Community Chat

[gidgetgh]

I'm on a House Hunters kick lately. Did anyone see last night's episode?

On last night's episode, there was a young couple looking for their first house in/near Harrisonburg, VA. She was expecting their first child. He wants to look at bungalows. She said she wanted a different, "eclectic" house, like the houses she grew up in. Like she might like a FIRE POLE in the middle of the house. She also wants interesting rooms and little nooks for reading and places for books. They show her sitting on the couch holding a massive book coffee table style book with Shakespeare's works in it. She wants somewhere to be able to read Shakespeare. She mentioned Shakespeare several times during the episode. I'm sure their baby is going to love falling asleep at night to a reading of King Lear. All righty....

So first they went to see a bungalow. Very nice from the outside. But on a really busy street. Wouldn't be good for a family with a baby. On the inside, the kitchen had like two cabinets and I swear there were no drawers. Lots of bedrooms, but the closet space was very minimal. Nice sized lot.

But here's what really did it for me- the back yard was directly on the Shenandoah River. I mean, there it was. The realtor said that it would be a great place to fish. Couple of things came to my mind before fishing did. First, you're going to have young children. Do you really want a RIVER in your backyard? Second, if that river floods, there goes your house. The lot was totally flat. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. I mean, it was right there. The husband was all hung up on the busy road and I'm thinking no way would I buy a house with a flat lot with a pretty substantial river in the backyard.

Second house was a round house in a tourist area. It had a winding staircase inside so the wife was excited. But she did admit that she was having trouble with the stairs since she was pregnant. The kitchen was pretty much non-existent. I'm thinking do you really want this winding staircase with a baby who will then be a toddler. I mean, it's an open hole in the middle of the floor. Think of the resale.

The third house was a new build. Standard stuff. New construction in the subdivision. Their concern was that there was no fence. I've noticed lately with HH that they always mention a fence. I lived in three houses growing up and three since I've been out on my own and now married. Didn't have a fence with any of them.

They're both concerned that the rooms aren't interesting. They're right, they weren't, but it was a nice house.

So it's decision time. The wife is still hung up on the round house and the husband likes the bungalow, but expressed his concern with the busy road. Again, no mention of the river. They ended up choosing the new build which I thought was the correct decision. I'm sure they're relieved that I agreed with them- LOL.