James and I enjoy watching HGTV. Seeing how others decorate or what looks nice for ‘curb appeal’ is a way to get ideas for our home projects. It is also just interesting to see what others think is visually attractive. While there is much to enjoy with these home shows, I also know there are sure to be the usual ‘nails on the blackboard’ moments. I grimace when people paint over brick fireplaces, require $30,000 to do a single room makeover, cut huge trees or bushes and plant miniscule replacements, and think beige and sea-foam green are the only colors that can possibly be used. I admit there can be a fair amount of criticism that takes places during these shows. But we also go ‘ooowww’ and ‘aaahh’ more often than not.
But last night all that was forgotten as we watched “House Hunters International”, the Virgin Island Paradise episode. ( I am led to believe it was a repeat show.) After watching this show I can not recall having ever seen such a distasteful display of greed on this scale before.
Doug and Lindy Freeman had a roughly $250,000 home in California but decided they wanted to live in St. Croix. They saved and scrimped to be able to make the move and secure a new home on the island. They looked to be about in their early 30’s, and had two small children. But Doug made it known that he wanted to make 50-cents on the dollar profit from any home he bought. He thought someone should sell him a $500,000 home for roughly half the price. And we was damn determined it would happen.
Realtor Ness Fennessey must have shown the couple all the homes in a certain price range on the island. Her boss made it clear that something had to happen. The Freemans needed to make an offer, as the time investment in looking was not doing anyone any good.
So Doug Freeman makes an offer on a house with an asking price of $550,000. He offers $120,000 less than the asking price. The term ‘ugly Americans’ came to my mind at once. I thought he might offer $30,000 less than the asking price. But $120,000!!! The offer was soundly rejected and the Freemans will continue looking. The show ended with no one satisfied. The Freemans were left in their rental, the realtor was out many hours of her time, and James and I were upset for the greed that was highlighted on national TV.
Why Americans think they can act in such a fashion, and that it should be accepted by others is astonishing to me. Americans should not have such disdain for those in other countries, and treat them in this fashion. It underscores why so many have the attitudes they do about Americans. After last night’s “House Hunter International” those views are not all wrong.
CAFFEINATED POLITICS 
Wait a person has an idea on how he wants to buy a home, it is not in the vain you would do it so it makes him an ugly American. WOW Deke I think you need to reverse that finger you are pointing and redirect it in your direction. What is wrong with trying to get the best deal possible for ones self? Apparently the seller knew what he wanted and turned him down, so the seller was not out anything the buyers plan did not work, yet and there was no harm, only in the eyes of you who and that is only because you are in the mold of most progressives, that there must never be losers and those who have ambition and drive to succeed must dumb themselves down to the level of those who don’t. Its the philosophy of the public school system in this country and why public schools are such failures.
No, the American thought that he could waltz into another country and use his commanding style to make someone else take a huge loss on a house for his gain. He wanted more house than he could afford, and thought someone should take the loss so he could have it. You may think that honorable, but I think it is not. I did not have to learn that lesson in a classroom. I was taught that lesson in Sunday School.
You ask “What is wrong with trying to get the best deal possible for ones self? ”
I answer with how about doing the right thing? Or is that old-fashioned these days?
When you go buy a car do you pay sticker price or do you try for the best deal. When you bought your home did you pay asking price or did you try to get a better price. In this world it is all about winning.
Several quick points.
The man in question was in another country and acting like some Americans do in cases like that. Arrogant, rich, and smug. They are not the representative face that I want for this nation. Nor should you. All too often I hear from those in other lands that speak about these types and the negative impact they make for this nation.
When you see a car on a lot for $20,000 would you make an offer for $7,000 less than the asking price. Of course not, as that would be a joke. But for some reason this man in the show thought in another country asking for $120,000 off the asking price for the home was somehow acceptable as way of doing business. You know in your heart that is not proper. He would never try that in this country, and we both know that.
Finally, I do not know how you live your life but I can tell you that winning at all costs has not been the way I live mine. Do I want a good deal on my groceries or car or books? Certainly. But do I try to deny the people selling me the product a fair price and come out as the ‘winner’ by getting more than I deserve? No. That is not how I am wired.
You want your kids to play square when competing in sports I suspect, or the Vikings to play clean when taking on the Packers. If those are true statements then why would you want to ‘win’ at all costs when it comes to living life?
Deke I think your one line in your reply says it all, “it’s a show”, all of these so called reality shows are just that TV shows that are scripted in some way. I would not get to upset by his arrogance and ugly American stance, if he was just a regular joe would anyone really care, it has to have a little spice a story line to make it interesting for people to watch. When I coached soccer a number of years ago my first priority was that it was fun for the players, next that we played to win and that losing was not part of that equation. If we were beating the other team by a large margin we did not sit back and just let them catch up we continued to play as hard as we could. It is important for kids to learn the lesson that winning is the most important thing you do at everything you do, never accept second best, never accept being average, always strive to be #1 at what ever you, that is how they will succeed in life.
So, Gentlemen I have been thinking about this a little bit…
Doug and Lindy are wrong. Morally and ethically. Give the people selling the house a lot of common sense credit for not taking the offer.
