House Hunters - General Discussion

[rhofmovalley]

11 hours ago, Grizzly said:

I don't know if this single mom in Honolulu is a repeat but she is annoying. Budget is not going to get all she wants. #1 is over budget, she complains about the condition, it doesn't have central air and she asks could the realtor find something better, less money and closer to the beach. Do these people hear themselves?

Definitely a rerun because the narrator gave running commentary and they referred to the "primary" bedroom as the "master" (a big no-no these days).

I swear, if I was on the show and the producers fed me such ridiculous lines I would refuse. $150 isn't worth making myself look like an asshat on national TV. 

[chessiegal]

1 minute ago, rhofmovalley said:

I swear, if I was on the show and the producers fed me such ridiculous lines I would refuse. $150 isn't worth making myself look like an asshat on national TV. 

Back in the TWoP days, there was a couple who posted they were determined to not do the stupid comments. They said the producers made them do shot after shot until they got comments they could edit to get the stupid comments they wanted. And I think folks get $500 for being on the show.

[rhofmovalley]

Five hundred still isn't enough for me to behave like a dipshit on national TV. I presume they'd just fire me if I ever got accepted onto the show.

I am planning to buy in the next year or so. And my story is somewhat interesting (Middle aged single woman buying for the first time ever in Los Angeles county!) So maybe I'll apply if they're still filming. If they pick me I will take pleasure in refusing to go along with their script. 

[chessiegal]

44 minutes ago, rhofmovalley said:

Five hundred still isn't enough for me to behave like a dipshit on national TV. I presume they'd just fire me if I ever got accepted onto the show.

I am planning to buy in the next year or so. And my story is somewhat interesting (Middle aged single woman buying for the first time ever in Los Angeles county!) So maybe I'll apply if they're still filming. If they pick me I will take pleasure in refusing to go along with their script. 

Good luck.

[BAForever]

2 hours ago, rhofmovalley said:

Five hundred still isn't enough for me to behave like a dipshit on national TV. I presume they'd just fire me if I ever got accepted onto the show.

I am planning to buy in the next year or so. And my story is somewhat interesting (Middle aged single woman buying for the first time ever in Los Angeles county!) So maybe I'll apply if they're still filming. If they pick me I will take pleasure in refusing to go along with their script. 

Please do! And give us all the details.

[chessiegal]

Here's the link to apply to be on HH.

How to apply to be on HH.

[Johannah]

2 hours ago, chessiegal said:

Here's the link to apply to be on HH.

How to apply to be on HH.

I am so tired of every company asking me to fill out an extensive feedback form that one look at that application and I know I wouldn't get past the first few questions.  Actually, I would get to the "anything special about you house hunt" question, answer "no" and be done.

By the way, I get a few questions into those surveys and close them down, too.  And that's after I decided I cared enough to click on the link in the first place.

[rhofmovalley]

3 hours ago, chessiegal said:

Here's the link to apply to be on HH.

How to apply to be on HH.

Thanks.  I'm still about a year plus away from even starting to look.  But it might be fun to apply once I purchase.  It can't be any more invasive than the application for my current job, although I am getting compensated much better from my employer!

[Lady Lucy]

Where is everyone? No one watching HH anymore?

[chessiegal]

It seems like truly new episodes are few and far between these days.

[Baltimore Betty]

24 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

It seems like truly new episodes are few and far between these days.

I love watching this show but most of the time I disagree with the people when they choose their house.  When you buy an existing home, the counter tops might not be your taste, paint and carpeting might not be what you want, etc...rarely are you going in to a house that you love all the details, what is wrong with just get the house you like and worry about the counter tops, etc...when you can afford to replace, some of these people give up to easily on a better house just because the other one had better flooring or fixtures.

I watched one the other day and the wife commented on the house they were touring that it didn't have any arches or columns, the husband was hung up on the lack of the double front door...it seemed like they were not looking at the big picture.

The show makes me mad sometimes.

 

[chessiegal]

The show has a "script" that has been working for them for over 20 years. I think it's relatively cheap to produce. As long as people are watching, there's no reason for them to change. Since folks already own the home, they have to have fake drama, or so the show seems to think. I watch to see the houses, and occasionally there are people "looking" who are snark worthy. 

