House Hunters International - General Discussion

[Ohwell]

It might not have been hard for you, but no way in hell would I try driving in the UK after driving in the US all these years. 

[chocolatine]

Driving in the UK at first is tricky when you're used to the other system, but if you're moving there long-term, you get used to it. You can take a few driving lessons if you're feeling unsure about the rules for turns, roundabouts, etc. 

[suebee12]

Ok, I have to know! What the heck is the guy from San Diego going to do with his surfboards in Basel? Even his wife wondered! I understand why they chose the place they picked but I surely loved the country house. It was gorgeous...ok, ok, it wasn't practical especially since they would have to buy a car but the scenery was wonderful. I would love to visit Switzerland but I do know it one of the most expensive places to live so I have to live vicariously through HHI!

[AuntiePam]

The Basel couple -- when she was talking about doing those stairs with a stroller, a (large) baby, and groceries, I was reminded of that fable about a rabbit, a fox, and a cabbage and the rabbit wants to cross a river and he wants to take the cabbage.  At least I think that's how it went.  Rabbit ended up getting eaten, if I remember right.

It was nice of the neighbor (or the manager) to let her leave the stroller on the landing.  But does she take the baby up first, or the groceries? 

[chocolatine]

2 hours ago, suebee12 said:

Ok, I have to know! What the heck is the guy from San Diego going to do with his surfboards in Basel?

I know, right? Unless he's planning to take a road trip to the Mediterranean, he won't have much use for it in Switzerland. Must have paid a lot of money to have it shipped there, too.

I know it wasn't practical, but I would have picked the country house. The Swiss country air is just so, so wonderful. I've never experienced anything like it anywhere else. It's not my favorite country in terms of sights and food, but I want to go back just for the air.

[Rosebud1970]

6 hours ago, suebee12 said:

Ok, I have to know! What the heck is the guy from San Diego going to do with his surfboards in Basel? Even his wife wondered! I understand why they chose the place they picked but I surely loved the country house. It was gorgeous...ok, ok, it wasn't practical especially since they would have to buy a car but the scenery was wonderful. I would love to visit Switzerland but I do know it one of the most expensive places to live so I have to live vicariously through HHI!

I was yelling at my TV. Was he planning to surf the Rhine? Switzerland is completely landlocked.

He whined nonstop about the move and they were moving because of HIS job. 

You can't bathe a baby in the shower, lugging a baby and groceries up those steep stairs. You know he won't be doing any of that. He's a whiny little bitch.

[swissair100]

Quote

Was he planning to surf the Rhine? Switzerland is completely landlocked.

Yes, "river surfing".  Surprisingly, there are a few rivers within countries like Switzerland, Germany, Slovakia, etc that offer this.  It is more extreme & not sure if his board is suited for this type of surfing. 

Quote

You can't bathe a baby in the shower..

It's not ideal (for many), but I have a few couple friends in Europe who buy a large portable tub that can fit in their showers as a substitute for not having a bathtub. They adapt & manage somehow.

[QuinnM]

Quote

It's not ideal (for many), but I have a few couple friends in Europe who buy a large portable tub that can fit in their showers as a substitute for not having a bathtub. They adapt & manage somehow.

Yes I've visited these friends.  Remember you are sharing a bath even if you have a bedroom for all of us coming to visit.  So you want a shower, you take the tub out of the shower and prop it on the toilet, take a shower, move the tub back to the shower, the wet just used shower.  It was really kinda icky.  The friends said that they were showering the 'baby' in the sink until it just got crazy because the tub in the small bath was such a nightmare.  So I would insist on 2 baths or a tub.  I would be firm about it.

[biakbiak]

8 hours ago, chocolatine said:

I know, right? Unless he's planning to take a road trip to the Mediterranean, he won't have much use for it in Switzerland. Must have paid a lot of money to have it shipped there, too.

I know it wasn't practical, but I would have picked the country house. The Swiss country air is just so, so wonderful. I've never experienced anything like it anywhere else. It's not my favorite country in terms of sights and food, but I want to go back just for the air.

