House Hunters International - General Discussion

[mojito]

49 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

I mean, in a perfect world nobody would bat an eye but let's face it, I'm sure they get asked about this all the time.

By truly tactless, nosy people. The parents and daughters are of two different races, you can see that. Why in the world would it not occur to someone that to ask for an explanation of someone's family demographics might not be offensive/intrusive/rude/irritating?  We wonder a lot of things about people all the time, but most of us, fortunately, have a filter.

[biakbiak]

2 minutes ago, mojito said:

By truly tactless, nosy people. The parents and daughters are of two different races, you can see that. Why in the world would it not occur to someone that to ask for an explanation of someone's family demographics might not be offensive/intrusive/rude/irritating?  We wonder a lot of things about people all the time, but most of us, fortunately, have a filter.

To clarify that's not my quote, I also think it's an inappropriate but do know from experience that some people are tactless.

[awaken]

9 hours ago, AuntiePam said:

As soon as Andrew's parents started talking about a second bedroom, I knew he'd take the first place.  He handled his parents very tactfully, without hurting their feelings.  And he "found" a girlfriend! 

The minor repairs needed -- wouldn't the landlord be responsible for those? 

I found the ep w the parents quite annoying. Even better, he said he was "able to find" a girlfriend!

[Suck It Trebek]

They played hide and seek and he was "able to find" her out on the balcony.

[magemaud]

Apparently Andrew FOUND a girlfriend on his own, with no advice from his parents! 

[mojito]

I watch HHI in spurts, but something I've noticed in the shows I've watched lately...I haven't been hearing real estate agents mentioning condo fees to potential buyers. Is there a reason for this?

[SmithW6079]

Silly Ben from Brisbane. Do you think your wife really cared that you would have an 30-minute bike ride commute each way every day, once she set her mind on the house she wanted? I was surprised (or not surprised; not sure which is worse) to discover that a non-American had no qualms about spending more money than they had for a place she liked. I know editing can do wonders, but the wife flat out said she didn't care if they went over budget, because she wanted what she wanted.

I liked the couple moving to Japan. I think the house they chose was the best one (for once), but I was a little fuzzy about him having to live elsewhere during the week. Was it just because the girls' school was in the town where they were looking and his job wasn't? How far was his commute? It seemed like they were concerned about the train ride to the big city so they could take advantage of what the city had to offer, not that he had to travel to his job. And if it was far enough for him to have to live there during the week, how far was it?

I liked the lady moving to Morocco too. They said she left being CEO of the company she ran; did that mean she was independently wealthy? She couldn't have been, if she was worried about costs and planned on getting roommates to share her home. Good for her for admitting that the second house would make her feel uncomfortable running in her lycra while the other women were wearing more traditional, conservative clothing.

The Barcelona episode: Andrew's parents (who seemed more like grandparents) were really annoying. I've heard of helicopter parents, but they were ridiculous. Good for him for declining their offer to pay more of the rent, which would just increase their hold on him.

On 9/2/2016 at 10:09 PM, awaken said:

Even better, he said he was "able to find" a girlfriend!

See, I assumed that he meant he was able to find a "girlfriend." 

Edited September 6, 2016 by SmithW6079

[AuntiePam]

I liked the St. Thomas couple.  They seemed to enjoy each other's company and were appreciative of their good fortune. 

In the states, she owned three dry cleaning places and he ran a construction company.  She sold her businesses and he was going to run his company remotely, so needed office space.  When they mentioned having to convert a bedroom to an office, at least they didn't make it sound like it'd be a big deal. 

Even though the house they chose was $300K over budget.  I'm skeptical about that -- if they couldn't afford it, they seemed too sensible to go ahead anyway.  And it makes sense to go for a place that was on the water.  Gorgeous house, good for them.

[scrb]

I suspect the budget numbers are fictional in many cases.  Producers tell them to say x is their budget and their actual budget is greater than x.

Plus the whole in town vs. outside of town dichotomy.

How often are people looking for a place to buy or rent that divided on location?

[izabella]

I felt the same way about the St. Thomas couple.   They were so easy with each other, and were interesting people.  I appreciated the husband's history of coming to the US when he was young and turning his construction labor job into his own business.  I thought I would not like Carrie with her Carrie Bradshaw hair, but I ended up liking her a lot.  She was not a diva, and kudos to her for owning 3 dry cleaning businesses. 

