House Hunters - General Discussion

[amarante]

12 minutes ago, Crashcourse said:

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. 

It is odd that the maintenance fees aren't listed because all of the condo/coop listings I have seen have that information because obviously it impacts the net cost of the condo.

Of course there is a benefit to having maintenance fees since they typically cover all of the costs including utilities plus normal issues. So if one factors in utilities, maintenance and stuff like gym membership and a pool, it isn't more than the amount one would be spending - I think I read somewhere that one typically needs to spend about 3% of the home cost annually on maintenance and that isn't factoring in whether one outsources stuff like yard work or snow clearing. 

But again - the two row houses she looked at were truly horrible and the suburban house was pretty awful as well. 

[Crashcourse]

2 minutes ago, amarante said:

Of course there is a benefit to having maintenance fees since they typically cover all of the costs including utilities plus normal issues. So if one factors in utilities, maintenance and stuff like gym membership and a pool, it isn't more than the amount one would be spending - I think I read somewhere that one typically needs to spend about 3% of the home cost annually on maintenance and that isn't factoring in whether one outsources stuff like yard work or snow clearing. 

It's one thing to pay maintenance fees for things like snow and trash removal, landscaping, maybe other outside maintenance costs but those costs aren't that expensive, and that's what I'm paying where I live.  I personally would rather be responsible for my own utilities because I'd have control over usage, and I definitely wouldn't need a fitness center, library, even a swimming pool.   

To each their own, but my point was that some advertisements aren't up front about the HOA fees, that's all.  

[Empress1]

I don’t really like suburbs either. I vastly prefer city living.

7 minutes ago, amarante said:

she really didn't need that space as a single woman with a career who also commutes to New York.

She worked remotely some of the time (I don’t think she was commuting every day - I hope not, for her sake) so she wanted a separate work space, at the very least. I’m fully remote and I relish having a work space that’s just for that - it helps create a barrier between home and work.

10 minutes ago, amarante said:

. 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.

I can name a bunch of Philadelphians I know personally who live in hundred-year-old homes. Philly is old (there’s a neighborhood literally called Old City). The house I grew up in (not a row home) is coming up on it - it was built in 1925. Where you get fucked up is when flippers renovate all the charm out of them, which of course is not unique to Philly.

29 minutes ago, Crashcourse said:

I yelled at the tv when she sat her butt on the counter,

This is a huge pet peeve! You’re going to put your butt or your feet, that have walked around the dirty ground, on a counter, where I put food? Absolutely not. 

2 minutes ago, Crashcourse said:

I definitely wouldn't need a fitness center,

I live in a building with a gym and definitely factored in the fact that I wouldn’t be paying for a gym membership when I was deciding (although with rising monkeypox cases, I’m thinking of investing in a set of adjustable dumbbells and resuming in-home workouts). It’s a nice amenity. My friend lives in a building with a library and that’s something I’ve never seen before, but his building has a TON of amenities. He lives somewhere with really long winters and I guess they figure that people are going to be inside for much of the year so “inside” should be appealing.

[amarante]

22 minutes ago, Empress1 said:

I don’t really like suburbs either. I vastly prefer city living.

She worked remotely some of the time (I don’t think she was commuting every day - I hope not, for her sake) so she wanted a separate work space, at the very least. I’m fully remote and I relish having a work space that’s just for that - it helps create a barrier between home and work.

I can name a bunch of Philadelphians I know personally who live in hundred-year-old homes. Philly is old (there’s a neighborhood literally called Old City). The house I grew up in (not a row home) is coming up on it - it was built in 1925. Where you get fucked up is when flippers renovate all the charm out of them, which of course is not unique to Philly.

t. 

I live in a building with a gym and definitely factored in the fact that I wouldn’t be paying for a gym membership when I was deciding (although with rising monkeypox cases, I’m thinking of investing in a set of adjustable dumbbells and resuming in-home workouts). It’s a nice amenity. My friend lives in a building with a library and that’s something I’ve never seen before, but his building has a TON of amenities. He lives somewhere with really long winters and I guess they figure that people are going to be inside for much of the year so “inside” should be appealing.

I agree that a separate work area is nice but you don't need a a three bedroom single family home to achieve that. But each to their own.

When I saw the blurb for this show and it said "row houses" I assumed it was those really lovely old row houses in Philly that have been featured on other episodes. The irony is that they were originally built for working class people but those attached homes in this episode were just awful. 

