House Hunters International - General Discussion

[Ohwell]

20 minutes ago, scrb said:

even fast food meals are around $20 per person.

My goodness!  I had no idea Switzerland was so expensive.

[chessiegal]

My husband had a colleague who took a 2 year assignment in Switzerland. She was close enough to France they rented a house there because Switzerland was so expensive.

We're hoping to go to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland middle May/June. Right now we have booked a cabin on the QM2 from New York to Hamburg. Depends on my husband's recovery from surgery this week. His doctor thinks we will be able to go.

[Spunkygal]

5 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

My husband had a colleague who took a 2 year assignment in Switzerland. She was close enough to France they rented a house there because Switzerland was so expensive.

We're hoping to go to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland middle May/June. Right now we have booked a cabin on the QM2 from New York to Hamburg. Depends on my husband's recovery from surgery this week. His doctor thinks we will be able to go.

Best wishes that he makes a great recovery! 

[scrb]

32 minutes ago, Ohwell said:

My goodness!  I had no idea Switzerland was so expensive.

Many of the countries require that restaurant workers, including fast food restaurant workers, get paid fairly well.

They are not dependent on tip because the service is included in the cost of the food.

I think McDonald's workers make over $50k in Denmark.  I'm sure Switzerland is similar.

Several years ago, I saw someone in a McDonalds uniform get into the subway in Hong Kong and pull out an iPhone, back when it was still relatively rare for people to carry around a $700 phone with service costing at least $60 in the US.

[kirklandia]

Just started playing back “Seattle to Berlin” on my DVR.  Saw the name and hit pause.  Not sure if I can watch this one.  

Marty Riemer was a local celebrity here , for two reasons.  

1.  As a radio personality and

2.  He and his neighbors cut down a bunch of trees that were on public property, to improve their views.  That is some serious shit here where we love our trees.

https://www.google.com/amp/q13fox.com/2016/09/20/seattle-files-1-6-million-suit-after-150-trees-cut-down-in-west-seattle/amp/

I guess he he and his family had to flee the scene of the crime.

Edited April 15, 2018 by kirklandia

[nanometer]

1 hour ago, kirklandia said:

https://www.google.com/amp/q13fox.com/2016/09/20/seattle-files-1-6-million-suit-after-150-trees-cut-down-in-west-seattle/amp/

I guess he he and his family had to flee the scene of the crime.

It now kind of makes sense why he insisted on being "where the action is" even though he didn't get his way. Fewer reminders of quiet West Seattle... and all those trees.

[nanometer]

12 hours ago, chocolatine said:

I thought the husband insisting on being in the city center was producer driven. They used to live on Mercer Island, a suburb 20 minutes from Seattle. If he'd been a true city person, he'd have lived in Seattle. In the end, it was obvious he was very comfortable living in a suburb.

He also commented a couple of times about how the surroundings reminded him of home. That first tiny apartment looked like it could've been off of Interstate 5 cutting through an edge of downtown Seattle, and the others had views that reminded me of sections off of Lake Washington.

Edited April 15, 2018 by nanometer
Fixing typo

[abbyzenn]

Just watched the Seattle to Berlin episode.  That first apartment was one of the strangest they have ever shown on this show.  Living in an art gallery?  That's not your art?  Do people wander in looking at the art?  Or was it by appointment only?  And sure when you have children have them sleep in a separate apartment from where you're sleeping?  The whole thing didn't make sense.  While I liked the wife, Marty was too much.  Hopefully his dismissal of the kids commute to school was just producer driven otherwise he's pretty selfish for a parent.

[chocolatine]

12 hours ago, nanometer said:

He also commented a couple of times about how the surroundings reminded him of home. That first tiny apartment looked like it could've been off of Interstate 5 cutting through an edge of downtown Seattle, and the others had views that reminded me of sections off of Lake Washington.

Yeah, as someone who lived in Seattle for a long time, I was mentally assigning Seattle-area towns/neighborhoods to each place. First apartment - Eastlake, second apartment - Kirkland, third apartment - Wallingford.

2 hours ago, abbyzenn said:

Just watched the Seattle to Berlin episode.  That first apartment was one of the strangest they have ever shown on this show.  Living in an art gallery?  That's not your art?  Do people wander in looking at the art?  Or was it by appointment only? 

I think it may have been some kind of performance art concept, though that would only make sense if the artist who created the paintings lived there. "This artist lives and breathes his/her art" or something similarly ridiculous.