If he is like most surfers I know he probably just checked it. It's either part of the baggage allowance or an extra fee depending on the airline, if it's a fee it's usually around $100 sometimes less sometimes  a little more.

I see taking a surfboard because he will be living there so a long weekend trip to SW France which is a days drive or a short flight or a train trip to several places.

[jcbrown]

I was really interested to watch this one because I travel to Basel fairly frequently for work but I hated both of them.  Was hoping to see more exterior shots. The husband was a big whiner and the wife was not much better. At least they did not pick the wildly impractical country place.

Edited February 7, 2017 by jcbrown

[Kohola3]

Quote

t's not ideal (for many), but I have a few couple friends in Europe who buy a large portable tub that can fit in their showers as a substitute for not having a bathtub. They adapt & manage somehow.

In my childhood days (yes, eons ago) giving a baby a bath in the kitchen sink was commonplace.  Even the little baby bathtubs were sized to do that.  Saved mom from having to bend double or be on her knees giving the bath. 

Of course, those were pre-SuperSafeErgonomicEcological car seats days - heck we all survived before seat belts back then AND we drank from hoses.

[QuinnM]

Quote

In my childhood days (yes, eons ago) giving a baby a bath in the kitchen sink was commonplace.  Even the little baby bathtubs were sized to do that.  Saved mom from having to bend double or be on her knees giving the bath

The running joke with the couple that was doing this was that they envisioned their daughter at 16 standing in the kitchen sink.  Oh and lets remember to look at kitchen sinks in Europe.  They are often small shallow round models.  You would be hard pressed to fit a new born in there.

[HZAnita]

On 2/1/2017 at 11:31 PM, MsProudSooner said:

They said the population of the Norwich area was 1,000,000.  Surely they have public transportation the wife could use.

I had the laugh when the husband cringed at the thought of a 3 mile drive to the highway.  For most of my working life, my commute was 30 miles or 40 minutes.  

There are fabulous buses in Norwich.  Literally one of my favorite little cities on the planet.

[mojito]

I liked the Basel (home of Roger Federer) couple. He understood that he required sunshine (I so relate to that) and he took the transfer to Switzerland despite his reservations (by the way, I'm guessing it was a corporate move and the transportation of his surfboards was taken care of). He admitted that he didn't like change and he needed sunshine, but there he was, at his wife's request, relocating to Switzerland. I didn't think either was whiney and they found something to like in each home and weren't very critical.

I loved the place out in the country.

This was one of the few episodes where the real estate person said that a place was "a little over" their budget, and it was. Just a little. The wife mentioned something at the very end about a year, so I wonder if that will be the extent of their stay. Otherwise, I'd've gone for the home in the country and gotten the car. When you're on the border of two other countries, it seems like an opportune time to get into road trips.

As for the surfboards....maybe he's hoping to hit other European shores or maybe he just had to take a little piece of his old life with him. I feel for him, giving up the sunshine and surfing life. 

It's a shame that so many European children are living in filth, what with so many places not having bathtubs. Perhaps UNICEF can help.

[chocolatine]

9 hours ago, mojito said:

It's a shame that so many European children are living in filth, what with so many places not having bathtubs. Perhaps UNICEF can help.

LMAO!

[TVForever]

Okay gang,

Mr TVF stopped recording the Amsterdam houseboat episode just before decision time (Thanks babe! Love ya, mean it!,)! 

Which one did he choose? I'm hoping it was the little boat in the great location. It seemed perfect for one full time and one part time resident, and it allowed him to cruise the canals also. My absolute favorite was the first one, but it WAAY over budget, and if he could really afford that much, then he could be looking at a whole different group of choices.

So, which was it?

[Peanutbuttercup]

5 minutes ago, TVForever said:

Okay gang,

Mr TVF stopped recording the Amsterdam houseboat episode just before decision time (Thanks babe! Love ya, mean it!,)! 

Which one did he choose? I'm hoping it was the little boat in the great location. It seemed perfect for one full time and one part time resident, and it allowed him to cruise the canals also. My absolute favorite was the first one, but it WAAY over budget, and if he could really afford that much, then he could be looking at a whole different group of choices.

