House Hunters International: When Mormons Invade!

[creekster]

Please do. When I'm forced to watch HHI now, I generally pass the time by telling my wife how the couple buying the home are a couple of jerks (usually true), or how their dream of running the B&B will likely fail in the first year, etc. This is why she usually watches in the other room. I'd love to have some additional things to tell her.

In the past I, like you, tended to make fun of the episodes. I am now under strict orders to either refrain or leave. I usually refrain.

My wife loves this show. I dont think her interest in it really has much to do with the people or their specific choices but more to do with assessing whether it would ever be possible for us to do something like that and, if so, how much it would cost and where we would go.

[Donuthole]

Blow the lid of it!

Yeah, spill the beans. Isn't it pretty well known that the people are already living in their house of choice before they even start filming? Is there anything else to it, like the show paying the mortgage for 2 years or something?

It irks me that they always show houses well above the buyers' budget. What kind of responsible realtor would do that? Or is the word 'responsible' not in their vocabulary?

Please do. When I'm forced to watch HHI now, I generally pass the time by telling my wife how the couple buying the home are a couple of jerks (usually true), or how their dream of running the B&B will likely fail in the first year, etc. This is why she usually watches in the other room. I'd love to have some additional things to tell her.

Ok, this will probably really shock you guys, but I'll share anyway.

Spoiler for HHI Exposed!:

I'll just make a list:

1. The houses they show are not shown in the order in which the renters/buyers see them. In this particular episode, the house they showed first was the one they saw last, and the house they showed last was the one they saw first. Very biblical. This is telling, however, as they go to great editing pains to make it seem like they are seeing this houses in the order shown.

2. They actually filmed the “departing for El Salvador” scenes in Utah about 4-months after they went down and looked at houses the first time. At the point when the teary departure was filmed, they had already been living in San Salvador for a few months. They coordinated with HGTV for the next time they would be in the U.S. to “re-create” those scenes.

3. They looked at 15 houses without HGTV. When they found the one they wanted, they let HGTV know, and it was essentially “held” until they could move down. When they filmed, they already lived there, and they went with HGTV to look at two other houses, neither of which they had any intention of renting. After all, they were already happily renting the first property.

4. All of the scenes of them discussing the advantages and disadvantages of each house and agonizing over which house to choose were a complete re-creation. The scenes of them visiting the market and pretending to see things for the first time were a complete re-creation.

5. They edited out any discussion of the location they chose being near the San Salvador Temple as well as any discussion about an advantage of the house they chose being in a very Americanized neighborhood. They were asked to re-film several of their conversations with certain phrases or comments removed.

6. In the same vein as the above, the show didn’t show any of their discussion about the sketchy (a.k.a. non-Americanized) neighborhoods where some of the less-expensive properties were located.

7. There were several things which were pointed out to them (like the pila for washing laundry) and they were asked to talk about it and act surprised, etc. Of course, they had already lived there for a time, so the idea of a place to hand-wash clothes wasn’t really shocking to his wife.

Now a few critiques of my own:

1. $1500 is an INSANE amount of coin to rent somewhere in Central America. In Guatemala, the missionaries lived in nicer digs than most, and our rent was somewhere in the $100-150/month range. In one area we rented a 3-bedroom house, complete with courtyards in front and back for about $175. They are only paying that much because they are living in an area which knows ex-pats will pay a premium to feel safe by living around other ex-pats.

2. The whole idea that furnishing the place was going to be a hassle and/or costly was kind of ridiculous. Again, furniture is pretty cheap down there, and all it would take is one Saturday and $1000-$1500 to completely furnish a 1500 sq ft house. That this continued to be such a discussion point in the episode made me scoff, even before I had the dirty deets from my friend.

I’m sure I’ll think of more, but that’s if for now.

[creekster]

Ok, this will probably really shock you guys, but I'll share anyway.

Spoiler for HHI Exposed!:

I'll just make a list:

1. The houses they show are not shown in the order in which the renters/buyers see them. In this particular episode, the house they showed first was the one they saw last, and the house they showed last was the one they saw first. Very biblical. This is telling, however, as they go to great editing pains to make it seem like they are seeing this houses in the order shown.

2. They actually filmed the “departing for El Salvador” scenes in Utah about 4-months after they went down and looked at houses the first time. At the point when the teary departure was filmed, they had already been living in San Salvador for a few months. They coordinated with HGTV for the next time they would be in the U.S. to “re-create” those scenes.