[Pickles]

14 hours ago, kirklandia said:

Just started playing back “Seattle to Berlin” on my DVR.  Saw the name and hit pause.  Not sure if I can watch this one.  

Marty Riemer was a local celebrity here , for two reasons.  

1.  As a radio personality and

2.  He and his neighbors cut down a bunch of trees that were on public property, to improve their views.  That is some serious shit here where we love our trees.

https://www.google.com/amp/q13fox.com/2016/09/20/seattle-files-1-6-million-suit-after-150-trees-cut-down-in-west-seattle/amp/

I guess he he and his family had to flee the scene of the crime.

OMG!

[seacliffsal]

I really hope that people stop supporting his radio show and he gets fired.  The arrogance is overwhelming.  They want a better view so destroy public property in order to do so, then when found out they head to Europe while still holding on to his radio job.  Obviously, they are very, very entitled in their actions and beliefs.

[Kohola3]

5 minutes ago, seacliffsal said:

I really hope that people stop supporting his radio show and he gets fired.  The arrogance is overwhelming.  They want a better view so destroy public property in order to do so, then when found out they head to Europe while still holding on to his radio job.  Obviously, they are very, very entitled in their actions and beliefs.

Unconscionable. Disgusting entitled arrogant jerk.  Stay in Europe, you are not wanted here.  And, I agree, stop listening to this idiot.

[biakbiak]

1 hour ago, seacliffsal said:

I really hope that people stop supporting his radio show and he gets fired.  The arrogance is overwhelming.  They want a better view so destroy public property in order to do so, then when found out they head to Europe while still holding on to his radio job.  Obviously, they are very, very entitled in their actions and beliefs.

This happened a few years ago so I dount it had anythong to do with it. Here is an article it probably has more to do with how radio is changing and things happening in the US. It also mentions they still have their West Seattle home and that he and both the kids have dual American and German citizenship.

In the comments section it mentions that he settled with the city amd paid 440k in damages.

Edited April 15, 2018 by biakbiak

[sempervivum]

Madison, Wisconsin to Dublin- the usual list of demands, but what stood out was the weirdly flat affect of wifey.  There was virtually no expression on her face, even when she commented that if she couldn't have brought their giant husky-looking dog along, she would have stayed behind.

[Pickles]

Did they say what the Wisconsin couple did for a living in Dublin? The husband wanted to move there because of his grandfather and his Irish roots? I missed the beginning of the episode. The wife did seem a bit expressionless at times. 

[Kohola3]

2 minutes ago, Pickles said:

Did they say what the Wisconsin couple did for a living in Dublin?

I don't remember but he did have a job.  And at the end she had gotten one as well but not sure what she did. She was a bit of an odd duck.

[AlleC17]

I think she just was stiff in front of the camera.  I fear I would be as well.  I had to laugh when they rented the one over budget, 7 miles from the city center, since I figured it had to be near her work, and just like magic they mentioned that at the end.  Yes, she got a job, so not so over budget.  I really wish these HH shows would stick to the actuality and stop with their idiotic 'stories' which no one really believes anyway.

[abbyzenn]

Wisconsin to Dublin:  His grandfather was Irish and so the guy was able to get Irish citizenship.   She was very stiff.  I wish we could get blurbs of 10  years later and see which of these couples are still together.

[mojito]

I chuckled when the Wisconsin wife stated that she wanted an American back yard. I wondered if that made more sense in her head?

The real estate agent seemed boggled by the woman's attachment to the dog. Oddly, I can't remember the dog's name, but they must've stated it at least 15 times in the episode. The wife seemed off to me.

[Kohola3]

Odin, Odin, Odin, Odin, Odin interminably.  You love the dog.  We get it.

[Kohola3]

I quite liked the couple moving to southern France.  Interesting mix of homes available and no made up drama at all.  They seemed respectful of each other and the whole "pig sty" repetition was, I believe, producer driven and while I'd go nuts in the house they chose she stuck to the budget.  Their kids were cute as well.  A very pleasant episode all around.

[doodlebug]

2 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

I quite liked the couple moving to southern France.  Interesting mix of homes available and no made up drama at all.  They seemed respectful of each other and the whole "pig sty" repetition was, I believe, producer driven and while I'd go nuts in the house they chose she stuck to the budget.  Their kids were cute as well.  A very pleasant episode all around.

