[narrator] House Hunters is getting the star treatment.
You could probably do a plunge pool.
No, I want a bigger pool.
You don't even swim.
[narrator] For the first time ever,
our experts are leading the hunt.
Trust me, I have your back.
[narrator] Taking buyers to see homes
in the towns they know best.
Mina is synonymous with the city of Indianapolis.
[narrator] Giving expert reno advice
on the biggest fixers.
Having Jasmine is like having a magic genie here.
♪ Anything that you want You can have ♪
[narrator] And real estate know-how
to get buyers into their perfect home.
This is why you brought the pros in.
[narrator] It's House Hunters on a whole other level.
Let the house search begin.
-Yes! -Yeah. [chuckles]
This is fun.
I'm glad you're here for the vision.
-[laughing] -'Cause I can't see it.
[narrator] Tonight in Los Angeles,
Veronica Valencia from Revealed,
helps an engaged couple search for their first home.
But it will also come with a reality check.
[Courtney] It's a little small.
This is house hunting in Los Angeles.
[theme music playing]
♪ Just dream a thing ♪
♪ Who says a lady can't be king ♪
[Veronica] For the kids' bathroom,
I was thinking that maybe these penny rounds
-and this right here. -Yeah, absolutely.
I'm in my hometown of Los Angeles,
and I'm elated to help a newly engaged couple,
Courtney and Thanasi, find their first home.
-[indistinct conversation] -Congratulations!
Thank you, thank you.
[Veronica] Courtney and Thanasi
were both raised in the Valley,
which is a northern suburb in Los Angeles,
and their number one goal is to stay here by family.
[Ron] Two things I want.
-[Thanasi] All right. -Take care of my daughter
-and we want grandkids. -You got it.
Coming from very big Greek and Japanese families,
it's traditional to get married
before you live together.
[Courtney] Love you.
[all laughing]
[narrator] With their wedding right around the corner,
they want to line up a home quickly.
And since they both have aspects of their backgrounds
they'd like to incorporate,
they've reached out to Veronica for help.
I just can't wait to just sit down with them
and just see and feel
what they really paint as a perfect home.
When I design,
I want to tell every family's story.
Oh, my... This is our kitchen!
[man] Everything in here feels like personal to us.
-[both gasping] -You're shaking. [laughs]
-Hi, guys. -Oh, hi.
-[Thanasi] How's it going? -How are you?
Good, good. How are you?
-Welcome to the studio. -Thank you.
[Courtney] Veronica is the perfect person
to find our first house.
She's a designer,
so she's gonna definitely be able to point out
the stuff that Courtney likes, as far as aesthetically.
But she's gonna be able to help me
so we don't end up buying a money pit.
It's your first time living together?
It is, it is.
How are you feeling about that, Courtney? [chuckles]
-I'm a little nervous. -You're nervous?
-Not going to lie. -Yeah. [chuckles]
So let's talk about the location.
[Thanasi] Yeah, just basically the Valley.
We want to stay close to both of our families.
-If it were up to my mom... -Yeah.
...she'd build us a guest house at her house
and we'd live there.
[all laughing]
My mom is one of nine and I'm Mexican,
and literally our entire family
like lives in the same neighborhood.
-[Thanasi] Yeah. -My aunt was our mail lady.
I totally get the entire big, big family vibes.
Bedrooms, bathrooms?
-Minimum three bedroom. -[Thanasi] Yeah.
-Two bathroom. -[Veronica laughs]
She's like, "I know what I want."
Agreed, yeah.
A double vanity would be great.
-I'm a hairstylist. -Absolutely.
So I have a lot of beauty products,
-so I need storage. -[Veronica] Yep.
I have a razor blade and shaving cream.
[chuckles] He's like, "I'm a simple man."
I think I'm definitely looking for more Craftsman,
some red brick or some pop of color,
something that has character.
I live in a double story right now
and being able to go
up the stairs, down the stairs.
You get your natural gym right there.
-Yeah. [laughs] -I love a ranch style home.
-Okay. -A farmhouse type home.
Both my parents grew up on a farm
in Croatia and in Greece.
So, for me, it kinda maybe takes me back
to their roots a little bit.
