From the street it looks like, wow!
[narrator] Authur knew he could never afford
a house like this in California,
so, he's moving to Texas for the lower cost of living
-The listing price is $233,900. -What?
What's the catch? There's gotta be some kind of catch.
[narrator] The market here can let him feel
like a kid in a candy store.
[Sheryl] Granite countertops.
You have your stainless steel appliances.
I could see myself whipping it up in here, for sure.
[narrator] But even here, he'll have to prioritize
what's most important
to avoid working two jobs again.
That dollar amount, that could be the difference
between me having to pick up a side gig
or do an additional job or something like that.
He is not gonna be able to get
new construction, price and location all in one.
I'm running a little late.
You know how Houston's traffic can be.
[Sheryl] Every day first should be fine.
My name is Authur.
I work for the United States Department for Agriculture.
I'm in the data collecting branch.
I'm 28 years old.
Currently I live in Sacramento, California.
I moved to Sacramento because my job required me to go out there.
And then when I saw how much it cost to live,
I then realized, like, "Okay, this is why."
Um, California is not for me.
I had to rent, which even that was high.
I've now changed offices to the Texas office.
I'm excited. The cost of living is a lot lower.
I can get back into home ownership.
Um, also, I just love Houston.
I came down to visit a few times.
The people here are great. The food is great,
and did I mention, like, the cost of living is a lot lower?
[ringing doorbell]
-Hey, Sheryl, how's it goin'? -How are you?
Good. Can I give you a hug?
You sure can. Oh, my goodness.
I met Authur through a client of mine.
Our first conversation, we hit it off.
It was a great vibe.
It was like we had been friends forever.
So, I'm currently here in the city of Houston.
I'm staying in a hotel.
I'm ready to see the houses in person.
So, the last time we spoke
I know you were considering
-a three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home. -Hmm-hmm.
I have a office, I have guests, whatever.
My parents currently live on the east coast.
My mom demands that I have a room on the first floor
for whenever she comes to visit.
She does not like stairs.
-Location wise, I would pref to be closer to downtown. -Hmm-hmm.
[Authur] I can, you know, go out to, you know,
go to happy hours,
and kind of be in the mix of everything.
Yeah, I think him coming from California,
he thinks that he may get a lot here.
And he will get more than he would get in California.
But still, we have to be realistic.
It has to be really, you know, walk-in ready.
Like, it can't be something that I have to, you know,
put in sweat equity.
I'm already gonna be spending enough money
moving out here.
I wanna just kinda set my furniture down, and kind of go.
I would like to stay under $250,000.
I don't wanna go above $2,000 a month.
When I was in Sacramento,
I had to do various side hustles,
ride-sharing services as well as deliveries.
You know, kind of make ends meet.
Um, and I would prefer, if possible,
to not have to do that while I'm in Houston.
I wanna actually be able to enjoy the city.
You know, I'm lookin' around,
and honestly, you could just give me the keys
to this house if you wanted to.
I mean, this is a really nice place.
[Sheryl] I don't know about that, Authur.
I don't think my husband is gonna be having that.
You know, we can talk about it.
We could table that.
But, no, honestly, I really like
the modern, like, upgrades in here.
Like, I like the cabinets. I like the countertops.
He's young. He's with the times.
I think that he is vibrant.
He just wants something that's in style.
He loves the high ceilings.
He loves crown molding.
The finer things in life.
The finer things in life, that's correct. [chuckles]
[both laughing]
[Authur] I'm liking the neighborhood.
Everybody's, you know, waving, super friendly.
It's giving me, like, that southern hospitality feel.
Right, and we're still 15 minutes from downtown.
-Okay. -So, that's as far.
That's perfect, perfect.
And the listing price is $233,900.
What? What's the catch?
There's gotta be some kind of catch.
So, you may have to do just a tad bit of work.
Oh, no.
[Authur] So, there's no garage?
Okay, so that's the work that you were talking about
I was gonna have to do.
No garage. There is a carport.
[Authur] Yeah, so I definitely need this carport
to turn into a garage some kind of way.
-That's just a matter of building this out. -Mmm-hmm.
[Sheryl] Putting a garage door on it.
[Authur] That might be a little costly.
So, I would definitely need to do something about this yard, for sure.
-I kind of wanted to have it, like, ready to walk in. -Hmm-hmm.
[sighing]
It's nice in here.
[Authur] Okay, so, it's completely renovated.
[Sheryl] Completely renovated.
In this house, Authur is getting definitely the price.
Um, there is not much out here
that is as even renovated at $234,000.
He's also getting the location.
And then it is a new home, practically, in the inside.