They were remarkably stress-free.  Not sure I could live in the house they chose; having to chop wood to heat the place would be a deal breaker.  The countryside was beautiful there, though.

[TVForever]

I’m embarrassed to say I didn’t  know that France even had lizards, let alone having enough for professional biologists to study. 

[sempervivum]

I also liked the new realtor, who was kind of a rural version of Adrian from Paris. Interesting fashion style and very chipper, positive personality.

Quote

I didn’t  know that France even had lizards

Yes, it seemed like it might get cold there- I noticed that you could see the realtor's breath a couple of times. Living in Wisconsin, I know nothing about lizards, but always assumed they were warm climate dwelling.

[SmithW6079]

I let HHI build up on my DVR sometimes, and then I check here to see if the episode is worth watching. I've skipped a bunch that way. :-)

No one commented on it, but the gay couple moving to Mexico kind of bugged me, especially the American partner, whom they cast in the role as the shrew (usually reserved for women). I don't know how he could do his job remotely, especially since it was so location-specific. He mentioned that he had moved to New York precisely so he could work on Broadway, and expressed his concerns of how being "out of sight, out of mind" might affect him.

It sounded like a great opportunity for the partner who was from Mexico -- he was going to manage a boutique luxury hotel, although sometimes I wonder if the "hotel scenarios" have a shred of truth in them (like the guy who was going to build a resort in some Asian country; I forget which one).

I wonder if they're still a couple.

[wovenloaf]

3 hours ago, sempervivum said:

I also liked the new realtor, who was kind of a rural version of Adrian from Paris. Interesting fashion style and very chipper, positive personality.

Yes, it seemed like it might get cold there- I noticed that you could see the realtor's breath a couple of times. Living in Wisconsin, I know nothing about lizards, but always assumed they were warm climate dwelling.

There are lizards in places where it gets cold in winter, they just only really come out and move around when it's warm.  The skinks with blue tails are very common in Virginia (at least the part I grew up in), for example. 

[sempervivum]

Costa Rica to Barcelona- couple was OK and I agreed with their choice, but did anyone notice the table manners of their 2 cute kids? The boy was eating with his hands and the girl was awkwardly stabbing big pieces of food and then bringing them to her mouth to gnaw off the utensil. 

[Kohola3]

Barcelona couple - another laid back and non-contentious episode.   Two in a row, so refreshing.  Although I would have gone with the third house - that was gorgeous, odd angles and all.

I did think the kids were a little "off". 

[MarthaEllisanne]

On 4/2/2018 at 5:43 PM, Scout Finch said:

Nashville to Costa Rica: Couldn't help but think that their temporary separation had been either due to him having been unfaithful and her still working through some anger, which would then be understandable OR she's just a very unpleasant person in general who is really difficult to live with. I'm leaning towards the latter. I also think there's a very strong possibility that they'll return to Nashville--but not together!

My thoughts exactly. Husband: run, dude, run.  Loved the eye-roll of the realtor.  

[AnnMarie17]

4 hours ago, sempervivum said:

Costa Rica to Barcelona- couple was OK and I agreed with their choice, but did anyone notice the table manners of their 2 cute kids? The boy was eating with his hands and the girl was awkwardly stabbing big pieces of food and then bringing them to her mouth to gnaw off the utensil. 

Oh yes...we noticed.  I said right to the TV (because I'm an old woman who occasionally talks to her TV)..."Hey, how about using that knife you're holding to cut your giant food?" 

[irisheyes]

6 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

Barcelona couple - another laid back and non-contentious episode.   Two in a row, so refreshing.  Although I would have gone with the third house - that was gorgeous, odd angles and all.

I did think the kids were a little "off". 

I didn’t notice the kids, but they were a hilarious couple.  You could tell there was a lot of affection between them.

And, what a life!  To be able to live basically anywhere because your job is internet based (and well paying). 

I’d have taken the third house too.  But, they didn’t say anything about a car, so maybe they didn’t  own one. 

Edited April 20, 2018 by irisheyes

[SmithW6079]

Dublin: Shut the fuck up about "Odin"! Here's the thing: he's a dog; he'll adjust, and I say that as a dog owner with two dogs who moved from a house with a yard to an apartment with no outdoor space. It meant I had to go from letting them roam free in the backyard to walking them on the leash. And guess what? All of us survived. 

