House Hunters International - General Discussion

[LittleIggy]

4 hours ago, judylo said:

I kinda liked the Stirling, Scotland family. The guy was a bit of an ass, but the whole episode was funny and enjoyable.

I cut him some slack for quoting from “The Big Lebowski.” Maybe they can afford a better place since he found a job. BTW, he must have been an academic to get that position, no?

Rosarita, Mexico: So great to see a couple who still adore each other after 25 years. 💕

[amarante]

18 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

But she didn't say it approaches. She said it was closer. And $800 is a LOT closer than $300. 

I was commenting on a previous post in which the poster used the term approaching $800

[biakbiak]

On 11/28/2019 at 10:37 AM, amarante said:

think a comment that $800 approaches New York rates is bizarre anyway you slice it or dice it because no one comments on rental costs based on what someone who is lucky enough to be living in a rent stabilized apartment who moved in 25 years ago is paying.

Because before she moved in and got settled and found a job she would owe between $4800 to $9600 which is approaching first and last and security deposit in NYC. Yes, it would mean that she wouldn’t have to pay monthly rent going forward for either six months to a year but the move in costs would be equivalent. 

Edited November 30, 2019 by biakbiak

[LittleIggy]

Sydney: I would love to go out on my balcony to find a cockatoo there! The real estate guy was cute. Hasn’t he been on there before? Liked the place they picked.

[SmithW6079]

On 11/29/2019 at 12:56 AM, LittleIggy said:

I cut him some slack for quoting from “The Big Lebowski.” Maybe they can afford a better place since he found a job. BTW, he must have been an academic to get that position, no?

Yes, he is a lecturer at the university. 

https://www.stir.ac.uk/people/267043

In 2013, they were both professors at SUNY Cortland who got into some ethics trouble.

NY inspector general alleges misconduct by 2 SUNY Cortland instructors

I was reading the comments about a Ghana episode and how cheap housing was, but it must not have been the one I just watched. That episode featured a young family moving back to Africa from America, who were surprised at how expensive housing was. I liked them; there was minimal drama, and they seemed like they actually liked each other. 

[Ohwell]

15 minutes ago, SmithW6079 said:

I was reading the comments about a Ghana episode and how cheap housing was, but it must not have been the one I just watched. That episode featured a young family moving back to Africa from America, who were surprised at how expensive housing was. I liked them; there was minimal drama, and they seemed like they actually liked each other. 

That episode was about a young, single woman who moved to Ghana from NYC.

[LittleIggy]

6 hours ago, SmithW6079 said:

Yes, he is a lecturer at the university. 

https://www.stir.ac.uk/people/267043

In 2013, they were both professors at SUNY Cortland who got into some ethics trouble.

NY inspector general alleges misconduct by 2 SUNY Cortland instructors

I was reading the comments about a Ghana episode and how cheap housing was, but it must not have been the one I just watched. That episode featured a young family moving back to Africa from America, who were surprised at how expensive housing was. I liked them; there was minimal drama, and they seemed like they actually liked each other. 

Stirling U. must be desperate for faculty if it hired that ethically challenged pair. 

[Pickles]

I enjoyed the Brussels episode last night. The wife's voice kind of drove me nuts. I liked the agent. I thought for sure they would go with the first apartment in the city, but they went with the cheaper suburban house. At least I think they did. Can anyone confirm that? Lol. I kind of faded out at the end.

[Grrarrggh]

30 minutes ago, Pickles said:

 but they went with the cheaper suburban house. At least I think they did. Can anyone confirm that? Lol. I kind of faded out at the end.

They did. I just watched the recording since you stay up later than I do. You partier! 

[scrb]

Sounds like they also came from the suburbs and while she kept talking about exploring, all the chocolatiers and beer places in every corner, she was playing that up, as if it was a greater priority for her than it really was.

So they would probably go into the center of the city together, on weekends and such.  But when he's away on a trip, she wasn't going to go sample beers on her own.

Instead, she's walking her dog in the burbs.

In virtually every HHI episode, one of the couple always want to be in the center of the action, as if they were going to go eat out every day.

Even people who don't cook don't eat out every day.

So I suspect the city center request is often a producer thing, just like almost every episode, you have modern vs. character.

