I enjoy seeing what a half a million dollars will get you across the country. Not much, if you are on either coast, but a custom-built mansion if you are in depressed or rural areas! If you are not familiar with the show, it features a single person or couple who are looking to purchase a home. A realtor takes them and the viewer to three houses (and presumably, they actually see more than three before making a purchase) and then the buyers make a choice. Since the buyers find something negative about every house, you are never sure which house they will choose until the end.
It can be monotonous (thus, sleep-inducing) to hear what every buyer wants........hardwood floors, open floor plan, stainless steel appliances, double vanity in the master bath. Yes, we'd all like that. Every once in a while, you do get the odd buyer who has specific tastes........they guy who wanted popcorn ceilings because it reminded him of his childhood, the woman who refused to buy a house with any shower curtains because she thought they were gross, and the woman who did not want a basement at all, because she found them to be creepy. I'm always surprised by the number of people who want a fenced in backyard for their dog or kids. I can't think of anything more ugly than a fenced in yard, but that's me!
First time buyers are humorous because of their must-haves, and also because they think they should be able to get every single thing on their wish list. I remember when we bought our first home in 1990, we had this romantic notion that a wood-burning fireplace was a must-have. Well, we got one and we used it approximately twice a year! Besides the smoke smell that lasted for days, there was the fact that you needed to actually be home the entire day to make it worth the effort. Just not a good fit with our lifestyle.
I like hardwood floors, but not a fan of them in the kitchen or bathroom. Stainless steel is also nice, but not practical if you have kids. I don't mind carpeting, but I don't have pets either. I don't mind gas or electric stoves. I've had both and they both work! I could care less about bathtubs, but multiple showers were important to our family.
This time around, our only deal breaker was that we didn't want a home where you could see a house behind you. Easier said than done, but we did manage to get this. We've learned that location is everything and everything else is changeable. What are you home preferences?
I've not seen this show because I don't watch TV, but my father owned his own real estate business (building and selling homes and condos), so I am aware of how challenging it can be with buyers (especially first time buyers).
ReplyDeleteLike you, I prefer hardwood floors (in fact, I have them in my apartment now). I prefer a large bathtub because I like taking hot baths in the winter. Also, I prefer a place with LOTS of windows because I like a feeling of openness.
My apartment is very small (a studio), but I have four huge windows, so it feels very open and airy. I've had both gas and electric stoves too, and I have no preference to either one.
Fun post!
X
Yes! Lots of windows is important, it's funny, because my parents don't like a lot of windows because they think it costs so much more to heat. It's ridiculous to me, because they are in the freakin dark! Everytime I go over there, I'm turning on lights!
DeleteWe have similar shows in the UK, and as you say it's fascinating to see what people want and don't want. For years we aspired to the sort of house we have now but could only afford modest flats and then a less-than-perfect house. Our present house has just about everything we wanted - bathroom, en-suite and downstairs cloakroom; huge kitchen/diner; large garden; a study for each of us; windows in every room; a utility room; and of course it's detached. We could only afford it as a result of several lucky financial windfalls. I really feel for those youngsters who haven't a hope in hell of buying a house or even a flat because they're so expensive and wages are now so low.
ReplyDeleteI'm always shocked by the rental costs in Europe. And then the space seems small, with tiny appliances. Is a cloakroom a closet?
DeleteNo, a cloakroom is a small bathroom with toilet and wash-basin. Houses in the UK are being built with smaller and smaller rooms, sometimes so small you can hardly get a double bed into the bedroom. There used to be legally-backed minimum space requirements (the Parker-Morris Standards) but they were abolished by a Tory government some years ago.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the explanation; we call that a half bath. Interesting about the minimum space laws. I've not heard about that here, but have never lived in a really big city either, where space needs to be restricted.
DeleteYes, my preference is to have a house. Does that cover it?
ReplyDeleteThere's a reason why I refer to HGTV as HisGriefTV.
But anyway. Need a walk-out basement, space for the garden and chickens, and at least 1 each kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and easy chair. Though there are some things we've done here I'm partial to but wouldn't force them necessarily on the relationship with a new place. Wouldn't wanna be too needy at first.
Walk-outs are few and far between here. Cool about the schoolhouse!
DeleteOh, and BTW- have I ever mentioned that our house was once a one-room schoolhouse? We're having a veritable party tearing apart the upstairs in our current renovation and plan on exposing some of the old woodwork.
ReplyDeleteWe've traced it back to at least 1881 via a class picture but still have not found when it was built ... yet. I once met a former student which is amazing 'cause there can't be many left at this stage.