That house they bought was wonderful - pool, beach, ocean, plus a yard for her dog, and pretty views! 

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 9/2/2016 at 8:10 AM, iMonrey said:

That third apartment was such a fake-out! Obviously someone was already living there - whose books were those? There was even a printer on one of the shelves. Even furnished apartments don't come with shelves full of books and a printer.

This was in the days before printers, but I rented an apartment once that was fully furnished, and I mean fully.  Books on the shelves, cookware, cleaning supplies, some food.  It was a condo owned by a woman who'd been moved to a nursing home and I guess they just moved her and her clothes and left everything else behind.  It was crazy.

[Amethyst]

On 8/31/2016 at 6:25 PM, pally said:

They only stayed in Cayman for a year.  They are back to Colorado in Mar.  Job transfer with a promotion.  He works for Ritz Carlton.

Well, damn.  I guess that's that, lol.  

[NYGirl]

OMG Benjamin who wants to live in Monaco for no other reason other than being "high maintenance"!!!  He was so damn annoying that if I wasn't folding clothes and putting them away in my bedroom while watching I would have shut the TV in a NY minute.  He was so damn annoying.  I mean you can't live a foot step away from Monaco?  Really?  The rents were so much higher to have that address.  However.....I knew he'd take apartment No. 1.  If 2 is not feasible and they hardly ever go with 3, then 1 is the one.  I think 75% of the time it's the first one.

Edited September 7, 2016 by NYGirl

[scootypuffjr]

Yeah, Monaco Benjamin was annoying but they do have to craft a storyline. As I was saying to my mom, just who is it that living in France was not good enough for? (Apologies for the badly constructed sentence, but you know what I mean.) At least he did end up taking the most sensible option and made it look much nicer than it did previously, and his mom told him all the things I was yelling to him through my tv, about how a few steps from Monaco was close enough and the cheaper apartment gave him more money to actually enjoy the amenities the city had to offer, and there was time enough in the future to perhaps live his dream in Monaco proper. And I do have to give him his props for working hard and deferring some fun with his friends etc in order to take steps to make his dream happen (assuming he was truly paying for his apartment himself). 

[iMonrey]

Monaco Benjamin seemed like a total twit. I'm a little torn because if he really did work hard enough to save enough money to live in Monaco while he got his masters degree (in yachting??? I didn't get that part) then good for him but he just seemed like he had no concept of reality whatsoever. No mention of his father, I'm guessing his mother spoiled him rotten and indulged his every whim, and he seemed obsessed with the idea of living in Monaco just because he'd seen a picture of it once and wanted to live somewhere ritzy. And I think he was hung up about not living in France simply because he wanted the prestige of seeing his name on an actual Monaco address. This is definitely someone I'd like to see a follow up on a year later. How long does it take to get your masters? One year's rent is going to cost him $15,600. How much money did he save up working as a car salesman??

[proserpina65]

I have never wished particular ill upon a house hunter the way I did with entitled princess Terra in Pretoria.  Everything about her was annoying, and her demands for a house were obnoxious.  I think the realtor wanted to hit her.  I know I did.

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

Monaco Benjamin seemed like a total twit. I'm a little torn because if he really did work hard enough to save enough money to live in Monaco while he got his masters degree (in yachting??? I didn't get that part) then good for him but he just seemed like he had no concept of reality whatsoever. 

I believe (if I caught it correctly) he's majoring in yachting sales.  Color me surprised that there's any sort of major in that area but I am almost certain that's what the voiceover said.  Then again, it would make sense since his previous job was selling cars.

And am I the only one who expected Liz Taylor to come out of his kitchen (in the last scene) holding a bottle of White Diamonds?  Creepy.  Not because of Liz but because this is the second post I included her name in less than 24 hours.

[mojito]

Quote

 And I think he was hung up about not living in France simply because he wanted the prestige of seeing his name on an actual Monaco address. This is definitely someone I'd like to see a follow up on a year later. 

Something about this guy grates....He has Gold Digger or Boy Toy written all over him. I can see him latched onto someone two or three times his age in one year. 

