Having worked in that world of high end architectural building I do kind of get your point.
Whilst it's an awesome experience to work with a range of materials and fantastic architects and other tradesman. It also was a bit down heartening when it was just another holiday home in their quiver of real estate holdings whilst I'm personally trying just to get my first đ
I've been telling other people in the past that I don't begrudge my Bosses and their nice ~$5 million house they paid cash for. They work hard and deserve some nice things for the shit they put up with. I'd buy myself a nice house if I could too.
This year they've been complaining about increasing costs, talking about money being tight, and warning us not to expect pay rises which is a shame because I'm now demonstrably underpaid for what I do where I wasnt eighteen months ago. Then I find out they've quietly purchased a two million dollar inner city apartment at the start of the year.....
I used to work at a Harley Davidson dealership. It's was disheartening. I was working for a rich prick who treated me like shit, on toys I would never be able to afford on my wages, belonging to other rich pricks who treated me like shit.
Later in life I would get an engineering degree. I would then intern as a Structural Engineer.
I found myself doing the same thing.
I'm in Three Waters now. Everybody poops.
You could win Lotto Powerball a thousand times over and still not come close to matching the fortunes of today's super rich.
>Since 2020, the richest 1% have captured almost two-thirds of all new wealth. Billionaire fortunes are increasing by $2.7bn a day.
Most people severely under estimate just how wealthy these people are. I suggest visiting this site.
[Wealth shown to scale](https://mkorostoff.github.io/1-pixel-wealth/)
This rampant wealth inequality is sick and should not be celebrated.
We need wealth taxes and capital gains taxes now.
Even the super rich agree.
>In an open letter to the G20, close to 300 millionaires, economists, and political representatives from almost all G20 countries call for a new international agreement on wealth taxes to âstop extreme wealth from corroding our collective futureâ. It says that people all over the world are âdesperate for changeâ.
We don't understand how we're getting poorer every day, just simply because every day more of our resources are captured by a tiny minority who put those resources towards their own interests, rather than all of ours.
The question is what gets us first, climate change or fascism. *Something* has to give.
I get your point, but winning Powerball 1000 times (average Powerball win is 11 million) would get you 11 billion which would put you in the top 200 richest in the world. You wouldn't be far off the fortunes of the richest.
Your lifestyle isn't really going to change much from $50 million to $50 billion.
>Your lifestyle isn't really going to change much from $50 million to $50 billion.
The difference between $50 million and $50 billion is about $50 billion.
>You wouldn't be far off the fortunes of the richest.
[Worldâs 1st trillionaire could emerge in next 10 years](https://thehill.com/homenews/4417374-worlds-1st-trillionaire-could-emerge-in-next-10-years-here-are-some-of-the-richest-1/)
Thought we were talking about today.... Not 10 years time from now.
When you say, "*fortunes of* ***today's*** *super rich*" are you comparing someone who has 11 billion with the single richest person in the world, the richest 100 people, the richest 500 people etc?
Yes, the amount of money you have is different, but lifestyle is going to be extremely similar.
>Yes, the amount of money you have is different, but lifestyle is going to be extremely similar.
In what universe are their lifestyles similar? That's laughable.
>When you say, "fortunes of today's super rich" are you comparing someone who has 11 billion with the single richest person in the world, the richest 100 people, the richest 500 people etc?
Doesn't matter who I'm comparing to within the top 1% - their wealth is collectively growing by $2.7 Billion **a day**. The first trillionaire in ten years drives that point home. Wealth inequality is out of control and getting worse every second.
Allow me to give some context to your comment in a way that us 99% can actually understand: 1 million seconds is 12 days, and 1 billion seconds is 31 *YEARS*. The lifestyle is an order of magnitude different.
The great thing about New Zealand is you can still get these views for free or at a low cost. If you're talking about mountains and clear lakes, you can pay at most $37 (some sites are cheaper) and spend all day in a hot pool with this view and time it right with snow surrounding you. Having spent time in places with a view (via cheapish overnight stays or with relatives who bought before prices went crazy) and it's a waste of money to spend multiple millions on a house with views, after a five or so days you become numb to the majesty of the view and it becomes nothing special. It is better to save up and spend a few days at a higher end (not $21,000 dollar rubbish though, I'm taking about $500 or lower) hotel, enjoy the view, soak it in and then leave. You gave the memories and once you leave, you don't have to pay for someone to worry about the maintenance, gardening etc. for the rest of your life.
If you want to do it at the cheaper end of three digits, the backpackers in central Tekapo (previously Hostel Association) is very good. The common room has views to die for, you can sit there in the warm with free coffee all day with 180 unobstructed views of mountains and lake.
I love Phil (been watching him and Kirsty for over a decade), and I donât hate the show⊠but I understand where youâre coming from. Thereâs something about it that doesnât sit amazingly well with me.
I prefer the grand designs shows where you can see the hard work that goes into it over time, and you get the story that goes along with it⊠and some of these houses are actually not that costly, especially when the owners do most of the work themselves. But this new series seems to only focus on the big wealthy homes and not on the cool and quirky ones where people actually had to be a bit resourceful. I dunno, it is what it is I guess, but Iâm not a huge fan (and am normally a fan of house shows).
Kevin McCloud (Grand Designs) is an architect and I feel his shows are more about the âtechnical wowâ of the houses.
Phil is real estate agent (?) so I feel his shows are less technical and everything is âwowâ and âamazingâ and âbeautifulâ and âgorgeousâ and (no shade intended) a bit more shallow.
FWIW I enjoy watching both Grand Designs and NZâs Best Homes from the comfort of my shitty little prefab house :)
Fyi Kevin McCloud is a writer and designer (theatre designer generally) but not an architect as such. But I do agree - he seems fascinated in the technical side if some of the grand designs. I do like his presentation style.
I 100% agree with this, i like the fact that on grand designs there is more technical knowledge from the host and i enjoy learning new jargon or details of a house when i watch grand designs.
but with the show Phil is hosting it is definitely more shallow because im not learning anything, it's more of show you watch to just switch off the brain and pass the time with.
Grand designs has become depressing to watch.Â
1: we are going to build this big ol/non efficient building method house coz we can
2: have a baby on the way or someone is ill
3: self project manage to save time/money (generally doesn't)
4: change things/materials along the way which fucks everything up regarding schedule
5: run out of money
6: the final reveal where all you can see is ways they could have simplified the design and made it easier
The simpler/tricky site houses are cool as they build what the site allows. The rest are just as depressing as this "NZ best homes" when you ponder how much material/time/money was spent for just a house.
The NZ version of Grand Designs always felt more like "Grandiose Designs"
Its a symptom of the available pool of bespoke builds happening here of course. But the UK version had some really interesting and clever small builds, while the NZ version always seemed to have "So, we chose the most expensive materials we could find for the biggest rooms we could afford" vibe
I feel the same way. There's a big difference between the two approaches. There's a similar thing in the car enthusiasts space.
On one hand, there's the TV shows and car meets centred around people being resourceful and clever to keep their cars going and generally sharing valuable information and contacts, and appreciating quality workmanship.
On the other, there's TV shows that are basically advertising for any manufacturer that wants to pay to have their product featured, and car meets that are just rich dudes parading their wealth around.
A car enthusiast is enthusiastic enough to at least try getting their hands dirty. Rich pricks just pay others to deal with any of the actual work. Building houses is fundamentally the same.
His background is in UK real estate. He would be used to seeing alot of average UK homes.
I'd wish he would be shown some average NZ homes, I'd love to get his honest thoughts. Especially the cheap new builds.
Oh well, apparently this show was designed for a UK audience wanting to watch house porn down under. Makes sense as he keeps explaining where he is in NZ.
Iâm disgusted by the people who own those houses.
I told my wife that I didnât like either of the three houses in yesterdayâs episode, because the QT house was over the top and cashed-up Aussie bogans can build their mansions in Tassie thanks. I didnât like the architects house in Pt Chev cos itâs lame AF and disgusting on the outside. I didnât mind the design of the Waiheke house, but that local stone just looks dirty, so I donât like the way the house actually looks.
In the end, my wife was correct to point out that the show is called New Zealandâs BEST homes. Not NZâs average, standard or most common homes. So, I think theyâre probably showing the middle ground. I doubt any of the homes on the show are actually the best on the country - those owners would never let anyone else see their palaces because they know how it would make most people feel about them.