[amarante]

2 hours ago, Baltimore Betty said:

I love watching this show but most of the time I disagree with the people when they choose their house.  When you buy an existing home, the counter tops might not be your taste, paint and carpeting might not be what you want, etc...rarely are you going in to a house that you love all the details, what is wrong with just get the house you like and worry about the counter tops, etc...when you can afford to replace, some of these people give up to easily on a better house just because the other one had better flooring or fixtures.

I watched one the other day and the wife commented on the house they were touring that it didn't have any arches or columns, the husband was hung up on the lack of the double front door...it seemed like they were not looking at the big picture.

The show makes me mad sometimes.

 

I vacillate between thinking HH can't really be that dumb and then thinking that a significant percentage probably are

To quote George Carlin - Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.'

If non-affluent people are actually ripping out functional kitchens and bathrooms because they aren't white or resemble a spa respectively, no wonder most Americans are one paycheck away from a financial disaster or hold significant amounts of high interest credit card debt.

However, I have to believe that the producers of HH deliberately don't let the HH talk about the kinds of critical stuff I would hope that most HH would find most significant - like school districts. Very occasionally a HH - generally in Florida - will have a rational request in terms of not being in a flood zone or wanting hurricane windows and masonry construction but that is the exception. 

And my personal snarkiness comes out when people are moving to cultural backwaters and exclaiming about all the "amenities" in these podunk places - their standards must be quite low. Don't get me wrong - you can get some wonderful dive type of food off the beaten track but I have a sense that these people are not boasting for the most part about these kinds of hidden gems. 

[rhofmovalley]

I find the bad acting to be hilarious. "Oh, this is such a tough decision! We better hurry up and choose one or we will miss out!" When we all know they already bought the house. I don't blame them because they're not (usually) actors. 

I do find it amusing when people say "They should have chosen house #X! That's the one I would have picked!" Well, they didn't choose it because it was a decoy and they're already in escrow with the one the did buy.

I thought everyone knew the show is staged but maybe not?

[amarante]

3 hours ago, rhofmovalley said:

I find the bad acting to be hilarious. "Oh, this is such a tough decision! We better hurry up and choose one or we will miss out!" When we all know they already bought the house. I don't blame them because they're not (usually) actors. 

I do find it amusing when people say "They should have chosen house #X! That's the one I would have picked!" Well, they didn't choose it because it was a decoy and they're already in escrow with the one the did buy.

I thought everyone knew the show is staged but maybe not?

No - surprisingly people think that reality shows are "real"

I watch the Housewives franchises and during the season they go on trips somewhere to heighten the drama. These trips are "hosted" by one of the women for the sake of the storyline but are obviously paid for and booked by the producers along with every single restaurant, store or outing they go on.

But some people will comment and it is clear they think that the "hostess" actually planned and paid for the trip. Like - yes of course - someone on a show is going to pay to "host" her castmates. 

[buttersister]

I still watch (albeit not if they’re in states I wouldn’t even visit). I like looking at houses—so I mostly put up with the role-players, the drama queens of any gender and, well, I mute vocal fry. Like some here, I can frequently crack the code and pick their house. Then I laugh. (And/or snark on them here.)

[BAForever]

Hubby and I watch mostly to snark (30 year olds saying they have worked so hard to deserve $$ house and hunters that claim a white house must be a modern farmhouse). We also guess which house is chosen. I'm right prob 60% of the time, he's less than 50%. It's a harmless show we have fun with.

Edited February 21 by BAForever

[Baltimore Betty]

1 hour ago, BAForever said:

Hubby and I watch mostly to snark (30 year olds saying they have worked so hard to deserve $$ house and hunters that claim a white house must be a modern farmhouse). We also guess which house is chosen. I'm right prob 60% of the time, he's less than 50%. It's a harmless show we have fun with.

It used to be the house chosen was always the empty one, no furniture in it but they mix it up now so good on your 60% wins!

Can you imagine being dumb enough in real life to not want a house because of the room colors like repainting is unheard of and impossible to achieve...I know it is production but still!

[BAForever]

1 hour ago, Baltimore Betty said:

It used to be the house chosen was always the empty one, no furniture in it but they mix it up now so good on your 60% wins!