If they're not having the house hunters memorize some lines they write for them, there are probably cue cards telling them what to say.  Particularly people talking about crown molding or various architectural details.

Someone could probably enumerate a FAQ with all the HH and HHI tropes, like people wanting to entertain or having a guest bedroom for all the people who are going to visit them, etc.

But obviously it's a formula that works, because HGTV doesn't seem to mind paying for them to crank out all these episodes, year week after week, year after year.

[laredhead]

There were a few House Hunters Beach Off the Grid episodes on recently.  One was in Australia and one was in Belize.  All I could think about when they were trekking to these houses was how inconvenient it would be to have to make that trip in bad weather, and then get to the final destination, and have to board another small boat, and maybe a trek to the house after that.   I guess that's not my desire to live so remotely.  Some of the houses they looked at had no screens and the windows were wide open.  All I could think of bugs, creepy crawlers, animals, and other things that might enter the house, especially at night.  I live in south Louisiana, and we have a hard time keeping mosquitoes out even with good screens.  The second couple in Belize wanted a vacation home and ended up buying 2 smaller houses side by side to accommodate friends and relatives, and I'm assuming they will also use it as a vacation rental.  I couldn't tell whether the first couple in Australia was going to move to Australia, or if that was also a vacation/investment property.  They have an apartment in New York, but seemed to be able to work remotely. 

[blueray]

I noticed these episodes and was looking for Australia off the grid episode. The other day the guide said it was going to be on but instead it was just the Belize episode again. Is there anywhere to find episodes?

[proserpina65]

On ‎11‎/‎28‎/‎2019 at 9:20 AM, amarante said:

the Bronx (which I believe has the least expensive housing but still not $700 for an apartment)

I saw one on Zillow for $700 but that was with a shared bathroom and kitchen.

On ‎11‎/‎28‎/‎2019 at 11:14 AM, biakbiak said:

SF to Singapore: I refuse to believe they didn’t know that Singapore is more expensive than SF. Talking about places more expensive to live than SF is like a major talking point at parties!

Yeah, I find that pretty hard to believe.  Singapore always lands very high on the list of most expensive cities in the world in which to live.

[ML89]

Mallorjca, Spain: Holy cats, where did those two come from? The guy was insufferable and I thought the wife had sense until she agreed to buying that junk heap (the agent saw them coming and I'm sure had a bottle of champagne after unloading that). How did they have money in the first place?

[Ohwell]

Mallorca, Spain:  I thought both of them were insufferable.

[doodlebug]

7 hours ago, ML89 said:

Mallorjca, Spain: Holy cats, where did those two come from? The guy was insufferable and I thought the wife had sense until she agreed to buying that junk heap (the agent saw them coming and I'm sure had a bottle of champagne after unloading that). How did they have money in the first place?

I thought the husband was particularly obnoxious.  I get so tired of Americans househunting in Europe and whining about rooms being small.

.  He said he had owned several homes in Southern California over the years and their last residence was in Venice Beach where the average house costs around $1.5 million; so, presuming they sold their place in Ca and had some equity; they should have a nice nest egg.  

[buttersister]

Damn, he was overbearing. I haz house-building expertise! Attention Mallorca tradespeople: Get money up front and build changes into your budget! Also dude is doing as much of the work as Jonathan, Chip and Tarek do.

Edited December 6, 2019 by buttersister

[magemaud]

Just watched the repeat of the pretentious insufferable Mother/Daughter buying a studio apartment in Paris. Realtor Adrienne and the Paris scenes were the only thing that made the episode watchable. I was sure there must be a lively discussion here from when it first aired and I wasn’t disappointed. Starting back on page 144, the comments about them were worth the search. 

[TVForever]

4 hours ago, magemaud said:

Just watched the repeat of the pretentious insufferable Mother/Daughter buying a studio apartment in Paris. Realtor Adrienne and the Paris scenes were the only thing that made the episode watchable. I was sure there must be a lively discussion here from when it first aired and I wasn’t disappointed. Starting back on page 144, the comments about them were worth the search. 

Thanks for the info; I've just finished watching the episode and knew there must have been a true snark-a-thon when it first aired. I'm headed to pg 144 right now!

[magemaud]

3 hours ago, TVForever said:

Thanks for the info; I've just finished watching the episode and knew there must have been a true snark-a-thon when it first aired. I'm headed to pg 144 right now!

