House Hunters International - General Discussion

[proserpina65]

20 hours ago, Rootbeer said:

The major problem I have with Australia is that I think the houses are generally kind of boring and uninteresting.  I much prefer the architectural styles seen in Europe and Asia.

I don't totally disagree with you there.  I much prefer the European episodes.  (I have no interest in Asia at all.)  But generally I like the scenery in the Australia ones.

[amarante]

21 hours ago, Rootbeer said:

The major problem I have with Australia is that I think the houses are generally kind of boring and uninteresting.  I much prefer the architectural styles seen in Europe and Asia.

I agree. For the most part they resemble the most banal of the US homes.

I wonder if the pandemic has impacted where they can shoot. I DVR HH International and HH and there are generally two HH International almost every night and there is only one HH - and often there are HH International shows broadcast on nights when there is no HH broadcast.

The Mexican resort episodes are fairly boring as well unless the house hunters are spending a LOT of money so there is some house porn. But the generic low budget homes are of little interest to me.

[aghst]

I don't know, I don't see tract homes in the Australian episodes.

One obvious difference is a lot of them have these doors which open to the backyard all the way.

That's not really common in the US, I don't think.  Maybe they are in the Sunbelt states.  But my guess is in those places, they just shut the door and blast the AC.

Most of the homes featured in the Australian episodes have usually been renovated, so they look clean.  Compare and contrast to regular HH episodes.

In general, the homes they show seem roomier and more modern than those in the European episodes.

[Grrarrggh]

On 9/25/2021 at 9:08 PM, aghst said:

In the London suburbs episode, Richard kept saying they needed to raise their budget.  Sounded like money was tight, that he’d still have his college car and had it shipped over. They were also having their furniture shipped over as well. He found the extra $70k because she wasn’t driving him to the rail station and the kids to school. Or the budgets claimed on this show are fictional.

He said in the beginning he was getting a good pay rise for this new job, which makes sense as the City does pay well. And it seemed he shipped the car over for sentimental reasons, not budgetary ones. 

[Crashcourse]

Amsterdam:  I liked the couple and the place they chose, but I couldn't help looking at Floor trying to walk in those really high espadrilles she was wearing.  I thought she might snap an ankle.

[aghst]

Amsterdam, they chose the most expensive one.

Closest to the kids' school but far away from the city center she wanted to be in.

She was worried about getting a job after living 15 years in the US.  Maybe she didn't establish much of a career in The Netherlands before she went to the US.

One of those rare cases where the American home they used to live in was smaller than some of the choices shown.

 

Playa del Carmen - either the house hunters were really playing up their differences or one of them really relented.  They were trashing the choices which they knew their partner liked the best.

During the deliberations, they didn't tip which way they were going to go but they went for the most expensive, the furthest away from town, so probably additional expense of needing a car.

Interesting, they were going to open a concierge business to help basically Americans navigate moving to Mexico, like all the bureaucracy and such,

So they were going to help house hunters find homes?

[LittleIggy]

11 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

I don't totally disagree with you there.  I much prefer the European episodes.  (I have no interest in Asia at all.)  But generally I like the scenery in the Australia ones.

I would love to see more episodes in Asia and Latin America.

Amsterdam: The couple with two children moving from NYC…am I the only one who could have sworn he was gay? 

[MartyQui]

9 hours ago, aghst said:

So they were going to help house hunters find homes?

It sounded like they were going to help with the settling in part…immigration, how to set up utilities, etc.  I’ve read David Liebowitz’ Paris book, and it sounds like there are a lot of differences there compared to the US, probably the same in every country.

[proserpina65]

21 hours ago, aghst said:

I don't know, I don't see tract homes in the Australian episodes.

I don't see tract homes.  I mostly see boring modern homes, which I don't particularly like.  Every once in awhile there's one with some historical charm or some quirky elements, but sleek and modern read as bland and uninteresting to me.  I hate modern buildings and open plan houses, and would never choose to live in one if I had any real alternative.  Which is why I prefer the European episodes in general.  There's a greater variety in age and style than in the Australia & New Zealand ones.

12 hours ago, aghst said:

Amsterdam, they chose the most expensive one.

Closest to the kids' school but far away from the city center she wanted to be in.

I would've chosen the first place, even with all the stairs, but I think they chose the best option for them.  Close to school is a pretty important element when you have two small children.  I was amused by the hubby commenting on the steepness for the stairs - they actually seemed not particularly steep for Dutch stairs.  We've seen so much worse over the years.  I do like that Floor really emphasized that their budget was going to greatly affect the amount of room they'd get.