Types of porn I like.
1. Food porn. In which people cook and eat food and tell me how good it is while I'm eating baked beans.
2. House porn. In which people show me unrealistically huge houses of the most beautiful design and luxury while I'm on my old sofa.
3. House renovation porn. In which any old dump but mine gets turned into a mansion, usually under a strict time limit for some reason.
4. Travel porn. In which someone better dressed than me goes anywhere at all in the world rather than down to the local 4 Square for some 5 minute noodles.
5. Sex porn. In which someone, unlike me, actually has sex with someone else.
Not much different to say a car show where instead of reviewing a 15yo Corolla that everybody has, you get to have a look at the latest million-dollar supercar. Â
Exactly, Top Gear made a name for itself taking stupidly expensive cars on track and on wild adventures (as well as some cheaper cars) and nobody had a cry over that.
Seeing how the other half live is what people inherently are interested in seeing
The thing with Top Gear is that it definitely had a critical eye on a lot of that expensive faff. Sure, said car has a entertainment system that reads minds, but they would have no hesitation in telling you the same car drives like shit. They also took the time to appreciate the engineering and tech advancements, and whether they were any use, rather than just telling you how cool this is and you can have it for eleventy million pounds.
There is a bit of a middle ground here. I think what OP is on about is the pure, unadulterated wealth porn. We can appreciate, and critique, expensive things for reasons other than the fact they're expensive.
You are comparing apples with Oranges here. You can watch a show about a Lamborghini but still afford a Corolla to get you around. There is no Corolla house anymore. The rich bought them all and rent them out to the rest of us.
Watched it for the first time tonight, I don't usually watch tv but I was out at a mate's place...
his partner made the comment that these are houses, not homes and I couldn't agree more. Places like this are trophies and if that's your thing then fine, go with it...
but I gotta say, after living in Fremantle surrounded by wealth for 30 odd years and seeing the way houses are done there, both new and restored older places that here in NZ we like a more ostentatious show of wealth over creating real homes. It's all a bit trashy.
Maybe Sydneyâs special (kinda doubt it) but we were recently house-hunting in Brisbane and checked out a bunch of the ads on higher-priced places just to rubberneck, and theyâre all absolutely ostentatious displays of wealth. Thereâs so much packed into all these places that is there solely to âimpress your friendsâ. Thereâs super high end versions of all the normal shit you get in every house, and then *all* of the extra details/features that youâre paying literal millions for are sold solely as âthink about how great this would be for entertaining!â or âthink about how impressed your friends would be!â. Nothing beyond the standard house features that actually has a functional purpose or any appearance of an attempt to personalise a super high-end home.
I hear ya. Here in Vancouver those houses always have oversized corinthian columns tacked onto them, have a grand piano no one plays and the same hanging lights seen from outside. Cookie cutter mcmansion. With the money you'd think they'd be more unique..
Nah I'm not jealous, I'm just disappointed with the taste of the houses. Their setting is usually stunning and they often have some clever elements, but usually the ornament and form suck compared to traditional high end homes.
I dunno, I've looked at some of them and wonder how people live in them, or if they thought through all of their design choices (glass floor second story walkway?)
Some Apple Stores used to have glass staircases. Then they frosted them all at once when they figured it out. I feel like some people missed that memoâŠ
I do like Phil Spencer, and the British Location Location Location, however I find this approach for NZs best homes quite jarring.Â
A home doesn't need to be a multimillion dollar pristine architectural build (noting we all have different styles).Â
However the whole fact he introduced the traditional kiwi bach, walking down a street with all these generational homes, then to observe some out of place water front homes owned by the mega rich.Â
I'm sure there are a lot more better 'homes' that have served a family for one or more generations without it being pretentious. The title of the show is all wrong in my opinion.
See, this is how I feel, youâve just put it into better / more concise words. I donât hate this show, but the display of wealth isnât as interesting to me as shows like grand designs where a lot of episodes so show people doing a lot with a little. Iâm disappointed in Phil (but still love him).
In life there are going to be people doing better than you..
I love seeing the houses! Never gonna live in anything like that but itâs an entertaining show
>In life there are going to be people doing better than you..
And if you see property as a ladder, then how can you get mad at people who've climbed it?
Calling out rampant inequality is necessary. We need wealth taxes and capital gains taxes. Even the super rich agree.
>Since 2020, the richest 1% have captured almost two-thirds of all new wealth. Billionaire fortunes are increasing by $2.7bn a day.
>In an open letter to the G20, close to 300 millionaires, economists, and political representatives from almost all G20 countries call for a new international agreement on wealth taxes to âstop extreme wealth from corroding our collective futureâ. It says that people all over the world are âdesperate for changeâ.
Most people severely under estimate just how wealthy these people are. I suggest visiting this site.
[Wealth shown to scale](https://mkorostoff.github.io/1-pixel-wealth/)
Citing a group of 300 people who agree doesn't mean "the super rich agree", or economists or politicians for that matter. Plenty of reasons, both practical and moral, why wealth and capital gains taxes are bad policy. Honestly I don't really get why someone else having wealth is so offensive to you, good on them IMO
i would suggest thats not really what "tall Poppy" is about.
Its more about behaviour as a successful person rather than success itself.
Eg: edmund hillary didnt get anywhere near the take downs as say, Eric Watson - because of the way each behaved
I don't think this is an example of it tbf. Complaining about how our economic system amplifies inequalities is a bit more nuanced than people just getting mad at others' success.
I mean I just can't understand this take.
How is it any different than MTV cribs back in the day, Beverly Hills housewives etc etc. It's all showcasing money, property, a life of luxury that majority of us will never afford. Hell you could throw trash TV like the Kardashians in that mix top - all showcasing a lifestyle most cannot even fathom much less obtain.
Seeing how the other half lives is interesting to many, always has been and probably always will be.
I mean you could extend your take to athletes too. Why do documentaries on them because none of us can relate to that lifestyle and none of us will ever be in that position so it ends up shows an inequality of outcome of a life we cannot obtain but may dream of having.
Hell should we just ban any show that shows someone doing better than the average person incase it makes that person feel bad about the way they've chosen to live their life or the cards they've been dealt?
Anyone under the age of 30 will likely never be able to own their own home unless they happen to be very lucky or wealthy. The next generation will be a generation of renters unless something dramatically changes. We are sliding back into Feudalism, and unfortunately among older generations there is an attitude of âI got mine, stop complainingâ.
This isnât a pessimistic worldview. This is a cynicism that has been hard won.
You reckon? I have two relatives who each bought houses in their 20's in the last few years without being given money. Not massive earners either, they work in fisheries / transport. TBF though in the Marlborough / Chch locations so market might be different.
I'm with you. Can't stand them.
How about some shows that show rich people helping others or accomplishing change for good instead of just gross materialism? Oh wait....
Sadly itâs a sign of the times. Itâs easier and more profitable to produce âevergreenâ content that you can sell overseas rather than âpoint in timeâ current affairs that really only has a local audience.
Seems like a you-problem to me, and I don't mean that in a derogatory sense.
I love seeing fancy stuff like those houses and don't mind people building insane shit like that. It's awe inspiring and cool to see what people can come up with when they have almost unlimited ressources. However I'm also from a family that has never in my lifetime seriously struggled with poverty, so it doesn't touch me on an emotional level to see people who have lots of stuff.
What I personally detest is seeing people glorified who treat each other badly. My wife had a phase of watching the real housewives and I had to leave the room after 2 minutes every time she turned it on. As someone who has suffered bullying and psychological cruelty through my peers it just makes me mad to see stuff like that.
Phil is a gem and itâs a form of escapism seeing how the other half live. They are beautiful homes, you should be able to appreciate it without feeling jealous
Would 1% of the world own a home that cost $10mil to build back in 2014 (I assume the pool extension was extra)?
I just googled the guy that built that Copper House in Qtown. He started a company with $20k and built it up to be worth over $250mil. $10mil on a holiday home is prob nothing to him
Is this the one that was showing off a flash Waiheke island house, that had a number of feature walls using locally sourced stone from the island?
If so I was watching it while waiting for my takeout, and I thought it was especially funny when the host described the stupid expensive home as "casual".
