House Hunters - General Discussion

[rhofmovalley]

10 minutes ago, cameron said:

Not a fan of the skin tight dresses that she was wearing.  Find them very unattractive.  Look like stuffed sausages in those outfits.

Some women want everyone to know they're pregnant so they can get praise or attention. Like those shirts that used to be all the rage in the 1980s and 1990s that said "Baby" with an arrow pointing down 🙄

Or maybe she just loves the way she looks pregnant 🤷‍♀️

[Orcinus orca]

1 hour ago, cameron said:

Not a fan of the skin tight dresses that she was wearing.  Find them very unattractive.  Look like stuffed sausages in those outfits.

That seems to be the latest thing with pregnant women. It's like we won't notice that they wear something looser!

Look at ME!  LOOK AT ME!  I am going to have a BABY!!!

Edited July 26, 2023 by Orcinus orca

[chediavolo]

6 hours ago, cameron said:

Not a fan of the skin tight dresses that she was wearing.  Find them very unattractive.  Look like stuffed sausages in those outfits.

Agreed. It looked terrible. She was too overweight, besides being pregnant for that type of outfit. I personally do not like the skin tight baby bump (mountain)  look anyway. Also, I agreed with the husband..having tenants is no picnic. Been there done that, not doing it again.

[Johannah]

18 minutes ago, chediavolo said:

Agreed. It looked terrible. She was too overweight, besides being pregnant for that type of outfit. I personally do not like the skin tight baby bump (mountain)  look anyway. Also, I agreed with the husband..having tenants is no picnic. Been there done that, not doing it again.

Haven't seen this ep, yet, but I agree and I never had tenants.  I think they see dollar signs and someone else paying their mortgage without realizing how much work it is, especially with bad tenants - or even reasonable ones that don't want to live with needing minor repairs that the homeowners would probably live with or wait until it's in the budget.

Totally different subject...  Do the HHers actually know what is included in each HOA fee before they visit the property?  I wouldn't think they'd know that.  Maybe the realtors would, but the HHers are always saying that lawn care, etc., comes with the HOA and that's not always the case.

[Kimboweena]

Two new ones on tonight were nice. Likable guy in the Texas episode, glad he didn’t spend too much more than he was comfortable spending. At the end, what a beautiful cat he has!

Wisconsin episode also nice, mom and son were pleasant. Don’t blame her for wanting a house on the lake. Glad she was happy with the house they got, near the lake. What a huge primary bedroom!

Had to turn off the first rerun. $950,000 budget, and complaining that 3400 sqft was too small. SMH!

 

 

[chessiegal]

No snark about Mr. Urinal?

[cinsays]

Just now, chessiegal said:

No snark about Mr. Urinal?

ha..... don't know why that was so critical for him to have but i have no idea how that would be better as a target

[chediavolo]

10 hours ago, Kimboweena said:

Two new ones on tonight were nice. Likable guy in the Texas episode, glad he didn’t spend too much more than he was comfortable spending. At the end, what a beautiful cat he has!

Wisconsin episode also nice, mom and son were pleasant. Don’t blame her for wanting a house on the lake. Glad she was happy with the house they got, near the lake. What a huge primary bedroom!

Had to turn off the first rerun. $950,000 budget, and complaining that 3400 sqft was too small. SMH!

 

 

So nice to see someone with a decent budget for once, and who has turned his life around from whatever caused him to be homeless. I personally would’ve picked the second house, but kudos to him for trying to spend less money. And the cat was gorgeous.!

34 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

No snark about Mr. Urinal?

That was strange, but I was assuming maybe it had something to do with how tall he was. I really don’t know I’m not an expert on men using urinals. Everybody has their strange quirks, but he was a cat lover, so he gets a pass in my book.😄

[StatisticalOutlier]

18 minutes ago, chediavolo said:

That was strange, but I was assuming maybe it had something to do with how tall he was.

Maybe.  He defended it by saying that you don't have to aim as carefully with a urinal, and the aim point in the toilet would be farther away for a tall person.

But that brings up my eternal question:  why do men have to urinate standing up?  Is there some physiological issue that makes it so they can't urinate while seated?  When they defecate, do they do that while seated but switch to standing to urinate if done during the same "event"? 

