House Hunters - General Discussion

[amarante]

1 hour ago, deirdra said:

Good points, amarante. It makes more sense to design a kitchen that has the range only one or two steps from the sink. It always amazes me when they design large kitchens with the stove or fridge on the far side of the kitchen without a reasonable "work triangle".

If you can't tell I remodeled my kitchen fairly recently and haunted houzz 😂

When I watch HH I am most interesting in kitchens and bathrooms because they so often are done to "dazzle" and aren't particularly well designed in terms of function. Putting aside the obvious cliche that white or gray shaker cabinets and a "quartz" counter are the epitome of high class most of the kitchens cheap out in obvious ways - there are no deep drawers which are more functional than doors but more expensive or there is a cooktop in the island which has no adequate venting and actually makes the island non-functional because you don't seat people 12" from where you are cooking. Islands with prep sinks makes sense functionally because you don't need venting - people can sit around a sink and also in terms of how people actually cook, most of your time would be spent prepping versus stirring a pot at a stove.

In terms of the DC HH - putting aside that these were small urban kitchens - the one she chose was designed terribly. The refrigerator was next to the wall which meant that you would never be able to fully open the refrigerator door. It's a real hassle and indicates poor design in terms of function. 

Edited March 9, 2022 by amarante

[LittleIggy]

7 hours ago, Dehumidifier said:

But how do they empty it? Most of the water is still in there after cooking.

Empty it the usual way, but at least you don’t have to lift a heavy pot twice.

[Crashcourse]

11 hours ago, cameron said:

DC home buyer did end up in the right location.  #2 home in Logan Circle has had a lot of crime the past couple of years and #3 in Petworth is still a sketchy area. Adams Morgan's choice was the best option. 

Yes, but that's not saying a lot right now.  Just last night a man's car was hijacked in Adams Morgan and he was run over and killed when trying to stop the hijackers.   

[mojito]

18 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

DC: it was refreshing to have a HH who didn’t have to have at least two bedrooms for all the guests she will be having.

It was also refreshing that she saw a closet that could hold all her things.

It was cute that she thought of the bathroom as being like a spa. When I think spa, I always envision a huge bathtub. I think all it had was a narrow shower.

I think she picked the best place for her, too. 

[Mountainair]

We remodeled our kitchen a few years ago and installed a pot filler. I love it! I rarely use it for filling pots though. Just habit I guess. I love it to fill up my coffee pot reservoir, filling up a measuring cup or adding a bit more water to the pot if I didn't fill it enough the first time. When I cook with my cast iron skillet it's nice to be able to add a splash of water to the pan if it's getting too hot. 

[StatisticalOutlier]

2 hours ago, amarante said:

To physically “shepherdize” a case versus having the notations available. I remember the horror of having to physically drag 100’s of books back and forth to the carrel.

Ahem, "Shepardize."  I hate, really hate, reading cases and especially statutes on a computer screen.  I was a judicial law clerk out of law school, so all I was doing was legal research and writing.  I happily had stacks of open books on my desk.  I guess I just like to literally be able to put my hand on what I'm looking for.

3 hours ago, rhofmovalley said:

I'm currently living in 450 square feet. Depending on the layout it's really not that bad.

I agree.  With the advent of websites for apartment leasing, I'm able to look back at apartments I've lived in and find out the square footage.  When living in them, I had no clue.

My first one out of college was 500 square feet, and the next ones over the years were around 625-650 square feet, and finally at 750 square feet--that one I lived in very happily for over 15 years.  Thinking back, the 500-square-foot one was definitely smaller than all the others, but I didn't even think that until I looked at the numbers.  Probably because it was very livable with two features I like--a walk-in closet and a tiny bathroom with a bathtub.  And no hallway eating up square footage. 

So I bristled at the HH's mother harping on and on about the space, even when thinking about "the future."  Who cares?  She doesn't need or even want the space and wants to live near the action.  Every time the mom mentioned space, the HH should have said, "You're lucky I'm not looking at tiny houses with composting toilets."  Or pointed out that yes, you get a lot more space for the money in Florida.  But you have to be in Florida.

