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Original poster

To think some people on property shows are unrealistic?

181 replies

hondagirl500 · 21/10/2019 13:47

I was watching escape to the country the other day...a youngish couple, budget of about £600K, looking for a 'family house'. The one I saw them being shown was 4 bedrooms, garage, big garden, big kitchen diner. But all the way through they kept saying things like 'not big enough for a family', 'box room is too small' and so on.
I was brought up in a 3 bed semi, 5 of us, my brothers shared a room that is literally 10x10 feet, I was in the box room which only had room for my bed, and a tiny drawer unit. My parents were brought up in 2up/2 downs, when they had families of 9!
These people are nuts!

OP posts:
PickAChew · 21/10/2019 23:33

Escape to the country is notorious for 6'4 men wanting to be shown character cottages then being annoyed at small rooms with low ceilings.

Lockheart · 21/10/2019 23:35

A 3 bed semi between 5, OP? You were lucky. When I were a lass there was 12 of us living in shoebox in t'middle of road.

avamiah · 21/10/2019 23:38

Lockheart,
I’d be happy with that for my first property never mind second .😬

PickAChew · 21/10/2019 23:44

Issey he's not even living in that smaller house because health and safety.

BettyBooJustDoinTheDoo · 22/10/2019 01:15

Monty I think I remember that episode, the view (from your house) was stunning and I think it was a bungalow that was practically in the dunes, I could not understand them not buying it!

Scattyhattie · 22/10/2019 02:07

I saw a 20 things that happen on Grand designs clip on FB other day. They often make the house far too big so costs spiral and can look bleak with the acres of kitchen, diner, living space.

Always lots of downsizing retirees that actually want the same size or larger property & space for huge table to fit the family round for Christmas, must make it a very expensive meal.

I love watching the US Tiny House program, where they have to properly downsize all their shit. I don't think I could ever manage to live that minimalist and wouldn't be able to fit the dogs but it weirdly appeals

The escapees that want a load of land never seem to have a clue about effort involved in managing it or the animals wanted, but that's OK as means they can throw in a quick visit to goat/llama/donkey keeper.

Scott72 · 22/10/2019 02:25

The "tiny house" program is a nice change from the conventional lifestyle show.

Anyone notice how people on the conventional shows seem obsessed with getting large, elaborate kitchens, even though most of them have small families and rarely cook? I think for them a large ornate kitchen is a status symbol.

minesagin37 · 22/10/2019 03:22

@Cleverplayonwords we sold my uncles house for £250,000 he had bought in the 60s for £2000. I think there is a difference between what the currency is now worth and what property is worth. Just shows that it was sensible to spend the cash on property back then!

Cleverplayonwords · 22/10/2019 03:50

@minesagin37 yes, that's rising property prices. Different from inflation which is what the op was getting at.

BeverlyGoldbergsHairAndJumpers · 22/10/2019 04:32

It’s funny on grand designs when they show the beautiful finished house and there’s teenagers in their rooms sat on a bed reading a book, Kevin Mcclouds doing a voice over explaining the whole family adore their new eco home.
In reality they’d be fighting over make up, holding their phones amongst a sea of McDonald’s wrappers. Their parents barely speaking after 6 months of being skint , borrowing money off family they don’t even like and living in a caravan.

GunpowderGelatine · 22/10/2019 04:49

100% YANBU.

I stopped watching ETTC when a couple with a ridiculously low budget (I think maybe £400k) wanted a 5-bed house with an enormous garden, mod cons, in a very specific prime location. By some miracle a 5-bed house with mod cons, en-suites, an acre of land for the garden in the exact location they wanted for £395k. It was nothing short of a miracle and the house was stunning.

They didn't put an offer in because it didn't have a boot room 🙄 at that point I thought people are too fucking ridiculous and it just makes me cross to watch.

ChipsAreLife · 22/10/2019 07:31

There was a brilliant location the other week with a couple who had a young child. The woman was all about 'getting a feeling' and that would be how she would choose. She was quite fussy so the feeling took a while. The man on the other hand was the most laid back person I've ever seen on one of these shows. He literally thought everything was great and would have lived anywhere that had a garage.

