House Hunters - General Discussion

[meep.meep]

And it's "widow's walk" not "widow's peak"!!!!!

A widow's peak refers to your hairline.

Having grown up with 4 brothers and sisters in three bedroom homes, and not being deprived, it always amazes me how much space people seem to need these days.

[ECM1231]

17 hours ago, txvoodoo said:

It's par for the course, though. They'll say "Dallas" and something will be 30-45 mins outside of Dallas. Ditto, well, everywhere. 

Well, come to think of it on the few episodes where they have showcased my neck of the woods, Long Island, NY, they literally say Long Island. It is 118 miles long and traversing from the western part to the most eastern part can take hours, as traffic is insane daily.  So I guess 30-45 minutes from the main city is not too much of  a stretch.  I'm thinking it was Flipping Virgins or one of the shows featuring Egypt Sharrod as host that specifically named cities and towns. I like that a lot. 

[Andyourlittledog2]

In the Santa Clarita episode, they said they had a condo in Long Beach but wanted to move closer to his parents.  They did not say what they did for a living or where they worked so it puzzles me how one could live in Long Beach and then live in Santa Clarita without changing work locations because the commute would be a nightmare and no one would do that voluntarily IMO. Even if they worked midway the commute would be awful.  As for coffee guy, he was such a petulant little bitch. He showed absolutely no concern for his wife or child or dog, his only concern was his own needs and desires. He dismissed their legitimate needs and desires as irrelevant next to his coffee roaster and 'need' for no work whatsoever on his part.

What puzzles me with these guys is their insistence that they would rather pay $200-500 month in HOA fees rather than hire a gardener for the yardwork.  If you don't want to do it yourself, the math is pretty easy there. Gardeners are cheaper than HOAs.

Add me to the folks who think kids bedrooms are enough of a playroom in a middle class home. I can see it if you are ridiculously wealthy and have rooms galore but kids toys go in kids rooms. They really don't need some huge 'playroom' in addition, especially if that playroom takes up a room that would otherwise be used for a guest room or the media room (if a guy really really wants one that is, I don't get that much either but whatever rocks your boat - I imagine if a family member likes to host weekend football viewing for friends frequently, stuff like that, a media room on the side might make sense. Get them out of the rest of the family's hair.

Finally hidey-hole man. When you guys were dissing him earlier I thought you were being rough. We do play hardball here. Then I watched the espisode and holy moly what a petulant man. He drove me nuts. It seemed like he was one of those men who don't speak up most of the time and and let others have their way but then they find something objectively stupid and decide that that is the hill they are going to die on and everyone is dumbfounded by how ridiculous they are being. I was married to one of those. However he wasn't childishly petulant. I can't stand that in a guy and it makes me want to scream so small favors there. Hidey hole guy was just so childish.  How she put up with that I do not know.

[jcbrown]

3 hours ago, meep.meep said:

And it's "widow's walk" not "widow's peak"!!!!!

You could hear me yelling that, then? It wasn't even a widow's walk, as those are found on roofs.

I always kind of like it when thoroughly unpleasant people say something dumb like that on TV. From the number of times it was repeated, I suspect the editors and/or crew didn't care much for her either, since I suspect they were prompting/editing her to keep repeating it.

[doodlebug]

4 hours ago, meep.meep said:

And it's "widow's walk" not "widow's peak"!!!!!

A widow's peak refers to your hairline.

Having grown up with 4 brothers and sisters in three bedroom homes, and not being deprived, it always amazes me how much space people seem to need these days.

I was yelling at the TV about the 'widow's peak' that she actually meant was a 'widow's walk', but which was, in fact, neither.  It was a dumb little niche outside the upstairs master that wasn't big enough for anything and shows a lack of imagination and skill on the part of the architect.

I also cringed when it became apparent this was an episode where we were going to be subjected to the children participating in the house hunt.  All the whining about each kid needing their own bedroom and how it would be impossible to share made them look like petulant brats.  From age 9-15, I shared a bedroom with not one, not two but 3 of my sisters and managed not to die from it; an elementary school kid griping about needing her own space is not entertaining.

As the brilliant Fran Leibowitz said: 'Ask your child what he wants for dinner only if he's buying.'  This times a million when it comes to housing.