So he didn't go to Europe to live in France, but to live in Monaco. And all this time I thought it was about grad school. I'd be interesting in seeing if this guy completes his degree. 

[AuntiePam]

Monaco is #2 on the list of densely populated countries, second to Macau and ahead of Singapore and Hong Kong.

Looking at that place made me wonder where everyone puts their trash.  There's no room for a landfill.  And sewers -- where does all that waste go? 

Way too crowded, but a beautiful setting.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, mojito said:

Something about this guy grates....He has Gold Digger or Boy Toy written all over him. I can see him latched onto someone two or three times his age in one year. 

Couldn't agree more but I have to say this or I will think about it for days.  It might get deleted but I'm going for it.

Ben is grating but I have a sense he will do anything or be with anyone to achieve those champagne wishes and caviar dreams - which makes me beyond uneasy.  I hope he is judicious in choosing his friends and lovers because  all he has to do is watch 48 Hours, Dateline, 20/20....hell, anything on ID to see that a tunnel vision can sometimes end badly. 

He seems so junior-highish that for the life of me I can't see how he made it through college, much less attempt to make it through grad school.

I wish him a lot of luck because I think he's really going to need it.

And Mom?  Something tells me she has experienced many a sleepless night worrying about Monaco Benjamin.

[Ohwell]

48 minutes ago, PsychoKlown said:

Ben is grating but I have a sense he will do anything or be with anyone to achieve those champagne wishes and caviar dreams - which makes me beyond uneasy.  I hope he is judicious in choosing his friends and lovers because  all he has to do is watch 48 Hours, Dateline, 20/20....hell, anything on ID to see that a tunnel vision can sometimes end badly. 

Those were my thoughts exactly.  He just seemed to focus on the "glamorous life" and seemed like he was willing to do just about anything to get it.  

[mojito]

@Ohwell, I had to double-check who wrote your post because I hadn't remembered submitting the one that I had started. Same sentiment right down to the words "glamorous life". While watching this episode, I had a fleeting thought of Amanda Knox and her nightmarish experience studying abroad (no opinion on her guilt or innocence). Yes, @PsychoKlown, I, too, can hear the Lester Holt/Ken Morrison voiceovers. 

It was a while ago, but when I lived in St. Thomas, I never heard anyone complain about how long it would take to get to around. Yes, there was traffic, but the island is only 13 miles long, end-to-end, and 4 or 5 miles wide. 

[Irlandesa]

9 hours ago, scootypuffjr said:

At least he did end up taking the most sensible option and made it look much nicer than it did previously, and his mom told him all the things I was yelling to him through my tv, about how a few steps from Monaco was close enough and the cheaper apartment gave him more money to actually enjoy the amenities the city had to offer, and there was time enough in the future to perhaps live his dream in Monaco proper. And I do have to give him his props for working hard and deferring some fun with his friends etc in order to take steps to make his dream happen (assuming he was truly paying for his apartment himself). 

Yeah, that's the thing. I'm rarely impressed with the "moved in" shots (as opposed to full on renos) of apartments rented/purchased on HHI but I thought he did a beautiful job with that apartment. 

I got a different take on Ben in that I felt he was perfectly self-aware but chose to play his part in the HHI:  Prince Grace story to the hilt.   I'm guessing he knew all along he couldn't afford a Monaco apartment on his budget but HHI wanted an excuse to show a Monaco apartment since it's not a location they get to often.  (Have they ever been?)  Thus, his insistence on Monaco.

Why do I think he is self aware?  The fact that he chose to go house hunting with his mother knowing she was going to give him crap for his big dreams.  And the fact that he said it was why he brought her with.

As for his program, from what I could find online, it's likely he's doing the University of Monaco's grad program in Luxury Management and there is one course in luxury yacht management not a whole program.

I too suspected mommy might be helping him out but if he did sell cars and was successful at it, he would have the money for rent and his masters program would make sense.

Edited September 8, 2016 by Irlandesa

[Spunkygal]

My take on Ben in Monaco? His budget = mom's pocketbook (for the most part). By that I mean, mom looked to be very well off and it's my guess that Ben had a very privileged upbringing in CT. He said he was first attracted to Monaco at age 5! when he viewed grandparents' pics of it. I think the family was very familiar with Monaco, had probably visited on more than one occasion and he chose a career that might work for him there. Good for him if that's the case but he drove me nuts and the realtor didn't seem too enamoured with his attitude even though I'm sure she enjoyed her commission.