I've noticed that about furniture lately @Baltimore Betty. There's usually one house that's easy to dismiss, so I'm often between two and I usually pick the new(er) build. 

[blondiek237]

4 hours ago, Baltimore Betty said:

It used to be the house chosen was always the empty one, no furniture in it but they mix it up now so good on your 60% wins!

Can you imagine being dumb enough in real life to not want a house because of the room colors like repainting is unheard of and impossible to achieve...I know it is production but still!

I never understand that--I have painted every place I have lived (even rentals including a kitchen in a rental-cabinets included) That and changing light fixtures are mainly a given 

[Crashcourse]

I'm not interested in those HH cabin episodes they're now showing every Wednesday. 

[ECM1231]

1 hour ago, Crashcourse said:

I'm not interested in those HH cabin episodes they're now showing every Wednesday. 

They don't bother me, but I will say that I thought a budget of 1 million was quite high for the area. Not that I know anything about Oklahoma real estate prices, but I wouldn't think they would be that high. A quick Google search of the ara shows much lower prices. 🤷

[BAForever]

6 hours ago, ECM1231 said:

They don't bother me, but I will say that I thought a budget of 1 million was quite high for the area. Not that I know anything about Oklahoma real estate prices, but I wouldn't think they would be that high. A quick Google search of the ara shows much lower prices. 🤷

Broken Bow is a fun rental market. We have rented multiple times for family vacations. Prices are very reasonable, especially ones big enough to share expenses. Something we've noticed there, housing is booming, but amenities (roads, marinas, groceries, restaurants) are not ready for the demand of more people. Like that they had diverse choices.

Edited February 23 by BAForever

[Grizzly]

I'm fine with the cabin episodes if they all continue to have healthy budgets. The guys seemed like a good couple. My jaw dropped at the size of #1. They must have a lot of friends and family. Wonder if they got a 4wd golf cart like the realtor had to zip around that resort.

[debbie311]

The cabin episodes are boring.  I guess they are trying to push their program about renovation on the mountain or whatever it is called, which I am also not interested in. I did watch the other night about the couple who were looking for a cabin for their family and LARGE extended families.  Michigan, I think.  Anyway, they ended up buying a compound, a large house with about 15 cabins.  They kept saying, wow, we were just looking to buy a cabin but now we are going to be changing our lives with this compound purchase.  They must REALLY like their extended families to buy vacation homes for them.  For me, no thank you. LOL I told my husband if they buy that compound I am never watching this show again. Whatever!  Why do I even care?

[chessiegal]

I thought the couple who bought the compound said they were going to rent out the cabins, so it wasn't just for family.

[snarts]

I watch because I like seeing differing real estate/properties.

The cabin episodes are fine because they're something different. My biggest pet peeve is when they're purposely vague about why they're buying. II find it annoying when it's not clear whether they're moving there full time or if it's going to be a vacation rental or investment property.

No judgement, just tell me, so I can make sense of the commentary. 

[BAForever]

1 hour ago, snarts said:

I watch because I like seeing differing real estate/properties.

The cabin episodes are fine because they're something different. My biggest pet peeve is when they're purposely vague about why they're buying. II find it annoying when it's not clear whether they're moving there full time or if it's going to be a vacation rental or investment property.

No judgement, just tell me, so I can make sense of the commentary. 

So true @snarts. I'm guessing for a cabin the size the two men were looking at, it's a VRBO or (our favorite) Beavers Bend Adventures property. 

[rhofmovalley]

Vocal fry on L.A. young lady and Spicoli voice on Long Island guy were super grating. Especially since it sure sounded like L.A. lady was putting on that annoying voice, presumably because she thinks it sounds cute. 

Montclair is adjacent to L.A. County but is far from downtown. But yes, technically it is "near L.A."

 

Edited February 28 by rhofmovalley

[Crashcourse]

The L.A. lady said she and her boyfriend broke up, the wedding called off, and I'm not surprised.  He probably realized that he couldn't listen to that vocal fry for the rest of his life.