[ehall1052]

5 hours ago, CruiseDiva said:

Last night's HHs in Raleigh, NC... the wife was a major bitch. I felt so sorry for her husband. He appeared to be such a nice guy. 

And I hated how she was so disrespectful in talking about her mother-in-law.  I agree that Mom could have had a pull out sofa in the office, but wife saying Mom should just stay in a hotel was just rude.

[chessiegal]

I sure wouldn't want to sleep on a pull out sofa for a month. A few nights sure, but not a month. They couldn't fit in a twin bed? I don't remember.

[amarante]

I was going to give Raleigh wife a pass on the bitchiness she displayed towards her husband because they have been married 11 years and so thought maybe they think this shtick is cute and don't realize how it comes off and doesn't reflect the actual dynamics of their marriage but is edited.

On the other hand maybe it reflects the true dynamics of the relationship and the editing only brought out what their marriage was.

However, the nastiness towards her mother in law was beyond horrible and not a shtick for the camera. At one point she said they couldn't even be on the same floor with the home that had two masters on the ground floor. I can't imagine what it was like when all THAT was shown in this episode.

Most people don't have dedicated guest rooms and they seem to survive fine in terms of housing guests and making them physically comfortable. There are day beds as well as higher quality sofa beds with good mattresses and no uncomfortable bars. And there is also a tradition of having a parent stay in a child's room when they visit and having the child share a room during the visit.

And why no snark on the Christmaskah tree and the need to buy a house specifically for that tree. And the stupidity of calling it that. It's a Christmas tree - not a Christmaskah tree or a Hanukah bush 🙂 and it doesn't need a room specifically dedicated to it.

[Andyourlittledog2]

Quote

And why no snark on the Christmaskah tree and the need to buy a house specifically for that tree. And the stupidity of calling it that. It's a Christmas tree - not a Christmaskah tree or a Hanukah bush 🙂 and it doesn't need a room specifically dedicated to it.

That was so ridiculous, especially when she noted that front room which was a dining room or perhaps office space would be a living room and the tree would go there, and then they enter this huge living room space where the real living room would go.  If she puts the tree in the first room so that people can see it from the street then it is not really convenient for admiring etc from the actual living room where the family will really be inside. It's like it's only function is for other people to look at through a window and the residents don't really need to have access to it at all. That drove me nuts.

[KLovestoShop]

I just didn’t get the OKC couple.  Does the husband have some sort of mental disorder that he needs to move every few months?  He says he gets bored with the house he’s living in.  Who, in their right mind, wants the hassle of moving so often?  Maybe he’s just OCD.  Could the wife look any more plastic?  Way too much Botox, over puffed lips and bad hair extensions, not to mention dresses that were so short they barely covered her ass.  

As for the houses, I thought the second house was ugly, but she just wanted a pontoon and I’m shocked they didn’t buy that one.  I was surprised that they bought house three.  I just bet they will sell that house in less than 24 months.  

[LittleIggy]

3 hours ago, ehall1052 said:

And I hated how she was so disrespectful in talking about her mother-in-law.  I agree that Mom could have had a pull out sofa in the office, but wife saying Mom should just stay in a hotel was just rude.

That was rude. I also hated the kids saying a room would be their playroom not the dad’s tv room. Brats. Who is paying the mortgage? 

[LittleIggy]

OK City: A drag queen would tell the wife to tone down that make-up! Yeah, and that wardrobe looked like something a call girl would think was tacky. The house they picked would make a great B&B if it were in the middle of a tourist town.

[Kenzie]

On 8/28/2019 at 5:26 AM, Ohwell said:

Rahway, NJ guy seemed drunk or stoned to me at times.

I thought that too, especially in the beginning.

Did anyone else notice how awkward it was to use the stove in his mother's home? The low cupboard above the stove overhung so far that she was cooking while standing to the side of the burners.

[MsTree]

2 hours ago, Andyourlittledog2 said:

That was so ridiculous, especially when she noted that front room which was a dining room or perhaps office space would be a living room and the tree would go there, and then they enter this huge living room space where the real living room would go.  If she puts the tree in the first room so that people can see it from the street then it is not really convenient for admiring etc from the actual living room where the family will really be inside. It's like it's only function is for other people to look at through a window and the residents don't really need to have access to it at all. That drove me nuts.