I'm glad I'm not on TV--the realtor at one point said the HOA "includes your common space maintenance, your water, snow removal and just all around keeping the building up to flow."  I prefer the stupid stuff I say not to be broadcast, or preserved for posterity.

As for the HH's choice, when my sister got married in 1970, she and her husband moved into one of those row houses in Adams Morgan.  I was a kid from Texas, and thought it was just the coolest thing.  I found out recently that their apartment, which was one of the ground floor ones you walk down a few steps to get into and is rather dark but also gets the "yard" in the back, was infested with rats.  Maybe not so cool.

After a couple of years, they were buying a house in the suburbs.  My brother-in-law was a Yale graduate, Vietnam veteran who'd been assigned to the White House as one of those Marines you see on TV, and a student at Georgetown Law School, and my sister was a Vassar graduate with a job in government.  They tried to get a mortgage through the VA but they wouldn't count my sister's income because she was female--it was assumed married women wouldn't stay in the job market.  So they had to borrow money from his parents for a down payment so they could get a commercial mortgage.

On 3/4/2022 at 2:12 PM, pdlinda said:

As I mentioned upthread I spent many years working with criminal defendants.  One can only imagine how many tattoos😄I saw.

And speaking of other old-timey things, in the mid-1990s I had a friend who was a new doctor, and she would say that her ideal was having patients who had more teeth than tattoos.  These days, that could be a tall order.

[Kiddvideo]

Jerry and Alexa in Moorehead, MN: Why can’t people admit that a house they don’t want to buy has some positives? And her complaining about all the projects they’d have to do in that stunning 2nd house, but then being so positive about the potential in that 3rd one? Huh? The hour commute in the Winter weather would be enough to rule it out.

Using every penny of your pre-approved amount gets so many people in trouble. I’m glad they ended-up getting a solid house below their max.

Carmel, IN: I kept rolling my eyes. Oh no, a laundry room/half-bath. Her friend’s idiotic criticism: “What if you have a laundry emergency and need to wash something but can’t because someone’s in the bathroom?!?” Uhh, if you can’t wait long enough for someone to get out of the bathroom, they’re having a bigger emergency than you are.

Being concerned about one smallish full-bath for 3 bedrooms or lawn maintenance or street parking only, those are valid.

I’d bet most of us have a “Sarah” in our lives: that person who has never met a dream she didn’t piss on.

Edited March 10, 2022 by Kiddvideo

[edie3]

1 hour ago, Kiddvideo said:

“What if you have a laundry emergency

I am proud to say I am 61 and have never had a laundry emergency. Insert eyeroll.

[Grizzly]

Richmond, VA. I can't be the only one who wanted to bitch-slap Derita. Loved the bling in the first house. Wanted to see more of Felicia's mid-life vehicle. I understand stairs are not comfortable to do, but maybe she should try them out now and then. How grown-up, owning your own house and having mom come over to make you dinner.

[LittleIggy]

11 hours ago, amarante said:

Almost all legal research is on line now. Actual books are an incredibly archaic way to research. To physically “shepherdize” a case with "books" versus having the notations available on line with links to relevant cases - no comparison. I remember the horror of having to physically drag 100’s of books back and forth to the carrel. Can you remember a universe pre Google or even pre word processing where every bit of research had to be manually organized with index cards and if you wanted to save a quote or a citation, you either had to write it down or drag it to a xerox machine to copy.

 

I went to law school in the late ‘80s, so I know exactly what you mean! The horror! 😱 And the photocopies were awful! I think I’m officially a 🦕…

[Amethyst]

Mt. Vernon

Both sisters made good points.  Resale value vs longevity.  But since the buyer ended up in the same building, the whole episode felt like a waste of time anyway.

Houston (rerun)

None of the homes were nice.  The first one was a big empty box, the second needed too much work, and the third was just obnoxious.  I don't know why the realtor showed the third one anyway, besides shock value.  Even for the husband it was too much.  With the space, flashiness, and elevator option, it was the perfect party house.  