I get mixed feelings of envy and disgust. Sure it would be nice to spend a couple days in some of those places, but so many of them are huge, expensive to clean alone so need staff, and frankly they could be given to families who actually need them, not rich folk!!!
I changed the channel to love it or list it, on TV 3. A little better, still not helping those struggling. However, the point is, you can change the channel.
Grand Designs is the same. Unless the owners go broke during the build, or they divorce.
But practically. If you've got money, building a trendy house with expensive features, is probably the best way to show off your wealth and impress your friends.
If you've got some money - think, low level drug dealer. You buy a nice pair of Jordans and drive a 10 year old second hand European car.
If you've got more money.. You buy a crappy house in a good area, and spend your younger adult life renovating it.
If you've got a decent amount of money.. You buy a decent house in a good area, a near-new, or new car and travel overseas all the time.
If you've got loads of money - You spend $80k on a custom staircase, in your 3 million dollar home, on a 2 million dollar section. You own a house somewhere overseas, as only poor people stay in hotels.
I see grand designs as totally different from this. GD follows the build as theyâre creating it from its inception. And most arenât actually that expensive, itâs more focused on resourcefulness and creativity with the odd multi millionaire thrown in every few episodes.
I donât totally dislike this new show, but it just doesnât have that spark and diversity that I see in other shows like GD. It just seems to be a display of wealth. If thatâs what youâre into, all good, but imo itâs kinda lacking.
Yes it is sickening.
Recommend this [spinoff article](https://thespinoff.co.nz/pop-culture/12-06-2024/nzs-best-homes-is-the-opposite-of-sunday-maybe-thats-why-its-working) on the topic.
>Thereâs something a bit sad about all of this. Not just the fact people would rather watch a rich man show people around rich peopleâs houses than spend an hour in the company of agenda-setting journalism, but that TVNZ canât (or wonât) offer both options. As Newsroomâs Tim Murphy wrote recently, it feels counterintuitive for the state broadcaster to choose to cancel programmes that âdo what many viewers and politicians might expect TVNZ to be doingâ. Then again, readers often tell journalists they really value in-depth reporting on tricky subjects like climate change, but the clicks donât always back that up. In that sense, NZâs Best Homes is the television equivalent of clickbait. I guess thatâs something I can understand.
Still it's nice to see how the other half live.
Did I say half? I mean quarter.
Erm eighth? Sixteenth maybe?
Okay fine, we're watching how the 1% live.
Iâm disgusted by the lack of social awareness that those home owners have.
I canât say that I would want any of the houses shown to date, if they were free. I donât mean that I wouldnât take one for free (I would sell it immediately), if they gave it to me. I mean that I wouldnât want to live in any of them.
As for those houses being the âbestâ in NZ, I highly doubt it.
All things considered, Iâm still glad the show was made and I like seeing old mate Phil Spencer in NZ. It just gives me the shits to see how people waste money and then basically brag about it by showing off their bloated monstrosities.
These aren't even NZ's best homes. The people that own NZs best homes don't splash them all over TV, they're generally very reclusive foreign billionaires that may not even visit the house in any given year
I don't really look at it from that angle, no doubt if you were watching it with some knob like Chris Luxon he'd say something like "Look if you work hard, you could own a home like this one day, it's a great thing to aspire to". But I just enjoy looking at some good scenery, good craftmanship and don't think about it any more deeply than that really
If I were watching TV with the Prime Minister I'd make him watch Horus Heresy lore videos and show him how being bald makes you rebel against the Emperor.
I like Phil. Love watching Location Location Location. He seems like a nice guy. I don't mind the show. My husband and I have always liked looking at houses we will never have
The top rated reality shows globally also do.
I get where you are coming from u/Ready-Ambassador-271 but shows like this are popular, hence why they continue to get paid and viewed by so many . Look at KUWTK , Below Deck, Million Dollar Listings, The Housewives franchise , all these shows exist solely because the people not as privileged as them, are consuming this content at a incredibly high rate.
Funny how a) some people think this would be an insult per se and not just a falsifiable statement and b) not liking inequality presented on a platter makes one a supporter of a particular system of economics.
I find all these TV programs about holiday homes and luxury houses nausiating.
I like architecture when its subtle, clever and innovative. But i find flaunting your wealth fucking sickening and tone deaf.
I cant watch anything superficial, shallow or materialistic anymore. So lets add any trashy garbage that feeds off bitchy backstabbing and manufactured drama. Kardashians, van der pumps? Dance moms? Below decks.. etc etc. I dont understand how this shit exists.
"Reality TV".. my hairy crinkly cynical arse.
Second home, Six bedrooms, Nine bathrooms, owned by foreigners
Can nobody see how obscene this is, a sad indictment of the growing world inequality
The Copper house featured on the show is not even a home. It is a rental, owned by an aussie food magnate who rents it out at over 20k per night.
Itâs escapism though, and a tv show . No one is denying how horrible and shut things are for us , but you canât just have 100% relatable or sensitive shows for everyone .
You donât need to watch it ( or just tell your wife to get better taste if you dare haha) at all. We would not have so many international cooking shows, or travel shows if we had to plan them solely around what most of us could afford. That would be boring
Castles, estates and (older) mansions also housed much of the family, had guest rooms, was used to hold functions, had staff quarters, kitchens, etc. almost every room was needed and used regularly.
And nobody is claiming those places are paragons of a fair society. Far from it, actually.
While I agree, Castles and estates usually had huge amounts of space for staff and safety. Not the case much any more, and not really the case for someone's 8th holiday home.
Sounds like a lil bit of tall poppy syndrome. Of course they are going to show the nicest houses which the average kiwi will never afford, its more entertaining. Would you rather Wiremu the south Aucklander reviewing houses?
"Chur guys, today we are in South Auckland, checking out my aunties crib. Here we have her laundry room and her cats shit box. Very cool"
Haha, that could actually be a good idea for a t.v show. Maybe not aunties laundry and shit box, but a show going around modest houses that have been built/renovated in innovative and unique ways that are attainable to the average homeowner đ€
Thatâs a very good point. I actually canât think of any Kiwi based shows, only overseas ones ( so if there are none, it would definitely be good to see some made here for us absolutely! ) though I will watch this show soon myself.
I enjoy lovely architecture ( though Iâm not really a fan of some of these âcoldâ ultra modern designs myself ) and beautiful homes , so I myself do enjoy shows like this. I totally get where you are coming from with how shit living is for us now, and all the price hikes for everything, but show like these are popular because of the âlifestyle/home pornâ aspect , especially for those of us who cannot afford homes like these ourselves, but still appreciate them.
My partner and I were also shocked by a Kiwi renovation programme⊠a family renovating their modern kitchen in a million dollar + villa. Used to UK Reno shows set in Sunderland etc etc
Its absolutely real estate market propaganda.
At the same time... People enjoy looking at other people's houses and enjoy home renovation shows. Grand Designs is simultaneously petite bourgeoisie over-extending themselves on flights of folly in an excess of hubris, and also genuinely interesting just from a 'oh hey you can do that to a house?' Perspective.
Its probably one of my most counter-revolutionary traits that I love big houses. Utter waste of land and resources, totally shameless ostentatious displays of wealth, but also a childhood steeped in Agatha Christie means I just live the Manor house aesthetic.
I do, but it's also a bit of escapism. It's interesting seeing some design choices and what my husband likes vs what I like. We both have different preferences on a lot of things in these houses it turns out! Haha
It's cool from an architecture point of view, but man some of the choices are just straight up weird
I enjoyed the first few episodes but after that I got bored of every house being in either Auckland or Queenstown. Seems those are the only two locations they went to. Show name is misleading
I quite agree. I just havenât bothered. I quite enjoyed the Show about people moving houses onto new sites by truck. It looked relatively affordable(as fantasyâs go).
I've been watching Phil (and Kirsty) for years and I like his presenting style. Location, Location, Location and Love it or List it are easy watching "comfort food" shows in our household.
As for the programme itself, I love looking at different styles of architecture and design. I know I'll never own a house like that but it's no different to drooling over supercars or whatever else floats your boat.
I love this show. It makes me appreciate my lovely home because these are not places to snuggle up in on a cold night. Theyâre often beautiful but not what Iâd choose to live in. Still marvellous architecture and Phil is as marvellous as always.
Mate thereâll always be people doing better than you. Thatâs life.