If that drives you nuts (and I totally agree with you re: the ridiculousness of it all), there are some folks that will buy two trees and fully decorate both. One for the front window for the outside world to admire 🙄 and another one in the living room for the family within.

[amarante]

1 hour ago, MsTree said:

If that drives you nuts (and I totally agree with you re: the ridiculousness of it all), there are some folks that will buy two trees and fully decorate both. One for the front window for the outside world to admire 🙄 and another one in the living room for the family within.

Have a tree in every room if one likes but I am pretty certain that she vetoed the front room being used as anything but a display for the tree. I thought the broker suggested it be used as an office in one hime and the woman threw him a death glare. 

[cameron]

10 hours ago, doodlebug said:

I was yelling at the TV about the 'widow's peak' that she actually meant was a 'widow's walk', but which was, in fact, neither.  It was a dumb little niche outside the upstairs master that wasn't big enough for anything and shows a lack of imagination and skill on the part of the architect.

I also cringed when it became apparent this was an episode where we were going to be subjected to the children participating in the house hunt.  All the whining about each kid needing their own bedroom and how it would be impossible to share made them look like petulant brats.  From age 9-15, I shared a bedroom with not one, not two but 3 of my sisters and managed not to die from it; an elementary school kid griping about needing her own space is not entertaining.

As the brilliant Fran Leibowitz said: 'Ask your child what he wants for dinner only if he's buying.'  This times a million when it comes to housing.

Those kids were awful.  

[laredhead]

Catching up on some HH episodes I missed this past month, and just have to add my touch to the previous comments.  Thought that was an apt comment considering all the touches that people want to add to the houses they look at.

I would give anything to have a husband/boyfriend/whatever who loved projects and was good at doing them and completing them.  So many of these guys (mostly) who want to have projects, do have experience, or their families have members who are contractors.  That type of experience saves so much $$.  It's usually the wives who are moaning that they don't want their husbands doing any projects because it takes away from family time.  I know home remodeling or projects aren't for everyone, but HH makes it look like the country is full of lazy people when you combine it with the HH's who don't want any yard maintenance either. 

I thought the guy in the Strasbourg VA episode was doing a great job of checking out the houses.  The wife was interested only in the house being "pretty", and the cosmetic things.  Well paint doesn't keep a house from falling down.  I thought the house they bought looked like a manufactured house that had been elevated.  It reminded me of the way many people in my area are rebuilding their houses after the 2016 floor we had.  The houses look very strange in person.  Maybe houses in Strasbourg are cheaper than in D.C., but their budget wasn't going to get them a house like she wanted.  She wanted a small house, but I wonder how large her parents' house was where they had been camped out for 9 months.   I bet it wasn't 1200 sf which she seemed to want.  I didn't like any of the choices.

Loved the guys in the Maui episode.  I had trouble telling them apart.  They must go to the same barber - lol.  The condo he bought looked like a rental unit, and the washer/dryer outside on the porch was odd.  I have seen several episodes on Buying Hawaii where the laundry appliances are outside, and not even concealed behind doors.  I would think they might corrode quickly in the salt air.

The boyfriend in the Rahway NJ episode was a hoot.  I can see him talking almost anyone into living in a construction zone for a few months.  He knows how to do projects, and members of both of their families are in construction so they have help.  I liked the house they chose.  

The Winston-Salem woman who was living in her parents basement, and was buying her first house was downright annoying.  Her budget was totally unrealistic for what she wanted.  I liked her parents a lot, especially when she was whining about the dogs ruining the carpet, and the mother told her to train them.  Sound advice and she should take it.  The last house she looked at with her friend Cory was cute, and it had an attached garage which would be important to me.  Of course, she went for charm over function. 

Lastly, the Oklahoma couple must own stock in a moving company.  There is no way I would voluntarily move 3 times in 2 years.  I did not like the house they chose.  They kept gushing over how beautiful it was.  Sorry, I didn't see it that way.  Someone said it would make a good B&B, and it did look somewhat commercial.  I agree with others that this will not be their "forever" home, and we'll probably see them on a future episode where she is still seeking her lakefront house for her pontoon boat. 