I can see in a public bathroom at a stadium where you've got to churn through thousands of people at halftime--urinals are quicker.  But in your own home?

 

[snarts]

58 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

No snark about Mr. Urinal?

I liked him. Aside from the urinal, his requests were fully in line with his budget. Definitely had the right voice for radio, had I only listened to the episode, I might've been on a flight to Lubbock :)

Neenah, WI: I liked the single mom & her son as well. Way back, I used to travel the Milwaukee/Madison/Green Bay area for work. Wasn't too impressed with Neenah at the time but then again, I wasn't hanging out on a lake. 

Personally, I would've bought the lake house.  Her son is 15 and will likely be out of the house in a few years.  That was a gigantic house she bought but I'd rather have the lake view. 

[rhofmovalley]

I found it interesting that a 15 year old would be so gung ho to move midway through high school. Usually teens are sullen and miserable if they have to leave their friends and make new ones. He seemed like a nice kid and I didn't get vibes that he'd been bullied or treated like an outcast, so that was puzzling to me. 

I did like radio announcer guy. My son is also six feet gazillion so he has the same issues with showers, doorways, ceiling fans, etc. 

[Crashcourse]

I think the kid was just looking forward to being with his family, especially his cousins.

[CrazyInAlabama]

On 7/27/2023 at 9:52 AM, snarts said:

I liked him. Aside from the urinal, his requests were fully in line with his budget. Definitely had the right voice for radio, had I only listened to the episode, I might've been on a flight to Lubbock :)

Neenah, WI: I liked the single mom & her son as well. Way back, I used to travel the Milwaukee/Madison/Green Bay area for work. Wasn't too impressed with Neenah at the time but then again, I wasn't hanging out on a lake. 

Personally, I would've bought the lake house.  Her son is 15 and will likely be out of the house in a few years.  That was a gigantic house she bought but I'd rather have the lake view. 

Since realtor said that you couldn't build that close to the lake any longer, I wondered if the lake house was either an insurance risk, or had other issues?   I wonder if the first home was being marketed as a seasonal rental investment property. 

I really liked how practical the radio man in Lubbock was.    I think the voice being the same on radio and on the episode could be him using his 'radio voice'. 

Years ago, I lived next door to a radio personality, and his wife explained the 'radio voice' and regular voice differences.   I didn't even recognize him on the radio when I heard him.     I really liked the third house, but it was way too big and expensive for him to buy.  His choice was very sensible, and he can upgrade the showers, and raise the cabinets over time.   

I liked the second house for him though.   

The third was a ridiculous choice to show it, it was way over budget, and would be a nightmare for utilities.  However, the back yard with the dead pool, storm cellar, and bare dirt was a big project.   The storm cellar was practical, but looked like the door needed counterweights, or to be replaced with a more modern version.   I wonder if it would be tall enough for him anyway?  

Edited July 30, 2023 by CrazyInAlabama

[StatisticalOutlier]

1 hour ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I think the voice being the same on radio and on the episode could be him using his 'radio voice'. 

That's interesting because his commentary got on my nerves, and I think it was mainly his voice, not the content.  About halfway through, I was thinking, "Shuuuuttt uuuuuuuppp."  I thought it was ironic, given his profession, but I've grown to detest radio voices, so if he was using his, it kind of makes sense.  Or maybe I was set up to be annoyed by their doing their pre-house hunt conversation in the studio with headphones on.

I was amused how whenever they showed an overview of Lubbock, they'd start with that arrangement of planted trees.  It's not exactly known for its vegetation.  At least they showed him mentioning "dust" in his forecast.  They got that right.

[blondiek237]

As for the tall.  My brother is 6’6”. And when he built his house, he had the counters raised a bit.  His wife is 5’5” so he couldn’t rise them as much as he would want.  

[cinsays]

just watched the 2 guys in pennsylvania.  was surprised they picked the house they did, but i guess the rooftop terrace was the deciding factor and that was nice.  the back yard space seemed strange with the sidewalk that belonged to the house across from them.

something tells me steve will be living there alone before too long. 

