House Hunters - General Discussion

[Grrarrggh]

I know it's none of my business, but I'm curious what happened with Zion mom's ex-husband and what she does for work. 

[chessiegal]

Zion, IL: Yeah, very little background info other than a single mom who had lived in 3 different rentals for the last 3 years. No discussion of commute or schools Only the dog got to live with her parents, lol. She was driving a nice Cadillac. Her budget was $160,000 and she spent $109,700, so depending on where her mon ey was coming from, she may have the money to renovate. The house did indeed sell for $109,700 last August.

The real estate agent intrigued me, saying she was a single mom, she got her doctorate and founded a non-profit for single moms and became a real estate agent. Her RE work is with a broker, separate from her company. Her Linkedin page says she is a community leader, single mom coach, author, motivational speaker, and real estate agent. Busy lady. Her comment to Maia that she would be with her through the entire process, even at the closing, made me chuckle. Well, duh, that's what RE agents do.

Tonight HGTV is listing 2 new HH, one at 8 ET and one at 9. The one at 8 is folks looking for a vacation home in the mountains of Ellijay, GA. I wonder if it's a repackaged Mountain Life or Log Cabin Living. If the agent doesn't go through the house with them, it probably is repackaged episode.

[doodlebug]

2 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

In the Zion, IL I would have gone for the second house.   The third house with the leaky basement would have been a deal breaker for me.   I bet the attic space will never be converted to bedroom space for the daughter, not only would it require the usual finished, that may be over $10k, but that will also require heating/cooling too, plus electrical, and that will probably mean a new HVAC system, vents, and if they put another bathroom up there, even more expense.   

 

However, I did not like the realtor saying that since one neighbor had a trampoline, that maybe the mother and daughter should be friendly to them.   Get your own attractive nuisance, and don't bother the neighbors.   

I've known a couple of people who converted their attic into a suite with bath and it was extremely expensive, far more than 10 k, in fact.  You're right, unless mom has a lot of experience doing electrical work and HVAC herself; it will be a very expensive proposition.  Adding the plumbing and a soil stack for a full bath could easily double the cost.

I liked the second house, too.  The bedrooms were small but the overall space was nice.  I also agree with you that a 100 year old house with a leaky basement is not the home for a single mom on a tight budget.  I presume that house was put on the market by flippers who tend to gloss over the major flaws and stress cosmetic finishes to distract potential buyers from big ticket major fixes that they didn't do.

Edited February 17, 2021 by doodlebug

[Crashcourse]

Did y'all know that the Zion woman was a single mother?  The voiceover kept repeating it over and over and over........

[chessiegal]

Single mom was the theme of the Zion episode, since the real estate agent, also a single mom, lists Single Mom Coach as one of her professions.

[Crashcourse]

I rest my case.

[chocolatine]

8 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

I know it's none of my business, but I'm curious what happened with Zion mom's ex-husband and what she does for work. 

An ex-husband was never mentioned. She may not have been married or in a committed relationship when she got pregnant. With all the emphasis on how she's doing it "on her own" it sounded like the baby daddy is not in the picture at all.

I would have also taken the second house. It was $25k more than the first (still well below the HH's price limit), but was move-in ready and had a garage. It looked like much better value for the money.

[Kiddvideo]

San Francisco: The 2nd place was best for them, but I wish they’d gone with the 3rd house, the single family with the unfinished ground level. I’d really like to see what it looks like and how much the value has increased once someone spends the time and money to finish it out.

Edited February 18, 2021 by Kiddvideo

[KLovestoShop]

The Phoenix couple were ok, but since when are the size of baseboards the reason for buying a house?  The wife was obsessed with freaking baseboards.  I wanted to tell her that fancy baseboards are a pain in the butt because they’re so hard to keep clean.  

[CrazyInAlabama]

First time homebuyers demanding exactly what they want, and not compromising is ridiculous.     The Phoenix woman had the most specific check list I've heard for a first time buyer.   Also, if she's in a job where you might move, why buy a house?     House #1 with small baseboards?   Note to Miss Picky, if hubby takes down the stove wall, and puts in a huge breakfast bar, then it will be either a peninsula, or an island.   Who whines about the smaller baseboards, and the interior door?   I liked that house.     Did the homebuyers realize that they live in the desert?   That pool is going to be expensive.    Plus the huge garage, with it's own AC unit was nice. 

#2 a 2 year old two story.   At least the woman didn't demand the white kitchen so many want.  Too bad the baseboards were too small for her.  Horror of horrors, the garage is too small and not air conditioned, so the man would have to walk to the HOA fitness center.  

#3 3 car garage, newish Mediterranean single story with a tile roof.  The granite counter and back splash isn't the right granite for the woman.   She's also complaining that they would have to paint the interior doors.  So, two people need a 4 bedroom, with a huge office/den/guest room?  Again with the small baseboards.  This one has a lovely pool, but the yard isn't big enough for him.   Until this house, I thought only the woman was being picky, but he's the same way.  

So they picked #3, in spite of the back yard being too small, for $425k.    So they're going to change the back splash in the kitchen, change the interior doors.  build a wall between the third garage space, for his air conditioned home gym.  

(I have to add that I have taller baseboard, and they look nice, but they weren't a deal breaker.)

San Francisco.   I know it's some of the most expensive real estate in the country, but still the prices and budgets are horrible. $1.2 million budget won't go far.     I really like the couple.    Buddy, their dog, was so adorable. (I saw a Hoarders episode, and a hoarded full, never maintained Victorian home was worth $2 million, without any repairs or renovations).     #1 the loft was nicely done, but that open bedroom, and no where for a guest room was not ideal, and no room for the dog to run. 

#2 with the first floor 2 bed/2 bath looked wonderful.   The wood floors certainly faded by the doors, and windows.  The shared roof deck was nice, but Buddy the dog won't like it. 

#3 I don't know why the one house shopper is whining, it's not city center, but it's under budget, has a garage, and is in the city.    I think the third place had a ton of potential, nice outdoor space.  

The second one was nice, and I think it was a good choice.  

NYC to NJ episode-Was that just a commercial for her ballet company?   Good point about the open concept house with the finished basement and first floor, but the not renovated second floor.    In that area, I would at least have to have a big carport, or a garage.    I don't understand why the real estate agent kept showing them houses after the first 20, and I'm hoping that was more drama for the storyline.  

Edited February 19, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[Empress1]

1 hour ago, KLovestoShop said:

The Phoenix couple were ok, but since when are the size of baseboards the reason for buying a house?  The wife was obsessed with freaking baseboards.  I wanted to tell her that fancy baseboards are a pain in the butt because they’re so hard to keep clean.  

I thought the guy in the couple was really good-looking.

[LittleIggy]

Ellijay, GA: Someone tell that guy that Lincoln didn’t ever live in a log mansion! 🙄 

[Grrarrggh]

I actually learned something from that Ellijay episode. I had no idea rural/woodlands houses like that had HOAs as well. Those HOAs actually sound quite useful. I would have chosen the second house, beautiful windows and the shallowish river right there were great. 

[Grrarrggh]

Once again, I did not understand why the NJ woman wanted open concept. Not to mention I'd never pick a house without a garage living in that area. 

[Kiddvideo]

Leaving NYC for NJ: The one house looked like a flip from a tv show where they only do a couple rooms and leave the rest unrennovated. I liked the one they picked, but the corgi stole the episode.

[swimmom]

I lived in Cranford,N J  for many years and it is convenient to get to NYC.

What the show didn't explore was that over half the town flooded badly by Hurricane Irene in 2011. I personally lost my house in that flood and moved to Pa. Cost to repair house was more than it was worth.

Not sure where the houses they saw were located in the town but I wonder if the renovations were due in part to flood damage. It is a beautiful town and a great place to live other than flood potential. Very pricey .

[Kiddvideo]

37 minutes ago, swimmom said:

I lived in Cranford,N J  for many years and it is convenient to get to NYC.

What the show didn't explore was that over half the town flooded badly by Hurricane Irene in 2011. I personally lost my house in that flood and moved to Pa. Cost to repair house was more than it was worth.