So, which was it?

He chose the pirate ship. Fun, but I'm not really sure why a pirate ship is necessary for your child to grow up to be her best possible self. He's using part of the pirate ship as a B&B.

[truther]

It was all a con - he chose the third one, the giant pirate ship, because he wanted to make it a B&B.  Shockingly, neither of the other two options were appropriate for that specific use that they only mentioned for the first time at the end of the episode.  

[Pickles]

The pirate ship guy was a little off to me. He had moved four times in the past year so that daughter Natalie could be her best self. What? Something tells me that this little girl says jump and Dad says how high. Pirate guy had also just broken up with his partner and was trying to recreate his youth (the best days of his life) when he lived on a boat. I don't think you can recreate the past. Anyway, when Natalie decides the pirate ship does not let her live her best life, Dad will be searching again for another home.

[TVForever]

2 hours ago, Peanutbuttercup said:

He chose the pirate ship. Fun, but I'm not really sure why a pirate ship is necessary for your child to grow up to be her best possible self. He's using part of the pirate ship as a B&B.

 

2 hours ago, truther said:

It was all a con - he chose the third one, the giant pirate ship, because he wanted to make it a B&B.  Shockingly, neither of the other two options were appropriate for that specific use that they only mentioned for the first time at the end of the episode.  

Really? Well, that's not an awful choice, just not what I thought he was after. But, like you say, the B&B was obviously the plan all along, just not given to us (the audience) as part of the search criteria. Wish I could have seen the "after" pictures. Maybe he's online since he's running it as a business.  I hope he and his daughter are enjoying their new life.

Thanks for the update!

[Kohola3]

1 hour ago, TVForever said:

Wish I could have seen the "after" pictures. Maybe he's online since he's running it as a business.  I hope he and his daughter are enjoying their new life.

Here is the airbnb listing.

[abbyzenn]

Thanks Kohola3 for posting that airbnb listing.  I think it's a good use of that place - very unique being on a boat.  Although I wonder how warm it would be in winter.  That said I thought the guy seemed a bit weird.

Just got around to watching the Helsinki episode.  This was another episode where I thought it strange that there was no mention of school for the two boys (although the younger one might not be school age).  At first I didn't care for the husband but it was refreshing that neither husband nor wife were negative when looking at the 3 places themselves only about the location.   Also surprising, since they had 2 boys, they were only looking for 2 bedroom places - the usual types would need at least 4 bedrooms - and again surprising just one bathroom.

[TVForever]

2 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

Here is the airbnb listing.

Thanks! 

[mojito]

Amsterdam Boat Man.  So many unanswered questions about Scott's career intentions, where he's been living (were they living in Europe all this time?), where his ex lives now (because Natalie will be spending time with him). Two thoughts kept coming to mind as I watched. 1) I would love to see Scott do Natalie's hair, and 2) I would love to hear Natalie's story years from now when she's in college telling her new friends about her childhood. She could easily become The Most Interesting Woman in the World, especially if she gets to travel the canals of Europe somehow. "Well, there was a lot of turmoil in my life before I was adopted, but then I was adopted and things were going great. Then came my dads' divorce....that's dads plural, then apostrophe....yes, it is a little offbeat...oh, you don't even know the half of it, but that's a story for another time...."

I liked the idea of the two cruising the canals of Europe, I liked the first houseboat the most, but I guess the pirate ship was the best choice. I'd rather be in a cramped apartment overlooking the canal, however.

[biakbiak]

Given that Natalie only spends the weekends with him I think it's pretty safe to assume that his ex lives nearby.

[Kohola3]

And it doesn't look like this ship doesn't actually travel anywhere.  It's apparently permanently docked in one spot.  Otherwise how could it be booked on airbnb?