Amenities differ in terms of what people find useful. I live in a full service high rise with a doorman and valet parking. I don't actually use the valet to park my own car although it is great that my guests have free parking in a congested area. However it provides complete security because no one can get through the gates when a car enters which is a way that people are able to get into buildings when there is a gate. Also having a doorman is obvious security PLUS there is someone available 24/7 to sign for my packages which is obviously a huge factor. My building had to take over a room for packages because there are so many delivered. So I am happy to pay the cost for those. It really isn't a gym or a pool or a library that drives up maintenance costs - having been on the Board of my condo. It is labor costs principally plus utilities and maintenance of major systems like the boiler and pipes and roof and elevator.

[buttersister]

8 hours ago, cameron said:

I could barely get through watching this whole episode.

I bailed after the first house with the out-of-room fridge and bad counter. Between the super-vision, craft room and general obnoxiousness, I was left pondering how much that non-profit is/was paying her. Another lesson in checking out the financials of organizations you donate to!

[amarante]

12 minutes ago, buttersister said:

I bailed after the first house with the out-of-room fridge and bad counter. Between the super-vision, craft room and general obnoxiousness, I was left pondering how much that non-profit is/was paying her. Another lesson in checking out the financials of organizations you donate to!

The only thing I could think of was that her parents were giving her a huge down payment and so her mortgage would be more in line with a lower priced house. It might be why her mother was so insistent on reminding her of the purchase price. 

Obviously there are well paid executives working in non profits as you need talent and experience to run what are essentially multi million dollar organizations but they do have scammers of course. But she didn’t strike me as having the personality or experience to be commanding the kind of salary that would normally be needed for that large a mortgage. 

[Empress1]

56 minutes ago, buttersister said:

I bailed after the first house with the out-of-room fridge and bad counter. Between the super-vision, craft room and general obnoxiousness, I was left pondering how much that non-profit is/was paying her. Another lesson in checking out the financials of organizations you donate to!

My friend just pulled the 990s for an org he’s interviewing with (senior role) and was like “oh wow, I’m going to ask for a lot more than I’d planned if I get the offer.”

It seemed like Seattle Shannon hadn’t been working that long - her mom asked her how her job was and she said she was “getting to know everyone.” I didn’t like the first house at all. I liked both 2 & 3. Literally said “get out of the tub!” (which her mom called out - “ do you really think you should be in there?”) and her bare feet on the counter were killing me.

Matching scrunchies to her outfits. Lord. She was really childlike - when the realtor and Mom were talking about a renter in the first house, Shannon was like skipping around outside. Her mom was like “she has no idea what she’s getting into” and seemed like she was annoyed by her. They were nothing alike in looks or personality.

58 minutes ago, amarante said:

The only thing I could think of was that her parents were giving her a huge down payment and so her mortgage would be more in line with a lower priced house. It might be why her mother was so insistent on reminding her of the purchase price. 

I think however much they gave her was a set, finite amount and they wanted her mortgage to be in line with a lower-priced house but they didn’t get there with the house she bought, like the gap was big and the mortgage was hefty. Mom said she didn’t know how Shannon would afford it and it sounded like roommates were a need to make the mortgage, not a way to make extra cash.

[rhofmovalley]

If you have to depend on having roommates in order to pay your mortgage you can't afford the property. Roommates come and go and they usually don't provide more than a month advance notice of moving out. And you can't guarantee you'll be able to find another one right away. 

One of my dear friends who I truly care for rented a house where he and his spouse needed roommates. His spouse (rightfully) expressed concerns and he responded with "don't worry, we can totally afford OUR SHARE of the rent!" Not surprisingly, they ended up having to move out when their roommate left and they couldn't find another one.

But I'm guessing the reason Ms.Quirky wasn't concerned was because she knows her indulgent mother will cover her payment if she's ever in financial trouble.

[jcbrown]

6 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

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.    

6 hours ago, Empress1 said:

This is a huge pet peeve! You’re going to put your butt or your feet, that have walked around the dirty ground, on a counter, where I put food? Absolutely not. 

Yes, yes, yes. No butts or feet on the f*%#ing kitchen counters, you unhygienic jerk! Guaranteed she did not clean the counter afterward, too.

[mojito]

7 hours ago, Empress1 said:

This is a huge pet peeve! You’re going to put your butt or your feet, that have walked around the dirty ground, on a counter, where I put food? Absolutely not.

