House Hunters International - General Discussion

[Grizzly]

Stuttgart, Germany. Kevin's presence means it will be a good ep. Too bad about the construction, #1 seemed like a great choice. I really can't picture her taking #2 or #3. 2 growing teenagers shouldn't have to share a bedroom and there was no separate space for them to have friends over. Construction will be when they're at work/school.

[aghst]

Yeah it was the obvious choice, only one with 2 bathrooms?

The other ones had big drawbacks, since she wanted to be in town.

So this is the first episode I can recall in a couple of years where the house hunters are riding together to the houses in the same car.

They didn't even bother getting Katy a rental car, so she doesn't plan to have a car -- said it had to be within 15 minutes of central Stuttgart by public transportation.

 

 

[seacliffsal]

Enjoyed the options, but agree that house #1 was the best choice.  Kevin very clearly told her that there would always be construction projects throughout Stuttgart, so with the possible exception of the country home, construction will be a constant no matter where one lives.  I think it would be worst to see a home when no construction was going on and then the next week they start a project (fooled you!).  And, as previously noted, construction is during the work and school day so when they are actually home it won't be bad at all.

Interesting that it seems her taking a job in Stuttgart is what led to her divorce.  

[eel21788]

15 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Stuttgart, Germany. growing teenagers shouldn't have to share a bedroom 

I found it interesting that her only solution to a 2 bedroom was for the son and daughter to share a room. Why didn't she think about giving her son his own room, while she shared with the daughter? I find that much more appropriate.

The arrangement probably wouldn't have had to last more than a year or 2. The son looked as he'd be off to college or otherwise out of the house pretty soon.

[eel21788]

On 6/27/2022 at 12:22 PM, proserpina65 said:

I liked the couple in Brisbane [from Washington, DC].  I understood her reluctance to spend the extra money, but she and the baby will be in that pool all the time, so they'll all get amenities they'll enjoy and it'll be worth it in the long run. 

Since it was a purchase rather than a rent, I didn't think it should be such a big deal. The building was brand new, so I would think that their equity would increase pretty quickly especially after all the units had been sold.

Adding another $20K to the mortgage would amount to somewhere around an additional $100 a month. By my logic, that means they really only went $100 over budget, not $20,000 (I realize the flaws many people with see in that logic).

What they didn't tell us is how much the HOA fees would be to have the pool and the gym. Unlike a mortgage, that is a payment they will have in perpetuity and has nowhere to go but up. That is something that could be a deal breaker for me.                                                           

[eel21788]

3 hours ago, seacliffsal said:

Interesting that it seems her taking a job in Stuttgart is what led to her divorce.  

Yet, he still gave consent to allow her to take the kids out of the country. 

[amarante]

There has got to be more back story to most of these as some just don't make sense as any kind of rational move.

Couple moving from a cold state in the US (maybe Idaho?) to Costa Rica - but not the popular coast line but a theoretically less discovered part in the center of the country.

He was a contractor who had recently been fired. She worked in a fertility clinic. They had two children who appeared to be early teens or tweens. 

He said he was currently enrolled with an agency which was teaching him some kind of web development - sounds pretty scammy to me as nothing in his past indicated an IT background. She had quit her job - liked the medical field but knew that wouldn't be possible in Costa Rica.

They claimed that they still owned two homes and that rentals on those properties were covering their expenses.

As I recall they were shown a fabulous place - had a pool; a view and lovely inside but it was too expensive at $1200 per month so they opted for something not particularly nice for $1000.

I can't imagine actually moving to a foreign country and having such limited financial resources that $200 per month was make or break. I am not for people being profligate but if my resources were that limited I would stay where was - wife continued to work - husband went back into construction or something related or just any job that someone is able to make money - can't imagine heading off to Costa Rico with two children and no way to make a living. 

[mojito]

5 hours ago, seacliffsal said:

Interesting that it seems her taking a job in Stuttgart is what led to her divorce.  

I thought she decided to shake up her life after the divorce. 

She seemed extremely determined to rebound from the divorce, like she heard all the pep talks, read all the books, and was moving forward.  

[Rickster]

Started watching this show again after a long hiatus. Dunno, I got the impression her insistence on moving back to Germany caused the divorce. I thought she and her husband met at the Ramstein airbase in Germany and then moved back to the US. Maybe she loved it there and he hated it and he was not going back? Not everyone is cut out to live overseas. Apparently she works at a US Army base in Stuttgart according to Linkedin.

