House Hunters - General Discussion

[ECM1231]

I wasn't bothered by the CA home buyer's comment about generational wealth; you could see that she was proud of what her parents had accomplished. What I was bothered by, however, were the 3 horrible homes from which she had to choose. I guess? she chose the right one for her as it was ever so slightly the largest. Her agent telling her that in the future she could claim part of the garage to make an en suite bathroom, was ridiculous. I wish these realtors would shut their traps, unless they are also architects. Sure, it can be done, but not without a whole lot of hard work and expense. 

[StatisticalOutlier]

3 hours ago, amarante said:

Wipes now have a statement that they are NOT flushable

I don't use wipes, but I noticed that the Sam's Club ones in the bathroom at a pilates studio I go to say they're flushable.  Actually, here they are:

https://www.amazon.com/Members-Mark-Flushable-Wipes-wipes/dp/B075HXQ23R

"Flushable" is the biggest word on the box.  And the toilet in there did seem to be a bit sluggish.

[Mediocre Gatsby]

I saw the "generational wealth" episode and I was prepared to hear that, but she used "playroom" almost as often, and what's THAT all about? I agree that she didn't have a lot of choice, but I think she chose the right one for her. You can change a lot, but the bedrooms in the first two were kind of small. Sure, she might have waited for better house inventory, but I'm sure she wanted to get out of the house with the newlyweds. And really, I think you're not going to go wrong getting into the lower end of the market in California however you can. 

I would've chosen the same place, I think, though I loved the outside look of house #2. 

I assume that she had help from her sister (who is now living in the family house that was probably left to both of them) for the down payment. And maybe that house was paid off, so she lived into her thirties without having to pay rent. It's still impressive that she got into her own house while working at a nonprofit. 

[chediavolo]

14 hours ago, amarante said:

Wipes now have a statement that they are NOT flushable - whether idiots actually read who knows because even if they read it they might assume it isn't their problem - especially renters.

The specific phrase "generational wealth" has been discussed on this read - as well as elsewhere of course. My understanding is that a lot of churches are holding workshops as part of a whole emphasis on building all kinds of financial knowledge.

Historically POC had lower rates of home ownership and for most working and middle class people, home ownership is the surest way to actually build wealth and have financial security. Traditionally people bought a home and stayed in the home - paid off the mortgage and then owned a home with either significantly lower housing costs OR the ability to downsize or even get a reverse mortgage. Also - in the past people would have paid off their home 10 or 15 years before retirement and so they had the ability to increase retirement savings in the final decade or so before retirement.

To some extent that model has been a bit disrupted with many older people getting mortgages - people taking out HELOC and also people moving into increasingly expensive homes instead of staying in their original homes.

POC were frozen out of housing for many years - mortgages were hard to get - neighborhoods were redlines and if POC lived there, no financing was available. Not to mention the practice of block busting

I don’t buy them so didn’t know that. Of course a lot of people won’t read that ( yes, especially renters who unfortunately many times don’t care about the home they are living in) or will just ignore it. How do they get away with making a product to wipe your butt with & having to dispose of a feces ridden wipe in the garbage?🤢. Yep, big business money, environment be damned. Sad. 
 

11 hours ago, ECM1231 said:

I wasn't bothered by the CA home buyer's comment about generational wealth; you could see that she was proud of what her parents had accomplished. What I was bothered by, however, were the 3 horrible homes from which she had to choose. I guess? she chose the right one for her as it was ever so slightly the largest. Her agent telling her that in the future she could claim part of the garage to make an en suite bathroom, was ridiculous. I wish these realtors would shut their traps, unless they are also architects. Sure, it can be done, but not without a whole lot of hard work and expense. 

Of course she was proud of her generational wealth, they’re wealthy! I’d be happy too. We need more shows with people who are not able to purchase a $400,000 upward home. What had happened this country? This is the beginning of an immense crisis that is going to bring us down even further. 

[cinsays]

14 hours ago, ECM1231 said:

I wasn't bothered by the CA home buyer's comment about generational wealth; you could see that she was proud of what her parents had accomplished. What I was bothered by, however, were the 3 horrible homes from which she had to choose. I guess? she chose the right one for her as it was ever so slightly the largest. Her agent telling her that in the future she could claim part of the garage to make an en suite bathroom, was ridiculous. I wish these realtors would shut their traps, unless they are also architects. Sure, it can be done, but not without a whole lot of hard work and expense. 

not to mention, then you don't have a garage for your car or storage

[Orcinus orca]

3 hours ago, chediavolo said:

We need more shows with people who are not able to purchase a $400,000 upward home.

