House Hunters - General Discussion

[Empress1]

2 hours ago, cameron said:

Those shoes/snow boats that she was wearing were terrible.  $355K in Hawaii wouldn't get them in a front door of buying a house unless it was a complete teardown/gut job.  Very unrealistic person.  If she thinks the Detroit area is expensive, try moving to Chicago and see what happens.

The husband said they’d sold their HI place for like $450K and I thought “that’s all?” because I thought the COL in HI was really high. In all the HH episodes I’ve seen where people were looking there, the budgets were always bigger than that and they comment on how high the COL is.

[amarante]

2 hours ago, Empress1 said:

The husband said they’d sold their HI place for like $450K and I thought “that’s all?” because I thought the COL in HI was really high. In all the HH episodes I’ve seen where people were looking there, the budgets were always bigger than that and they comment on how high the COL is.

They didn’t say what the home was like or even where it was located. 

I imagine there are tiny condos that aren’t in great shape and are located in a non prime area that would sell for that amount someplace on the islands  it wouldn’t be  beachfront and wouid probably be a long commute 😂

Los Angeles is expensive but if you are flexible you can find some kind of space for under $500,000. There have even been some HH episodes with that kind of low budget. I wouldn’t want to live in the ones shown on HH so far but I would trade space for location as my Los Angeles condo would buy a sprawling estate elsewhere. 🤷‍♀️🤫😂

Edited July 29, 2022 by amarante

[javajeanelaine]

The Hawaii to Detroit female house hunter wife was so annoying. If you have no experience renovating, a couple of YouTube videos are not going to get you the desired result!

I really don’t see the problem with being able to see neighbors but maybe that’s just me.

[kirklandia]

On 7/28/2022 at 9:30 AM, letusprocrastinate said:

I personally would appreciate that the yellow bathroom seemed to be in great shape, no need to tear out all that great tile.

I am always sad when House Hunters state their intention of obliteratating the iconic features of well-preserved period houses.  There are people out there who would treasure those details.  And once they're gone, they're gone.

That Detroit husband claimed to want midcentury modern. I would think he would appreciate the original tile - in both the yellow and the blue bathrooms, and in fantastic shape.  You could base a design around those tiles with stunning results.

Edited July 30, 2022 by kirklandia

[amarante]

Is there actually a living to be made by being an on line yoga instructor.

I am not understanding how that is viable in terms of attracting clients. If I wanted an instructor I would want it to be in person so they could check my form. If I were doing it by myself why would I pay someone on a screen to run me through a routine. Granted I am not the target but it doesn’t seem like one would make money unless one was some kind of celebrity instructor. 

The woman moving to Fort Lauderdale was great. It was obvious she was going to take the place that needed work especially since it had a casita for her other daughter. Realistically only someone with a construction background would want to tackle mold remediation. That must have been extensive since I think she said is was over $20,000. They probably had to replace some of the framing and other structural stuff.

Those two other houses were tiny as one was 1200 square feet  and the other was even smaller and they crammed three bedrooms in them. The actual rooms must have been tiny.

[rhofmovalley]

I've done online yoga.  I'm not yet comfortable being in an enclosed space with other (potentially infectious) people, plus I'm a total beginner!  So online instruction has been very helpful and welcome.

I liked the Ft. Lauderdale lady except she made me feel so ineffective with my four times weekly 2 mile walks.  She and her daughter were FIT!

[amarante]

1 hour ago, rhofmovalley said:

I've done online yoga.  I'm not yet comfortable being in an enclosed space with other (potentially infectious) people, plus I'm a total beginner!  So online instruction has been very helpful and welcome.

I don't doubt having someone on screen is helpful just like going through an aerobics routine or other exercise routine is helpful.

I am just wondering how people earn a living as an on-line yoga instructor as HH and especially HH International seem to have a lot of on-line yoga instructors so I was assuming the market would be saturated.

[CalicoKitty]

On 7/25/2022 at 9:32 AM, Notabug said:

Yes, if you are really going to refinish cabinets properly, you need to remove the doors and hardware, sand every surface thoroughly and apply several coats of paint and possibly varnish before putting it all back together.  Even someone with experience in doing this is going to take several days of intensive labor to finish.  As far as someone with no experience who can only do the project evenings and weekends; it's the sort of thing that often either ends up done poorly or abandoned entirely because the worker gets tired of it, messes it up. To do it right in one's spare time will take weeks, if not months.

Also--repainting cabinets that have always been painted is much different than painting dark cabinets that are factory-varnished.  That is not a job for the average DYer that is in a hurry to finish.  In some areas of the country the varnish and paint necessary are not permitted for home use.  In my previous home I had my kitchen cabinets refaced, which meant new cabinet doors and drawer fronts and the facing material on the other areas.  I was pleased, and they held up well, but it was most definitely a job for a professional.  These realtors that tell the house hunters you can "just paint the cabinets--it's an easy fix" is giving bad advice, at least in my experience.  It is not an easy "weekend project"--at least if you want a pleasing outcome.