3. They looked at 15 houses without HGTV. When they found the one they wanted, they let HGTV know, and it was essentially “held” until they could move down. When they filmed, they already lived there, and they went with HGTV to look at two other houses, neither of which they had any intention of renting. After all, they were already happily renting the first property.

4. All of the scenes of them discussing the advantages and disadvantages of each house and agonizing over which house to choose were a complete re-creation. The scenes of them visiting the market and pretending to see things for the first time were a complete re-creation.

5. They edited out any discussion of the location they chose being near the San Salvador Temple as well as any discussion about an advantage of the house they chose being in a very Americanized neighborhood. They were asked to re-film several of their conversations with certain phrases or comments removed.

6. In the same vein as the above, the show didn’t show any of their discussion about the sketchy (a.k.a. non-Americanized) neighborhoods where some of the less-expensive properties were located.

7. There were several things which were pointed out to them (like the pila for washing laundry) and they were asked to talk about it and act surprised, etc. Of course, they had already lived there for a time, so the idea of a place to hand-wash clothes wasn’t really shocking to his wife.

Now a few critiques of my own:

1. $1500 is an INSANE amount of coin to rent somewhere in Central America. In Guatemala, the missionaries lived in nicer digs than most, and our rent was somewhere in the $100-150/month range. In one area we rented a 3-bedroom house, complete with courtyards in front and back for about $175. They are only paying that much because they are living in an area which knows ex-pats will pay a premium to feel safe by living around other ex-pats.

2. The whole idea that furnishing the place was going to be a hassle and/or costly was kind of ridiculous. Again, furniture is pretty cheap down there, and all it would take is one Saturday and $1000-$1500 to completely furnish a 1500 sq ft house. That this continued to be such a discussion point in the episode made me scoff, even before I had the dirty deets from my friend.

I’m sure I’ll think of more, but that’s if for now.

Spoiler for spoiler response:

AS to poiler point one, that seems pretty obvious when you watch the episodes because the clothing worn by the folks oftewn fails to match the sequence of the properties.

As to spoiler point three, how do the show before and after shots of the property then? The show them looking at the property empty. If HGTV isnt there until after they have rented, then how do they get them into the place in a before condition?

[Donuthole]

Blow the lid of it!

Yeah, spill the beans. Isn't it pretty well known that the people are already living in their house of choice before they even start filming? Is there anything else to it, like the show paying the mortgage for 2 years or something?

It irks me that they always show houses well above the buyers' budget. What kind of responsible realtor would do that? Or is the word 'responsible' not in their vocabulary?

Please do. When I'm forced to watch HHI now, I generally pass the time by telling my wife how the couple buying the home are a couple of jerks (usually true), or how their dream of running the B&B will likely fail in the first year, etc. This is why she usually watches in the other room. I'd love to have some additional things to tell her.

Spoiler for spoiler response:

AS to poiler point one, that seems pretty obvious when you watch the episodes because the clothing worn by the folks oftewn fails to match the sequence of the properties.

As to spoiler point three, how do the show before and after shots of the property then? The show them looking at the property empty. If HGTV isnt there until after they have rented, then how do they get them into the place in a before condition?

Spoiler for Non-response:

I think this was a somewhat unique situation because they were looking for a furnished place. So the place didn't look much different after they had moved in.

He said that if they had decided to go with an unfurnished place, they would have placed a deposit to reserve the place, and then HGTV would have put them up in a hotel and done the "walk-through" just a day or two before they moved in.

[Donuthole]

Saw some more Mos on HHI this past weekend. Aside from their very Mo vibe and the fact that the dad grew up on a farm in Idaho, the thing that sealed the deal was when the padlock they hooked to the Poland Padlock Bridge carried the inscription "For Time and Eternity."

[Surfah]

Anyone recall this episode?

He was an AP in my mission.

[YOUTUBE]RDV8KpMMJbA[/YOUTUBE]

Here is the property he bought:

http://www.bananaramadive.com/

I have to admit, kind of jealous.

[Donuthole]

I've never seen that episode, but his wife's shorts are . . . well . . . wow! They are essentially denim coolots, which is hawt!

[Color Me Badd Fan]

Anyone recall this episode?

He was an AP in my mission.

[YOUTUBE]RDV8KpMMJbA[/YOUTUBE]

Here is the property he bought:

http://www.bananaramadive.com/

I have to admit, kind of jealous.

I doubt I worked harder than this guy on my mission. That thing that floats around in missionary circles is a load of bullshit.

I fully realize how big of an asshole I'm being by saying this, but if my wife started wearing around denim coolots and she hadn't reached the age of 50, I'd get my ass in shape in the hopes it would start a trend in the marriage of caring again.