HGTV musings

[mrsbicewdw]

And I agree with everyone who has said first time homebuyers are the worst on house hunters. Good lord. They complain about paint color, they complain about layout, they complain about not having top of the line stuff in a tiny budget starter house. Totally unrealistic expectations. Most houses are not "move in ready" since everyone has different tastes - you would almost always have to paint or something at least.

 

[dawnhaze]

I think it's about personality. My husband and I and two kids (maybe more?) will move into a tiny space in a few years. Most likely a fifth wheel or RV. For us, it's about being able to pick up and move and take our home with us since my husband has a job that enables him to take work anywhere (and at times that will be a necessity of work slows in our area). It is also about not wanting a brick and mortar house to be tied down to, lowering our carbon footprint (we plan to install solar to use as much as possible, and about downsizing and getting rid of the "stuff" that distracts us. Full time RV living is considered a type of tiny house living. I think it's sorta a different strokes for different folks thing. I can't imagine a big house and having to keep it all clean and having that much STUFF. Even now we are in a small townhome and keep "stuff" to a minimum.

I'm right there with you on every single one of those points, and I'd love that lifestyle... I just can't imagine doing it with a family! But if it works for you and yours, that's awesome. I would never want to keep a huge house clean either.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

And I agree with everyone who has said first time homebuyers are the worst on house hunters. Good lord. They complain about paint color, they complain about layout, they complain about not having top of the line stuff in a tiny budget starter house. Totally unrealistic expectations. Most houses are not "move in ready" since everyone has different tastes - you would almost always have to paint or something at least.

In all of the home buyers' defense---

Since the House Hunter shows are all filmed after purchase, I think that the things they come up with are so just they have a negative. I sometimes wonder if they look at the houses they didn't buy with regret that it is better than what they did buy.

 

[LBIJim]

In all of the home buyers' defense---

Since the House Hunter shows are all filmed after purchase, I think that the things they come up with are so just they have a negative. I sometimes wonder if they look at the houses they didn't buy with regret that it is better than what they did buy.

Yeah, I think buyer's remorse is sometimes evident. Many times the house they criticize most severely is the one they had already purchased.

And most couples on all HGTV shows probably aren't as dense as they appear. After all, they ARE acting.

 

[sukhakuli]

And I agree with everyone who has said first time homebuyers are the worst on house hunters. Good lord. They complain about paint color, they complain about layout, they complain about not having top of the line stuff in a tiny budget starter house. Totally unrealistic expectations. Most houses are not "move in ready" since everyone has different tastes - you would almost always have to paint or something at least.

I know the whole thing is scripted, but I think that these days first time homebuyers are like this. Maybe they watch too much HGTV and think that this is the way people actually live, and that those expectations are reasonable.

 

[ilovemk76]

I think it's about personality. My husband and I and two kids (maybe more?) will move into a tiny space in a few years. Most likely a fifth wheel or RV. For us, it's about being able to pick up and move and take our home with us since my husband has a job that enables him to take work anywhere (and at times that will be a necessity of work slows in our area). It is also about not wanting a brick and mortar house to be tied down to, lowering our carbon footprint (we plan to install solar to use as much as possible, and about downsizing and getting rid of the "stuff" that distracts us. Full time RV living is considered a type of tiny house living. I think it's sorta a different strokes for different folks thing. I can't imagine a big house and having to keep it all clean and having that much STUFF. Even now we are in a small townhome and keep "stuff" to a minimum.

A gas guzzling truck pulling a fifth wheel, is not a way to lower your carbon foot print. Plus the need to replace them fairly often is also not a way to lower your carbon foot print.

One can have a big house that is easy to clean, is not full of stuff and is energy efficient.

DH and I cannot stand to be in small places.

 

[gwynne]

A gas guzzling truck pulling a fifth wheel, is not a way to lower your carbon foot print. Plus the need to replace them fairly often is also not a way to lower your carbon foot print.

One can have a big house that is easy to clean, is not full of stuff and is energy efficient.

DH and I cannot stand to be in small places.

Very well. It sounds like the tiny house movement is not your "style".
That doesn't mean it isn't right or good for others. I love PP's plan to use solar.

 

[sukhakuli]

Very well. It sounds like the tiny house movement is not your "style".
That doesn't mean it isn't right or good for others. I love PP's plan to use solar.

Right. That's fine. But implying that people who like big houses are living in dirty homes stuffed full of clutter and destroying the environment isn't true, either. We live in a big house, it isn't dirty or cluttered, and we have solar power.

 

[gwynne]

Right. That's fine. But implying that people who like big houses are living in dirty homes stuffed full of clutter and destroying the environment isn't true, either. We live in a big house, it isn't dirty or cluttered, and we have solar power.

I agree with you. I think everyone should feel free to do what works for them. I didn't read the pp's post as implying the clutter was universal with large homes. Clutter, dirt, etc, is a choice, big home or small.