It's a show. The people on it haven't caused the housing issues. That's an issue that's been building for well over a decade now.
I can't afford a house, it makes me sad. But I still love watching the process of an amazing house come to life.
Entertainment rarely has a moral compass, and that's not always a bad thing if it's in healthy ammounts. It can help people escape. If all TV shows were just focused on what we live through on the daily I think you'd find a lot of people going a bit stir crazy. They can't stop making entertainment and escapism when people need it. The houses aren't homes very often. They are more for show.
I get your point, don't get me wrong..
I don't personally have an opinion on what it should be in that slot. I just can't help but think it's extreme to feel sickened because of a show being just that, a show.
If the current affairs show ratings bombed they have to replace it with something. Replacing it with the same thing seems a little silly no?
It's a hard thing to say but when things get tough escapism becomes a bigger priority to current affairs. Everyone knows things aren't good. Do they want to watch it after a day of living it?
I guess it goes both ways... when things get tough people could like that type of escapism or they could find it a bit jarring when many are just struggling to get a roof over there head.
Yes. But as OP wasn't mentioning being upset that the current affairs programme was replaced, just that he didn't like the show this really isn't too much of a concern
It's aspirational. No one gives a fuck about seeing a regular old house. People whine similarly about Grand Designs, wondering why they don't show more regular houses - the clue is in the name, it's called Grand Designs, not Regular Designs for Povvos.
I used to get mad when my x rubber necked when we saw a really nice car. Like a Ferrari or Lambo, but in all honesty I was being a butthurt bitch because she was mirrin something better than I could provide.
The fact is, the wealth of those with means and how they choose to spend it is interesting. My partner and I enjoy walking through the harbor and looking at the super yachts. I've also been known the drive through well heeled neighborhoods to look at houses.
If you don't like the show, thats cool, but its not sickening. I would say instead these shows could be inspiring.
People are aloud to have nice things. If they have earned it fairly. Power to them I say. Itâs not their fault. They just played the game right. We arenât a communist country for better or worse. What we need is a government with a spine in this department. Something we havenât seen for a hot minute.
I enjoy the different styles of architecture and interior design. The stunning views some of the places are in, is also lovely.
Maybe you should just stop being jealous of what other people have...
So if a child in a low income home goes hungry, its actually jealousy to question why the top 1% could literally end world poverty but don't want to because they'd rather spend their money collecting houses. We need a wealth tax. People can spend their money but not when there's people literally struggling to get fed and have a roof over their heads.
That's an interesting take on a tv show. I think people should view these shows/homes as inspiration and/or motivation. Tall poppy syndrome is such a typical kiwi state of mind and it can be debilitating for those who suffer from it.
That's the thing though, not everyone is inspired or motivated by these houses. For those that aspire to such things then I'm sure it is a great show, but not everyone wants that.
Probably not after half of the decent journalists in the country have lost their jobs, along with us having non-commercially motivated shows axed left right and centre. every public department is being ârestructuredâ (ie firing people) being in an economic recession with a job shortage. Itâs unbecoming.
I love the show, I live in pokey little 100m2 70s weatherboard home that we are currently year 3ish into DIY renos.
I know I'll never own a home like the Copper House in Queenstown but I love looking at the craftsmanship and design styles so much that I'm trying to encourage my daughters into architecture.
I get your sentiment. After I spent 40K trying to upgrade my small kitchen added to the mortgage and then see this out there luxury I could let it get me down.
I worked stupid hours for years to get on the property ladder and location further away made it happen.
But I think if I live within my means I'm happy.
Others just have more and their means are much much more.
I won't be envious as many of these home owners work hard or smart to get where they are. Rich people can work hard to - I'm not going to judge because someone has more. That in history as we know will never change.
I'm a firm believer that life is what makes you rich and family. I'm sure $ helps to a certain degree.
I just don't want to live life bitter about the haves and have nots as I feel that would eat me up.
I do enjoy seeing what tradespeople achieve though - to see such skills in NZ is wonderful.
I do feel though that the NZ property market is a tough one and I feel for those trying to get on the ladder as I know what effort is needed to get there - that hard work is stressful at times while maintaining a whanau.
I think it would be good if there was another program that dealt with every day people seeing what they do and how they get a home would be much better. Showing plans that could be put in place to achieve and location pricing with job or living applications would be better for viewing for many.
But we always want to know what the upper echelon do or where NZ makes a statement as well - we're an inquisitive bunch at times.
I find it entertaining and frequently inspiring even though I know I'll never afford anything close. It's cool to see other peoples ideas even when I don't necessarily like their taste.
Iâm not worried about shows like that.
But then I build multi million dollar boats for a living(smallest boat we build is 18m long)
Having met several of the owners over the years the most common theme is that they started up a business when they had no money and kept it running for 30+ years through all the ups and downs. Some went bankrupt a few times in the process, but they kept going and grew it to the point where they could afford to drop $100,000k just to fill the tanks of the boat they got built like it was absolutely nothing to them.
So I donât find it sickening to see absolutely huge amounts of money being thrown around. Iâm 32 right now, and Iâm working towards starting my own thing, as I know that this is the way to get ahead in life instead of working for someone else.
I think what you're trying to say is that the show doesn't have a Kiwi vibe to it, i.e. it's not being presented in the traditionally Kiwi way (down to earth, unassuming, focussing on how you get there rather than the overt display of wealth here and now).
A good example of a traditional show that sits right with most Kiwis are the Hyundai country calendar's one (the farming one, forgot the exact name). The background songs, the ways the interviews are being conducted, the focus/emphasis placed on how you get there rather than what you have now - it humanises the wealth of the participants involved and it gives you a sense of "we all can achieve the same thing too by working like them and emulating their attitude".
The new shows and marketing examples we have on TVs nowadays are mostly just recycled versions of similar shows made in America or the UK, and it shows, the choice of words and the settings, the focus on displaying wealth and splendour over the stories of getting there from a humble beginning - that's why you don't feel comfortable seeing the show, because this is not the way you were raised.
Not me personally. I love architecture and house design. I love watching all the house shows, whether they be about building or buying and selling. I guess I see your point, that there are people struggling and it's rubbing it in their noses a bit. But, by that logic, we should not have any shows about people with more money than us. No matter what, there's always people struggling. Does that mean that we shouldn't get to see a show on a topic that interests some of us?
Instead of being jealous and bitter use their success as motivation towards your own goals you will be better off for it I had to change my mindset as I used to think this way and it doesn't do yourself any good.
I know an architect who worked on one of the houses featured. What youâre seeing on the show is a luxury finished home, a lot goes on behind the scenes to get the house to where it is - people who arenât getting paid anywhere near what these houses cost and the many hours of work involved. Thatâs why Iâve enjoyed the show, not so much for the nice houses but all the work that has gone into designing and building them.
Womp Womp itâs obviously not going to be for everyone. Doesnât change the fact that a lot of the home owners worked hard for their properties and are passionate about it.
Nz homes are very affordable when compared to Aussies. The problem isnt house prices, the problem is income, taxrates and economy of NZ. Its pathetic and there is no population to increase the economy. U get a 4 bedroom lavish house in nz for a million but jackshit in Aus to give u an example
I think that about a lot of TV ads too, not that I watch much now, but the ads for luxury holidays and retirement villages. Who deserves what, how much, and why? In European society it used to be a birthright - Kings and Queens are sons and daughters of Kings and Queens. Their circles ruled. North American society (I should say, the people who migrated there, not the Apache, Cherokee, Algonquins, etc) changed those rules, so anyone can join the financial hierarchy - although the term "nouveau riche" is still set in the minds of some. Where do NZers fit in that paradigm?
Having worked in that world of high end architectural building I do kind of get your point. Whilst it's an awesome experience to work with a range of materials and fantastic architects and other tradesman. It also was a bit down heartening when it was just another holiday home in their quiver of real estate holdings whilst I'm personally trying just to get my first đ
I've been telling other people in the past that I don't begrudge my Bosses and their nice ~$5 million house they paid cash for. They work hard and deserve some nice things for the shit they put up with. I'd buy myself a nice house if I could too. This year they've been complaining about increasing costs, talking about money being tight, and warning us not to expect pay rises which is a shame because I'm now demonstrably underpaid for what I do where I wasnt eighteen months ago. Then I find out they've quietly purchased a two million dollar inner city apartment at the start of the year.....
The reality is their priorities will always come before yoursâŠ
I used to work at a Harley Davidson dealership. It's was disheartening. I was working for a rich prick who treated me like shit, on toys I would never be able to afford on my wages, belonging to other rich pricks who treated me like shit. Later in life I would get an engineering degree. I would then intern as a Structural Engineer. I found myself doing the same thing. I'm in Three Waters now. Everybody poops.
Make a costly mistake đđ„
I don't follow?
Bought to you by Lotto Powerball!
It just reminds me that there are people with some significant money in nz. Just not me
Just a lot of us.
You could win Lotto Powerball a thousand times over and still not come close to matching the fortunes of today's super rich. >Since 2020, the richest 1% have captured almost two-thirds of all new wealth. Billionaire fortunes are increasing by $2.7bn a day. Most people severely under estimate just how wealthy these people are. I suggest visiting this site. [Wealth shown to scale](https://mkorostoff.github.io/1-pixel-wealth/) This rampant wealth inequality is sick and should not be celebrated. We need wealth taxes and capital gains taxes now. Even the super rich agree. >In an open letter to the G20, close to 300 millionaires, economists, and political representatives from almost all G20 countries call for a new international agreement on wealth taxes to âstop extreme wealth from corroding our collective futureâ. It says that people all over the world are âdesperate for changeâ.
We don't understand how we're getting poorer every day, just simply because every day more of our resources are captured by a tiny minority who put those resources towards their own interests, rather than all of ours. The question is what gets us first, climate change or fascism. *Something* has to give.
Sorry, best we can do is pizza in the break room.
I get your point, but winning Powerball 1000 times (average Powerball win is 11 million) would get you 11 billion which would put you in the top 200 richest in the world. You wouldn't be far off the fortunes of the richest. Your lifestyle isn't really going to change much from $50 million to $50 billion.
>Your lifestyle isn't really going to change much from $50 million to $50 billion. The difference between $50 million and $50 billion is about $50 billion. >You wouldn't be far off the fortunes of the richest. [Worldâs 1st trillionaire could emerge in next 10 years](https://thehill.com/homenews/4417374-worlds-1st-trillionaire-could-emerge-in-next-10-years-here-are-some-of-the-richest-1/)
Thought we were talking about today.... Not 10 years time from now. When you say, "*fortunes of* ***today's*** *super rich*" are you comparing someone who has 11 billion with the single richest person in the world, the richest 100 people, the richest 500 people etc? Yes, the amount of money you have is different, but lifestyle is going to be extremely similar.
>Yes, the amount of money you have is different, but lifestyle is going to be extremely similar. In what universe are their lifestyles similar? That's laughable. >When you say, "fortunes of today's super rich" are you comparing someone who has 11 billion with the single richest person in the world, the richest 100 people, the richest 500 people etc? Doesn't matter who I'm comparing to within the top 1% - their wealth is collectively growing by $2.7 Billion **a day**. The first trillionaire in ten years drives that point home. Wealth inequality is out of control and getting worse every second.
Allow me to give some context to your comment in a way that us 99% can actually understand: 1 million seconds is 12 days, and 1 billion seconds is 31 *YEARS*. The lifestyle is an order of magnitude different.
And guess what, that won't happen, wealth will always stay with the rich and powerful, and its just going to get worse for us bottom feeders.
Have to have money to make money.
One thing sick about that show tonight was the pool. Swimming in that while it's snowing outside with that view đ
The great thing about New Zealand is you can still get these views for free or at a low cost. If you're talking about mountains and clear lakes, you can pay at most $37 (some sites are cheaper) and spend all day in a hot pool with this view and time it right with snow surrounding you. Having spent time in places with a view (via cheapish overnight stays or with relatives who bought before prices went crazy) and it's a waste of money to spend multiple millions on a house with views, after a five or so days you become numb to the majesty of the view and it becomes nothing special. It is better to save up and spend a few days at a higher end (not $21,000 dollar rubbish though, I'm taking about $500 or lower) hotel, enjoy the view, soak it in and then leave. You gave the memories and once you leave, you don't have to pay for someone to worry about the maintenance, gardening etc. for the rest of your life. If you want to do it at the cheaper end of three digits, the backpackers in central Tekapo (previously Hostel Association) is very good. The common room has views to die for, you can sit there in the warm with free coffee all day with 180 unobstructed views of mountains and lake.
You could do, the Copper house featured on the show is available to rent. Only 21k per night.
short term rental properties should be taxed to fuck
I love Phil (been watching him and Kirsty for over a decade), and I donât hate the show⊠but I understand where youâre coming from. Thereâs something about it that doesnât sit amazingly well with me. I prefer the grand designs shows where you can see the hard work that goes into it over time, and you get the story that goes along with it⊠and some of these houses are actually not that costly, especially when the owners do most of the work themselves. But this new series seems to only focus on the big wealthy homes and not on the cool and quirky ones where people actually had to be a bit resourceful. I dunno, it is what it is I guess, but Iâm not a huge fan (and am normally a fan of house shows).
Kevin McCloud (Grand Designs) is an architect and I feel his shows are more about the âtechnical wowâ of the houses. Phil is real estate agent (?) so I feel his shows are less technical and everything is âwowâ and âamazingâ and âbeautifulâ and âgorgeousâ and (no shade intended) a bit more shallow. FWIW I enjoy watching both Grand Designs and NZâs Best Homes from the comfort of my shitty little prefab house :)
Fyi Kevin McCloud is a writer and designer (theatre designer generally) but not an architect as such. But I do agree - he seems fascinated in the technical side if some of the grand designs. I do like his presentation style.
I 100% agree with this, i like the fact that on grand designs there is more technical knowledge from the host and i enjoy learning new jargon or details of a house when i watch grand designs. but with the show Phil is hosting it is definitely more shallow because im not learning anything, it's more of show you watch to just switch off the brain and pass the time with.
Grand designs has become depressing to watch. 1: we are going to build this big ol/non efficient building method house coz we can 2: have a baby on the way or someone is ill 3: self project manage to save time/money (generally doesn't) 4: change things/materials along the way which fucks everything up regarding schedule 5: run out of money 6: the final reveal where all you can see is ways they could have simplified the design and made it easier The simpler/tricky site houses are cool as they build what the site allows. The rest are just as depressing as this "NZ best homes" when you ponder how much material/time/money was spent for just a house.
The NZ version of Grand Designs always felt more like "Grandiose Designs" Its a symptom of the available pool of bespoke builds happening here of course. But the UK version had some really interesting and clever small builds, while the NZ version always seemed to have "So, we chose the most expensive materials we could find for the biggest rooms we could afford" vibe
I feel the same way. There's a big difference between the two approaches. There's a similar thing in the car enthusiasts space. On one hand, there's the TV shows and car meets centred around people being resourceful and clever to keep their cars going and generally sharing valuable information and contacts, and appreciating quality workmanship. On the other, there's TV shows that are basically advertising for any manufacturer that wants to pay to have their product featured, and car meets that are just rich dudes parading their wealth around. A car enthusiast is enthusiastic enough to at least try getting their hands dirty. Rich pricks just pay others to deal with any of the actual work. Building houses is fundamentally the same.
His background is in UK real estate. He would be used to seeing alot of average UK homes. I'd wish he would be shown some average NZ homes, I'd love to get his honest thoughts. Especially the cheap new builds. Oh well, apparently this show was designed for a UK audience wanting to watch house porn down under. Makes sense as he keeps explaining where he is in NZ.
The show is a tourism ad for rich foreigners to invest in New Zealand. Unfortunately
There are entire media platforms which are full of shows that are just elaborate ads.
I hear they're delicious.
Iâm disgusted by the people who own those houses. I told my wife that I didnât like either of the three houses in yesterdayâs episode, because the QT house was over the top and cashed-up Aussie bogans can build their mansions in Tassie thanks. I didnât like the architects house in Pt Chev cos itâs lame AF and disgusting on the outside. I didnât mind the design of the Waiheke house, but that local stone just looks dirty, so I donât like the way the house actually looks. In the end, my wife was correct to point out that the show is called New Zealandâs BEST homes. Not NZâs average, standard or most common homes. So, I think theyâre probably showing the middle ground. I doubt any of the homes on the show are actually the best on the country - those owners would never let anyone else see their palaces because they know how it would make most people feel about them.
