House Hunters International - General Discussion

[Grizzly]

Margate, Australia. Jesse looks perpetually bewildered by this couple. I'll give her points for enthusiasm.  Being charmed by everything is better than his money anxiety. Jesse cannot wrap his head around Carrie's 12 ft Christmas tree, so funny. Surprised all 3 choices were close to the ocean. Usually there's one you get more for your money a few blocks away. Can't believe they went with his pick. Just because of the gas stove?

[LittleIggy]

Oz: I loved Jesse James’ facial expressions in tonight’s episode. He wasn’t hiding what he thought about that stupid 12 foot fake tree. When the wife was standing outside in the wind, you sure could see London and France through that thin dress. 😬

[Bluesky]

On 10/6/2021 at 8:51 AM, MartyQui said:

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.

It’s been pretty easy to tell which one all of them will take.  Houses with personal items won’t be chosen and lately there have been too many of those.  Some ridiculously cluttered.  
I was watching the first seasons of the international HH and they didn’t do that.  One was in Italy and they went to homes being sold by sellers, no agent.  No claiming they want the exact opposite of the other or other annoying crap.   
I also think the low budgets are becoming repetitive.  They all seem to have the same budget.  The Paris one sold her share of a law firm, got a great job and had a $1,900  budget?  I want to see Paris apartments in the $10,000 range, Asian apartments in the $5,000 range.   Some variety.   

[buttersister]

Good Lord in Australia. I almost fell out of my chair laughing when Aaron said people form quick opinions of Carrie😂😂🤣☑️ You don’t say?!

Chicago thanks you for leaving and taking that voice with you.

[CrazyInAlabama]

What a strange story line for the Chicago to Margate storyline.     What fool spends a lot of money, shipping a fake Christmas tree to Australia?    I'm sure with shipping you could have bought a dozen trees in Australia, and decorated them.     That probably was just for the story, and was locally purchased.     I did think it was funny when the husband said they should have bought the first house with the pool.     The second house was only $30k less than the first house too.   I didn't like the third house floor plan at all, and I wonder why her closet was a sofa, and almost nothing else?   

[Rootbeer]

11 hours ago, Bluesky said:

It’s been pretty easy to tell which one all of them will take.  Houses with personal items won’t be chosen and lately there have been too many of those.  Some ridiculously cluttered.  
I was watching the first seasons of the international HH and they didn’t do that.  One was in Italy and they went to homes being sold by sellers, no agent.  No claiming they want the exact opposite of the other or other annoying crap.   
I also think the low budgets are becoming repetitive.  They all seem to have the same budget.  The Paris one sold her share of a law firm, got a great job and had a $1,900  budget?  I want to see Paris apartments in the $10,000 range, Asian apartments in the $5,000 range.   Some variety.   

I think people wanting the pricier places won't be interested in the 500 bucks that producers pay to the participants.   They also probably don't want extensive film footage of the interior of their home available for just anyone to see, preferring security to appearing on reality TV.

13 hours ago, Grizzly said:

 Jesse cannot wrap his head around Carrie's 12 ft Christmas tree, so funny. Surprised all 3 choices were close to the ocean. Usually there's one you get more for your money a few blocks away. Can't believe they went with his pick. Just because of the gas stove?

I cannot wrap my head around a grown man, an Australian no less; who traipses around working as a realtor while wearing a cowboy hat, massive belt buckle and western boots.  I get it, his parents named him after a famous Old West bank robber, but I think he looks silly in his costume.  Kind of ironic that he thinks a 12 foot artificial Christmas tree is over the top.

[aghst]

12 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Oz: I loved Jesse James’ facial expressions in tonight’s episode. He wasn’t hiding what he thought about that stupid 12 foot fake tree. When the wife was standing outside in the wind, you sure could see London and France through that thin dress. 😬

Yes she was that quirky girl/woman, with that voice and those posed photos they took.

Then the thing about the tree and a dedicated dressing room/salon for her.

I also wonder about Jesse's name if it's real and if he goes around in cowboy outfit and hat when he's not filming HHI.