[Veronica] Pulls on your heartstrings.
-[Thanasi] Yeah, definitely. -Yeah.
In the Japanese culture,
there is sort of this emphasis on indoor-outdoor features.
So being able to go out in our backyard
and feel like we're in nature would be nice.
-Something peaceful. -[Veronica] Got it.
I think it's just so important to incorporate your culture
-in your own home. -Yeah.
Are you looking for something move-in ready?
Definitely a little bit more move-in ready.
-[Veronica] Okay. -I...
would like to be able to come move in
and get right back to work.
I would like something that's not newly updated.
I work in pipeline construction.
So with my construction background,
I would like to put my own spin on it.
Oh, you wanna put my own spin on it, okay.
Financially, are we on the same page
about how much you want to spend?
I'm open to spending up to 800.
Okay.
I think I'm leaning more towards the sevens.
So 700-800.
Although that is a big number in LA,
sometimes that can be a little tricky.
The median price point in Los Angeles
is a million dollars.
I have a lot of work cut out for me.
It's gonna be a challenge.
[Thanasi] Also, an area to play around.
A little room to kick a soccer ball.
We both play soccer together.
A nice little bocce court.
I guess people call it "bocci" here?
Oh, bocci. "Bocce."
-Oh, that's fancy. -Yeah.
[chuckles] You guys are very outdoorsy.
-I love that. -Very.
I love a challenge, and I'm going into it
putting on my designer hat
and really helping them paint a picture
of what this house could be.
I promise we will all get on one page.
We're gonna find something perfect for you.
This is why you're here.
-A little give and take. We compromise. You know. -This is why I'm here.
♪ Just like the wind I go wherever it takes me ♪
[narrator] With the help of her real estate contacts,
Veronica lined up a home to show them
a few days later.
I'm taking you guys to Simi Valley.
It's a little bit further away
from where you guys wanted to be.
But the pricing is a little bit better over here.
There's a lot of nature, and it's very peaceful.
-Right? -[Thanasi] Awesome.
[Veronica] Okay, so it is three bedroom,
it's one bath.
[Courtney] That is a huge concern.
-[Thanasi] Yeah. -[Veronica] However,
there's room for adding a bathroom.
Then I guess we'll have to see.
-I don't know where... -[Thanasi] We're off road.
[Veronica] Wait, where are we going?
Where do I do a U-turn?
[Courtney] Okay, I'm a little nervous.
You weren't kidding about the wilderness.
Here we are.
I don't know who's gonna love it more.
It has all of the charm
that Courtney is going to like.
But the whole property reminds me
of a Mediterranean village,
and I feel like that's really gonna pull
at Thanasi's heartstrings.
I love the stone.
It's got a lot of character.
I love the combo of the rebel stone
-and the brick. -[Veronica] And the brick.
[Veronica] Yep.
So this is cottage Craftsman.
The price is really great.
It's 745.
[Thanasi] Seven forty-five is more
than what I was hoping to spend.
But I will say, the fact that we're in nature here,
is amazing.
And I already picked up the key as well.
That is a high lock.
Am I gonna be able to reach that?
-[chuckles] Right. -Oh, wow.
[Thanasi] I notice stairs.
-Courtney likes her stairs. -Yeah.
I do love the stairs.
[Veronica] Down here, we have two of the bedrooms
and upstairs is the main living space and bathroom.
-[Courtney] Okay. -[Thanasi] Okay.
Um, there is no primary suite.
However, this is the largest bedroom.
-Courtney, your face. [laughs] -It's a little small.
And is this the only closet space?
This is house hunting in Los Angeles.
-[both laughing] -It's really hard.
You can actually do a built-in wardrobe here.
And so, trust me,
I would be able to get in closet space.
'Cause that is a must for me.
-[Veronica] Yes. -[both chuckle]
-Okay, so next bedroom. -Okay.
[Veronica] I mean, how adorable already?
[Courtney] This is cute.
[Veronica] Is it giving you kid vibes, right?
-[Courtney] Definitely. -[all laughing]
Okay, so upstairs.
-Get those steps in, Courtney. -Let's go.
-This is the family room. -[Courtney] Cute.
[Veronica] I love it. I think it's really cute.
This is so charming.
[Thanasi] It's bringing the outside in.
And then this bedroom right here.
They have this staged as an office.
[Courtney] I mean, I'm short,
so the ceilings don't bother me.
I have some tall cousins.
[Veronica] You have some tall cousins?
-[Thanasi] Yeah. -[Veronica] Okay.
So the bathroom, don't be alarmed.
-[Courtney] Oh, my gosh. -[laughing]
Don't be alarmed.
The bathroom is a little bit smaller.
-[Courtney] Oh, my gosh. -[Veronica chuckles]
[Veronica] I did warn you there is one bathroom.
Definitely a lot smaller than we I thought it would be.
[Courtney] This is teeny, tiny.
Like the sink. This is not gonna work.
It would probably fit one of your makeup brushes.
One of my makeup brushes.
[Veronica] In small spaces like this,
I've done built-in storage inside framing
and that would give you plenty of storage
for all of your makeup products.
Okay.
-[Veronica] Kitchen, next? -[Courtney] Yes.
[Veronica] It's right here.
-It's off of the family room. -[Courtney] Cute!
I like how it feels a little open.
Move-in ready.
Imagine countertop going all the way across.
-[Courtney] Yes. -Maximizing your storage
would probably only cost about eight grand
to add even more storage.
This, you know, was built in the 1930s.
But this kitchen has been updated
and there is newer appliances and plumbing fixtures.
That concerns me a bit just 'cause I know
plumbing and electrical,
when it was done way back then,
it's definitely not up to code
as far as today's standards go.
Yep.
But take a look around and see if we find any issues.
Yeah. Well, do you wanna get to work over there?
-[Thanasi] Yeah. -[all laughing]
Real quick.
[Veronica] How's it looking?
[Thanasi] Definitely some sort of updates going on in here.
Newer garbage disposal, for sure.
[Veronica] There is a lot of outdoor space.
We are just in the middle
-of nature out here. -Cute.
-Whoo! More stairs! -[Veronica] More steps.
[Thanasi] Oh, great. More stairs.
There is some space to entertain,
but as far as trying to play some sports
or kick a ball around or...
Definitely no bocce going on here.
[Veronica] We have another patio,
which I thought would be a perfect area
to add another bathroom off of the office, tub,
shower, double vanity,
plenty of storage.
Adding a bathroom here
would probably run you anywhere from 45 to 60.
Okay, so that's still within my price range.
Yeah.
I feel like you really hit the nail on the head
-as far as my style. -Great.
I just feel like the bathroom's not really
-doing it okay for me. -Bathroom? Okay.
The singular bathroom.
And I'd also really like to be a little bit closer to family.
-Little closer? Okay. -Yeah.
♪ Do it I gotta do it my way ♪
[narrator] So Veronica's taking them to Chatsworth,
a San Fernando Valley neighborhood
where Thanasi's mom lives.
Thanasi, it's not in your mom's backyard,
but it's pretty close.
-Yeah. -[all laughing]
-It is 750. -Seven-fifty is perfect.
-If it's got good bones. -[Veronica] Yes.
-Wow. -How cute is this?
[Courtney] It has so much character.
I think it's charming.
I don't love that it's not a two-story house.
My favorite thing is probably the views.
The mountains are insane. There's hiking, there's parks.
[Thanasi] The hiking is definitely a big plus for us.
[Courtney] Yeah, these stairs won't be enough stairs
-for me to get my cardio. -[all chuckling]
[Veronica] But there's hiking
and I already picked up the key from the agent.
-[Thanasi] Awesome. -[Courtney] Wow.
[Thanasi] Oh, wow. Yeah.
-There's so much natural light. -Right?
[Courtney] But it looks a little bit tiny for us,
for our big family.
Empty rooms feel a lot smaller.
Once there's furniture in here,
it really just like warms it up.
So what do you think about this, the size?
Feels very tiny and very closed off
-from the rest of the house. -[Veronica] Yes.
[Thanasi] A little bit outdated,
something that I can take care of
down the road, for sure.
This kitchen is totally functional.
But aesthetically,
it's really giving me grandma vibes.