 

[*3*Mouseketeers]

Here are my favorites:

*House Hunters, Property Brothers, and Love It or List It (even though they are scripted).
*Fixer Upper - I just love Chip and Joanna!
*Curb Appeal and Curb Appeal the Block - but I didn't care for some of John's designs, especially the modern ones.
*Rehab Addict - Love Nicole and her old houses. Does anyone know the outcome of the Minnehaha court case? From what I gathered on Facebook, she bought Minnehaha and had it put in her boyfriend's name for anonymity and they broke up and he decided to keep the house. She doesn't mention it much anymore, and when she does it's cryptic.
*Moving Up - I think this was another network, but I liked to see how the houses changed and how the old homeowners HATED what was done. Haha
*Renovation Realities - I hate when they don't show the finished product. I guess that's one of the "realities" of renovation.
*Warehouse Warriors - (an oldie) I loved seeing what they would have to build in a short amount of time.
*Trading Spaces (the first few seasons)
*Monster House
*Clean Sweep.
Crap. I better stop now. I'm naming shows from 10 or more years ago!

 

[mrsbicewdw]

A gas guzzling truck pulling a fifth wheel, is not a way to lower your carbon foot print. Plus the need to replace them fairly often is also not a way to lower your carbon foot print. One can have a big house that is easy to clean, is not full of stuff and is energy efficient. DH and I cannot stand to be in small places.

Oh goodness. Not sure how I came off badly?? I simply know if I had a large home it would be hard for me to keep clean and I would feel compelled to "fill it" with more furniture and decor and what not. I never said everyone was that way.

Our cabin footprint would be lower in several ways - for one thing we would be parked 99% of the time. As in months at a time, only moving to a new job site. No gas guzzling. We would run on solar most of the time and have a winterized unit (meaning we don't waste as much heat/cooling). We already live pretty much without air conditioning most of the year, so doing so in a tiny house wouldn't be hard. We would not be able to buy a lot of "stuff" and each item of "stuff" we buy creates waste. We plan to get an older unit and do the work to upgrade ourselves, saving us from the expense and footprint of a new build. You don't have to replace them often...we have friends who have 15+ year old fifth wheels and RVs and apart from engine work are still in great working order. The newest and fanciest is not our goal, we might even go vintage if we can find a decent one in our price range.

It sounds like you don't like small places, which is cool. Everyone is different! My husband and I are gypsy souls and the thought of a brick and mortar doesn't inspire us. so if you want to be mobile, ya gotta think small, so that is what we are doing. We are enjoying our time in our small rental right now and planning for an even smaller living space in the future.

 

[mrsbicewdw]

In all of the home buyers' defense--- Since the House Hunter shows are all filmed after purchase, I think that the things they come up with are so just they have a negative. I sometimes wonder if they look at the houses they didn't buy with regret that it is better than what they did buy.

I had no idea they were all filmed after purchase. That makes so much sense now.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I had no idea they were all filmed after purchase. That makes so much sense now.

I didn't either until some articles were posted. Eye opening.

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/1592900
Though, could you imagine saying something negative about a friend's house on tv for the same of critique?



This one is interesting as it details the production experience: taking 5 hours to film one home and doing multiple takes of each room having to say something different. She says it became difficult to come up with new things to say. This one is a bit different because the house they actually bought was not found until after they filmed the first house and shot b-roll. Interesting the show asked then to pick a different realtor so that they would have a female one. I hadn't noticed this to be an issue.
http://afarmhousereborn.com/2014/03/behind-the-scenes-of-house-hunters/


So it looks like a combination of these ideas--sometimes the houses are already chosen but sometimes not.

 

[cleverclovers]

Off topic, but HGTV is the best place to watch the Rose Parade. Hosts actually show the floats and know what they are talking about.
cool1:Just my 2 cents worth)

 

[disneychrista]

Off topic, but HGTV is the best place to watch the Rose Parade. Hosts actually show the floats and know what they are talking about.
cool1:Just my 2 cents worth)

And they air it commercial free, so you won't miss anything.

 

[minniecarousel]

What I can't get my head around is home prices in other parts of the country. I'm in the Bay Area, Northern California. I see houses in Texas that are mansions that go for ridiculously low prices. Or great-looking homes in Ohio that are $100,000. Sigh. Home prices here are nuts.

 

[Pembo]

Saw the best episode of House Hunters last night. Two ladies from KY moving to Panama. They were very fun to watch!

 

[Bluestars]

Saw the best episode of House Hunters last night. Two ladies from KY moving to Panama. They were very fun to watch!

I watched that one too. They were very outgoing. I would have chosen the resort condo though. That was beautiful.

 

[goofy!]

What I can't get my head around is home prices in other parts of the country. I'm in the Bay Area, Northern California. I see houses in Texas that are mansions that go for ridiculously low prices. Or great-looking homes in Ohio that are $100,000. Sigh. Home prices here are nuts.

The prices are made up too.

They did an episode with the couple looking at houses in our subdivision. We all wanted to know where these really cheap houses were, because there was no way you could find the houses they were looking at for their so-called budget. Several towns over, yes. But not in our area.

They were looking at houses that, if for sale, would be at least $450,000 - $750,000, yet the realtor was telling them the houses were around $250,000.

Also, because it is a small neighborhood, we could recognize what street the houses were on. The backyards did not match the houses. On one house, they showed a stunning mountain view, yet the house was across the street from a friend and there was no way they would be able to see the mountains from that yard. The view they showed was at the other end of the neighborhood.

It was so disconcerting seeing houses you knew, at the wrong prices and with different backyards.

I still love to watch, but now I know that nothing is what it seems to be on the show.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

The vacation episodes get me.

On now, home shopping in Telluride with a $3 million budget.

I always wonder what these folks do for a living.