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I love this show. I love looking in other people’s houses, and I really love looking at them around the globe. Mongolia? Seriously? I was so ready for the big tents and camel stalls, but they have actual houses there. Who knew? And who knew how many people pick up and move across the world just because? Or buy “vacation homes” halfway around the world?
Here are some things I find kind of interesting:
1. No matter what country in which you may want to buy a house, no matter how far-flung in the corners of the earth, there is an American or British ex-pat realtor ready to sell you a house. Why do so many Brits and Americans want to go be realtors elsewhere?
2. Popcorn ceilings are a deal-killer. I don’t get that. They aren’t attractive, but is it that hard to fix? If you found the house with the layout you wanted, in the area you wanted, would you say no because of a popcorn ceiling? Let me tell you, I had a cracked foundation once. I could not sell that house to save my life. Cracked foundations are deal killers.
3. Granite countertops and stainless appliances are coveted the world over. Where did that start? What committee of interior decorators decided granite was the be-all to end-all?
4. People have some strange color tastes. Some house hunters can’t see past the paint, and sometimes, they think paint is ugly that I like. But if I were a homeowner, and I had a mural painted on a wall, I think I would paint over it before I sold.
5. Every episode of House Hunter includes the word, “entertain.” They say it so much you know the producer tells them too. Everyone is looking for place to entertain. Do people really entertain that much? I feel like I am missing something or doing something wrong, because I never think, “this would be a great area for entertaining.” I think, “this is where my nephew is going to sleep if he likes it or not.”
For me, I want a good location and plenty of bathrooms, which I think goes back to my early childhood and six people vying for one bathroom. Talk about a serious deal-killer. Makes popcorn ceilings look like a problem for a kindergartner.
Are you a fan of House Hunters? What’s the most exotic country locale you have visited with them? Where would you like to have a vacation home? What’s a deal-breaker in a house for you?
Never seen House Hunters at all, heck we are just getting Once Upon A Time to start airing on tv here. If ever I could have a holiday house anywhere, or rather several holiday houses, one would be on a Greek island, another would be in the US, in the UK (probably a couple in the UK) and a couple here in Australia. A couple of deal breakers in any house of mine would be if it were in reality a run down shack or if Satanic practices have taken place in it. I would want to know if a murder had taken place in the house so that way if I purchased it then I could have it blessed and cleansed psychically because movies such as Amityville Horror and Poltergeist have made me leery about spiritually unclean houses.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 5:43 am.
Kelly, they film in Australia all the time. I hope you get to see it. And yeah…murders or Satanic rituals would put me off a potential house
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:12 am.
I watch House Hunters quite often. Then it starts to depress me. Really…why can’t I afford a vacation home in some exotic country I’ve never heard of? Then I come back to reality. Although most of those places look beautiful I would never live there. The only places I would consider outside of the US are Ireland and Cayman. And of course I have never seen an episode that aired in Ireland! A deal breaker for me is lighting. I need a lot of windows or creative lighting. Have a great day!
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 6:53 am.
Oooh, Kelly, me too. Lots and lots of natural light is a MUST
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:13 am.
Kelly
I’ve seen a couple of shows that were done in Ireland. Just last week they were in Dublin.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 6:09 pm.
Ah dang. Wouldn’t it figure I missed it! I guess I’ll watch the hundreds of re-runs to try to catch it. Thanks:)
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 8:26 pm.
This past Thanksgiving is the first time (in 17 years) that Gerry Ann has not had HGtv on for the week she is here. It is the only time during the year that I watch all of the house hunting shows.
I totally agree with the granite counters and paint colors. The other thing that annoys me about those shows is that 90% of the time 2 of the 3 houses are way above their budget.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 7:18 am.
Yes, always! And not just a little over their budget, but 50 grand sometimes!
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:13 am.
I love watching House Hunters. Just the other night they were house hunting in Dubai. After watching one episode of House Hunters I was ready to move to Spain. I’m never depressed that I can’t afford some of the house they show, I just wonder what those people do to earn enough money to buy those fabulously expensive places.
I would have to agree about granite. It looks nice, but whats the big deal. And stainless steel appliances? Do you know how hard it is to keep stainless steel clean and free of fingerprints?
Deal breakers for me would be not room for my writer’s cave. I always roll my eyes when they complain about the colors, and other easily fixable things.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 7:50 am.
I had a writer’s cave. A completely separate writer’s cave. And then we had to move, and now, I have a writer’s cave, but it’s in the middle of everything. So if anyone is around, working is impossible.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:14 am.
