House Hunters - General Discussion

[stewedsquash]

@mojito thanks also for the degree info and the funny line about NY/NJ!

[mojito]

6 hours ago, chessiegal said:

Yes, old brain. Fixing it.

Your old brain's got nothing on mine. My last post was edited and posted probably a second before your post. When I first wrote it, I thought today was Monday. 

[ScorpioSoul]

The Lubbock show that just aired- all I could focus on was how grating the husband's voice was.

[Thumper]

Yes, his voice was difficult!  I wonder if he has some kind of vocal cord condition?

The bird was beautiful, but I had a giggle out of choosing views for it!  Not sure I would be comfortable with a bird flying around, either.

Edited January 26, 2023 by Thumper
“Cord” not chord. Ooops

[chessiegal]

1 minute ago, Thumper said:

Yes, his voice was difficult!  I wonder if he has some kind of vocal chord condition?

He just had a high-pitched voice. My husband, who also has a high-pitched voice like he does, commented that his voice sounded like his. When I wasn't looking at the tv, he sounded like S/A Dorfman on NCIS. 😉

[PamPamPam]

19 hours ago, amarante said:

Generally - especially with the whole working from home thing - people can have home offices even if not zoned for commercial establishments like store front stores and restaurants. Generally it is for businesses like this woman's which don't have signage - don't attract significant number of people or cars etc.

I live in a high rise condo which doesn't permit people to run businesses from their units. But no one objects to someone running their business from their unit - i.e. a lawyer or accountant who doesn't see many clients and doesn't advertise as a business to the public. Often having employees is an issue - i.e. having people coming every day for a full work day as that is much more of a commercial use that impacts other residents - or with OP would change the tenor of the neighborhood.

I also thought the renovated older homes would have been a poor choice for a first time homeowner with tenant - although obviously the location in Jersey City is trendier. I think there is a train from Newark that gets to midtown fairly directly via Penn Station.

And obviously having the large finished basement with separate entrance was a no-brainer. I would think that the actual value of having it was just as much as having an additional apartment. There was an episode which my DVR picked up last night - not sure if it was new but it was a Delaware couple who owned a food truck and wanted parking for the truck. They were also a delightful pair with realistic aspirations and they essentially liked all of the homes even though they weren't super trendy. However, they needed a basement room for their niece and NONE of the basements have window egresses which is super dangerous. I was surprised that the realtor didn't mention that/

I understand the concept of purchasing a home as a way of accumulating assets. For most people - of whatever race - it represents their most valuable asset when it comes time to retire. If you have paid down the mortgage, your living expenses are lower - you can obviously sell it and downsize and worst case scenario - you can get a reverse mortgage which enables you to stay in your home but have the benefit of the equity.

However the specific term "generational wealth" seems to be much more prevalent among POC - at least on HH. I think it's great and I wonder if there are basic finance courses that are being taught in Black Churches or other similar community groups because it seems to targeted - at least on HH.

The importance of Black generational wealth has a deep history and active present, in the USA and worldwide. There's lots of great resources about it.

[Crashcourse]

I liked "Bones" from Massachusetts and the sister was nice, too.  I liked the house they chose.   

[mojito]

Atlanta Soon-to-Be Newlyweds

They've been together for 14 years, however, and look to be well into their 40s, maybe early 50s, so they're not kids. She likes country, he likes city.

Kevin has to go down for me as the house hunter who made me laugh the most. My favorite line was when he commented that when he said he wanted to live in a community where folks are getting together, he didn't mean getting together for a hoe down. What was most impressive to me was that he was still making her laugh, too.

I liked the farmhouse-looking home, but it wasn't the right place for them.

Very entertaining episode. 

[ECM1231]

2 hours ago, mojito said:

Atlanta Soon-to-Be Newlyweds

 

Kevin has to go down for me as the house hunter who made me laugh the most. My favorite line was when he commented that when he said he wanted to live in a community where folks are getting together, he didn't mean getting together for a hoe down. What was most impressive to me was that he was still making her laugh, too.

 

Very entertaining episode. 

Absolutely! What a delightful couple! Kevin was a hoot! I chuckled throughout the episode. Questioning why they needed 3 1/2 bathrooms by responding they didn't have 3 1/2 butts! 😂 

Growing up poor and being the first in his family to achieve home ownership, he was grateful and grounded. Being together for 14+ years and now finally getting married. Best wishes to them on their marriage and lovely new home!