I hope you’ll come back to post your reactions after you are inspired to get mother-daughter tattoos in each other’s handwriting 

[scrb]

I vaguely remember the mother-daughter Paris episode but I don't recall them being any worse than other episodes featuring Paris.

Sure they got their heads a little too much in the clouds.

But Adrienne built a successful business because of people with aspirations, maybe false ones but aspirations just the same.

How much worse is dreaming of living in Paris than getting a sports car or that stupid Peleton commercial where the already-thin young wife blubbers on about how Peleton changed her life?

In any event, I suspect at least some of the house hunters on HHI and expats in general are searching for something missing in their lives, when they decide they want to leave behind the only life they've known.

Of course a lot of it is fakery, many of the house hunters are not moving permanently or they're doing it to promote their blog or something.

The percentage of house hunters who move for at least a year is probably low anyways.

[proserpina65]

2 hours ago, scrb said:

I vaguely remember the mother-daughter Paris episode but I don't recall them being any worse than other episodes featuring Paris.

Sure they got their heads a little too much in the clouds.

But Adrienne built a successful business because of people with aspirations, maybe false ones but aspirations just the same.

How much worse is dreaming of living in Paris than getting a sports car or that stupid Peleton commercial where the already-thin young wife blubbers on about how Peleton changed her life?

In any event, I suspect at least some of the house hunters on HHI and expats in general are searching for something missing in their lives, when they decide they want to leave behind the only life they've known.

Of course a lot of it is fakery, many of the house hunters are not moving permanently or they're doing it to promote their blog or something.

The percentage of house hunters who move for at least a year is probably low anyways.

Was this the mother-daughter duo where the mother had to live in a historic building even though the apartment was so tiny the bed took up the entire place?  Where the daughter had a strange English accent?  If so, they were pretty insufferable.  The mother-daughter tattoos in each other's handwriting was incredibly laughable.

There's nothing wrong with dreaming of living in Paris, or with being able to make that dream come true.  Whining about having to be in that exact neighborhood is a whole different matter.  (Although they are no worse than that stupid Peloton commercial.)

Edited December 6, 2019 by proserpina65

[amarante]

I suspect it is an old episode but was there some credible back story on the woman from Queens with twins who buys a vacation home in Iceland? 

I never understand why people who claim their lives are too busy feel the need to buy a place requiring one to fly a significant distance but this scenario made zilch sense even judged by those criteria. How could it be easier to shlep two young children overseas so they could enjoy nature versus getting a place somewhere close to where she lives. I know she said she hates to drive but you could be in the Catskills or somewhere on Long Island in the same time it would take you to get from your apartment checked through on a flight - international requires being at the airport at least two hours ahead of boarding.

[LittleIggy]

Auckland, NZ: That episode made me hungry! I was more interested in the food (and the cute real estate guy) than the place they picked.

[laredhead]

Amarante, yes, the Iceland episode is an old one and probably locked in the archives now, but there was a lot of discussion about it when it aired.  I think she probably rents the property when she's not there.  Maybe it's considered a "foreign investment" for tax purposes, etc.  I don't know.  If I remember the discussion thread, many people questioned that episode's theme of a vacation home.     

[magemaud]

On 12/6/2019 at 2:37 PM, proserpina65 said:

Was this the mother-daughter duo where the mother had to live in a historic building even though the apartment was so tiny the bed took up the entire place?  Where the daughter had a strange English accent?  If so, they were pretty insufferable.  The mother-daughter tattoos in each other's handwriting was incredibly laughable.

That's the one! The daughter had an English accent that came and went as well as a breathy monotonous voice. She wore a pink fuzzy coat that looked like it was made for a little girl. Her mother would be coming to stay with her often, but the girl ended up with a tiny studio apartment where the bed took up the whole living area despite her wanting to host parties there. 

[Tosia]

On 12/3/2019 at 12:10 AM, scrb said:

Sounds like they also came from the suburbs and while she kept talking about exploring, all the chocolatiers and beer places in every corner, she was playing that up, as if it was a greater priority for her than it really was.

So they would probably go into the center of the city together, on weekends and such.  But when he's away on a trip, she wasn't going to go sample beers on her own.