 

[Rootbeer]

3 hours ago, aghst said:

Yes she was that quirky girl/woman, with that voice and those posed photos they took.

Then the thing about the tree and a dedicated dressing room/salon for her.

I also wonder about Jesse's name if it's real and if he goes around in cowboy outfit and hat when he's not filming HHI.

 

Based on his facebook page, Jesse James is his first and middle name.  His last name is van Nek.  Also based on that page, he does indeed run around dressed like a cowboy even when he is not on the show.  Yet, he thinks it is weird to move a 12 ft Christmas tree from Chicago to Australia.

https://www.facebook.com/jessevannekraywhiteredlandbay/

[Grrarrggh]

The London hunters have to be some of the most contemptable people they've had on this programme for a while. I'm really hoping they will never have children. 

[LittleIggy]

5 hours ago, Rootbeer said:

I cannot wrap my head around a grown man, an Australian no less; who traipses around working as a realtor while wearing a cowboy hat, massive belt buckle and western boots.  I get it, his parents named him after a famous Old West bank robber, but I think he looks silly in his costume.  

I have no problem with it. It’s Jesse’s brand and gets him noticed in the real estate biz, I’m sure.

[aghst]

Hmm, I don't recall which episodes JJ has done in the past.

But looks like he's based near Brisbane so maybe all the ones in Brisbane and most of the Gold Coast?

There have been several based around Noosa but it appears Noosa is about 2 hours north of Brisbane and JJ is based south of Brisbane.

So it would be a stretch for him to go all the way up there, but since this is a TV show ...

[LittleIggy]

7 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

The London hunters have to be some of the most contemptable people they've had on this programme for a while. I'm really hoping they will never have children. 

Or pets.

[Dehumidifier]

I always wonder if Adrian Leeds wears those bright outfits in real life. 

[aghst]

I mean it's unlikely they wear their regular clothes to come and film.  You're going to at least dress up a bit, like you would going to church or something.

They at least have their hair done.

Maybe HHI pays for hair and makeup.

 

 

[cberg]

9 hours ago, aghst said:

I mean it's unlikely they wear their regular clothes to come and film.  You're going to at least dress up a bit, like you would going to church or something.

They at least have their hair done.

Maybe HHI pays for hair and makeup.

 

 

HHI does not pay for hair or makeup...not even available on set for a fee.

Their instructions are to NOT dress up but to wear what would be "normal" for a house hunt adventure.

I've seen Adrian randomly in Paris a few times and she pretty much looks the same as on the show, so I doubt she is doing anything different than being her normal cooky, wonderful self!

[abbyzenn]

London couple with royal family fascination.  I wouldn't call them contemptable - they didn't complain the rooms were too small or that the refrigerator had to be one of those giant American things that can hold enough groceries for 5 months,  that they had to be in the center of town and then complain the neighbor 50 yards away could see into their house or that they had to have old fashion charm but needed enough closet space for 5,000 pairs of shoes.  I would say they were more odd - why would anyone be so fascinated with the royal family?

I did like the studio they got - it was more like one bedroom since the bed part was really separated from the rest of the room but the real selling point was the back garden and access to that park.  

[proserpina65]

On 10/8/2021 at 4:29 PM, Rootbeer said:

Yet, he thinks it is weird to move a 12 ft Christmas tree from Chicago to Australia.

He's not wrong about that.  It is weird as hell.

On 10/11/2021 at 12:46 PM, abbyzenn said:

London couple with royal family fascination.  I wouldn't call them contemptable - they didn't complain the rooms were too small or that the refrigerator had to be one of those giant American things that can hold enough groceries for 5 months,  that they had to be in the center of town and then complain the neighbor 50 yards away could see into their house or that they had to have old fashion charm but needed enough closet space for 5,000 pairs of shoes.  I would say they were more odd - why would anyone be so fascinated with the royal family?

I did like the studio they got - it was more like one bedroom since the bed part was really separated from the rest of the room but the real selling point was the back garden and access to that park.  

They did have incredibly unrealistic expectations of what their money would get them in the Kensington area, though.  I did like the place they ended up with, and the first place, too.

On 10/8/2021 at 12:30 AM, Bluesky said:

I want to see Paris apartments in the $10,000 range, Asian apartments in the $5,000 range.   Some variety.   

I don't.  I want to see what people can get at the lower budgets.  I'm entertained when they find out it isn't the luxury they're expecting.

[Grizzly]

Koh Sambui, Thailand. I don't blame the realtor for blushing, I would too. They certainly are their authentic selves. House #2 is not modern enough? She understands she's in Thailand? I would've been happy to live there. Darker spaces can be calming. And then there's #3. Ok I take back making fun of her for saying #2 was not being modern enough. #3 is down right gorgeous. But they would need paying customers all the time to make it affordable and there goes their privacy. 

[kirklandia]

I want to believe that London Richard knows the difference between a daffodil and a forsythia.  I will blame the production crew.

[buttersister]

Thailand. 10 people at your meditation session, you say? 10 paying guests? I didn't catch the first few minutes--is her houseboy her husband or a boyfriend?

These houses were a change from some of the small, Thai-style places Hunters usually look at--or a small apartment in a high-rise. 

[aghst]

That Thailand island was beautiful.

They were willing to spend so her retreats seem to be solid business.  Of course, Thailand has blocked tourism for most of the pandemic so maybe she caters to expats already there?

In the scene where they list their requirements, she's saying a mosquito is trying to give her Dengue.  That's a real issue is SE Asia it seems.  None of the beds shown had mosquito nets.

But those big opening doors to the terrace and the outside are not sealed and you open them for any length of time, you're dealing with mosquitos.

Especially on a small island, you have to wonder about pest control.

[ML89]

1 hour ago, aghst said:

They were willing to spend so her retreats seem to be solid business.  Of course, Thailand has blocked tourism for most of the pandemic so maybe she caters to expats already there?

Wasn't house #2 some sort of resort? I'm wondering if she was hired to run retreats  for them and that's why they moved there. She's got to be some sort of trust fund/money because I want to believe that someone doing yoga stuff online is NOT making enough to afford $2300 a month!

[aghst]

Yeah I don't know how much people would pay for say a hosted Airbnb on that island.

Maybe $100-150 a night?  It's a nice place but I think there were only two bathrooms so if they rent out the second and third bedrooms, the renters would have to share a bathroom.

Otherwise, I know people go to these SE Asian countries and do things like yoga but I don't know about meditation and how much people are willing to pay for such sessions.

So she may have a undisclosed source of income.

[Crashcourse]

I thought the Thailand dude said he did some kind of online work.

[ML89]

3 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

I thought the Thailand dude said he did some kind of online work.

Yes, a “digital nomad.” Sigh. I had so many questions. 

[Crashcourse]

1 minute ago, ML89 said:

Yes, a “digital nomad.” Sigh. I had so many questions. 

That's what I'm going to call myself from now on when someone asks me what I do for a living.

[buttersister]

Quote

Yes, a “digital nomad.” Sigh. I had so many questions. 

Oy, I recall an episode with someone in Vietnam who called themselves the same thing. That was followed by some news stories about digital nomads (apparently slow news days).

So if you  work online, you can live anywhere you want to and instead of calling yourself an X (whatever you do), you're a digital nomad? LOL! $5 says those people work on blogs.

[aghst]

Some countries, particularly in Europe, are offering 1-year digital nomad visas.

Otherwise, Americans can only stay in Europe 90 days out of any 180-day period.

But it seems a lot of Australians and some Americans go to Asia for extended periods, because of the low cost of living there which allows them to do a lot of traveling.

Or teach basic English, which has a low-barrier to entry for native speakers.

It seems like these countries have rather permissive visa policies, though a lot has probably changed with the pandemic.

Just in the last week, Singapore and Thailand have announced some loosening of travel restrictions for Westerners to enter their country and not face onerous quarantine requirements (like 14 days at your expense, with high health insurance coverage requirements and a lot of testing).