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 1/25/2023 at 12:08 PM, stewedsquash said:

Last night’s episode of a young lady working in Manhattan as a therapist(?) while living in Brooklyn(?) looking for a home across the line in NJ was really nice.

...

Seriously those were some nice fun ladies.

I agree, but I was a little afraid for them because one of them could lose an eye if the button gave way on the realtor's dress/tunic/top-with-no-pants in the first house they looked at. 

[edie3]

On 1/27/2023 at 10:01 AM, mojito said:

Very entertaining episode. 

He was so funny and likeable!

[Empress1]

On 1/27/2023 at 10:01 AM, mojito said:

Atlanta Soon-to-Be Newlyweds

They've been together for 14 years, however, and look to be well into their 40s, maybe early 50s, so they're not kids. She likes country, he likes city.

Kevin has to go down for me as the house hunter who made me laugh the most. My favorite line was when he commented that when he said he wanted to live in a community where folks are getting together, he didn't mean getting together for a hoe down. What was most impressive to me was that he was still making her laugh, too.

I liked the farmhouse-looking home, but it wasn't the right place for them.

Very entertaining episode. 

I’m watching this right now and he just said “You realize when we sent that boy [his son] off, we sent him off to be off.” When I tell you I CACKLED. 

I think he just described a carpeted bedroom as “very furry.” I love him!

His fiancée has either flawless skin or a skilled makeup hand.

[BAForever]

Looking for comments on Aberdeen house, my dvr caught it as new, but I save for weekends, so who knows when it was live. They've got lots of $$, he's a contractor, she's a real estate agent, 3 kids. Looked at nice large places, but girls are sharing bedroom? They looked like they could have been twins, maybe 12 years old? IMO, each should have their own space, maybe they'll sleep together, maybe not (their choice), but for their budget, give each child a room. Heaven forbid they end up like those weird AF twins on Extreme Sisters.

[chessiegal]

40 minutes ago, BAForever said:

Looking for comments on Aberdeen house, my dvr caught it as new, but I save for weekends, so who knows when it was live.

Doesn't your DVR show the original air date? My DVR shows the original air date was 1/27/23. Season 226;E13.

[HHfan1]

3 hours ago, BAForever said:

Looking for comments on Aberdeen house, my dvr caught it as new, but I save for weekends, so who knows when it was live. They've got lots of $$, he's a contractor, she's a real estate agent, 3 kids. Looked at nice large places, but girls are sharing bedroom? They looked like they could have been twins, maybe 12 years old? IMO, each should have their own space, maybe they'll sleep together, maybe not (their choice), but for their budget, give each child a room. Heaven forbid they end up like those weird AF twins on Extreme Sisters.

I thought this episode was fishy (moreso than usual). They built their dream house 3 years ago, then she sold it right out from under the family?!? Then bought a house for nearly the same price they sold the "perfect" house for that needs a ton of work? And the Dad talking about maybe fixing that house up to sell it? Clearly these people don't prioritize the needs of their children if they move every few years, even if it's within the same small town - it's still a disruption!

[chessiegal]

3 hours ago, BAForever said:

but girls are sharing bedroom? They looked like they could have been twins, maybe 12 years old? IMO, each should have their own space, maybe they'll sleep together, maybe not (their choice),

All of my grandchildren share a bedroom - they have no choice. So far, they all seem to be well adjusted, happy children. 😉

[Grrarrggh]

I watched Aberdeen as far as her saying she was a designer and that horrible house they were in was designed by her. I didn't need to see another hunter with absolutely no style.

[BAForever]

1 hour ago, chessiegal said:

All of my grandchildren share a bedroom - they have no choice. So far, they all seem to be well adjusted, happy children. 😉

Agree chessiegirl. I'm one of 8 and shared a bedroom until I was 14, and I'm just fine too. My thought (which I didn't make clearly) was since they do have the room, each child can have their own space- they may never use it, but as the girls grow into teens, they may crave some privacy- most teens do. So many options in houses the size they were looking at.

[chessiegal]

Our twin 16-year-old granddaughters came to visit last summer. We offered them their own rooms. They didn't want them.