[buttersister]

Rerun earlier with the (now single) mom and 15 year-old-son (a frequent feature, apparently). They were pretty sweet together, he's leaving in a couple of years but wanted a space for he and his hs buddies to hang out in. Makes sense.

The clincher was that Mom wants to start dating again, so they ended up with a great place--a basement hangout for him and a roomy second floor for her. Ha, she was happy. He was happy, except for the part about her dating (and bringing men home) while he was still in the house. "Can't you wait two years?" LOL!

[Empress1]

The Philly suburb couple (I think they were looking in Upper Darby) was pretty wooden on camera. Their realtor was wearing a royal blue disco outfit when she showed the third house. The duplex is not the one I'd have chosen because of the one bathroom, and I didn't like the exterior.

[Crashcourse]

I thought the house the Philly couple chose was the worst of the three.  I guess price was the most important factor.   

[cameron]

13 hours ago, Empress1 said:

The Philly suburb couple (I think they were looking in Upper Darby) was pretty wooden on camera. Their realtor was wearing a royal blue disco outfit when she showed the third house. The duplex is not the one I'd have chosen because of the one bathroom, and I didn't like the exterior.

Thought she was okay, he was a "dud".

[mojito]

Upgrading to Grand in Atlanta

Sixty-ish nurse-looking for home for her and her mother. She walked down the stairs like a toddler: first foot on the lower step, second foot on the same lower step. Does not look agile. So she purchases a two-story for her and her mother. 🤷‍♀️

Modern or Vintage in MI

Cute couple. When hubby states he's okay with a higher price tag if he doesn't need a hammer to move in, wife responds,  'You truly are a character. I don't even know why I'm looking for a home with character when I have you." I liked the home they chose; they're in a phase in life where it's not necessary to have a large back yard and they might as well focus on interior living. 

[Empress1]

20 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

I thought the house the Philly couple chose was the worst of the three.  I guess price was the most important factor.   

Yeah, it was ugly and needed work. She did seem very concerned about price. Three kids aren’t cheap, but 5 people in one bathroom would not be my preference if there were other options. It also may have been the house closest to her ex so her sons could go back and forth more easily.

 

Edited August 3, 2023 by Empress1

[Crashcourse]

1 hour ago, Empress1 said:

It also may have been the house closest to her ex so her sons could go back and forth more easily.

I hadn't thought about that, but that was probably a factor as well.  It's just too bad that they had to choose that house.

[amarante]

There had to be some unknown factor for the Philly couple to opt for that awful place. The only explanation is that they needed to be reasonably close to the schools the kids were going to - she had mentioned moving closer to their school district.

The basement would be difficult to convert into a safe bedroom for a kid.

I think a family of five would have issues with one toilet. You can schedule baths and showers and limit time in the bathroom for washing faces and brushing teeth but it really is difficult to deal with kids needing the toilet - or even adults. Even a powder room with toilet and sink makes it much easier. 

The guy was delusional in terms of what he would be able to DIY. Plumbing and electrical work for a bathroom needs to be done by someone who is licensed and experienced which is why bathrooms and kitchens are expensive to remodel or to add. 

And equally delusion - although obviously they didn't buy the home - was to think you could just add a room - albeit a sun room to a home and DIY. Even elevated decks are tricky because they need to tie into the home in terms of waterproofing. But a "room" is a whole other thing thing. 

 

[Orcinus orca]

27 minutes ago, amarante said:

There had to be some unknown factor for the Philly couple to opt for that awful place.

I think a family of five would have issues with one toilet.

That place was awful but one bathroom for five, while inconvenient, is not catastrophic.  I grew into a fully functioning adult in that exact situation.  You all make accommodations and it teachss a lot of life lessons like sharing and consideration for others.

[Mediocre Gatsby]

I saw three episodes tonight 

Philly family: they did say, I think, that the first house was close to the wife's mother. So that will help. I do wish sometimes that the show would point out schools and relatives' places, and work, because I think sometimes those factor into decisions. I didn't really like any of the choices. 

I grew up in a family of 8 with one bathroom. It can be done! 

Georgia: that was CRAZY. I have to think that if the lady had seen the third house, she might have gone for it. She baffled me with her "Georgian ranch" description, and I also wonder why she needed so many bedrooms. If I was moving in with my 80-something mother (heaven forbid) I'd go for a 2-bedroom in some kind of condo or townhome association, and in walking distance of amenities. Or at least not as far out as she seemed to be looking. 

I liked that the daughter wanted her mother to spend up to her budget. I know people who would want their parents to scrimp so there was more to pass on as an inheritance. 

Florida Keys guy: I loved that first house and was glad that he chose it, though I would have been okay with the third one, too, for its ultimate value. I didn't care for the condo or whatever it was. It's hard to imagine that in 3 years he went from practically homeless, in his words, to qualifying for a $700k mortgage. 

[chediavolo]

19 hours ago, mojito said:

Upgrading to Grand in Atlanta

Sixty-ish nurse-looking for home for her and her mother. She walked down the stairs like a toddler: first foot on the lower step, second foot on the same lower step. Does not look agile. So she purchases a two-story for her and her mother. 🤷‍♀️

Modern or Vintage in MI

Cute couple. When hubby states he's okay with a higher price tag if he doesn't need a hammer to move in, wife responds,  'You truly are a character. I don't even know why I'm looking for a home with character when I have you." I liked the home they chose; they're in a phase in life where it's not necessary to have a large back yard and they might as well focus on interior living. 

I thought the same thing she could barely get up the stairs now can you imagine in a couple years plus she has a mother that’s , what, 20 years older than her and they buy a two-story home? Idiotic. The third house the ranch was beautiful was the best.

9 hours ago, Orcinus orca said:

That place was awful but one bathroom for five, while inconvenient, is not catastrophic.  I grew into a fully functioning adult in that exact situation.  You all make accommodations and it teachss a lot of life lessons like sharing and consideration for others.

Same thing with me, we grew up with one bathroom. But everybody’s crazy spoiled these days. Look at how each kid has to have their own bedroom! Are you kidding me? Bunch of entitled brats. 

[Orcinus orca]

30 minutes ago, chediavolo said:

Look at how each kid has to have their own bedroom! Are you kidding me? Bunch of entitled brats.

And don't forget the bonus room so they can store their ten thousand toys.  We weren't playing with corncob dolls or anything but what we had fit easily into our rooms and we were expected to put them away after playing. Entitled spoiled brats for sure.

I was concerned about the older woman and her elderly mother getting a house with stairs.  That's just nuts.  When I built my retirement home I made darned sure everything essential was on one floor.  It's a hazard to have older people navigating stairs.

Edited August 4, 2023 by Orcinus orca

[mojito]

@Orcinus orca...corncob dolls...🤣

I think about all the things I've talked about with people, and one thing I have never had much to say about childhood was that I shared a bedroom, beyond merely stating it as a fact. It just doesn't enter into any thought I have about how inconvenient it was in the olden days when I was a kid. It's not even something I hear standup comedians talk about when they joke about how easy kids have it nowadays. The stories are always about how we were practically street urchins kids compared to younger generations; how only winners got trophies; how we weathered concrete playgrounds;  see-saws where we tried to buck the other person off his end; that merry-go-round thing whose purpose was to see who would be the last to go flying off it; riding double on swings with long chains and the way it felt to jump off the swing (before we hit the ground);  how we only saw our parents for the short time we were indoors, and that was for meals, patching up wounds, and getting yelled at.

Sharing a room doesn't make my list of childhood traumas or hardships or old-fashioned practices that are outdated now.

I wasn't traumatized by sharing a tiny bathroom with so many people as a child, but in retrospect,  more than one bathroom definitely tops my list of things I would've loved  back then. And air conditioning.

[laredhead]

Upgrading to Grand in Atlanta - the 3rd house would have been the best choice, IMO, but it was a give away that it was not going to be the choice because it was furnished, and there has been maybe a handful of times that a HH bought a house that the owner was occupying.  I would never buy a house with stairs at her age, unless it had an elevator - lol.  A few years ago, I developed an issue with my back, and my house has one 4" step down in it.  Navigating that several times a day (it's in the only doorway to get from kitchen to living areas) was agony for several weeks.  I think after people reach a certain age, they need to think about how their bodies will change in just a few short years to come.  I hope this woman and her mother can stay in the house she chose for a long time.  BTW, what was the comment at the end when the buyer said her daughter was going to build the sunroom.  Was the daughter a contractor?

[Mediocre Gatsby]

I saw the Michigan show today. I think they did a good job compromising. I liked them both; they made me laugh. The two that just had decks looking out at everyone else's decks kind of gave me the willies, though. 

The vintage house was beautiful but boy that would be a lot of work to fix up. 

[edie3]

1 hour ago, Mediocre Gatsby said:

the Michigan show

They were very pleasant and he was funny! 

[Notabug]

16 hours ago, laredhead said:

Upgrading to Grand in Atlanta - the 3rd house would have been the best choice, IMO, but it was a give away that it was not going to be the choice because it was furnished, and there has been maybe a handful of times that a HH bought a house that the owner was occupying.  I would never buy a house with stairs at her age, unless it had an elevator - lol.  A few years ago, I developed an issue with my back, and my house has one 4" step down in it.  Navigating that several times a day (it's in the only doorway to get from kitchen to living areas) was agony for several weeks.  I think after people reach a certain age, they need to think about how their bodies will change in just a few short years to come.  I hope this woman and her mother can stay in the house she chose for a long time.  BTW, what was the comment at the end when the buyer said her daughter was going to build the sunroom.  Was the daughter a contractor?

I thought the two story was a bad idea.  Mom was a nurse, and that is one profession where a lot of miles are walked on the job.  She walks like a lot of nurses her age, probably from hauling up and down long hospital corridors for the past 40 years.

When they said the daughter was going to build the sunroom, I took it as she was going to pay to have it built, as a gift for her mom and grandmother.  I didn't get the impression she was doing the actual work.

[mojito]

Looking for Land in Florida

Wife wanted 5 bedrooms yet they talked of putting all three boys in one room (not that there's anything wrong with that, in fact I think that's impressive). One bathroom with a single sink was too small for the boys to share as they get older. I guess what with makeup and curling irons and all... Husband wanted land, which he got, but it was shared property. She seemed more interested in impressing other people than finding a home that met their needs.

I've been thinking lately that maybe McDonald's was the inspiration for the open kitchen concept trend. Yes, this was the kitchen that wowed her.

[CrazyInAlabama]

19 minutes ago, mojito said:

Looking for Land in Florida

Wife wanted 5 bedrooms yet they talked of putting all three boys in one room (not that there's anything wrong with that, in fact I think that's impressive). One bathroom with a single sink was too small for the boys to share as they get older. I guess what with makeup and curling irons and all... Husband wanted land, which he got, but it was shared property. She seemed more interested in impressing other people than finding a home that met their needs.

I've been thinking lately that maybe McDonald's was the inspiration for the open kitchen concept trend. Yes, this was the kitchen that wowed her.

I'm tired of the people who only pick a house to impress others, like the Florida wife.    Or the ones who buy some monstrous, over-priced McMansion only to show they've arrived.   

The New Palestine, IN couple were interesting.   Six kids, in the blended family was interesting.   First house-I hope the neighbors can't hear the band practice from his sons.  I did like the wife didn't like the white kitchen cabinets in the first house.   If you want privacy, then don't buy in town, with close neighbors.  I guess the wife didn't get the memo about a basement bedroom needing an egress window?   That 'sixth' bedroom was a storage room.  I'm betting that's a HOA neighborhood, so he can forget the trampoline, and the backyard building for the sons' band.   

Second house didn't have enough bathroom for the wife.   As a neighbor, I hate the husband's idea of the basketball goal in the back yard, and the garage/shed for the band practice.   Kitchen is too small for them too. 

Third house with only three bedrooms?  Huge outside.   I would raise the living room floor to make it match the entry, dining, and kitchen.   The shed in the backyard is way too small for using for the band practice.    I guess building a closet in the 4th bedroom never dawned on the couple?  They only want this one for the huge back yard.   The attic bonus room will work with a closet and door added.    I have to laugh at husband calling the small backyard shed a barn.    I guess the little white flags mean they're putting in a fence?   

 

 

[pdlinda]

On 8/3/2023 at 10:48 PM, Mediocre Gatsby said:

It's hard to imagine that in 3 years he went from practically homeless, in his words, to qualifying for a $700k mortgage. 

I'm with you on that.  When he was talking about his "budget" and then stated it is $700K, I was kind of amused.  I'm still not sure exactly what type of job he has in "architecture;" however, it's certainly lucrative and I HOPE he can keep that level of employment for years to come!!

[mojito]

2 hours ago, pdlinda said:

I'm with you on that.  When he was talking about his "budget" and then stated it is $700K, I was kind of amused.

I interpreted "homeless" to mean he was between homes, just as he was between jobs when his relationship ended. Didn't think of him as living on the street or broke or down on his luck. Just newly single and getting re-established.  I vaguely remember this episode but I do remember thinking how he was being overly dramatic with his "homeless" angle.

Edited August 5, 2023 by mojito

[Notabug]

4 hours ago, mojito said:

I interpreted "homeless" to mean he was between homes, just as he was between jobs when his relationship ended. Didn't think of him as living on the street or broke or down on his luck. Just newly single and getting re-established.  I vaguely remember this episode but I do remember thinking how he was being overly dramatic with his "homeless" angle.

Me too.  I figured he'd been living with his girlfriend and the relationship ended and he needed to find a new place and it took him a minute.  I never thought he was sleeping in his car or in a tent in a city park or anything.

[CalicoKitty]

Oh, my goodness.  I'm watching a couple that sold their house in Boulder, Co and is moving to some island in South Carolina.  The wife has the most irritating voice I have ever heard.  Seriously.  And she is one of the worst whiner/complainers to date.  But that voice.  Nasal with vocal fry.  I won't know which house they choose because I am changing channels.  I just can't take it.

[Mediocre Gatsby]

I just saw the family moving from Washington state to Florida. I think they picked the right home for them. It was funny, the wife kept talking about the boys being able to meet new friends, but it wasn't until the end that she said that they hadn't been able to do that at all in Washington. I was thinking that the third house would be a home that other kids would congregate in, because of the empty lot, and I was glad to hear that she wanted that, too. I have friends who wanted to be the home in their neighborhood where everyone came. 

Oh and now I know there's a thing called an aesthetic nurse practitioner, to provide cosmetic procedures to patients. 

Edited August 6, 2023 by Mediocre Gatsby

[ECM1231]

8 hours ago, CalicoKitty said:

Oh, my goodness.  I'm watching a couple that sold their house in Boulder, Co and is moving to some island in South Carolina.  The wife has the most irritating voice I have ever heard.  Seriously.  And she is one of the worst whiner/complainers to date.  But that voice.  Nasal with vocal fry.  I won't know which house they choose because I am changing channels.  I just can't take it.

This one was a repeat and I agree with your assessment of her voice. I promptly switched channels.

[cameron]

Charlotte NC couple.  It was like watching a broken record:  he wanted a ranch style home like he grew up in, she had to have each young daughter have their own room because the daughters didn't like sharing.  When do you give a 5 and a 2 year old a vote in this matter.  Thought house #3 was the best, even though they picked #1.

[laredhead]

Charlotte NC episode - the wife drove me nuts!  She was being so maganimous with her saying it was her job that caused the move so she was willing to give the husband choices, but every time the hubby would say he liked something or wanted something else, she disagreed with him.  I really do dislike the statements when the spouses treat the house hunting process as a contest of who will win the most things they want.  Also, if you plan on this house being long term, then don't insist that you must see the kids 24/7 and their bedrooms need to be next to yours.  That is going to get very old in a few years.  By the end of the episode, I really didn't care which house they chose.     

[mojito]

3 hours ago, cameron said:

 When do you give a 5 and a 2 year old a vote in this matter.

And the answer is....

When the 5 and 2 year old are paying the mortgage. 

Maybe a few bed time stories about things that go bump in the night would bring about an attitude adjustment in those two. 😈

[Vivigirl10]

On 8/6/2023 at 1:14 AM, CalicoKitty said:

And she is one of the worst whiner/complainers to date.  But that voice.  Nasal with vocal fry.  I won't know which house they choose because I am changing channels.  I just can't take it.

She just seemed really cold too.  Not a nice person.  She did smile at one of the little girls at the end but I wonder if she ever does to her husband.  Yuck.

[pdlinda]

5 hours ago, laredhead said:

She was being so maganimous with her saying it was her job that caused the move so she was willing to give the husband choices, but every time the hubby would say he liked something or wanted something else, she disagreed with him. 

My overall impression was that the wife financially supports the family.  The husband mentioned some garbled job he had at the last location that seemed to be subordinate to the wife's job.  At the new location, I wonder if he continued to work in that capacity at the company. 

I noticed he emphasized "alone time" and specified he wanted an area of the house for him to pursue his interests away from the rest of the family.  I wonder if he isn't essentially a "stay-at-home dad" (there's nothing wrong with that).

On that basis, the way they relate to each other puts the wife firmly in control of financial matters (that she noted when he made some "off-handed" comment about the sale price on a prospective home as being "it's only money" and her laughing derisively (since she's the one who has to EARN IT!!)

Anyway, I know several couples where this dynamic exists in the family and they are all long-standing marriages with children.  As long as the husband "knows his place" and doesn't "challenge the wife" (she stated something to the effect of "you know I'll push back" in one encounter) everything will work to the benefit of keeping the family whole and "happy."

[amarante]

7 hours ago, pdlinda said:

My overall impression was that the wife financially supports the family.  The husband mentioned some garbled job he had at the last location that seemed to be subordinate to the wife's job.  At the new location, I wonder if he continued to work in that capacity at the company. 

 

I always assume that whenever people move because one person in the marriage has been offered a fantastic job opportunity, that indicates that person is the chief breadwinner because absent very unusual circumstances, you are not going to have the high earner quit their job.

Often they mention that both people found jobs or one person can work remotely - which they didn't do in this case.

Or it is a situation in which a person is pursuing a graduate degree and so that makes sense in terms of the long term interests of the marriage.

I was completely bored by this episode as it seemed even more predictable than usual. Of course they were going to take the first home - they weren't going to take the ranch with the carport or the third home which was "dated".

On the general subject of peeves

1) May I never hear another HH praise a stair case because they will be able to take photos of their child coming down it for prom - a subset of this are people who discuss homes in terms of having a window to display a Christmas tree. Of course this was taken to an incredible degree by some lunatic in HHI who had a 14 foot artificial tree shipped to Australia and therefore needed a home with 15 foot ceilings.

2) People who look at a room the size of a closet and state that it is fine for the baby. Babies grow into children and most babies also come with a lot of stuff to be comfortable - typically a changing table or dresser; crib and a comfortable chair for nursing. 

[edie3]

32 minutes ago, amarante said:

take photos of their child coming down it for prom

Neither of my sons went to prom. I guess our staircase was not worthy. I have failed as a parent. 

[Chicken Fingers]

Two episodes of HH tonight that were marked as new, and were new to me. The first one had a young woman, a data analyst, fresh out of college, buying a house in Wilmington, DE. I forget how much it was, but it was more than 300k. I wish they'd tell us a little more about how people on the show can afford what they buy.

Young people who even want to buy big houses are like alien beings to me. I wanted to travel at that age. Good for her, though. She wanted an old house that had kept its original woodwork, etc. I liked the house she chose.

Confession: I hate, loathe, and detest grey fake wood vinyl floors. 

The second HH was a 31-year-old woman wanting to buy a big house with land in/around Pittsburgh. She chose a nearly windowless monstrosity in varying shades of dark grey. So depressing. The "bedrooms," aside from hers, all looked like dungeons. Her friend/coworker who went along to look at houses was fun. 

[cameron]

7 hours ago, edie3 said:

Neither of my sons went to prom. I guess our staircase was not worthy. I have failed as a parent. 

We had a circular staircase and our son didn't want any posed prom pictures on it.