House Hunters - General Discussion

[amarante]

50 minutes ago, Notabug said:

We've had a lot of episodes where the buyers went right to the limits of their loan qualification and purchased a home for well over the asking price after a bidding war.  Who are these people who seemingly thought the housing bubble would never burst?  I understand needing a decent place to live, but when housing costs have spiraled upwards out of sync with the rest of the economy; overspending is a very dumb idea.  It's been kinda obvious, even to those of us who weren't selling or buying a home; that we were in the midst of a seller's market the last couple years and it wouldn't last because it never does.

I'd like for an episode or two of some of these people now and in the months ahead who find themselves under water on their mortgage on a home that isn't worth what they paid for it.  I imagine some of these dumb bunnies even have adjustable rate mortgages and their payments are now rising rapidly.

Actually they might still be in a better financial position than someone who is looking now because their monthly payments for mortgage will be far lower than if they bought now. Even if the price dropped on a home their monthly payments would be higher because of higher mortgage.

The only time the price matters is when you sell. I have been living in my home for more than 20 years and the price has gone up and down since I've lived here. It doesn't affect me in anyway since I don't want to sell; don't want to refinance and never thought I was richer or poorer based on what the price of my home was at any point in time. And for the record, even if I sold at less than highest price I would still be well ahead in terms of appreciation since I purchased.

An article from today's New York Times reporting on how the market is now even more difficult for first time buyers because the rise in mortgage interest rates has increased monthly payments so even though prices may have dropped a bit, homes are even less affordable. Also they are competing with older cash buyers who don't need mortgages so interest rates are irrelevant 

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/11/realestate/first-time-buyers-housing-market.html

35 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

Re: the valet parking. My husband has a former colleague whose parents are very well off. Their weekend home is a large home waterfront on steep banks of the Severn River across from the Naval Academy. Every year they hosted 2 large viewing parties when the Blue Angels did their flyovers for graduation, one on the practice day and one the next day. There is only parking for about 5 cars. They easily had 50-80 people there. There is no large parking nearby, just winding roads on the steep hillside. They used valet parking. You just pulled up to the front door, gave your keys to the valet, and they parked your car off the side of the neighborhood streets. They made it work.

I think you can make it work if you are hosting the occasional private party. I live in the Hollywood Hills and there is little or no street parking even for the casual guest. Many people now UBER up to visit friends rather than attempt to find parking.

However the issue is that when you have a commercial venue, you will be infiltrating the neighborhood and annoying neighbors on a constant basis as opposed to the occasional party where most gracious people inform neighbors and/or even invite them to an open house type of situation.

Also I think that when people come to a commercial venue, their expectations of how long it will take to get their car are quite a bit different than at a private party. At a private party most people would be thrilled to have a valet even if it takes awhile for their car to be returned.

Edited November 12, 2022 by amarante

[CrazyInAlabama]

8 hours ago, Notabug said:

We've had a lot of episodes where the buyers went right to the limits of their loan qualification and purchased a home for well over the asking price after a bidding war.  Who are these people who seemingly thought the housing bubble would never burst?  I understand needing a decent place to live, but when housing costs have spiraled upwards out of sync with the rest of the economy; overspending is a very dumb idea.  It's been kinda obvious, even to those of us who weren't selling or buying a home; that we were in the midst of a seller's market the last couple years and it wouldn't last because it never does.

I'd like for an episode or two of some of these people now and in the months ahead who find themselves under water on their mortgage on a home that isn't worth what they paid for it.  I imagine some of these dumb bunnies even have adjustable rate mortgages and their payments are now rising rapidly.

My understanding is that if you bid more than the appraised price, that you pay cash for that extra amount.     My question is if you get insurance for the price you paid for the house?    Or if you have to get full replacement insurance, and hope if something awful happens, it will cover everything.    You still have a mortgage to pay off on the house even if it's gone.   

8 hours ago, amarante said:

Actually they might still be in a better financial position than someone who is looking now because their monthly payments for mortgage will be far lower than if they bought now. Even if the price dropped on a home their monthly payments would be higher because of higher mortgage.

The only time the price matters is when you sell. I have been living in my home for more than 20 years and the price has gone up and down since I've lived here. It doesn't affect me in anyway since I don't want to sell; don't want to refinance and never thought I was richer or poorer based on what the price of my home was at any point in time. And for the record, even if I sold at less than highest price I would still be well ahead in terms of appreciation since I purchased.

With the huge, hot market in Denver, resale probably won't be an issue.  

On the Milwaukee episode, the sister saying for parties her friends can park in the parking lot next door.    Followed by everyone getting their car towed. 

I did like the house buying sister saying the second house basement would need an eggress window, and said the same thing about the third house.  The second across from her former home was a terrible idea, according to her.    The first house was also a bad idea, because the tenant upstairs might have a lease in place, or resist moving out. 

She bought the Tudor, which I thought was the third house, but I could be very wrong.  I'm glad she bought the Tudor house, but didn't like her changes to the paint scheme inside.

Edited November 13, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[BAForever]

Was watching an old episode. Couple had a firm budget, realtor showed house well over budget. Realtor had done calculations, and said it was only an extra $160 per month (for 30 years?). I've has times in my life when $160 per month was a car payment. We have spent far less on every mortgage than we qualified for. Always a trade off, but I don't lose sleep with our mortgage and it makes me happy.

[amarante]

13 minutes ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

With the huge, hot market in Denver, resale probably won't be an issue.  

I did like the house buying sister saying the second house basement would need an eggress window, and said the same thing about the third house.   I'm glad she bought the third house, the second across from her former home was a terrible idea.    The first house was also a bad idea, because the tenant upstairs might have a lease in place, or resist moving out. 

My understanding is that the current downturn in the market is very regional and some places are not really down that much. As always location location location as even in 2008 homes in desirable areas retained their value much more than those in which the location as questionable. In the Southern California market, the west side of Los Angeles retained value because 1) people wanted to live there and 2) those living there didn't have to sell at distress prices and so they just chose to stay in their homes versus homes way out in the boonies which were houses for people who just wanted to buy a home without regard for its actual value and many of those people had to sell because they had bought with the crazy mortgages that had large balloon payments due.

I thought the HH bought the house across the street as I thought she had said that it was still a good move. I had thought that she probably heard it was for sale and bought it prior to the show. The first home (duplex) was never going to be chosen with a tenant in place. 

[Notabug]

1 hour ago, chessiegal said:

Re: the valet parking. My husband has a former colleague whose parents are very well off. Their weekend home is a large home waterfront on steep banks of the Severn River across from the Naval Academy. Every year they hosted 2 large viewing parties when the Blue Angels did their flyovers for graduation, one on the practice day and one the next day. There is only parking for about 5 cars. They easily had 50-80 people there. There is no large parking nearby, just winding roads on the steep hillside. They used valet parking. You just pulled up to the front door, gave your keys to the valet, and they parked your car off the side of the neighborhood streets. They made it work.

ETA: The parties were catered, so all the catering stuff happened before guests arrived.

I think that works for the occasional event hosted by the owner.  Especially in a situation as described, where the timing is known well in advance and there's a clearcut beginning and ending to the event.  I don't think neighbors  are going to be upset if their neighbors throw an occasional party and uses valet parking.  However, if the same homeowners are renting out their house to strangers who are hosting events multiple times a month on various days and times, I think the neighbors would very likely not be so understanding and accommodating.

Quote

My understanding is that if you bid more than the appraised price, that you pay cash for that extra amount.     My question is if you get insurance for the price you paid for the house?    Or if you have to get full replacement insurance, and hope if something awful happens, it will cover everything.    You still have a mortgage to pay off on the house even if it's gone.  

The appraisal is done by the bank and is separate from the list price and/or the sale price.  The buyer would only have to pay cash if the appraised value is less than the sale price of the house.  The bank will not issue a home loan for more than the worth of the house.

In a lot of these HH episodes, we see realtors/sellers deliberately setting an asking price that is below the actual asking price of the home.  In a hot market, that guarantees more showings and probably more offers which could easily result in a final sale price well about the home's value.  The buyer would then have to pay the difference in cash because the bank will not finance beyond the actual value of the home.

I believe there is something similar when it comes to homeowner's insurance.  You can insure your house up to its appraised value.  Otherwise, there would be too much risk that someone might overinsure their home and then, the house is lost in a fire under shady circumstances and the owner collects more that it would cost to rebuild.  

Edited November 12, 2022 by Notabug

[chessiegal]

31 minutes ago, Notabug said:

I think that works for the occasional event hosted by the owner. 

This family threw similar parties on a regular basis. The Blue Angel parties plus a baby shower where they did the valet parking happened to be the parties I was invited to.

[amarante]

7 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

This family threw similar parties on a regular basis. The Blue Angel parties plus a baby shower where they did the valet parking happened to be the parties I was invited to.