[aghst]

Well the Melbourne episode demonstrated modern vs. traditional choices.

The house hunter was coming from NY and loved living there but moved to be close to her family, who had all moved to Sydney.

So she wanted a very nice view in a high rise.  The realtor did throw in an old traditional home which had been renovated.  It had nice fireplaces and carvings in ceilings.

She chose the high rise with the skyline view.  Besides all the modern features, an apartment is going to be much lower maintenance than a home, especially with a backyard with avocado and lemon trees.  (she was a doctor so probably worked long hours).

My guess is as some of these Australian cities grew, they had to densify the housing to fit more in.  So all those 100 year old homes with yards became more expensive and when new housing was put up they tended to be multi residential.  If not high rises, then duplexes or something along those lines, taking up smaller footprints.

[Grrarrggh]

16 hours ago, aghst said:

So they were going to help house hunters find homes?

After they explained their business plan I spent the whole episode giggling that they were using an estate agent at all. 

[amarante]

3 hours ago, aghst said:

 

My guess is as some of these Australian cities grew, they had to densify the housing to fit more in.  So all those 100 year old homes with yards became more expensive and when new housing was put up they tended to be multi residential.  If not high rises, then duplexes or something along those lines, taking up smaller footprints.

That is not uncommon in many metropolitan areas unless zoning prevents it since many cities are specifically zoned for one family homes only. 

In California there is a current fight against anti-zoning laws that would enable multi-family homes in areas that are currently zoned for single family homes. Many of my neighbors are impacted because they live on side streets which are zoned one family residential and which have a very distinctive non-urban feel - expect that they are close to all the modern conveniences of urban life. So many lovely neighborhoods will be destroyed as developed come in and build multi-family homes in areas that were single family.

Also common - but less destructive to the feel of a neighborhood - is that older homes in desirable areas will be torn down and a larger more desirable home will replace it. For awhile awful homes out of character with the neighborhoods were being built but the trend is now for very traditional homes - albeit larger than the ones they replaced and with the kind of features and configuration that appeal to modern affluent buyers. Think Leave It To Beaver style homes but larger - but still very traditional in appearance.

[Grrarrggh]

1 hour ago, amarante said:

That is not uncommon in many metropolitan areas unless zoning prevents it since many cities are specifically zoned for one family homes only. 

In California there is a current fight against anti-zoning laws that would enable multi-family homes in areas that are currently zoned for single family homes. Many of my neighbors are impacted because they live on side streets which are zoned one family residential and which have a very distinctive non-urban feel - expect that they are close to all the modern conveniences of urban life. So many lovely neighborhoods will be destroyed as developed come in and build multi-family homes in areas that were single family.

Also common - but less destructive to the feel of a neighborhood - is that older homes in desirable areas will be torn down and a larger more desirable home will replace it. For awhile awful homes out of character with the neighborhoods were being built but the trend is now for very traditional homes - albeit larger than the ones they replaced and with the kind of features and configuration that appeal to modern affluent buyers. Think Leave It To Beaver style homes but larger - but still very traditional in appearance.

Then you have places like neighbourhoods south of the Anacostia River in Washington DC where house prices are over half a million dollars but it's a food desert. Or places where you have to live a 2 hour drive away from your job because not only isn't there any affordable housing, there's very little housing period. 

[kirklandia]

2 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

After they explained their business plan I spent the whole episode giggling that they were using an estate agent at all. 

After they explained their business plan, I was even more appalled by way they interacted during their house hunt. They were so dismissive of each other's wants, and neither seemed willing to budge.  
Their apparent lack of harmony as life partners searching for a home did not bode well for their success as business partners helping others navigate that process.
They say there's no such thing as bad publicity, but I can't imagine someone hiring them after having watched this.

Edited September 29, 2021 by kirklandia

[Rootbeer]

On 9/28/2021 at 2:16 PM, amarante said:

 

The Mexican resort episodes are fairly boring as well unless the house hunters are spending a LOT of money so there is some house porn. But the generic low budget homes are of little interest to me.

Yep, I have seen enough vacation condos in Mexico in person; they all look basically alike and have no interesting features except maybe the view.  I often fast forward through the Mexico episodes unless they are looking at either high end condos or fancy homes.  The rest is meh.

[proserpina65]

On 9/29/2021 at 12:47 PM, aghst said:

The realtor did throw in an old traditional home which had been renovated.  It had nice fireplaces and carvings in ceilings.