Not sure where the houses they saw were located in the town but I wonder if the renovations were due in part to flood damage. It is a beautiful town and a great place to live other than flood potential. Very pricey .

I'm so sorry you lost your home. I hope the move to PA brought good changes for you.

[BrownBear2012]

On 2/18/2021 at 8:44 PM, Empress1 said:

I thought the guy in the couple was really good-looking.

I thought the guy was incredibly tolerant. She was a whiny, demanding, entitled diva. He seemed reasonable and weighed each property carefully citing their individual pros and cons. She was acting like a spoiled, petulant princess. It could get old after awhile for him...

Edited February 20, 2021 by BrownBear2012

[Empress1]

54 minutes ago, BrownBear2012 said:

I though the guy was incredibly tolerant. She was a whiny, demanding, entitled diva. He seemed reasonable and weighed each property carefully citing their individual pros and cons. She was acting like a spoiled, petulant princess. It could get old after awhile for him...

He did seem much more reasonable than she did. At one point he called her nitpicky - I think it was when she complained about baseboards or doors. He also said stuff like “it’s not perfect, but ...” Everyone said he always saw the positive, and I appreciated that.

[swimmom]

5 hours ago, Kiddvideo said:

I'm so sorry you lost your home. I hope the move to PA brought good changes for you.

Thanks for your kind words. It did bring good things after all. We bought a nice house in Pa (much cheaper than NJ).Also, in the last 9 years we became Grandparents 5 times! 4 boys and 1 girl.

The flood was the worst experience of our lives. We lost almost everything we owned. Thank goodness we had flood insurance. We knew Cranford is a flood zone when we bought. It was a great town to raise our kids.

[Hawkeye83]

Every time the oldest daughter in the Arkansas episode said she didn’t want to share her bathroom with strangers cracked me up.  I’m sure she meant she didn’t want to share with guests.  However, every time she said “strangers,” I thought, “For crying out loud, do you plan on inviting random people off the street into your house? “   I understand that you want your kids to enjoy their home, but Arkansas Mom was definitely overcompensating. She came across as weak and her kids behaved a little bratty.  

[DanielleBowden]

On 2/17/2021 at 11:13 PM, chocolatine said:

An ex-husband was never mentioned.

Her agent said something about starting over. I was curious too. She seems like a good mom with a nice kid and I was happy for them. Kids usually don’t come off well on this show. Zion has in interesting history. It was founded as a very strict utopian/religious community. http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1399.html

[chessiegal]

The Zion mom said they had lived in 3 different rentals the previous 3 years. That said to me that prior to those 3 years, she had been living somewhere more permanent.

[buttersister]

I'm assuming (yeah, I know) that Zion realtor got a sizable price reduction to fix whatever the problem was in the basement (she alluded to doing an inspection--and I doubt she'd have advised that woman to buy the house without it). Hope it was enough to fix the issue(s) with a little left over to put toward that dream bedroom.

[chessiegal]

32 minutes ago, buttersister said:

I'm assuming (yeah, I know) that Zion realtor got a sizable price reduction to fix whatever the problem was in the basement (she alluded to doing an inspection--and I doubt she'd have advised that woman to buy the house without it). Hope it was enough to fix the issue(s) with a little left over to put toward that dream bedroom.

Unless the house is being sold "as is", every mortgage lender I've ever dealt with required a home inspection. That said, not all inspectors are created equal. 

[LittleIggy]

2 hours ago, DanielleBowden said:

Her agent said something about starting over. I was curious too. She seems like a good mom with a nice kid and I was happy for them. Kids usually don’t come off well on this show. Zion has in interesting history. It was founded as a very strict utopian/religious community. http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1399.html

“Utopias” never last. I can definitely see why this one didn’t:

”Dowie instituted the “Zion City Lease,” which forbade gambling, theaters, and circuses, as well as the manufacture and sale of alcohol and tobacco. In addition, the lease banned pork, dancing, swearing, spitting, politicians, doctors, oysters, and tan-colored shoes. Whistling on Sunday was punishable by jail time.”