Edited August 30, 2019 by laredhead

[Empress1]

11 hours ago, amarante said:

And why no snark on the Christmaskah tree and the need to buy a house specifically for that tree. And the stupidity of calling it that. It's a Christmas tree - not a Christmaskah tree or a Hanukah bush 🙂 and it doesn't need a room specifically dedicated to it.

Growing up I used to babysit for a Jewish family and they had a Hanukah bush - they would get a little tree (like, you could sit it on a table) and decorate it with non-Christmas-ish decorations. The mom just liked them.

The OK couple who had moved three times in two years? WTF? For what? They can't have been making that much money on homes if they only owned them for a matter of months. I have way less stuff than they do and I wouldn't choose to move three times in two years. That's nuts.

[cameron]

10 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

OK City: A drag queen would tell the wife to tone down that make-up! Yeah, and that wardrobe looked like something a call girl would think was tacky. The house they picked would make a great B&B if it were in the middle of a tourist town.

Thought her red dress was a little much for a neighborhood get together.  Her face looked strange.  She looked normal in the snap shot they showed and then when crazy in her new look.

[edie3]

Yuck, that Victorian.  It was too over the top, just like her.  And a staircase in the bathroom?

[Empress1]

2 hours ago, cameron said:

Her face looked strange.

I thought she'd had some work done.

[Angeltoes]

13 hours ago, Andyourlittledog2 said:

It's like it's only function is for other people to look at through a window and the residents don't really need to have access to it at all.

And these days the retail world tries to make us believe that the Christmas season starts the day after Labor Day.  So now by mid-December we're all burned out and nobody gives a damn about your tree and we will not be window peeking.                   

[Kenzie]

4 hours ago, laredhead said:

I have seen several episodes on Buying Hawaii where the laundry appliances are outside, and not even concealed behind doors.  I would think they might corrode quickly in the salt air.

Not only that but outdoor appliances in Hawaii soon become a home to spiders, geckos, roaches and all kinds of other creepy-crawlies.

[KLovestoShop]

14 minutes ago, Kenzie said:

Not only that but outdoor appliances in Hawaii soon become a home to spiders, geckos, roaches and all kinds of other creepy-crawlies.

I have a friend who lives in Naples, Fla and her washer/dryer was under the carport.  When I opened the washer, out flew a lizard——I nearly crapped my pants.  Then, sitting on top of the dryer was some kind of snake.  I just know I couldn’t live in Florida, just like I didn’t last long in Arizona and all their creepy crawlies 

[Mittengirl]

I take it OKC couple bought the third house?  I zoned out somewhere along the way to the decision.  

None of the “lakes” that couple looked at appeared big enough for a pontoon boat.  They looked like little man-made ponds.

In the first house, I think, they showed coffered ceilings in the master bedroom.  The beams, I guess that’s what you call them, were dark and the flat part of the ceiling was a shade of tan and then there were bright white vents on the ceiling.  Why wouldn’t they have been painted to match the ceiling?  It bugged me.   Like the plethora of bright white outlet covers we see so much these days.  Remember when it was “in” to paint/wallpaper the outlet covers to match the walls?

[CrazyInAlabama]

I'm watching a rerun of the couple in Naples, FL with a $2 million budget.    I totally hate her.   When the woman wants to rip out the huge granite vanity in the master bath, and redo the soaking tub granite top, and side, the realtor says it will only cost $2,000.    No it won't, even I know that.   And she wants to change the attached office off the master to a dressing room/closet, and change the huge master closet to a jewelry closet.     That's ridiculous.    I wonder how long after they moved in before the local thieves dropped in to relieve her of the need for a jewelry closet?    Totally pretentious.    They picked the Miami Vice house that needed so much work.     Sorry, but changing neutral bathroom floors to a huge checkerboard pattern was a mistake.   The bathroom looks choppy now.  

Edited August 31, 2019 by CrazyInAlabama

[LittleIggy]

23 hours ago, Kenzie said:

I thought that too, especially in the beginning.

Did anyone else notice how awkward it was to use the stove in his mother's home? The low cupboard above the stove overhung so far that she was cooking while standing to the side of the burners.

Which Jersey guy are you talking about? The most recent one, the Broadway stagehand,  was living with his girlfriend and her kids in her house not with his mother.