I watch House Hunters quite often. I wonder how many of those people have managed to keep their home during the recession. Then I wonder how they can afford such an expensive home. I’m always surprised that they will discuss each house, name all the bad points and then pick the house that they didn’t seem to like. I’d love a house with a master bathroom but that isn’t going to happen. I don’t want stainless steel appliances or sinks.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 7:56 am.
I love how they always go for the max they can possibly borrow. Because mortgages are so easy! Yeah, right
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:15 am.
I watch House Hunters fairly often. My munchkin likes it too. She thinks it is great trying to figure out which house the people will choose.
It baffles me too how these people get so much money in order to be able to afford the vacation homes etc. I love the international show because I get to see countries I know I will NEVER get to see otherwise.
That show and other ones like Property Virgins annoy the heck out of me because the people are SO picky about all the little stuff. I mean really, a can of paint costs $20 or less! Countertops are livable and so are most appliances unless they are 30 years old! Yeah, popcorn ceilings are awful but in the south, they are VERY common. You either get popcorn or “knock down” which is a smoothed out popcorn. Still don’t understand that but whatever. Its what we’ve got!
Location, layout and bathrooms are HUGE in my book too. Must have enough bathrooms and they can’t be old and nasty bathrooms either. Need something that doesn’t look like a petri dish or something that isn’t gonna fall apart on me. I also agree, who really entertains THAT much. Yes, I like the open concept between a kitchen and family room but really, the TV people must put that in their vocabulary for the show.
Now, if only I could run into Matt Minster from DIY’s Bath Crashers, while out shopping. I would LOVE him to come redo my master bath
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 8:00 am.
Oh I know, Jen. That’s what I need — someone to come in and make some adjustments.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:16 am.
I’ll take Yard Crashers too. And I hate my kitchen. I wonder if I could get all three????
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:39 am.
DEFINITELY a fan of House Hunters. Ever since my home got cable, HGTV has been my daily channel. That and Food Network.
I agree w/ the granite and stainless steel appliances. Not really a granite fan, due to me thinking more of a eco-friendly counter person. I don’t mind stainless steel so much, but I think it would be nice to have it covered or have some retro coverings for it. Reminded me of that Kitchen Cousins in which that retro stove was shown.
I think the European locale, one that I had never heard before until I watched that episodes, was my most exotic locale with this show. As for a vacation home, I think Hawaii. Good rental income if I have a vacation home there.
Some deal-breakers for me would be a fixer-upper, not enough bathrooms, no garage, location, and not detached. I don’t mind semi-detached, but I actually detached. I’ll accept 2 bedroom, 2 baths (2.5 would be better) since I really DON’T want to share my bathroom. Location isn’t too much of a priority so long as it is safe, it isn’t too far from work, and have good resale value.
Argh. I think I’ve been watching too much HGTV. [Not.]
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 8:24 am.
E.R., sounds like you could host Property Virgins, LOL
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:17 am.
I think there is a new host for Property Virgins. She’s very knowledgeable about New York, that’s much I can see. Though I wouldn’t mind having Sandra being my realtor, nor wouldn’t I mind having Mike Holmes building my dream home the right way.
Posted on January 14, 2012 at 9:59 pm.
I love watching House Hunters. DH will watch with me and we try to decide which house they will pick. I don’t get the need for granite counter tops and hardwood floors. And don’t these people realize how shallow they sound when they complain about the piddly stuff like bathroom fixtures?
I need to have a porch; a patio or a deck, that would be a deal breaker for me. And the house must have plenty of light and more than one bathroom. And room for my books.
If I could afford a vacation home I’d want it someplace warm near the water.
Did you know the buyers have to be under contract with one of the houses they look at on House Hunters before they can go on the show? I don’t remember where I heard that, but it kind of makes sense.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 8:31 am.
What??? Do you mean they already have the house? Or do they help them find the house, and they sign, and then they get to be on?
I can be so gullible sometimes.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:18 am.
Sue is correct.. they are already under contract for the house they “pick” and the others are for filming.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:07 pm.
Sue, no kidding! I always figured they had to sign a contract that they would actually buy a house, otherwise, what a waste of time. But have it beforehand???
Devious.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:49 am.
I watch House Hunters all the time. I would want a good location and layout. Don’t know what the big deal is about granite because my parents have it and it’s a pain to keep up with. Don’t want stainless because I’ll spend all my time cleaning it. I want a roomy mastersuite. That is my deal breaker. Anything else I can deal with. I want a writer’s cave where I can spread out oh and being here in Florida I would love a roomy sunroom. Anything else I can deal with.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 8:47 am.
I have granite, because you can hardly get a house without them sometimes. I haven’t had any problems with it. They told me to seal it every year, but I never have. Ooops.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:19 am.
