House Hunters - General Discussion

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 10/24/2023 at 6:09 PM, amarante said:

Makes me nostalgic for college and Boone’s Farm Apple Wine. 😂😂😂😂

I can’t imagine a viable business selling strawberry wine.

I swear I remember Boone's Farm Strawberry Hill being a thing in high school, almost 50 years ago. 

I know basically zero about wine, but I like sangria and am wondering whether I ::shudder:: might have a taste for a strawberry wine.  I'm not a big beer drinker and detest anything dark, but I've tried both blueberry and huckleberry beer and I liked them both.

[amarante]

13 hours ago, chessiegal said:

I hated the kitchens in the townhouses the 2 women bought last night. The problem with those open kitchens is they don't have enough cabinet space for me. So cheap for the builders to put in barely 2 walls of cabinets. I suppose if you don't cook that's enough space to store dishes and pots and pans.

Cheap kitchen in every way. 

That design was intended to have an island which was probably a $5000 upcharge. Without the island the kitchen lacked storage and also aesthetically it looked off. 

I don’t think an island is mandatory and often it is squeezed into kitchen remodels so it isn’t functional but that specific design needed an island. 

 

[Mediocre Gatsby]

Those Atlanta young women were picky! And I laughed at the "influencer" wanting to be close to the city so she could "get good food," I assume she meant scrounging it for free at parties and such. 

I thought that the most aggravated I could ever be at the use of "bandwith" was when my coworkers use it instead of "time." As in, "I don't have the bandwith to do that." But this broker using it for "budget" was next level annoying. As in, this house is priced low enough that one of the women would have the "bandwith" to hire someone to cut the grass. 

[buttersister]

Chicago couple expecting a baby and looking for their first house were so nice. Played to having different tastes, but no snarking on the other. I liked the place they bought, but a third floor walk-up with a newborn? Ugh. Good luck! Or more likely, get Instacart Plus, a spot downstairs to park the stroller and an excellent baby backpack.

[Mediocre Gatsby]

2 hours ago, buttersister said:

Chicago couple expecting a baby and looking for their first house were so nice.

They really were; I was invested in them! I'm glad they found a place at a reasonable price and with reasonable HOAs. They will have to get used to doing shopping all at once or get delivery. But it didn't sound like the lady was going to work from home every day, so grabbing things on the way home is also an option. 

All of the places were cool. 

[BAForever]

Chicago couple expecting baby- I liked them too. See HH, it isn't that hard to have 2 pleasant people on. Enjoyed all 3 choices. Elevator would have been really nice, but they made the right choice. Liked their realtor too. Just a fun episode. 

[cameron]

12 minutes ago, BAForever said:

Chicago couple expecting baby- I liked them too. See HH, it isn't that hard to have 2 pleasant people on. Enjoyed all 3 choices. Elevator would have been really nice, but they made the right choice. Liked their realtor too. Just a fun episode. 

The wife really reminded me of Flip Wilson when he put on the female wig and assume the role of the  Geraldine character.

[laredhead]

On 10/23/2023 at 2:56 PM, amarante said:

1.  

First, how do I delete the above.  I have no idea how it got there, and I cannot find a way to delete it.

Secondly, I was coming here to comment on the Chicago episode which I liked very much.  It was nice to hear the husband talk about where to place the 65" TV, and not hear the wife snarl that she wouldn't allow it on "her" wall.  Also nice that the husband was not insisting on his man space where he could go and watch his 65" TV by himself or play his video games on it.  They seemed to be a good fit for each other, and I wish them well in the future.  I think they chose the best of the 3, and the 2,000 sf will allow some breathing room for all of them. 

Edited October 26, 2023 by laredhead

[Orcinus orca]

6 hours ago, Mediocre Gatsby said:

They really were; I was invested in them! I'm glad they found a place at a reasonable price and with reasonable HOAs. They will have to get used to doing shopping all at once or get delivery.

A nice couple, for sure.

In Chicago you can get virtually anything delivered including groceries, food, and Christmas trees.  My niece lived in a 4th floor walkup and got tired of hauling groceries up the narrow stairs.  Even moving in was easy, there are college students that earn money hauling things into those older buidlings.

[mojito]

On 10/17/2023 at 9:57 PM, Thumper said:

Raised sinks look cool, but I wouldn’t want them either.  You have to clean the inside and the outside of the sinks. 

I would think that vessel sinks might not be a good thing if you're short.

[Mediocre Gatsby]

9 hours ago, laredhead said:

First, how do I delete the above.  I have no idea how it got there, and I cannot find a way to delete it.

Secondly, I was coming here to comment on the Chicago episode which I liked very much.  It was nice to hear the husband talk about where to place the 65" TV, and not hear the wife snarl that she wouldn't allow it on "her" wall.  Also nice that the husband was not insisting on his man space where he could go and watch his 65" TV by himself or play his video games on it.  They seemed to be a good fit for each other, and I wish them well in the future.  I think they chose the best of the 3, and the 2,000 sf will allow some breathing room for all of them. 

To delete, you should be able to put your cursor after the "quote" and backspace until it's gone. 

I forgot about the 65" tv! I tried to picture it, and couldn't. 

[chessiegal]

12 minutes ago, Mediocre Gatsby said:

I forgot about the 65" tv! I tried to picture it, and couldn't. 

I can. I'm watching one.

[cameron]

Cincinnati couple were an interesting combination.  Personally thought her tatted arms were hideous.  Looks like something she did after they got married going by the wedding picture they showed.  One of those daughters sported a really interesting  hair style also.  That baby's room was a real trip hazard with all those toys strewn all over the floor.

[amarante]

Obviously people lived in walk up buildings and raised children for many years without an elevator.

However, I couldn't imagine deliberately moving into a walk up without an elevator if I were expecting or had young children. 

The husband is not going to be around to assist every time the woman needs to go out with the child - and hauling a stroller, a child as well as any packages is going to get old very quickly.

I don't think delivery of items really helps that much and might cause other problems. Amazon and equivalent don't deliver to your door in an apartment building and so you face the possibility of theft and still have to carry items upstairs. Instacart is extremely expensive between the markup on the goods; the service fee; the delivery fee and a tip of at least 15% - especially if you are asking someone to haul stuff up three stories. 

Having stairs in a private home is completely different because you can leave items downstairs like a stroller and you can bring in packages gradually if necessary because they would be safe inside your home. 

[chessiegal]

My stepdaughter did DoorDash delivery for a while. She said she found people were using the service because they didn't want to carry items like a case of bottled water up the front steps to their house. She did get some very generous tips.

[chessiegal]

The couple who were looking for a permanent home in Cincinnati sure bought a weird house. Between 2 front doors and part was once a barber shop - now that's some character!

[Mediocre Gatsby]

Cincinnati: I was sure they'd take the first place, since the second had no parking and the third was full of furniture. That house was kind of amazing. I was surprised that the woman kept raving about needing a kitchen island when she said that she used hers mostly for science projects and folding laundry - does that really have to be done in the kitchen? 

But they were dedicated to living downtown, so that worked best for them. 

9 moves for his military career - wow. 

[pdlinda]

15 hours ago, cameron said:

Personally thought her tatted arms were hideous.  Looks like something she did after they got married going by the wedding picture they showed.

Agreed! 

Must have been some sort of creative "expression"  she waited to access until recently.  Have no understanding of why someone would present as she did; however, readily admit "different strokes for different folks."  I guess the husband went along with her "creativity."

[StatisticalOutlier]

8 hours ago, Mediocre Gatsby said:

Cincinnati: I was sure they'd take the first place, since the second had no parking and the third was full of furniture.

But the first place didn't have a living room--it was more like a very large entry way.  I assumed the living room would be on the second floor, but nope--only bedroom.  AND there was a half bath right there by the kitchen. 

While we were touring the second house, I thought, "I guess it's good that they're showing it to us because it's interesting, but there's no way they'll get that one."  But they did.  I was shocked.

And then I got shocked again when I realized I heard correctly, and the Charleston, West Virginia, HH named her son Havoc. 

[Kimboweena]

8 hours ago, Mediocre Gatsby said:

9 moves for his military career - wow.

Try 17 moves, Marine Corps hubby put in 28 years. Fun times!

[Kenzie]

3 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

And then I got shocked again when I realized I heard correctly, and the Charleston, West Virginia, HH named her son Havoc. 

Poor kid. My eyes still ache from rolling so hard when I heard that name.

Mom should have consulted a dictionary first. Havok (destruction, devastation) does not carry a positive connotation. But she thought it would make him "strong".

It made me think of that old Johnny Cash song, "A Boy Named Sue" where the father gave him the name Sue because all the teasing he would endure would make him strong and a fighter.

Nice enough lady I guess, I just felt she was trying a bit hard to be Oh So Quirky.

[Mediocre Gatsby]

Charleston, WV: Wow you can get a lot of house for your money. What a cute place. 

I didn't really like any of the houses that much, but the house she chose did have a big lot for privacy and for Havoc. 

I wouldn't be surprised if Havoc is a character from a movie or a video game or something. He was a cute kid. 

[cameron]

5 hours ago, Kimboweena said:

Try 17 moves, Marine Corps hubby put in 28 years. Fun times!

 

5 hours ago, Kimboweena said:

Try 17 moves, Marine Corps hubby put in 28 years. Fun times!

You beat me.  We only did 16 moves but we weren't in the military.

[laredhead]

Charleston, WV grandmother to Havoc was giving her daughter some good advice about what to look for when buying a house, but daughter was more into the cosmetics rather than the soundness of the houses, or the state of the things that would be an expensive fix - electrical, plumbing, roof, etc. 

[chessiegal]

We now do not need to wonder what type of person names their son Havoc.

[amarante]

My god - I guess being "quirky" in West Virginia means having the same color hair that Dale Bozzio (lead singer of Missing Persons) had in 1982 - or Cyndi Lauper during the same period.

Anyone who has to mention how quirky they are is not quirky at all - especially when there really is nothing unusual about them at all in terms of their actual interests, style, background or job. 

And oh my god the name - there are studies indicting any unusual name can have adverse impact on a child. But a name associated with negative behavior patterns. 

Not quirky - just stupid. And trying so hard

Can you imagine someone trying to get a professional job with that name on their resume? 

And she falls into the same category as other HH who bemoan that any home lacks "character". Most homes lack "character" - that is what you do by decorating the house in a way that reflects your own taste and personalities. Until I remodeled relatively recently, I never thought the style of my kitchen cabinets reflected my personality. 

 

[StatisticalOutlier]

6 hours ago, amarante said:

And oh my god the name - there are studies indicting any unusual name can have adverse impact on a child. But a name associated with negative behavior patterns. 

I'm thinking she should go ahead and get him a teardrop tattoo while she's at it.

[NoodlePony]

I would really love if they created a House Hunters: Where Are They Now? type of show. I miss HH Renovation. I often find myself wondering if half of these couples are even still together since so many seem to barely be tolerating each other or buying a house together after 2 weeks of dating. 

[laredhead]

NoodlePony - there was a version of HH called Where Are They Now, but it had only a few episodes.  You might be able to find it on the HH site.  A lot of us fans would love to see it return.

[Orcinus orca]

16 minutes ago, laredhead said:

A lot of us fans would love to see it return.

I suspect that won't happen.  There are so many seemingly dysfunctional couples that I get it would be hard to find too many that are either a) still together or b) still in the same house!

[Judiz]

I have the feeling poor Havoc will be changing his name as soon as he legally can.

[chessiegal]

Maybe Havoc has a more normal middle name he can use, such as H. David. 

[CalicoKitty]

I just hope the kid can speak English fluently.  His mother's grammar was terrible.

[cinsays]

couple with a big thing for halloween decorations.  didn't like them for some reason but they picked the right house for them

hope they get the mother's room created soon so she doesn't have to hear the couple in the bedroom nearby.  yuck, they seem like they'd be loud

[Dibs]

Two things... Does no one but me believe these people are all actors?  And does anyone else remember the original kitchen island called A TABLE?  You could even move it around and sit at it - if you wished - to prepare food and eat, so in every way superior to today's islands.

 

Edited October 30, 2023 by Dibs

[cameron]

Newly divorced mother from Charleston SC should realize her teenage years were over a long time ago.  Needs to dress her age.

[laredhead]

Charleston, SC - I thought the woman was trying out for a role as Barbie (or Barbie's mom) in a movie or something.  She must have rec'd a nice divorce settlement given her budget, and I believe that was a Range Rover she was driving.  I found it hard to concentrate on the houses she was touring because I was distracted by the hair, false eyelashes, clothing, etc.

The townhouse the best option for her, IMO, and the reveal showed it nicely furnished.  I kind of thought there might be pink everywhere, but it wasn't over the top.  

[chessiegal]

8 hours ago, Dibs said:

Does no one but me believe these people are all actors?

They are not actors. If you go to Pie Town Productions web site they have instructions on how to apply to be on the show. They are looking for people who have bought a house. I've found some of them online. They give the full name of the real estate agents, so they are easy to find.

[cameron]

54 minutes ago, laredhead said:

Charleston, SC - I thought the woman was trying out for a role as Barbie (or Barbie's mom) in a movie or something.  She must have rec'd a nice divorce settlement given her budget, and I believe that was a Range Rover she was driving.  I found it hard to concentrate on the houses she was touring because I was distracted by the hair, false eyelashes, clothing, etc.

The townhouse the best option for her, IMO, and the reveal showed it nicely furnished.  I kind of thought there might be pink everywhere, but it wasn't over the top.  

Went back and rewatched this show in slo motion and noticed that she was shown driving two different makes of cars.  The one shown at the end definitely was a range rover and the one at the first house was a mercedes.  Have to wonder if they were supplied by the show or not?

[Orcinus orca]

13 hours ago, Dibs said:

Does no one but me believe these people are all actors? 

Real people but obviously given scripts and "must say" statements.  Probably the "conflicts" are set up ahead to fit the decoy houses since they have already purchased one.

[chessiegal]

The one couple I cared enough to dig into bought in my 'hood. The husband gave some ambiguous sounding profession that turned out to be a consultant for a high-tech head-hunting company. I was able to find the house they bought and checked the state real property records. Real people buying a house.

[Dibs]

So, the house they buy on the show is actually their own house?  Do they move out all of their belongings to make it look like it's empty and unoccupied while touring?  Some of these people seem just too quirky/precious/stereotypical to be believable, but okay.

[chessiegal]

1 hour ago, Dibs said:

So, the house they buy on the show is actually their own house?  Do they move out all of their belongings to make it look like it's empty and unoccupied while touring?  Some of these people seem just too quirky/precious/stereotypical to be believable, but okay.

A lot of times the house they've bought is empty as they haven't moved in yet, or they move stuff out. If there is something big like a pool able or piano, they will say it comes with the house or throw a tarp over it. As far as some of the people seem too quirky, that is what the producers are looking for. 

Here is a link to the Pie Town Production site where you can fill out an application to be on the show. Apply to be on House Hunters

[chessiegal]

Here is one of the many items they ask you to fill out on the application to be on the show.

Quote

Do you have an out of the ordinary circumstance/lifestyle that changes the way you have to house hunt? Anything that sets your story apart from an average house hunting experience?

They are definitely looking for quirky.

[amarante]

1 hour ago, chessiegal said:

Here is one of the many items they ask you to fill out on the application to be on the show.

They are definitely looking for quirky.

I think sometimes they play up the "quirky" although there are obviously people who are so obnoxious or peculiar that it couldn't possibly be an act.

I do think that since the house is already bought, it is relatively easy to set up some kind of "conflict". Whatever has been purchased can be the opposite of what one of them wants. 

I also think that some of them aren't really planning to spend as much as they claim to spend - so that is a potential source of "fake" conflict. This is especially true when it makes no economic sense to not buy a home that has been upgraded because the upgrades will wind up costing them more than if they had bought a house that didn't need to be upgraded.

Unless of course one of the HH is a contractor or designer or someone else in the business and then the fake conflict is the contractor doesn't want to work on his own home on the weekend. And I think what a crock - he isn't going to be physically doing the labor - his crew and the tradespeople he uses all the time will be doing it - and for a price well below what a "civilian" would be charged. 

[chessiegal]

This show has been on the air for over 20 years. I read that the originators were hoping it would last 2 or 3 years. Anyone remember the early days where they never said where they were or how much they paid for the houses? They were all shot in Southern California, and they always bought house #3. Or on occasion they would not buy at all.

It's definitely has become a cash cow for HGTV. 

Edited October 31, 2023 by chessiegal

[Crashcourse]

I remember when the HHers would get a phone call that their offer had been accepted and they had gotten the house. and they acted surprised. 😅

[Empress1]

On 10/30/2023 at 8:52 AM, laredhead said:

I found it hard to concentrate on the houses she was touring because I was distracted by the hair

Charleston SC divorcée’s hair was killing me. Three inch black roots and the blonde was too brassy. Her pink ruffly dress and hair accessories looked like something a child would wear. I got the impression that she was not happy to find herself single and likely less well-off than she had been (her marital home was huge). 

(I love Charleston! I would use a pool there - summer humidity there is rough.)

[pdlinda]

32 minutes ago, Empress1 said:

Charleston SC divorcée’s hair was killing me. Three inch black roots and the blonde was too brassy. Her pink ruffly dress and hair accessories looked like something a child would wear.

I noticed the SAME THING....I got the impression that her "brand" of marketing herself on the social scene was based upon her thin figure with very thin legs and HER BELIEF that she was "forever young" (like a fading movie star).☺️

Her hair was absolutely horrible but I bet she didn't think so.

They never made ANY REFERENCE to her having a viable career and the home she bought was $600K so maybe she got a great "severance package" from her former husband.  

Another remark that she made stuck with me:  The realtor made mention of the fact that she was living ALONE and she responded (as an aside);  "I won't be living alone for long."😄

[cameron]

8 hours ago, pdlinda said:

I noticed the SAME THING....I got the impression that her "brand" of marketing herself on the social scene was based upon her thin figure with very thin legs and HER BELIEF that she was "forever young" (like a fading movie star).☺️

Her hair was absolutely horrible but I bet she didn't think so.

They never made ANY REFERENCE to her having a viable career and the home she bought was $600K so maybe she got a great "severance package" from her former husband.  

Another remark that she made stuck with me:  The realtor made mention of the fact that she was living ALONE and she responded (as an aside);  "I won't be living alone for long."😄

Picked up on that one too along with the reference to the person who was up late with her decorating the place for the big reveal.  It certainly wasn't her daughter's name.