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, BAForever said:

My thought (which I didn't make clearly) was since they do have the room, each child can have their own space- they may never use it, but as the girls grow into teens, they may crave some privacy- most teens do. So many options in houses the size they were looking at.

I didn't see the episode, but I agree on general principle -- if it's possible for kids not to have to share a bedroom, they shouldn't have to (they already have to share the common areas of the house, so while they don't need their own bedrooms and won't be harmed by sharing, it's good if they can grow up with one space that's their own).  My dad grew up in abject poverty as one of a passel of kids.  Other than the parents' bedroom, there was just one other, with two beds in it.  So at any given time a bunch of kids shared not just a room but a bed.  They all survived and then some, of course, but not a single one of them imposed anything close to that on their own kids.

Edited January 29, 2023 by Bastet

[Empress1]

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

I didn't see the episode, but I agree on general principle -- if it's possible for kids not have to share space, they shouldn't have to (they already have to share the common areas of the house, so while they don't need their own bedrooms, it's good if they can have them).  My dad grew up in abject poverty as one of a passel of kids.  Other than the parents' bedroom, there was just one other, with two beds in it.  So at any given time a bunch of kids shared not just a room but a bed.  They all survived and then some, of course, but not a single one of them imposed the same thing on their own kids.

Yep, all the kids in my grandmothers’ families (both grandmothers) shared rooms and some shared beds (my maternal grandmother shared a bed, as did her three sisters, until they started leaving home; her two brothers shared a room) because they lived in cities and there were lots of kids and space was tight. I babysat for a bunch of NYC families where the kids, even opposite sex kids, shared a room because there was nowhere else to put them. There have been a few HH episodes though where the parents bought, like, 5000 square foot six-bedroom houses and had their two kids sharing a room, and I don’t get it either.

[CruiseDiva]

1 hour ago, Empress1 said:

Yep, all the kids in my grandmothers’ families (both grandmothers) shared rooms and some shared beds (my maternal grandmother shared a bed, as did her three sisters, until they started leaving home; her two brothers shared a room) because they lived in cities and there were lots of kids and space was tight. I babysat for a bunch of NYC families where the kids, even opposite sex kids, shared a room because there was nowhere else to put them. There have been a few HH episodes though where the parents bought, like, 5000 square foot six-bedroom houses and had their two kids sharing a room, and I don’t get it either.

I shared a room with my youngest brother (8 years younger than me) until I was a teenager and we moved into a house that had four bedrooms. Until then we only had two or three bedrooms--for some years my parents slept on the sofa bed. Two of my brothers always shared a room. We never felt like we were deprived.

[Thumper]

When was Aberdeen episode on?  I seem to miss some episodes, particularly ones discussed on weekends.  Are they new or reruns?

I shared a room and a doublebed with my sister until I was about 14 and one of the older sibs moved out or to college.  There were 8 of us kids, plus my parents, and 5 bedrooms.  The three brothers shared the biggest bedroom.

[chessiegal]

9 minutes ago, Thumper said:

When was Aberdeen episode on?  I seem to miss some episodes, particularly ones discussed on weekends.  Are they new or reruns?

It was on Friday, 1/27/2023 at 10 PM ET and was new. If you don't trust your cable guide, you can always check the HH website.

[amarante]

FWIW I have two DVR recorders from Spectrum. One is newer than the other but otherwise they should be getting identical cable information.

However for HH (and no other shows) they record different programs although theoretically I have programmed for only "new" programs.

I don't know why it does this - this isn't the same as the one hour repackages of older shows on Monday night.

[Notabug]

12 minutes ago, Thumper said:

When was Aberdeen episode on?  I seem to miss some episodes, particularly ones discussed on weekends.  Are they new or reruns?

I shared a room and a doublebed with my sister until I was about 14 and one of the older sibs moved out or to college.  There were 8 of us kids, plus my parents, and 5 bedrooms.  The three brothers shared the biggest bedroom.

When I was a kid, we lived in my grandfather's 3 bed/1 bathroom house.  My grandfather had a bedroom, my parents had another.  My 3 sisters and I shared the largest bedroom and we shared 2 double beds.  My brother slept on an old sofa downstairs.  Even when we moved to a bigger house, my parents couldn't afford to buy new beds for all of us.  My brother got a new twin and his own room;  we girls continued to sleep in our double beds, albeit in 2 bedrooms rather than one.

