House Hunters International - General Discussion

[DownTheShore]

Re the two who gave up their jobs in Wash. DC to attend graduate school in Lund Sweden:

They've both completed high school and college, yet they can't figure out where they would have space to study in an apartment? Funny, my roommate and I were both able to study at the same time in our dorm room without a problem.

These two are just such bad readers of the lines the producer has given them that it's painful to watch.

And of course, they require "green space" for their dog. And two bedrooms. In the city center (of a college town where housing is in great demand). For $1000/mo.

~head-desk~

[sskrill]

Lund - Started out with him and his incredibly dull friends, only to have the friends replaced by the incredibly dull girlfriend (wife?).

 

I hope they were reading off cards, because if that's their actual personalities....

 

At least the realtor was handsome and well dressed.

Edited October 27, 2015 by sskrill

[magemaud]

I was so relieved to hear that Ella was "enjoying" all that Green Space in Lund, but I wondered what they would do with her when they traveled with all the money they saved.

[Homily]

I had to turn off the one that was on the other day with the couple from Texas relocating to Scotland, with of course, two dogs along for the ride whose needs were of paramount importance.  They had a very nice budget, were looking at houses most of us would have been happy with even over on this side of the pond but I don't recall them having anything positive to say about any of the houses they saw.  I have no idea what they eventually got because I am sorry but if you can't be happy with a lovely home in Scotland fercryingoutloud because the closet in the master bedroom of a 3 bedroom house is too small  then I have no time for you.  Apparently it didn't occur to these sad sacks that they could have used one of the other bedrooms as a dressing room (how British) because I don't think the dogs needed their own rooms!

 

I can only hope most of the complaints were producer driven because otherwise UGH.  I kept wanting to scream at them "it is a rental people, a rental, you are overseas thanks to a company move,  relax and enjoy getting to live in another country on someone else's dime!!"

Edited October 27, 2015 by Homily

[Ritalin Smoothie]

Lund - Started out with him and his incredibly dull friends, only to have the friends replaced by the incredibly dull girlfriend (wife?).

 

I hope they were reading off cards, because if that's their actual personalities....

 

Me: God, this couple is boring.

 

Mr. Ritalin Smoothie: Even the dog seems boring.

 

However much I love checking out overseas housing every night, I'm SO tired of production team suggested storylines and manufactured disagreements on what the couples want.  I really wish they'll skip the BS banter and show a fourth option instead.

Edited October 27, 2015 by Ritalin Smoothie

[proserpina65]

I don't get the shower curtain thing either. Buy an extension rod and hang a shower curtain on it. Problem solved.

I've always wanted one of those showers that were designed so that a shower curtain was uneccesary.

I'm kinda freaky about shower curtains, in that I don't like water getting all over the whole bathroom every time I shower.  I would find living somewhere with the "entire bathroom is the shower" challenging.  (Experienced that in Greece and Austria while on vacation.)  Obviously a shower cubicle designed so that water wouldn't escape is fine, but one that isn't requires a curtain for me, and I would definitely list "not able to hang a shower curtain" in the negative column.  Might not be a deal breaker if the place was otherwise perfect, but it would be a serious issue.

[DownTheShore]

I want one of those showere that are so big or so well-designed that you don't need the curtain,  not one where the drain is in the center of the bathroom floor and you get the whole place wet when you shower. Ugh. 

 

I was mainly referring to the American houses where a moment's thought would tell the prospective home buyer that either the owner took down their shower curtain, or that the builder is leaving it up to the homeowner to install one.  

[sskrill]

Mallorca - Either I'm cranky this week or this is the worst batch of people they've had in a long time.  I could not stand this woman.  It was clear from the start he wasn't getting anything he wanted.  Even when he agreed to the apartment she wanted, he rolled his eyes while he said it.  Then the follow up says they're engaged because she proposed?  He should run far and fast ... although I suspect he kind of likes being told what to do.  I found her terribly unattractive in so many different ways.

[DownTheShore]

I was really surprised when they said they were engaged; they seemed go be a really mismatched pair.

I didn't like her either. They take a regular walk from the hills to the sea, yet the what - extra 15 minutes it would take to travel to the apt. near the sea was just going to be such a chore after a hard day at school?

And her proposing didn't surprise me at all, given the backstory. She wasn't letting him go.

Are the rest of you just as tired as I am of these couples who bitch and moan about how they have to keep to a strict rental budget because they don't have any income, yet they all want to live in the city center so that they can go out to bars and shops and restaurants all the time. Where are they getting the money for that?

[Homily]

I like the ones who compromise and get the cheaper place because they say they're in Europe and want to use what money they have to travel and take advantage of where they are lucky enough to be living!  The ones who reach up to the most expensive place because it's city centre or because they can't imagine the horror of not living with American appliances for what usually turns out to be a whole year (insert rolling eyes here) just work my last nerve!