I thought the wife was awful throughout most of the episode, but I really hated her when she remarked how the neighbors in the first apartment wouldn't appreciate the shared outdoor space being taken over by Odin. That's because you don't do that, you selfish git.

Thailand: This one, as most HHIs, was confusing. The woman's brother is a Buddhist, so she moved to Thailand to better understand Buddhism? Was he in a monastery there? Because they never mentioned that connection again. 

The friend was really annoying, especially when she kept prattling on about the "lack of privacy." The woman will be living alone. How often will she have visitors where the open sleeping area would be a problem? 

Quote

Barcelona couple - another laid back and non-contentious episode.   Two in a row, so refreshing.  Although I would have gone with the third house - that was gorgeous, odd angles and all.

Really? I thought the wife was a shrew, insisting on getting what she wanted, woe to whomever crossed her. When she unilaterally eliminates the under-budget apartment, the husband just says "fine" in a clipped, annoyed tone. She whined about an apartment in the center of the city as being too noisy and she whined about the one on the quiet street as being too small. 

I would have expected kids who were growing up in Costa Rica to speak better Spanish than they appeared to -- the daughter spoke so haltingly. 

I agree the third house was the nicest, and I agree with the husband that it was quirky.

Edited April 21, 2018 by SmithW6079
Added comments about the Barcelona couple because they annoyed me so.

[ZoZose]

The military family moving to Eindhoven. I was so confused by the wife who I first assumed to be a step mother since she looked and acted like about 23/24 but then they mentioned a 12 year old daughter. So she had to be a wee bit too old to be all "I live to shop" and  "who cares about the budget" and "I NEED a walk in closet for all my clothes". Oy. She came off as such a brat. Plus (on a shallow note) she was wearing the ugliest top I've ever seen. The children were very cute and the hubby seemed nice except that he clearly gives in to her every demand no matter what. At the end I had to lol at him hard at work mowing the lawn as the children ran by to jump in the pool and the camera panned to show dear wifey lounging poolside. 

Last night also had a girl moving to Thailand from Boston and she flew her friend out to help her choose. She had a weird fascination with having a comfortable couch and I couldn't figure why but it needed to literally be in her wishlist. She also floored me by wanting the places to come with sheets and pillows. How odd-you can't bring your own sheets? Long term, you won't buy sheets? There are no sheets available for sale in Thailand? She chose the sheet-less place and had her mother send her own sheets from home.  I liked all of the places she saw really but I'd have gone for the second one with the swivel tv. The kitchen there was so nice but in the end she wanted the garden to sit out and the couch was the most comfortable in the first (over-budget) place.

Edited April 22, 2018 by ZoZose

[ML89]

ZoZose, I'm with you on the Thailand one - I'd've gone with the second place and bought a couch eventually. Her friend's bizarre "people can see you in the bedroom" fixation was easily fixable and it was a far better kitchen, etc. I'm wondering if that comfy couch thing was a way to give us some reason she took the first place - that was really odd. And I thought the exact same about the sheets and pillows. I mean, I know it's a set up but that was really off. 

[doodlebug]

2 hours ago, ML89 said:

ZoZose, I'm with you on the Thailand one - I'd've gone with the second place and bought a couch eventually. Her friend's bizarre "people can see you in the bedroom" fixation was easily fixable and it was a far better kitchen, etc. I'm wondering if that comfy couch thing was a way to give us some reason she took the first place - that was really odd. And I thought the exact same about the sheets and pillows. I mean, I know it's a set up but that was really off. 

I would've gone out and found some comfy pillows and maybe a comforter/duvet for the couch and it probably would've worked out fine.  I also didn't understand her friend's obsession with privacy in an apartment where she was going to be living alone.  Was she going to bed in the middle of a dinner party?  Inviting people over for drinks while she naps?  As noted elsewhere, that apartment was terrific, if anything, the openings between the bed and living rooms probably made each of them seem larger, lighter and airier than otherwise.   I thought it was a good way to make small rooms seem larger.

The sheet thing was weird, I haven't seen many furnished rentals that included linens. 

Edited April 23, 2018 by doodlebug

[chocolatine]

4 hours ago, doodlebug said:

The sheet thing was weird, I haven't seen many furnished rentals that included linens. 

I don't know about Asia, but a lot of "fully furnished" short-term rentals in Europe do include bedding, towels, and kitchenware. I do wonder about sending bedding from the US, since not all countries have the same mattress sizes. Plus, I'm sure you can get brand-new bedding in Thailand for less than what it costs to ship it from the US.