I slept in a double bed with my older sister up until her wedding night.  It never occurred to me there was anything wrong with it.  I never slept in a room of my own without a roommate until I moved out of the dorm for my junior year of college.

I thought there was something fishy about the backstory on the Aberdeen couple, but kids sharing a room was the least of it.

I share everyone else' appreciation of the Atlanta couple, especially the guy's sense of humor.  He was terrific and they seemed to have a really nice relationship.  I wish I lived in their neighborhood, he seems like he'd be a lot of fun at block parties and such.

[CrazyInAlabama]

The newer Spectrum DVRs work much differently and better than the old ones, so if you swap the older one out, it will be very different. .  

Three Generations in Georgia.   She's of Vietnamese ancestry, and wants a home for her 80- year-old mother too, so no steps.   Her budget is $450k, but that will be limited because of the lack of single level homes in Cardinal Lake.   Realtor suggests a basement apartment renter, to offset the mortgage.   

First house has a renter for $1,000 a month.  Great view on first level.   House Hunter is desperate, and complains about the cabinet colors, and wants to change the granite. She's complaining about the other bedroom sizes. The income suite has it's own entrance.  The size is good, it's in great shape

Second just had a price drop to $400k, . 3 bed 3 bath, white cabinets, she's complaining because the dining room light is too low, but it will have a table under it.  nice screened porch, and a garden shed could be converted for a place for the mother, or turn the downstairs room in the house into her mother's apartment.  She says the treed lot is like a horror movie. 

Third house Berkeley Lake, 5 minutes from Cardinal Lake. $425k, the floor are floor is ceramic wood-look tile, great yard and deck. great in-law suite for the mother.   main bedroom is nice and en suite is nice too. Looks turnkey to me. 

She chose #1, and paid $535k after a bidding war.  . I would have chosen #1 with the renter in place, and the location and size of the house. 

[rhofmovalley]

Well, these people "need" an office (which must not double as a guest room!) a "man cave", a guest room and a workout or craft or turtle room. With six bedrooms that only leaves two or three available bedrooms. And with three kids that means two will have to share. 

Never mind that the guest room or man cave or workout/craft room could be used as an actual bedroom.

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 1/29/2023 at 3:02 PM, Grrarrggh said:

I watched Aberdeen as far as her saying she was a designer and that horrible house they were in was designed by her. I didn't need to see another hunter with absolutely no style.

Then you missed that one of the houses they looked at was also designed by her--her husband had done the remodeling construction work and she designed it. 

Like HHfan1, I found it this episode fishier than usual.  Their current dream home of three years was paid off, but the wife got an itch (her word) for a new house because she wanted a bigger lot.  And the husband wanted a work shop.  I guess they didn't think of these two requirements three years before.

That third house shocked me with its size.  I never did figure out where all that square footage was because it didn't look big at all from the outside, and we know how our HHs like the size to be broadcast as widely as possible.  And, really?  This contractor was going to buy a new build by a developer?  Maybe the developers in Aberdeen are different from the ones everywhere else, but these types of houses are not generally known for their quality.

It was obvious they'd pick the one that needed the remodeling (as they should, with a contractor in the family), but they said the movers were coming shortly and they were going to remodel it little by little.  That lady was going to move from her dream home into that dreadful thing, and be living there while they eventually get to knocking down walls?

I get the feeling the kids won't need their own rooms because they'll opt to live in the tree house.

[stewedsquash]

Ha Kevin said “l’m going to give you five” and did when he walked by the hand chair. I liked this episode as much as the NJ one. 
 

[CrazyInAlabama]

Chicago moving to the burbs, with a $500k budget.   He was a police officer, for 8 years,  but resigned, and so now they can live outside the city limits.  He wants acreage, but doesn't want to maintain it.      Because they have three kids, and she works from home, they want a separate office, plus at least 4 bedrooms or five.  She's another one who wants the grand entrance.   

FIrst one was nice enough. But she doesn't want single story. 

Second was nice too, but she wanted to updates all over this one.   Plus, not much yard for him, but I think it was fine with the side yard.   They fooled me, because this one had a finished basement, plus play equipment for the kids. 