[mojito]

14 hours ago, seacliffsal said:

Interesting that it seems her taking a job in Stuttgart is what led to her divorce.  

Yep, you're right.

[Rickster]

I have no idea of housing costs in Brisbane, but with an infant and a dog, I would have thought this couple would have been looking for a small house, not a condo in a hi rise.

[Grrarrggh]

There has got to be more to that German divorce than a move... Otherwise she's lucky to be shot of him. 

[Grizzly]

Phnom Penh, Cambodia. First place is too much, second one is too small. Does that mean #3 will be just right? I give her credit for moving across the world on her own.

[aghst]

Main thing I could think of about Phenom Penh is that I hope she's not relying on v-logging for her income.

The cheap rent probably lets her try it, to see if she can make some money out of it, but otherwise?

Kind of an out of left field choice for someone to learn the language before ever visiting and planning for a long time to move over there.

 

[Grrarrggh]

27 minutes ago, aghst said:

Kind of an out of left field choice for someone to learn the language before ever visiting and planning for a long time to move over there.

Seemed like the smart thing to do. Much better than people who get a whim and then complain no one speaks English and nothing is like America... She probably would have moved there earlier had she been able financially and emotionally. 

[buttersister]

Energy worker in Puerto Vallarta with five kids and a mom: Oy. Kudos to the realtor (does he always get the eccentrics ex pats?) for being respectful and attempting to be helpful. 

She, otoh, I dunno. There was more than enough "me!" here, but then, she was leaving three of those kids behind to get away from her exes, uh, follow her dream. If she based her decisions on all those vibes, how come she couldn't vibe out the baby daddies in the beginning?

Nice place.

[StatisticalOutlier]

10 hours ago, buttersister said:

Kudos to the realtor (does he always get the eccentrics ex pats?) for being respectful and attempting to be helpful.

Well, there was that one gigantic eyeroll that I had to rewind to watch again, twice.

[seacliffsal]

I really didn't like the Puerto Vallarta House hunter.  Leaving 3 children behind in another country doesn't coincide with the image she was presenting.  Custody/visitation could be an issue unless her ex-husband is extremely accommodating (allowing the children to go to another country).  She said how she is sad that she will miss seeing those 3 children at various events, etc., is totally on her as she is the one choosing to move to another country.  And all the talk about finding a place for her 5 children, again, doesn't make that much sense since 3 of her children are in another country.  I know I am really overstating my dislike of this situation/choice that the mother is choosing, but it does really irk me (she was doing an online business so it's not like she had to move for her career, she chose to move and leave 3 children behind).

Oh, and I figured choice #2 wasn't going to be it as in the long shot I noticed a banner hanging from the railing that stated "for sale" (I may be wrong on that but thought I saw it).

[buttersister]

1 hour ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Well, there was that one gigantic eyeroll that I had to rewind to watch again, twice.

Heh, yeah. But  my eyes would have rolled out of my head and I'd have been WTFing all the way through.

[Grrarrggh]

I don't have any problems with the Mexican buyer not taking 3 of her kids with her. They're with their dad, perfectly fine. I do wonder who is going to be sleeping in the "angry" room though, and if they'll actually feel anything. 

[Notabug]

15 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

I don't have any problems with the Mexican buyer not taking 3 of her kids with her. They're with their dad, perfectly fine. I do wonder who is going to be sleeping in the "angry" room though, and if they'll actually feel anything. 

I think they should do whatever works for them as a family, but her lamentation that she was sorry to be missing all the little moments; the school programs, the soccer games, when she was moving away not because she HAD to but because she CHOSE to, rang hollow to me.  

I think whoever gets the angry room will be just fine, because I didn't buy her who 'I'm so sensitive, I FEEL things' vibe in the first place.  I'd like to know what vibes she was feeling when she told 3 of her kids that she was choosing to move to another country and would only be able to see them sporadically.

The houses were interesting, though, with some weird, quirky stuff which certainly made sense for someone like her.  As always, Taniel has the patience of a saint.

Edited February 11, 2023 by Notabug

[Grrarrggh]

7 hours ago, Notabug said:

I think they should do whatever works for them as a family, but her lamentation that she was sorry to be missing all the little moments; the school programs, the soccer games, when she was moving away not because she HAD to but because she CHOSE to, rang hollow to me.  