The offer was totally disrespectful.. I have always believed that giving people respect and compassion no matter what the area in life you are in is one of the gifts God gives us.
And when we don’t spread that gift properly it makes us nothing better than Grifters.
I have seen this episode quite a few times (yes, it’s a repeat) as we visit St. Croix every year. I think it’s the first House Hunters I have ever seen that didn’t result in a sale.
I generally agree with Deke except to say that St. Croix is part of the US Virgin Islands so they are not in a foreign country. The realtor is British but Cruzans consider themselves Americans like the rest of us.
Interestingly, we ran into Ness Fennessy while on the island last month. She was lovely and said that the deal they thought would happen (and be filmed) fell apart right before HGTV went down to film (guessing someone else bought the house). She also said that the couple finally bought a home in a much lower price range. I got the impression that it was in a lower price range not because he bargained it there but because they finally realized they needed to refocus their search. And they bought on a part of the island that was nowhere near the other three properties (and those three properties were very spread out).
There’s another St. Croix episode airing tomorrow night. Hope it’s Ness (she was very gracious and fun to meet) and hope it’s better.
St. Croix is a fabulous place to visit!
Can we not assume all Americans would behave in the same manner? I am an American and I agree with you — this guy sounds like a real jerk, to be kind. But I take offense to you generalizing that all Americans are this same way. We are not. We have more than our fair share of a$$holes here in the US, as I’m sure each and every country on Earth does. But that does not mean everyone from that country is the same way. Judge each person for themselves and don’t generalize. That makes you no better than he.
I empathize with you KBedard, however, if Americans in general were to adopt you philosophy this world would be a much more peaceful planet. The problem is most Americans do act this way and it is unfortunate since we all suffer from the U.S. and their attitude of self importance and their contempt towards everyone else. And it is regrettable for the likes of you, who receive the backlash. But, it should be the responsibility of the U.S. to realize that this behaviour and approach to dealing with the rest of the world is unacceptable and has ramifications. Instead of asking others to “be nice”. you would be best to confront your fellow citizens, and to educate them in some respect and consideration towards others and perhaps they will be better received around the globe. This is the only way to convince the rest of the world and change their perception of Americans. And when the U.S. Government stops trying to impose their ways on other nations, always by force, perhaps there would be less animosity towards Americans. Respect begets respect. The U.S. should be setting a good example. If we continue to “be nice” then the bad behaviour is not addressed nor dealt with, and it persists.
Wonderful comment! Thanks for sharing it here.
I, too, have seen this episode several times. I, too, have been “House Hunting” on St Croix. In my opinion, the agent was totally off base showing houses 1 & 2. The guy’s priority was to be near his boat therefore she should have shown homes mid-island or east end. There are plenty of great quality homes in his price range near the marina. And don’t get me started on the “hard core boss.” Talk about Greed! I’ve dealt with a very professional agent on St Croix and there was no hard pressure sales pitch, only patience. We even hunted on pouring rain the day before a Cat 3 hurricane and again a couple days later. One day, we’ll find our dream home.
This guy was a joke and now he has to live in St. Croix and all his neighbors must know he insulted 1/2 the homeowners there.
(in the 500,000 range anyway)Ness was a really patient real estate agent. I felt bad when she had to make that offer $129,000 off the price!
As someone else said in this thread, this was a scripted reality show, with no purpose other than to get some publicity and hopefully some business for the realtor. You can go to the website for that real estate agency, and gee whiz, look what you see there: Ness Fennessey, the realtor who showed the homes for the Freeman couple, and Doug Freeman himself, are BOTH employees of Calabash Real Estate.
http://www.calabashrealtors.com/calabash-agent-directory.htm
It’s all just show biz, folks. I watch it with that in mind, and enjoy seeing different places, but don’t get caught up in the drama, most of which is completely manufactured. I lived on St. Croix for a brief time in the late 1970’s and have fond memories of a place called Sprat Hall Great House, presided over by a lovely woman, Joyce Hurd. I worked for Merchant’s Market on Centerline Road, and would drive to Sprat Hall in the morning just to get some of her delicious conch fritters.
While thoroughly taken aback by the outcome of this episode, I hadn’t thought “ugly American” when watching this episode. Rather I thought, this guy is wasting everyone’s time because he simply does not want to buy a house. They were shown three wonderful houses and reacted quite favourably to all of them, and then Doug made what can only be called a risible offer. No one *anywhere* who is serious about purchasing a piece of real estate makes an offer like that – it was less than 80% of the asking price – unless haggling for handicrafts in a tourist trap market somewhere, or unless the asking price is genuinely off the scales. For the latter one’s real estate agent is the best guide and Ness seemed to know her stuff; odd that Doug didn’t take any advice there. It doesn’t seem fair for Lindy – her hubby’s happy because he’s got his beloved boat… she gets to study her butt off and raise her kids in a rental when they can afford their dream home. Sad.
If you take a look at the Calabash Realtors agent roster, you’ll notice both Ness and Doug are sales associates: