a bedroom. I'd have taken house #3 with the pool. Sure, you have to get a car, but saving $700 a month in rent gets you a car and then some.

Hate these people who want to "know they live in ____." Look out the window,  you'll know. 

Plus I thought they were selfish putting their needs above kids- and they made a presentation to let kids know benefits of move. 

They were annoying AF. 

Rant over.

[aghst]

The Seville townhouse had a living room with a ceiling which had arches formed with red bricks.  Looks very nice but I wonder about a brick falling out and landing on someone.

They had some other nice architectural features, not necessarily Spanish charm but more interesting than the other two homes.

Yeah if they were going to live in the suburbs, why bother moving to Spain in the first place, especially to be so far away from the daughters' school?

When the girls are older, one of them can live downstairs but who knows how long they plan to stay in that home or in Spain?

They said they sold everything back in FL so that's going all-in, especially to a place they're visiting for the first time.

I've only been to Seville a couple of times.  I don't recall people doing things in the river.  I think there's a lot of large boat traffic so it's not a river where you can kayak or something.

Other places in Andalusia, they will find nature, for things like hiking or bicycling or go to the southern coast.  They would need a car though or they might consider moving out of the city.

She said she likes cities, not sure why though, she didn't mention anything about going to restaurants all the time or enjoying all the cultural things bigger cities offer like museums or the churches.  The Seville Cathedral is kind of a big deal, they showed it in the background but they didn't seem especially interested in it.

At the end though, they seem to be hosting a party on their roof terrace so maybe that's the appeal, to socialize, meet people.  When the daughters get older, that should also be an advantage for their social lives.

[BAForever]

You think they are there for the long-term @aghst? Their story had a lot of missing pieces. Did they speak Spanish I wonder?

Agree with you about river- that's not a daily trip probably. 

I'd still pick #3 and find a closer elementary/primary school for kids. 

[aghst]

You can never tell because the cover stories are always dubious.

They don't seem to be pulling some social media stunt, though maybe the wife is interested in doing a travel blog, as she seemed to read that kind of content.

But I don't think there's money in that any more.

I would assume they found an international school where their daughters would at least be taught in English and maybe Spanish as well.

It would be very tough for them to be thrown into a regular school where just English is taught.

In Sweden, English classes are required after Swedish.

In Finland, they're required to learn not just Finnish but English and Swedish as well.  All the place names have both Finnish and Swedish names though, whereas English signage is much more limited, though everyone at least in the center of Helsinki speaks English.

Southern European countries don't seem to push English and other foreign languages as much but I think a lot more people take it upon themselves to learn English, maybe even taking private classes that they pay for, to make themselves more marketable in the whole EU job market.

[Chit Chat]

13 hours ago, aghst said:

They said they sold everything back in FL so that's going all-in, especially to a place they're visiting for the first time.

From the picture they showed, their home in Gainesville was gorgeous!  It's in a college town, so they probably had no problems selling it.  And with the costs of homes in Florida, I'm sure they'll be fine living off of their proceeds from the house & selling all of their belongings for a while. 

What I didn't like about the place they chose was that there wasn't a good view from the windows other than the rooftop.  The view from the front was the building across from them.  I didn't see the view from the back of the apartment.  Also, was it 4 sets of stairs?  That would get old very quickly for me, but to each his/her own! 

I liked the third property with the pool.  The kitchen was tight but wasn't horrible!  I've had smaller kitchens than that and was able to make it work.  

14 hours ago, BAForever said:

Look out the window,  you'll know. 

How many times have all of us screamed at the tv, 'look out the effing window!!'

[surfgirl]

Uch, the Digital Nomad Douche Bro episode. I can't stand these guys.

Hyper Smaller Dude: I'm a digital nomad! 

Me: Tell me you're a douche without telling me you're a douche.