That place was gorgeous and absolutely what I would've chosen.  I get why she didn't, but I'd have taken it in a heartbeat.

[Grizzly]

Had to laugh at the guy moving to Ho Chi Min, Vietnam and wanted a balcony with peace and quiet. And good luck to the girl learning to drive a motorbike. Not something I would want to do anywhere in Asia!

[Grizzly]

Haarlem, Netherlands. One of the biggest budgets we've seen on HHI. Glad Sarah explained you're paying for the scarce land and that's why everything was so expensive. Interesting name, Dogan. Usually it's the wife who wants the Dutch charm. If you can and are willing to spend 1.4 million, 1.7 really shouldn't bother you.

[aghst]

8 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Had to laugh at the guy moving to Ho Chi Min, Vietnam and wanted a balcony with peace and quiet. And good luck to the girl learning to drive a motorbike. Not something I would want to do anywhere in Asia!

Looks like the girl was in charge in that relationship.  She vetoed the larger, more expensive place that he wanted, or pretended to want, because they had to save for their wedding.

She kept mentioning the wedding.

She was studying animals in Ecuador for a masters degree in the wilderness, decided to go to visit for some R&R, met him in a club.  Then they went off together to China and now Vietnam.

So no more science or academic career?

They go to Vietnam to get away from the cold weather in the Chinese city they were in and also to get jobs teaching English.  Except that they're apparently teaching subjects, not the language?

 

[LittleIggy]

1 hour ago, aghst said:

Looks like the girl was in charge in that relationship.  She vetoed the larger, more expensive place that he wanted, or pretended to want, because they had to save for their wedding.

She kept mentioning the wedding.

She was studying animals in Ecuador for a masters degree in the wilderness, decided to go to visit for some R&R, met him in a club.  Then they went off together to China and now Vietnam.

So no more science or academic career?

They go to Vietnam to get away from the cold weather in the Chinese city they were in and also to get jobs teaching English.  Except that they're apparently teaching subjects, not the language?

 

Yeah, I wasn’t sure how they got jobs in an “international school” since those usually hire people with valid teaching certificates and a degree in their subject area plus experience.

[Dehumidifier]

9 hours ago, aghst said:

Looks like the girl was in charge in that relationship.  She vetoed the larger, more expensive place that he wanted, or pretended to want, because they had to save for their wedding.

She kept mentioning the wedding.

 

To me he looked unenthusiastic every time she did that.

[Lady Lucy]

Quote

Yeah, I wasn’t sure how they got jobs in an “international school” since those usually hire people with valid teaching certificates and a degree in their subject area plus experience.

Actually, lots of recent college graduates go overseas to teach - mainly English - for a couple of years. No teaching credentials needed. 

[LittleIggy]

11 hours ago, Lady Lucy said:

Actually, lots of recent college graduates go overseas to teach - mainly English - for a couple of years. No teaching credentials needed. 

You are comparing apples and oranges. I have an MA in TESOL so I know about the industry. I wasn’t talking about teaching at an English mill. They said they were teaching at an “international school” and teaching specific subjects (not English). Very different from teaching with no experience as a college grad.

Edited October 2, 2021 by LittleIggy

[ML89]

On 9/30/2021 at 11:15 PM, aghst said:

She was studying animals in Ecuador for a masters degree in the wilderness, decided to go to visit for some R&R, met him in a club.  Then they went off together to China and now Vietnam.

So no more science or academic career?

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who went "huh?" I ran the episode back, thinking I'd missed something. Guess I hadn't.

 

[aghst]

42 minutes ago, ML89 said:

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who went "huh?" I ran the episode back, thinking I'd missed something. Guess I hadn't.

 

It wouldn't be the first time a young woman shelved her career for the sake of a man, if that's what happened here.

I'll let ladies comment on whether it's worth putting aside one's own career plans for a man.

[cberg]

On 9/29/2021 at 6:42 AM, LittleIggy said:

I would love to see more episodes in Asia and Latin America.

Amsterdam: The couple with two children moving from NYC…am I the only one who could have sworn he was gay? 

He was 110% gay!

[Grrarrggh]

16 hours ago, cberg said:

He was 110% gay!

Yes, he did seem very happy. 

[Grizzly]

Paris. Walking around Paris to look at apartments, let's wear stiletto heels. Adrian will introduce Amber to reality. Mom and grandmom are going to have to get a hotel room. Good thing she didn't want 2 bedrooms since she already blew her budget.