Regular parties thrown by private people is not the same as events at a commercial establishment unless these people were the party animals of the neighborhood and having large parties with valet service every weekend as well as possibly during the week.

I might have dinner parties but that isn't the same thing as having even a small restaurant next door. 🤣

[Bastet]

2 hours ago, amarante said:

However the issue is that when you have a commercial venue, you will be infiltrating the neighborhood and annoying neighbors on a constant basis as opposed to the occasional party where most gracious people inform neighbors and/or even invite them to an open house type of situation.

Exactly.  Back when I was first starting out, my boss (with whom I became friends) and our CEO lived around the corner from each other in the Hollywood Hills, so I knew all the parking tricks for a single visit and the logistics of hiring valet service for parties.  Even with other neighbors doing the same thing, the combined effect of everyone's parties was distinctly less than would be a commercial venue operating regularly -- and neighbors feel quite differently about multiple households taking their turn once or twice a year than someone routinely cluttering the streets for profit.

Now, parking would be at nowhere near the premium in Oklahoma City (I've spent time there, too, unfortunately) it is in the Hollywood Hills, but the principle regarding neighbors' differing degrees of acceptance remains, which affects any permit process a commercial enterprise in a residential neighborhood is subjected to as there is generally a public notification, with an invitation for input and sometimes even a public hearing.

[StatisticalOutlier]

5 hours ago, amarante said:

The only time the price matters is when you sell. I have been living in my home for more than 20 years and the price has gone up and down since I've lived here. It doesn't affect me in anyway since I don't want to sell;

I'm no property tax expert, but I think your situation may be unique to California because of Proposition 13, which bases property taxes on the property's value when it was bought, and taxes rise by no more than 2% each year. 

I don't know how widespread that approach is, but it's not the case in Texas, for example, where property taxes are based on the current assessed value.  Even if someone doesn't want to sell, their property taxes go up along with the assessment, so it does affect them.  Keeping up with property taxes in a hot market can become a financial struggle for someone who just wants to keep living in their house like usual, and is doing nothing to cause the increase in assessment.  They'll benefit from the increasing value of their house when they sell (assuming they sell at the right time), but in the meantime, they're hurt by the rising prices.

[amarante]

50 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I'm no property tax expert, but I think your situation may be unique to California because of Proposition 13, which bases property taxes on the property's value when it was bought, and taxes rise by no more than 2% each year. 

I don't know how widespread that approach is, but it's not the case in Texas, for example, where property taxes are based on the current assessed value.  Even if someone doesn't want to sell, their property taxes go up along with the assessment, so it does affect them.  Keeping up with property taxes in a hot market can become a financial struggle for someone who just wants to keep living in their house like usual, and is doing nothing to cause the increase in assessment.  They'll benefit from the increasing value of their house when they sell (assuming they sell at the right time), but in the meantime, they're hurt by the rising prices.

I am not sure how property taxes affect what was being discussed which is fair market value.

The issue of whether poor people can afford to live in their older homes when they become more valuable and thus are assessed at a higher property tax is irrelevant for most people. Either they can afford the property taxes especially since they have no mortgage if they have lived in a home for a long time or they sell their house for much more than they bought it for if for some reason they are too poor to pay property taxes. 

Also - high property taxes aren't a phenomena in many places which have a good commercial tax base. For example, property taxes in New York City for residential property is relatively low because of the strong tax base versus some suburban areas which have high tax rates because of school systems typically. But even the highest tax places in the NY/NJ metropolitan area are still relatively low as a cost of housing if one has no mortgage to pay - assuming one is living in a normal suburban home - let's say $15,000 per year which means that your taxes are approximately $1250 per month which is still extremely low for housing costs. You couldn't rent something in those areas for twice or three times that.

[CattyK]

I just watched Newly single in Milwaukee, which I think was a new episode this week.  She bought a Tudor cottage house.   I thought it seemed like a good buy, BUT:

The bathrooms had tile which I thought was amazing, it looked to be in great shape in the short views of it they showed.  I can’t remember when the house was built but I’d guess the tile was from the 30s or early 40s. The tile in the full bath was all pale yellow with delicate black accents.  The half bath did have two colors that didn’t mesh well, but I thought the geometric floor tile was pretty.  The buyer hated it all but her sister appreciated the vintage charm.  Buyer plans to rip it all out.

the living-dining area had hardwood floors and she refinished that keeping the original color, which matched the window trim and baseboards.  But she painted all the trim dark gray. Painted dining room walls dark gray about 2/3 of the way up, then white above, a really severe institutional look I thought.