[Pickles]

The Chicago accountants moving to Amsterdam were annoying. He complained about the white walls in the first apartment, as well as the washer/dryer in one machine. In the third apartment, the wife complained that the walls were too colorful. The wife wanted to stick to the $1900 budget, but the agent told them everything was going to cost more than that. After viewing the first apartment for $2000, the wife said to the agent--you are going to have to convince us that this apartment is worth the extra $100. Seriously? How about you up your budget or take your entitled American attitude back to Chicago. They both complained about small rooms and he was fixated on storage, because the wife did not like to put her clothes away. Huh? They just seemed obnoxious to me. On a completely shallow note, the huge scarf/blankets that the wife wore around her neck did her no favors.

[wovenloaf]

10 hours ago, Pickles said:

The Chicago accountants moving to Amsterdam were annoying. He complained about the white walls in the first apartment, as well as the washer/dryer in one machine. In the third apartment, the wife complained that the walls were too colorful. The wife wanted to stick to the $1900 budget, but the agent told them everything was going to cost more than that. After viewing the first apartment for $2000, the wife said to the agent--you are going to have to convince us that this apartment is worth the extra $100. Seriously? How about you up your budget or take your entitled American attitude back to Chicago. They both complained about small rooms and he was fixated on storage, because the wife did not like to put her clothes away. Huh? They just seemed obnoxious to me. On a completely shallow note, the huge scarf/blankets that the wife wore around her neck did her no favors.

I only watched half of that episode, but the thing I couldn't stand about her was how, when she wanted to make a point, she would look over at the guy with a real serious look on her face and glare at him, then talk to him in a weird lecturing tone.  It was reminiscent of the way a teacher would talk to a third grader who won't pay attention in class.

[doodlebug]

11 hours ago, Pickles said:

The Chicago accountants moving to Amsterdam were annoying. He complained about the white walls in the first apartment, as well as the washer/dryer in one machine. In the third apartment, the wife complained that the walls were too colorful. The wife wanted to stick to the $1900 budget, but the agent told them everything was going to cost more than that. After viewing the first apartment for $2000, the wife said to the agent--you are going to have to convince us that this apartment is worth the extra $100. Seriously? How about you up your budget or take your entitled American attitude back to Chicago. They both complained about small rooms and he was fixated on storage, because the wife did not like to put her clothes away. Huh? They just seemed obnoxious to me. On a completely shallow note, the huge scarf/blankets that the wife wore around her neck did her no favors.

The huge scarves made her look like she might topple over any second, made her look quite top heavy.  I couldn't believe the wife's attitude about the budget.  The realtor pretty much laid it on the line from the start: $1900 is not enough for what they wanted.  I don't think she was lying or hiding a bunch of incredible under-budget places from them.  If your realtor tells you that you are being unrealistic, then it is time to adjust your expectations and your budget.  Would she have behaved like that in Chicago, where rents are also quite high?  She mentioned several times how small their Chicago apartment was.   Did she demand their realtor there find them a bigger place for less than the going rate?  Who does that?

I get the husband's desire for a separate washer and dryer; I've used those machines in Europe and it does take forever to do a load of laundry; which is why most Europeans use drying racks and clotheslines.  Check it out, pal.  I also did not understand how having a second bedroom and a lot of storage space was going to keep his wife from throwing her clothes around.  Sounds like she is a slob and I expect her mess will expand to encompass whatever space they have. As for the white walls, that's pretty standard for a rental.  It allows you to purchase throw pillows, rugs, bedspreads, etc to your taste which is what it appears they did in the end.  Duh!

The wife was particularly whiny, why would they take huge pay cuts and move to Amsterdam, BY CHOICE, no less; if they weren't willing to adjust their lifestyle?

Edited April 24, 2018 by doodlebug

[Mittengirl]

1 hour ago, doodlebug said:

The wife was particularly whiny, why would they take huge pay cuts and move to Amsterdam, BY CHOICE, no less; if they weren't willing to adjust their lifestyle?

Because without travel nightmares, they wouldn’t have any stories to tell proving how “special” they are.  Like her stories about wading through shit-infused waters or missing trains in Bulgaria(?).   Now they can regale the folks back home with tales of how brave they are to face the travails of life in Amsterdam without a dryer.