That's not as bad as people who allow their cats to walk on their kitchen counter tops... 🤢

[Dewey Decimate]

Did I hear Seattle rainbow brite's mom totally call her out on her alleged superpower? Didn't she say during the intro that the daughter has never actually been tested for said condition because she's afraid she won't actually have it? Yeah, I'm gonna take her something-to-add-to-my-quirky-resume claim with a grain of salt. Especially when she claims to need a separate craft room for those janky-ass 2nd-grade-level rainbow clam shells. 🧐

[rhofmovalley]

I used to date a guy who claimed to be colorblind because for some reason he thought it would get him sympathy or more women or something.

I sort my closet by color too, and I don't need to pretend to have some kind of medical condition. 

Her mother may have rolled her eyes but she still apparently indulges her. Which is her right, of course. 

[Bastet]

47 minutes ago, mojito said:

That's not as bad as people who allow their cats to walk on their kitchen counter tops... 🤢

My cat never wants to, other than occasionally when she uses it as a launching pad for her biannual inspection of the top of the refrigerator, but it wouldn't bother me if she did.  I would find a person's feet quite weird, but I wouldn't freak out about it.  And I definitely wouldn't be bothered by someone's clothed ass -- how is that any different than wearing long sleeves and placing elbows/forearms on the counter?

[Soapy Goddess]

3 hours ago, Bastet said:

My cat never wants to, other than occasionally when she uses it as a launching pad for her biannual inspection of the top of the refrigerator, but it wouldn't bother me if she did.  I would find a person's feet quite weird, but I wouldn't freak out about it.  And I definitely wouldn't be bothered by someone's clothed ass -- how is that any different than wearing long sleeves and placing elbows/forearms on the counter?

It doesn't bother you that your cat's paws have been in a litter box and then walk on your counters where you prepare food?  IMO, dirty paws and dirty feet are the same thing. Neither one is meant to be on counter tops.

As for someone's clothed ass being different than long sleeves & elbows/forearms, I don't know anyone who farts (wet or dry) in their long sleeved shirt.

[cameron]

On 8/4/2022 at 12:25 PM, 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.    

Sofa was a dead giveaway.

[Dehumidifier]

11 hours ago, mojito said:

That's not as bad as people who allow their cats to walk on their kitchen counter tops... 🤢

If you have a cat you cannot be sure that it doesn't go on the counter when you are not there. Just make a habit of wiping the counter before using it. You can be in bed, hear them in the litter box and then they come running and join you in bed too. If you're going to be paranoid about stuff like that, don't have a cat.

[rhofmovalley]

And dogs walk around outside, stepping in other dogs' poop and pee and who knows what all else, then they walk on your floors/carpet and get up on your furniture.  Having pets means you have to accept they will be bringing the dirty.  However, they are animals.  Humans are not only supposed to know better but they're supposed to be considerate of others.  I can't remember if Special Sparkly Snowflake got into the tub and sat on the counter of the house she purchased or if it was one of the decoys.  I had a hard time focusing when my eyes were rolling so badly.

[Empress1]

16 minutes ago, rhofmovalley said:

And dogs walk around outside, stepping in other dogs' poop and pee and who knows what all else, then they walk on your floors/carpet and get up on your furniture.  Having pets means you have to accept they will be bringing the dirty.  However, they are animals.  Humans are not only supposed to know better but they're supposed to be considerate of others.  I can't remember if Special Sparkly Snowflake got into the tub and sat on the counter of the house she purchased or if it was one of the decoys.  I had a hard time focusing when my eyes were rolling so badly.

She sat and put her feet on the counter at her mother’s house. She sat in the tub in a decoy house.

[rhofmovalley]

2 minutes ago, Empress1 said:

She sat and put her feet on the counter at her mother’s house. She sat in the tub in a decoy house.

Oh, so her mother indulges her behavior.  Not surprising. 

I wonder if she acts like a toddler at work or if it was just for the show.  And I always wonder if these people watch the episodes and are proud of how they came across.

[mojito]

1 hour ago, Dehumidifier said:

If you're going to be paranoid about stuff like that, don't have a cat.

Exactly. 

And avoid eating food prepared by a cat owner. 🙄

To be honest, I threw out the cat remark to point out that we put up with a lot of not necessarily sanitary conditions. I don't worry a whole lot about that stuff because I eat food in restaurants and have no idea of what goes on in kitchens and the habits of its food preparers.

Maybe because the woman was on the other side of the counter, I had assumed that she and her mother were in her (the house hunter's) kitchen and though I thought the behavior looked juvenile (like the "cool" kid who sits in the passenger seat of a car with the bare foot sticking out side the window), I imagined that the mother was probably inwardly  wincing. 

The mother's comments about the possibility of losing her job seemed a little silly to me. No matter which house she chose, she would need to keep her job in order to pay for it. I guess the daughter's thought was might as well go big since she was approved for the loan. 

[pdlinda]

15 hours ago, Dewey Decimate said:

Yeah, I'm gonna take her something-to-add-to-my-quirky-resume claim with a grain of salt. Especially when she claims to need a separate craft room for those janky-ass 2nd-grade-level rainbow clam shells. 🧐

This kid seemed clueless about life and over-indulged, for sure.  I hope that mom&dad will see to it that there are adequate cleaning and maintenance services done on the home (in other words, PAY for it) as I'm not seeing Ms. Quirky  likely to take time away from her "arts and crafts" pursuits to keep that large place tidy and CLEAN!  

The kid's a rookie working for a non-profit.  It's her first job.  It's true that upper mgt of the organization probably make decent livings; however, I'm not seeing Ms Quirky falling into that category, AND with the economy being what it is today, my sense is that mom&dad will be expected to provide frequent "infusions of cash" into the household.  That would include paying for any "remodeling" to make the house suitable for a roommate.

[Bastet]

13 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

It doesn't bother you that your cat's paws have been in a litter box and then walk on your counters where you prepare food?

I don't prepare food on the counter, I prepare food on a cutting board.  If I was concerned about germs on my counters, I'd wipe them off before using, not freak out about the fact my cat walked across them.

[rhofmovalley]

36 minutes ago, Bastet said:

I don't prepare food on the counter, I prepare food on a cutting board.  If I was concerned about germs on my counters, I'd wipe them off before using, not freak out about the fact my cat walked across them.

Yeah, I don't know anyone who sets food directly on the counter and not on a plate, cutting board, baking sheet or casserole dish.  I don't even set fruit directly on my counter, I put a paper towel down.  But bare feet?  Gross.  I would have been there immediately afterward with bleach cleaner and some wipes.  After giving her an ass chewing.

[Grrarrggh]

Seattle woman didn't annoy me as much as I thought she would. Maybe ya'll primed me too much or maybe it's because I wasted all my annoyance on the Pheonix jerks in a prior episode. 

[Johannah]

She didn't bother me too much either.  Yeah, she had her faults, but it was refreshing to see someone excited about nearly everything she saw and not demanding everything to be the newest and brightest.  Yeah, she changed things, but it didn't seem like the "everything must be updated" stance a bunch of these HHs have.

[laredhead]

I finally watched the Seattle episode, after reading all of the comments here, so I was prepared.  My favorite part was in the final scene where the HH talks about how things are more expensive than she thought they would be, and that even paint is expensive.  Yeah, good paint is expensive now.  When realtors say "paint is cheap", it is compared to knocking down a wall, or moving plumbing, but yes, paint is about twice (or more) per gallon now than when I did a major remodel several years ago.  Home ownership is not cheap if you do it correctly.    

[Grrarrggh]

8 hours ago, laredhead said:

 Home ownership is not cheap if you do it correctly.    

I'm guessing it's even more expensive when you do it incorrectly ;)  Unless you're hoping to win Ugliest House or something.

[Pickles Aplenty]

21 hours ago, Johann said:

She didn't bother me too much either.  Yeah, she had her faults, but it was refreshing to see someone excited about nearly everything she saw and not demanding everything to be the newest and brightest.  Yeah, she changed things, but it didn't seem like the "everything must be updated" stance a bunch of these HHs have.

I agree.  I will take Rainbow Bee Girl over any random HHer who whines about wanting the same boring things everyone else wants.  That's just me.

Speaking of Rainbow Bee Girl, is her condition real?  She kept saying she saw "99 million more colors than everyone else", and that seemed like an odd number to throw out there.  I know nothing about it, so can anyone enlighten me?

[Lady J]

I was confused, were the Phoenix dudes buying the house together , or just the one guy ?

[CrazyInAlabama]

Phoenix, the one guy was buying the house solo, the friend will be a roommate, and they'll do the podcast from there too.   I'm betting when the roommate moves out, it will be to another home in the same complex. 

Rainbow Bee Girl, her mother said the daughter had never been diagnosed with the super color vision, and so just claimed she had it. 

[Grrarrggh]

12 hours ago, Pickles Aplenty said:

I agree.  I will take Rainbow Bee Girl over any random HHer who whines about wanting the same boring things everyone else wants.  That's just me.

Speaking of Rainbow Bee Girl, is her condition real?  She kept saying she saw "99 million more colors than everyone else", and that seemed like an odd number to throw out there.  I know nothing about it, so can anyone enlighten me?