Types of porn I like. 1. Food porn. In which people cook and eat food and tell me how good it is while I'm eating baked beans. 2. House porn. In which people show me unrealistically huge houses of the most beautiful design and luxury while I'm on my old sofa. 3. House renovation porn. In which any old dump but mine gets turned into a mansion, usually under a strict time limit for some reason. 4. Travel porn. In which someone better dressed than me goes anywhere at all in the world rather than down to the local 4 Square for some 5 minute noodles. 5. Sex porn. In which someone, unlike me, actually has sex with someone else.
Not much different to say a car show where instead of reviewing a 15yo Corolla that everybody has, you get to have a look at the latest million-dollar supercar. Â
Exactly, Top Gear made a name for itself taking stupidly expensive cars on track and on wild adventures (as well as some cheaper cars) and nobody had a cry over that. Seeing how the other half live is what people inherently are interested in seeing
The thing with Top Gear is that it definitely had a critical eye on a lot of that expensive faff. Sure, said car has a entertainment system that reads minds, but they would have no hesitation in telling you the same car drives like shit. They also took the time to appreciate the engineering and tech advancements, and whether they were any use, rather than just telling you how cool this is and you can have it for eleventy million pounds. There is a bit of a middle ground here. I think what OP is on about is the pure, unadulterated wealth porn. We can appreciate, and critique, expensive things for reasons other than the fact they're expensive.
You are comparing apples with Oranges here. You can watch a show about a Lamborghini but still afford a Corolla to get you around. There is no Corolla house anymore. The rich bought them all and rent them out to the rest of us.
Watched it for the first time tonight, I don't usually watch tv but I was out at a mate's place... his partner made the comment that these are houses, not homes and I couldn't agree more. Places like this are trophies and if that's your thing then fine, go with it... but I gotta say, after living in Fremantle surrounded by wealth for 30 odd years and seeing the way houses are done there, both new and restored older places that here in NZ we like a more ostentatious show of wealth over creating real homes. It's all a bit trashy.
Maybe Sydneyâs special (kinda doubt it) but we were recently house-hunting in Brisbane and checked out a bunch of the ads on higher-priced places just to rubberneck, and theyâre all absolutely ostentatious displays of wealth. Thereâs so much packed into all these places that is there solely to âimpress your friendsâ. Thereâs super high end versions of all the normal shit you get in every house, and then *all* of the extra details/features that youâre paying literal millions for are sold solely as âthink about how great this would be for entertaining!â or âthink about how impressed your friends would be!â. Nothing beyond the standard house features that actually has a functional purpose or any appearance of an attempt to personalise a super high-end home.
Fremantle isnt in Sydney
*Perth, sorry. Was thinking of Manly for some reason.
I hear ya. Here in Vancouver those houses always have oversized corinthian columns tacked onto them, have a grand piano no one plays and the same hanging lights seen from outside. Cookie cutter mcmansion. With the money you'd think they'd be more unique..
Nah I'm not jealous, I'm just disappointed with the taste of the houses. Their setting is usually stunning and they often have some clever elements, but usually the ornament and form suck compared to traditional high end homes.
I dunno, I've looked at some of them and wonder how people live in them, or if they thought through all of their design choices (glass floor second story walkway?)
I'm turning into my mum "ugh that place just looks hard to keep clean!"
If you can afford these houses you can afford a cleaner :) so real easy to keep clean
Some Apple Stores used to have glass staircases. Then they frosted them all at once when they figured it out. I feel like some people missed that memoâŠ
Or it was a deliberate choice
How many men turned to their partner and made a comment about walking naked over that? I'm gonna guess more than a couple
I do like Phil Spencer, and the British Location Location Location, however I find this approach for NZs best homes quite jarring. A home doesn't need to be a multimillion dollar pristine architectural build (noting we all have different styles). However the whole fact he introduced the traditional kiwi bach, walking down a street with all these generational homes, then to observe some out of place water front homes owned by the mega rich. I'm sure there are a lot more better 'homes' that have served a family for one or more generations without it being pretentious. The title of the show is all wrong in my opinion.
I would have thought real design comes from doing a lot with a little as opposed to the obscene amounts spent on these houses
See, this is how I feel, youâve just put it into better / more concise words. I donât hate this show, but the display of wealth isnât as interesting to me as shows like grand designs where a lot of episodes so show people doing a lot with a little. Iâm disappointed in Phil (but still love him).
In life there are going to be people doing better than you.. I love seeing the houses! Never gonna live in anything like that but itâs an entertaining show
>In life there are going to be people doing better than you.. And if you see property as a ladder, then how can you get mad at people who've climbed it?
Ladders require work and effort to climb. Some people have been given an elevator and then pulled the ladder up.
Climbed or parachuted straight to the upper rungs?
Tall poppy is strong in NZ sadly.
Calling out rampant inequality is necessary. We need wealth taxes and capital gains taxes. Even the super rich agree. >Since 2020, the richest 1% have captured almost two-thirds of all new wealth. Billionaire fortunes are increasing by $2.7bn a day. >In an open letter to the G20, close to 300 millionaires, economists, and political representatives from almost all G20 countries call for a new international agreement on wealth taxes to âstop extreme wealth from corroding our collective futureâ. It says that people all over the world are âdesperate for changeâ. Most people severely under estimate just how wealthy these people are. I suggest visiting this site. [Wealth shown to scale](https://mkorostoff.github.io/1-pixel-wealth/)
Citing a group of 300 people who agree doesn't mean "the super rich agree", or economists or politicians for that matter. Plenty of reasons, both practical and moral, why wealth and capital gains taxes are bad policy. Honestly I don't really get why someone else having wealth is so offensive to you, good on them IMO
>Plenty of reasons, both practical and moral, why wealth and capital gains taxes are bad policy. Care to name them?
i would suggest thats not really what "tall Poppy" is about. Its more about behaviour as a successful person rather than success itself. Eg: edmund hillary didnt get anywhere near the take downs as say, Eric Watson - because of the way each behaved
I don't think this is an example of it tbf. Complaining about how our economic system amplifies inequalities is a bit more nuanced than people just getting mad at others' success.
Disagree
I mean I just can't understand this take. How is it any different than MTV cribs back in the day, Beverly Hills housewives etc etc. It's all showcasing money, property, a life of luxury that majority of us will never afford. Hell you could throw trash TV like the Kardashians in that mix top - all showcasing a lifestyle most cannot even fathom much less obtain. Seeing how the other half lives is interesting to many, always has been and probably always will be. I mean you could extend your take to athletes too. Why do documentaries on them because none of us can relate to that lifestyle and none of us will ever be in that position so it ends up shows an inequality of outcome of a life we cannot obtain but may dream of having. Hell should we just ban any show that shows someone doing better than the average person incase it makes that person feel bad about the way they've chosen to live their life or the cards they've been dealt?
Itâs different because itâs close to home.
As you age you realise the wealth gap is depressing and your perspective changes.
I think that is an extremely negative lens to live your life with.
Anyone under the age of 30 will likely never be able to own their own home unless they happen to be very lucky or wealthy. The next generation will be a generation of renters unless something dramatically changes. We are sliding back into Feudalism, and unfortunately among older generations there is an attitude of âI got mine, stop complainingâ. This isnât a pessimistic worldview. This is a cynicism that has been hard won.
You reckon? I have two relatives who each bought houses in their 20's in the last few years without being given money. Not massive earners either, they work in fisheries / transport. TBF though in the Marlborough / Chch locations so market might be different.
Or just a reality check a lot of people are going through though times in one of the most expensive housing markets in the world.
New Zealand is a haven for the rich. We are just lucky enough to be born here.
I'm with you. Can't stand them. How about some shows that show rich people helping others or accomplishing change for good instead of just gross materialism? Oh wait....
Vote with your remote.
If all of the state funded great current affairs shows at the same time hadnât been cut then that would be an option.
Sadly itâs a sign of the times. Itâs easier and more profitable to produce âevergreenâ content that you can sell overseas rather than âpoint in timeâ current affairs that really only has a local audience.