[buttersister]

OMG, Amber wanted French charm! Did you SEE what she did with her place? Look at the freaking Tour Eiffel from your terrace! WTF is a snow globe of it doing in your apartment?! 

For a seemingly intelligent woman, with a long-time Parisian wannabe dream, she had no clue what apartments were like. Or the various areas—you can research those things, if you stop shopping for a minute.

She got the place that made sense for her. And had an elevator. For grandma, right.

[MartyQui]

It was pretty easy to tell which apartment she was going to pick when you saw the empty hooks for her “extensive bag collection” on the bedroom wall. She probably thought the Valentino shoes she was wearing were very Parisian, but you don’t see too many Parisian women wearing stilettos on the street…now if she had Stan Smiths on with her outfit, that would have Parisian.  I so would have taken the first apartment, it was gorgeous.

[Cetacean]

10 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Walking around Paris to look at apartments, let's wear stiletto heels.

I can just see her instructing the camera operator to keep taking footage of her walking around in them.

Her "after" made it look like an Ikea store threw up in her apartment.  I guess "less is more" isn't in her decorating book.

[aghst]

She seemed to know Paris well enough, having visited many times. 
 

But her wish list reflected unrealistic expectations, like a view of the Eiffel Tower yet she wanted to be in the Marais.

The stiletto heels was obviously for show.  She’s going to do a lot of walking in comfortable shoes.  She knows this when she lived and worked in Chicago.

She achieved her dream though, at a relatively young age.

[Grrarrggh]

I liked Amber in Paris a lot but it's too bad she went along with the producers direction. She was a rare hunter who was obviously acting like she had no idea what to expect. 

I'll never understand how/why other women wear stiletto heels. Talk about bad for your health, yikes. 

[buttersister]

6 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

it's too bad she went along with the producers direction. She was a rare hunter who was obviously acting like she had no idea what to expect. 

I understand hunters who don't know better using the checklist of Entertaining Area, Closets, Chef's Kitchen, etc., whatever the producers produce for them. What I don't get is why someone who's been wanting to live in Paris (and had visited) for years and years would allow themselves to be portrayed as naive at best.  (Her pal's face in the scene right before the last break when she acted indecisive was priceless!) I've stayed in at least 8 arrondissements and I knew by my second trip what to expect in each area and why we were staying there this trip.

P.S. short commute, elevator, terrace, view, closet space were no doubt on her checklist. Adrian owns a few places in the Marais, I enjoy her showing them off (the rented and the available;-)

[buttersister]

Richard’s off to warn Kate to avoid the annoying, entitled, delusional loons living just 10 minutes walking distance away.

[Chippings]

Australia to London - ers, could have done the teensiest bit of research to know that $2,000 wasn't going to get them anything beyond a studio in that neighborhood.  I wish there was time for Richard to show them something that did meet their criteria and what it would actually cost.  

Also Madame was pretty adolescent with the 'passion' for 'the royals'.  Really ??  Indeed, 'delusional' was a good word for her.  

But I love seeing that neighborhood, and that place being adjacent to one of those park areas was truly amazing.  

[aghst]

1 hour ago, Chippings said:

Australia to London - ers, could have done the teensiest bit of research to know that $2,000 wasn't going to get them anything beyond a studio in that neighborhood.  I wish there was time for Richard to show them something that did meet their criteria and what it would actually cost.  

Also Madame was pretty adolescent with the 'passion' for 'the royals'.  Really ??  Indeed, 'delusional' was a good word for her.  

But I love seeing that neighborhood, and that place being adjacent to one of those park areas was truly amazing.  

They had visited London before so they probably had an idea.

And did they both quit jobs or did he have a pretty good idea that he could find another job?

Richard said it must be tough to come to London with no jobs and enough money for a few months.  He seemed annoyed at their insistence on being in the most expensive neighborhoods of central London.  He called it prime international real estate because they’re competing against renters with money from all over the world.

She’s hoping to hit it big as an IG influencer but that’s got to be very competitive with a small percentage making big money.

What’s kind of absurd is that they set a target in US dollars since HHI is an American show.  But they’re used to Australian dollars and they would of course be paying in pound Sterling.

 

[CrazyInAlabama]

I found the Brisbane to London story bizarre, even for this show.   How do two people who have no jobs get a lease on any apartment?    My guess is that the husband had a job offer when they moved there, and the 'living off of savings' story was not the truth.   

I do love Richard, and his comments about how delusional the hunters are, and who is making the decisions.     I wonder if anyone actually cares about what the wife posts?  I think coming on the show was to get followers, but except for curiosity, why would anyone want to see her selfies?   