 

On 10/26/2021 at 9:32 PM, Grizzly said:

House #2, all of a sudden Seema is spending money left and right on knocking out walls.

I thought the same.  She kept saying how frugal she was, but was fine blowing money for updates on the house she wanted.

[cameron]

11 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

Yes, but that's not saying a lot right now.  Just last night a man's car was hijacked in Adams Morgan and he was run over and killed when trying to stop the hijackers.   

True, but still better than Logan Circle or Petworth.

[Crashcourse]

6 hours ago, cameron said:

True, but still better than Logan Circle or Petworth.

I'd say it's gotten bad in most of the wards.  I'm glad I'm out of DC now. 

[javajeanelaine]

The “Indianapolis” episode is really about Carmel which is basically a burb. 

[Grrarrggh]

22 hours ago, mojito said:

It was cute that she thought of the bathroom as being like a spa. When I think spa, I always envision a huge bathtub. I think all it had was a narrow shower.

That must be one of the lines producers give them to say. That and that a white, square room is "cute" or "amazing" etc. Or they've only been to very bad spas lol. 

[mojito]

MN/Fargo

Since none of the homes had all that much land, the wife didn't seem too committed to having a mini-farm.

They never mentioned how many bedrooms they wanted for the "foster kiddos" (she used that term several times). The bedroom count didn't seem all that important.

Carmel, IN

The only "clothes emergency" I can think of is if you can't get to that toilet in time. In which case, that washer/dryer is perfectly placed. 

She had some nice choices, I thought. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

I thought it was funny the wife claimed she wanted a flock of chickens, when Fargo has strict limitis (4 maximum, no roosters, strict setbacks from neighbors, and other buildings), and they ended up in the other city that doesn't allow chickens in the city limits.     I can't imagine the life of a backyard chicken in Fargo, a lot of the year it would be horribly cold.   

[Grizzly]

Billings, MT. Tough situation for Lyndsie. How fortunate that Rylee is stepping up to help out. And he's pretty cute. I don't understand why people complain about narrow entries at the front door. We never use our front door, we come in the house through the garage. That first house had a garage. Wonder where the part time son will be sleeping?

[rhofmovalley]

I kept wondering how tall her late husband must have been for her son to be so tall. She said she's 4'9".

The kids all had "trendy" names.

And yes, the oldest son seems like a nice young man. If I were 35 years younger I'd find him attractive.

[Hedgehog2022]

On 3/9/2022 at 10:50 PM, Grizzly said:

Richmond, VA. I can't be the only one who wanted to bitch-slap Derita. Loved the bling in the first house. Wanted to see more of Felicia's mid-life vehicle. I understand stairs are not comfortable to do, but maybe she should try them out now and then. How grown-up, owning your own house and having mom come over to make you dinner.

She behaved like a petulant 14 year old...is her mommy going to mow her lawn and put out the garbage too? What a brat.

[LittleIggy]

1 hour ago, rhofmovalley said:

I kept wondering how tall her late husband must have been for her son to be so tall. She said she's 4'9".

The kids all had "trendy" names.

And yes, the oldest son seems like a nice young man. If I were 35 years younger I'd find him attractive.

I thought he was a hottie. No age limit on appreciating good looks. 😏

[Ms Blue Jay]

I'm in Canada, so the episodes I see never seem to align with what everyone posts about.  I just saw "A Million Little Dollars" about a couple in Washington, DC.

They actually picked the best house!  I'm not jealous of the price (a little over a million, holy cow) but I AM jealous of that house and its gorgeous bathrooms.

Ah, it was from 2019.

 

[CrazyInAlabama]

I'm watching the 2021 rerun from the newly single woman in Providence, RI.          Also, the house hunter's daughter has the squeakiest voice.   Between the house hunter, her daughter and the realtor, I'm wondering if this is a joke?   

  House hunter left husband 2 1/2 years ago, she's a finance manager at a car dealership, and has been living in an RV, but renting a summer place in the winter (more affordable, and furnished).   Now she's living in an RV or travel trailer, and wants to spend up to $400k for the right house, with a water view.  With her budget, wanting a water view, she's being very picky about her wish list.   $375k for a 2 bed 1 bath sounds, plus a floor support issue.   The front area is obviously a former front porch. The realtor is actually trying to talk her into buying a place that needs $10,000 worth of floor support work.  The floor is sagging, at least a couple of inches, and I doubt that's a $10k fix.  The second is very strange, a converted beach cottage is my guess, and the hunter and daughter keep saying the daughter can live downstairs, without egress windows.  The hunter also wants to take down a wall.    The third isn't a water view, and looks like a lot of revovations over the years, and not very well done.  I'm wondering how many of the houses have fully permitted, and inspected work?   

SHe picks the first one with the saggy floor.  So, the house has to be jacked up to fix the beam. but she's loaded all of the furniture and her storage stuff into the house before the work gets done.  I wonder how the remodeling, and structural work turned out?   

[mojito]

Billings, MT

It looks like, as expensive as they seem to be, the new homes are trying to be as affordable as they can possibly be. Some of the floors, the countertops, etc. had much less expensive finishes. I liked how Lyndsie and her son marveled at the beauty of the open plains. 

I'm glad HH is taking us to MT, Richmond (as opposed to DC area), Carmel, IN. Let's see more of the US. Let's go to MS, NM, SC!

[Crashcourse]

14 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

I thought he was a hottie. No age limit on appreciating good looks. 😏

Not only was he a hottie, he seemed like a very nice young man.  I bet the young Billings ladies will be checking him out after seeing him on tv. 

[rhofmovalley]

15 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

I thought he was a hottie. No age limit on appreciating good looks. 😏

I just feel icky about looking at a young man who's younger than my own son and thinking "wow, he's hot!"

But that's my own hangup.

[Hedgehog2022]

3 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

Not only was he a hottie, he seemed like a very nice young man.  I bet the young Billings ladies will be checking him out after seeing him on tv. 

Right? He was model material. And he was such a well mannered and nice guy. 

[LittleIggy]

On 3/9/2022 at 10:50 PM, Grizzly said:

Richmond, VA. I can't be the only one who wanted to bitch-slap Derita. Loved the bling in the first house. Wanted to see more of Felicia's mid-life vehicle. I understand stairs are not comfortable to do, but maybe she should try them out now and then. How grown-up, owning your own house and having mom come over to make you dinner.

Going up and down stairs would be good for her health. I found it odd that she wanted to be in the quiet burbs at her age (I’m guessing around 30). 

[cameron]

8 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Going up and down stairs would be good for her health. I found it odd that she wanted to be in the quiet burbs at her age (I’m guessing around 30). 

She needs to lose weight, plain and simple.

[Cetacean]

8 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

I found it odd that she wanted to be in the quiet burbs at her age (I’m guessing around 30). 

Why?  Not everyone needs to be in walking distance of pubs and restaurants.  I certainly didn't;  I enjoyed my little suburban house in a peaceful neighborhood.

[pdlinda]

5 hours ago, cameron said:

She needs to lose weight, plain and simple.

In our "culture" today the word "curvy" seems to insulate women (never used on men) from any cautionary issues regarding being overweight. 

In some circles, being "curvy" is encouraged and admired.

The wardrobe chosen by her accentuating her "curves" bears that out.

 

[Grrarrggh]

 

5 hours ago, cameron said:

She needs to lose weight, plain and simple.

Considering that being visibly "fat" has less and less to do with a person's true health, I try not to jump to conclusions. 

[cameron]

16 minutes ago, Grrarrggh said:

 

Considering that being visibly "fat" has less and less to do with a person's true health, I try not to jump to conclusions. 

Had both a very overweight Aunt and her daughter, my cousin.  Both had medical conditions brought on by their weight until my cousin took control and lost a lot of weight to remedy the problem.

[pdlinda]

23 minutes ago, cameron said:

Had both a very overweight Aunt and her daughter, my cousin.  Both had medical conditions brought on by their weight until my cousin took control and lost a lot of weight to remedy the problem.

I lost 100 lbs 15 YRS AGO and have kept it off  with very specific dietary choices and exercise that I monitor DAILY and never deviate from following.

In the last 11 yrs I've had 3 joints replaced and also have gut issues that were a direct result of carrying that weight around for MANY, MANY YRS.

Every single case is different and there are always EXCEPTIONS; however, as I was told every pound of your weight causes 7 LBS of pressure on your joints, so there's that....

I should add that when I had my first hip replaced (11 yrs ago) the ortho surgeon directly told me that she would not do the surgery on anyone who was overweight. 

For my subsequent 2 replacements (hip and knee), in 2017 and 2019, I went to the orientation classes and they obviously were accepting ANY PERSON REGARDLESS OF WEIGHT! 

I mentioned that fact to a medical professional and she shared that after replacement, if weight loss wasn't achieved by the patient, a revision surgery for the replaced joint was a very good possibility.

In addition, losing a lot of weight should be a LIFESTYLE change where a person understands the body mechanics of how your body (organs) operate and what is optimal in managing your health.  It's not cosmetic, and that includes saggy skin.

AGAIN, I emphasize there are always a few exceptions.  I just don't know of any.

Edited March 13, 2022 by pdlinda

[CrazyInAlabama]

If I moved to Richmond (never happening, I'm not moving back to Virginia), I would live in the burbs, not in the city.    There are two reasons, crime rate in the burbs is probably lower, and prices are lower in the burbs.      

I don't fault anyone for not wanting a second story, especially with older relatives.   I wouldn't want to live near bars and restaurants either.   

[Grrarrggh]

2 hours ago, cameron said:

Had both a very overweight Aunt and her daughter, my cousin.  Both had medical conditions brought on by their weight until my cousin took control and lost a lot of weight to remedy the problem.

Two people does not make medical proof. I had both and Aunt and her daughter, my cousin, who were allergic to avocados, but I don't go around telling people not to eat guac... 🥑

[WendyCR72]

Please keep to the topic of the thread, which is hunting for houses. If you wish to discuss weight, do so in PMs. Thank you.

[Ms Blue Jay]

"Looking for a log cabin in Nashville".  July 11, 2019.  This poor woman, she sounds like she has permanent hiccups?

Also, the first two houses are not log cabins, so maybe they could have come up with a more relevant title.  I record things based on the damn titles, LOL.  

I didn't really like any of the places.  I guess I liked #2 best.  The supposed 'log cabin' looked scary and terrible.  Like a horror movie.

Edited March 14, 2022 by Ms Blue Jay

[Grizzly]

Boulder, CO. Spencer must have gotten a great price for his condo. Wonder if he plans to have a wife along with the future kids? The house he picked was made for him.

[LittleIggy]

38 minutes ago, Grizzly said:

Boulder, CO. Spencer must have gotten a great price for his condo. Wonder if he plans to have a wife along with the future kids? The house he picked was made for him.

I love mid-century so I loved the house he picked and that retro trailer was icing on the cake. I would make it a guest room.

[ByaNose]

Colorado is beautiful. I hate the cold anymore but I appreciate the beauty of the views. I liked the house he picked with the studio & trailer. He seemed like a nice normal artist. Not too nutty. LOL!!! If he’s making money off the art he had on the dinning room table I’m in the wrong profession. I guess he had money from saving and whatever he sold his condo for. I think he went over $200,000 over asking. Crazy!

[mojito]

11 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Wonder if he plans to have a wife along with the future kids?

He did talk about children a lot and never mentioned a spouse. He probably just likes keeping his private life private.

I liked the townhome, but I liked the home he picked, too. He came off as a nice, normal person. Even if he weren't an artist. 😉

[amarante]

15 hours ago, ByaNose said:

Colorado is beautiful. I hate the cold anymore but I appreciate the beauty of the views. I liked the house he picked with the studio & trailer. He seemed like a nice normal artist. Not too nutty. LOL!!! If he’s making money off the art he had on the dinning room table I’m in the wrong profession. I guess he had money from saving and whatever he sold his condo for. I think he went over $200,000 over asking. Crazy!

I think the art was a creative side line as he mentioned that he worked in a field which I think probably was somewhat creative. It didn't seem like selling his art was main source of income. 

It was obvious that he was going to choose the first home which was ideal for him with the studio already there plus the trailer which could be modeled into something else down the line.

I find it strange when unmarried childless people mention wanting a home for future spouse and children because that would change your housing needs significantly for most people even if you don't move immediately. Your spouse might have children - especially given this HH's age - they might own a home - they might have specific needs and you generally consider housing districts and schools more than styles.

I liked the house he chose but for a single person or maybe a professional couple. It was quite small - only about 1250 square feet (not including the studio) and no real place for kid's paraphernalia as there was one living area which wasn't very large and it was closed off.

Edited March 16, 2022 by amarante

[edie3]

I like really like the house the artist bought and like thought the trailer was like real cool. Like if he made it into like an AirBnB. Like that could help support his like artistic career. Like if he like wanted to. Like up to him.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I wasn't surprised he didn't actually buy in Boulder, the prices there make the rest of Colorado look cheap in comparison.    The third one way out of town was too isolated.

The new episode of the two engineers that met at Virginia Tech, and moved to Houston is bizarre.    The wife just graduated, and is already talking about switching careers, and being a SAHM, even though they don't have kids yet.     She wants to get a big home to live in forever, and he wants a house for right now, that he can fix up.  I hope they consider the best resale factor in Houston, "Never Flooded".   After Hurricane Harvey, that's the best selling factor, and means you don't have to get flood insurance either.  FIrst house is a 2 bedroom bungalow, second house is 70's panelling.   Third house is huge, big pool, and two story.   

So, they bought the second house.   It will need work, but I think it's a great investment.  Unfortunately, foundation needs to be put back to level, at least 4".    I wouldn't have bought a house with a foundation issue.  

New episode in Baton Rouge.    She's a blogger, and insurance agent, and she wants her mother to chip in.   The couple have six kids, not that far apart.  They do a family photo with matching sweat suits or whatever they are.   The wife is worried about her brand image, if she gets what she can afford, instead of something more expensive. 

They are living rent free at her mother's cottage, and wife says she wants freedom to live without her mom's input, but she's the one who calls her mother for money.       Wife wants high ceilings, and crown moldings, and her own blogging office, because it will look good in the photos.  The mother offers to chip in $50k, but wife says it's her mother's way of controlling them.  First house 4 bed 2.5 bath, two story, is 4 beds big enough for a family of 8?   I don't understand why the wife wants the huge upstairs bonus room into a game room, when the husband wants it for a big shared kid's bedroom.  

 Second house, needs updating.  The attached apartment looks good, and has a separate entrance.   

Third house, huge, over priced, needs a lot of work.   They buy the first house, the fancy one, but they won't need the mother to finance the house either. .    

Edited March 17, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[BAForever]

Kinda, the blogger who wants to maintain her "image" is ridiculous.  Who follows this vapid, vain woman? Guess the mommy blogger is a big thing now, but I'm turning the channel on her. Don't care where she ends up.

[Kiddvideo]

10 minutes ago, BAForever said:

Kinda, the blogger who wants to maintain her "image" is ridiculous.  Who follows this vapid, vain woman? Guess the mommy blogger is a big thing now, but I'm turning the channel on her. Don't care where she ends up.

Good lord. If Agnes could pitch in, if we involve Agnes, if Agnes, if Agnes, if Agnes. You have SIX children. You need to make your own way. FWIW, they picked the cheapest house #1.

[cameron]

9 hours ago, BAForever said:

Kinda, the blogger who wants to maintain her "image" is ridiculous.  Who follows this vapid, vain woman? Guess the mommy blogger is a big thing now, but I'm turning the channel on her. Don't care where she ends up.

You mean the Kardashian wannabe.

[cameron]

Just looked up her blog on Instagram.  Some of her pictures are very interesting, to say the least.

[rhofmovalley]

RI/CT. At first I was annoyed by the girlfriend's Eeyore voice, but I missed the first seven minutes and I guess she has had some health issues. So maybe that's why she sounded so down in the dumps.