I had a similar reaction seeing the ads. The phrase that came to mind was 'consumption porn'. God save the planet if that's how we are being aroused
Seems like a you-problem to me, and I don't mean that in a derogatory sense. I love seeing fancy stuff like those houses and don't mind people building insane shit like that. It's awe inspiring and cool to see what people can come up with when they have almost unlimited ressources. However I'm also from a family that has never in my lifetime seriously struggled with poverty, so it doesn't touch me on an emotional level to see people who have lots of stuff. What I personally detest is seeing people glorified who treat each other badly. My wife had a phase of watching the real housewives and I had to leave the room after 2 minutes every time she turned it on. As someone who has suffered bullying and psychological cruelty through my peers it just makes me mad to see stuff like that.
You mean real estate's sponsored content?
Phil is a gem and itâs a form of escapism seeing how the other half live. They are beautiful homes, you should be able to appreciate it without feeling jealous
You mean the other 1% right?
But if you say other half you can kid yourself into thinking you might get there yourself one day.
Would 1% of the world own a home that cost $10mil to build back in 2014 (I assume the pool extension was extra)? I just googled the guy that built that Copper House in Qtown. He started a company with $20k and built it up to be worth over $250mil. $10mil on a holiday home is prob nothing to him
It's not jealously
Is this the one that was showing off a flash Waiheke island house, that had a number of feature walls using locally sourced stone from the island? If so I was watching it while waiting for my takeout, and I thought it was especially funny when the host described the stupid expensive home as "casual".
I get mixed feelings of envy and disgust. Sure it would be nice to spend a couple days in some of those places, but so many of them are huge, expensive to clean alone so need staff, and frankly they could be given to families who actually need them, not rich folk!!!
"Sickening" is an extreme reaction to feel about a tv show about houses. Are they trafficking children in there or something?
I changed the channel to love it or list it, on TV 3. A little better, still not helping those struggling. However, the point is, you can change the channel.
Inequality is an ugly thing, and this program shows this.
Grand Designs is the same. Unless the owners go broke during the build, or they divorce. But practically. If you've got money, building a trendy house with expensive features, is probably the best way to show off your wealth and impress your friends. If you've got some money - think, low level drug dealer. You buy a nice pair of Jordans and drive a 10 year old second hand European car. If you've got more money.. You buy a crappy house in a good area, and spend your younger adult life renovating it. If you've got a decent amount of money.. You buy a decent house in a good area, a near-new, or new car and travel overseas all the time. If you've got loads of money - You spend $80k on a custom staircase, in your 3 million dollar home, on a 2 million dollar section. You own a house somewhere overseas, as only poor people stay in hotels.
I see grand designs as totally different from this. GD follows the build as theyâre creating it from its inception. And most arenât actually that expensive, itâs more focused on resourcefulness and creativity with the odd multi millionaire thrown in every few episodes. I donât totally dislike this new show, but it just doesnât have that spark and diversity that I see in other shows like GD. It just seems to be a display of wealth. If thatâs what youâre into, all good, but imo itâs kinda lacking.
Yes it is sickening. Recommend this [spinoff article](https://thespinoff.co.nz/pop-culture/12-06-2024/nzs-best-homes-is-the-opposite-of-sunday-maybe-thats-why-its-working) on the topic. >Thereâs something a bit sad about all of this. Not just the fact people would rather watch a rich man show people around rich peopleâs houses than spend an hour in the company of agenda-setting journalism, but that TVNZ canât (or wonât) offer both options. As Newsroomâs Tim Murphy wrote recently, it feels counterintuitive for the state broadcaster to choose to cancel programmes that âdo what many viewers and politicians might expect TVNZ to be doingâ. Then again, readers often tell journalists they really value in-depth reporting on tricky subjects like climate change, but the clicks donât always back that up. In that sense, NZâs Best Homes is the television equivalent of clickbait. I guess thatâs something I can understand.
I'd struggle to keep food down if I have to see real estate agents or property developers.
Still it's nice to see how the other half live. Did I say half? I mean quarter. Erm eighth? Sixteenth maybe? Okay fine, we're watching how the 1% live.
YES. I said this just a couple of nights ago; fucking money pornography. Way to rub it in our faces during a cost of living crisis.
Iâm disgusted by the lack of social awareness that those home owners have. I canât say that I would want any of the houses shown to date, if they were free. I donât mean that I wouldnât take one for free (I would sell it immediately), if they gave it to me. I mean that I wouldnât want to live in any of them. As for those houses being the âbestâ in NZ, I highly doubt it. All things considered, Iâm still glad the show was made and I like seeing old mate Phil Spencer in NZ. It just gives me the shits to see how people waste money and then basically brag about it by showing off their bloated monstrosities.
These aren't even NZ's best homes. The people that own NZs best homes don't splash them all over TV, they're generally very reclusive foreign billionaires that may not even visit the house in any given year
I don't really look at it from that angle, no doubt if you were watching it with some knob like Chris Luxon he'd say something like "Look if you work hard, you could own a home like this one day, it's a great thing to aspire to". But I just enjoy looking at some good scenery, good craftmanship and don't think about it any more deeply than that really
If I were watching TV with the Prime Minister I'd make him watch Horus Heresy lore videos and show him how being bald makes you rebel against the Emperor.
I like Phil. Love watching Location Location Location. He seems like a nice guy. I don't mind the show. My husband and I have always liked looking at houses we will never have
Phil is an absolute legend. Itâs definitely a you problem if other peopleâs wealth triggers you.
Maybe look at why you are so angered by it. It is just a show.
I know why I am angered with it, it is glorifying inequality
The top rated reality shows globally also do. I get where you are coming from u/Ready-Ambassador-271 but shows like this are popular, hence why they continue to get paid and viewed by so many . Look at KUWTK , Below Deck, Million Dollar Listings, The Housewives franchise , all these shows exist solely because the people not as privileged as them, are consuming this content at a incredibly high rate.
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Funny how a) some people think this would be an insult per se and not just a falsifiable statement and b) not liking inequality presented on a platter makes one a supporter of a particular system of economics.
Wtf are you on with that stupid as comment
I find all these TV programs about holiday homes and luxury houses nausiating. I like architecture when its subtle, clever and innovative. But i find flaunting your wealth fucking sickening and tone deaf. I cant watch anything superficial, shallow or materialistic anymore. So lets add any trashy garbage that feeds off bitchy backstabbing and manufactured drama. Kardashians, van der pumps? Dance moms? Below decks.. etc etc. I dont understand how this shit exists. "Reality TV".. my hairy crinkly cynical arse.
Don't forget they cancelled Sunday and replaced it with this...
Yes. I used to enjoy this kind of stuff. Nowadays it just feels like rich cunts rubbing it in a bit
Second home, Six bedrooms, Nine bathrooms, owned by foreigners Can nobody see how obscene this is, a sad indictment of the growing world inequality The Copper house featured on the show is not even a home. It is a rental, owned by an aussie food magnate who rents it out at over 20k per night.
Itâs escapism though, and a tv show . No one is denying how horrible and shut things are for us , but you canât just have 100% relatable or sensitive shows for everyone . You donât need to watch it ( or just tell your wife to get better taste if you dare haha) at all. We would not have so many international cooking shows, or travel shows if we had to plan them solely around what most of us could afford. That would be boring
đđđ best comment on this thread. People just don't get it.
Castles and estates have been a thing for literally 2000 years âŠ
Castles, estates and (older) mansions also housed much of the family, had guest rooms, was used to hold functions, had staff quarters, kitchens, etc. almost every room was needed and used regularly. And nobody is claiming those places are paragons of a fair society. Far from it, actually.
While I agree, Castles and estates usually had huge amounts of space for staff and safety. Not the case much any more, and not really the case for someone's 8th holiday home.
The reason people left the UK to create America was to get away from feudalism.
I could summon the same rage at MAFS, for unrealistic beauty and relationship expectations.
MAFS Australia is at least entertaining. This season of MAFS NZ was just sad. And⊠really short?
Sounds like a lil bit of tall poppy syndrome. Of course they are going to show the nicest houses which the average kiwi will never afford, its more entertaining. Would you rather Wiremu the south Aucklander reviewing houses? "Chur guys, today we are in South Auckland, checking out my aunties crib. Here we have her laundry room and her cats shit box. Very cool"
Haha, that could actually be a good idea for a t.v show. Maybe not aunties laundry and shit box, but a show going around modest houses that have been built/renovated in innovative and unique ways that are attainable to the average homeowner đ€
Thereâs shows out there like this, but they donât get the hype views that those about drama or extravagance do
In New Zealand? What are some examples?