[deirdra]

1 hour ago, CalicoKitty said:

Also--repainting cabinets that have always been painted is much different than painting dark cabinets that are factory-varnished.  That is not a job for the average DYer that is in a hurry to finish.  In some areas of the country the varnish and paint necessary are not permitted for home use.  In my previous home I had my kitchen cabinets refaced, which meant new cabinet doors and drawer fronts and the facing material on the other areas.  I was pleased, and they held up well, but it was most definitely a job for a professional.  These realtors that tell the house hunters you can "just paint the cabinets--it's an easy fix" is giving bad advice, at least in my experience.  It is not an easy "weekend project"--at least if you want a pleasing outcome.

In my previous house with very dark cabinets, built in 1973, I planned to reface the cabinets and build more to match. The carpenter noticed that the solid maple doors weren't stained dark brown as I had assumed, they had a wax finish that could easily be removed without damaging the wood, so that's what we did. And then he stained them a more pleasing pecan colour. The doors were taken off and done in the shop and only the cabinet frames done in my kitchen.

Edited July 30, 2022 by deirdra

[mojito]

On 7/28/2022 at 8:28 AM, Notabug said:

Now that mortgage rates have risen substantially and the housing market is slowing down rapidly; I wonder if we will not be seeing as many people buying second homes for vacation/rental properties.  I think that these buyers came out because mortgages were so affordable, and, during the pandemic, a lot of people had some extra dough.

Today I heard a real estate agent in the Phoenix area state that of the homes that are on sale:

52% are vacant

28% were purchased in the past year

[Hedgehog2022]

On 7/29/2022 at 10:32 PM, javajeanelaine said:

The Hawaii to Detroit female house hunter wife was so annoying. If you have no experience renovating, a couple of YouTube videos are not going to get you the desired result!

I really don’t see the problem with being able to see neighbors but maybe that’s just me.

She was super annoying...and what was with her hair? It was unbelievable that she thought she could take on major renovations by watching You Tube videos. I hope the  husband put the brakes on that potential disaster.

On 7/30/2022 at 5:52 PM, CalicoKitty said:

Also--repainting cabinets that have always been painted is much different than painting dark cabinets that are factory-varnished.  That is not a job for the average DYer that is in a hurry to finish.  In some areas of the country the varnish and paint necessary are not permitted for home use.  In my previous home I had my kitchen cabinets refaced, which meant new cabinet doors and drawer fronts and the facing material on the other areas.  I was pleased, and they held up well, but it was most definitely a job for a professional.  These realtors that tell the house hunters you can "just paint the cabinets--it's an easy fix" is giving bad advice, at least in my experience.  It is not an easy "weekend project"--at least if you want a pleasing outcome.

These realtors crack me up with their sales pitches and proclamations that doing this or that is an "easy fix"...

[pdlinda]

16 hours ago, mojito said:

Today I heard a real estate agent in the Phoenix area state that of the homes that are on sale:

52% are vacant

28% were purchased in the past year

I live in Phoenix and have rented for 22 yrs.  My rent has steadily risen to the point where I am now anticipating a $600/month increase!!! 

I wonder if that is due to your post about what seems to be a dismal local home buying market???

[cameron]

Wonder what the job market in New Mexico is like for indy movie people and how much money?

[Thumper]

3 hours ago, cameron said:

Wonder what the job market in New Mexico is like for indy movie people and how much money?

😂. I don’t know,  but I’m SO glad they found  a house that reminds them of Florida now that they live in NM! 🙄   
I guess it was in their price range, but they wanted to do a lot of work on it.

[mojito]

3 hours ago, cameron said:

Wonder what the job market in New Mexico is like for indy movie people and how much money?

I wonder, too.

New Mexico is a beautiful state that nearly tops the nation in poverty, crime, and dropout rate stats, so it would not have been on my short list of places to be a film maker. I'm sure this couple knows things about the place than I know.

The homes looked so unappealing. That first was in an awful neighborhood. 

The wife's need to retain the look of Florida was ridiculous. Surely she was talked into saying that. The home they picked was a "Florida" home, which is to say, the kind of single-story home built all over the US, including in my own neighborhood. Well, at least she didn't demand a Cape Cod or Victorian.

[cameron]

1 hour ago, mojito said:

I wonder, too.

New Mexico is a beautiful state that nearly tops the nation in poverty, crime, and dropout rate stats, so it would not have been on my short list of places to be a film maker. I'm sure this couple knows things about the place than I know.

The homes looked so unappealing. That first was in an awful neighborhood. 

The wife's need to retain the look of Florida was ridiculous. Surely she was talked into saying that. The home they picked was a "Florida" home, which is to say, the kind of single-story home built all over the US, including in my own neighborhood. Well, at least she didn't demand a Cape Cod or Victorian.

I've seen adobe type homes in New Mexico before which were really very attractive.  They couldn't have shown two uglier houses than  in number #1 and number #3.

[pdlinda]

6 hours ago, cameron said:

Wonder what the job market in New Mexico is like for indy movie people and how much money?

I think they found jobs in their "alternative bread-winning fields."  I think he said IT and I'm not sure what she said but their film making will apparently be in the nature of a "hobby" until and unless they hit some career "gold mine."

[Dehumidifier]

51 minutes ago, cameron said:

I've seen adobe type homes in New Mexico before which were really very attractive.  They couldn't have shown two uglier houses than  in number #1 and number #3.

House #1 appeared to be a commercial building that was converted to a house and I think #3 was also.