Third one was the one they bought, with enough bedrooms, and the office, with a sauna in the office.  Plus a nice finished basement. 

How does a young couple with only one income qualify for a $500k house?   He also has training as an artist, and wants to get that career off the ground, so that might take a long time to be profitable.    

Edited February 3, 2023 by CrazyInAlabama

[Leeds]

The Chicago woman's voice made my ears bleed.

And who the hell puts a sauna in their home office?

[snarts]

5 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

How does a young couple with only one income qualify for a $500k house?   He also has training as an artist, and wants to get that career off the ground, so that might take a long time to be profitable.    

Easy. She's a CPA, her income alone would likely cover a $500k mortgage but I doubt it's that much as they'd been homeowners for years and surely had some equity. Plus, he said he'd been a cop for 25 years. If that's the case, he retired with a pension. Military, police & fire are all pension eligible after 20 years of service.

I wondered if there was some medical issues with him as well. He looked so different in the pictures they showed. I liked them. Finally, St Charles is not some far-flung rural suburb. When I left Chicago back in 2002, it was one of the fastest growing suburbs, Can't even imagine how large it is now.

[cameron]

3 hours ago, Leeds said:

The Chicago woman's voice made my ears bleed.

And who the hell puts a sauna in their home office?

I was more put off by the fact that she demanded each son have their own bedroom while she and her husband slept on the living room sofa.

[WI GIRL56]

The Chicago couple.   He said he fell down the stairs in the new home.  And all I could think of...you were a cop?   How did you go up and down steps in an apartment and not fall.  

I did not hear he had 25 years in.  I pegged him to be in his mid 30s.  

He looked better in his photo when he was an artist.  The facial hair gave his face more character.

[StatisticalOutlier]

3 hours ago, snarts said:

Plus, he said he'd been a cop for 25 years. If that's the case, he retired with a pension. Military, police & fire are all pension eligible after 20 years of service.

They met when they were 14, and the woman said they'd been together for 18 years, I think--their years together were a little longer than the years before they met.

He said he'd gone to the Art Institute of Chicago, and mentioned being in the military, and also being a cop.  He'd have to be pushing 50 to go to art school and the military and have 25 years as a cop, and I don't think he was anywhere near that old.

I remember thinking he might later regret not sticking it out in the military for 20 years, at which point he'd still be pretty young, like in his early 40s.

3 hours ago, snarts said:

Finally, St Charles is not some far-flung rural suburb. When I left Chicago back in 2002, it was one of the fastest growing suburbs, Can't even imagine how large it is now.

I just spent over a year right near there--St. Charles is where I went to Costco, pilates, the movies.  It has a vibrant downtown and cute adjacent neighborhoods, and I was sad they were the one couple who doesn't want to walk to shops and restaurants.

St. Charles is on the Fox River, which runs north-south.  West of the river used to be nothing but farm land, but they're putting in subdivisions that look like the ones the HHs were looking at.  What's interesting is that there's nothing for those subdivisions to be heading to.  Like closer-in suburbs, they can expand west and then merge with another suburb.  But St. Charles (and Elgin and Geneva on that same north-south axis) are at the western edge of civilization, with nothing but corn fields between them and Iowa.

[cinsays]

1 hour ago, WI GIRL56 said:

The Chicago couple.   He said he fell down the stairs in the new home.  And all I could think of...you were a cop?   How did you go up and down steps in an apartment and not fall.  

I did not hear he had 25 years in.  I pegged him to be in his mid 30s.  

He looked better in his photo when he was an artist.  The facial hair gave his face more character.

since that was a concern for him, i thought maybe he had suffered some kind of disability which contributed to his leaving the force. people fall down all the time, i fell flat on my face while just walking on the street a few years ago

i think he looks better now.  i usually love mean with facial hair, but not on him

[Crashcourse]

I thought I heard the Chicago guy said he'd been a cop for eight years.

Those were some nice homes for $500k.  They'd be almost three times that where I live in Northern Virginia. 

[amarante]

Chicago has a requirement that all city employees live in the City so they couldn't move unless and until he left the police force.

He said he had been on the police force for 8 years and obviously didn't want to make the Army a career. Presumably he enlisted and then left after one tour.