11 hours ago, Empress1 said:

I thought she'd had some work done.

Some? 🤣😂😆

[LittleIggy]

Scottsdale, AZ: I missed the beginning. Why did they want a vacation home in Scottsdale? Were they from there? It’s bloody hot in AZ.  I loved how the son wisely pointed out to his mother that there was gravel landscaping because one can’t grow grass there (wasting water).

[Mittengirl]

I get not growing grass in AZ, but could you use bark mulch instead of gravel?  It seems like bark wouldn’t get as hot, so more pleasant for pups/kitties to walk/lounge on.

[SpiritSong]

Scottsdale people were among the most unpleasant house hunters ever featured on the show. The constant sniping at each other and childishness was off putting. They weren't too bright either, complaining about small rooms in a 1500 sq ft house. What did they expect? I felt sorry for their sons.

Lastly, anyone moving to Arizona and complaining about gravel yards/desert landscaping needs to be immediately escorted to the border and told to never come back. It's a desert, you twit. Even if you could get grass to grow do you really want to be outside mowing when it's 115 degrees?

[Pickles]

7 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Scottsdale, AZ: I missed the beginning. Why did they want a vacation home in Scottsdale? Were they from there? It’s bloody hot in AZ.  I loved how the son wisely pointed out to his mother that there was gravel landscaping because one can’t grow grass there (wasting water).

They said they wanted to be somewhere warm and sunny and the wife's good friend lived there (was it the agent?). Not a pleasant or too bright couple.

[chessiegal]

Scottsdale couple lived in Vancouver, WA and wanted a vacation home/rental. And yes, they were unpleasant. The husband at first refusing to go in 1 home was childish.

[CrazyInAlabama]

Around Phoenix, bark scorpions are an issue, and they love bark type materials.   Lots of houses also use synthetic turf for the animals, and in play areas.    They actually make fake grass that is very soft, and easy maintenance.      However, I'm always shocked by the house hunters in places like Scottsdale that want a lush lawn in the desert.    The house hunters in Scottsdale aren't the first to want a big lawn.  

All rock, and desert landscaping looks appropriate in Scottsdale, and if you move to a place that's in the desert, that's what you need to have.   I think the Scottsdale houses looked like they had potential.    If they want to rent short term rentals with five bedrooms, they're going to get huge groups, and probably partiers.   I bet that's why they weren't looking at HOA communities, or condos.    My guess is they're buying investment property only, not a vacation place for the buyers.   I think they wanted a property in the middle of nowhere, and it will be rented to big groups in town for spring training games, or football or other college and pro sports, and it will be party central.  

Edited September 3, 2019 by CrazyInAlabama

[amarante]

I live in SoCal and there are a lot of Canadians who come for the warmer climates only in the winter so the scorching heat of summer in Arizona isn't a factor as summer in the Northwest where the Arizona hunters live is when the weather is nicest there. 

My parents lived in a retirement community in Laguna and there were people from Arizona who would rent in the summer to get away from the desert heat.

All of the Arizona homes were very unattractive to me. Is there really a Air BnB market for homes in the middle of nowhere? 

How often realistically do people from Vancouver Washington actually get to spend in their second homes in Arizona. At least for me, any place one has to fly to makes no sense unless one has a job where one has significant blocks of time off because with all of the security restrictions in place, flying any place is essentially one day there and one day back. The people buying homes within a 2 hour or so driving time seem much more likely to get value from their purchase since one can very easily drive up on Friday and back home on Sunday night or even early Monday morning.

The home with five small bedrooms would seem to be an incredibly bed choice for an Air BnB rental as the people who would rent it would either be young kids who want to cram as many people as possible into the place or a family with a lot of children - again massive amounts of wear and tear from the type of people attracted to it.

If I planned to rent a place, the last thing I would want is a pool with a diving board for liability purposes because that is just a paralytic injury waiting to happen. I think I've read that many homeowners deliberately don't have diving boards any more because of the potential danger.

And yes, they were both unpleasant to watch and to each other. Not that I'm a moralist but what kind of twisted logic do people have to not get married until after both children are born because one can't afford a fancy reception. Have a small ceremony and then at some later point have a big party - or even smarter, don't have a big party at all and put the money to better use. I think there are so many legal and administrative reasons to be legally married after one has children in terms of property ownership and support.