Absolutely agree but would people watch?  Do people watch this for reality or treat it like a fairy tale where your first home has a mile long list of "must-haves" and a $700,00 budget isn't sufficient for more than a shack? 

At one time I enjoyed the show to see different home available in cities across the US.  It was fun to see what you could get for the various prices.  But now it's just a frustrating view of things that are far above the reach of most Americans.  Honestly, I believe they are above the reach of a lot of the couples on the show as well.  I bet a majority of them spent every penny on the house and have no savings at all.

I find it to be mostly tiresome now with entitled young people wanting every single thing in their first home together (I had to save until I retired for mine), the endless reuse of the same phrases (walkability, total gut job, man cave, must have a bonus room, open concept, etc), and no interest in taxes, safety, or school systems.

Mostly I watch with the sound off to save my sanity.

[rhofmovalley]

Because of the "Real Housewives" and their ilk, producers are convinced people want DRAMA!! Hence the manufactured storylines ("She wants in the city! He wants in the suburbs!  He wants modern!  She wants 'character'!! Her budget $750,000, his budget $500,000!")

Instead of showcasing the homes and their various attributes we get conflict and unpleasant discussions about needing a huge closet for their shoes, needing a 'man cave' to get away from their own family or complaints about the color of kitchen cabinets and appliances (from people who admit on camera they never cook).

Even though Million Dollar Listing has way, way more drama than HH at least they take the time to really showcase the details of the homes.

[chediavolo]

16 hours ago, Mediocre Gatsby said:

I saw the "generational wealth" episode and I was prepared to hear that, but she used "playroom" almost as often, and what's THAT all about? I agree that she didn't have a lot of choice, but I think she chose the right one for her. You can change a lot, but the bedrooms in the first two were kind of small. Sure, she might have waited for better house inventory, but I'm sure she wanted to get out of the house with the newlyweds. And really, I think you're not going to go wrong getting into the lower end of the market in California however you can. 

I would've chosen the same place, I think, though I loved the outside look of house #2. 

I assume that she had help from her sister (who is now living in the family house that was probably left to both of them) for the down payment. And maybe that house was paid off, so she lived into her thirties without having to pay rent. It's still impressive that she got into her own house while working at a nonprofit. 

You can make a lot of money working at a nonprofit especially if you are a higher up . I’ve seen how much they make. And the benefits. People are misguided and think that because it’s a nonprofit that the people that work there are not getting paid a lot and it’s all charity charity. I know of someone that is the president of a nonprofit and she will not even retire because she’s making so much money getting free health insurance, free use of a car, etc. etc. it shouldn’t be that way but it is.  

2 hours ago, Orcinus orca said:

Absolutely agree but would people watch?  Do people watch this for reality or treat it like a fairy tale where your first home has a mile long list of "must-haves" and a $700,00 budget isn't sufficient for more than a shack? 

At one time I enjoyed the show to see different home available in cities across the US.  It was fun to see what you could get for the various prices.  But now it's just a frustrating view of things that are far above the reach of most Americans.  Honestly, I believe they are above the reach of a lot of the couples on the show as well.  I bet a majority of them spent every penny on the house and have no savings at all.

I find it to be mostly tiresome now with entitled young people wanting every single thing in their first home together (I had to save until I retired for mine), the endless reuse of the same phrases (walkability, total gut job, man cave, must have a bonus room, open concept, etc), and no interest in taxes, safety, or school systems.

Mostly I watch with the sound off to save my sanity.

I  used to watch to see the different areas where I could possibly move down the line after retirement or whatever. Unfortunately now I’ve come to realize that I am stuck in an area that I hate because I cannot trade my house for one of the same quality pretty much anywhere in the United States.  It’s frustrating. It’s sad it’s enraging. I hate watch the show. I hate hate hate watch this show and I can’t stand most of the people that are on it but that’s the way it is these days. 

[CruiseDiva]

58 minutes ago, chediavolo said:

You can make a lot of money working at a nonprofit especially if you are a higher up . I’ve seen how much they make. And the benefits. People are misguided and think that because it’s a nonprofit that the people that work there are not getting paid a lot and it’s all charity charity. I know of someone that is the president of a nonprofit and she will not even retire because she’s making so much money getting free health insurance, free use of a car, etc. etc. it shouldn’t be that way but it is.  

This is very true. My husband's son dated a woman who was President of a nonprofit and her salary was close to $200K per year. She traveled all over the world (first class air and hotels, of course) to sign up foreign NGOs with her nonprofit's "service" (whatever it was). From what the son said, no organization ever bought into it and eventually the nonprofit ran out of funding, which was largely from the US Treasury, and the girlfriend was out of a job. It was pretty much a scam outfit.