I’ve seen it a few times. I like the international version. I can’t believe how much some people plunk down on a vacation home they’ll only spend a few weeks during a year.
My old friend recently sold her house and moved back to her home province of PEI. 2 weeks ago I helped her pack up. It was bittersweet as this was the home she had bought and shared with her late husband. Married over 14 yrs, he was taken by depression. It is enough to say it was a horrible experience that no wife should have to go through.
It’s been a rough 2 yrs for her and I’m happy she is starting a new chapter of her life not far from her beloved supportive family.
I’m sad that she no longers lives near me, but hey, I’m invited to the ‘newly built just for her’ home’s unveiling in April! She bought a piece of land overlooking the beautiful Victoia By The Sea. A FREE vacation home away from home for me.
google it. it’s purdy
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 8:55 am.
How fun, Kathy! I love that part of Canada. Gorgeous
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:19 am.
I’ve never seen House Hunters.
I would love to have a vacation home in Santa Fe. What a place.
A deal breaker for me would be small rooms. Got that now. Not moving to another one. And the cracked foundation. I’m with you there. Had to fix that once. Wasn’t pretty.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 9:07 am.
Santa Fe is lovely…but I prefer Taos (as you know
).
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:20 am.
I’ve seen a few episodes, it was pretty…entertaining.
I can’t believe how much money people will spend on a house- insane. But, I guess if you have millions, spending a couple on a house is no big deal.
A deal breaker for me would be small rooms, rotting siding, leaky windows, shabby roof, etc. We bought our current (first!) house for under market value- It’s what you would have called a “fixer-upper”. Yeah. We replaced 3 toilets, 2 tubs, all the carpeting, repainted, replaced the windows and insulated the attic storage areas b/c the air just leaks in and out the doors! Oh, and replaced the stove and dishwasher too. We still need to get to the kitchen (floors, cabinets, walls) and the back and side porches are rotting. Sigh. Sometimes I think we’ll never be done.
Next time, we’re building!
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 9:36 am.
Dana, I had a house like that. It was so charming, but so broken. We redid the kitchen, and started to think of other things to do, but the foundation had to be repaired, the electrical and plumbing needed to be replaced, and the roof was awful. Sigh. We gave up and moved.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:21 am.
I love House Hunters and also Fantasy Homes By The Sea. I would love to be able to afford a vacation home. If I could buy one anywhere, it would probably be in a warm climate like the Bahamas or Barbados. I watched an episode where the couple was looking for a home in Ecuador. The landscape was beautiful, but it seemed so far away for a vacation home.
A small kitchen with little counter space would turn me off, or outdated bathrooms. Things that are expensive to upgrade. I am not big on wallpaper or carpets either. I think if I bought a house with carpet, I would replace it or change to hardwood. Wall colour is so easy to change. I wouldn’t base my decision on that.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 9:40 am.
I know, and some of those people get all wrapped up in the paint. It’s kind of funny sometimes.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:22 am.
I like HH and I really enjoy it when they go it Europe, particularly Italy. My husband and I have talked about buying a vacation home there, but some questions I have is: Is there “regular” electricity? Can I plug in an air conditioner? Do they have a Loews or Home Depot where we can get things like sheet rock, carpeting and hard wood flooring?
On one episode, a man purchased a place near Tuscany that was literally a pile of rubble. It didn’t have walls or floors or plumbing or electricity. I think it was around $20,000…not bad if you have access to the supplies you need and can do the work yourself.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 9:57 am.
I saw that one, Lisa. That’s bold!
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:23 am.
I’m a huge fan of House Hunters. I agree wholeheartedly with you. I think you did leave one thing out though…..it seems as though many times, the house hunter provides a list of things that are “deal breakers” and more, often times than not, they choose the house that had that deal breaker instead of others that had exactly what they said they wanted. We’ve had to move many times in our lives and have been in house hunting mode. We continue to be amazed at the number of people who just can’t look past the paint color.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:09 am.
Joy, they must see the other houses and realize that their deal breakers aren’t such big deals after all. But you’re right…I suppose they do that to keep you guessing.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:24 am.
I watch House Hunters passionately. I love all of the house shows when you can see inside, but HH International is the best!
I’d love a house in Spain, in British Coulumbia, and one in England. It’s a joke around here: put it on the list.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:23 am.
Us too, Barbara. The list gets longer and longer. I don’t even know where some of these places are, but it’s on the list, LOL
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:25 am.
I live in BC, Canada. It’s gorgeous here, but the houses are sooooo expensive! My parents’ small and average house that’s in a not-so-great location is worth at LEAST $600,000.