[KAOS Agent]

It seemed to me that Ben was playing the House Hunters game of choosing a need and endlessly harping on it. Since he chose the cheaper French apartment, it was obvious to me that the Monaco thing was never really in his plans. There's no way that the third choice was available at $2500 a month even if there was construction (which I think was bogus anyway). They just wanted to show us a very lovely Monaco apartment with gorgeous sea views and made up a crazy scenario to pretend it was even in the realm of possibility for Benjamin. 

Monaco is so damn crowded, I would hate living there. Being just outside of the principality would give you sea views that don't include yacht traffic jams on the bay and you could see the actual waters of the Mediterranean. And everything on land wouldn't be jam packed into such a small area - plus, fewer annoying tourists. That said, the guy straight up said that he wanted the zip code, so that tells me a lot about his outlook on things.

[juliet73]

I agree about Monaco Ben wanting the glamorous life and doing anything to get it.  In my opinion,  I feel like he saved/worked hard to get to Monaco just to get his "foot in the door."  I think he's fine with his non Monaco address for now because he's hoping it's going to be very temporary. He probably has high hopes of meeting someone (I'm thinking a rich older man) sooner rather than later.  And the rest is history...

[juliet73]

Hawaii to Italy couple. Ugh!  How many times is the wife going to mention the "small appliances" and husband complaining about everything being too small/tight for a family of 5?  At least he did mention he wanted a house that looked Italian. Her, not so much! She wanted everything to look just like Americaville USA!!  

Am I the only one who thought it was odd when the husband was explaining how he is a native of Hawaii, but his wife moved there when she was 13. And most people think his wife is the native one because of her complexion?  Ummm, yeah...I would think EVERYONE thinks that because she totally looks Hawaiian!!!  It seemed like an awkward thing to say IMO.

[7-Zark-7]

Re: Ben The Glamorous of Monaco

Part of me thought: "Okay, maybe he seems a bit shallow and ridiculous, but at least he had a goal and worked towards it instead of just sitting around dreaming about it like most people do."

But then the other part of me thought: "Oh, please, it's probably his parents' car dealership he's been working for and they're funding this whole damn thing."

Edited September 8, 2016 by 7-Zark-7

[Pine]

Barcelona episode with the helicopter parents, I  believe that the 3rd flat belongs to the agent.

From just my observations with the HHI episodes the most lived in flats, really look like what the agent would be living in.  This one had Dal Horse's on the bookcase in one of the room's, and the agent looked Scandinavian.   Of course, just my honest opinion.

[Ohwell]

Hawaii to Pisa, Italy couple:  She was attractive but I was so distracted by her bad complexion that I couldn't even focus on the places they looked at.  All I could think of was "Proactive!"

[proserpina65]

20 hours ago, AuntiePam said:

Monaco is #2 on the list of densely populated countries, second to Macau and ahead of Singapore and Hong Kong.

Looking at that place made me wonder where everyone puts their trash.  There's no room for a landfill.  And sewers -- where does all that waste go? 

Way too crowded, but a beautiful setting.

They probably send their trash to France.  You know, because it's soooooo awful there.

[Bronx Babe]

12 hours ago, juliet73 said:

Hawaii to Italy couple. Ugh!  How many times is the wife going to mention the "small appliances" and husband complaining about everything being too small/tight for a family of 5?  At least he did mention he wanted a house that looked Italian. Her, not so much! She wanted everything to look just like Americaville USA!!  

Am I the only one who thought it was odd when the husband was explaining how he is a native of Hawaii, but his wife moved there when she was 13. And most people think his wife is the native one because of her complexion?  Ummm, yeah...I would think EVERYONE thinks that because she totally looks Hawaiian!!!  It seemed like an awkward thing to say IMO.

To my ears, making it even more confusing, the husband sounded like he had some kind of European accent.  I couldn't pin it down,.

[AuntiePam]

2 hours ago, Bronx Babe said:

To my ears, making it even more confusing, the husband sounded like he had some kind of European accent.  I couldn't pin it down,.

I thought so too!  Very strange.