[amarante]

I don’t think the woman in Southern California was making a huge salary based on the price of housing she was looking at. 

She must have been receiving some financial benefit to move out of a home she owned with her sister. Their costs living there would have been minimal since I assume there was no mortgage and because of Proposition 13 their property taxes would have been extremely low because when a child inherits the assessed value remains the same. 

Also most well run charities or non profits don’t over pay their workers and you can check out their ratings which take administrative expenses as a factor in evaluating and giving them a grade. To a great extent, people working in non profit segment make less than they would in the private sector for equivalent education and background. 

Of course there are scams and less than well run organizations but for the most part, they aren’t attempting to grift. 

Also isn’t necessarily a charity. For example, many hospitals are non profit because they don’t have shareholders or individuals who are making a profit but salaries can be extremely high depending on the position. An HOA is incorporated as a non profit but it has no charitable function at all. 

[Vivigirl10]

On 7/7/2023 at 8:46 AM, mojito said:

At one point, the woman, who turned her nose up to so many things, commented that she wished the could move their Texas home to Nashville. Hey, lady, we've seen your old home. Just stop.

She was so snobby and the houses they were looking at were so above and beyond what she came from!!  So confusing!!  Did I miss the details of the husbands new job?  I thought it was something benign like "project coordinator".  It must have been a promotion of some sort due to the move and upgrade in house.  He just seemed kind of mild mannered and quiet; not a mover and shaker kind of career guy. 

I liked the Bay Area lady. I get being attached (or just really liking) pieces of furniture you own but when they showed what she had, a bulky, ugly, overstuffed, black leather sofa, I was like.....you're buying a home based on THAT??!

All this talk about septic tanks has me wondering if there would ever be one that could accommodate my husband's, shall we say, "capacity"?  😆 

[amarante]

3 hours ago, Kiki620 said:

. 

I liked the Bay Area lady. I get being attached (or just really liking) pieces of furniture you own but when they showed what she had, a bulky, ugly, overstuffed, black leather sofa, I was like.....you're buying a home based on THAT??!

 

For some reason the DVR in the living room tapes completely different shows than the one in my bedroom - which is where I generally watch mindless television like HH 🤷🏼‍♀️🤣

There was one that might have been a rerun although I can't remember seeing it. It was a female who was moving to Dover for her medical residency with her boyfriend. Her parents were providing the down payment and the couple would be responsible for mortgage. They had done this for her in medical school so it seemed as though it made financial sense for them as it appeared they had sold the prior home for a profit.

She wasn't married and the boyfriend didn't seem to be much of a prize. Not sure what his occupation was but it didn't seem to be professional. 

The reason I bring it up is that HE had this enormous sofa and the home HAD to be able to fit the sofa. There was a segment with the sofa and it was similarly butt ugly and over sized. The parents more than once suggested that it was ridiculous to buy a home based on a sofa - maybe they also were obliquely stating their opinion of the guy 🤷🏼‍♀️

I get wanting to have someplace comfortable but that massive oversize fugly atrocity was meant to be housed in a basement and not in a small living room in a small home. Not to mention the cost of dragging that thing cross country - as I recall they were moving from New Mexico.

Edited July 11, 2023 by amarante

[CrazyInAlabama]

3 hours ago, amarante said:

There was one that might have been a rerun although I can't remember seeing it. It was a female who was moving to Dover for her medical residency with her boyfriend. Her parents were providing the down payment and the couple would be responsible for mortgage. They had done this for her in medical school so it seemed as though it made financial sense for them as it appeared they had sold the prior home for a profit.

She wasn't married and the husband didn't seem to be much of a prize. Not sure what his occupation was but it didn't seem to be professional. 

The reason I bring it up is that HE had this enormous sofa and the home HAD to be able to fit the sofa. There was a segment with the sofa and it was similarly butt ugly and over sized. The parents more than once suggested that it was ridiculous to buy a home based on a sofa - maybe they also were obliquely stating their opinion of the guy 🤷🏼‍♀️

I get wanting to have someplace comfortable but that massive oversize fugly atrocity was meant to be housed in a basement and not in a small living room in a small home. Not to mention the cost of dragging that thing cross country - as I recall they were moving from New Mexico.

That was a rerun, I've seen it at least twice before.   Yes, he had an enormous sofa that he demanded needed a matching size living room, but also a huge truck that he had to have parking for.   

Since many HOA's don't allow commercial size trucks like that, it limited their selection.    I think the mother talking up HOA properties was partly so boyfriend wouldn't get a parking area for his truck.   