He's in the car with the real estate agent and he says, "Are we in Cambodia or what, we've been driving forever!" Dude, that's considered a rude comment to most Vietnamese people. This guy has done zero research learning about local culture. Such an embarrassing tool. These are the kind of Americans and foreigners who go someplace to live cheaper and they take and take from the local culture but they don't add anything to it. 

*steps off soapbox*

Edited September 6 by surfgirl

[debbie311]

Florida to Seville:  I would be interested in knowing the back story here.  She kept saying they (she) wanted to make a "major change." To sell everything you own and move to a place you have never been seems pretty foolhardy to me, especially with two young children. No mention of jobs. It was pretty obvious to me that the wife was driving the decision, the husband seemed willing to go along with her, whatever. I knew they would go for the townhouse. The only place for those kids to go outside to play is up on the rooftop. It really wasn't a place for kids. 

[proserpina65]

On 9/4/2024 at 9:59 AM, snarts said:

Unsure why they needed the huge townhome. For maybe the first time ever, they didn't even mention having family or friends visit :)

Well, the space was so much more like what they had in Florida. /s

On 9/5/2024 at 4:48 AM, BAForever said:

Hate these people who want to "know they live in ____." Look out the window,  you'll know. 

I get wanting the interior of your home to have character.  God knows I hate modern design.  But ultimately, yeah, base your decision on practical things such as location, closeness to schools, walkability, price, and the like.

On 9/5/2024 at 4:48 AM, BAForever said:

A total waste of the 2 downstairs bedrooms, plus a tiny kitchen, plus the daughters now share a bedroom

I wouldn't care about two small children sharing a bedroom except for the existence of the downstairs bedrooms in a house which is already over-budget.

17 hours ago, Chit Chat said:

From the picture they showed, their home in Gainesville was gorgeous!  It's in a college town, so they probably had no problems selling it. 

I didn't think it was particularly attractive, but it was big and in a college town, so I'm sure they made good money off the sale.

 

[debbie311]

Americans who want "charm" in other countries also want at least two bathrooms, three or four bedrooms, a good-sized kitchen like they had at home and a yard.  In or near the city center, close to bars and restaurants. The thing is, to find a historic-type house with those amenities is way out of their budget.  It must drive the real estate person crazy.

I notice in all these house hunter shows that they complain about a house having no charm or character.  Especially if the walls are white and the room is empty.  Duh.  It's up to you to add the charm with furniture and accessories. I'd rather have a clean slate to work with than a bunch of horrid crap, as in ugly wallpaper and window coverings.

[chessiegal]

1 hour ago, debbie311 said:

It must drive the real estate person crazy.

You have to keep in mind these folks have probably lived in the house they "chose" for quite some time. The "real estate agent" may or may not have had anything to do with finding their property.

[Notabug]

19 hours ago, chessiegal said:

You have to keep in mind these folks have probably lived in the house they "chose" for quite some time. The "real estate agent" may or may not have had anything to do with finding their property.

At some point, there was a real estate agent involved and, if the impression we're given by the show is correct, they undoubtedly drove that agent right over the edge.

20 hours ago, debbie311 said:

Americans who want "charm" in other countries

The major problem I have with all the requests for 'charm' seem to be based on some Disneyfied cartoon version of the lifestyle in the other country and not the day to day reality of life and living there.  Many of these hunters seem to have learned about other cultures from riding It's a Small World at DisneyLand.  

Quote

 The kitchen was tight but wasn't horrible!  I've had smaller kitchens than that and was able to make it work.

My grandmother was an amazing cook who also loved to bake and managed to feed her husband and 7 kids delicious completely homemade meals from a kitchen about a quarter the size that most househunters deem adequate.

[aghst]

"Charm" is just an HHI shorthand for the nonstandard (from an American POV) architecture or interior or exterior design that you often see in Europe.

It can be housing that goes back decades or even centuries (but renovated inside), it can have decorative elements, it could have style that goes beyond function.