[amarante]

1 hour ago, pdlinda said:

I think they found jobs in their "alternative bread-winning fields."  I think he said IT and I'm not sure what she said but their film making will apparently be in the nature of a "hobby" until and unless they hit some career "gold mine."

If they were actually serious about making money as film makers in some capacity, Florida actually has a thriving industry because of Disney which has a large production facility down there. I think the kids' shows are shot there and all of those entertainment parks attract a lot of entertainment personnel.

But yeah I think they are self funding their own amateur films and they earn their money through her voice over and audiobook work and whatever else he said he did - I think it was some kind of vague IT. 

I did appreciate their pointing out what a cheap shoddy job the flipper had done.

[CrazyInAlabama]

Florida to Albuquerque.   Film makers, IT, and she does voice overs and audio books.    I had to laugh about her saying the mountains are very different.   (I wonder if their Florida house really sold that fast?   Some don't).  A friend of mine called the Southwest, E.T. country, for everything tan.   They're not adobe homes, they're concrete block or frame with stucco over it.   

House #1-newly updated, stucco and flat roof, next to a commercial space.   He thinks it's a flip house.  She hates the very nice granite, and wants to switch to solid surface.  Shower wall tile is horrible work. 

House #2-Fixer.  Everything in the kitchen is builder grade.  Looks like a beginning of a flip house. 

House #3- looks old.   smaller kitchen.   Let me give them a hint, when the walls around the yard are that high, it has a crime problem.  

They pick #2. 

Edited August 3, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[Crashcourse]

1 minute ago, amarante said:

I did appreciate their pointing out what a cheap shoddy job the flipper had done.

I appreciated that, too, but when they were the ones installing new flooring, I wondered if their work would be just as shoddy.  They also mentioned redoing the kitchen and I wonder how much of that they'll do. 

[BAForever]

FL to NM-

Was in Sante Fe recently. Beautiful landscaping was all over the place. Albuquerque isn't too far and should share the climate. House 1 and 3 were ugly inside and out. 

[edie3]

4 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

Florida to Albuquerque

They seemed awful picky to me. And those houses were sad. 

[MooCat Pretzel]

Albuquerque.  Those were three of the worst choices I have ever seen on this show.  Yuck.

[CrazyInAlabama]

Internet gamer Matt, is buying in Phoenix.      $800k to $1.3 million budget.

He's a sports Youtuber, going to sports games, and making games out of them, his roommate is Chase, grew up together, and will keep living together.  They're 23 and 24.   They have 2.2 million subscribers. wants 4 beds, modern, a pool,  Matt wants Scottsdale, Chase wants North Phoenix. 

House 1 Old Town Scottsdale, 30 minutes from downtown, 1881 sq ft., rancher, busy street out front, $925,000 list, probably will go higher than that.   Totally reno, lots of quartz, and Moroccan style black and white tile, great pool, former covered patio has it's own A/C unit, there's a putting green, 2 primary bedrooms,   Why would anyone put black floor tile in the bathroom in Phoenix?   No car noise with the double paned windows, no carpet.  1st main bedroom has big bathroom, and closet, no garage, 

House 2-North Phoenix, $1.3 million, 4 bed 3.5 bath,  2 car garage, 3568 sq ft, floors are wood look tile., great living and dining/kitchen. huge kitchen island.   great finishes, gas stove, great pool and spa, outdoor kitchen with pool, artificial turf, upstairs primary suite is fantastic, with a huge ensuite, three more bedrooms, 2 share a Jack-and-Jill bath.  1 more guest bath. 

House 3-Old Town Scottsdale, $800k , 4 bed, 3 bath, 2009 sq ft. Ranch, wide open, no carpets, huge primary bedroom, with large ensuite with great shower, guest bath is great, other bedroom is nice, with en suite, back yard has rock, and artificial turf, but no pool.     I love this house.   No garage. 

He chooses #2.  had to spend $1.4 million. 

Edited August 4, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[Grizzly]

Phoenix,  AZ. I'm not quite sure what they do, they make videos and podcasts of them talking about sports? Anyone else wondering if they've ever had girlfriends? Not sure why only Matt is purchasing the house. At least it's a healthy budget and we're seeing some nice places. No fixers for these guys. How do you water the plants on top of the fireplace?

[chessiegal]

1 minute ago, Grizzly said:

How do you water the plants on top of the fireplace?

I figured they were fake.

[StatisticalOutlier]

6 hours ago, BAForever said:

Was in Sante Fe recently. Beautiful landscaping was all over the place. Albuquerque isn't too far and should share the climate.

Santa Fe is at about 7,000 feet elevation, while Albuquerque is at 5,000 feet.  The rule of thumb is a decrease of 3 degrees for each increase of 1,000 feet of elevation (I learned this from people who climb 14-ers in Colorado, so they can predict how cold it'll be at the top).

8 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

A friend of mine called the Southwest, E.T. country, for everything tan.  

I have a friend who's always referred to Albuquerque as "Bedrock."  I think it's a singularly unattractive place, as were the houses they looked at.

[Hedgehog2022]

7 hours ago, BAForever said:

FL to NM-

Was in Sante Fe recently. Beautiful landscaping was all over the place. Albuquerque isn't too far and should share the climate. House 1 and 3 were ugly inside and out. 