I just wish more people who buy older houses because of their “charm” would preserve more of that charm!  

[kirklandia]

I just watched the episode with the househunting grandparents in Alabama. The location that showed at the beginning was Wetumpka.  I was interested to get glimpses of the town.

I definitely recognized that shot of the bridge. I wonder if the town got a big bump from HGTV's Home Town Takeover.

[chessiegal]

7 minutes ago, kirklandia said:

I just watched the episode with the househunting grandparents in Alabama. The location that showed at the beginning was Wetumpka.  I was interested to get glimpses of the town.

I definitely recognized that shot of the bridge. I wonder if the town got a big bump from HGTV's Home Town Takeover.

My stepdaughter's in-laws live just outside Wetumpka. They say no, no bump from Home Town Takeover.

[Grrarrggh]

That "designer" is going to ruin that lovely Tudor in Milwaukee. I feel for her sister.

[buttersister]

Afghani fast movers in CA:  Nice couple with a hilarious story about met, dated fast, married fast, pregnant fast, buying a house...fast. I missed the look/see of the third house, the one they bought, so was surprised by the size/style of the kitchen (for over $1MM?!). But it sounded like the 4 bedrooms and park across the street sealed the deal (assuming it's close to his family, too?).

[StatisticalOutlier]

5 minutes ago, buttersister said:

Afghani fast movers in CA: 

I don't know what the deal is with this hour-long format, but I know this portion was a rerun.  I kind of remember them and I definitely remember that they looked at a house that was exactly like his sister's.

Both couples had a pregnant wife, so maybe they join them together by theme.

[Empress1]

20 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I don't know what the deal is with this hour-long format, but I know this portion was a rerun.  I kind of remember them and I definitely remember that they looked at a house that was exactly like his sister's.

Both couples had a pregnant wife, so maybe they join them together by theme.

It was two reruns joined together. I recognized both couples - I actually didn't watch because I could tell it was a rerun.

[pdlinda]

54 minutes ago, Empress1 said:

It was two reruns joined together. I recognized both couples - I actually didn't watch because I could tell it was a rerun.

I say the same. 

I recalled both couples and the houses they bought. 

I wonder what's going on with the show???

[CrazyInAlabama]

15 hours ago, pdlinda said:

I say the same. 

I recalled both couples and the houses they bought. 

I wonder what's going on with the show???

It's an easy way to have a 'new' episode, but use old footage.   It's the same idea as the House Hunters International, Mexico Life, and Hawaii life or Beachfront Bargain Hunt episodes shown on the other series, and called 'new'.   On this episode, I certainly remember the Afghani couple, from last season.   The other couple I think it was either last season, or maybe before, but it looked familiar.   The D.C. area episodes blend together for me, the realtors always dramatically shorten the commute, and the homes look alike.   

New, Bloomington, IL.    He wants modern, and turnkey, she wants a fixer.  I really like both of the couple, and the realtor.  He has a relocation bonus, but that expires in a month.  

House 1-$289,900,  4 bed 3,5 bath, fairly new, 2892 sq ft, tiny patio, 2 story, the couple keep saying it's dark in the house, maybe the realtor should have turned the lights on. nice finished basement, main bedroom is nice and big, ensuite is nice, 2 guest rooms.   Lots of bathrooms. 

House 2-189,900, two story,   3 bed 1.5 bath, townhouse with one attached wall.   powder room on main floor, basement looks like paneled 1970s, main bedroom doesn't have an ensuite, just one bath on the second floor with the 3 bedrooms.    The back deck overlooks an industrial garage for large trucks.  I wouldn't consider this house, because of the industrial garage.   Diesel fumes, noise, would be deal breakers for me.  Even if they only work during the day for now, there is no guarantee that won't change. 

House 3-single family, $259k, 4 bed 2.5 bath, two story, kitchen is really nice with granite, main bedroom is nice, with ensuite, 3 guest bedrooms upstairs, the basement is finished, with golf course green carpet.   nice deck and patio, nice yard front and back.   It needs new carpet everywhere. 

They pick #3 for $265k,  I would have bought #3 for the space.   The cosmetic changes won't be difficult, and can be done over time.   Especially since the couple said they don't have furniture for the extra rooms, change the carpet out, or put in LVP while the rooms are empty.     