Their search, and the manufactured disagreements, were so clumsy with them.  A bathtub should have been the clincher -- they shouldn't even have looked at places without a bathtub, not with small children. 

And the commute -- she's really going to wrangle three kids every morning so she can drive him to work and then wrangle them again so she can pick him up 8-10 hours later, at a time when you'd usually be fixing the evening meal?  That made no sense. 

His insistence on being far from work was ridiculous.  Just don't answer the phone, ya dummy.  That's what the rest of us do.

I didn't mind her comments about the small appliances, but I wish they'd find a way to highlight the differences without making Americans sound so stupid. 

[abbyzenn]

Re: Monaco Ben

Just another reminder of how we are all so different - I couldn't understand this appeal of Monaco that you'd "put your life on hold" to achieve moving there.  Sure it's pretty but so are a lot of other places nearby.  I don't recall him saying anything about the wonderful climate, or being able to swim in the sea or visit nearby ancient towns.  Plus wouldn't everything - food, restuarants, etc - being very expensive?  Or was it more that life rich style which would take a lot of money to be able to afford - unless he finds an older sugar daddy.  But it's all so artificial to me.  Maybe because I have a chronic potential fatal disease I think so much emphasis on material possessions is a meaningless lifestyle.

[Peanutbuttercup]

I'm confused, was the family moving to Pisa from Hawaii a FAMILY OF FIVE? And might things "be tight" in the living room/kitchen/bathroom for a FAMILY OF FIVE? The father only mentioned it about 18 times so I am not sure I understood correctly.

Seriously, what was his obsession with "color" and "Italian charm"? He kept complaining that the walls were too white and not charming enough . . . was he expecting to move into some modern day version of a Pompeiian villa, with frescoed walls and floors in brilliant colors?

To go against the grain a bit, I liked Monaco Ben. I thought it was great that he was willing to work hard and save money for his grad program, plus he seemed to have a sense of humor about himself and his champagne tastes -- to me it came across a lot as being a bit arch and playful, not exactly 100% serious. And he did do a very nice job with his apartment decorating.

[Irlandesa]

Arch is a great word for his attitude and why I was more amused than bothered. 

5 hours ago, AuntiePam said:

And the commute -- she's really going to wrangle three kids every morning so she can drive him to work and then wrangle them again so she can pick him up 8-10 hours later, at a time when you'd usually be fixing the evening meal? 

Isn't that why she wanted to be close to his place of work?  Since they only had access to one car, I guess she's going to do what she has got to do.

5 hours ago, AuntiePam said:

His insistence on being far from work was ridiculous.  Just don't answer the phone, ya dummy.  That's what the rest of us do.

He's in the military so probably not an option for him.

[KLovestoShop]

Monaco Boy "I don't want to be annoying, but I'm not getting what I want".  Guess what, Ben. You ARE annoying.  If this idiot had done his homework, he'd know that for his budget, he wouldn't get a one car garage IN Monaco.  I hope mommy realizes that she spawned an obnoxious brat.  Seriously, this jerk bothered the crap out of me.  

Why do you need a degree to sell yachts?  I see he sold Range Rovers, so he makes a pretty penny selling those.  

Edited September 9, 2016 by KLovestoShop

[AuntiePam]

1 hour ago, Irlandesa said:

Isn't that why she wanted to be close to his place of work?  Since they only had access to one car, I guess she's going to do what she has got to do.

 

Yes, it was her reason -- he's the one who said he wanted to be some distance from work.   That aspect seemed manufactured -- that he would really expect her and the kids to spend at least two hours in the car every day, taking him back and forth to work.  And if he's going to be on call, it won't matter to his job whether he's five minutes away or thirty minutes -- they're going to call him and he'll have to show up.  It just seemed like a phony requirement on his part.  

[Suck It Trebek]

He said at the end that he works 48 on/72 off so maybe it wouldn't be quite as onerous as doing the drive twice daily.

[AuntiePam]

1 hour ago, Suck It Trebek said:

He said at the end that he works 48 on/72 off so maybe it wouldn't be quite as onerous as doing the drive twice daily.

True, but it's still twice a day, four days a week.  He could drive himself on days when the weather is bad -- snow, etc. -- or if one of the kids is sick.  Or when she just doesn't need the car. 