Instead, she's walking her dog in the burbs.

In virtually every HHI episode, one of the couple always want to be in the center of the action, as if they were going to go eat out every day.

Even people who don't cook don't eat out every day.

So I suspect the city center request is often a producer thing, just like almost every episode, you have modern vs. character.

If doesn't seem to mind paying for them to crank out all these episodes, year week after week, year after year.

I interpreted the one partner (of any couple mostly) wanting to be in the city center to be able to walk out almost anytime and meet/interact with people vs. driving in the burbs. Just everyday greeting people and hopefully making friends and learning a new language better.

Also I can see the lure of wanting to explore a new city...i.e.,. just window shop, look at architecture, walk the dog or kids and meet others with said dogs.kids in tow, catch buses more easily, check out live music or arts, and even the dodgy parts of a city. 

That said, I love the quiet, beautiful views in the country or hinterland. 

If I were a partner of the main bread winner/the one who needed to move to another country, I would definitely need to find a way to meet others in order to NOT go stir crazy or resentful of partner. 

[ArtFossil]

Re: Digging in Sheffield. Please, please, oh pagan gods, deliver me from young women and their oversize glasses. I shall sacrifice shade-grown coffee and free range tofu. Thank you.

[LittleIggy]

5 hours ago, ArtFossil said:

Re: Digging in Sheffield. Please, please, oh pagan gods, deliver me from young women and their oversize glasses. I shall sacrifice shade-grown coffee and free range tofu. Thank you.

I’m not young, but I have oversized glasses. They look great on me. I don’t get the hate.

Rosarita: Wasn’t that the same condo building the sweet couple from NV chose a few weeks ago?

[javajeanelaine]

I just saw the Puerto Rico episode with the couple where the husband had gotten an inheritance from his mother.  I wish I had a dollar for everytime he said mother and beachfront.  His wife didn't look too happy with not getting a pool.

[proserpina65]

On ‎12‎/‎10‎/‎2019 at 12:51 AM, LittleIggy said:

I’m not young, but I have oversized glasses. They look great on me. I don’t get the hate.

They don't on most people and often come across as an affectation.  They certainly did on this particular woman.

[Grrarrggh]

54 minutes ago, proserpina65 said:

They don't on most people and often come across as an affectation.  They certainly did on this particular woman.

I like that trend better than those shirts with holes in the shoulders. 

[biakbiak]

Did not like the agent in Auckland correcting the woman commenting that there were “his and her grills” and him saying “no there his and his, you’re not allowed out here,” casually “jokey sexism isn’t cool dude.

[blueray]

On 12/13/2019 at 3:22 AM, biakbiak said:

Did not like the agent in Auckland correcting the woman commenting that there were “his and her grills” and him saying “no there his and his, you’re not allowed out here,” casually “jokey sexism isn’t cool dude.

That bothered me too. Though the agent was a woman, so maybe it was the husband that said it.

[biakbiak]

6 minutes ago, blueray said:

That bothered me too. Though the agent was a woman, so maybe it was the husband that said it.

The episode I am referring to the agent was most definitely a man.

[blueray]

Actually now that I think about it, I was thinking of the episode I watched Friday so nvm. The NZ one was the one where they had a few kids and were some what recently married, I think? They blend together lol. I just remember that comment and didn't like it.

Edited December 15, 2019 by blueray

[biakbiak]

Oh lord they are doing CATS movie promotion themed episodes next week. I might have to skip.

I guess I have lived in SF too long because I thought the prices in the Geneva episode were reasonable! 

I thought the second one was so clearly the best option so I am glad they went with they one.

[LittleIggy]

On 12/13/2019 at 3:22 AM, biakbiak said:

Did not like the agent in Auckland correcting the woman commenting that there were “his and her grills” and him saying “no there his and his, you’re not allowed out here,” casually “jokey sexism isn’t cool dude.

Not any more sexist than the “women and their closets” jokes.

Edited December 15, 2019 by LittleIggy

[biakbiak]

13 minutes ago, LittleIggy said:

Not any more sexist than the “women and their closets” jokes.

Didn’t say it was but no one made that remark in this episode.

[javajeanelaine]

Did anyone else find the woman in the Galway episode kind of bitchy towards her partner? 