If you head into Vancouver, then a small 250 sq ft apartment is over $800,000. Any larger and you go into 1 million.
It’s ridiculous. Makes it difficult for the young people in this province to move out of their parents’ places.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 1:59 pm.
I love House Hunters and trying to guess which house they will choose to buy. The international version is fun and so popular that they show more episodes of it. My favorite was a California couple with two boys who were relocating to an island. Not because of a job, but had been on vacation there and decided it would be a great place to live and raise their family there. What a leap! My own vacation home would be at a lake closer to home so that we can enjoy it as much as possible. Deal breakers? Structural first, but kitchens are my next breaker. Is their enough cabinet, drawers, pantry space, and counter top space? We bought two years ago and I have black appliances. They really stood out from all the stainless we saw, but I didn’t choose my house because of it.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:33 am.
I have black appliances. But when I refinanced this summer, the appraisal counted off for the fact that I didn’t have stainless in this area where stainless rules. Not much, but enough they made a note of it in the appraisal
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 11:07 am.
I was going to write a blog about this EXACT thing!!!
Seriously, Julia, let’s talk.
I mean, really? When did popcorn ceilings become a deal breaker? I remember when they were invented and all the rage because they deadened noise. How often do I look at the ceiling anyway?
People who comment on a room’s paint. OMG!!! It costs $30 to buy a gallon of paint. Knock yourself out.
And then there’s the ‘great house to entertain in’—do people really think this? Who ARE these people? Foreign ambassadors? Professional wedding hosts? Is this a home or a place of business? I look at a house and look at how many steps from the fridge to the sink to the table. Now that’s what I call important.
Seriously, location and floor plan, those are the issues. Location: can’t change it. Floor plan: very expensive and messy to change. Can be done, and I would do it, if the selling price was low enough.
And speaking of price, it drives me INSANE when people have their list of “must-haves” and their price point and the two don’t have any connection in reality AT ALL, and they complain to the realtor about every single house he shows them. This one is too small. This one has old appliances and funky wallpaper. This one is on a busy road. This one has a small yard. Fine! Pony up another 50 to 100,000 and you can get what you seem to think you deserve.
The one thing I’ve learned from watching HOUSE HUNTERS—and I am a totally devoted fan—still miss the original hostess—is that I could never be a realtor. Heads would roll. Theirs, not mine.
Oh, I learned two things: I don’t want to live in Mongolia. I don’t know why I was surprised to find it flat, dusty, and dreary. It *is* Mongolia.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:45 am.
Claudia, we were separated at birth.
Weren’t you surprised there were houses in Mongolia? The only pictures I have ever seen are of camels and nomads.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 11:09 am.
I was surprised! Mongolia actually has apartment buildings! Dreary, depressing apartment buildings and condos, but still… do you think they have internet?
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 2:24 pm.
I enjoy watching it, but really like to see the things that they have in these places and add them to my wish list of what I am doing to our house. There are times I want to reach out and slap the crap out of some of the prospective buyers- the whining and “Oh, my god, I can’t live with that!” attitude and the “have to have this” attitude. Really? I’m sorry, but today was the genie in the bottles’ day off. You might actually have to settle for something that is perfect. Want exactly what you want? Build it from the ground up.
As for a vacation home, mine’s on wheels. It may limit me to the US and Canada, but I’m ok with that. I don’t think I want to vacation in the same place all the time.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:47 am.
Ev I saw the tiniest, tiniest RV I have ever seen, and two people came out of it! Just goes to show you how much space we really need.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 11:10 am.
I have ‘loved’ HH since I first found it — gotta admit, what I’d really like to learn is ‘where the heck do these poeple work to make money to afford these places?’ The younger ones are such a hoot with their ‘must have’ lists… I was happy to have a bathroom & kitchen that worked!! Now, of course, my needs are different… I look at the International episodes and think ‘how much would it cost me when I have to fly back to see my perio-dentist?’ I agree with the ‘entertaining areas’…these people must have some extended family!! One home of my sister-in-law had a pool [not terribly common in the midwest] somehow they ended up hosting the neighborhood for the summer!! and it was expensive!! only owned that house for a couple of years before they moved!
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 11:21 am.
I would give my right arm to get rid of our pool. IT’s a royal PITA.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 11:22 am.
Unless you live in a sunny warm climate — and it’s screened in… and people aren’t tracking over carpet to the facilities… ..you could fill it with jello?
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:09 pm.