Santa Fe is an artsy type of community...lovely adobe homes, great restaurants, etc...Several celebrities have lived and still live there like Julia Roberts, Ali MacGraw, Val Kilmer, Gene Hackman and many more. ABQ is a little too rough and tumble for me. There's a reason "Breaking Bad" and Better Call Saul" are shot there. Lots of meth and other drugs get smuggled into ABQ and then distributed throughout the Southwest. I had to spend two days there a few years ago due to flight cancellations because of a hurricane on the East Coast. We drove around and tried to find something, anything to do or look at and the only thing we thought looked kind of cool was the campus of the University of New Mexico. The rest looked hard and bleak...much like the homes and neighborhoods this couple went to. As for the film industry in ABQ...well, as I said, "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul" were both shot on location there. That probably drummed up some independent films for location shots. Just outside Santa Fe is a studio where Alec Baldwin was making a western and accidentally shot and killed the cinematographer. Apparently this studio has a pretty cool recreation of a western town on the lot that has been used in other films. So there is some movie business but nothing like LA or New York.

3 hours ago, MooCat Pretzel said:

Albuquerque.  Those were three of the worst choices I have ever seen on this show.  Yuck.

I agree...

12 hours ago, mojito said:

I wonder, too.

New Mexico is a beautiful state that nearly tops the nation in poverty, crime, and dropout rate stats, so it would not have been on my short list of places to be a film maker. I'm sure this couple knows things about the place than I know.

The homes looked so unappealing. That first was in an awful neighborhood. 

The wife's need to retain the look of Florida was ridiculous. Surely she was talked into saying that. The home they picked was a "Florida" home, which is to say, the kind of single-story home built all over the US, including in my own neighborhood. Well, at least she didn't demand a Cape Cod or Victorian.

or a mid century modern...with white kitchen cabinets...LOL!

[CrazyInAlabama]

Santa Fe has a real winter, and sometimes Albuquerque, so it was better there summer and winter than where I lived, in Southern New Mexico.     Santa Fe, and Albuquerque both had some snowfall usually, and the summer wasn't as hot as further south.   So, it's a more 4 season climate.    If I could afford either city, I would pick Santa Fe.  

Santa Fe also has a lot of artsy things to do, at least they used to.      There are better homes than what was shown on the episode, even for the price in Albuquerque.   For one thing, they were running a business out of the home, so they couldn't be in an HOA neighborhood, and needed a lot of space, and parking.  

Also, some parts of Albuquerque aren't safe locations either, like the third house.    If they would have been willing to look at older houses, they might have found something where minimal fixes would be a good investment, but they really wanted a more upscale house at a cheaper price.    

The realtor talking on camera about how much lower the crime rate is in cul-de-sac was interesting, but scary. 

That very high wall around the third house showed what that neighborhood was like, and I wouldn't even have looked at it.    I guess they picked the best house for their needs, but even doing work on the house, I'm wondering if it was a cheaper option after renos they were doing?      My guess is they really moved there for his job, and her job is remote, and she only needed the studio.    

Edited August 4, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[mojito]

Midwest Boys to Scottsdale, AZ

Note how all the homes were unoccupied.  Good thing the buyer has a steady stream of money coming in; hopefully, he won't regret the premium he paid for the home. 

I thought these two were cute. They were 23 and 24 and were ready to stop moving around so much (they graduated from college, which I thought was funny because just how much moving around had they done?)

Except for the non-buyer, who wanted a gas stove, they weren't picky; they were impressed by just about everything they saw. Barely had negative thoughts on anything. They seemed sort of at the cusp of being kids and being adults. They wanted to be where there was a social life, yet they also knew that it wasn't a good thing to get too much social life. They praised the homes with quiet and said nothing about not wanting to live in a family neighborhood among "old" people. 

They made good money, but they didn't talk about getting an image home, just a home that met their recording, sleeping, and cooling-off needs (as in the pool). For all their advantages and youth, they seemed well grounded. A pleasant surprise. I'm sure their parents are proud.

[Crashcourse]

I figured those two bros in Phoenix would pick house #2 when I saw that sofa in the living room, lol.

Woman moving from NYC to Philly:  Those were two nasty, ratty-looking townhouses and, of course, she picked the worst of the two.  Also, the neighborhoods didn't look safe.  I can understand her not wanting the detached house due to more maintenance.  I guess that's the best she could do with a $300k budget.    

[rhofmovalley]

22 minutes ago, Crashcourse said:

I figured those two bros in Phoenix would pick house #2 when I saw that sofa in the living room, lol.

Woman moving from NYC to Philly:  Those were two nasty, ratty-looking townhouses and, of course, she picked the worst of the two.  Also, the neighborhoods didn't look safe.  I can understand her not wanting the detached house due to more maintenance.  I guess that's the best she could do with a $300k budget.    

The first row house, when they were oohing and ahhing over the exterior and all I saw was the house next door that looked practically abandoned. But yeah, budget constraints will limit where you are able to buy!

[CrazyInAlabama]

Moving from NYC to Philadelphia. Tammy moving from Brooklyn to Philadelphia, counsels law students, mostly online.   So, she's moving back to Philadelphia to be closer to family.  Really quick train ride to NYC from Philadelphia, so close to a train station.   Rowhome or detached, 3 to 4 bedrooms, at least 2 bathrooms, back yard for a garden, finished basement for TV and movie watching and can fit a huge TV.   Budget is $300k.   Sister wants Tammy to get a home in the suburbs.  She doesn't have a car. 