[KLovestoShop]

That Az husband was the biggest jackass I’ve ever seen. Whaaa Whaaaa big baby.  I wanted to tell him that if he’s going to be such a bastardo over price, maybe they shouldn’t buy another house.  The wife wasn’t much better, but she was nowhere as obnoxious as the guy.  But he’s an idiot cheapskate.   

We lived in Arizona, just next to Scottsdale, and I can tell you that having a lawn is a pain in the butt.  If you want a lawn that looks good, you have to change grass twice a year.  You thatch the lawn and then sow seed and wait for the new grass to grow.

Knowing how many hotels and resorts are in the Scottsdale area, places that have the best amenities like pools, spas, restaurants and all, they are more attractive than some shabby looking house. Plus, when I’m on vacation I sure as hell don’t want to cook and clean.  And, the resorts tend to be very close to the fun Scottsdale entertainment areas.  If they were smart, which neither of them are, they should have looked at condos.  There are some fantastic condo communities in Scottsdale that are more rentable than a stand alone house, you can have the condo association take care of upkeep, and they’re easier to rent.  I just can’t see people renting a house that’s not central, especially from May through October when you melt just walking out the door.

Can’t do mulch in Arizona.  Did you know mulch can spontaneously combust in hot, sunny weather?  My cousin’s neighbor had their house burn down when their mulch started fire.  Not only that, but mulch attracts scorpions, deadly brown recluse spiders, black widows and snakes.  

[buttersister]

Too mulch! 

Quote

However, I'm always shocked by the house hunters in places like Scottsdale that want a lush lawn in the desert. 

They’re related to those who move to a small Italian hill town and kvetch because there’s no super-sized fridge and huge closets!

[amarante]

33 minutes ago, KLovestoShop said:

That Az husband was the biggest jackass I’ve ever seen. Whaaa Whaaaa big baby.  I wanted to tell him

Knowing how many hotels and resorts are in the Scottsdale area, places that have the best amenities like pools, spas, restaurants and all, they are more attractive than some shabby looking house. Plus, when I’m on vacation I sure as hell don’t want to cook and clean.  And, the resorts tend to be very close to the fun Scottsdale entertainment areas.  If they were smart, which neither of them are, they should have looked at condos.  There are some fantastic condo communities in Scottsdale that are more rentable than a stand alone house, you can have the condo association take care of upkeep, and they’re easier to rent.  I just can’t see people renting a house that’s not central, especially from May through October when you melt just walking out the door.

.  

I also couldn't imagine why anyone would purchase a shabby single family home in which looks like a working class neighborhood for either their own vacation home or as a potential Air BnB. I can't imagine they are going to furnish it with any kind of style given his cheapness and the reality that she actually thought any of those were places one would want to vacation in or would others would want to rent. 

And then they went for the one that was the furthest from Scottsdale - I must be missing something because again, who is the market for renting homes like that in that area. Was their friend, the realtor, pulling numbers out of her ass when she claimed it would rent for $175 per night? 

Given that they don't live there, they are going to have to pay someone to maintain the property as well as handle any rentals so a free standing home versus a condo makes no sense. 

[Kohola3]

I just burns my oats when people in the SW desert areas want lawns.  That is environmentally irresponsible in an area that is already taking a huge amount of the available water for things like pools and golf courses.  You choose to live in a desert then plan on xeriscaping and stop trying to make it look like the north.

[laredhead]

I haven't seen the AZ episode yet, but I have to ask why anyone who lives in Vancouver, WA wants a vacation home in the desert.  I live in south Louisiana where it's hot and humid 2/3 of the year, and would love to live full time in some place with a climate like Vancouver.  Can't wait to view this episode.  

[Grrarrggh]

4 minutes ago, laredhead said:

I haven't seen the AZ episode yet, but I have to ask why anyone who lives in Vancouver, WA wants a vacation home in the desert.  I live in south Louisiana where it's hot and humid 2/3 of the year, and would love to live full time in some place with a climate like Vancouver.  Can't wait to view this episode.  

I always though Arizona was a dry heat. 