It can be as simple as red-brick construction, which isn't common in the US in recent decades, especially outside of big cities.

It's anything that is different or better than the tract homes or cookie-cutter home design which is common in the US because a handful of multi-billion dollar home construction companies build the same kind of designs.

That even goes back a couple of decades, it's not limited to new construction.

[surfgirl]

IMO, on HHI the word 'charm' is equal the the word 'craftsman'on HH. Most of these nitwits don't know what either word actually means. I think most of the ding dongs who spout off about 'oooh look at the craftsman details!' are really talking about craftsmanship NOT Craftsman-style architecture. Similarly, on HHI 'charm' can be an arched doorway or a few indoor bricks or a winding stairway that they then bitch endlessly about going up and down all day. 

Edited September 7 by surfgirl

[Notabug]

6 minutes ago, surfgirl said:

IMO, on HHI the word 'charm' is equal the the word 'craftsman'on HH. Most of these nitwit don't kniwnwhat either word actually means. I think k most of the ding songs who spout off about 'oooh look at the craftsman details!' are really talking about craftsmanship NOT Craftsman-style architecture. Similarly, on HHI 'charm' can be an arched doorway or a few indoor bricks ir a winding stairway that they then bitch endlessly about going up abd down all day. 

I am particularly amused by the househunters in the Netherlands who want 'Dutch charm' and then complain about the narrow rooms and steep staircases.  

[javajeanelaine]

Seville woman did not appear to care what her kids needed or what her husband wanted.  She bugged me.

[Chit Chat]

7 hours ago, Notabug said:

My grandmother was an amazing cook who also loved to bake and managed to feed her husband and 7 kids delicious completely homemade meals from a kitchen about a quarter the size that most househunters deem adequate.

She sounds amazing!  My fondest memories are of the small homes we had and where we managed to fit 10-12 people into the eat-in kitchen for holiday meals.  I don't know how we did it, but we managed, and it was great!

Some of these buyer's demands are lost on me.  You could give them a place like the Biltmore Estate, and they'd still find something to bitch about.  😏

[javajeanelaine]

Just saw an Amsterdam episode with a couple and a dog.  It was nice to see a couple who didn’t snipe at each other.

[ML89]

On 9/7/2024 at 12:54 PM, surfgirl said:

IMO, on HHI the word 'charm' is equal the the word 'craftsman'on HH. Most of these nitwits don't know what either word actually means. I think most of the ding dongs who spout off about 'oooh look at the craftsman details!' are really talking about craftsmanship NOT Craftsman-style architecture. Similarly, on HHI 'charm' can be an arched doorway or a few indoor bricks or a winding stairway that they then bitch endlessly about going up and down all day. 

One of my favorite moments, I think it was an Italian house, is the guy asked for "modern" and the agent took them to a very modern architecture/minimalist apartment. The guy said "but not like that" and the agent said something like "oh, you want new things in it, not modern" and uh, yeah, that.

Except they keep using it!

[proserpina65]

On 9/6/2024 at 2:59 PM, debbie311 said:

I notice in all these house hunter shows that they complain about a house having no charm or character.  Especially if the walls are white and the room is empty.  Duh.  It's up to you to add the charm with furniture and accessories. I'd rather have a clean slate to work with than a bunch of horrid crap, as in ugly wallpaper and window coverings.

There is such a thing as architectural charm, which is not something the renters can add.  Often that comes in old buildings that tend to also include limited space/no yard or balcony/small appliances/big price tag.  The smart people realize this.  The house hunters who whine about missing one or the other at the price they can afford annoy me to know end.  Me, I would sacrifice space for historical charm, but I'm just one person.

On 9/6/2024 at 4:13 PM, chessiegal said:

You have to keep in mind these folks have probably lived in the house they "chose" for quite some time. The "real estate agent" may or may not have had anything to do with finding their property.

We do still get to watch some of them roll their eyes at these unreasonable requests, though, which is fun.