House Hunters - General Discussion

[Bastet]

2 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Are real hardwood floors ever gray?

If someone stains them that color, sure.

The screencap posted above doesn't have me guessing natural wood, though.

[cameron]

5 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

There was an episode in Telluride, Colorado, a while back, and I recognized the houses.  But it was kind of cheating because Telluride is a tiny town and there just aren't that many houses, plus the one he bought was a very popular apres ski place right near the base of the ski area back in the day--it always had people spilling out onto the porch and yard.

I'm a carpet gal, so forgive my ignorance.  Were those hardwood floors?  They looked like some sort of faux-hardwood to me.

Are real hardwood floors ever gray?

 

Think they are the "so called luxury vinyl" that seems to be the rage now.  I don't equate vinyl with luxury in my mind.

[laredhead]

6 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Were those hardwood floors?  They looked like some sort of faux-hardwood to me.

Are real hardwood floors ever gray?

They could be a few things, but they are not nail down hardwood floors.  They could be ceramic/porcelain tile that is made to look like wood, luxury vinyl wood look strips, or click together or glue down engineered wood floors.  I remodeled a house last year, and the choices are many.  LVP is very popular in my area, even in some high end houses.    

[mojito]

8 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I'm a carpet gal, so forgive my ignorance.  Were those hardwood floors?  They looked like some sort of faux-hardwood to me.

No. That's why I attached the photo. She also admired a marble counter top, which, she was told, was granite.

Edited August 21, 2023 by mojito

[CrazyInAlabama]

The floors looked like LVP to me.   If you have a house with the full length glued down, you can put click together over it without removing the original floor.   I love my LVP, it's non-slip, waterproof, and depending on the pattern and color, it hides dirt very well.   It's also easy to clean. 

However, it's doesn't look or feel like hardwood.   

I got a kick out of the HH not knowing LVP from hardwoods or laminate, and not knowing if marble or granite was more expensive. 

Edited August 21, 2023 by CrazyInAlabama

[Thumper]

I giggle at the term “luxury” vinyl flooring too!  We have it in our new house, which I don’t mind because I am tired of taking care of wood floors, but “luxury” just cracks me up.

[cinsays]

26 minutes ago, Thumper said:

I giggle at the term “luxury” vinyl flooring too!  We have it in our new house, which I don’t mind because I am tired of taking care of wood floors, but “luxury” just cracks me up.

well, it is nicer than regular vinyl, no?  

[laredhead]

32 minutes ago, cinsays said:

well, it is nicer than regular vinyl, no? 

Yes, it is.  Some of it looks like real wood, and it's great for people with pets, children, and generally messy residents - lol.  Here in south Louisiana, a lot of people are choosing it or wood look porcelain tile over wood because of potential flooding in some areas of the state.  It's certainly better than most laminate floors, although I understand there are some waterproof laminate floors available now.    

[StatisticalOutlier]

2 hours ago, mojito said:

She also admired a marble counter top, which, she was told, was granite.

Actually it was quartz.  I re-watched it to verify, and only then realized I'd failed to notice her french tuck shirt.  In or out, people.  Pick a lane or buy a different shirt.

2 hours ago, Thumper said:

I giggle at the term “luxury” vinyl flooring too!  We have it in our new house, which I don’t mind because I am tired of taking care of wood floors, but “luxury” just cracks me up.

I does seem to be trying a little too hard.  Why not just come up with a whole new name, like chilean sea bass or canola oil?  Or maybe that's why they always say "LVP"--to de-emphasize the "luxury vinyl" part.

As I said, I'm ignorant about non-carpet floors (and carpet for that matter--I've never had to replace it), but it did occur to me a while back that one thing about all these houses out there now with gray floors that will inevitably fall out of favor is that if they're not real wood floors, you can't just refinish them to get them back to "wood" colored. 

Or maybe that type of floor is cheap enough that replacing it might not be much more expensive than refinishing a wood floor? 