I love this tray ceiling, I really do.
[Sheryl] And, of course, you have some bling up here.
-[Authur] Yeah! -Do you like bling?
Do I like that much bling? I don't know.
I mean, it is, it's a nice fan,
but it's very... very poppy.
-The dining room is huge. -Right.
[Sheryl] I knew this would be great.
I know that you like to entertain.
Maybe even having, like, a big Sunday brunch or something.
-Hmm-hmm. -Like, just a whole bunch of space.
Right, and then you could still be cookin' in here,
-and also still be entertaining your guests. -Okay.
[Sheryl] Granite countertops.
You have your stainless steel appliances.
[Authur] One thing I find interesting
is the difference between this counter and that counter.
I think I like them both individually,
but together, I don't know exactly how I feel about it.
[Sheryl] That may be something that
you may have to switch up.
-It wouldn't be a pricy fix. -Okay. I like this a lot.
I like it has a lot
of the modern touches that I like.
-I can see myself whipping it up in here, for sure. -Good.
-Mmm-hmm. Mmm-hmm. -[dog barking]
-Let's talk this out. -Okay.
-Okay, so, you could possibly build a privacy gate. -Okay.
You can get rid of all of this greenery here.
Get rid of this shed.
Have someone come out here
and pour some concrete to give you a patio area.
Ooh, this is a lot of calculation.
[laughs] That sounds like a lot of work to be done.
Well, I definitely wanna point out the layout of this house.
I thought that it would be great
just because I know that your parents will come
-to visit you. -Okay.
[Sheryl] I like the fact that we have
-this first bedroom here to the right. -Mmm-hmm.
[Authur] Really, it's a good size too.
-Check out the closet space. -Oh, yeah, let me see.
Oh, yeah, plenty of space.
Enough for them to hang up their traveling gear and everything.
Yeah, and I also noticed there was carpet in there too,
-so, I think that that's good. -There is carpet.
All right, well, you'll be happy to see
-that all of these bedrooms will have carpet. -Gray?
Your guests would be in this fresh room.
[Authur] This is a cool bathroom, I think.
It has enough space.
It's got nice tile situation going on. Okay.
-To the main attraction... -Hmm-hmm.
Okay, this is really nice.
-[Sheryl] You still get your tray ceiling. -Yes.
-They bring the luxury to the bedroom. -Mmm-hmm.
-So, this bathroom. I like the fixtures. -Mmm-hmm.
I mean, these bowls are really cool looking actually.
-[Sheryl] Definitely a nice upgrade. -Yeah.
I love the natural light, but it is kind of...
it's kind of snug.
But it's a nice space for the shower.
The shower is a spacious shower,
-so I could sing and dance in there if I wanted to. -[laughing]
But, like, I would like to have a tub in there.
The inside is a hit.
The kitchen and everything is nice.
I feel like I have space to entertain.
The extra room, I think,
for my parents when they come to visit
and it's on the first floor, and it's all great.
[Sheryl] That's a lot for a $233,000 price point.
The price is amazing.
Um, but it's just, you know, it's a trade-off
with the landscaping in the back.
In the front, as well, as building a whole garage.
[narrator] So, Sheryl finds a brand new build
where he won't have to do a thing,
but there's a sacrifice.
-Is there a bedroom down here? -[Sheryl] No bedroom.
-There is this closet here. -[laughing]
My mom is not gonna appreciate that.
How was your night last night with your friends?
Oh, yeah, it was great.
So we actually went to this amazing taco place.
I have a couple of places that I wanna recommend to you as well,
but I'll give them to you as soon as you get settled.
My friends and family sometimes say I'm a little picky.
-Mmm-hmm. -So, don't take offence if I don't like certain places.
Um, I like to think that I just know what I want.
[narrator] Fortunately, Sheryl does think
the new construction she's lined up for him to see nex
will live up to his high standards.
[Authur] I know it was a little higher priced,
but, you know, it's winning right now.
It's got that modern look that I like,
-um, nice finishes. -[Sheryl] Mmm-hmm.
From the street, it looks like, wow.
Like it just kind of pops out and draws your eye.
[Authur] Oh, wow, okay.
This is really nice.
I like the wood look on the floors,
although I'd kind of want it a little bit darker.
And then I'm tryin' to figure out
exactly where things would go.
The TV probably would be right there.
But right at the door...
Hmm. It's kind of hard for me to visualize.
I think Authur just, I think, he likes what he likes.
I can understand, he's moving here from a new place,
this is a new start for him.
But he may have to compromise on some things.
[Authur] I like this. It's not too much yard.