I liked the woman's attitude, when a house she liked was close to the top of the  budget, she didn't whine about it, she said she'll just keep her regular teaching job, with a part-time job to help with the bills.   That's a good attitude.   In a time of bidding wars, that's a good attitude to have.   

Edited November 16, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[amarante]

I didn't remember the first 1/2 hour. Maybe I had missed it or maybe they just blended into one of the many bland couples who were buying a completely unmemorable house somewhere in the suburbs.

I did remember the Afghan couple because how many Afghan couples have been on the show? 

[rhofmovalley]

What's a "baste-ment"?

[Grrarrggh]

27 minutes ago, rhofmovalley said:

What's a "baste-ment"?

Where you cook moist, yummy, turkey?

[CruiseDiva]

11 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

Where you cook moist, yummy, turkey?

That is if you don't simplify your holiday and dine out in a rest-uh-runt.

[StatisticalOutlier]

12 hours ago, rhofmovalley said:

What's a "baste-ment"?

Something that can be turned into a betroom if you add an egress window.

[Zanzibar]

Does anyone know how long it is between filming and the episode airing? We just found out that House Hunters will be filming next week at a house down the block from us. Our HOA sent out an email about it and asked us to be sure to have our front yards spruced up just in case they show our homes.

[rhofmovalley]

36 minutes ago, Zanzibar said:

Does anyone know how long it is between filming and the episode airing? We just found out that House Hunters will be filming next week at a house down the block from us. Our HOA sent out an email about it and asked us to be sure to have our front yards spruced up just in case they show our homes.

How much $ are they giving you to "spruce up" your yard?

[buttersister]

Most likely, and you may want to ask, the Association is getting a check. We got one😏 Can’t recall how much or how long it was between shoot and airdate. Months, for sure.

A house hunter who didn’t explode when the asking price was in their budget? High sides don’t count if it’s in your budget, other HHS.

[CrazyInAlabama]

New, "Pickleball in Minnesota", couple moving from California to Minnesota

Minneapolis Haley (the brunette) & Kelly (the blonde)moving back to Minneapolis for affordable housing (they were only in L.A. for a year).  They want a ranch, 4 bedrooms (so 2 offices), workout area, big kitchen.   One is an auto service advisor, and the other is a food scientist.   Wants a pickleball court.    Budget $625k, to $575k.    

House 1-$525k, 1 story, 2000 sq ft, 4 bed 3 bath.   2 car garage.   It has a basement.  kitchen has island and granite, not a huge kitchen but nice, main bedroom is a good size, big walk in closet, ensuite is nice, backyard patio door needs steps. needs a fence in back, and a couple of trees need to go for the pickleball court.  11 steps down to finished basement.   3rd and 4th bedroom in basement with egress windows, with another bath. I like that the basement bedrooms have egress windows. 

House 2-2 story, single family, 2miles from work, $699k, 3 bed 2.5 bath, fully fenced backyard, turnkey so far, 1st floor is great, huge kitchen, 3 bedrooms 2 bath upstairs, main bedroom is huge, ensuite is huge, closet is a walk-in, basement needs drywall, so $20 or 30k to finish.   plenty of room for a pickleball court out back.   

House 3-$550k, Split level ranch, 4 bed 3 bath, 2802 sq ft, fully fenced back yard, main living area on first floor, kitchen is big, step down from kitchen to family room, back deck is big, adn raised, plenty of room for a pickleball court,  main bedroom is smallest of the 3 homes, en suite is nice. decent sized closet.   Basement is a walk out, with lots of space, third bedroom and fourth bedroom downstairs, full daylight basement.  (I hate the small main bedroom, and the step down from the kitchen to the family room, with the slider in place, they can't raise the family room floor)

They pick # 3, I would have bought #3. List price was $550k, they paid $575k to avoid bidding war. 

New "Thirty Before Thirty in So Cal"

Woman wants a house before turning 30, from her list of 30 things to do before turning 30.  Cory wants vintage, but not the extra price for that.  Wants 2 bed, 2 bath. Parents live Newport Beach.    Budget up to  $600k .  Her parents, and 2 youngest sisters are so cute, and live in the family home, there's another older sister living elsewhere.   She works in the TV and film industry.  

She wants Inglewood to be close to her activities, and friends.  