Tan-colored shoes? Huh? What if you were whistling a hymn on Sunday? 🧐

Edited February 20, 2021 by LittleIggy

[CrazyInAlabama]

There's a marathon this morning (Saturday) on HGTV.   Apparently their theme is husbands that I loathe.  Why are they rerunning the Fort Lauderdale episode where they moved from Chicago, lost money on a property there, and now the husband is whining about buying vs. renting.    Different markets mean different conditions, so they buy a town house, put down artificial pet turf in the back yard, so he won't actually need to work.     

Then the people who live near Annapolis, but actually buy in a neighboring community.   The people who put postcards right in people's mailboxes, (totally illegal, no postage), and they end up with a house with a shared driveway, and the garage is his gym.    Where will they park?   The driveway isn't theirs except for driving to and from the garage (apparently, more producer shenanigans, and not true).    Almost a million dollars, and no where to park the car.   It was so obvious, a weight rack in the garage, and he demands a home gym, guess which house they buy?    

Then the totally irritating house hunters near Atlanta who want to have acreage, but complain how far out of town it is.  They bought the cheapest house, with the most land, and were going to get chickens, and I hope the donkeys were indeed leaving.  But they bought the cheapest mansion, and then proceeded to change a lot of stuff out.    So the cheap one, is actually the most expensive.   I'm glad for the neighbor's sake that they're really far away from the shrieking kids, and the shrieking wife.   Hope the husband enjoys his awful commute. 

Now they're having a marathon on OWN.   The Kansas City woman who's such a germaphobe that she doesn't want a used house is driving me out of my mind.    She actually walked into a great house, where she wanted to gut the master bath, because it wasn't up to her standards, and other people had used everything in the bathroom.   She demands that she has to have a huge, separate walk-in closet from her husband.   This is so she can open her shopping packages she apparently gets every day.   She actually says several times that she needs space to "enjoy her packages".    

So they bought a very nice used house. They didn't buy the new build out in the country.   The house they bought has two closets, so she can enjoy her delivery packages in privacy, in her huge closet.    So they start ripping out stuff, so this house will be over budget eventually anyway.    I don't know why her husband keeps saying the houses with renovations will be over their budget, when they should have shopped at a price that allows for renovations, or changes. 

Now the Detroit couple, moving to the burbs.  She wants a huge laundry room, so she can put a couch in there, and hang out in the laundry room.     So she ends up with an end of the unfinished basement, with her washer dryer, and a big couch.     

The two men moving back to Lafayette, LA are so adorable.   They both want to pick a home to raise their baby in, and their pups are adorable too.    

Edited February 26, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[chessiegal]

57 minutes ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

Then the people who live near Annapolis, but actually buy in a neighboring community.   The people who put postcards right in people's mailboxes, (totally illegal, no postage), and they end up with a house with a shared driveway, and the garage is his gym.    Where will they park?   The driveway isn't theirs except for driving to and from the garage.    Almost a million dollars, and no where to park the car.   It was so obvious, a weight rack in the garage, and he demands a home gym, guess which house they buy? 

I found that house and there is plenty space to park their car in the shared driveway. The parking drama is fiction.

[deirdra]

Whenever there is a marathon, it is hard not to notice how many women spend the entire time trying to hide their thighs with their stiff arms and spread-out hands, yet aren't worried about us seeing their cankles or doughy arms.

[amarante]

On 2/19/2021 at 7:58 PM, LittleIggy said:

“Utopias” never last. I can definitely see why this one didn’t:

”Dowie instituted the “Zion City Lease,” which forbade gambling, theaters, and circuses, as well as the manufacture and sale of alcohol and tobacco. In addition, the lease banned pork, dancing, swearing, spitting, politicians, doctors, oysters, and tan-colored shoes. Whistling on Sunday was punishable by jail time.”

Tan-colored shoes? Huh? What if you were whistling a hymn on Sunday? 🧐

😂😂😂😂 Hollywood, California was originally intended to be a non-drinking Protestant church town. The land was owned by a rich religious woman and she gave free land on what is now Hollywood Boulevard to churches. 

[Kiddvideo]

Phoenix: Standard but low key conflict where one wants a new build while the other wants to earn sweat equity with a fixer upper. That 3rd house with the loft space, upper deck, view, and pool. omg. I’m so glad they picked it and have some money to update. (Though I hope they don’t go with the contemporary all white kitchen etc. where it’ll end up just as dated in 10 years.)