It supposedly is a real thing. Tetrachromats are able to see up to 9 million more colours than most people who can only see around 1 million. She just bumped it up, but she may have been a bit jokey at the producers insistence. Supposedly according to recent studies up to 14% of women may have it (only women can have the mutation of Tetrachromacy). 

[Thumper]

Can you imagine how long it takes her then to organize her closet by color????😳

[Crashcourse]

Even if Seattle girl/woman has Tetrachromats, she was still acting like a toddler (not to insult toddlers, lol).

[mojito]

Baton Rouge

That second place...I know there's a need all over for multi-unit housing, but this development looks like more like a motel, a temporary housing kind of place. It's hard to imagine anyone building up much equity buying a home here. So much potential for neighbor conflict whether it be people hanging out in the front of the home (there's not much room in the back) or parking along the street (on both sides). 

I liked that they picked the home that they did. I have a feeling that the structure will always be a project, though, considering its construction and location. 

[rhofmovalley]

I would imagine those townhomes are cheap to build. You can get a lot more of them on a piece of land than single family homes. And usually the prices are lower which enables lower income buyers to be able to afford them. So I was puzzled why that was the most expensive home. Location, I presume.

I lived in a townhome that was actually a duplex. Only one shared wall (living room) and a HUGE backyard. But those all stuck together in a row? No, thanks.

[Crashcourse]

Baton Rouge.  The wood house was downright scary-looking outside, and the townhouse development was awful.  The third house looked ok on the outside, but I don't remember what it looked like on the inside.  I did like the real estate agent though.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I wonder how the first house turned out, and if they actually had the time to rehab it, and the money?    I wonder if any of the homes the Baton Rouge buyers looked at were in a flood zone?   

[laredhead]

I live in Baton Rouge, and have actually toured Houses #2 & #3.  A friend was interested in the townhouses, and I went with him when he was considering buying one.  These are located in the middle of one of the most popular parts of town, and you can walk to many resturants, which is great in such a car-centric city like B.R.   Those townhouses are a very good value, and the quality of the finishes is nice.  They are being bought quickly by younger singles, older empty-nesters, & young childless couples for the most part.  My problem with places like that is that people tend to use their garage as a storage unit, and leave their cars parked outside, so that the street begins to look like a used car lot.  Also, those places did not have an extra space to park a 2nd car if a couple with 2 cars bought a unit.  There are a few guest spaces, but not enough, IMO.

House #3 is located in the Garden District, another hot spot for many buyers.  It's a more diverse demographic - college professors, people with children, older people who have lived there for many years, and there are a few apartment buildings in the area, and many houses have garage apartments that are rentals.  Eclectic is the word to use.  Some houses are maintained better than others as well.  It's very close to the downtown area of the city, but not walkable to restaurants.  House #3 is a good example of what many buyers are doing, and have done with those older houses by adding a 2nd bathroom, remodeling the kitchens & bathrooms, while leaving some of the original features of the house intact.  I toured that house when it was on a realtor open house.

I don't know where House #1 is located, but the lot is large, and it's probably a 70's house from the looks of it.  The wood siding would be a no-no for me.  It's probably cypress or redwood, but yes it is going to need maintenance to stand up to our high humidity and heat.  From the looks of it, it needs some TLC now.  Definitely not a walkable area for shops or restaurants.  I would say that anything the HH's do to improve that house will greatly improve their resale value.  I'm not a fan of that rustic exterior style.

As for flooding issues, Houses #2 & 3 are not in areas that flood.  If House #1 is, then flood insurance will be required if they have a mortgage, and the cost will be based on the FEMA flood maps which use past floods as pricing gauges.  We have had some 100 year floods recently, and while my house was built in 1957, and it has never flooded or even come close, I took out FEMA flood insurance last summer when parts of Baton Rouge received 13" of rain in about 3 hours.  My former husband's house took on only about 2" of water, but had to be totally gutted and redone.  His house is not in a flood zone, and had never flooded in the 42 years since we built it in 1975.  He had taken out flood insurance on it many years ago in an abundance of caution, and that was a blessing.  He remodeled the house, and sold it in January after 7 months of work.  The new buyer picked up the flood policy, but will pay a higher premium since the house now has a history of flood damage.  My flood policy is $525 a year, and I live in one of the highest parts of the city which is not considered a flood zone.  I'd rather pay that premium than take any chances.  My biggest fear is wind damage from hurricane force winds which we are getting more frequently this far inland.                         

[rhofmovalley]

I snickered like a 12 year old boy when the Omaha husband said "wood a little bit too much for you?'

[Grizzly]

Omaha, Nebraska.  Let go of the white cabinets already! She doesn't even cook. And her face looks worn and tired. I like her dad, he seems very practical. Maybe I should buy #3, the main level was just like the house I grew up in 😉. Love the builtins. Oh look, they bought it.

[Grizzly]

Kitty Hawk, NC. House #1 was too small but I loved the kitchen backsplash. Not one I've seen before. Agree that the barrel sink wasn't practical, but it was unique. #2 was comfortable, nothing special but a good option. "Grow in the future", are they planning to get fat? I wasn't thrilled with #3 but knew she would push for it.

[Hedgehog2022]

On 7/29/2022 at 12:15 AM, Thumper said:

I was very surprised she chose the mold house!  Ewww, that house just seemed dirty and the mold was a “no” for me.

It was shocking to me that anyone would even put a house like that on the market without fixing the mold issue first. That was disgusting as was the rest of the house...I was shocked she bought it. The other houses weren't much better and the neighborhoods looked sketchy to me...actually they looked quite dumpy. Hope she had a security system installed.

[Hedgehog2022]

3 hours ago, laredhead said:

I live in Baton Rouge, and have actually toured Houses #2 & #3.  A friend was interested in the townhouses, and I went with him when he was considering buying one.  These are located in the middle of one of the most popular parts of town, and you can walk to many resturants, which is great in such a car-centric city like B.R.   Those townhouses are a very good value, and the quality of the finishes is nice.  They are being bought quickly by younger singles, older empty-nesters, & young childless couples for the most part.  My problem with places like that is that people tend to use their garage as a storage unit, and leave their cars parked outside, so that the street begins to look like a used car lot.  Also, those places did not have an extra space to park a 2nd car if a couple with 2 cars bought a unit.  There are a few guest spaces, but not enough, IMO.

House #3 is located in the Garden District, another hot spot for many buyers.  It's a more diverse demographic - college professors, people with children, older people who have lived there for many years, and there are a few apartment buildings in the area, and many houses have garage apartments that are rentals.  Eclectic is the word to use.  Some houses are maintained better than others as well.  It's very close to the downtown area of the city, but not walkable to restaurants.  House #3 is a good example of what many buyers are doing, and have done with those older houses by adding a 2nd bathroom, remodeling the kitchens & bathrooms, while leaving some of the original features of the house intact.  I toured that house when it was on a realtor open house.

I don't know where House #1 is located, but the lot is large, and it's probably a 70's house from the looks of it.  The wood siding would be a no-no for me.  It's probably cypress or redwood, but yes it is going to need maintenance to stand up to our high humidity and heat.  From the looks of it, it needs some TLC now.  Definitely not a walkable area for shops or restaurants.  I would say that anything the HH's do to improve that house will greatly improve their resale value.  I'm not a fan of that rustic exterior style.

As for flooding issues, Houses #2 & 3 are not in areas that flood.  If House #1 is, then flood insurance will be required if they have a mortgage, and the cost will be based on the FEMA flood maps which use past floods as pricing gauges.  We have had some 100 year floods recently, and while my house was built in 1957, and it has never flooded or even come close, I took out FEMA flood insurance last summer when parts of Baton Rouge received 13" of rain in about 3 hours.  My former husband's house took on only about 2" of water, but had to be totally gutted and redone.  His house is not in a flood zone, and had never flooded in the 42 years since we built it in 1975.  He had taken out flood insurance on it many years ago in an abundance of caution, and that was a blessing.  He remodeled the house, and sold it in January after 7 months of work.  The new buyer picked up the flood policy, but will pay a higher premium since the house now has a history of flood damage.  My flood policy is $525 a year, and I live in one of the highest parts of the city which is not considered a flood zone.  I'd rather pay that premium than take any chances.  My biggest fear is wind damage from hurricane force winds which we are getting more frequently this far inland.                         

I was really surprised that these two guys didn't have any concerns about the hurricane season and or even ask about flood zones. That wooden house was unimpressive and my immediate thoughts about it were: 1) wood rots when it retains too much water and 2) termites. The yard was big but needed some shrubs and some trees to be planted...a good landscaper would know which trees would be better suited for the soil and climate. It's amazing what a few well placed trees, shrubs and flower beds can do to make a yard more pleasing to the eye.

[Grrarrggh]

23 minutes ago, Hedgehog2022 said:

It was shocking to me that anyone would even put a house like that on the market without fixing the mold issue first. 