Condo 1-$405k , Inglewood, 1 bed, 1 bath built in 1969, HOA is $275 a month,  living room is nice size, unit is second floor.  it has a dining area, and a galley kitchen, she likes the tile countertops.  bedroom is big, lots of windows, bathroom is nice and remodeled with tub/shower combo, 

House 2-$595k,  Manchester Square, 7 minutes from stadium , single family, fixer, built in 1927, 2 bed 1 bath, cove living room ceiling, no HOA, lots of vintage touches, kitchen is vintage with tile counter tops and back splash, lots of counter space and cabinets, bathroom with double sinks, tub shower combo, main bedroom is decent size, section of fence needs replacing, and level the backyard (that's one day with a Bobcat).   I wondered about the location, and neighboring houses.  

Condo 3-Ingle wood, $545k , 2 bedroom,  1 1/2 bath  bath, HOA $329 monthly, built in 1983, 1119 sq ft, 2 story condo,  big fenced patio, 1/2 bath 1st floor, kitchen is granite counters, needs back splash, laundry closet on second floor, 2 bedrooms upstairs with decent size, upstairs full bath is big, and nicely redone.  (I had to laugh when she said the kitchen needed a skylight, it's on the first floor of a 2 story condo). 

She picks #1 , I would have bought # 3.  List was $405 k, she paid $455 k

Edited November 17, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[cameron]

8 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

New, "Pickleball in Minnesota", couple moving from California to Minnesota

Minneapolis Haley (the brunette) & Kelly (the blonde)moving back to Minneapolis for affordable housing (they were only in L.A. for a year).  They want a ranch, 4 bedrooms (so 2 offices), workout area, big kitchen.   One is an auto service advisor, and the other is a food scientist.   Wants a pickleball court.    Budget $625k, to $575k.    

House 1-$525k, 1 story, 2000 sq ft, 4 bed 3 bath.   2 car garage.   It has a basement.  kitchen has island and granite, not a huge kitchen but nice, main bedroom is a good size, big walk in closet, ensuite is nice, backyard patio door needs steps. needs a fence in back, and a couple of trees need to go for the pickleball court.  11 steps down to finished basement.   3rd and 4th bedroom in basement with egress windows, with another bath. I like that the basement bedrooms have egress windows. 

House 2-2 story, single family, 2miles from work, $699k, 3 bed 2.5 bath, fully fenced backyard, turnkey so far, 1st floor is great, huge kitchen, 3 bedrooms 2 bath upstairs, main bedroom is huge, ensuite is huge, closet is a walk-in, basement needs drywall, so $20 or 30k to finish.   plenty of room for a pickleball court out back.   

House 3-$550k, Split level ranch, 4 bed 3 bath, 2802 sq ft, fully fenced back yard, main living area on first floor, kitchen is big, step down from kitchen to family room, back deck is big, adn raised, plenty of room for a pickleball court,  main bedroom is smallest of the 3 homes, en suite is nice. decent sized closet.   Basement is a walk out, with lots of space, third bedroom and fourth bedroom downstairs, full daylight basement.  (I hate the small main bedroom, and the step down from the kitchen to the family room, with the slider in place, they can't raise the family room floor)

They pick # 3, I would have bought #3. List price was $550k, they paid $575k to avoid bidding war. 

New "Thirty Before Thirty in So Cal"

Woman wants a house before turning 30, from her list of 30 things to do before turning 30.  Cory wants vintage, but not the extra price for that.  Wants 2 bed, 2 bath. Parents live Newport Beach.    Budget up to  $600k .  Her parents, and 2 youngest sisters are so cute, and live in the family home, there's another older sister living elsewhere.   She works in the TV and film industry.  

She wants Inglewood to be close to her activities, and friends.  

Condo 1-$405k , Inglewood, 1 bed, 1 bath built in 1969, HOA is $275 a month,  living room is nice size, unit is second floor.  it has a dining area, and a galley kitchen, she likes the tile countertops.  bedroom is big, lots of windows, bathroom is nice and remodeled with tub/shower combo, 

House 2-$595k,  Manchester Square, 7 minutes from stadium , single family, fixer, built in 1927, 2 bed 1 bath, cove living room ceiling, no HOA, lots of vintage touches, kitchen is vintage with tile counter tops and back splash, lots of counter space and cabinets, bathroom with double sinks, tub shower combo, main bedroom is decent size, section of fence needs replacing, and level the backyard (that's one day with a Bobcat).   

Condo 3-Ingle wood, $545k , 2 bedroom,  1 1/2 bath  bath, HOA $329 monthly, built in 1983, 1119 sq ft, 2 story condo,  big fenced patio, 1/2 bath 1st floor, kitchen is granite counters, needs back splash, laundry closet on second floor, 2 bedrooms upstairs with decent size, upstairs full bath is big, and nicely redone.  (I had to laugh when she said the kitchen needed a skylight, it's on the first floor of a 2 story condo. 