He just didn't seem the type of guy who would discommode (is that a word? dis-accommodate?) his family just so he wouldn't be close to his job.  That's why I thought it was producer-driven. 

[biakbiak]

11 minutes ago, AuntiePam said:

True, but it's still twice a day, four days a week.  He could drive himself on days when the weather is bad -- snow, etc. -- or if one of the kids is sick.  Or when she just doesn't need the car. 

He just didn't seem the type of guy who would discommode (is that a word? dis-accommodate?) his family just so he wouldn't be close to his job.  That's why I thought it was producer-driven. 

In my experience many people who use the terminology 48 on 72 off are talking about the fact that the work a 48 hour shift without going home so it wouldnt necessarily be that they went back and forth twice a day.

Edited September 9, 2016 by biakbiak

[juliet73]

1 hour ago, biakbiak said:

In my experience many people who use the terminology 48 on 72 off are talking about the fact that the work a 48 hour shift without going home so it wouldnt necessarily be that they went back and forth twice a day.

Correct...she would drive him there and then pick him up  2 days later. Then he would  be home for 3 days. 

[scootypuffjr]

Regarding the desire for "Italian charm", or "English charm" or "French charm" or whatever - I am always a bit annoyed that the Americans seem to want people in other countries to live in the past, in the old traditional ways, like they are in some Epcot exhibit or something. Of course some people do live in older places like that, but it comes across like the Italians and English and French don't deserve or have a desire to live in a more modern place with more modern features. It would be like if people from other countries moved here and expected everyone to live in houses from the 1700 and 1800s. I realize that cities and civilizations are much older in other parts of the world than here, but I still find it grating. Perhaps this ought to go in the Pet Peeves thread, but I was reminded of that while watching the Hawaii to Pisa husband. YMMV.

[iMonrey]

LOL on the couple moving to Cambodia . . . or rather, not LOL because I don't see much of a future in stand up comedy for this guy, unless they left his best material on the cutting room floor. I loved that the editors inserted the sound of crickets chirping after the one joke he tried to make. 

They must not pay jack for teachers in Cambodia if all they could afford was $350 a month between the two of them, and had to take on extra work just to pay the $375. I swear I paid more than that for my first apartment back in 1987.

[magemaud]

I just couldn't watch the potential disaster of aspiring stand up comedian "Stevo" and his wife moving to Cambodia with limited savings and no jobs or connections. He mentioned how they both had taught English in other countries, I hope they were able to find work in Phnom Penh. And, is pursuing a stand up comedy career in a foreign country a new theme for HHI? Remember that guy "Kelly" who moved to Costa Rica? 

[AuntiePam]

12 hours ago, juliet73 said:

Correct...she would drive him there and then pick him up  2 days later. Then he would  be home for 3 days. 

Thanks for the clarification.  Since his job was in fire protection, I should have figured that out.  Firefighters basically live at the station.  Duh me!

[iMonrey]

Quote

 I hope they were able to find work in Phnom Penh. 

Yes, at the end they said she got a teaching job at an institutional school, and he got a job as a principal at a school that was just setting up. But they also had to take on private tutoring on the side to afford the $375 a month rent, which is why I wondered how crappy the pay must be there.

[mojito]

I haven't seen anyone yet on these shows who was working in Asia teaching English who seemed to be doing more than making ends meet, and that's with a roommate. Travelling English teachers must be pretty easy to come by in that region.

Those tarantula snacks... I can't even walk down the meat section of my neighborhood Latino supermarket for fear of which animal head I might see; when I think of Asia, I think of the local food and I turn into a persnickety kid in a high chair. I don't want my protein to look like what it actually is (no skin, bones, or obvious fat, and in this case, legs). 

[juliet73]

I LOVED the Idaho to New Zealand couple!! It was so refreshing to see a couple that was so respectful to each other.  Also, loved that he gave up working so much because he valued his family time, etc over money!! 

[Bronx Babe]

The "Idaho" professional mermaid wife was obviously from NZ as she had the accent, but nothing was mentioned on her background.  I did enjoy them as a couple -- it seemed to me like the husband might have had some health crisis -- physical or psychological, which precipitated the family move.  She was initially annoying to me with all that forced laughter but at the "epilogue" you could see how genuinely solicitous she was towards him and how he appreciated and valued her total support.