House Hunters International — Season 17

Aired 4 December 2010 • 23 min

British musician Sam loves his life in Leeds, UK, but he longs for a rural getaway that reminds him of his upbringing in the English countryside. With his girlfriend Lauren along for advice and support, he's heading to the Bulgarian countryside, where real estate is a bargain.

Aired 9 September 2010 • 23 min

Phil and Amanda Grapes moved from London to the south of France seven years ago, and since that time they've renovated five homes, and lived in all of them. That's a tough lifestyle for anyone, and especially tough for the parents of young children, like Phil and Amanda. With no formal training in home renovation, the couple has had to learn on the job, but they've enjoyed doing it, and have found it to be a profitable career. However, Amanda is tired of living in a construction zone and she's ready to buy a home that is ready-to-move into, and will be permanent for their young family of four. They want to stay in France's Languedoc-Roussillon region, and they want to find a grand home with plenty of local, historic character. Their only other request is for a large garden where the kids can play. Their budget is $512,000. Find out if they get what they want when House Hunters goes to France's Languedoc-Roussillon region.

Aired 8 September 2010 • 23 min

Vladimir and Milica moved from Serbia to The Netherlands two years ago for his job as an IT consultant. While they love their adopted country, Milica is dying to move out of their sleepy village of Maarssen and into in freewheeling Amsterdam. With a budget of $380,000, they want to buy a 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartment in the popular neighborhood of Pijp. One of the biggest challenges their real estate agent, Jaap Russchen, faces is to find an apartment that will have the city views for Milica and a peaceful quiet space for Vladimir.

Aired 8 August 2010 • 23 min

Alex is an American expat, who is enjoying life in the Newcastle area of England with her husband Will. Having been born and raised in the U.K., Will is used to the harsh northeast English weather. But, not Alex. So, she convinced him to buy a vacation home in the Abruzzo region of Italy, where the weather is much warmer. With a budget of $211,000, they want to find a home with views of the sea and lots of land. The challenge? As the owner of a construction company, Will is well aware of the pitfalls of home renovation and would rather buy a place that doesn't need a lot of work. Alex, on the other hand, is only concerned with how the house makes her feel. Their real estate agent, Stefania Russo takes them to see three very different homes that range from a complete fixer to a remodeled farmhouse. In the battle between love and money, someone will have to give in.

Aired 22 August 2010 • 23 min

Fran and Fiorina Mahon are from Ireland and live in Naas, County Kildare, which is about 18 miles from Dublin. The couple enjoys spending time with their three children, but with their two sons off in college it's a challenge to get everyone together. To solve the problem they've decided to get a vacation home where the entire family can spend quality time together. Because of Fiornia's Italian heritage they are focused on southern Italy. The couple decided on Calabria, Italy because it has great weather and some of the country's lowest priced coastal real estate. The only catch is they have never been to the area, so Fran, Fiorina and their daughter Beverly will spend four days in Calabria looking for a home and getting familiar with the region.

Aired 15 August 2010 • 23 min

Texan businesswoman Barbara has been working to convince her husband Dean, an oil worker, to buy a vacation home in the remote village of Cotacachi, Ecuador. Even though he's only seen the place in photos and home videos, Dean is willing to take the risk, but he doesn't want to give up the yard space he's used to back home.

Aired 10 June 2010 • 23 min

Canadians Craig and Jeanelle are looking for a vacation home in the Dominican Republic. They're hoping to find a warm place where they can escape the cold Canadian weather and enjoy great beaches and nightlife. But they also want a home where their baby son will feel comfortable. With a budget of $300,000, Jeanelle and Craig are on the hunt for the perfect getaway place. But since they both have different wishes, it's going to be a challenge to find what they want.

Aired 7 September 2010 • 23 min

Steve is an engineer who loves living in Phoenix, Arizona. But, his job is anything but 9 to 5. He decided he wants to buy a vacation home in a remote area of Belize, where he can unplug from his job and completely escape. He's taking along his good friend and travel buddy, Kelly, on this journey. He has a budget of $200,000 - $300,000 and is hoping to find a home in a remote location, close to the water and that has Belizean character. Having never bought a place overseas, he'll really have to rely on realtor Elizabeth Dull, to help him find the right place.

Aired 22 September 2010 • 23 min

While they love the Grand English estate they call home, Sandra and Roger are tired of Britain's dreary weather. They're looking to make a fresh start in France's Charente Region, famous for its sunny climate and cognac production.

Aired 10 September 2010 • 23 min

American surfers Seth, 32, and Lindsey, 28, have decided to ''retire early'' in a beautiful spot known as the Nicaraguan Riviera. After living in a caretakers' cottage for nearly a year, they've saved enough money to buy a place of their own.

Aired 13 September 2010 • 23 min

Tim loves his bachelor life in San Diego, but one important piece of his life is missing: his little girl, Gabi, lives in Costa Rica with her mother. Tim's decided to buy a second home in the Central American country, so he can spend several months a year with Gabi, instead of making rushed visits to impersonal hotels.

Aired 15 September 2010 • 23 min

Grant and Kristi love their active lives in Oklahoma City, but the busy couple would love a warm place to get away and relax. They're hoping to find a spacious place so their entire extended family can also enjoy some down time. Since most of their relatives already have to travel for reunions, Grant and Kristi thought buying a place abroad would be a great idea. They decided to go with Panama because they can use the US dollar and it offers everything from mountains to oceans, so there are a variety of activities the family can do together. After heading to Panama and taking in the sights the couple gets to work on their house hunt.

Aired 14 September 2010 • 23 min

Christine is an American who followed her husband Andrea to his hometown of Bologna, Italy, when he started a new job as the director of a student exchange program at the University of Bologna. While they love living in Italy, they don't want to raise their 5-year-old son, Ray, in a small apartment in the city and are looking for a house in the hills near Bologna. With a budget of $710,000, they are in sync on their needs with one exception. As an American, Christine wants a home with some history. Andrea wants a home that is functional and doesn't need any work at all. Their agent, Grazia Lanzoni, is up for the challenge.