Imagine opening this up.
-[Thanasi] Right. -[Courtney] Yeah.
[Veronica] You could do an island,
and to bring the Zen for Courtney,
you could use peaceful colors throughout
and white oak cabinets,
or even some green ones to bring the outside in.
This is why we're excited to have you here.
[chuckling]
-Yes. -To give us all these ideas.
-Totally. -How much would something
like this renovation cost?
Probably going to cost you $50,000 to $70,000.
-Oh. -[Veronica] Yeah.
[Courtney] I'm getting kind of freaked out
with the price of everything.
Okay, so let's not get too freaked out
and let's move on with an amazing backyard.
-Oh, my gosh. -What do you think?
-[Thanasi] Wow. -[Courtney] It's huge.
[Veronica] There's citrus trees out here.
There's pomegranate.
-Imagine raised garden beds. -[Thanasi] Yeah.
These rosebushes,
imagine these taken out and a bocce ball court.
I can already envision it.
[Courtney] That sounds so Zen
-and so beautiful. -[Veronica] Right? Yes.
There's a lot of potential out here.
-Yeah, definitely. -Right?
Super exciting.
Over here, this is the first guest room
or future baby's nursery, maybe.
I love how deep this closet is.
[Thanasi] I feel like maybe once we get
a crib and stuff in here,
it might get a little cramped.
-[Veronica] Okay. -Yeah.
[Veronica] I'm gonna show you the bathroom now, okay?
-[Courtney] Okay. -[Thanasi] All right.
[Courtney] It's tiny.
There's lacking storage.
Everything is in working condition.
And honestly, just paint and a light fixture
would go a long way.
-[Courtney] Yeah. -Yeah. Next bedroom.
[Courtney] Wow.
[Thanasi] It's much bigger than the first bedroom,
-for sure. -[Courtney] Yeah.
[Veronica] So the primary suite.
[Courtney] I'm not loving how small this closet is.
Very quick fix, $2,500.
I've taken these off and done a gorgeous, built-in wardrobe.
And so, you actually have drawers below
and hanging above, and it looks original.
-Okay. -That'll be your closet.
[all laughing]
[Veronica] And the bathroom.
[Courtney] Not very thrilled.
Yeah, definitely a lot smaller than what we're looking for.
[Courtney] Teeny tiny.
[Veronica] This bedroom is pretty big.
You could eventually make
a bigger bathroom with the space.
[Courtney] That's true.
These bathrooms from the 1950s,
they just don't have the storage that I need.
What do you guys think?
I love the home,
but I do feel
like it's a little closed off for me.
The kitchen also needs a lot of work.
[Thanasi] I'm okay with that.
I like putting my own stamp on things
-so... -[Veronica] Yeah.
[Courtney] I would love to find a kitchen
that's a little bit more move-in ready.
And another thing is,
I would love for the bathrooms to be bigger.
I'm gonna have to make some phone calls
because Los Angeles is tough.
Probably gonna have to find something
that is a little bit higher than what they want to spend.
♪ Chasing, chasing We do it for the fun ♪
[narrator] So Veronica lines up a home
she thinks Courtney will like.
[Courtney] I'm hoping that this is going to be
just picture-perfect.
Ooh.
-[Veronica chuckles] -[Thanasi] Wow.
♪ I'm feeling like it's gonna be one more time ♪
[narrator] To show Courtney and Thanasi
a home that's more move-in ready,
Veronica is meeting them at a place
in the Reseda neighborhood of the San Fernando Valley.
[Thanasi] All right, I think this was it.
She said the corner house, right?
[Courtney] Yeah, I like this big tree in the front.
-[Veronica] Hi! -[Courtney] Hi!
Good to see you again.
-Hello, nice to see you. -Yeah, definitely.
-How cute is this house? -It's cute.
-Isn't it cute? -I like it.
I'm showing them the house today
because it has a lot of closets for Courtney.
It's move-in ready.
And I feel like it's Thanasi's style.
It kinda reminds me of a Mediterranean farm.
[Thanasi] Yeah, in Santorini in Greece, for sure.
-Totally. -Yeah.
[Courtney] It's a little plain for me.