[KLovestoShop]

That girl in the Palma episode was so freaking immature.  She acted like such a little teenager and I couldn't understand what the heck the guy was doing with her.  Either he's a real weenie or a freak for punishment, but if he ever wakes up and realizes what a weirdo she is, that relationship won't last long.  Personally, I loved the apartment overlooking the water.  It was spacious and had the best views.  But I knew from the beginning that she'd get her way and they'd get that tiny place.  

[DownTheShore]

I would have broken off the relationship with her for not taking the water apt., if I were him.

That realtor looked liked she just wanted to roll her eyes everytime that girl spoke. And she was a girl; there was no maturity or commonsense there.

[buttercupia]

I thought the opposite.  I thought he was an annoying man-child who pouted at the prospect of having to walk to the ocean.  they had a budget they had to stick with.  they stuck with it, in fact stayed under it. 

[Tara1665]

Did anyone else get a creepy vibe off Ecuador mother and son?

[Ohwell]

Did anyone else get a creepy vibe off Ecuador mother and son?

Yes.  Plus, he said he was a "graphic artist" and was into music.  He just didn't look like he was employed.

 

I felt like I needed a shower afterwards.

[Tara1665]

Yes. Me too.

[Ohwell]

I also thought that maybe he was a druggie or had gotten into some kind of trouble with the law in the past, and she thought they'd better leave the States.   

[puppytoes]

I also got a creepy vibe about the mom and son moving to Cuenca, Ecuador. What grown man is "best friends" with his mother? Plain creepy and weird. Also why did they pick the house with stairs? She was complaining about the stairs. He had to be in his mid -30's.

[zipbags]

Glad I am not the only one who was creeped out by the mom and son in Ecuador. Graphic designer...musician...looked liked he is unemployed and mooching off mom.

[OSM Mom]

What grown man is "best friends" with his mother? .

Norman Bates leaps to mind..

[juliet73]

Ecuador was a total creeper! He's a Dateline episode for sure!

Edited November 1, 2015 by juliet73

[zipbags]

Finally saw the episode where the London episode where the women wanted a Virginia Woolf home. The Virginia Woolf experience can be attained just by living in the UK.

[awaken]

Just saw the Namibia episode.  I'm wondering what life is like there that security, with high walls and barbed wire was a central issue.  If someone was really out to get you, I don't think those walls would stop them.

[DownTheShore]

It seems more to prevent crimes of opportunity. But it's a very telling comment about the society and its government.

[NYGirl]

I really liked the couple last night in Edinburgh.  I loved that first apartment and I'm glad they picked it.  After seeing all 3 I knew they couldn't resist the first one in the "city center".

 

What I loved even more was that castle.  Wow being able to get a view of that every day ...(Jealous).  Too bad the apartment was 1 bedroom and no bathtub.

[DownTheShore]

Peter and Eva in Berlin: 

 

He's normally separated from his family by what, an ocean, and and yet it's going to be so arduous for them to cross Berlin to visit? 

 

This couple weren't spring chickens and she was complaining about the stairs and wanted an elevator building. She also wanted a second bedroom for guests. He wanted the much smaller one bedroom in a specific neighborhood close to his family. The one she wanted was only 10K over their budget (this is to be a second home for them).

 

He pressed that the location was oh so very important to him, and she caved. 

 

I would have divorced his ass over that. 

 

(ETA: That outfit was stylish.)

Edited November 5, 2015 by DownTheShore

[aguabella]

Took an extended, tech-free (!), vacation so am behind on the thread.  Hope you don't mind a few tardy posts.  Well, maybe they'll correspond with one of the numerous HGTV reruns!

 

WRT the recent Wales episode and the wife's accent, she mentioned during the preamble that her grandmother was Welsh.  In addition, I happened to notice that her first name was spelled in the Welsh or pseudo Gaelic fashion.  So, needless to say, don't know for sure but I suspect she spent more time around the Welsh side of her family than assimilating into TX culture as a young child.  And, do we even know where she lived during those early, formative years ???  Probably not, lol! 

 

Her husband just sounded Welsh, to me.  BTW, someone tweeted her after the episode, asking nicely (IMHO) about her accent.  She called them a "troll" and said they had no right to question her b/c she'd put in four 18-hour days filming HHI.  Very sarcastically, she said something like "Yeah, I was puttin' it on all that time."  I didn't save the tweet but she did disclose her full name during the episode's opening to market her cosmetics biz, thereby allowing viewer contact.  Oh and yes, it's the usual HHI situation - they'd lived there for about 2 years prior to filming.