FreezerBird · 22/10/2019 09:40

Kirsty:"here's the dining room"
Buyer:"my dining table won't fit in here but everything else is worth considering.
Me (watching at home) : " buy a new fecking dining table, but we know that you'll be eating all your meals from a tray on your lap in front of the TV".

To be fair, last time we moved, a space big enough to fit our table in was a non-negotiable. But I wouldn't be saying that if I'd got to the point of needing People Off The Telly to find me a house...

riotlady · 22/10/2019 09:51

What drives me batty is the following exchange which happens ALL THE TIME

Couple: We have a budget of £200k and a very long list of requirements

Phil and Kirsty: Here is a house for £200k which perfectly fits your long list of requirements

Couple: It’s beautiful! We love it! We must have it!

...

Couple: We’re only willing to pay £190k.

riotlady · 22/10/2019 09:52

And then they lose the house because they are not willing to pay what it’s worth which is IN BUDGET

woodhill · 22/10/2019 09:55

Agree Scott

So much glass in the self builds and open plan. Hard to reach and clean😊

ginghamstarfish · 22/10/2019 10:13

I don't watch these any more, too annoying. They no doubt come from bog standard semis or some crappy estate, yet now think they should live like royalty and loudly criticise other people's furniture, paint colours etc, as if those things are important. And when they say 'wow factor' I just want to punch them. Twats.

SVRT19674 · 22/10/2019 11:23

My mom watches these. She cringes when some city moron wants a cottage, when he's 6 foot 5, wants it period, and then informs everyone they want to rip out the interior to make it open plan...

LittleAndOften · 22/10/2019 12:43

And who exactly are they entertaining in their giant open plan warehouse industrial chic monstrosity in the middle of nowhere?!

ShivD · 22/10/2019 12:46

A few weeks ago they had a nice couple on Location, Location with a normal budget, 3 kids, trying to get on the property ladder.
It was so refreshing and enjoyable to watch and they were realistic, positive and generally just nice.

Brian9600 · 22/10/2019 12:59

TBH I think the format of these shows makes everyone look like an arse. By definition they’re people who aren’t in a big rush to buy so it’s not surprising they’re picky. They get shown 3 houses or whatever and the whole format of the programme drives them towards picking one but who IRL buys a house on the basis that it’s the best of three? And it always makes their budget sound as if they’re just sitting on a pot of money whereas it would be more accurate to say “Bob and Linda will be working all hours god sends to pay the mortgage for the next 25 years”.

Obviously some people are idiots though Wink

Dangerfloof · 22/10/2019 19:01

I saw the fairbrass brothers from right said fred (I'm pretty sure it was them) on one of these. They were shown some lovely houses, groups of houses. Cos they needed a house each plus one for mum and a space for recording.
I would have bought any one of those shown, but the brothers said no to all. They will continue to live in London. Was actually quite funny and they have a great sense of humour. But I reckon they were only on the show to get on TV.

FuzzyPuffling · 22/10/2019 19:22

The second homes programmes give me the rage. Pricing local people out of the market so that city folk can have somewhere to pop off to for five weekends a year. Whole communities are eradicated over the winter months! It's awful.

That pisses me off too. It's not at though they even use local shops when they are in their retreat, as most of the shops in these tiny communities don't carry Dom Perignon and fresh lobsters in stock . .

Completely agree with this.especially as I lie in an area of high second homes. The longer I live here the more I dislike second home owners, particularly those that don't even rent out their places to others so hey stand empty of months and months. Grrr...

ThatMuppetShow · 22/10/2019 19:52

why should anyone be forced to have strangers living in their home?

The second home might very well be their retirement home, it won't stay empty forever. Locals are usually very quick to moan in the holiday season when these damns "foreigners" (as in, non local) create traffic and crowds anyway.

Cruddles · 22/10/2019 20:16

I like it when you can tell the hosts think the people they're showing around are absolute bellends but still have to play nice.

On A Place In The Sun there was a mother and son pair, they gave their budget and wants, all the places shown fit the bill. But they were complete tightwads. Finally after moaning about every place costing more than they'd expect (all were fairly priced) they asked the host to put in an offer of about 60% of the offer price. You could see the host was thinking wtf, and kindly advised them that they were probably wasting everyone's time. But no, the CFs insisted on the shit offer, and host had to call. Of course it got rejected with a don't even bother to counter response. Blurb at the end said they were still searching