[amarante]

8 minutes ago, laredhead said:

I haven't seen the AZ episode yet, but I have to ask why anyone who lives in Vancouver, WA wants a vacation home in the desert.  I live in south Louisiana where it's hot and humid 2/3 of the year, and would love to live full time in some place with a climate like Vancouver.  Can't wait to view this episode.  

Because the climate in the winter is depressing. It’s cold and rainy and gets dark very early. They don’t want a home in the summer when the weather in the North West is wonderful. The winters in the desert are the peak season just as the winters in Florida are peak season but summers are unbearable. 

It doesn’t matter if the heat is dry or wet. When the temperature is 115, you don’t want to be outside. I live in Los Angeles and would go to Palm Springs in the winter. Those who live there year round plan their days so that they try to do anything in the early morning and hibernate during the day when sun and temperature are grueling. 

[Kohola3]

1 hour ago, Grrarrggh said:

I always though Arizona was a dry heat. 

So is my oven but I wouldn't want to live in it.

[KLovestoShop]

8 minutes ago, Kohola3 said:

So is my oven but I wouldn't want to live in it.

That’s the one thing that made me chuckle when we lived in Az.  People would always throw out “it’s a dry heat”.  Well first of all, the humidity gets higher every year because of all the water use for the hundreds of golf courses.  It evaporates into the air making it more humid. Then I tell people to put their oven on to 120 degrees and stick their head inside and tell me how comfortable it is. 

[CruiseDiva]

The Washington house hunters in Phoenix were definitely one of the most unpleasant couples to ever appear on the show. What they bought is neither a vacation home for them or a short-term rental for vacationers. It's a money pit that won't generate income and I look for it to be a future foreclosure.

[chessiegal]

Tonight's Houston episode is listed as new on my on-line guide, but I swear I've seen it before - recently.

[laredhead]

I finally watched the AZ episode.  Everything everyone said is true - this couple is going on my annoying HH list.  One of my pet peeves is HH's who go see a house and act like they know nothing about it until they get there other than the price and number of bedrooms.  Read the listing and realize that a 1,500 sf house with 5 bedrooms is going to have a small living area and bedrooms the size of postage stamps.  Don't tour it and complain about how small every room is.  Do the math!  Maybe I'm being too generous in thinking that they can do simple math.  The house they bought is nothing special, and I wouldn't rent it.  Was that the one near the Goodwill store?  None of those houses were attractive, and certainly not inviting to rent for a vacation. 

I agree with prior comments about the cost of flying to a vacation home being expensive.  Are they going to rent a car when they get there or Uber everywhere?  More expense.  Vacation house to me is something I can drive to on weekends.  It's also something that I don't want other people living in when I'm not there.  

I'm tired of the beach hunter, family hunting, and vacation house episodes.  Get back to the original HH format, please HGTV.     

[LittleIggy]

AZ: Maybe they are marketing to Europeans who want to experience what it is like to live a drab American existence in a drab suburban home.

[SpiritSong]

6 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

I always though Arizona was a dry heat. 

During monsoon season, July-Sept, humidity goes way, way up. And of course that coincides with the absolute hottest temperatures. If you think 115 degrees is miserable with low humidity, try it in August when the dew point is over 70 degrees.

Also, the Phoenix metro area does NOT cool down at night. It stays hot 24/7 and there is no relief to be had other than air conditioning. Even the evaporative coolers many people still use are worthless during monsoon season. 

[Kenzie]

1 hour ago, laredhead said:

'm tired of the beach hunter, family hunting, and vacation house episodes. 

And any house on stilts. I know why they're built on stilts but they all look the same to me.

[KLovestoShop]

I cannot begin to tell you how much I despise these lazy ass, healthy, young people who complain about having to climb stairs.  I’ve never been able to climb stairs because of having polio at age 2.  Every time a HH kvetches about stairs, I just want to climb through the TV and beat the crap out of them.  

I didn’t like either of the Houston couple.  He with the no stairs and plate covers having to be white, and the wife who is afraid of gas stoves and worrying about the kids’ bedrooms being on a different floor.  Grow up you pain in the butt snowflakes. 

Why did he need such a huge space for his gaming.  I’ve always found adult gamers to be suspect because they can play hours on end, to the detriment of their family.  Another sign of being a lazy ass.