Option 1-Rowhouse, 12 min. to train station,  my opinion is no way, 3 bed 2 bath, renovated, 1696 sq ft, decent first floor. The back yard is a wedge shape, and ugly.   finished basement and laundry room with steep, narrow stairs.  Who the hell puts carpet in a laundry room?   2nd floor is nice with 3 bedrooms up stairs, 1 bedroom tiny, 2 bedroom ok, primary is nice.  halls are narrow, stairs are narrow. 

I don't like the house, or the neighboring homes.

Option 2-Suburban single family, $319k, not close to train.  two story, 4 bed,3  bath, 1568 sq ft,, train station 30 minute walk, so she'll need a car. Kitchen is spectacular.  Back yard is flat, wonderul, and all fenced.   Basement is unfinished, with laundry down there.  Main bedroom is big, small closet, en suite has shower tub combo, finished attic has a full bathroom, but very sloped ceilings.   I saw a bath on the 3rd/attic level, and a full on the second floor, but where is the third bath?  

Option 3-Rowhome near downtown, updated, bed, bath $298900, 1735 sq ft, fireplace, kitchen is lovely, no garden space, and barely a back yard, basement is huge, finished, and great.   2nd floor has wide stairs, lots of windows, main has double closets, guest bath is fantastic with stand alone tub, and huge shower, main bedroom has a smaller bathroom.  I hope she gets this one.  

She picks # 1    list was $275k, and she paid $270k

[StatisticalOutlier]

12 hours ago, Hedgehog2022 said:

I had to spend two days there a few years ago due to flight cancellations because of a hurricane on the East Coast. We drove around and tried to find something, anything to do or look at and the only thing we thought looked kind of cool was the campus of the University of New Mexico.

People like to do the tramway ride.

In the UNM area, the streets are named after minerals(?), and if you're 20 years old and sufficiently stoned while driving around, it is HILARIOUS to refer to Lead Street as "pee-bee."

But other than that, it really is a grubby place. 

[Empress1]

22 hours ago, MooCat Pretzel said:

Albuquerque.  Those were three of the worst choices I have ever seen on this show.  Yuck.

I thought the same thing. The exterior of the first was especially sad.

NYC to Philly. (I’ve spent most of my life going between those two cities.) 30th St Station is the main train station in Philly; it’s where Amtrak stops. There are no single family homes around it but there are apartments/condos and row homes a little further west of it, mixed in with Penn and Drexel. I think the first house was probably in West Philly, even further west than the universities (if you go east of 30th St you’re in the heart of Center City and it definitely wasn’t there - you can’t get a house for $300K there).

Lansdowne, where the second house was, actually does have a regional rail stop that would have her downtown in 20 minutes, but of course she was a bit far from the station. The green walls with the purple-ish carpet were bugging me. She’d need a car there not just to get to the train but to get around.

I couldn’t tell where the third house was (30 minutes from 30th St doesn’t tell me much) but I liked it the best. They were gushing over the tub and I was too. She must have really been set on location because I thought the third house was the best choice.

7 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

Woman moving from NYC to Philly:  Those were two nasty, ratty-looking townhouses and, of course, she picked the worst of the two.  Also, the neighborhoods didn't look safe.  I can understand her not wanting the detached house due to more maintenance.  I guess that's the best she could do with a $300k budget.    

$300K will get you something decent in parts of Philly but she seemed really set on being near the train station. You could probably get a cute 1200-1500-square-foot updated row home in the neighborhood I grew up in for that price, and that area is very safe but it’s not near 30th St at all.

Phoenix YouTubers: I missed a bit of their intro so I thought they were a couple for a chunk of the episode. I hate the desert so I’d want a pool too (but I hate the desert enough that it would take a lot to get me living there in the first place). I’m not sure I’d buy over my range  if I worked in a field as unstable as vlogging, plus I think it was the biggest so the most expensive to maintain, but maybe he’s got a lot socked away. I didn’t like the floor in the primary bathroom in the house they chose.

[StatisticalOutlier]

22 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

No garage. 

I noticed that neither of the two decoy houses in Phoenix had a garage, or even a carport, but it wasn't mentioned in the episode at all.  I normally hate the look of houses with converted garages because you can always tell they're converted garages, especially when they leave the driveway there, but both of these bordered on unobjectionable for me--especially the first one.  I actually had to look twice to confirm there wasn't a carport or garage. 

Too bad it's in Phoenix, where I think the lack of a garage or carport might be a deal-breaker for me unless I was going to be there only in the winter.

[rhofmovalley]

17 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I noticed that neither of the two decoy houses in Phoenix had a garage, or even a carport, but it wasn't mentioned in the episode at all.  I normally hate the look of houses with converted garages because you can always tell they're converted garages, especially when they leave the driveway there, but both of these bordered on unobjectionable for me--especially the first one.  I actually had to look twice to confirm there wasn't a carport or garage. 

Too bad it's in Phoenix, where I think the lack of a garage or carport might be a deal-breaker for me unless I was going to be there only in the winter.