It's a yard that I can still have events.
-So, like, maybe have a small cookout at. -Okay.
-[Authur] It's got a nice little patio. -Mmm-hmm.
Normally at this price point the homes tend to look alike.
But they did a great job,
-um, just with the matt black fixtures... -Right.
...quartz countertops.
[Authur] I mean, I like a nice big island.
It definitely looks very modern.
We've got the nice new appliances. I like that.
The backsplash, I don't think that's my style.
[Sheryl] Probably $200, $300 can fix that easy.
The most exciting part about leaving California was
so I could get back into home ownership.
I had a condo before in St. Louis,
but having a single family home,
I'm gonna actually make me feel
like I'm a grown-up, you know.
-Here you also have a half bath for your guests. -Okay.
Is there a room, bedroom, down here at all?
[Sheryl] Well, no bedroom.
There is this closet here.
[laughing] Yeah, my mom is not gonna appreciate that!
[Authur] I see they have carpet in the bedrooms,
-so, I kind of like that. -Right.
-Here is your primary bedroom. -Oh, wow!
I like this a lot,
-and this is a really really nice size room. -Mmm-hmm.
Um, this is a little... snug for me.
[Sheryl] It's a little snug?
I think it's some nice finishes.
It kind of matches what's going on downstairs,
but I'm a big guy.
-I gotta be able to-- -Move around.
...turn around and move around.
-I like the shower stall. -Okay.
I like a lot of the finishes and the features.
It looks crisp, clean, and has a style that I like.
I do have a few concerns, just, you know,
the bathroom being so small,
-and kind of the flow of the living room. -Yeah.
I did wanna have a room on the bottom floor
-for my parents when they come to visit. -Mmm-hmm.
[Authur] Um, I think the location is wonderful.
I'm, like, but that price,
you know, that could be the difference
between me having to pick up a side gig
-or do an additional job or something like that. -Right.
Well, I definitely understand that it's more.
It's, you know, an expectation.
Expectation versus reality type situation.
He is not gonna be able to get
new construction, price, and location all in one.
[narrator] But Sheryl think this next house
might have enough winning elements
if he can overlook one thing.
I'm seein' chickens and roosters and horses.
[rooster crowing]
I know you're looking for the downtown skyline.
We did have to come a little bit further out,
just so I could find you this great new construction.
-And the price is only $245,000? -Yes.
Okay, I might have to make a little trek to the city then.
This area is developing,
so it would make for a great long-term investment for you.
Oh, man, that garage
sort of takes up a big portion of the front of the house.
But it has one, so, that's a plus.
I do like this stone right here.
-The house looks really nice. -Mmm-hmm.
It's clean, it's contemporary.
Oh, wow, this is nice.
[Sheryl] You walk right into this staircase,
but it is not walking into the living room.
-That's definitely a plus. -Mmm-hmm.
Authur is very money conscious.
We could find something closer to downtown,
but in my opinion, it is a new construction
and the bargain can't be beat.
I like the rails.
That's a great design element that they've added.
[Authur] I notice the floors are a little light.
I definitely do like a darker floor.
[Sheryl] And you have a storage closet here.
[Authur] Okay. Okay.
Pretty good amount of space,
but I'm not seeing a room
for my parents down here anywhere.
I'm guessing there's no rooms on the first floor?
There are no rooms on the first floor.
Okay, okay.
There is no room downstairs for my parents.
I go back and forth in my head, like, is this...
Something that I'm willing to compromise on,
you know, for having a new build,
or being in the price range I want to be in.
Got the granite countertops.
What do you think about that?
I mean, I think I really did like the quartz that some of the other houses,
but I like this too.
It looks like it's modern.
Oh, this is great, this, oh, it's a lot of space in here.
I can keep a nice clear counter space.
Oh, this is great. [chuckles]
Here is the dining room space.
[Arthur] Yeah, I'm trying see how that would work.
Just in general, I mean, it is just me.
You know, most of the time, but I do want to have a space for when
-family and friends come into town. -[Sheryl] Right.
But there's like the flow
of the space.
You know, like the living room, I feel like could have a little bit more space.
But I think it's like a give and take situation here.
You know, you can utilize this bar space.
Put some bar stools here,
just to give you a little bit more seating room.
[Arthur] I like this.
-A manicured backyard, you know. -[Sheryl] Mmm-hmm.
-It's not too big, it's not too small. -Mmm-hmm.
-This is, it's definitely, oh, we got a rooster. -[rooster crows]
[both laugh]
You guys must love roosters down here in Texas.
Um, what exactly is going to happen with that grass over there?
[Sheryl] In a couple of months that should be filled in.