[WI GIRL56]

London....I was waiting for her to say she also wanted to meet Mary Poppins.  The one street did remind me of the movie.   Ah these crazy kids and their dreams.

[Grrarrggh]

10 hours ago, buttersister said:

Richard’s off to warn Kate to avoid the annoying, entitled, delusional loons living just 10 minutes walking distance away.

Why? Sounds just up Duchess Kate's alley. 

[StatisticalOutlier]

10 hours ago, aghst said:

What’s kind of absurd is that they set a target in US dollars since HHI is an American show.  But they’re used to Australian dollars and they would of course be paying in pound Sterling.

I'm pretty sure that's done for our benefit.

[Chippings]

As to talking about dollars instead of the local currencies, I remember some chat about that here many months ago ..  It just makes them look lame sitting there writing "$2000" in their notebooks, no matter where they are in the world.  It would seem more reasonable to speak of the local currency when they are acting out that original conversation, and put the appropriate dollar amount below.  It struck me, though, that maybe over time the relative values would change (as they do, daily) and make it wrong?  Well, like, who cares ?  If we're seeing a rerun five years out and the comparable values have changed, it's still in the ballpark.

Well, this is the very definition of over-thinking.  But, yes - that is jarring, every time.  And it reinforces the fact that they are play-acting the whole process to begin with!

Edited October 7, 2021 by Chippings

[seacliffsal]

I get that celebrities, etc., can make money off of social media, but am I so out of it that I don't know how an unknown person has expectations of being able to start a "new career" (which she mentioned several times) on social media and being able to afford the lifestyle she obviously desires?  I just don't get it at all.

I also don't understand how all of the house hunters we see have absolutely no idea what rents are in some of the major cities around the world.  I think this London couple was very fortunate to find something so nice in the area in which they wanted to live (Kensington!) for such a good price.

[proserpina65]

On 10/6/2021 at 12:58 PM, Grrarrggh said:

I liked Amber in Paris a lot but it's too bad she went along with the producers direction.

I found her quite obnoxious, what with her whining about space for her bags/shoes.

I would've chosen the third apartment in the Lower Marais, but the one she chose did fit her needs the best.

On 10/5/2021 at 11:03 PM, Grizzly said:

Walking around Paris to look at apartments, let's wear stiletto heels.

That was pretty ridiculous.  I'm sure there are women who live in stilettos but I find that inexplicable.

4 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

Why? Sounds just up Duchess Kate's alley. 

She seems pretty down to earth for a royal.  That level of loony entitlement reads as way over the top for her.

[debbie311]

Amber in Paris.  I will never understand why people make having a room for guests such a priority when they are working with a limited budget.  And, grandma won't be able to climb the stairs.  Maybe grandma can stay at a hotel?  How often is grandma going to be visiting anyway?  I guess I am just a selfish person, but for me, the person who is going to be living there 365 days a year, I want location and and environment that is right for me, not for guests.

[chessiegal]

5 minutes ago, debbie311 said:

Amber in Paris.  I will never understand why people make having a room for guests such a priority when they are working with a limited budget.

I'm guessing 95% or more of this is producer bs.

[Crashcourse]

7 minutes ago, debbie311 said:

Amber in Paris.  I will never understand why people make having a room for guests such a priority when they are working with a limited budget.  And, grandma won't be able to climb the stairs.  Maybe grandma can stay at a hotel?  How often is grandma going to be visiting anyway?  I guess I am just a selfish person, but for me, the person who is going to be living there 365 days a year, I want location and and environment that is right for me, not for guests.

And even if grandma does stay with her, she and her mother can just help grandma up and down the stairs.  Also, it's not like they'd be doing it several times a day.  

[aghst]

3 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

I'm guessing 95% or more of this is producer bs.

Yeah I wouldn't have thought that HGTV would be thirsty like Bravo to stir up drama or BS, to make "good television."

I don't really watch other HGTV shows but the promos during HHI seems to indicate that they're following the trend of other reality shows.

Probably the pressure to have popular content on Discovery + but they were probably pulling shenanigans years ago.

[chessiegal]

3 minutes ago, aghst said:

but they were probably pulling shenanigans years ago.

HHI is infamous for having the most fake backstories - going back many years. I remember one couple saying the apartment they chose wasn't even theirs, because they didn't want their home on tv.

[Texasmom1970]

So the couple leaving Australia for London. Do they think if they live close to the palace they can just pop over for tea and all become friends. Seem delusional.