Real estate shows seem to be all over the cable channels. I guess people are just hot for property. I can see where they'd make you fall asleep.
ReplyDeleteThat's funny about the fireplace. I think that happens a lot--you want something and when you finally get it, you realize it's more trouble than it's worth.
"Location is everything and everything else is changeable." Brilliant!
My home preferences? Hmm...well, my location would have to be warm, like Southern California or Hawaii. The neighbors would have to be nice, but far away so we didn't bug each other.
I so hear you on the So Cal and Hawaii vacations. If you ever become a billionaire, please invite me for a visit! There is a new show that is only about Hawaiian properties. A crappy home that hasn't been updated since Brady Bunch's Hawaii episode originally aired will run you $1.2 million!
DeleteHaven't seen this show, but now my curiousity is piqued about it so I'll have to see when it is on here. A realtor once told me when we were looking at houses to not look at carpets or color of walls as that can be changed but concentrate more on the layout we want. My preference, which I haven't had in the last two houses we lived in, is a window that looks out to the front yard and street (noisy I am) and a kitchen window, which we did have at the house we lived in before this one. The only thing I like about the present house we live in is it is paid for so we just have taxes and home insurance to pay; but hubby and me have often wondered what his parents saw in it.
ReplyDeletegreat topic :)
betty
I cannot imagine not having a kitchen window. That would be hard, since I spend half my time there. But like I said before, you do have location! I'd love to never deal with snow ever again.
Deletethat's interesting about not wanting a yard with a back fence - it's the norm here, in fact i honestly don't think i've ever seen a suburban home without one.
ReplyDeletemy biggest priority for a home is that it must have a big shed (for all my tools and toys - and to get away from the missus when she's drivin me batty)
Really?? Urban homes on postage stamp lots are usually the ones with fences here.
DeleteAs you might imagine, our main 'requirements' are bedrooms and bathrooms. And square feet. Also walking distance to school.
ReplyDeleteOur current place has 5 bedrooms, 3 full baths, 2400 sqft (1000 more than our previous place - fun cramming 7 kids into that one), and 5 blocks to both the grade school and high school. A bit of a fixer-upper at first, and kind of an idiosyncratic floor plan, but we count it as a gift from God. . .
And the two neighbors immediately to the south are close friends of ours. When we closed the sale, but before we moved in, they tore out the (ratty-looking) fence that separated our yard from their already-joined yards. . .
That is a good amount of bedrooms and bathrooms, have kids switched off who they share with over the years? That is neat that the neighbors tore down the fence before you moved in. Great welcome!
DeleteMy house is perfect for my current situation, but post kids I'd like a small house with a yard that I can make all garden with paths. Light is important to me, and I'd like (or would add) a screened in porch. The rest is negotiable.
ReplyDeleteI've always thought a screened in porch would be nice, but we've always had decks, which I like too.
Deletefunny what people must have. i'm actually looking for a house now and my must haves?
ReplyDeletea ranch - this is a must. no more freaking stairs.
3 bedrooms and 1.5 or 2. bathrooms. that's it and the usual stuff, kitchen, lr, etc. nothing fancy.
everything else is whatever. nothing particular. i don't want a big house either. something simple. quiet and mixed neighborhood. no wood paneling either.
i haven't seen the show, but i've heard of it.
No wood paneling!!! You said it! We couldn't wait to get rid of it at our last place. Good luck on your search...I know it's a pain in the butt!
Deletei'm looking in georgia and everybody loves freaking wood paneling down there and boy they do not know how to decorate a house. i like the classic look, some of their houses were just too busy and messy. i guess mine would be empty and corny. it would be neat though, can't stand clutter and junk.
DeleteI am still an apartment girl but I did my share of house hunting for a time. For me the main thing I wanted was two bedrooms and a lot of closet space (because frankly I have too many clothes). In our price range this was a tough sell. I did find it eventually but the process is so long that I got cold feet and decided to stick with my two bedroom apartment for now. Its just me and the pooch I don't think we need a whole house to ourselves just yet.
ReplyDeleteA person can NEVER have enough closet space. Never!
Deletewell we have hardwood floors in part of the house (love them), a wood burning fireplace (use it all winter), a gas stove (i hate electric), and a double vanity in the main bath (stupid and pointless really). what i long for though is natural light. it's a lovely house but it's a freaking cave and that does drive me nuts.
ReplyDeleteThe cave thing I couldn't handle.
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