They owned a home in Chicago as they discussed how it compared to the ones they were looking at. I imagine they owned because there would have been no reason to rent. I would imagine they got a fair amount of equity considering how much housing prices rose during that period.

They seem to have made both a lifestyle decision and economic decision. Probably it made more sense to have him be the stay at home parent since a CPA makes a lot of money. Lots of police leave the force since it is so stressful. When the kids become old enough to not need full time child care, he would still be young enough to start another job or career - he could even theoretically join the police of a small town as a lot of cops actually retire and take jobs with suburban and rural police departments.

[mojito]

3 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

I thought I heard the Chicago guy said he'd been a cop for eight years.

You heard correctly. 

[buttersister]

One way or another, he'd had it with being a police officer. Looking so differently and wanting to be the primary kids' caregiver and follow his art heart, I figured he'd had some sort of health crisis and reevaluated.

I had a friend who moved out to St. Charles years ago (have only seen her once since, at a funeral.)

[ECM1231]

6 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

I thought I heard the Chicago guy said he'd been a cop for eight years.

Yes, that's what he said. I didn't hear a reason as to why he resigned, but he may have said it. He was going to be the primary caregiver, while his wife's income as a CPA would support the family. I don't know what type of art degree he has, but I'd surmise it's not going to be easy making a living. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

Charlotte.   She wants to spend $450k to get 4 bedrooms so each kid can have a bedroom, and he wants to spend $400k. They've been house hunting for a year. 

1st house-3 bed 2.5 bath $395k, realtor anticipates a bidding war, so they went for a lower price.   not grand enough for wife.    only amenity for HOA fee is a playground. small back yard. Loft space upstairs could be bedroom #4, instead of his man cave.  Not enough charm or amenities for her.

2nd house-two story house with a two story entry, 3 bed, $399k, want to put LVP down everywhere. nice back yard.   Tennis courts, playgrounds, pool and other amenities. 

3rd house-4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, fully updated. $424,900. HOA $805 a year, pool, turnkey and updated, great kitchen and living room, nice backyard with a trampoline, primary bedroom first floor, 3 bedrooms on the second floor. 

So wife would trade a fourth bedroom for a 2 story foyer? 

They pick # 2 . I would have picked #3 for the 4 bedrooms, or bought #1 and convert the loft to a bedroom.  

Atlanta, cute couple having their first baby.   He's willing to spend for turnkey, and lovely, she wants to save some money.   Hunter and Laura (a middle school librarian). She doesn't want an HOA, he wants one.   They want a separate area for her mom.  Budget $400k hers, his is $450k , he wants a forever home, she is OK with character and not as finished.  As a retired librarian, I'm on team Laura. 

1st house-Lawrenceville, GA, $489k, 2 story 4 sided brick, 2668 sq ft, 4 bed 3 bath, with an office. looks like LVP, nice kitchen with a pantry, and open to family. bigger back yard, patio, fence needs repair, second floor new carpet. Main bedroom is nice with a fireplace, bathroom is nice with a good closset. other bedrooms are secondary bedroom is big. and two other guest rooms are smaller. no basement. He wanted a separate room on another level for her mom.

2nd house- Duluth GA, $360 sort of victorian with a screened outdoor room on the front, 2 stories, with basement, optional HOA for pool and clubhouse, over 1800 sq ft, 3 bed 2 bath, renovated.  They don't like the treed backyard, 1st guest bedroom is smaller, 2nd is a little bigger, primary bedroom is great, 2 closets need to be expanded, with another closet in ensuite, bathroom is great.   unfinished basement, with above ground windows (they could finish a little apartment down there for her mom). 

3rd house-Duluth GA 2 story, $425k, HOA 725 a year, amenties, and common space maintenance 5 bed 3.5 bath, some first floor is hardwoods, and LVP, kitchen needs some updates (back splash tile is hideous) back deck needs some work, back yard space needs fencing. basement is finished with a full bath down there, musty smell in basement. 2 bedrooms and bath in basement, and living space with entrance for mom in basement.  2nd floor bedrooms are big, baths are fine, primary bedroom is big but needs new carpets, big bedroom closet. (I would rip out all of the carpets, and put in LVP or LVT, especially in the basement level.)

They choose #3 , I would have taken #3. 