Edited July 11, 2023 by CrazyInAlabama

[amarante]

1 hour ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

That was a rerun, I've seen it at least twice before.   Yes, he had an enormous sofa that he demanded needed a matching living room, but also a huge truck that he had to have parking for.    Since many HOA's don't allow commercial size trucks like that, it limited their selection.    I think the mother talking up HOA properties was partly so boyfriend wouldn't get a parking area for his truck.   

I definitely got more than a whiff that the parents would have been delighted if he hadn't made the move with her.

Why did he need that kind of monstrously oversized truck - he really seemed kind of low class. 

I don't remember what he said he did to earn a living but I didn't get the sense that the occupation required a monster truck.

[chessiegal]

29 minutes ago, amarante said:

I don't remember what he said he did to earn a living but I didn't get the sense that the occupation required a monster truck.

Makes you wonder what he's compensating for. 😉

[Thumper]

I saw one a while back in which the husband HAD to have room for his grandma’s antique furniture.  It bothered me a whole lot more than it seemed to bother his wife!    They had young children and that furniture looked very uncomfortable.  

[amarante]

2 hours ago, Thumper said:

I saw one a while back in which the husband HAD to have room for his grandma’s antique furniture.  It bothered me a whole lot more than it seemed to bother his wife!    They had young children and that furniture looked very uncomfortable.  

I remember that one - As I recall they were moving to New York.

That one actually didn't bother me as much because I think they wound up with a home with a formal living room for the antiques and casual places that were kid friendly.

I grew up in an era where there WAS a formal living room and no one used it except for formal occasions. Even on formal occasions we were generally just allowed to hover at the door to say hello. Of course I had no particular desire to attend adult parties and was just happy because we got to eat some really good food in the kitchen :-).

[BAForever]

 TX to Florida- I liked the wife, she was sensible with downsizing, although they really didn't. The husband was a stand up comic and wanted to be close to clubs? That wasn't on my  HH bingo card. Good luck with that one buddy.

[cameron]

47 minutes ago, BAForever said:

 TX to Florida- I liked the wife, she was sensible with downsizing, although they really didn't. The husband was a stand up comic and wanted to be close to clubs? That wasn't on my  HH bingo card. Good luck with that one buddy.

He was going to milk this tv appearance for all it's worth.  Liked her, him not.  He was constantly being on this whole episode and someone should tell him that he is getting a very thin spot on the back of his hair.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I had to laugh at the wife being terrified of the alligators in the pond, and husband telling her they'll screen the pool.    Does the husband really think a screen room for the pool will even slow down an alligator?  

[edie3]

10 hours ago, cameron said:

very thin spot on the back of his hair

I thought I saw that! Here comes the comb over!

[CrazyInAlabama]

The L.A. condo couple were interesting, nice to see expensive condos with amenities.   "Moving Up to a High-Rise". Al and Debbie.    I like that Debbie talks about HOA fees, instead of ignoring them like many other house hunters, and realtors do. 

First condo is nice, but why do people who want an industrial loft look, complain about no windows in a second bedroom?   Why do people with a big dog complain about no outdoor space on a high-rise?   Love the rooftop deck with the pool and the view. 

Second condo is alo loft style, and 2 bed 2 bath, but bedroom only has a sliding door, and the second bedroom is all open area.    I don't like the colors of the back splash and counters together.   View is of walls, and neighbors' balconies.  No where for the dog either.  A park across the street isn't a solution for the dog in the middle of the night.  The complex has a pool and gym, with parking next door for a fee. Wife is right, condo is really a spacious one bedroom. Only one parking spot. 

Third condo HOA is $1100. $525k,  purchased for $500k. Lots of amenities, 750 sq ft, downtown, 1 bedroom. tiny living room, great view, Close to the sports arenas, and the couple are season ticket holders.  It's another 'open floorplan', meaning no bedroom walls. Amenities include movie room, gym, pool, dog walk area on the skydeck.  Guest parking too, and owners can park in on-site garage too.  Since the dog park is also on the huge deck where the pool is, I would guess that it's fake turf, and cleaned regularly by the building staff.   At least when one of them walk the dog in the middle of the night, they're in a controlled area that's safe.  

They picked #3 .

Edited July 13, 2023 by CrazyInAlabama

[buttersister]

Quote

They picked #3 .

As we knew the minute we heard dog park, 2 parking spaces and in-house guest parking. Mr. Industiral Cement Floors folded like origami. HOA fees were high, but (in this case, at least) you get what you pay for.

[ECM1231]

6 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

Third condo HOA is $1100. $525k,  purchased for $500k. Lots of amenities, 750 sq ft, downtown, 1 bedroom. tiny living room, great view, Close to the sports arenas, and the couple are season ticket holders.  It's another 'open floorplan', meaning no bedroom walls. Amenities include movie room, gym, pool, dog walk area on the skydeck.  Guest parking too, and owners can park in on-site garage too. 

They picked #3 .

I'm guessing the lower price and the fact that there was on-site parking for both cars, as well as guest parking, sealed the deal for them. The unit was significantly cheaper than the other 2, but I wonder where the wife is going to work, as there really wasn't any dedicated office space for her. Plus, they didn't really give us a glimpse of the dog walk area on the sky deck, so I wonder what that looks like. 

Maybe it's just my bias against dog owners who don't pick up after their pets, and also that I've never lived in a condo, but if I were living in a co-op/condo/townhouse, where the outdoor space is shared, I would NOT like it very much if my neighbors used the grassy common area as a toilet for their dogs, even assuming that they picked up the dog poo. Dog urine will burn the grass, not to mention the smell. I've had dogs and they were let out in our yard to do their business. They were walked daily for pleasure and exercise by my husband, and it was rare if they pooped in the street on a walk, but if they did, my husband always was prepared with bags to pick it up. 

I also was surprised by their choice of #3, b/c of the incredibly high HOA fee. That's like adding another whole mortgage payment. Yikes! I hope the 'amenities' are worth it. 

[WI GIRL56]

We built our house 15 years ago.  We have a mound septic and a well.  We went deep with our well.  Water is fine and we never run out.

Last summer our septic system failed.  We have to replace it.  It will cost us 13,000.  The county condemned it.  We contracted last fall to have it replaced.  We live in Wisconsin so they won't do it in winter.    So hopefully in the next few weeks.

We have the 2nd newest house in the subdivision.  The 1st to have to replace it.  Two people.  We use single ply toilet paper.  Nothing else goes down there.  The septic guy thinks the original install did not drill big enough holes and did not set it on enough rock.  Our daughter is buying our house next summer.  Hopefully the new one last longer.

Our county requires us to pump every 3 years.

Edited July 13, 2023 by WI GIRL56

[ECM1231]

 

38 years ago, we contracted to build a chalet style vacation home in the mountains. I was pregnant with my first child. As it was on solid rock, we had to have a company come and blast the property, b/c we wanted a basement. Most of the homes in the development only had a crawl space and they smelled of mildew, which is one reason why we contracted to have a new build. We only had the shell built and over the space of 2 years my husband put in the electric, plumbing, laid hardwood floors, put in a bathroom and a half bath, put up sheetrock walls and ceilings, etc. I'm fortunate in that he can do it all.

Anyway, we had a well dug (not sure how deep) and over the years have had to replace the pump twice, as it was struck by lightning. When we bought the property, it was 3 parcels. One parcel was not for sale, but we inquired about buying it and the seller sold it to us. On one of the other parcels sat a septic system already in place, along with leaching field. This, at the time, saved us about 5 grand. But a few years later, as the development became more populated the laws were changed. The septic system with leaching field was no longer allowed as most of the soil could not pass the perk test. I think that's what it was called. And now, all the homes have the large mound system instead. The only negative about the mound system is that for some reason it has to be placed in the front of the home. At least in our area.  We went up frequently when our children were smaller but now, they are grown men and no longer visit there much. We've never had to do anything to our system, nor pump it out, but I'm wondering if that's b/c we're hardly there. 

[StatisticalOutlier]

4 hours ago, WI GIRL56 said:

Last summer our septic system failed.  We have to replace it. 

What are you doing in the meantime?  Can you still use it?  😮

That friend of mine who accidentally killed the septic system at a private school now lives in a house with city plumbing that was constantly getting clogged.  Her plumber told her to use 1-ply Scott and she hasn't had a problem since, and it's been several years.

4 hours ago, buttersister said:

Mr. Industiral Cement Floors

The wife said she didn't like concrete floors because she remembered her grandma(?) constantly sweeping them because of all the dust.  But I think it was more the dust than the floors, right?  Wouldn't you need to sweep hardwood floors just as much as concrete floors in a similar environment?  Or do concrete floors shed?

10 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

and the second bedroom is all open area.  

So I've heard that a room must have a closet to be considered a bedroom, and a room must have an egress window to be considered a bedroom, but now I learn that a room doesn't even have to have walls to be considered a bedroom.

[buttersister]

3 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Wouldn't you need to sweep hardwood floors just as much as concrete floors in a similar environment?  Or do concrete floors shed?

Don't they put a sealer on concrete floors? Whatever, I agree there was more to it. She seemed to be having flashbacks to her grandmother unhappily sweeping her floors.

[Bastet]

53 minutes ago, buttersister said:

Don't they put a sealer on concrete floors?

Yes.  I have a concrete floor in my "game room", which is attached to my garage (which is detached from my house, so it's at the back of my backyard) -- it was plain ol' concrete, no idea what had been done to it, and I didn't want to put anything down on top of it, so I stained it in a pattern of four different colors to vaguely resemble stone (leaving unstained borders as "grout lines") and sealed it.  The only time it's any dirtier than the hardwood and tile floors of my house is when I have a group of people in and out of there who leave their shoes on, tracking stuff in from their trip from the house (where the bathrooms are) to the game room.  There's nothing inherent to the concrete floor that makes it retain more dirt than my hardwood or tile floors in the house.

I haven't looked this up specifically, but from my general knowledge it seems if you poured a concrete floor new and didn't let it properly cure and then seal it, I think you could create problems from below that would result in excess "dust" (disintegration of the concrete itself), but if properly prepared, I'm not aware of any reason a concrete floor would collect more dust from above than any other surface.

[Mediocre Gatsby]

TX to Tampa couple - ah, they were okay. I knew which house they'd chosen because of the blue tape on the floor. I've gone from being annoyed at "wow factor" people to feeling sorry for them. Get your validation from somewhere other than your house, people! I don't think that either of them really knows what the word "downsize" means. 

Downtown LA couple bugged with their constant talk about guest parking and an area for their poor dog (I was sure they were going to say, at the end, that her mom was taking him). It had all the amenities they wanted, but as HOA fees which don't appreciate like home value does. Whatever, it's probably just for a few years. 

The guy was a teacher so is probably working at a school, so she should be able to work at home and have meetings just fine in the living room. My company is entirely remote and people do meetings from their kitchens or whatever. 

I'm just amazed that a teacher and an HR person (albeit for a studio) could have purchased a $700k home. Good for them for choosing the cheapest one, even if it does have crazy HOA fees. 

Edited July 14, 2023 by Mediocre Gatsby
Avoiding double post

[CrazyInAlabama]

Somehow, lofts, and the homes built into earth berms, don't have egress windows.    The closet rule isn't really enforced some places.    I think the L.A. condo people could easily build an office at one end of the open area, and put a closet on the inside wall, big enough to stage with a bed when they sell.   They should have just marketed that place as a 1 bedroom, which it really is.   

[laredhead]

Two women, childhood and life long friends, both divorced & buying a house in New Port Richey, FL - ugh, all of those places looked less than desirable to me.  Of course, the woman who was the buyer had a small budget by today's standards.  When I heard that one of the houses needed flood insurance, I screamed at the TV for them to run in the opposite direction.  Insurance costs in Florida are escalating, and insurers are leaving the state.  Of the 3 places featured, they chose the one that will best accommodate their needs.   On a last note, I have no idea where the paint shown on swatches in the last scene was going, but I hope she didn't pick any of them. 

[mojito]

New Port Richey, FL

Whenever I watch TV from my PC, I have easy access to Snagit, so when I heard the words, "cute" and "it has a lot of character" in reference to this house, well, I had to snag it.

I'm glad they found a house that met their needs and budget.

 

[WI GIRL56]

13 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

What are you doing in the meantime?  Can you still use it?  😮

That friend of mine who accidentally killed the septic system at a private school now lives in a house with city plumbing that was constantly getting clogged.  Her plumber told her to use 1-ply Scott and she hasn't had a problem since, and it's been several years.

 

We also have holding tanks so the waste water goes into the holding tanks.  We had them pumped a few months ago.   We can still use water.   If it completely fails it possibly would back up into the house.   We should be fine until they replace it.  Luckily the mound is in the back of our property.  Every once in awhile-when I am outside hanging laundry I smell it.    We have been using Scot's single ply for years.  I hate it but it saves the holding tanks from clogging.  

[BAForever]

21 hours ago, ECM1231 said:

 I've never lived in a condo, but if I were living in a co-op/condo/townhouse, where the outdoor space is shared, I would NOT like it very much if my neighbors used the grassy common area as a toilet for their dogs.

 

Me neither ECM1231, but this episode made me wonder about all those amenities. That building looked like it had many residents. Is the pool packed? Are there 100 dogs using the green space daily? I bet the gym is crowded peak times. Agree the parking and guest parking is nice, but don't know about it all.