Or maybe people just treat "hard" floors these days like they do carpet--if you don't like it, just change it out.  They don't have an allegiance to it like they might with nail-down (thank you!) hardwood floors.

[mojito]

Kitchen-wise, this lady wanted whatever was considered "the latest" on HGTV, and neighborhood-wise, I think she wanted something from an early 1960s TV show. 

[StatisticalOutlier]

1 hour ago, mojito said:

neighborhood-wise, I think she wanted something from an early 1960s TV show. 

She actually said she grew up watching movies where kids just get on their bikes and roam with friends, knocking on each other's doors.  It's strange to think she knows of it from watching movies; it's the way I lived, and I don't remember it being restricted to certain neighborhoods. 

I also noticed she said in her intro that she wanted a kitchen with marble counters, even though she apparently can't tell it from other materials.

[amarante]

16 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

 

I'm a carpet gal, so forgive my ignorance.  Were those hardwood floors?  They looked like some sort of faux-hardwood to me.

Are real hardwood floors ever gray?

 

You can get hardwood floors in a gray stain but typically the gray floors are some form of plastic - either laminate or even the vinyl planks - or as they are called "luxury vinyl".

Anyone who buys a home with gray floors at this point is really making an error. They were trendy for awhile which was bad enough but at this point it is the end of the trend.

[Thumper]

4 hours ago, amarante said:

You can get hardwood floors in a gray stain but typically the gray floors are some form of plastic - either laminate or even the vinyl planks - or as they are called "luxury vinyl".

Anyone who buys a home with gray floors at this point is really making an error. They were trendy for awhile which was bad enough but at this point it is the end of the trend.

Uh ohhhh!  😬😬😬  😂

Oh well, we’ve lived with our 1980’s honey oak cabinets in our current home for years!  😁

 

 

[amarante]

1 hour ago, Thumper said:

Uh ohhhh!  😬😬😬  😂

Oh well, we’ve lived with our 1980’s honey oak cabinets in our current home for years!  😁

 

 

You know honey oak is kind of classic - what was a flash in the pan were the pickled oak cabinets that were kind of a pink tone.

 

 

[sskrill]

This girl in Seattle .. if you have to keep telling us how "quirky" and "unique" you are .. well, you probably aren't.

I think they picked the best house, but her pinots palette artwork going up in the dining room is a sign of bad things to come.

 

[cameron]

Someone should tell that "entitled" home buyer from Grayson that they were brass fixtures in that second house bathroom, not gold.  So tired of these so obsessed with things buyers.  Get it right if you are going to be that way.

[amarante]

9 hours ago, cameron said:

Someone should tell that "entitled" home buyer from Grayson that they were brass fixtures in that second house bathroom, not gold.  So tired of these so obsessed with things buyers.  Get it right if you are going to be that way.

I don't mind style preferences but FFS at least know what you are asking about or commenting on

People want granite or quartz and ask if a counter is granite or quartz

People want wood floors and ask if floors are wood

People think a single bowl kitchen sink is a farmhouse sink

And then there is the overall stupidity -

must have a white kitchen but absolutely ignores the terrible layout with no lower drawers and sometimes with the cooktop on the island with no hood for ventilation

must have island and ignores island that is squeezed in and makes food prep more difficult because the sink is separated from the refrigerator by the island 

ETA - Must have double sinks in the master and ignores that the bathroom vanity is small so that the two sinks take up all of the room which effectively makes the bathroom LESS functional.

Edited August 22, 2023 by amarante

[chessiegal]

15 hours ago, amarante said:

what was a flash in the pan were the pickled oak cabinets that were kind of a pink tone.

Hey, our last house had them and I loved them. Didn't hurt resale value - we sold the house for full asking price.

[Pine]

Of the I think 4 House Hunters, recorded as new last night, only 1 was really new.  They really have to stop repackaging these episodes.

[Pine]

On 8/16/2023 at 10:16 AM, rhofmovalley said:

I thought it was funny when they said they had to come in with an aggressive offer because there had been a lot of interest and offers, and their final purchase price was...$5k over asking. My brother had to go about $35k over asking to get his house. $5k is what, a couple dollars a month added to the mortgage payment?