[TVForever]

1 hour ago, mojito said:

Amsterdam Boat Man.  So many unanswered questions about Scott's career intentions, where he's been living (were they living in Europe all this time?), where his ex lives now (because Natalie will be spending time with him). Two thoughts kept coming to mind as I watched. 1) I would love to see Scott do Natalie's hair, and 2) I would love to hear Natalie's story years from now when she's in college telling her new friends about her childhood. She could easily become The Most Interesting Woman in the World, especially if she gets to travel the canals of Europe somehow. "Well, there was a lot of turmoil in my life before I was adopted, but then I was adopted and things were going great. Then came my dads' divorce....that's dads plural, then apostrophe....yes, it is a little offbeat...oh, you don't even know the half of it, but that's a story for another time...."

I liked the idea of the two cruising the canals of Europe, I liked the first houseboat the most, but I guess the pirate ship was the best choice. I'd rather be in a cramped apartment overlooking the canal, however.

Is it weird that I was thinking the exact same thing? 

[mojito]

Quote

Is it weird that I was thinking the exact same thing? 

Well, not to me. 

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, Kohola3 said:

And it doesn't look like this ship doesn't actually travel anywhere.  It's apparently permanently docked in one spot.  Otherwise how could it be booked on airbnb?

If you read the air b&b page (not that one would, I'm not sure why I did as I'm not going there) he mentions that the boat can sail but it takes about three days to raise the sails so it's not available for that right now but maybe one day.  However, if he and Natalie wanted to sail, the implication is that he could do it if he wanted to put in the work.

2 hours ago, biakbiak said:

Given that Natalie only spends the weekends with him I think it's pretty safe to assume that his ex lives nearby.

Yep. I know he said he moved four times but he also mentioned coming from Dordrecht, Holland.  That's only about an hour's train ride away.  I wonder if his ex is there. 

[LazyToaster]

I was really intrigued by the pirate ship choice.  I read the Airbnb page and he has great reviews - seems like it could be a good business.  I'd pay $83 to spend the night on that ship! 

[LazyToaster]

The surfer dude moving to Switzerland bugged the heck out of me.  The wife was ok.  But - the baby was adorable! 

[chessiegal]

42 minutes ago, LazyToaster said:

I was really intrigued by the pirate ship choice.  I read the Airbnb page and he has great reviews - seems like it could be a good business.  I'd pay $83 to spend the night on that ship! 

Three night minimum stay - still a good deal based on hotel prices we've seen in Europe.

[AuntiePam]

I was rooting for the Costa Rica husband to get his place on the beach.  I get why they chose a different place -- more space for guests -- but unless the guests are going to be there a lot, then go ahead and buy what YOU want.  Plus, the guests will probably appreciate staying in a place ON the beach.  It might be a short trip to the beach, but it's still a trip, not something you'll be able to do whenever you feel like it.  Lock up the house, load the car or pack your bag with everything you might possibly need.  Being able to sit on the beach or listen to the ocean 24/7 -- that's worth moving for.

[mojito]

NY and UK to Belgium, Mitchell and James. Mitchell wants their place to look like the opening scene of Beauty and the Beast. He wants a place that looks like Europe but feels like America. He's taken a "risk" to move to Belgium though he may not have had a career (he was planning to go to law school) and he was going to be supported by James. He wore a pair of white short-shorts and a form-fitting sweater that showed off his, um, need not to wear such form-fitting sweaters. (I wouldn't have even noticed the latter if the former didn't make me study him in toto.)

SMH. I kept thinking, "Run, James, run." But I doubt he'd listen to me.

I was surprised at the seemingly low cost to rent in Brussels. They were able to get two bedrooms for under $1700 in all three choices.

[TVForever]

On 2/10/2017 at 4:26 PM, AuntiePam said:

I was rooting for the Costa Rica husband to get his place on the beach.  I get why they chose a different place -- more space for guests -- but unless the guests are going to be there a lot, then go ahead and buy what YOU want.  Plus, the guests will probably appreciate staying in a place ON the beach.  It might be a short trip to the beach, but it's still a trip, not something you'll be able to do whenever you feel like it.  Lock up the house, load the car or pack your bag with everything you might possibly need.  Being able to sit on the beach or listen to the ocean 24/7 -- that's worth moving for.

I'm with you. The husband said a line at that first house that sums up my feelings perfectly- "I'll take a tent if it's on the beach." 