Honestly, shutters, awnings and gorgeous light fixtures.
I promise you that will bring
all of the character that you're gonna want.
The asking price is 795,
-so it's at the top. -For her.
-[all chuckling] -Yeah.
-It's still within my budget. -Yep.
So I'm hoping that this is going to be
just picture-perfect.
Ooh!
-[Veronica] Right? -[Thanasi] Yeah, wow.
A lot of natural light. The windows are nice and big.
Obviously, recently updated,
and it's pretty much move-in ready.
-[Courtney] That's great. -I feel like almost too ready.
I wanna be able to put my own stamp on things.
-Put your stamp on it? -Yeah.
So over here are two bedrooms
for future kids' rooms or office.
Ah!
We have a fully updated bathroom right here.
[Courtney] Okay, this isn't terrible.
It's definitely been updated down here, too.
And then, right over here is the dining room
centered in between
the kitchen and the family room.
[Courtney] Wow, this is beautiful.
Even though this isn't technically
-an open concept... -Yeah.
...I do love how the space is flowing into each room.
You don't have to have a big, open concept home
to really, you know, feel like a warm hug.
Yeah.
[Veronice] And over here is our updated galley kitchen.
Wow.
[Courtney] This is really nice.
[Veronica] Isn't it nice? Plenty of storage.
[Thanasi] I wish they would have knocked the plaster out
and hidden the electrical.
For the asking price,
they should have tidied things up little bit more.
Okay.
Thanasi notices all of the little details,
and so, right now, he's fixated on little things,
and I'm trying to pull him out and think big picture here.
This is their first home.
It will probably not be their forever home.
And I think that this is a great space
to grow their family.
And then, over here is the primary suite.
Wow.
[Veronica] Big wow for a big room.
-[chuckles] -[Thanasi] Very big, yeah.
[Veronica] This is a very large primary suite.
It's a little stale, a little bit plain in here.
Totally. Paint. Like paint goes a long way.
-[Thanasi] Yeah. -Gorgeous window treatments.
Plenty of opportunities in here.
[Courtney] Oh, my gosh.
My little walk-in closet.
[all laughing]
And then the primary bathroom.
Also newly updated.
Okay, this is nice.
I wish that there was a double vanity.
You could eventually steal from your closet
and make a larger bathroom.
[Courtney] I don't know.
I can't really steal from my closet.
-[Veronica] Right? -[laughing]
[Courtney] That's asking for too much.
What's behind this door?
This is actually access to the backyard.
[Thanasi] This is a little disappointing for me,
I'm not gonna lie.
[Courtney] I'm not as thrilled
-as I was expecting to be. -[laughing]
-Yeah. -Totally.
Imagine grass and bistro lights
built-in seating wrapping around these trees
going all the way across, a bocce ball court.
I feel like there is potential here.
[Thanasi] I'm glad you're here for the vision.
-'Cause I can't see it. -[all laughing]
Totally.
I'm glad you're giving me these ideas.
But bonus, though, it's an additional
little family hangout, a little office.
[Courtney] You know who would love this?
-[Veronica] Who would love it? -Your mom.
-So she could be close to us. -[Thanasi] Definitely.
[Courtney] Definitely move-in ready.
-[Veronica] Yes. -[Courtney] But it lacks
a little bit of character for me.
[Thanasi] I love the look of the house from the outside.
Totally my style. But at $800,000,
I just feel like we're overextending ourselves.
There's a lot of options and this is your first home.
It's the first time you guys are moving in together.
[Thanasi] Yeah.
While also planning a wedding.
I'm throwing a lot at you guys.
You've definitely put us in a bit of a predicament here.
Definitely.
♪ Oh, I've gotta know love ♪
[narrator] Courtney and Thanasi's wedding
is just a few weeks away,
so they need to figure out which place they'll call home.
Hi! How are you?
I'm good, how are you?
-Good. Thank you so much for coming over. -Hi, how are you?
This is a little treat from my family to yours.
It's pan dulce bread, sweet bread,
and horchata and watermelon juice.
I grew up... Like I'm obsessed with this,
and it just reminds me of family, so...