Have to laugh when they say they made an aggressive offer on HH.  Around here,  aggressive is a few hundered thousand over, $1 million has even been offered over asking.

[Thumper]

30 minutes ago, Pine said:

Have to laugh when they say they made an aggressive offer on HH.  Around here,  aggressive is a few hundered thousand over, $1 million has even been offered over asking.

Wow!  Where do you live?

[Grizzly]

Cincinnati, OH. Ugh, nose rings and an ugly neck tattoo.  Oh, big, fluffy dog. I'll keep watching. The neighborhood they drove through to get to the row home did not look ... lived in. I saw boarded windows and for sale signs. Good, they didn't pick it. Kitchen in #3 looked smaller than their rental. But otherwise that seemed like a nice house.

[South]

13 hours ago, amarante said:

I don't mind style preferences but FFS at least know what you are asking about or commenting on

People want granite or quartz and ask if a counter is granite or quartz

People want wood floors and ask if floors are wood

People think a single bowl kitchen sink is a farmhouse sink

And then there is the overall stupidity -

must have a white kitchen but absolutely ignores the terrible layout with no lower drawers and sometimes with the cooktop on the island with no hood for ventilation

must have island and ignores island that is squeezed in and makes food prep more difficult because the sink is separated from the refrigerator by the island 

ETA - Must have double sinks in the master and ignores that the bathroom vanity is small so that the two sinks take up all of the room which effectively makes the bathroom LESS functional.

But how do you REALLY feel!?   Actually, I agree on every point, and then some.

[Mediocre Gatsby]

Cincinnati - I wasn't sure those two were going to agree on anything. I liked the ranch, House 2, but they picked the best one for them I think. 

That "shared outside space" in the row house -- I laughed out loud when the realtor said they could divide it up and put up some sparkly lights. 

[cameron]

3 hours ago, Mediocre Gatsby said:

Cincinnati - I wasn't sure those two were going to agree on anything. I liked the ranch, House 2, but they picked the best one for them I think. 

That "shared outside space" in the row house -- I laughed out loud when the realtor said they could divide it up and put up some sparkly lights. 

He was one of the most inept real estate agents ever shown on HH.

[laredhead]

2 hours ago, cameron said:

That "shared outside space" in the row house -- I laughed out loud when the realtor said they could divide it up and put up some sparkly lights. 

I thought the same thing when he said that.  It's a shared space, and one of the HH's had already said you could look into the neighbor's kitchen.  How would that neighbor feel about someone putting up sparkly lights and sitting out there all the time.  Unless both neighbors are in agreement about sharing a shared space, then there's going to be conflict.  Personally it looked like a place to put the trash cans, but I couldn't tell if it was open to a back access to the houses or if it was totally surrounded by the buildings.  I'm not a fan of row houses at all, and this was was especially bad - IMVHO.  I've lived in 3 townhouses over the years, but each one had a very nice, spacious patio in back, and a pretty view of woods or nicely kept lawns from the front.  One was an end unit with windows on 3 sides which made it more like a stand alone house.  Square footage makes a lot of difference too, and that one they looked at was barely over 1,000 sf.  Row houses just give me claustrophobia. The realtor pointed out fireplaces which were useless because they were closed and painted over.   

[Thumper]

8 hours ago, Mediocre Gatsby said:

Cincinnati - I wasn't sure those two were going to agree on anything. I liked the ranch, House 2, but they picked the best one for them I think. 

That "shared outside space" in the row house -- I laughed out loud when the realtor said they could divide it up and put up some sparkly lights. 

They both were such Negative Nellies, but especially the dark-haired one.   I think this episode is the one in which they were shown a house that was furnished and obviously being lived in — no attempt to clear counters or whatever for a “showing!” 😂

Edited August 23, 2023 by Thumper

[Mediocre Gatsby]

3 hours ago, laredhead said:

The realtor pointed out fireplaces which were useless because they were closed and painted over.   

Oh, how did I forget to include that? That was insane. 

[cameron]

2 minutes ago, Mediocre Gatsby said:

Oh, how did I forget to include that? That was insane. 

As I mentioned above, he was certainly inept as a real estate agent.  Wouldn't even call him a realtor.

[Mediocre Gatsby]

12 minutes ago, cameron said:

As I mentioned above, he was certainly inept as a real estate agent.  Wouldn't even call him a realtor.

He was her brother's husband, I think she said - maybe he's just starting out. Also I think there must be an art to being a HH realtor when one house is already bought, especially when you're working with relatives so you can't just say "you're crazy; figure out what you want." 

[chessiegal]

21 minutes ago, cameron said:

As I mentioned above, he was certainly inept as a real estate agent.  Wouldn't even call him a realtor.

My DVR did not pick up this episode - was it new? They often give the full name of the real estate agent so you can find them on-line.

[Mediocre Gatsby]

2 hours ago, chessiegal said:

My DVR did not pick up this episode - was it new? They often give the full name of the real estate agent so you can find them on-line.

It's numbered S237 E 8: A Showdown in Cincinnati

I rewatched the end and his name is Grant Taylor and here's his FB page: https://www.facebook.com/granttaylorrealestate/

He's based in Columbus, not Cincinnati. I couldn't make it past the top of his page where he said "Award winning Real Estate Agent whom has been featured on HGTV, serving Columbus & surrounding areas!" As Glark used to say, Good Grammar Costs Nothing!

[StatisticalOutlier]

46 minutes ago, Mediocre Gatsby said:

"Award winning Real Estate Agent whom has been featured on HGTV

He used the abominable possessive "your guys" at least three times during the episode.  For one, they're not guys.  For another, just say "your." 

I can't put my finger on why, but I didn't like either of the HHs or the agent.  The two girls showed a little bit of life at the end when talking about a pre-nup, but other than that everything was kind of a zero.

[Mediocre Gatsby]

2 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I can't put my finger on why, but I didn't like either of the HHs or the agent.  The two girls showed a little bit of life at the end when talking about a pre-nup, but other than that everything was kind of a zero.

Same. At one point when they were driving to a house (#2 or #3) they talked about it being near some of their friends, and I detected some signs of life. Otherwise I absolutely did not care. Buy a house, don't buy a house, just stop arguing. 

[Mediocre Gatsby]

Amelia Island - this is a location I wasn't familiar with. I definitely would have chosen the bungalow like she did - so much land to expand later. Plenty of people make it work with only one bathroom, and when her boyfriend moved in, I assume he was helping with the rent. She said she worked for the tourist board or whatever, so I think it would help her job to stay on the island. 

Her parents were "helping out with the down payment," so I was a irritated at the end when she talked about how proud she was of herself for being able to "buy a home at this age, because there is a great sense of independence, you don't have to be married to buy a home, you don't have to be a couple to make a decision of this nature, and I think that's really important for people to know." (I changed "a little irritated" to just "irritated," since I bothered to quote her exactly, so obviously "little" didn't apply!)

Like - okay, but let's talk about that down payment help. MANY people are paying more in rent than a mortgage would be - my rent for my 60-year-old one-bedroom apartment in California is more than the mortgage payment of anyone I know, and they have some huge houses. But it's the down payment that holds people back. Let people know that, when you want to talk about what's important for people to know. So I really don't want to hear self-congratulatory comments from someone who got that help. 

I realize it's probably not fair! But it's how I feel. 

[cameron]

So over the term "hosting".  Also thought it was strange that she thought built-ins are funky.  Actually, didn't like her Mom or the quasi buyer.

[cameron]

15 hours ago, Mediocre Gatsby said:

It's numbered S237 E 8: A Showdown in Cincinnati

I rewatched the end and his name is Grant Taylor and here's his FB page: https://www.facebook.com/granttaylorrealestate/

He's based in Columbus, not Cincinnati. I couldn't make it past the top of his page where he said "Award winning Real Estate Agent whom has been featured on HGTV, serving Columbus & surrounding areas!" As Glark used to say, Good Grammar Costs Nothing!

Whole thing seemed phony.  Columbus isn't anywhere near Cincinnati.  Wonder if he is even licensed to sell there.

[PugMum]

As a Cincinnatian, I was eager to watch the 20-something’s house hunting. I really wanted to know where their purchased house was. I live in a first ring suburb (older and closer to the urban areas they prefer) and my commute would be 15-20 minutes to northern Kentucky. I can also avoid highways if necessary. I will say they seem well-matched: they share a lack of personality and poor posture. Got the feeling their realtor’s lack of knowledge about the city impeded their search.

[BAForever]

6 hours ago, Mediocre Gatsby said:

Her parents were "helping out with the down payment," so I was a irritated at the end when she talked about how proud she was of herself for being able to "buy a home at this age, because there is a great sense of independence, you don't have to be married to buy a home, you don't have to be a couple to make a decision of this nature, and I think that's really important for people to know." (I changed "a little irritated" to just "irritated," since I bothered to quote her exactly, so obviously "little" didn't apply!)

 

@Mediocre Gatsby- laughed at your post for sure. She was only 24- so I'll cut her some slack. On a shallower note, loved all of her outfits, plus the realtor looked put together too. Was thinking maybe with her job, she was encouraged to stay on island. I guessed the bungalow too. It was small but room to grow. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

I recall reading that sometimes by the filming time, the original realtor doesn't want to spend days recreating the house hunt, so other realtors agree to do the filming.   I suspect that's what happened in this case, and the realtor did it for publicity, too bad he wasn't better prepared for filming. 

[rhofmovalley]

8 hours ago, Mediocre Gatsby said:

Her parents were "helping out with the down payment," so I was a irritated at the end when she talked about how proud she was of herself for being able to "buy a home at this age,

100%. I too could easily afford a mortgage payment if someone else paid the down payment and I didn't have to pay them back. 

[DanielleBowden]

8 hours ago, Mediocre Gatsby said:

Amelia Island - this is a location I wasn't familiar with. I definitely would have chosen the bungalow like she did - so much land to expand later.

I thought the bungalow was a steal for all that land, especially compared to what she got for the same price range off island and in the townhome. The shared bedroom wall in the townhome would have been a deal breaker for me.

In the bungalow, during the reveal, the barn door in the living room was open to what appeared to be a small dining room.  It was kept closed during the initial walk through and they specified that the island was the only option for dining.  I really wanted to see that room.

[laredhead]

I just watched the Raleigh episode, and have to admit my eyes were misty at the end.  My grandson is autistic, and I could understand the desires of the HH's.  It was a sad story, but the entire family (parents and grandparents) support will help make this child's life a good one.  There were a couple of things I could mention about the houses, but will skip them this time.

[cameron]

1 hour ago, DanielleBowden said:

I thought the bungalow was a steal for all that land, especially compared to what she got for the same price range off island and in the townhome. The shared bedroom wall in the townhome would have been a deal breaker for me.

In the bungalow, during the reveal, the barn door in the living room was open to what appeared to be a small dining room.  It was kept closed during the initial walk through and they specified that the island was the only option for dining.  I really wanted to see that room.

Found the house and that little room is an indoor laundry room with washer and dryer.

[amarante]

9 hours ago, Mediocre Gatsby said:

Amelia Island - this is a location I wasn't familiar with. I definitely would have chosen the bungalow like she did - so much land to expand later. Plenty of people make it work with only one bathroom, and when her boyfriend moved in, I assume he was helping with the rent. She said she worked for the tourist board or whatever, so I think it would help her job to stay on the island. 

Her parents were "helping out with the down payment," so I was a irritated at the end when she talked about how proud she was of herself for being able to "buy a home at this age, because there is a great sense of independence, you don't have to be married to buy a home, you don't have to be a couple to make a decision of this nature, and I think that's really important for people to know." (I changed "a little irritated" to just "irritated," since I bothered to quote her exactly, so obviously "little" didn't apply!)

Like - okay, but let's talk about that down payment help. MANY people are paying more in rent than a mortgage would be - my rent for my 60-year-old one-bedroom apartment in California is more than the mortgage payment of anyone I know, and they have some huge houses. But it's the down payment that holds people back. Let people know that, when you want to talk about what's important for people to know. So I really don't want to hear self-congratulatory comments from someone who got that help. 

I realize it's probably not fair! But it's how I feel. 

well in fairness the HH DID let people know that her parents helped her with the down payment and on national television. It isn't as if she was pretending. 

When younger HH are buying homes they often mention and thank their parents for helping with the down payment because it becomes part of the story line. Or they explain how they managed to come up with the down payment - many of them say they lived with their parents or shared cheap housing because their goal was to save up for a down payment. 

The reality is that lots of parents help with the down payment. The reason is that they have the money and they would rather give it to their kids now to help with an important financial goal than wait and have the kids inherit it. My parents got help with the down payment from my maternal grandparents and they were just blue collar workers.

It is still a major responsibility to own a home versus renting. You are now responsible for property taxes, maintenance and - at least in most areas - the mortgage plus property taxes will be significantly higher than rent would have been. It is a completely different feeling than living a rental where a landlord essentially takes care of everything in exchange for the rent. Homeownership is viewed by most people as something very "exciting" - a big step in life

 

[Crashcourse]

I think the Amelia Island woman patted herself on the back too much.  Sure, she mentioned her parents helping with the down payment, but then at the end she had to go on about how proud she is of herself owning a home at a young age--which wouldn't have happened without that down payment from her parents.  So, I say, get over yourself.  I also wonder if she can pay the mortgage by herself if she and the boyfriend break up.

Edited August 24, 2023 by Crashcourse
owning

[Mediocre Gatsby]

7 hours ago, cameron said:

Whole thing seemed phony.  Columbus isn't anywhere near Cincinnati.  Wonder if he is even licensed to sell there.

Oh yes, I didn't finish my thought there - I figured he was just unfamiliar with the Cincinnati market. 

7 hours ago, PugMum said:

I will say they seem well-matched: they share a lack of personality and poor posture.

I laughed out loud!

[Notabug]

4 hours ago, rhofmovalley said:

100%. I too could easily afford a mortgage payment if someone else paid the down payment and I didn't have to pay them back. 

I think for the vast majority of people who would like to own a house but don't; it is the down payment that is the big sticking point.  It certainly was for me when I bought my first house as a 30ish, single working woman.  Saving that amount of money is really tough and it certainly helps a bunch to have  help from family or an inheritance or other source of funding.  I would've been able to buy at least 5 years earlier if someone had gifted me with the down payment.  

BTW, despite the fact that I didn't have parents who could afford to cover any of my costs; it never occurred to me to brag about buying a home as a single woman.  For me, it was the natural course of things.

[Pine]

On 8/22/2023 at 4:25 PM, Thumper said:

Wow!  Where do you live?

Microsoft Land, East of Seattle, WA  I would post some, but, I don't think that we are allowed too.

 

[Mediocre Gatsby]

Raleigh: What a sweet family. Though at the beginning part when the narrator mentioned living close to his family, I thought "oh great, so his family can help out with their son." But then it was so he could help his family! He mentioned how often they come over, so I'm sure they DO help, but it seemed like he talked more about his obligations to them than the other way around. 

Camden's mother's story was sad (I googled! I'm nosy!) She died at age 22, months after she gave birth to Camden very prematurely at 26 weeks. She has a FB page that was dedicated to gaming, so I see why they want Camden to continue that if he wants to. I have a family member with autism, and gaming is something that connected him to other kids back when he really had no other interests like theirs. 

I always assumed they'd pick the closest house.