Edited July 14, 2023 by BAForever

[amarante]

I was excited that there was going to be an episode with high rise condos in LA and then so disappointed. 

I live in a high condo in LA but not downtown. My HOA is high but it includes valet parking; guest parking; pool; gym; dog park; 24 hour doormen and obviously maintenance of landscape, roofs, elevators, janitorial services for common areas.

Disappointed because the choices shown were so awful. I had hoped they would show the ones along the Wilshire Corridor, or even the ones scattered along the Sunset Strip or a few in Hollywood that are considerably nicer. 

I don't think DTLA (Downtown LA) has recovered from the pandemic and I wonder how pricing has been impacted. I guess if you worked downtown not having to commute would be a plus - but if you worked from home there would be zero incentive - at least for me. Being close to the Staples Center - which they alluded to - wouldn't be a draw for me particularly as there are other places where being close/within walking distance would be a plus - I do live in an area of Los Angeles where is rated 98% for "walkability" but the only place I actually walk to is Runyon Canyon :-) 

Regarding some of the issues raised by people

Having guest parking is a HUGE plus if you live in a dense urban area in which people need to drive. Everyone drives in LA. My building has free guest parking because otherwise my guests would either have to circle and circle and walk a distance if lucky OR pay $10 or more to park at a garage a block or more away.

Their dog run was a bit strange and not sure why anyone would actually want to use it. I used to live in Manhattan and dogs were walked on sidewalks without problems. Obviously with new rules, you picked up excrement and urine was not generally thought of as an issue since dogs almost always used fire plugs and light fixtures - the cliche being true. My condo does have a dog run that is somewhat like a side yard in a private home. People use it because it is like a dog park and the dogs can be off leash and visit with other dogs.

The first two condos were awful - having an "interior" view as a euphemism for facing a wall and windows with some straggly plants below. And the peekaboo view that was blocked by walls and pillars was equally ridiculous. 

[Chicken Fingers]

On 7/14/2023 at 9:20 AM, mojito said:

New Port Richey, FL

Whenever I watch TV from my PC, I have easy access to Snagit, so when I heard the words, "cute" and "it has a lot of character" in reference to this house, well, I had to snag it.

I'm glad they found a house that met their needs and budget.

 

What a fine mid-century Craftsman farmhouse.

[StatisticalOutlier]

OMG, Friday's episode in Columbia, SC.  She goes from a 2500 square foot house to a 32-foot travel trailer, thinking it would be "convenient" because she's an army brat and used to traveling BUT she hasn't traveled in the trailer since she picked it up (and apparently set it down in somebody's back yard).  "Gas is really high right now and so it almost costs $60 to go a mile."  What's she using as a tow vehicle--the space shuttle?

And then we get, "Another reason why I would not recommend going tiny is because you have to dump poo.  You have to dump your black tanks into a portable container and then put that portable container in your vehicle and take it to somewhere where you can dump the sewage."  No you don't.  Get a macerator and dump it into the toilet or sewer cleanout at the house you're parked 15 feet behind. 

Then in one house she's in the bathroom and says, "But, you know, the good thing is, it's plumbing, it's running water.  I do not have that in the RV."  Really?  She doesn't have running water in the trailer?  How is she using the toilet and taking a shower?

She seems like one of those 4 trillion Americans who spent the pandemic watching youtube videos pimping easy breezy RV living and ran out and bought one without knowing anything, and she apparently didn't learn anything after getting it, either.  The only good thing I can say about her is that she wasn't one of those who have made finding RV spaces impossible these days.

Something else that bugged me was she was looking at a cutout in a wall between the kitchen and some other room, saying she can put some bar stools there.  But there's no overhang of the counter.  Where are people supposed to put their legs at this "bar"? 

And you know when the HHs are driving to a house and they show their conversation?  Usually it's talking about the size or price of the house or whatever.  What we got was this, on the way to House #2:

Sister HH:  Have you talked to Mom?

HH:  No, I haven't talked to her today.  Have you?

Sister HH:  No, I talked to her last night.

End of conversation. 

 

Edited July 16, 2023 by StatisticalOutlier

[buttersister]

StatisticalOutlier, thanks again. This ep was recorded and will now be deleted.

[BAForever]

Random HH rant because I'm tired and hot watching old epis. I hate when a HH of any age, but particularly a youngish one says they deserve a house because they've "worked hard". Millions of people work hard and live in substandard housing. It's not always all about you. 

[StatisticalOutlier]

3 minutes ago, BAForever said:

I hate when a HH of any age, but particularly a youngish one says they deserve a house because they've "worked hard".