I love House Hunters! Especially the international version. It really makes me want to move to another country and have an grand adventure. I would give my right arm, possibly my first born to move to Scotland, and it wouldn’t be a vacation home, it would be a permanent move. Deal breaker for me, is that the house MUST have 2 bathrooms, and decent space no tiny rooms.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:01 pm.
I would love to live in Scotland. I understand their immigration laws are pretty strict.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:24 pm.
I didn’t know that about the immigration laws. We did look into it but nixed it because it was a royal PITA to get my husband licensed as a pharmacist there.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 5:03 pm.
I love House Hunters and House Hunters International! The word that always gets me is “space.” Oh, and when people say, “It has to be updated, of course,” as though only a cretin would live in the house the way it was. That always makes me feel bad for the people who actually DO live there. How embarrassing to see your family home trashed on national TV.
My favorite international episodes are those that take place in fabulous, luxurious locales. I think it’s more fun to look at beautiful homes than to see grim Eastern bloc apartments in gray, dingy, boxy buildings.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:10 pm.
with the tiniest bedrooms ever seen in America, too. They just squeeze a bed in there and that’s it. No room for even a shoe.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:24 pm.
I know! There was one – Japan, maybe? – where the mattress was in a loft that was only tall enough for crawling. And if I remember right, that’s the one they took!
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 4:24 pm.
I don’t watch these shows. I have seen episodes of most of them but they are not really “real”. It also bugs the hell out of me how some people go into another country and expect houses to be just like what they have at home.. well.. If you are going to Thailand or something, the homes are not going to be like US surburbia. If you want to live in a home that looks and feels much like where you already live – why move there? Isn’t part of the allure the exotic locale? They are all mostly staged anyway and perhaps my friendship with behind the scenes people on other shows has further jaded me against them.
I miss the old design shows.. they were at least a bit more realistic in what goes on.
I am quirky when it comes to “my dream home” I don’t care about a giant master suite since all I do is shower, sleep and dress in there. I usually turn the large master suite into my creative space and use a smaller bedroom for my bed. I don’t want a huge house since I don’t need a ton of space and don’t want to clean it. I would love a small yard with room for the dog to run about a bit and for me to have a little garden. I used to entertain a lot, but I was in a small apartment.. so other than a decent sized kitchen (that I can also use for shooting) I can make pretty much anything work
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:17 pm.
I’m all for small. I have a much bigger house than is necessary for our lives. I would like a lot smaller. AND NO POOL (altho check with me again around May when it gets hot)
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:26 pm.
You know, finding a hot pool boy can make them a bit more enjoyable…
I love the idea of a pool and I love swimming, but I would definitely want to hire someone to take care of it for me. Though I’d want more of a lap pool than the play shaped pools my friends had when I lived in Texas
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:32 pm.
Sheridan, DITTO!! It’s horrifying to watch people turn their noses up at perfectly nice homes in another country because the kitchen isn’t “American” or the closets are “inadequate” or the living room is too small. This is what is NORMAL in another country! If you don’t want your water heater hanging in the corner of your bathroom, don’t move to Europe!
Part of moving is to become Part of That Culture (see all my previous posts on the “melting pot”).
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 2:31 pm.
First, I have no problem with popcorn ceilings. Provided they are in good condition. And I agree, they would not be a deal breaker for me either. Neither would carpet, paint or drapes. All fixable to suit me.
Yes, I love the show too. I also love Income Property. I dont know why. I am not planning to buy a new home now or anytime soon and I will never own rental property. haha But I still love watching the shows. The channel over all is pretty good.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:18 pm.
I haven’t seen income property.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:27 pm.
Julia, you’d love this one as well. Very, very fun show. Concept: Buying a house that has a rental unit already in it that needs to be updated/gutted/reconfigured. The houses are all in Canada, as far as I can tell.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 2:36 pm.
I love income property too – I think it is the host
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:44 pm.
House Hunters is a big obsession for me. I love to watch both regular House Hunters and House Hunters International. I think International scares me a little – the rooms that are suppose to be kitchens but have nothing in them and they are so small – but love when Americans say – I want open concept living when they are in places with homes that date back hundreds of years.
I also love the Crasher shows – I have my nephew staking out home improvement stores to get me a bath/house/yard crash – I don’t care what it is I need everything crashed.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:44 pm.
What are Crasher shows? This sounds like something I would like to do to a few things in my house
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 2:32 pm.
House Crashers. Yard Crashers. I love the concept of the show, but usually don’t like the end result.
There is nothing on HGTV I haven’t watched!
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 2:37 pm.
House Crashers; Yard Crashers; Bathroom Crashers – the host stake out home improvement stores and offer to come back to you house to completely redo a room in 3 days with your help (i.e., labor). It may be a DIY show but they show it on HGTV on the weekends.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 2:52 pm.