[TVForever]

On 12/15/2019 at 1:40 AM, biakbiak said:

Oh lord they are doing CATS movie promotion themed episodes next week. I might have to skip.

I guess I have lived in SF too long because I thought the prices in the Geneva episode were reasonable! 

I thought the second one was so clearly the best option so I am glad they went with they one.

That wasn't even a close call this episode; the apartment they "chose" was clearly the best of the three.

My only problem with this ep (indeed, with HHI in general) is that the producers have got to do a better job with the scripts/fake storylines. If you're going to have a couple griping about the prices and/or noise in their new city, maybe don't use the couple that's moving from an expensive/noisy city in the first place. No one moving from Washington DC is going to be shocked(!) by housing prices  in another international city. 

And for the love of everything, Show, enough with the trailing spouse giving the "I gave up so much to come here, so I should get what I want" line. It's annoying. Maybe a better line for the script would be, " I'm hoping to get work myself, and being closer to the city will put me closer to work opportunities", or " I don't speak a word of (fill in the blank with the native language of the country), and being in the city puts me around more people who speak English", or even, " I prefer city ( or suburban) living." Any of those beats the whiny. "I gave up so much to come here!" foolishness.

[biakbiak]

On 12/17/2019 at 8:15 AM, TVForever said:

No one moving from Washington DC is going to be shocked(!) by housing prices  in another

Maybe I wasn’t paying close enough attention but I thought they seemed to understood how much their budget was going to get them. Even NYers get sticker shock when they go to Geneva or Zurich which are both in the top 5 of most expensive cities in the world ahead of NY.

Edited December 18, 2019 by biakbiak

[Tosia]

I don't watch regularly but was the young woman moving from Silicon Valley to Playa Something or Other in Mexico a repeat?

I ask because I saw no comments about her.  

Frankly, she was ridiculously immature  and annoying and entitled. 

As was her friend who kept up the negativity around all the places they looked at.

 

[Olliesmom]

NYC to Warsaw, Poland. What a refreshing episode!  She was so cute, as was her friend. They liked everything they saw and she picked a great apartment. 

[biakbiak]

I am sorry but there is literally no possible way that the bench/couch thing in the second apartment was comfortable. 
As studios go I liked that one because when you were actually in the bed you could leave it open but close it off when you weren’t because I hate having a bed in my living space.

[TVForever]

8 hours ago, biakbiak said:

I am sorry but there is literally no possible way that the bench/couch thing in the second apartment was comfortable. 
As studios go I liked that one because when you were actually in the bed you could leave it open but close it off when you weren’t because I hate having a bed in my living space.

Agreed! The thing she liked least was what made it the best, IMO. When you’re there alone, just leave it open. You only need to close it up when you have company.

And BTW, are we calling this a “cat-themed” episode because she talked about her cat, even though we never actually got to see it?

[Thumper]

On 12/9/2019 at 11:51 PM, LittleIggy said:

I’m not young, but I have oversized glasses. They look great on me. I don’t get the hate.

Rosarita: Wasn’t that the same condo building the sweet couple from NV chose a few weeks ago?

Heh.  Not the same style, but I wore oversized glasses in the 1980’s - early ‘90’s.   Funny how trends come around!

[chessiegal]

FL to Warsaw: I've heard objections about living next to cemeteries, but I've never heard anyone say it's unlucky. What's unlucky about it?

All those apartments looked sterile and uninviting. And do the Poles have something against comfortable furniture and beds?

[Bastet]

8 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

FL to Warsaw: I've heard objections about living next to cemeteries, but I've never heard anyone say it's unlucky. What's unlucky about it?

I have no idea; there is seemingly no end to the superstitions people will come up with.  I'd consider silent neighbors to be a great stroke of real estate luck.

[scrb]

7 hours ago, chessiegal said:

FL to Warsaw: I've heard objections about living next to cemeteries, but I've never heard anyone say it's unlucky. What's unlucky about it?

 

Funny thing is, cemeteries are often in scenic locations, overlooking the ocean or the mountains.

I guess one may sometimes have to choose between having neighbors or a cemetery next door.

May be some people are superstitious but on more practical terms, a cemetery would be open space so maybe you'd have a view of some distant landscapes and not likely to generate noise like neighbors might.