[LazyToaster]

Mitchell & James were entertaining.  You could see that they are still in the "honeymoon stage" - I hope it lasts a long time for them.  I thought all three apartments were decent choices and think the one they picked was really nice.  I just hope James didn't get tired of the commute after a short time.  The real estate agent was funny too.  This group of people all acted like they enjoyed the filming and not all uptight like so many of the HH's. 

[debraran]

8 hours ago, LazyToaster said:

Mitchell & James were entertaining.  You could see that they are still in the "honeymoon stage" - I hope it lasts a long time for them.  I thought all three apartments were decent choices and think the one they picked was really nice.  I just hope James didn't get tired of the commute after a short time.  The real estate agent was funny too.  This group of people all acted like they enjoyed the filming and not all uptight like so many of the HH's. 

My daughter watched this show with me, she has done a little traveling while studying in Europe. She normally doesn't like them but this show she enjoyed. She also loved the realtor and thought she was more realistic and low-key funny.. I forgot how long the commute was but I think they got a nice place and the prices vs what we pay in the states was reasonable. Seeing Sweden after that, London, Paris, well, that's like NYC. ; )

[mojito]

Texas to vacation home in Spain. Nice enough couple. Had a very modest budget and found a place that satisfied them both. I wondered, as they talked so much about their grandchildren visiting, just how often they would be able to do so. It costs a lot of money to fly a family to Spain. So far, their visits have come from the daughter and mother-in-law, those with apparently no small children (the daughter was still in school). 

It was very adventurous of them to go to a place they'd never been (Alicante....they had been in Spain, though) prepared to purchase a home. I like their spirit.

[juliet73]

On 2/14/2017 at 10:22 AM, mojito said:

Texas to vacation home in Spain. Nice enough couple. Had a very modest budget and found a place that satisfied them both. I wondered, as they talked so much about their grandchildren visiting, just how often they would be able to do so. It costs a lot of money to fly a family to Spain. So far, their visits have come from the daughter and mother-in-law, those with apparently no small children (the daughter was still in school). 

 

My son and husband went to Spain over the summer.  It was a little over $4k for them to fly from Chicago to Madrid.  Definitely not cheap. Plus, it's like a 10 hour flight direct.  I can't imagine small children being cooped up in a plane for that long.  Where were these children and grandchildren all going to sleep? It was only 2 bedrooms.

[biakbiak]

17 minutes ago, juliet73 said:

My son and husband went to Spain over the summer.  It was a little over $4k for them to fly from Chicago to Madrid.  Definitely not cheap. Plus, it's like a 10 hour flight direct.  I can't imagine small children being cooped up in a plane for that long.  Where were these children and grandchildren all going to sleep? It was only 2 bedrooms.

Air mattress? You can definitely get cheaper tickets out there. I have been to Europe from SF three times in the past year and didn't spend more $700 and the flight to Portugal went through Madrid. I imagine if the grandkids come over they will be doing it for a few weeks at a time during the summer. One of my first flights was when I was 4 to New Zealand, I read and slept most of the time, a lot of kids can handle it. My niece has been going to her grandparents vacation home in Spain since she was 6 months old. 

[Pickles]

I liked the couple moving to Panama. Together 30 years. I thought they looked so much alike!  They definitely picked the right place, even if it was $25k over budget. I didn't see their dogs in Panama. 

[pep4]

Love Cuenca, but no way am I falling for the "I get stupid Americans to pay me to spit in their face" trick....

[Mittengirl]

What the hell was that?  I looked up when the woman was flogging the guy with some kind of foliage, then she was spitting on him!?  Voodoo?  Blessing?  Insect repellent?

[mojito]

The Cuenca woman annoyed me with her constant reference to a walk-in closet. I thought she was slapworthy. And spitworthy. 

[cyberfruit]

My least favorite HHI episodes are Americans buying/renting in Latin America, and Cuenca did not disappoint. I don't know what it is, but it always feels like American entitlement about truly insignificant things (like that damn walk-in closet) become magnified in L.A. countries. I know that HHI is fake and that the editors zero-in on "issues", but it looks so unfavorably on them. If basic research into Ecuadoran homes doesn't show empty rooms for clothing, then stop talking about wanting a walk-in closet. 