I lived in Vegas for a number of years. And you are 100% correct; at work I had to park outside and getting into my car at the end of the day from late spring to mid fall was a 30 minute process. You had to open all of the car doors and wait for the sweltering air to dissipate, which wasn't a pleasant experience when it's 114 outside. And you HAD to have a cloth steering wheel cover and a windshield shade. Also tinted windows. And buy a new battery every year (yes, even if it was a "lifetime" battery) because the extreme heat killed them. And speaking of killing, you better get your car waxed at least once a month. I slacked on that and the clear coat literally burned off. My car was black but the roof and hood were streaked with white from the intense sunlight and heat. I went with a white car the next time.

Also, going swimming sounds like a great way to cool off except when it's over 110 degrees. Being outside is not enjoyable when your head and shoulders are getting fried. No one used the pool in my complex during the summer except for very early in the morning or late in the evening. 

Also, a lot of people don't realize it actually gets really cold in the desert in the winter. We got snow in Vegas a few times and the temps went down to the low 20s for weeks. So you also need to factor that in when you don't have a garage. Although I would guess that's nothing compared to what those in the Northeast have to deal with.

Anyway...I thought those guys were OK. Didn't seem entitled or obnoxiously "bro-like". I am curious what his channel is, though. Two million subscribers is a LOT.

Edited August 5, 2022 by rhofmovalley

[amarante]

What terrible choices the Philly lawyer had - one was worse than the next. The suburban house looked high maintenance.

If location was important - and I understand why it was - why didn't she just buy a condo as she could have gotten a much more attractive condo in a central location. 

And I really don't understand the reasoning of her sister who told her that she needed a big house for when she had a husband and child. Presumably when she gets married and has children she and her spouse would then make a joint decision to move to a house that was suitable for a couple and their children. 

Who would would actually want to spend time in that rathole of a basement in the home she bought. Those kinds of basements - even when finished are not comfortable family dens but are used for children to have a separate area - what in the old days used to be called a rumpus room but if you enjoy watching television why wouldn't you do it in the more comfortable living room.

And no bathroom on the ground floor would be a deal breaker for me in any home.

One of the homes had a very weird "bathroom" in the basement with the toilet elevated on a platform and no enclosed room. 

Edited August 5, 2022 by amarante

[Grizzly]

Seattle, WA. Wow, she's a bit much. And the non-profit she works for might be doing better if it weren't paying her enough to afford 850k.  I thought the realtor was older so very surprised they went to school together. Mom is a bit of a Debbie downer but she wants Shannon to be fiscally responsible. I would pick house #3.

[CrazyInAlabama]

Seattle, new episode.  Woman has super color vision.   She mentions her super color vision many times through the show. She works for a non-profit to end homelessness, and provide medical care. 

Her parents will pay the down payment, because she can't afford a mortgage and the down payment.   She wants 4 bedrooms, for an office, craft room, guest room and her main bedroom, a little yard for her garden.   Space for bees.   Budget up to $850k, mom doesn't agree and thinks daughter needs roommates.   My thought is an ADU or Mother in law suite with a separate entrance would be good.  Wants a walk in closet so she can arrange her many clothes in a rainbow order.   If I hear about her super color vision again, or her bees, I may toss my cookies.     I find her demand for a craft room ridiculous.   Maybe with a 3 bedroom, and a family room she could afford more turnkey?  

House 1 West Seattle, ranch with a finished basement with it's own entrance, $789,900 probably up to $100k over, 4 bed, 2 bath, 2600 sq ft. main bedroom, no ensuite, backyard is great, Kitchen is ridiculous, fridge is in dining room, I agree with realtor, kitchen needs reno to get fridge back in kitchen.   basement is finished, and has a big bar. realtor is old high school buddy, and suggests basement with bathroom could be  turned into ADU, and turning the bar area into a kitchen.    It already has a separtate entrance, so it would be easy to do if the building codes allow another kitchen.  

House 2-Townhouse , $699,000, 3 bed, 2.5 bath,1800  sq ft. main has walk-in closet, tiny back patio and little yard.  living space on 2nd floor, second bedroom one floor up, shared bathroom, main bedroom is big, decent size main bedroom closet.   Another HHunter who doesn't realize paint is cheap, and covers wall colors you don't like.    I don't think they mentioned the HOAs. 

House 3- Not in Seattle but near mother's place, about an hour to downtown Seattle,  single family, huge front and back yard, , $675k , 3 bed, 2 bath, 1520 sq ft, built in 1920.  Huge deck, big yard with great space for those damned bees.   bathroom and shower on main floor,   second floor main bedroom has spa tub, with two other spaces for her office, and has window seat I wonder if the added spaces for offices on the second floor are considered another bedroom?  I would turn one space into an office, and one into a wardrobe.  

She chooses #1 , her mother liked #2, I would have chosen #3 and rented the first floor bedroom.  $789900, was list price, she paid $851,000.    So, I'm guessing mom and dad not only paid the down payment, but the extra $61k over list?    If the woman is smart she will put a door between first floor and basement, put in a kitchen, and rent it out.   

I didn't realize that working for a non-profit paid enough to make the mortgage payment on a home bought for a mortgage of that size.   I hope they had a real contractor move the fridge, and didn't just put some platform over the stairs, and break a hole in the kitchen wall.    just take the ridiculous wall bar down in the kitchen, move the fridge back where it used to be, add built-in cabinets on that wall and save a bundle, and don't risk the fridge falling through on someone. 