-[Thanasi] Awesome. -Delicious.
[Veronica] It's always better to make a decision
on a full stomach.
-[Thanasi] Agreed. -[chuckling]
[Veronica] Okay, so Thanasi,
I know that pricing was a big deal.
-[Thanasi] Right. -And the cottage
was listed at 745.
[Thanasi] I do like the price.
[Veronica] A lot of character.
[Courtney] Absolutely loved it from the get-go.
The outside, I love the natural elements.
The kitchen has so much character.
But it's far.
It's far from family.
-It's a little bit small. -[Veronica] Yes.
-The one bathroom. -[Veronica chuckles] Yeah.
[Courtney] Not enough for us.
I do feel like the ranch was a great blend
of both of your styles.
[Courtney] I love the red brick.
I feel like the home has a lot of character in the front.
[Thanasi] I'm loving all the room in the backyard.
It was definitely the closest of all the houses
that you showed us to our families.
Bathrooms, minimal renovation.
[Courtney] They are a little bit tiny.
And the kitchen, it needs renovation.
-For sure. -[Courtney] Yep.
With us getting married,
that just sounds like too much at one time,
I see it as the opposite.
I see it as an opportunity for us
to make some really good memories.
-Memories for sure. -[chuckling]
The Spanish bungalow.
It was the most expensive at 795.
[Courtney] But it was also the most move-in ready.
[Thanasi] So I really like the style of the house.
You could totally envision that house
on a hillside in Santorini or something like that.
[Veronica] Totally.
[Thanasi] Close enough to my family.
[Courtney] I love the kitchens,
lots of countertop space, lots of storage.
There's two bathrooms.
-Two... -[all chuckling]
-With lots of storage. -Yeah.
-And a hallway. -And walk-in closets.
[all laughing]
[Courtney] The exterior,
it needed a little bit of something,
-a little character. -[Veronica] Yeah.
I can still see something happening back there.
Trust me. Just, okay, everyone, close your eyes.
We're gonna imagine beautiful grass,
bistro lights.
Veronica definitely helped us envision the spaces
in ways that I would have never imagined.
[Thanasi] Her background, she just has this vision.
It just opened our eyes up
to so many different more possibilities
that we would never see without her.
I've done my part,
and I feel like you guys have the hardest part,
so you just let me know.
[doorbell rings]
-Hi! -[Courtney] Hi!
-[Thanasi] Hey, Veronica. -How are you?
Oh, my gosh. You guys are all moved in.
We picked the California ranch.
Even though this is more of Thanasi's style,
it still has a lot of character,
and we both love the backyard.
-Yeah. -Doesn't it feel bigger
-with furniture in the space? -[Courtney] Yes.
[Thanasi] Definitely enough room for the family.
-Absolutely. -Yeah.
[Courtney] The house was listed for 750
and our original offer was countered,
so we ended up with 778.
[Thanasi] Seven seventy-eight was a little bit more
than I wanted to spend,
but with the home inspection that we got back
and the condition of the home,
I was okay with spending that much.
The kitchen's great.
-It's functioning. -Good, okay.
[Courtney] And so, we're so excited.
When we're ready to design the kitchen,
we will give you a call.
Call me, you know where to find me.
-[Courtney] Yes. -[Thanasi] Definitely.
But we have some bigger news
-to tell you. -[Veronica] Yeah.
We got married.
Oh, my God. Congratulations!
Big milestones, getting married,
buying a house.
For Courtney and Thanasi to include me
on this journey, on this incredible milestone,
was seriously so amazing, so happy for them.
So I got you guys a little gift.
It's very heavy.
-[Thanasi] Oh, wow. -[Courtney] Oh, my gosh!
Very first. Not first, but in your new home,
-bocce, or bocci ball. -Yeah, I love it.
Even though we were on different pages,
Veronica helped us see
that we really weren't too far apart
when it came to making this decision.
-[chuckles] -That's good.
[Thanasi] She was definitely the vision that we needed.
-Ooh. I got close! -[Veronica] Oh!
[Courtney] Now that I have my husband,
we can definitely get our lives started
and grow our little family.
Maybe I'll just like pitch it.
-Ah! -[all laughing]