I really hope HH does a follow-up with them! I want to see how the house turns out.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I really liked the couple in Phoenix.    They had a decent budget, knew what they wanted, and unlike so many others on this show, could compromise.      The second house was spectacular, but 45 minutes from town?    No way, especially when the cost of a pool, outdoor kitchen, and entertaining space, and landscaping were added in.     The first house was nice, but not big enough.      The third house was amazing, but totally dated before, and what the men did to it will be even more spectacular.     

[ByaNose]

6 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I really liked the couple in Phoenix.    They had a decent budget, knew what they wanted, and unlike so many others on this show, could compromise.      The second house was spectacular, but 45 minutes from town?    No way, especially when the cost of a pool, outdoor kitchen, and entertaining space, and landscaping were added in.     The first house was nice, but not big enough.      The third house was amazing, but totally dated before, and what the men did to it will be even more spectacular.     

I’d really like see the house now since it’s (probably) done & what the renovation budget was. 

[Grrarrggh]

20 hours ago, Kiddvideo said:

I really hope HH does a follow-up with them! I want to see how the house turns out.

I don't. Considering what he liked about that boring, no design, new build I'm guessing the house will be open concept white/grey maybe some black. 1 of the 3 pulls it seems everyone without creativity uses, stainless steel appliances, subway tile somewhere too. Why do all these people claim they want to put their stamp on their new house when what they really want to do is put the basic flip house stamp on it? 

[Grizzly]

Oak Island. I was shocked that they went with the house he liked. It was exhausting listening to all of her conditions. He must be made of sterner stuff. If you can't walk to the beach, it doesn't matter how "close" it is.

[chessiegal]

I thought Oak Island might be a repackaged Island Hunters/Beach Hunters/Beachfront Bargain Hunt, but the wife was so annoying. All her complaints were straight out of the HH script. Usually couples on those other shows tend to be more on the same page. She was exhausting.

[Cancun]

Oak Island. Agree the wife was annoying and exhausting. HH script - who actually brings a plate of cookies out into the yard and stands right in front of a child on a swing. I laughed when some cookies fell to the ground.

[MooCat Pretzel]

Oak Island:  Did the wife actually say that the first house had “too many (back) stairs” for their 8 month-old DOG?!?!  

Any 8 month-old puppy we have ever had flies over stairs because puppies are so agile and excited about everything—doesn’t matter how many steps there are...

That husband had the patience of a saint.

Edited February 24, 2021 by MooCat Pretzel

[CrazyInAlabama]

On the Oak Island episode, the third house with the enclosed ground floor but that wasn't included in the square footage?   Husband is right, that's unpermitted space, not insurable, and no way would it be legal to rent, and it would not have a certificate of occupancy either.     So the lower level was not legal to use as living space in any way, even as guest quarters.      I'm suspecting it was be hard to get insurance on that house too, because of the unpermitted ground level.   No permits will mean no inspections either. 

The ranch house would have been a bad choice too.    It was just another suburban home, and for a vacation home, it was too much house.    

Edited February 25, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[Grizzly]

9 hours ago, MooCat Pretzel said:

Oak Island:  Did the wife actually say that the first house had “too many (back) stairs” for their 8 month-old DOG?!?!  

But it's perfectly fine to pile the whole family, including dog, into a golf cart.

[Dehumidifier]

Running an episode I taped last night. Husband, looking at the second bathroom, just said, "I wish there were two sinks in this room. The boys (currently 1 and 2) when they get older won't want to share a sink." I think I have to stop watching this show.

[StatisticalOutlier]

13 hours ago, Dehumidifier said:

Running an episode I taped last night. Husband, looking at the second bathroom, just said, "I wish there were two sinks in this room. The boys (currently 1 and 2) when they get older won't want to share a sink." I think I have to stop watching this show.

Plus it was a 6-bedroom, 5-bath house for a married couple with two children.  Surely some acceptable solution could be arranged.