 

Some things never change, right?  That's HH, HHI, LIOLI, ok, ok, just make it HGTV, in total! 

 

Anyway ... hope you've all been well.

Edited November 6, 2015 by aguabella

[DownTheShore]

Welcome back! :-)

[aguabella]

Welcome back! :-)

 

Thanks, DownTheShore!  Nice to see the core nucleus of hard-core, HH fans still around the thread. 

 

And, thanks to everyone who sent me notes and/or PM's.  Catching up but will get back to you asap.

 

We're all busy with life or whatever but this show keeps us coming back, right?  It says, "You can't quit me, lol!"

Edited November 6, 2015 by aguabella

[Babalooie]

Music teacher here playing doctor.  Regarding Eva in Berlin, it seems to me that judging by her voice, she may have asthma, which would make stair climbing a chore.  The lady in the 11/5 London episode (Saffron's mom)  sure seems to have blown up since she got married.  Maybe Cushing's disease?  Mine was due to Krispy Kreme.  Loved seeing our favorite realtor, Richard, in London again.

Edited November 6, 2015 by Babalooie

[DownTheShore]

Naples episode: 

 

Eating pizza with knives and forks?  Wimps. Not qualified to judge "the best pizza" just because of that. 

 

;->

[DownTheShore]

I missed the beginning of the episode.  Does anyone know why she went to work in Naples? 

 

I was thinking, as I was watching the show, that these people would have a much easier time finding places to live if they just left their pets back in the US with family/friends.  And aren't there still quarantines for animals entering countries? 

Edited November 7, 2015 by DownTheShore

[biakbiak]

Not many places have that anymore, even the UK which ha one of the most restrictive with a six month quarantine no longer has it. Just need a health certificate that shows their vaccination s and that they are rabies free.

[Mrs. P.]

I missed the beginning of the episode. Does anyone know why she went to work in Naples?

I was thinking, as I was watching the show, that these people would have a much easier time finding places to live if they just left their pets back in the US with family/friends. And aren't there still quarantines for animals entering countries?

She said that a friend told her to apply, so she sent the application and was offered the job. She seemed fairly reluctant to leave her mom and friends, but since the job was offered to her she felt she should accept.

Some pet owners, especially those without children, wouldn't leave their pets. It would be like leaving their kid!

[Bastet]

I would never move someplace I couldn't take my pets; they're family.

[DownTheShore]

You can tell I'm not a pet owner - lol. 

[Spunkygal]

Music teacher here playing doctor.  Regarding Eva in Berlin, it seems to me that judging by her voice, she may have asthma, which would make stair climbing a chore.  The lady in the 11/5 London episode (Saffron's mom)  sure seems to have blown up since she got married.  Maybe Cushing's disease?  Mine was due to Krispy Kreme.  Loved seeing our favorite realtor, Richard, in London again.

Mine was due to a deep fondness for queso and chips. And yes to our favorite realtor, Richard! Dear Richard, I am going to give up queso and chips for you and I am going to come to London and pretend that I am looking for a home. Will you put me in your gorgeous BMW convertible and drive me around? We can then have gin and tonics in my new garden while I listen to your lovely voice and infectious laugh. No, I am not obsessed, why do you ask?

But really, if I lived in Europe, I would welcome visitors, but I sure as hell am not going to pay extra rent just to have a room for friends/family. I will have a sleeper sofa or you can stay in a hotel. And keep your hands off Richard!

[laredhead]

The young woman in Naples did not seem to be embracing the experience, but I think she came across as being very homesick.  Probably a good idea that she had her dog with her.  Glad to see that she was socializing, even if it's with the staff from her school.  Will be interesting to find out how long she stays there before coming back to the states.

[magemaud]

 

Eating pizza with knives and forks?  Wimps.

Whenever I've been served pizza in Italy, it came to the table uncut. It was too big to pick up and eat in once piece, so I had no choice but to use a knife and fork to slice it into smaller, more manageable pieces

[awaken]

France Air Force family: super negative about all aspects of the experience! He will never enter his children's bedrooms because of low ceilings! If he's deployed for months at a time with her home on her own with kids, her needs and comfort should prevail, not space for his "toys". Would they really ship their bedroom sets and motorcycle to France?

[Tara1665]

Oh dear lord the Jerusalem couple. Dude you need to run fast and far or you will end up whipped for the rest of your life. She has to have a place close to the beach, who cares about space and no kitchen! You can have a somewhat ocean view! Who cares if you can't turn around in your apartment? Also, she said they go to the beach every weekend. Not every day? Isn't that why you wanted to be close to the beach? She thought she was too cute but honey, looks will fade but ugly on the inside is forever.