[doodlebug]

47 minutes ago, Mittengirl said:

Because without travel nightmares, they wouldn’t have any stories to tell proving how “special” they are.  Like her stories about wading through shit-infused waters or missing trains in Bulgaria(?).   Now they can regale the folks back home with tales of how brave they are to face the travails of life in Amsterdam without a dryer.

Thanks for reminding me.  I did find it off-putting that her only tales of their previous travels were of how they persevered under adversity in trying circumstances.  I've done some traveling myself including to developing nations where hardship is the norm, but, when I tell the stories of my trips, it's not me nor the less than pleasant stuff I recount. Good lord, there is so much more to India than water with waste in it!   I hope it was producer driven and they specifically asked her about problems while traveling, but somehow, I think not.

I would hope that when they tell their friends and family about how much they had to endure in Amsterdam; someone laughs in their faces.

Edited April 24, 2018 by doodlebug

[copshop]

Ah, Tuscan dreams. David and Toby were completely adorable, and I was completely on board with their dreams of a B&B and olive grove.

I am actually surprised a house of that size, plus land, plus proximity to one of the most popular Tuscan villages, was only a million.

[IrishImport]

I liked the guys looking to start a B&B in Tuscany too. But I had to laugh when the realtor said it was only a 10 minute walk to that beautiful hilltop town. Only if you’re a mountain goat. 

Maybe she just meant the bottom of the hill. Realtors do spin things, after all. 

[seacliffsal]

So, the wife of the couple who moved to Ecuador really didn't understand how tsunamis, or flooding, work.  She thought by being three blocks back from the beach (on level land) would save her from tsunamis.  Not so much.  Maybe live on top of one of the mountains that they kept noticing.  Otherwise the couple was not annoying, so a real plus.

[IrishImport]

Here is the Tuscany B&B’s website. They’re still working on it and plan to open in 2019. (Those “partially renovated” properties are always a giveaway, as we know.). And on the website they do say the town is a short DRIVE away. :)  Despite their understandable insistence that a walkable distance would be a priority for guests when “looking” for a property.  Of course HHI is staged, it’s TV, but still fun to get glimpses of places around the world... and see the real people and their websites. 

https://www.fontemartino.com/about-us/

[biakbiak]

6 hours ago, IrishImport said:

But I had to laugh when the realtor said it was only a 10 minute walk to that beautiful hilltop town. Only if you’re a mountain goat. 

Seriously, even a crow would probably take longer to fly there.

Edited April 27, 2018 by biakbiak

[laredhead]

Just watched the "Bickersons" - Colorado couple who moved to Ecuador, and OMG what a pair.  I bet they are the type of people who constantly bicker with each other, and I didn't find it comfortable watching the episode because they were constantly sniping at each other.  I did enjoy the animation of the giant squid snatching the fisherman off the beach when they showed the maps of each place they looked at.  I agree that the wife should read up on tsunamis, or maybe not.  She would be moving back to Colorado immediately.

I liked the place they bought, but it was a little dark for my taste, and some white paint applied here and there would make it look lighter and brighter.       

[sempervivum]

Am I the only one who thought that village in Ecuador was completely depressing? I thought the view from above made it look like a shanty town (except for the beautiful ocean, of course). I was pretty sure that just off camera, there were streets full of starving dogs and beggars . The properties sure were cheap, though!

[seacliffsal]

Just watched the couple moving from Dallas to Budapest episode and, quite frankly, I have a degree of hate for them.  At the beginning of the episode the narrator spoke about how they had to change their lives and make sacrifices in order to move and they mentioned that they had to "get rid of their beloved dog."  Well, there you go-have a dog until it is not longer 'convenient.'  We have seen House Hunter episodes in which people took their dogs to...Budapest.  I applied for a job in London a while back (didn't get it...) and immediately started looking online for apartments that would be dog/pet friendly.  Maybe the apartment they wanted didn't allow pets, or who knows...  What was especially irksome to me was that the scenes of them enjoying life in Budapest were filmed in a park (they were on segways, but nevertheless they could walk a dog there).   There may have been a compelling reason they couldn't take the dog outside of just not wanting to take it; however, if it was just a matter of convenience then it just irks me so much. 

[BlossomCulp]

To me it depends on what they meant by "get rid".  Giving the dog to a friend or family member is a lot different from taking it down to the shelter or having the vet put it to sleep!