[BrownBear2012]

On 2/23/2021 at 10:51 PM, chessiegal said:

I thought Oak Island might be a repackaged Island Hunters/Beach Hunters/Beachfront Bargain Hunt, but the wife was so annoying. All her complaints were straight out of the HH script. Usually couples on those other shows tend to be more on the same page. She was exhausting.

The endless lists of what these younger gals "have to have" just blows my mind...

[amarante]

GQ had an in depth article on the throuples 

https://www.gq.com/story/house-hunters-throuple-modern-lovers

[CrazyInAlabama]

OWN is having a rerun marathon.    LA to Bloomington, with a Library Science professor and a sign language interpreter.   Sticker shock isn't going to help, they expected cheaper homes there, but they aren't super cheap.   The two men are adorable, but can't even agree on a dog breed to adopt, maybe a cat or two would be better.     The house hunters are doing the typical storyline fixer vs. turn key.    Another factor in Bloomington, is it's a huge university town, make sure you're not next to a bunch of houses that are packed with a lot of students.       The #3 house went beyond fixer upper to me.   It had a lot of strange features, like a step down to the master bathroom.   And a hideous kitchen, refacing wouldn't even be an option, it needs a full gut.  #1 was a cute, but small bungalow, and only had one bathroom.   #2 new build was lovely, needs a fence, and a fireplace.   It's also far from campus.     SO they picked #3, and have an adorable cute dog.   They didn't gut the kitchen, they painted them blue, and put in quartz counter tops, and painted every wall.   

Then the lovely story of a cancer survivor, and nurse, who promised that if she beat cancer she would get a motorcycle and a house.   This is in southern New Jersey.   Her mother is so cute, and has her own three wheeled motorcycle,.   The realtor is hysterical.   She has seven grandchildren.  

Now the rerun of the man in Atlanta that wants income property, to make the house mortgage free, and the wife doesn't .  He's the one with the motor scooter he named "Blueberry".    

The Jonesboro, AR episode is hysterical.    First the lazy daughters want an acre of lawn, that they won't touch, and want their own individual bathrooms, and family room.     She's shopping for everything her daughters want, and that's asking for trouble.  And the older daughter demands a two story house, so she can have her own space.   The daughters keep whining about having cubbies, so buy some, they do sell them, or hire someone to build a few cubbies.  On the second house, there is a huge master closet, especially for one person, but the mother doesn't think it's big enough for her stuff.      

 

Edited February 27, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[Bastet]

3 hours ago, amarante said:

GQ had an in depth article on the throuples 

https://www.gq.com/story/house-hunters-throuple-modern-lovers

I'm glad to hear that in-person reaction to the episode was more positive than all the pearl-clutching online. 

Unrelated to HH, this from Brian about Lori and Geli's TV preferences cracked me up:  “These two like to watch murder shows, and it makes me really nervous.”

[Crashcourse]

Meh.  They probably want a reality show and I wouldn't be surprised if they got one.

[LittleIggy]

9 hours ago, Bastet said:

I'm glad to hear that in-person reaction to the episode was more positive than all the pearl-clutching online. 

Unrelated to HH, this from Brian about Lori and Geli's TV preferences cracked me up:  “These two like to watch murder shows, and it makes me really nervous.”

I like to watch murder shows! Makes me wonder about myself sometimes! 🤨 BTW, I’m pissed that the new season of “Fear Thy Neighbor” will be on...guess what...Discovery +. I’m sick of the big 🖕🏻Discovery networks are giving to their cable viewers.

[amarante]

8 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

I like to watch murder shows! Makes me wonder about myself sometimes! 🤨 BTW, I’m pissed that the new season of “Fear Thy Neighbor” will be on...guess what...Discovery +. I’m sick of the big 🖕🏻Discovery networks are giving to their cable viewers.

I don't even understand it as a viable business model. None of their networks have "must see" television that is competitive with Netflix, Disney +, Amazon Prime, HBO or other streaming services. 

[LittleIggy]

2 hours ago, amarante said:

I don't even understand it as a viable business model. None of their networks have "must see" television that is competitive with Netflix, Disney +, Amazon Prime, HBO or other streaming services. 

Hey, it’s “must see” TV when Kevin is on House Hunters International! 🥰