Either they couldn't afford to or didn't want to bother so decided they were better of letting someone else deal with it. Hey, in this market I can't blame them. 

[amarante]

11 hours ago, laredhead said:

I live in Baton Rouge, and have actually toured Houses #2 & #3.  A friend was interested in the townhouses, and I went with him when he was considering buying one.  These are located in the middle of one of the most popular parts of town, and you can walk to many resturants, which is great in such a car-centric city like B.R.   Those townhouses are a very good value, and the quality of the finishes is nice.  They are being bought quickly by younger singles, older empty-nesters, & young childless couples for the most part.  My problem with places like that is that people tend to use their garage as a storage unit, and leave their cars parked outside, so that the street begins to look like a used car lot.  Also, those places did not have an extra space to park a 2nd car if a couple with 2 cars bought a unit.  There are a few guest spaces, but not enough, IMO.

House #3 is located in the Garden District, another hot spot for many buyers.  It's a more diverse demographic - college professors, people with children, older people who have lived there for many years, and there are a few apartment buildings in the area, and many houses have garage apartments that are rentals.  Eclectic is the word to use.  Some houses are maintained better than others as well.  It's very close to the downtown area of the city, but not walkable to restaurants.  House #3 is a good example of what many buyers are doing, and have done with those older houses by adding a 2nd bathroom, remodeling the kitchens & bathrooms, while leaving some of the original features of the house intact.  I toured that house when it was on a realtor open house.

I don't know where House #1 is located, but the lot is large, and it's probably a 70's house from the looks of it.  The wood siding would be a no-no for me.  It's probably cypress or redwood, but yes it is going to need maintenance to stand up to our high humidity and heat.  From the looks of it, it needs some TLC now.  Definitely not a walkable area for shops or restaurants.  I would say that anything the HH's do to improve that house will greatly improve their resale value.  I'm not a fan of that rustic exterior style.

As for flooding issues, Houses #2 & 3 are not in areas that flood.  If House #1 is, then flood insurance will be required if they have a mortgage, and the cost will be based on the FEMA flood maps which use past floods as pricing gauges.  We have had some 100 year floods recently, and while my house was built in 1957, and it has never flooded or even come close, I took out FEMA flood insurance last summer when parts of Baton Rouge received 13" of rain in about 3 hours.  My former husband's house took on only about 2" of water, but had to be totally gutted and redone.  His house is not in a flood zone, and had never flooded in the 42 years since we built it in 1975.  He had taken out flood insurance on it many years ago in an abundance of caution, and that was a blessing.  He remodeled the house, and sold it in January after 7 months of work.  The new buyer picked up the flood policy, but will pay a higher premium since the house now has a history of flood damage.  My flood policy is $525 a year, and I live in one of the highest parts of the city which is not considered a flood zone.  I'd rather pay that premium than take any chances.  My biggest fear is wind damage from hurricane force winds which we are getting more frequently this far inland.                         

Thanks for the knowledgable analysis.

I figured that the townhouse was in an area that would be extremely popular to a certain demographic. It seemed to be the equivalent of buying a small condo "downtown" and the finishes were nice. For what it was, it was quite nice and livable. Having grown up in dense metropolitan areas I don't have the horror of street parking that others seem to have. My childhood actually had a garage but since it was built pre WW I it was tiny and up a very narrow driveway and no one on the block used their garages. Some people would park at the front of their driveway but I don't think that eliminates the "eyesore" if people don't want cars on the street.

In a million years I wouldn't have chosen that Acadian style home. All I could think about was termites and rotting wood in that kind of humid atmosphere. The interior wasn't especially appealing.

House Number 3 was really lovely and - in my opinion - wasn't bought solely because they didn't want to spend the money. So the storyline of one guy being more of a spendthrift was just a fake because that house had everything they wanted and needed and was theoretically below their mortgage approval.

While I don't think people should necessarily spend up to their limit if I were these guys I would either have purchased the home or found another home in Baton Rouge that didn't have the issues of the two decoy houses. Since they seem to have given up on location there surely must have been other choices in the $350,000 range. 

Also - and I am not an expert - as I recall there have been Acadian homes and Home #1 was not that style. That home looked like the kind of shack that someone would have built deep in the bayous - e.g. a shack. Albeit a large shack with indoor plumbing. But not Acadian - I even googled the definition and looked at pictures and none of them resembled that home.