She picks #1 , I would have bought # 3.  List was $405 k, she paid $455 k

She sure has a hangup about those sisters of hers.

[KLovestoShop]

If I had a neighbor with a pickle ball court, I’d put my house on the market.  Does that woman know how loud and noisy those courts are?  I’ve read about so many lawsuits being filed against pickle ball, both public and private courts.  Can you imagine the  loud kerplunk of those balls and paddles going on at any hour of the day and night. 

[StatisticalOutlier]

6 hours ago, KLovestoShop said:

Can you imagine the  loud kerplunk of those balls and paddles going on at any hour of the day and night. 

I thought exactly the same thing because I'd just read a New Yorker article about pickleball that said this:

Quote

And, in communities from Provincetown to British Columbia, the sport’s distinctive “pop-pop-pop” has become the new leaf blower. On a peaceful, rural island in the Salish Sea, a pickleball noise dispute—involving elderly neighbors, players who use a hard ball and players who use a soft, quieter ball—has led to a rift unlike any the community has seen.

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/07/25/can-pickleball-save-america

If that's behind a paywall, try it in the internet archive:

https://web.archive.org/web/20221114204519/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/07/25/can-pickleball-save-america

[kirklandia]

A couple of pages up-thread, I got all snarky about a house hunter aspiring to a "grandiose" home. Since then, house hunters in the Oklahoma episode and the Minnesota episode have said that they want a property which is "grandioso".
WTF?  Yeah, I know, this is (purportedly) unscripted television. Just more shenanigans from the producers and their vocab list?

Edited November 18, 2022 by kirklandia

[chessiegal]

3 minutes ago, kirklandia said:

A couple of pages up-thread, I got all snarky about a house hunter aspiring to a "grandiose" home. Since then, house hunters in the Oklahoma episode and the Minnesota episode have said that they want a property which is "grandioso".
WTF?  Yeah, I know, this is unscripted television. Just more shenanigans from the producers and their vocab list?

It's not unscripted. HH has writers. Folks who have been on the show have said they were told to use certain words and phrases.

[Grizzly]

Chicago. He was cute. Of course he picked the place in the neighborhood he loved. I'm glad he won't get a roommate. There's no way he wants to share that bathroom. Not sure the place was big enough to get away from the smell of the litter box. Right next to the laundry doesn't seem ideal. He'll have to keep the door open all the day.

[kirklandia]

1 hour ago, chessiegal said:

It's not unscripted.

I checked a few references, and edited my original post to add the word "purportedly ".

[Grrarrggh]

On 11/16/2022 at 11:00 PM, CrazyInAlabama said:

New "Thirty Before Thirty in So Cal"

She picks #1 , I would have bought # 3.  List was $405 k, she paid $455 k

I'm guessing the other two places would have been over what she could spend, as both were going to be at least 50k more and that house would be even more than that after that fence and kitchen. 

[cameron]

6 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Chicago. He was cute. Of course he picked the place in the neighborhood he loved. I'm glad he won't get a roommate. There's no way he wants to share that bathroom. Not sure the place was big enough to get away from the smell of the litter box. Right next to the laundry doesn't seem ideal. He'll have to keep the door open all the day.

Lincoln Park was by far the best area to live in of the three places featured.

[BAForever]

9 hours ago, chessiegal said:

It's not unscripted. HH has writers. Folks who have been on the show have said they were told to use certain words and phrases.

Figured as much. Every episode, "I can picture myself......   (it's usually drinking coffee/wine here on the deck/patio). 

That plus "lots of natural light" and "this will be great for hosting."

Needs some new terms writers. 

[Seelouis]

10 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Chicago. He was cute. Of course he picked the place in the neighborhood he loved. I'm glad he won't get a roommate. There's no way he wants to share that bathroom. Not sure the place was big enough to get away from the smell of the litter box. Right next to the laundry doesn't seem ideal. He'll have to keep the door open all the day.

He was cute! A guy with a cat named Mr. Meow!!!

[jabinlbc]

$455K for a one-bedroom condo in Inglewood?  Wow.   I liked how they referred to it a "trendy Inglewood."  There is the new stadium, so maybe she really likes football?  

[edie3]

8 minutes ago, jabinlbc said:

Inglewood

I heard Ingelwood is not that good of a neighborhood. Maybe with the stadium it's improving. We did a tour of the stadium and it was incredible.

[amarante]

40 minutes ago, edie3 said:

I heard Ingelwood is not that good of a neighborhood. Maybe with the stadium it's improving. We did a tour of the stadium and it was incredible.

It is gentrifying but not considered one of the more desirable locations in Los Angeles because of past history of crime.

Because of the stadium and also because of rising property values which have been forcing people to spread to other areas, it is becoming more desirable.

However as the prices reflect it is still not prime real statement. That house in a more desirable area of Los Angeles would be at least a million if not more.

The area is a good commute to various parts of Los Angeles - far better than the Valley if one works downtown or even in Beverly Hills or Century City.

Also - and this is beyond the purview of this forum - there are a lot of issues in terms of speculators driving out families who lived there for generations as it was a solid blue collar type of neighborhood and now those people are being pushed out by flippers and the people who buy flipped properties.

Edited November 18, 2022 by amarante

[Grizzly]

Orlando, FL. I love Stephen's voice! And I agree there's no need for granite countertops. Anyone else thinking about alligators at #1? I've never been part of a family of 5, was #2 big enough? Did it have a half bath? #3 did seem more dated but the kitchen cabinets were ok.

[Thumper]

I thought about alligators, too.  Loved that view, though.

[Zanzibar]

On 11/16/2022 at 12:03 PM, rhofmovalley said:

How much $ are they giving you to "spruce up" your yard?

Ha.  Not a cent. 

To answer my own question, the current owners of the house being featured said they were told this episode should air in about 4 months.

[amarante]

13 hours ago, jabinlbc said:

$455K for a one-bedroom condo in Inglewood?  Wow.   I liked how they referred to it a "trendy Inglewood."  There is the new stadium, so maybe she really likes football?  

It is nit just as the stadium but a huge entertainment complex plus other stuff that wouid be a draw.

 The stadium is located in Hollywood Park, an entertainment complex and master-planned neighborhood named after the former horse racing track that sat on the site. Hollywood Park consists of over 8.5 million square feet (790,000 m2) that will be used for office space and condominiums, a 12-screen Cinepolis movie theater, ballrooms, outdoor spaces for community programming, retail, a fitness center, a luxury hotel, a brewery, up-scale restaurants and an open-air shopping and entertainment complex.[131] Immediately adjacent to the stadium is an artificial lake colloquially known as Rivers Lake,[132][133][134][135][136] with a waterfall and fountain. The first establishment to open in Hollywood Park was the new Hollywood Park Casino, which opened on October 21, 2016.[18]

[BAForever]

6 hours ago, Thumper said:

I thought about alligators, too.  Loved that view, though.

Yes, views very super, but assuming the lakes shown weren't recreational, at least not near the houses.I saw no boats or docks. 

The couple seemed sweet and not snarky towards each other, but I didn't love the wife's assertion that this since was her 3rd house purchase she knows more. Wonder if that's a new HH writers idea along with "creatives."

[CrazyInAlabama]

I agree.  Just because this is the wife's third house purchase, it doesn't mean she did the other two house purchases well, or kept in her budget, or made a profit when she sold either.   I liked the first house, the one by the lake, or whatever that water behind the back yard was, but alligators, water snakes, and I hope someone clued them in about the risks of living out there.     

I really liked the couple and this kids were adorable.    But everyone in the family needs to realize what to look out for, and keep safe.     I'm wondering if the house came through the recent bad waether OK. I hope so. 

[CattyK]

I liked the Florida couple better than many on this show, but I thought the wife was a bit insufferable with her “we can spend more, he just needs to trust me”.  She repeated some version of that so many times, including getting in the last word at the end.   And my pet peeve, wanting to replace things that work just fine and are still in great condition.  
I also liked the husband’s voice,it reminded me of some actor.  
I thought the stairs in the house they bought would be a hazard.  Plus she indicated she has a bad knee so stairs won’t be great for that.  
I didn’t think of alligators or snakes.  I wondered how much they’ll use the deck when they’re surrounded by mosquitoes.  I’d rather have had the affordable house and put in a pool with a screened cover.  

[BAForever]

13 hours ago, CattyK said:

I thought the stairs in the house they bought would be a hazard.  Plus she indicated she has a bad knee so stairs won’t be great for that.  

Forgot about that CattyK. Wife really struggled going down the stairs. Thought that would be a deal-breaker.