I do love the shows, but I don’t necessarily want to help with the power tools aspect… I can get some guys to come and help and I’ll be the good Southern hostess and bring out iced tea and sandwiches…. LOL I tell you, it’s a complete overhaul in a weekend. They come and look at the area, make plans, bring a whole passel of people (and vehicles so neighbors might be peeved), and you are supposed to have your own work crew, they delegate and completely tear down the old and start the new on Saturday, then finish it up on Sunday. It’s amazing that they can get that much done in such a small span of time.
I don’t think those guys ever come to my neck of the woods. Never seen ‘em….but I’ll follow them until they pick me if I do.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 5:27 pm.
I Love House Hunters! I don’t have pay tv at my house, so I only get a chance to watch when at my Dad’s house. (Which drives him nuts, but he loves me, so he lets me watch it. I tell him he’s just not nosy enough!) Popcorn ceilings don’t bother me. I don’t like granite and to me stainless steel appliances look industrial. I don’t understand “open concept living” I want to hide my messy kitchen, not entertain in it! I just have to laugh at the “diva” behavior and the asides from the realtors who say things like, “She’s just going to have to get over it.” I’m all about bathrooms and closet space! A few weeks ago we watched a couple go from France to Nepal, buy what to me amounted to a hovel and start a farm to make French Cheese. I’m gearing up to visit my Dad again this weekend.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 1:03 pm.
I saw that one, Bonnie. Talk about a leap of faith, right?
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 2:33 pm.
I LOVE House Hunters! I’m actually a VERY nosy person when it comes to homes. I don’t know why, but even as a kid, I loved trick-or-treating simply because I got the chance to see inside people’s homes. When we drive down the street (and my husband is driving) I always gaze out my side window and wait until I get a glimpse of the interior decoration of someone’s house. I’m strange, yes I know.
Back to House Hunters… I also really like to find out how much people pay for their houses around the world. I always look at a lot of houses in the States and think “THERE HOUSE COSTS WHAT?!” My townhouse cost my husband and I $325,000… and that’s a small, three bedroom TOWNHOUSE in BC, Canada. I’m always so jealous of people buying HUGE homes for half of what our tiny thing cost.
If I could move anywhere in the world, I would move to Scotland. I don’t know why, but for my entire life, I have been drawn there. I’ve never been, but I have not been able to stop thinking about it. My mom is the opposite, and always asked me why I wanted to move there, but I could never give her a straight answer. I just do.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 1:45 pm.
PS. I always laugh at those who scoff at a little labour. Paint colour is ugly? No problem! PAINT OVER IT! I wouldn’t even worry about the countertops; as long as they’re functional, then go for it! Popcorn ceiling? Whatever, who really cares? What, are your guests going to come over and say “ooh.. you’ve got popcorn ceilings? Sorry to hear that…” NO! I agree about the comment about entertaining… My husband and I moved out of a basement suite and into our townhouse four years ago, and I believed we’ve ‘entertained’ all of 4 times. And that was for my husband’s birthday each year. Do people really ‘entertain’ that frequently??
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 1:51 pm.
This is my question! They’re buying a house to suit the four times a year you have guests over?
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 2:36 pm.
I’ve been there, Cheri, and it’s just as magical as you imagine. Keep dreaming
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 2:34 pm.
Ok, so an episode today — newlyweds in Arizona.. she’s a pediatric Physician’s Assistant & he’s a swim coach [at the Y?]…. bought a house for $273,000! Ok, someone explain to me how 2 20some year olds qualify for that size of a mortgage? And there’s never a discussion on camera about utilities, taxes, etc.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 1:52 pm.
The sad thing is that with the right credit, you can qualify for huge amounts. But can you afford that amount? That’s the thing I think when I see really young people rope themselves into a huge mortgage — and you are right, Cate, the subject of taxes and utilities and repairs to things like water heaters when they go out never comes up.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 2:37 pm.
Water heaters are cheap… do a price check on a new furnace w/air conditioner/heat pump… 6-8 thousand…
call me the ‘voice of experience’ whose eye is now focused on the da*m dishwasher…
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 4:47 pm.
It depends on what they do, I guess, and where they live. My husband and I bought a $325,000 townhouse here in Canada, and we’re in our mid-twenties. I’m a stay-at-home mom, and my husband is an electrician, and we’ve still got our strata, phone, cable, internet, etc. to pay for. My husband can manage it on his own, but we just can’t go on dates or do much shopping. Our parents help us out with groceries sometimes, etc. So I guess it depends on their situation.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 2:38 pm.