[laredhead]

Amarante, I would call the Acadian wood house more of a "down the bayou rustic Acadian" style.  There are quite a few of that style around.  All Acadian styles aren't painted, and many people like that look.   That wood very well may be cypress which is termite and moisture resistant.  I wish the realtor had described it.  I did a deep dive into sold properties over the last year and cannot find the house on Zillow.  It definitely is in B.R., but not in an area that is readily ID'd from the brief glimpses I could get on the screen.  By the time they have that exterior stained, and all of the improvements done, they will have spent close to the price of House #3.  Tradeoff was a larger yard.      

[amarante]

27 minutes ago, laredhead said:

Amarante, I would call the Acadian wood house more of a "down the bayou rustic Acadian" style.  There are quite a few of that style around.  All Acadian styles aren't painted, and many people like that look.   That wood very well may be cypress which is termite and moisture resistant.  I wish the realtor had described it.  I did a deep dive into sold properties over the last year and cannot find the house on Zillow.  It definitely is in B.R., but not in an area that is readily ID'd from the brief glimpses I could get on the screen.  By the time they have that exterior stained, and all of the improvements done, they will have spent close to the price of House #3.  Tradeoff was a larger yard.      

I defer to your expertise of course but when I googled this was the definition and the examples seemed to be more like the "Acadian" homes I saw in other HH episodes.

https://www.mydomaine.com/acadian-style-house-5192156

What Is an Acadian-Style House?

A traditional Acadian-style house has a steep sloped and gabled roof and one to one-and-a-half stories of living space, often with a central staircase and rear kitchen. Typically, Acadian homes are constructed of brick or stone, and they often feature covered front porches and window shutters.

I get that the home did have the steep sloping roof. 

I am probably just had a visceral negative reaction because I thought that house was just awful - a horror whereas when I saw Acadian style homes in other episodes I liked them. They seemed charming and suited to the location. 

Also having to stain the home as part of normal maintenance every 5 to 7 years would be a non-starter for me. Even wood homes that need to be painted as part of maintenance aren't done that often. And I wonder whether the figure quoted - I think it was $5000 - is the same mythical figure as the $5000 kitchens which realtors on HH love to advise homeowner about. It seems like scraping and staining a home would cost more than that.

[Hedgehog2022]

14 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

Either they couldn't afford to or didn't want to bother so decided they were better of letting someone else deal with it. Hey, in this market I can't blame them. 

Any good realtor would have advised the sellers to get it fixed and at the very least, clean and tidy up the house before putting on the market. Yes, the market was soaring a few months ago but even so, sellers had to make their homes safe and presentable...there was a tremendous amount of competition with other sellers. I was shocked that the realtor who showed the home didn't tell them in advance there was a water issue that had caused some mold.

[Hedgehog2022]

17 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Omaha, Nebraska.  Let go of the white cabinets already! She doesn't even cook. And her face looks worn and tired. I like her dad, he seems very practical. Maybe I should buy #3, the main level was just like the house I grew up in 😉. Love the builtins. Oh look, they bought it.

I hated the house they picked. The backyard had zero privacy and the deck just looked at neighbor's houses and the street. The inside was true mid 80's blah styling. And I got news for her boyfriend...painting kitchen cabinets is not "an easy fix". When DIY'ers do it it looks terrible. Better to hire someone who knows what they're doing. I liked house #2...it had "character" as they like to say on this show. 

[amarante]

17 minutes ago, Hedgehog2022 said:

Any good realtor would have advised the sellers to get it fixed and at the very least, clean and tidy up the house before putting on the market. Yes, the market was soaring a few months ago but even so, sellers had to make their homes safe and presentable...there was a tremendous amount of competition with other sellers. I was shocked that the realtor who showed the home didn't tell them in advance there was a water issue that had caused some mold.

If this was the Idaho to Florida woman she was in construction so I am almost certain she deliberately looked for a home that would not be purchased by a regular buyer because the work needed was too extensive. Since she knew what she was getting into she knew would needed to be done in terms of the scope and what it would cost.

From what I have read it is actually better sometimes to just let a true "handyman's special" go on the market without sprucing it up because it will sell more quickly to someone specifically looking for that and probably have an easier closing since they will take it ""as is". Whoever lived in that home had not maintained it well - let alone performed normal minimal updates so I wouldn't be surprised if it was an estate sale and so the heirs just wanted to unload it quickly because they had no interest in supervising any kind of renovation. Also given that the mortgage was probably paid off years ago any amount they got from the sale was pure profit to them. The economics might not even pay off since mold remediation and a new roof are expensive but stuff like that doesn't necessarily translate into a dollar to dollar return on investment.