Edited August 5, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[Hedgehog2022]

17 hours ago, mojito said:

Midwest Boys to Scottsdale, AZ

Note how all the homes were unoccupied.  Good thing the buyer has a steady stream of money coming in; hopefully, he won't regret the premium he paid for the home. 

I thought these two were cute. They were 23 and 24 and were ready to stop moving around so much (they graduated from college, which I thought was funny because just how much moving around had they done?)

Except for the non-buyer, who wanted a gas stove, they weren't picky; they were impressed by just about everything they saw. Barely had negative thoughts on anything. They seemed sort of at the cusp of being kids and being adults. They wanted to be where there was a social life, yet they also knew that it wasn't a good thing to get too much social life. They praised the homes with quiet and said nothing about not wanting to live in a family neighborhood among "old" people. 

They made good money, but they didn't talk about getting an image home, just a home that met their recording, sleeping, and cooling-off needs (as in the pool). For all their advantages and youth, they seemed well grounded. A pleasant surprise. I'm sure their parents are proud.

They kind of annoyed me...all the "bro" stuff...the house they chose was so close to their neighbor that I wondered how that would work out if they had late night pool parties. I was wondering why they chose Phoenix? Maybe I missed it in the beginning. I lived in Phoenix for a summer after college and absoloutely hated it. The heat was unbearable. Scottsdale is nice but it isn't a place for young singles, unless it's changed. The people of Phoenix  freak out when it rains...at the time I was there they didn't have storm drains on any streets. When it rained, the streets inevitably would have some flooding that would be hazardous. I was glad to get out of there...I literally drove out and never looked back. When I crossed the Mississippi River and saw green grass and the rolling hills of Tennessee, I was almost crying. I never realized how much I liked the East Coast until I lived out there.

[cameron]

8 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

Seattle, new episode.  Woman has super color vision.   She works for a non-profit to end homelessness, and provide medical care. 

Her parents will pay the down payment, because she can't afford a mortgage and the down payment.   She wants 4 bedrooms, for an office, craft room, guest room and her main bedroom, a little yard for her garden.   Space for bees.   Budget up to $850k, mom doesn't agree and thinks daughter needs roommates.   My thought is an ADU or Mother in law suite with a separate entrance would be good.  Wants a walk in closet so she can arrange her many clothes in a rainbow order.   If I hear about her super color vision again, or her bees, I may toss my cookies.   

House 1 West Seattle, ranch with a finished basement with it's own entrance, $789,900 probably up to $100k over, 4 bed, 2 bath, 2600 sq ft. main bedroom, no ensuite, backyard is great, Kitchen is ridiculous, fridge is in dining room, I agree with realtor, kitchen needs reno to get fridge back in kitchen.   basement is finished, and has a big bar. realtor is old high school buddy, and suggest basement with bathroom could be  turned into ADU, and turning the bar area into a kitchen.    

House 2-Townhouse , $699,000, 3 bed, 2.5 bath,1800  sq ft. main has walk-in closet, tiny back patio and little yard.  living space on 2nd floor, second bedroom one floor up, shared bathroom, main bedroom is big, decent size main bedroom closet.   Another HHunter who doesn't realize paint is cheap, and covers wall colors you don't like.    I don't think they mentioned the HOAs. 

House 3- Not in Seattle but near mother's place, about an hour to downtown Seattle,  single family, huge front and back yard, , $675k , 3 bed, 2 bath, 1520 sq ft, built in 1920.  Huge deck, big yard with great space for those damned bees.   bathroom and shower on main floor,   second floor main bedroom has spa tub, with two other spaces for her office, and has window seat I wonder if the added spaces for offices on the second floor are considered another bedroom?  I would turn one space into an office, and one into a wardrobe.  

She chooses #1 , her mother liked #2, I would have chosen #3 and rented the first floor bedroom.  $789900, was list price, she paid $851,000.    So, I'm guessing mom and dad not only paid the down payment, but the extra $61k over list?    

I didn't realize that working for a non-profit paid enough to make the mortgage payment on a home bought for a mortgage of that size.   I hope they had a real contractor move the fridge, and didn't just put some platform over the stairs, and break a hole in the kitchen wall.    just take the ridiculous wall bar down in the kitchen, move the fridge back where it used to be, add built-in cabinets on that wall and save a bundle, and don't risk the fridge falling through on someone. 

I could barely get through watching this whole episode.  Is she on something or what?  What an idiot!

[CruiseDiva]

9 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I didn't realize that working for a non-profit paid enough to make the mortgage payment on a home bought for a mortgage of that size.

One of my stepson's girlfriends worked for a non-profit and made over $150K a year. She also traveled a lot for her job--always first class air ad luxury hotels. When government grants ran out and the funding dried up the non-profit shut down and she was out of a job.

[Notabug]

3 hours ago, cameron said:

I could barely get through watching this whole episode.  Is she on something or what?  What an idiot!

I got the impression that she thinks she's oh so quirky and adorable!  No, she's childish and annoying.  She was very hard to take.  Not to mention her complete cluelessness as to how things work in the real world.  She was so fortunate to have parents who could afford to give her a down payment on a house; then, she has the nerve to gripe about the cost of a gallon of paint.  