Generally though HHI is pretending that the pandemic and especially travel restrictions don't exist.  Maybe if they acknowledged it, they might come in for criticism for depicting people traveling during this time, contributing to spread.

[Texasmom1970]

2 hours ago, ML89 said:

Yes, a “digital nomad.” Sigh. I had so many questions. 

Digital nomad, what? Is that code for scammer or I only work occasionally?

I was relieved they didn't start dry humping on the couch. The poor realtor looked a bit scared of them.

[ArtFossil]

20 hours ago, buttersister said:

Thailand. 10 people at your meditation session, you say? 10 paying guests? I didn't catch the first few minutes--is her houseboy her husband or a boyfriend?

These houses were a change from some of the small, Thai-style places Hunters usually look at--or a small apartment in a high-rise. 

That lipstick alone was enough for me to not take her seriously. She's a trust fund baby and the guy is her current amusement.

Also (shallow end of the pool here) I've never known a yoga expert who had fat arms.

Edited October 14, 2021 by ArtFossil

[Tess23]

Digital nomad. I weep for our world.

[MartyQui]

Why?  It’s just a fancy way of saying that you work remotely.

[aghst]

Gladstone, Australia.

He decided to splurge to get a nicer home for themselves.

I thought the first choice was nice enough too.

Town looked nice but there was a factory of some kind with 3 long stacks.

 

 

[cinsays]

18 hours ago, Texasmom1970 said:

Digital nomad, what? Is that code for scammer or I only work occasionally?

I was relieved they didn't start dry humping on the couch. The poor realtor looked a bit scared of them.

and their dirty feet all over the furniture

ugh

[Bluesky]

There is no way that last house in Thailand was renting for $2,800 a month.  Every piece of furniture in there was expensive.   BNB it would get more than $2,800 a night, never mind $2,800 a month.  That was some real bull.  

[Grizzly]

Madrid, Spain. She's going to base how she feels about a whole country on an apartment?! Poor Nick, doomed by a kitchen. Oh she loves the kitchen at #2, must be the place.

[LittleIggy]

On 10/13/2021 at 7:06 PM, Crashcourse said:

That's what I'm going to call myself from now on when someone asks me what I do for a living.

I think I’ll call myself a digital hobo! 

13 hours ago, aghst said:

Gladstone, Australia.

He decided to splurge to get a nicer home for themselves.

I thought the first choice was nice enough too.

Town looked nice but there was a factory of some kind with 3 long stacks.

 

 

I was totally distracted by his ears! 

[blueray]

6 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

I was totally distracted by his ears! 

Me too. I couldn't help but stare at them in every scene he was in. poor guy.

In the Madrid episode, I missed the beginning. Where was she from? I spent the whole time trying to figure it out. They said they came from Malaysia, but was she from there? Or Singapore? 

[LittleIggy]

5 hours ago, blueray said:

Me too. I couldn't help but stare at them in every scene he was in. poor guy.

In the Madrid episode, I missed the beginning. Where was she from? I spent the whole time trying to figure it out. They said they came from Malaysia, but was she from there? Or Singapore? 

What We Do In the Shadows ran long so I missed the beginning too. Was she from Hong Kong since her British accent was impeccable?

[aghst]

14 minutes ago, LittleIggy said:

What We Do In the Shadows ran long so I missed the beginning too. Was she from Hong Kong since her British accent was impeccable?

Maybe she came from a well to do Malaysian family so she went to English schools or traveled. 

She said she had never set foot in Europe yet it sounded like she visited his family in the UK  previously.  Husband said now they could do more weekend trips instead of longer trips back to the UK from Malaysia.

So she didn't consider the UK part of Europe?

If not the UK she probably spent some time in an English-speaking country, maybe the US, maybe Australia, because she's not only very fluent but very chatty.  She talked about the "monstrosity" construction site by the second apartment was it?  But her mouth was going incessantly.

Producers must have loved her because she carried the dialog and gave them ideas to show the construction site multiple times or the light well in House #3 or the small kitchen, the pillar in the middle of the living room, etc.

The houses were okay but certainly not too European.  They were away from the center so they were recent construction.

I'd have liked to have seen some old building, like 19th century or older, but fully renovated inside, which we've seen in France and even Italy episodes.

 

[Grizzly]

Sydney, Australia. He is hot. Ugh on the realtor's eyebrows. I hate dark brows with lighter hair. Places by the beach must be more expensive. Tiresome how they call each other Babe. Did he just complain that an area had too young of a vibe? He must have an old soul. I thought for sure she'd use the standard I moved halfway around the world to get the beach place. She just used it to claim the guest room.

[Texasmom1970]

3 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Sydney, Australia. He is hot. Ugh on the realtor's eyebrows. I hate dark brows with lighter hair. Places by the beach must be more expensive. Tiresome how they call each other Babe. Did he just complain that an area had too young of a vibe? He must have an old soul. I thought for sure she'd use the standard I moved halfway around the world to get the beach place. She just used it to claim the guest room.

RIght there with you on everything. His girlfriend was attractive, but he was hot. I see women everyday and I wonder if they do the darker brow because they want it bolder or just do not care if it blends with hair and skin tones. The suitcase she designed is cute, wonder how successful it is for her as a business?

[proserpina65]

10 hours ago, Texasmom1970 said:

RIght there with you on everything. His girlfriend was attractive, but he was hot. I see women everyday and I wonder if they do the darker brow because they want it bolder or just do not care if it blends with hair and skin tones. The suitcase she designed is cute, wonder how successful it is for her as a business?

I've been coloring my hair various shades of red/auburn for decades, and now have it strawberry-blonde, and have never dyed my darkish brown eyebrows.  I do not want hair dye that close to my eyes.  Maybe she is the same?

And yes, places near the beach in the Sydney area are generally much more expensive.  Most people want to live at the beach if they can.  Center city Sydney is pretty pricey too.  Not like NYC, San Francisco or London pricey, but definitely not mid-Atlantic US level.  (And let's not mention the prices in middle America.)

Edited October 20, 2021 by proserpina65

[Grrarrggh]

14 hours ago, Texasmom1970 said:

His girlfriend was attractive, but he was hot. 

Really? I couldn't get over the length of his neck. 

[MartyQui]

Nice./Monaco.  They were a very reasonable couple, and the house they picked was fine.  But oh, I would have paid anything to live in the first house with that glorious view of the sea.

[aghst]

Sydney couple made the right decision as far as commuting for him.

The place they chose didn't have views but they could walk to waterfront views of the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour, as well as the Harbour Bridge, all iconic sights.

I do like views of Bondi too.  They also have these boardwalks along the coast there so you can really get a lot of water views.  But if their main lifestyle is work, then going out to eat and drink, probably better near the CBD.

 

[cberg]

20 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

Really? I couldn't get over the length of his neck. 

I'm with you there. He had a great torso from the one picture they showed with him in the mud...nice chest and abs (at least a few years ago)....but the neck and legs looked like they just kept growing and the torso didn't keep up.  

[seacliffsal]

The French Riviera was a fun episode.  All 3 choices were great.  The one they chose in the former palace had amazing architectural details-those windows, the foyer, etc. The first one had a nice yard and beautiful views, and the third one had tons of balconies and a pool!  They also seemed like a nice couple-I enjoy the episodes more when the hunters are nice and not highly critical of the choices or each other.

[MartyQui]

Did anyone catch the NYC to Melbourne that was on earlier last night? The woman needed a bathtub because she did her work from there.  Literally, she perched her laptop on the side of the tub and typed.  And did Facetime calls.  The boyfriend said she sometimes took five baths a day.  I know a good psychiatrist she could talk to.

[Cetacean]

11 minutes ago, MartyQui said:

The woman needed a bathtub because she did her work from there.  Literally, she perched her laptop on the side of the tub and typed.  And did Facetime calls.  The boyfriend said she sometimes took five baths a day. 

That was SO strange.  And then they had a shot of her at the end with bubbles up to her neck talking on the phone.  Sheesh.