I think whoever gets the angry room will be just fine, because I didn't buy her who 'I'm so sensitive, I FEEL things' vibe in the first place.  I'd like to know what vibes she was feeling when she told 3 of her kids that she was choosing to move to another country and would only be able to 

Two non sarcastic questions: would anyone have blinked is she had been the father of those children? Or if her beliefs had been a mainstream religion? 

[Notabug]

14 minutes ago, Grrarrggh said:

Two non sarcastic questions: would anyone have blinked is she had been the father of those children? Or if her beliefs had been a mainstream religion? 

I would've felt the same about any parent who decides to move to another continent by choice, leaving their young children behind, even with the other parent. Had she moved due to a job change, a family emergency or something other than personal preference to live in Mexico, I would've been less concerned.

I don't have any issue with her beliefs in terms of her parenting her kids.  They're not my beliefs, I think a lot of what she said was kind of silly but I am sure other people don't think my religious beliefs are all that either.

As I think about it, it could be that her kids have always been with their father most of the time and she had limited visitation or similar and that she didn't see them much even when living nearby, although that's not the picture she painted.  If she only had them for a week or two a few times a year during school breaks, then the kids have probably adjusted to her limited presence in their daily lives.  Presuming their father was fine with them traveling to Mexico to visit, it wasn't going to change their lives much except for the great weather and exposure to a different culture in Mexico which is probably beneficial for them.

Also, she did talk about having some sort of business making herbal remedies or some such.  I don't know a lot about it, but it could be that part of her reason for moving to Mexico was because there were a lot of regulations on that sort of business in the US and that it would be cheaper and simpler to move operations to take advantage of less restrictive Mexican law.  NOTE:  I know nothing about Mexican or US law when it comes to the products she was selling.  If she needed that income to support herself and her other 2 kids whose father was seemingly not part of the financial equation, then she may not have really been moving to Mexico for personal reasons. I can see the show not wanting to get into those kinds of details. And, for me, anyway, that makes a difference.

Edited February 11, 2023 by Notabug

[BAForever]

59 minutes ago, Grrarrggh said:

Two non sarcastic questions: would anyone have blinked is she had been the father of those children? Or if her beliefs had been a mainstream religion? 

Legitimate question. Twenty years ago- yes, I would have been appalled. Now- nope. Single Dads (and who knows, this dad could be married or in a relationship) can be super parents. I personally would really struggle not being close to my kids, but to each their own.

[seacliffsal]

1 hour ago, Grrarrggh said:

Two non sarcastic questions: would anyone have blinked is she had been the father of those children? Or if her beliefs had been a mainstream religion? 

The issue for me is that she presented it as a huge sacrifice to miss all of their events.  And, she continually presented herself as making decisions for her five children (what they would all like/benefit from, etc., in the house hunt).  If she had simply stated that her ex-husband had custody but she would see them during their visits it would not have bothered me as much as how she presented what she would be giving up/missing when in reality she could conduct her online business back in Arizona if she wanted to be a constant presence in their lives.  

[aghst]

In the end she went for the cheaper of the two options.

Mother talked sense to her, see how she likes it, not as big a financial commitment.

Her business is selling herbs or something.  Is she going to ship them out from Puerto Vallarta?

[cinsays]

Just watched the one with the couple moving from Minnesota to Australia.

What's with the realtor wearing a cowboy hat? is that an Aussie thing?

Found the wife's mouth distracting and the husband's voice difficult to listen to.

I think they picked the right house for them, by the water yet close for his commute, but unless I just didn't see it, I just saw a tub in the master bath and no shower.  That would not work for me at all.

[Not4Me]

On 2/11/2023 at 8:23 PM, seacliffsal said:

The issue for me is that she presented it as a huge sacrifice to miss all of their events.  And, she continually presented herself as making decisions for her five children (what they would all like/benefit from, etc., in the house hunt).  If she had simply stated that her ex-husband had custody but she would see them during their visits it would not have bothered me as much as how she presented what she would be giving up/missing when in reality she could conduct her online business back in Arizona if she wanted to be a constant presence in their lives.  

Her “energy” was totally off-putting throughout the episode. Everything was all about her needs, only. Which typically I’d understand except she has five small kids under the age of 18. And she doesn’t cook, so a kitchen space didn’t matter to her (like WTF what about the kids?). Granted we’re only seeing an edited show, but what was presented was very telling.

I thought first and third homes were the most practical for her family and business needs.

[Grrarrggh]

On 2/11/2023 at 8:23 PM, seacliffsal said:

The issue for me is that she presented it as a huge sacrifice to miss all of their events.  

The problem I have is that if she hadn't said something like that she'd be getting even more beat up for being a cold, uncaring mother. Just because a mother will miss her children doesn't mean she shouldn't do what is best for her career and life.

12 hours ago, cinsays said:

What's with the realtor wearing a cowboy hat? is that an Aussie thing?

If it was Jesse James it's his shtick because on his name, or the name he uses. 

[TVForever]

On 2/10/2023 at 11:29 AM, seacliffsal said:

I really didn't like the Puerto Vallarta House hunter.  Leaving 3 children behind in another country doesn't coincide with the image she was presenting.  Custody/visitation could be an issue unless her ex-husband is extremely accommodating (allowing the children to go to another country).  She said how she is sad that she will miss seeing those 3 children at various events, etc., is totally on her as she is the one choosing to move to another country.  And all the talk about finding a place for her 5 children, again, doesn't make that much sense since 3 of her children are in another country.  

I'm assuming that the move was for a lower cost of living. And yes, it's another country, but it's only a 2.5 hr flight from Arizona to Puerto Vallarta. If she had moved to Florida, it would be over 4 hours. And between Zoom and FaceTime, they can stay in nearly constant communication if they choose to. 

It's not an ideal situation, but probably not as awful as it sounds on the surface.

Just my opinion...

[seacliffsal]

There's actually more paperwork involved with a divorced parent taking children out of the country.  It's not necessarily the same as sending children to another state.  

We all have differing opinions regarding this house hunter and this is just my perspective.

[proserpina65]

On 2/7/2023 at 10:12 AM, Rickster said:

I have no idea of housing costs in Brisbane, but with an infant and a dog, I would have thought this couple would have been looking for a small house, not a condo in a hi rise.

From what I've seen on HHI, Brisbane is an expensive city.

[Grizzly]

Utrecht, Netherlands.  Floor is looking really pretty/sexy tonight. I like this young couple and I hope they survive living together. #2 was so small. But traveling half an hour by bike and then an hour by train to get to Dane's school does seem ridiculous. They talk about office space for her but won't he have to study? They seem happy.

[buttersister]

I may have to watch Utrecht again (and pay attention), but at the end, they said they were happy to be right by restaurants and shops. Followed by them chuckling about cooking dinner at home every night.

[aghst]

The wife in the Utrecht episode wanted to be near the city, as opposed to being closer to his school.  Rationale was that her consultant business would be better there.

In the 3 months later segment, she claimed to be making income to pay the bills rather than them spending their savings.

So being closer to the train station probably helps.

Now did Floor jump into the water for TV?  Obviously that shot was staged, with them up in a bridge and Floor being in a dock some distance away, having to yell at each other.

[slasherboy]

The wife in the Utrecht episode said "suave-vey".  

[TVForever]

22 hours ago, aghst said:

Now did Floor jump into the water for TV?  Obviously that shot was staged, with them up in a bridge and Floor being in a dock some distance away, having to yell at each other.

Yeah, that was weird. I think we've all accepted the level of "unreality" that comes with this show, but...a realtor jumping into a canal fully clothed because her clients chose a house? Why? Which producer thought of this nonsense? And how did they get Floor to agree to it?

[BAForever]

7 minutes ago, TVForever said:

Yeah, that was weird. I think we've all accepted the level of "unreality" that comes with this show, but...a realtor jumping into a canal fully clothed because her clients chose a house? Why? Which producer thought of this nonsense? And how did they get Floor to agree to it?

I like Floor, and agree that was weird and out of character.

[chessiegal]

1 hour ago, TVForever said:

Which producer thought of this nonsense? And how did they get Floor to agree to it?

Maybe Floor suggested it. 😄 My concern was how was she supposed to get out? I may have to go back and look but I didn't see any ladders to use to get out.

ETA: Went back and looked. Yes, I think I saw a ladder at the end of that platform.

Edited February 16, 2023 by chessiegal

[chessiegal]

I did some poking around about Floor. I found an hour interview with her that I haven't completely finished yet, but she said while she was going to law school, she got various jobs to support herself. She saw an ad for an opening at a real estate agency and got it, mostly doing admin work, but moved into showing properties. In 2019 an American couple contacted her agency about finding a place. About the same time producers for HHI contacted her and asked if she wanted to be on the show. And the rest is history.

[buttersister]

Ontario to Ireland. LOL! I love their daughter (hope she's not as sad about being an older child as her parents are). They were a sweet, dorky couple, but it's Meghan's World and they all live in it--good thing she's benevolent. But her eyeroll at the idea that her M-I-L would live in a fourth bedroom and not out in a granny flat was priceless! (If I were the M-I-L, I'd want the separate flat, too.)

When Shannon says in House #2 that his wife is sold on it, we could have stopped right there. It really did meet all of their needs and $25K over wasn't going to drown anybody (plus, no doubt, Meghan was going to get a job). 

Perhaps because they came from a small town in Ontario, nobody was insisting to be near shops and restaurants. Refreshing. Lovely area. Nice realtor. 

[aghst]

It’s one thing for his mother to live with them, quite another thing to be in the same house.

Which gets more sunny days, Ontario or Ireland?

Missed why they wanted to leave Canada, other thAn he had Irish ancestry and citizenship.

May be warmer even if wetter?

[sempervivum]

Ontario to Dublin- These 2 need to take better care of themselves; she barely squeezed into the shower in the first house, and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have fit at all.

So no drama about 'he wants Irish charm' - the place they picked looked just like something in an American suburb: a flat green space and endless rows of cookie-cutter houses.

I didn't understand why she kept insisting they (she, really) HAD to have 4 bedrooms. Did she and hubby sleep separately? Or was the extra room for granny all along?

Re. granny, I suspect that flat will never be built- even if zoning allows it, it would take up most of the yard. Also, since they've never quite understood the concept of 'alleys' in the UK, the family would have to put up with all the building materials being wheelbarrowed through the house, which would make me crazy.

 

[mojito]

9 hours ago, aghst said:

Missed why they wanted to leave Canada, other thAn he had Irish ancestry and citizenship.

They were just wanting to change things up since they accepted the fact that they weren't going to have any more kids. One of them said something to the effect of, "Well, what now?" So the wife suggested moving overseas and she'd lived in Ireland before for seven months.

 

6 hours ago, sempervivum said:

Also, since they've never quite understood the concept of 'alleys' in the UK, the family would have to put up with all the building materials being wheelbarrowed through the house, which would make me crazy.

Ugh. I can't imagine having to have materials roll through the house. (Minor correction: they're not in the UK.)

[ArtFossil]

Loved this couple and their adorable daughter. 

Edited February 18, 2023 by ArtFossil

[mojito]

Epernay, France

Not one, but two wine refrigerators full of champagne. This house hunter will have one heck of a sabbatical.

[laredhead]

I loved the Epernay episode.  The HH & Adrianne (spelling wrong, I know), seemed to have established a great rapport, and really enjoyed each other's company.  I am always amazed at the European practice of sellers removing kitchens and installing them in their next house.  Seems awfully expensive to me.  I liked the apartment she chose, and yes, that was a lot of Champagne.

[Pi237]

Whenever they ask if the furniture stays, especially if it’s brand new, it’s so obvious that’s already their house lol  These two were like sisters from another mister. They really jelled. 

The bachelor pad was a hoot. Astroturf in the bathroom? That’s a first.  

I love the episodes that don’t include the fake “Person A wants charm/projects/city center, but Person B wants modern/move-in ready/country”  Drop that nonsense already. It’s so annoying. 

 

[chessiegal]

41 minutes ago, Pi237 said:

I love the episodes that don’t include the fake “Person A wants charm/projects/city center, but Person B wants modern/move-in ready/country”  Drop that nonsense already. It’s so annoying. 

 

In the interview I found with Floor, real estate agent in the Netherlands, that was the first question the guys interviewing her asked - why does one person want one thing, the other something different? Her answer - oh, that's a given, it's the way the show is scripted.

[Kenzie]

4 hours ago, laredhead said:

I am always amazed at the European practice of sellers removing kitchens and installing them in their next house.  Seems awfully expensive to me. 

Yes, it does seem expensive and it seems so odd as every kitchen is a different size and shape.

I'm always surprised that even new homes in Europe and Australia are still not always designed with built in closets.