[laredhead]

The episode last night was one of the cabin episodes.  Couple wanting a cabin on waterfront property in Maine.  The one they chose was only 800 sf, but had 4 bedrooms!  When I saw those stats I knew the bedrooms would be the size of a walk in closet and I wasn't far off.  Actually the house had NO closets.  It was a new build, and I am betting it was built as a vacation rental, and closets weren't a priority because people wouldn't be needing to bring a lot of clothes for a short stay.  One of the women owns a construction company, and said she was planning to add a carport/garage and storage.  They maxed out their budget, so I guess building the storage area w/garage will be cheaper for someone who has a construction company.   

[Grizzly]

Don't forget having to build a dock.

Edited March 1 by Grizzly

[Pine]

On 2/21/2024 at 2:49 AM, BAForever said:

Hubby and I watch mostly to snark (30 year olds saying they have worked so hard to deserve $$ house and hunters that claim a white house must be a modern farmhouse). We also guess which house is chosen. I'm right prob 60% of the time, he's less than 50%. It's a harmless show we have fun with.

I wish I could get Mr Pine to watch with me.  We do watch Project Runway together.  He is very mechanical minded,so he likes to see the challenge and the results.  With Tim and Heidi in their own show, we have more to watch.

 

Edited March 8 by Pine

[stewedsquash]

Saturday night block of reruns and I just watched the rerun of the Norfolk VA dad and his funny friend buying a home so his daughter would have a room. 
 

I never get into the sob stories. I had watched it when it first aired so I knew the plot. And yet just like before…
 

I am still blinking away tears from the final scenes where the daughter opens the door to her room and at first, sillily falls to the floor from happiness. Then she gets overwhelmed with emotion and slowly walks over to her dad and he kneels down and they share the emotional moment. 
 

If it hadn’t been for the final scene of the three of them laughing and eating sandwiches, I would still be a mess.

Best HH episode ever. 

[BAForever]

12 hours ago, stewedsquash said:

Saturday night block of reruns and I just watched the rerun of the Norfolk VA dad and his funny friend buying a home so his daughter would have a room. 
I never get into the sob stories. I had watched it when it first aired so I knew the plot. And yet just like before..

I get it @stewedsquash For me it's the honest emotion and her gratitude. We get pummeled by greedy, ungrateful dopes that want a huge beautiful  new home in the perfect location at a bargain because they've "worked hard and deserve it".

Seeing a family genuinely happy and grateful is a welcome change.

 

[Grizzly]

I'm watching some ep with twin sisters in their mid-twenties looking for a house in Detroit. I can't stand their voices! And why are they yelling?  They pay 350k for a house with only 1 full bath.

[buttersister]

11 hours ago, Grizzly said:

They pay 350k for a house with only 1 full bath.

I think they paid for the location, walking distance to “downtown “ Royal Oak. There are a few blocks with stores and cafes, as opposed to strip malls and parking lots. 
The me-first sister actually made a point about the second smaller bedroom being more cozy—anything to make it seem like she wasn’t sacrificing anything for her sister.

[Johannah]

23 hours ago, Grizzly said:

I'm watching some ep with twin sisters in their mid-twenties looking for a house in Detroit. I can't stand their voices! And why are they yelling?  They pay 350k for a house with only 1 full bath.

I saw that and, maybe not that ep in particular, but I always wonder why, when two people, not a couple, are looking to live together and there are 3 bedrooms, one with an en suite, they don't have the person without the en suite take both of the other bedrooms.  Sounds like a better compromise than one getting the larger bedroom w/ a bath and the other settling for one of the smaller bedrooms and the other bedroom being an office, not exclusive to the one with the smaller room.

In one of the houses the sisters looked at, one could have had the large bonus room, while the other got the one with/on the same floor as the bath.  If I have to run downstairs to use the bathroom, at least I have the larger bedroom.  But no one says things like that.  It's always one gets the larger bedroom with the bathroom and the other settles for a smaller room.

Edited March 12 by Johannah

[Kemper]

When they revamped this site, I wish there was a subcategory in the "House Hunters" thread:  "Most Entitled House Hunters".  Or, "Most Obnoxious House Hunters" .... we could start back with the "Jackson's Room" mom from at least a decade ago.

[pdlinda]

22 minutes ago, Kemper said:

When they revamped this site,

...there has been a massive reduction in posts and responses to posts.  I wonder why that happened??? HMMM...