Yes, I watch House Hunters, but because HGTV is so addictive, try to avoid it. Unfortunately, I can’t convince Hubble that it’s intrinsically evil, so he keeps baiting the trap!
I had to laugh about the entertaining thing. Last time the trap closed, I made a similar remark. The confidence that friends and family will travel half-way around the world to people your parties must be nice. *G*
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 2:12 pm.
hahaa! So true, Gwyn
. Probably the same confidence that makes you think you can afford the upkeep for years to come.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 2:38 pm.
I’ve seen a few episodes, but can’t stand to watch it. The buyers have completely unrealistic expectations. Unless, you’re building the home, it’s unlikely that you’re going to find a house that has every single detail that you want. I could never be an agent because I would get so frustrated my clients.
For me the deal breaker is the location and the schools, which has NOTHING to do with the actual house. We bought the cheapest house with a great location and schools. However, it had been a rental for nearly 30 years and was in rough shape. We’ve done a TON of work to get it to the point where we are today. About the only things original to the house at this point, are the kitchen and hardwood floors. We replaced the appliances and painted the cabinets. At some point we’ll do the kitchen.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 2:40 pm.
How long did that take you, Janae? I’ve always had a fantasy of getting a fixer upper. But after the kitchen remodel, well…I’ve thought the better of it, LOL
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 7:01 pm.
We’ve taken 8 years so far. In part because we had a newborn when we bought the house. It was crazy remodeling one bathroom when she was 6 months old. Two, we didn’t want to find ourselves in a position where we couldn’t afford our loan. We finance most of the projects between my dh’s bonus he gets every May and our tax return. We always stick to our budget, too.
When we bought the house, we made a list of what needed to be changed and prioritized the list. We’ve pretty much stuck to the list – only moving things around to take advantage of certain tax breaks and rebates. Or replacing the garage door when it broke, lol.
This year when we were looking at shingles this year, all the advice was to do something similar to the houses in the neighborhood – advice we didn’t follow. We picked a slate green asphalt shingle amid orangey brown (gag) shingles. Six months after we did our roof, the next door neighbors did their roof . . . same color as ours. One orangey brown roof gone! Next month we’ll be shaking up the exterior color with a gray green color that complements the roof – and we’re using 5 colors – exterior, trim, chimney, front door, and garage door (it has to stay white unfortunately, along with the aluminum windows). Maybe it’ll encourage the neighbors to think beyond white and taupe.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 8:30 pm.
Julia, you’ve perfectly summed up what annoys me about so many of the people hunting for houses. Granite shmanite, and have some of them never had the painting of the walls explained to them? I watch the show a lot, including reruns, but I really prefer Property Virgins and Sandra Rinamato’s sane approach to guiding people through the searching/buying.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 2:44 pm.
And, excuse me, someone is nice enough to host a party or a get-together and your house ISN’T NICE ENOUGH??? What the heck??
Nice friends. And do I really need to impress my family?
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 2:45 pm.
No. I have other ways to impress my family. Maaaaaany other ways.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 7:02 pm.
I used ti watch the show a few years back but I don’t know why I stopped. My dream house though is on the beach with windows all around and I could be lulled asleep by the sounds of the ocean waves:)
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 3:02 pm.
sounds heavenly. Sigh.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 7:02 pm.
I didn’t get a chance to read all the comments but I love House Hunters too… especially the international version. Then again, I’m addicted to HGTV and doing DIY projects so I love to see how others have decorated. Bath Crashers is also a favorite and Property Brothers is great too. It’s House Hunters and House Crashers combined. So much fun!
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 4:41 pm.
I’ve never seen the show property brothers, but I’ve seen them. Hubba hubba.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 7:03 pm.
Love to watch House Hunters International. I like the people who go to whatever country and want to find a house that reflects the history and culture of that country. I love the “Old World” houses that are shown. The deal breakers are small rooms.
I’m always watching HHI to get ideas on what kind of house I would love to have and plan it out. Then I watch Design on a Dime and plan how I want to decorate my dream house.
I would love to live in England or Scotland. I guess that’s why I just buy Historical Romances set in those countries.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 4:48 pm.
Lucky me, since I write them. But seriously, I know what you mean, Amanda. That fantasy never dies.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 7:03 pm.
I enjoy watching HHI and HH. It gives me a chance to see the rest of the world, including the US and helps me work on my list of places to visit, vs. not visit. It is fun guessing which one they will pick from the three.
I fell into HGTV and DIY because there was no NBA basketball and now I am hooked!
Debbie
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 5:10 pm.
I had never heard of it. It was like the only channel I could get in a hotel room one day, and I thought Wait a minute, how come I didn’t know about this?