[chessiegal]

7 hours ago, cyberfruit said:

My least favorite HHI episodes are Americans buying/renting in Latin America, and Cuenca did not disappoint. I don't know what it is, but it always feels like American entitlement about truly insignificant things (like that damn walk-in closet) become magnified in L.A. countries. I know that HHI is fake and that the editors zero-in on "issues", but it looks so unfavorably on them. If basic research into Ecuadoran homes doesn't show empty rooms for clothing, then stop talking about wanting a walk-in closet. 

^^^This! The walk-in closet schtick was ridiculous. We retired 9 years ago - I have fewer clothes thank goodness. And she was making up words - "functionable" is not a word.

Edited February 19, 2017 by chessiegal

[Former Nun]

10 hours ago, cyberfruit said:

My least favorite HHI episodes are Americans buying/renting in Latin America, and Cuenca did not disappoint.

Can't this show script their home seekers to be less "ugly American"?    Get new producers.  Get a new slant; we're getting bored.  These are terms not EVERY American uses when looking for a place to live--even IN America.     (1) We need room for entertaining.   EGAD!  Can't one say (ever), "We like to have parties," or "we like to have people over."  No...everyone ENTERTAINS.   (2) Walk-in closets.   WALK-IN FREAKING CLOSETS???   (3) Natural light.  SURELY...surely, not everyone notices, neeeeeeds, or comments on natural light.  (4) Everyone seems to require stainless steel appliances and granite counters (even the "poorest" newlyweds).  It's a fad, people...it will pass. The producers need to provide new vocabularies for these "rich" ex-pats.  As for the uppity wife moving to Ecuador...we're all SO impressed with your demands vs. the gigantic $800 budget.  Queen of Cuenca.

[chocolatine]

Cuenca wife deserved to be spat on.

[debraran]

7 hours ago, Former Nun said:

Can't this show script their home seekers to be less "ugly American"?    Get new producers.  Get a new slant; we're getting bored.  These are terms not EVERY American uses when looking for a place to live--even IN America.     (1) We need room for entertaining.   EGAD!  Can't one say (ever), "We like to have parties," or "we like to have people over."  No...everyone ENTERTAINS.   (2) Walk-in closets.   WALK-IN FREAKING CLOSETS???   (3) Natural light.  SURELY...surely, not everyone notices, neeeeeeds, or comments on natural light.  (4) Everyone seems to require stainless steel appliances and granite counters (even the "poorest" newlyweds).  It's a fad, people...it will pass. The producers need to provide new vocabularies for these "rich" ex-pats.  As for the uppity wife moving to Ecuador...we're all SO impressed with your demands vs. the gigantic $800 budget.  Queen of Cuenca.

I so agree, especially "natural light" Sure if regular people see a room with no windows, maybe was a closet before, they might say, "It's dark" but in watching any of the House shows, House Hunters, HHI, Tiny House Hunters, Tiny House Nation, the number of times it is said, is beyond odd. My kids once said, when they wanted to change the channel, and I wanted to see a tiny house show, "I guess we can count the natural light references" as a joke. Right on cue, a woman said of a shoe box, Well, I love the natural light". lol

As a regular home owner, old colonial, I hate when young couples insist a house is not workable because a kitchen 3 times the size of mine is too small. Bedrooms, normal size to me, aren't workable. If this is real, it's more scary than fun.

I like International shows to just see glimpses of homes/prices, but sometimes wish I can mute the sound and still understand what is going on. 

It is getting old, is old, I hope the listen and revamp it a bit.

[Kohola3]

1 hour ago, debraran said:

I like International shows to just see glimpses of homes/prices, but sometimes wish I can mute the sound and still understand what is going on. 

 

I mute the sound and use closed captioning. You learn to tune out any of the scripted words, especially when you know they'll be used. I only pay attention to prices and can enjoy just looking at the homes and features. Plus - no vocal fry!