[Scorpiosunshine]

I'm still watching the episode, but regarding he couple in Israel:

I thought it was cute when he said " you may not be able to get every single thing you want" and she said " maybe I cannnn!", grinned, then whipped her head toward the camera and did that movie-style" duhhhhh duhhh duhhh!! " shit-is-about-to-go-down sound. Very cute.... I chuckled out loud :)

[proserpina65]

France Air Force family: super negative about all aspects of the experience! He will never enter his children's bedrooms because of low ceilings! If he's deployed for months at a time with her home on her own with kids, her needs and comfort should prevail, not space for his "toys". Would they really ship their bedroom sets and motorcycle to France?

Although I agree with the idea that the wife should have what she wanted since he was going to be away for months at a time, I hated the house they chose.  I think the first house would've been better for them, but I personally liked the second house the best.  Of course, I feel no need to have a kitchen open to the living room - I'm too messy when I cook and don't usually clean as I go.

 

To be fair to the husband - he couldn't stand up straight even at the highest point in the room, and it sounded like he might have back problems.

Edited November 10, 2015 by proserpina65

[proserpina65]

Not many places have that anymore, even the UK which ha one of the most restrictive with a six month quarantine no longer has it. Just need a health certificate that shows their vaccination s and that they are rabies free.

It's a bit more complicated than that for the UK, but if you're coming from the US and have all the required documentation (proof of microchipping before the pet had its rabies vaccination, proof of rabies vaccination and pet passport being the most important) then the quarantine is waived.  Just don't try to take your undocumented dogs into Australia.

Edited November 10, 2015 by proserpina65

[Mrs. P.]

It's a bit more complicated than that for the UK, but if you're coming from the US and have all the required documentation (proof of microchipping before the pet had its rabies vaccination, proof of rabies vaccination and pet passport being the most important) then the quarantine is waived. Just don't try to take your undocumented dogs into Australia.

The microchip must be inserted before the rabies vaccination? Is there a reason for that? Because if that's the case, I wouldn't be able to take my dog to the UK - she was vaccinated before she was chipped.

[proserpina65]

The microchip must be inserted before the rabies vaccination? Is there a reason for that? Because if that's the case, I wouldn't be able to take my dog to the UK - she was vaccinated before she was chipped.

That's what the site I looked at said, but you should check to verify if you intend to go.  It doesn't actually make sense to me, either.  Most pet owners get their pets vaccinated but microchipping is something a lot of people (myself included) wait on.

 

Okay, some further info from the Gov.UK site: if your pet was vaccinated before it was microchipped, you have to get a new vaccination before bringing it into the UK.  It doesn't say why.

Edited November 10, 2015 by proserpina65

[Mrs. P.]

Thanks for the info, proserpina65.

[TwirlyGirly]

proserpina65, on 10 Nov 2015 - 2:01 PM, said:

That's what the site I looked at said, but you should check to verify if you intend to go.  It doesn't actually make sense to me, either.  Most pet owners get their pets vaccinated but microchipping is something a lot of people (myself included) wait on.

 

Okay, some further info from the Gov.UK site: if your pet was vaccinated before it was microchipped, you have to get a new vaccination before bringing it into the UK.  It doesn't say why.

 

I was curious about this, too, so I did a bit of research.

 

Gleaning information from several sites, it appears to prevent one from presenting the rabies vaccination certificate from one pet, for another.

 

When the pet is microchipped, it's assigned a unique number, which is entered into it's passport.

 

The vaccination is then recorded in that same passport.

 

That prevents, for example, a person bringing in their pet golden retriever, Marmalade, from presenting the rabies vaccination certificate for Golden Boy, a different golden retriever.

 

If you have the pet vaccinated before being microchipped, they must have a second rabies vaccine after the microchipping AND you must wait 21 days between the date of the vaccine and travel.

 

Something to think about, especially since thre are rabies vaccines that are good for three years. Giving two rabies vaccines too close together can cause health risks.

Edited November 10, 2015 by TwirlyGirly

[awaken]

It was interesting to see Tel Aviv- I don't remember seeing episodes in Israel before!  So I enjoyed that aspect.  I don't understand the kitchen thing- what are people eating, then?  It's the same in Europe and Asia it seems- places where good food is an important part of the culture, and not fast food.  I don't understand how people are eating and cooking with nothing but a mini fridge- not even a toaster oven or microwave.  Restaurants every meal, every day?  Or is it just those particular apts are built for people who don't cook?  

 

Ecuador couple- "HOW many people will be using this community pool?!"  The horror of having your child swim with others and not have an entire pool to herself!  

[biakbiak]

In other cultures people often shop daily and in much smaller quantities, so the fridge isn't that much of in issue. Also, cheap street food is much more prevalent.