So we've gone from participation medals to houses.  That didn't take long.

[mojito]

I always wondered what "working hard" entailed. I have a feeling it was just doing the job you were paid for and not much else. I liked what I did and went above and beyond at times, and still don't call it "working hard". Just working. I probably would've considered it "hard working" if I put in more than 10 or 15 extra hours a week every week or was doing manual labor.

[Orcinus orca]

3 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Then in one house she's in the bathroom and says, "But, you know, the good thing is, it's plumbing, it's running water.  I do not have that in the RV."  Really?  She doesn't have running water in the trailer?  How is she using the toilet and taking a shower?

I call BS on that whole scenario.  She needed an entire "glam" room for her belongings which clearly were not stashed anywhere in that RV.  I bet she parked it behind a relative's home for the sake of a storyline and lived elsewhere.

Of course, those OTT eyelashes pretty much took me out of the search so....

[StatisticalOutlier]

5 hours ago, buttersister said:

StatisticalOutlier, thanks again. This ep was recorded and will now be deleted.

Wait!  You don't want to miss Sister HH and her ball cap with some weird intentional fraying on it that she was so determined to wear on camera she allowed them to put gaffer tape over the logo.

[cinsays]

9 hours ago, BAForever said:

Random HH rant because I'm tired and hot watching old epis. I hate when a HH of any age, but particularly a youngish one says they deserve a house because they've "worked hard". Millions of people work hard and live in substandard housing. It's not always all about you. 

yeah, i used to watch HH at the end of the day to relax but these entitled people just are so annoying it's annoying. 

i also don't see the need for them to tear down the houses as disgusting and ugly and every room needing to be gutted to be made to their lofty standards.

just watched the one with the 2 retired cops and the wife, sylee, is now taking some kind of religous courses.  her personality was so offputting and negative to me. i hope she's not planning to be some kind of counselor.

 

[CrazyInAlabama]

9 hours ago, Orcinus orca said:

I call BS on that whole scenario.  She needed an entire "glam" room for her belongings which clearly were not stashed anywhere in that RV.  I bet she parked it behind a relative's home for the sake of a storyline and lived elsewhere.

Of course, those OTT eyelashes pretty much took me out of the search so....

I was irritated that they called a 'travel trailer' or 5th wheel a RV.  A true RV has an engine, and is self propelled.   It was a travel trailer even though it was 32 feet long. You park in a RV/trailer park with hookups, so you don't have to haul poop water to the dump station.    

I bet she had several big storage units for her stuff too.   I am tired of the 'glam room' storyline too.   There's no way her stuff, plus an office would fit in a two bedroom house.   

[laredhead]

15 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

"Gas is really high right now and so it almost costs $60 to go a mile."  What's she using as a tow vehicle--the space shuttle?

I thought the same thing about what type of towing vehicle she was using.  I think she was driving a Nissan Armada which is a big SUV, and it might have been able to tow a 32' travel trailer, but $60 a mile was a big stretch. 

I wonder how her idea of ripping up all of the flooring in the house she bought and replacing it with black floors has worked with those 3 dogs.  Every speck of dust and every dog hair is going to show on those floors.  Hope she buys a lot of Swifter pads.

On a shallow note, I loved the clothes that the realtor wore.  So well tailored and professional looking.  Her hairstyle was great too. 

[amarante]

The glam room cliche is really laughable because it is generally spoken by women who have a bunch of cheap clothing and are looking for low cost housing.

Who wants a closet full of Target or H&M crap clothing - what a waste of money. I am no frugal saint but ironically I learned that I would go to the beautifully cut expensive black pants and wear them all the time because they looked and felt so good and the cheap crap that I bought because it was a bargain or I was bored and trawling the malls would stay in the closet - sometimes literally with the tags still on. 

None of these women are housing gorgeous designer clothing.

Trailer RV HH was looking for a cheap home - she would have been better off saving the money she spent on crap and been able to afford a better home. 

[mojito]

1 hour ago, amarante said:

...she would have been better off saving the money she spent on crap and been able to afford a better home. 

Or at least, better hair. 

@laredhead the realtor definitely looked classy.

[chessiegal]

I've never had a RV or travel trailer, but I'm thinking the toilets are the same as boats. Our sailboat has toilet that empties into a holding tank. We no longer spend nights on the boat, so the holding tank gets pumped out at the end of the season before it gets hauled out for the winter. You have to use marine toilet paper. Regular single ply tp will muck it up. At one point we had a 22-foot power boat with a cuddy cabin. It had a composting toilet with a small sink next to it. We never used the toilet in the power boat.