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 7:04 pm.
Oh girl…..I absolutely LOVE House Hunters and House Hunters International! I love HGTV in general. In fact, I think I would cancel my cable if they took that channel off. I watch it all the time. I like the Property Brothers and Kitchen Cousins too. Their vision just amazes me. And the Selling LA show…some of those people just make me bonkers–so condescending and rude and they’re talking about million dollar homes. I hope, if I ever have a lot of money, that someone would slap me silly if I ever acted like that. Goodness…
You were talking about the popcorn ceilings, I understand what you mean. No, it wouldn’t be ideal, but if everything else was great, it wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me. What I like to do is compare the difference in value. Here in central TX, you can find a 2000 sq ft house for about $150-$200K for some (of course you could definitely pay more depending on where you are). But for $200K, you can’t even buy a closet in San Francisco or NYC. Go figure.
And the entertaining thing cracks me up! They ALL want ‘space to entertain.’ Personally, I just like a big kitchen and an open area because I like them, not because I want to entertain….
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 5:12 pm.
That’s right Julie. That’s another thing that keeps me in my house. Where would I go to get this quality at this price ever again?
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 7:05 pm.
My girls and I just love House Hunters. We’ve started a game of “how long will this couple be together” based on how they approach the buying process.
I’ll never forget one episode where the husband was moving his family to someplace in China or Thailand, I can’t remember…but it killed me. His job included a stipend for their home, and his wife–at home all the time with the kids, while he was going to be working and gone all the time–anyway, his wife fell in love with this huge manor type of home, far beyond anything they could ever hope to have in the States. But no…her irritating husband rattled on about how it wasn’t “cozy” like a real home. They ended up with some plain, dark ranch style home. He gushed about how it really suited him. She didn’t say much. I gave their marriage a year.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 6:10 pm.
Oh, Gillian! That’s a fun game. And it’s true, sometimes it is really obvious who is wearing the pants in the family, right?
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 7:06 pm.
I’m watching it right now! They’re in Nicaragua and they want a house close to a good surfing spot. And they just said the house had a good area for entertaining. You’re in Nicaragua, who are you entertaining? I always wonder about that too. The only time I entertain large groups of people is if it’s a holiday. My favorites are the international ones in Europe, especially Italy and France.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 7:47 pm.
LOVE House Hunters! Watching it right now. I love to see how they will go right through a house that needs a little paint and small repairs and just say “no way, we want move in ready” then complain about the cost of move in ready. My hubby and I laugh at them when they do that.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 8:38 pm.
I’ve never seen House Hunters, but my BFF never misses it, especially the international version. She and her husband watch it together which I think is adorable.
One of these days I’ll break down and get a satellite dish out here in the boonies and watch all of these great shows people talk about!
I’d love to be able to buy one of the many stately homes advertised via Country Seat – a British online newsletter about stately homes up for sale. There is a fantastic estate in Wales associated with the Hughes family which in all likelihood belonged to my fraternal grandmother’s family. The price has dropped to a bargain rate of 1.5 million pounds. Sigh.
I’m one of those people who believes almost anything can be fixed if you want to badly enough. I don’t want a house on a Native American burial site. I don’t care for city living. Anything less than five acres is out.
And I would prefer non-carpeted floors. I have dogs and sometimes you have to choose your battles.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 9:04 pm.
I think I did see it once, but I’m with you–you can fix a popcorn ceiling. Actually, you can fix a mural pretty easily. What you can’t fix easily is a too small kitchen. And wallpaper is WAY harder to deal with than you think, since there are idiots who put it on walls without primer so that it fuses to the wall. Or put layers upon layers of it (can you tell I’m in the process of having some icky old wallpaper removed, and that it’s the SECOND time I’ve had bad wallpaper in a house?).
I grew up in another country, so I know how very different it can be. Which is why every time Hubby (who’s left the country three times in his life) talks about moving to Costa Rica. I keep saying, “Yeah, you’ll really like THAT.”
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 11:20 pm.
If I could live along the coast somewhere I would be very happy.
Posted on January 14, 2012 at 3:52 am.
Thanks for introducing me to House Hunters. Sounds interesting and I will see if I can locate it here.
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 2:23 am.
It’s Fun to Dream | The Goddess Blogs says:
[...] Julia’s blog about House Hunters and House Hunters International on January 13 got me thinking about the HGTV Dream Home sweepstakes. I enter it every day, twice a day. (Once at the HGTV site and once at FrontDoor.com.) I know I’m probably not going to win, but it’s fun to dream. [...]
Posted on January 25, 2012 at 5:31 am.