[rooster crows]
Are you, you know, are you used to roosters or anything?
[chuckles] So when I was staying in my rental property,
honestly, I got used to them when I first got to Sacramento.
I was there for like four months,
so we had a rooster and he would go all day, so.
I guess I'll just be awake during this time.
-Well, those will definitely be your neighbors... -[sighs] Right.
...so that's something that you would definitely need to think about.
[Arthur] I'm liking the carpet.
-Oh, a lot of good lighting here. -Mmm-hmm.
[Arthur] It's a little small,
but I could see it being a good office room or something.
And it kind feeds into a bathroom,
and it looks like the bathroom connects between the two rooms.
-[Sheryl] It does. -Okay, so that'd be perfect for a guest.
[Sheryl] So this would be the primary.
A lot of light coming in,
so when I wake up in the morning, you know I'll have a nice
-nice warm sun hitting my face. -[Sheryl] Mmm-hmm.
[Arthur] Okay, this is a bathroom.
This, this is a bathroom.
I feel like I have the space to be able to you know,
turn around.
I love the tile in the shower.
I love the little nook they have so I can put soaps and my various things.
I love the fact that there is a tub in here.
I really do like the house,
I think some of the spaces are just a little small.
I kinda wish we were close to downtown as well.
And I'm missing that first room on the first floor
-for my parents when they come to visit. -Mmm-hmm.
Um, however, the finishes are really nice.
I'm loving this flow.
I also love the price of the place, the price is perfect.
For me, the bottom line, financially is a big deal.
Leaving California, I came o here with the hopes
of finding a property that I could afford.
I might have to consider, you know, compromising on a few things.
-You look great. -Thank you, thank you.
I figured since we were going out for dinner,
I would need to dress up a little bit.
[narrator] Before heading back to Sacramento to pack up his apartment,
Arthur wants to put in an offer in Houston.
[Sheryl] The remodeled ranc is in a great location,
and close to downtown.
That one had a really, really good price.
-[Sheryl] Mmm-hmm. -[Arthur] There was plenty of space.
The nice finishes, the crown molding.
And then there was also the area, I mean,
for your parents to have their own side of the house.
[Arthur] That was really, really nice.
But the backyard, the backyard, the backyard.
Is the inside worth what I have to deal with on the outside?
Front and back, that is.
[Sheryl] So we had the farmhouse new construction.
I know that you love the contemporary look of it.
[Arthur] It did have a reall nice curb appeal.
It was very modern.
You know, it was pretty muc walk in ready,
but it's just odd to think that I'm going to open the door and be right there
-where I'm sitting and watching TV. -[Sheryl] Uh-huh.
[Arthur] As well as there is no room downstairs for my parents.
[Sheryl] Well, I understand that,
-but the location is prime. -Mmm, yeah.
It's just do I wanna go that high in price.
[Arthur] So the new build, where as soon as you walk up
you know, bam, right in your face,
garage and it's like, "Where is the house?"
Inside the house, you know, I felt like it had a pretty nice flow to it.
I still got modern fixtures
Did however feel like some of the spaces in there were a little snug.
Which would make it kind of, you know, tight to host.
The price for this house is really great for a new build,
but it's also a little bit further from downtown
and there is no bedroom on the first floor for my parents.
Okay, so,
so far in this area, this is all the furniture that I have.
I decided to go with the new construction house.
I love the fact that it is a new build,
I don't have to do any work
Everything is so fixed up and so nice.
This is the kitchen area, what do you guys think?
I just love the granite top
Yeah. [laughs]
Of course we can't forget the price.
So the listing price was $245,000.
Sheryl told me that new homes in Houston for some reason
do not go into multiple offer situations.
So I actually ended up paying $245,000.
I'm gonna show you guys where y'all, you guys are gonna be staying.
I'm super excited for my parents to come.
I know that you wanted to be on the first floor,
but you guys are gonna have to go up some very nice steps.
[laughs] I think you'll like your room.
You know you got the nice carpet in here.
It's still kind of surreal getting in here, and I'm like this is actually my house.
-Hey. -[Sheryl] Hi, Arthur.
-How are you? What is this? -How are you?
I'm hearing the roosters, I'm seeing all the new finishes.
You know, I feel like a real grown up now.
I'm thinking maybe putting the TV like on that wall.
I think that would be perfect.
-[Arthur] And then maybe having like a... -[Sheryl] Sectional.
Yep. This journey was just another point of growth for me.
It was an opportunity to really stretch myself
in a completely new state and a new city,
and I'm truly grateful for i
I just love it down here, in the great state of Texas.