[chessiegal]

33 minutes ago, Kemper said:

When they revamped this site, I wish there was a subcategory in the "House Hunters" thread:  "Most Entitled House Hunters".  Or, "Most Obnoxious House Hunters" .... we could start back with the "Jackson's Room" mom from at least a decade ago.

You can add another topic. Under the green following upper right is "Start Topic" button.  HHI has already added a topic about real estate agents.

[buttersister]

2 hours ago, pdlinda said:

I wonder why that happened???

It was a long break — long enough to break the habit. And the new mission statement struck me as meh. I came for the snark. Maybe there are show forums that are problematic,  I’m not there. Also, I looked at the big list of new shows, and hadn’t heard of any of them.

Full disclosure, I deleted a bunch of unwatched HH eps. Lots of Florida, Alabama, descriptions of bs drama—zzzzzz.

[Kemper]

2 hours ago, chessiegal said:

You can add another topic. Under the green following upper right is "Start Topic" button.  HHI has already added a topic about real estate agents.

I know the site has a strict policy about political talk; and possibly mean-spirited talk. I wonder if a "most entitled/idiotic/etc. House Hunters would be running the risk of crossing the line? Because watching and getting infuriated by many House Hunters - whether they be singles, couples or families is the only thing that is entertaining these days in this long-running franchise.

[chessiegal]

I think a topic like the most annoying or unique HH would be okay.

[Bastet]

On 3/12/2024 at 6:48 PM, Kemper said:

I wonder if a "most entitled/idiotic/etc. House Hunters would be running the risk of crossing the line?

If that's a concern, you could make one titled something along the lines of "Memorable House Hunters" to cover those we remember for good and bad reasons (I know we tend to think more about people like Preston Barrington III's parents, but there are also HHs like that sweet young couple in Prague overjoyed to be looking at crappy apartments). 

Maybe "Hall of Fame or Hall of Shame? Memorable House Hunters" if you find "Memorable House Hunters" boring.

Edited March 14 by Bastet

[Kemper]

I have never started a topic before; just figured out how that will work. I am old and a years-retired-librarian.  Maybe "House Hunters: The Good, The Bad, and the Quirky" to request?

[chessiegal]

2 minutes ago, Kemper said:

I have never started a topic before; just figured out how that will work. I am old and a years-retired-librarian.  Maybe "House Hunters: The Good, The Bad, and the Quirky" to request?

I think that would work, but I like @Bastet suggestion of "Memorable House Hunters", it covers all the bases.

[laredhead]

Last night's episode about a couple looking for a large house in Virginia had me scratching my head with their choice.  The wife wanted the house of her dreams - very large, 2 stories with 2 staircases in the entrance foyer, grand, etc.  The husband wanted a one story because the wife had recently recovered from Guillain-barre' syndrome, and during that time had been paralyzed from the waist down.  He wanted a one story house. because she could become ill again, but she was having none of that.  He was also more budget conscious because he worried that she could lose her job if she got sick again, and that he also could be laid off from his IT job in the future for some reason.  Not her - she was determined to spend the max to get what she wanted.

Big surprise, they bought the most expensive 2 story house, and it had 2 stair cases, although both were not in the entrance foyer.  I did think that if she experienced paralysis again, or had a lot of difficulty walking, they could probably remove the 2nd stairway and install an elevator because the primary bedroom was on the 2nd floor. She mentioned that insurance would take care of some modifications for her disability.  They must have good insurance.  I tell myself that my house isn't my dream house either, but the roof doesn't leak, and I can afford to pay the utility bill, and the mortgage without worrying about losing my job (retired), so I'm good. I hope they both stay employed, and she doesn't have a recurrence of guillain-barre.  

[Johannah]

Haven't seen that ep yet, but at least it was the one with the possible disability that nixed the single story house.  As someone who moved a year ago with the number one reason being my arthritis, I get angry when one person in the couple doesn't seriously and foremost consider limitations of the other person.  That said, based on your recap, she is actually the selfish one.  Not considering any possible real financial concerns or the fact that everything physical will be left to her husband if she has a relapse, just so she can have what she wants, is selfish.

[chessiegal]

If you're spending $$$ on a large home, you should be able to find one that has the main bedroom on the first floor. That was our experience when we bought our current home.