Edited February 3, 2023 by CrazyInAlabama

[Empress1]

22 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

Atlanta, cute couple having their first baby. 

They were very sweet together. I liked that the husband wanted to grow a garden, and that he was on board with having his MIL move in (although I wasn’t sure of the timeline - I thought the plan was to move her in ASAP, but then she said her mom had a few years to go until she retired). Some couples, you think “do y’all even like each other?” They seemed to like each other.

The third one did seem to be the best choice with the finished basement with its own entrance and bathroom for Mom, some separation for them. The carpets in the bedrooms were really gross, I agreed with the husband. But the house has the space they needed and the rest can be done with time.

[Grrarrggh]

I am soooooo sick of parents expecting their daughters, and daughters only, to go to prom and pose on the stairs, or be required to love pink. Have a little imagination parents!

[Empress1]

11 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

I am soooooo sick of parents expecting their daughters, and daughters only, to go to prom and pose on the stairs, or be required to love pink. Have a little imagination parents!

Well, but didn’t the Philly to Charlotte couple only have daughters?

[CrazyInAlabama]

13 hours ago, Empress1 said:

They were very sweet together. I liked that the husband wanted to grow a garden, and that he was on board with having his MIL move in (although I wasn’t sure of the timeline - I thought the plan was to move her in ASAP, but then she said her mom had a few years to go until she retired). Some couples, you think “do y’all even like each other?” They seemed to like each other.

The third one did seem to be the best choice with the finished basement with its own entrance and bathroom for Mom, some separation for them. The carpets in the bedrooms were really gross, I agreed with the husband. But the house has the space they needed and the rest can be done with time.

Before move in, I would have all of the carpet ripped out, and replaced with LVP.   I love LVP, water proof, durable, and a ton of patterns to choose from. 

Melissa & Rich Foran, he's a postal worker, and she's a doctor of natural medicine, and massage therapist. Foster parents in Maine, she wants to have 6 foster kids.   She wants to be closer to her family in New Hampshire, but that makes his commute longer.  His budget $750k, her budget is $650k . They've been foster parents for a few years.   They have to have 3 bedrooms, with separate bedrooms for boys and girls. House has to be up to fire safety and health codes. She wants a big kitchen to teach the kids to cook, and other everyday skills. 

First House-N. Berwick ME, long commute, $599k, 3 bed, 2 bath,  this house is no way a farmhouse style, on over 5 acres, 3800 sq ft, nice kitchen, pool has a slide top, you can use it year round, solar heated pool, 3 bedrooms, primary ensuite has a beautiful big tub, shower is huge, basement is finished and has a pool table, and home theater and  kitchenette, 

Second House-Berwick ME, 4 bedroom, 3 bath, $625k, 6 acres, colonial 3500 sq ft, 2 living rooms, pool is nice, great kitchen, bonus space over garage is huge, with a kitchenette, bonus room has door leading to primary suite, soaking tub, decent shower, 3 bedrooms upstairs, bedrooms aren't huge, but have egress windows and are big enough for bunk beds.   

Third House-$699,999, closer to his work, stone exterior 5.6 acres, 3 season screened porch, 4 bed 3 bath, living room is spectacular. kitchen is huge, and lots of counter space, primary bedroom is huge, ensuite and closets are great.   upstairs makes her dizzy, 3 upstair bedrooms are big, back deck, yard and firepit are great. reasonable commute to work, but not her family. 

They choose #1 . I would have chosen #3. 

Edited February 3, 2023 by CrazyInAlabama

[Crashcourse]

3 hours ago, Empress1 said:

Well, but didn’t the Philly to Charlotte couple only have daughters?

I thought they also had a son, but maybe I'm confusing episodes. 

Edited February 3, 2023 by Crashcourse

[rhofmovalley]

16 minutes ago, Crashcourse said:

I thought they also had a son, but maybe I'm confusing episodes. 

Two girls and a boy, if I recall correctly.

What if their daughters are like me and don't get asked to the prom? They just totally wasted money on a house with a staircase they bought for the sole purpose of prom!

[Grrarrggh]

Charlotte couple had a son, the youngest child. And even if they didn't it's wrong to me to put pressure on the girls to act a certain way, especially as it's only because society has forced it upon them. 

Edited February 3, 2023 by Grrarrggh