[rhofmovalley]

20 minutes ago, Notabug said:

I got the impression that she thinks she's oh so quirky and adorable!  No, she's childish and annoying.  She was very hard to take.  Not to mention her complete cluelessness as to how things work in the real world.  She was so fortunate to have parents who could afford to give her a down payment on a house; then, she has the nerve to gripe about the cost of a gallon of paint.  

I completely agree. Why do some people have to pat themselves on the back and congratulate themselves on how amazingly quirky and unusual they are? And have to tell everyone? No one cares. Seriously, NO ONE cares.

Her mom was the one I'd rather have lunch with, although I presume she indulged this oh so quirky daughter of hers.

I would guess if she finds herself unable to make a few mortgage payments she'll just hit up Mom. 

I wonder what Dad thinks of all this and if he's on board. 

[proserpina65]

On 8/4/2022 at 12:14 AM, StatisticalOutlier said:

I have a friend who's always referred to Albuquerque as "Bedrock."  I think it's a singularly unattractive place, as were the houses they looked at.

The Old Town part of Albuquerque is nice, but yeah, a lot of it is pretty utilitarian-looking, especially compared to Santa Fe.  Plus some areas are extremely sketchy.

Phoenix - I would've gone with house #1.  I liked the Moroccan-style tile and the pool.

15 hours ago, Empress1 said:

$300K will get you something decent in parts of Philly but she seemed really set on being near the train station. You could probably get a cute 1200-1500-square-foot updated row home in the neighborhood I grew up in for that price, and that area is very safe but it’s not near 30th St at all.

Yep, it's all about location in Philly.  Some neighborhoods are great, some okay, some scary as all fuck.

[Empress1]

13 hours ago, amarante said:

If location was important - and I understand why it was - why didn't she just buy a condo as she could have gotten a much more attractive condo in a central location. 

It would have been smaller than she wanted. This is in her price range, in the heart of, like, skyscraper downtown and walkable to the train station (really walkable for everything), but it’s under 900 square feet. Which is fine for one person, in my opinion, but she wanted bedrooms, a yard, etc. A second bedroom in that building would run her another $200K and she wouldn’t have any outdoor space. This one is even smaller. That’s what she could expect for that price in that area. It’s a great, fun location but that comes with a price.

I love University City, which is a few blocks west of the train station and the price tag gets a little lower, but challenge there is that much of the property is owned by the universities and/or has been carved up into apartment rentals to accommodate the student population. I suspect she bought further west, which is still a bit further from the train but she could take other public transportation to the station. 

[Crashcourse]

6 hours ago, Empress1 said:

It would have been smaller than she wanted. This is in her price range, in the heart of, like, skyscraper downtown and walkable to the train station (really walkable for everything), but it’s under 900 square feet. Which is fine for one person, in my opinion, but she wanted bedrooms, a yard, etc. A second bedroom in that building would run her another $200K and she wouldn’t have any outdoor space. This one is even smaller. That’s what she could expect for that price in that area. It’s a great, fun location but that comes with a price.

I clicked on the links to see the condos and, while they're under $300k, I wonder how much the HOA's are.   I noticed a fitness center, library, probably other amenities I didn't see.  It's like here in northern VA where I see a condo listed for under $300k but reading further and you see the HOA is $400-$600/ month because of the amenities. 

Seattle:  Couldn't stand that girl child.  I yelled at the tv when she sat her butt on the counter, and then proceeded to put her damn foot on the counter like a toddler.  The mom acted like it was no big deal.  (If I had done that in my mom's kitchen, I would have been hobbling around with a cast on my foot.)  She's employed but it looks like her parents raised a toddler.    

Edited August 5, 2022 by Crashcourse

[amarante]

2 hours ago, Empress1 said:

It would have been smaller than she wanted. This is in her price range, in the heart of, like, skyscraper downtown and walkable to the train station (really walkable for everything), but it’s under 900 square feet. Which is fine for one person, in my opinion, but she wanted bedrooms, a yard, etc. A second bedroom in that building would run her another $200K and she wouldn’t have any outdoor space. This one is even smaller. That’s what she could expect for that price in that area. It’s a great, fun location but that comes with a price.

I love University City, which is a few blocks west of the train station and the price tag gets a little lower, but challenge there is that much of the property is owned by the universities and/or has been carved up into apartment rentals to accommodate the student population. I suspect she bought further west, which is still a bit further from the train but she could take other public transportation to the station. 

I realize that she is trading space but IMO her options were so terrible and she really didn't need that space as a single woman with a career who also commutes to New York.

The houses were horribly remodeled to the extent they were actually remodeled and I always have suspicions of the kind of invisible crap that flippers don't bother to fix because they realize their potential buyer pool is naive and focuses on whether there is quartz and two sinks.

But of course I am basing it on my own life style preferences. As a single woman I opted for a smaller coop in Manhattan versus more room in the suburbs. If her options were a bit nicer it might be different because when I hear Philly row houses I think of those really charming ones that are probably a bit older. The ones she was looking for were built as crap - below "builder grade" when they were built 100 years ago and the surroundings looked awful. I don't think I would even feel particularly safe in those areas in a single family home.

Edited August 5, 2022 by amarante