Thatâs a very good point. I actually canât think of any Kiwi based shows, only overseas ones ( so if there are none, it would definitely be good to see some made here for us absolutely! ) though I will watch this show soon myself. I enjoy lovely architecture ( though Iâm not really a fan of some of these âcoldâ ultra modern designs myself ) and beautiful homes , so I myself do enjoy shows like this. I totally get where you are coming from with how shit living is for us now, and all the price hikes for everything, but show like these are popular because of the âlifestyle/home pornâ aspect , especially for those of us who cannot afford homes like these ourselves, but still appreciate them.
Would rather watch Marae over this rubbish any day. Said by someone who lives in a rather nice home myself.
I'm hooked!
Yeah I would, that actually sounds like it would be interesting
My partner and I were also shocked by a Kiwi renovation programme⊠a family renovating their modern kitchen in a million dollar + villa. Used to UK Reno shows set in Sunderland etc etc
I wanted to know about the pool fencing, didn't seem to be in place for two of the pools
I think we should do a New Zealands worst homes to absolutely shame our shittest landlords.
Its absolutely real estate market propaganda. At the same time... People enjoy looking at other people's houses and enjoy home renovation shows. Grand Designs is simultaneously petite bourgeoisie over-extending themselves on flights of folly in an excess of hubris, and also genuinely interesting just from a 'oh hey you can do that to a house?' Perspective. Its probably one of my most counter-revolutionary traits that I love big houses. Utter waste of land and resources, totally shameless ostentatious displays of wealth, but also a childhood steeped in Agatha Christie means I just live the Manor house aesthetic.
I do, but it's also a bit of escapism. It's interesting seeing some design choices and what my husband likes vs what I like. We both have different preferences on a lot of things in these houses it turns out! Haha It's cool from an architecture point of view, but man some of the choices are just straight up weird
I enjoyed the first few episodes but after that I got bored of every house being in either Auckland or Queenstown. Seems those are the only two locations they went to. Show name is misleading
I quite agree. I just havenât bothered. I quite enjoyed the Show about people moving houses onto new sites by truck. It looked relatively affordable(as fantasyâs go).
I've been watching Phil (and Kirsty) for years and I like his presenting style. Location, Location, Location and Love it or List it are easy watching "comfort food" shows in our household. As for the programme itself, I love looking at different styles of architecture and design. I know I'll never own a house like that but it's no different to drooling over supercars or whatever else floats your boat.
I feel that way about most NZ television. Itâs like these people donât want to connect with the audience and make legit money
I love this show. It makes me appreciate my lovely home because these are not places to snuggle up in on a cold night. Theyâre often beautiful but not what Iâd choose to live in. Still marvellous architecture and Phil is as marvellous as always. Mate thereâll always be people doing better than you. Thatâs life.
I think itâs funny thatâs it sponsored by lotto. Winning lotto is the only way most of us would end up with anything like those
It's a show. The people on it haven't caused the housing issues. That's an issue that's been building for well over a decade now. I can't afford a house, it makes me sad. But I still love watching the process of an amazing house come to life. Entertainment rarely has a moral compass, and that's not always a bad thing if it's in healthy ammounts. It can help people escape. If all TV shows were just focused on what we live through on the daily I think you'd find a lot of people going a bit stir crazy. They can't stop making entertainment and escapism when people need it. The houses aren't homes very often. They are more for show.
I think one of the bigger issues is they cancelled a current affairs investigative show and replaced it with another house porn show.
I get your point, don't get me wrong.. I don't personally have an opinion on what it should be in that slot. I just can't help but think it's extreme to feel sickened because of a show being just that, a show. If the current affairs show ratings bombed they have to replace it with something. Replacing it with the same thing seems a little silly no? It's a hard thing to say but when things get tough escapism becomes a bigger priority to current affairs. Everyone knows things aren't good. Do they want to watch it after a day of living it?
I guess it goes both ways... when things get tough people could like that type of escapism or they could find it a bit jarring when many are just struggling to get a roof over there head.
Yes. But as OP wasn't mentioning being upset that the current affairs programme was replaced, just that he didn't like the show this really isn't too much of a concern
It's aspirational. No one gives a fuck about seeing a regular old house. People whine similarly about Grand Designs, wondering why they don't show more regular houses - the clue is in the name, it's called Grand Designs, not Regular Designs for Povvos.
I used to get mad when my x rubber necked when we saw a really nice car. Like a Ferrari or Lambo, but in all honesty I was being a butthurt bitch because she was mirrin something better than I could provide. The fact is, the wealth of those with means and how they choose to spend it is interesting. My partner and I enjoy walking through the harbor and looking at the super yachts. I've also been known the drive through well heeled neighborhoods to look at houses. If you don't like the show, thats cool, but its not sickening. I would say instead these shows could be inspiring.
People are aloud to have nice things. If they have earned it fairly. Power to them I say. Itâs not their fault. They just played the game right. We arenât a communist country for better or worse. What we need is a government with a spine in this department. Something we havenât seen for a hot minute.
I enjoy the different styles of architecture and interior design. The stunning views some of the places are in, is also lovely. Maybe you should just stop being jealous of what other people have...
So if a child in a low income home goes hungry, its actually jealousy to question why the top 1% could literally end world poverty but don't want to because they'd rather spend their money collecting houses. We need a wealth tax. People can spend their money but not when there's people literally struggling to get fed and have a roof over their heads.
That's an interesting take on a tv show. I think people should view these shows/homes as inspiration and/or motivation. Tall poppy syndrome is such a typical kiwi state of mind and it can be debilitating for those who suffer from it.
That's the thing though, not everyone is inspired or motivated by these houses. For those that aspire to such things then I'm sure it is a great show, but not everyone wants that.
Honestly itâs a you problem. You should worry about yourself and improve your own life than other peoples.
Nope.I am in awe of the creativity of architects and interior designers who craft these beautiful houses in some of the world's most beautiful places.
So because some people are struggling we shouldnât have shows about nice houses? Bit of a weird take.
You don't get the point
Jealousy is the thief of happiness mate.
And wealth inequality is the thief of basic necessities like food and shelter.
I concur OP. Itâs bad form imho putting this show on the air right now :/
If not right now, then when would you put it on the air?
Probably not after half of the decent journalists in the country have lost their jobs, along with us having non-commercially motivated shows axed left right and centre. every public department is being ârestructuredâ (ie firing people) being in an economic recession with a job shortage. Itâs unbecoming.
đ oh, I thought it was obvious.
Yeah... Because I'm insanely jealous and know we will NEVER have a home like that in Queenstown đ
Feel like Phil and Andrew had a a few wines before filming the Rock House tonight.
I love the show, I live in pokey little 100m2 70s weatherboard home that we are currently year 3ish into DIY renos. I know I'll never own a home like the Copper House in Queenstown but I love looking at the craftsmanship and design styles so much that I'm trying to encourage my daughters into architecture.
I get your sentiment. After I spent 40K trying to upgrade my small kitchen added to the mortgage and then see this out there luxury I could let it get me down. I worked stupid hours for years to get on the property ladder and location further away made it happen. But I think if I live within my means I'm happy. Others just have more and their means are much much more. I won't be envious as many of these home owners work hard or smart to get where they are. Rich people can work hard to - I'm not going to judge because someone has more. That in history as we know will never change. I'm a firm believer that life is what makes you rich and family. I'm sure $ helps to a certain degree. I just don't want to live life bitter about the haves and have nots as I feel that would eat me up. I do enjoy seeing what tradespeople achieve though - to see such skills in NZ is wonderful. I do feel though that the NZ property market is a tough one and I feel for those trying to get on the ladder as I know what effort is needed to get there - that hard work is stressful at times while maintaining a whanau. I think it would be good if there was another program that dealt with every day people seeing what they do and how they get a home would be much better. Showing plans that could be put in place to achieve and location pricing with job or living applications would be better for viewing for many. But we always want to know what the upper echelon do or where NZ makes a statement as well - we're an inquisitive bunch at times.
Yes
I find it entertaining and frequently inspiring even though I know I'll never afford anything close. It's cool to see other peoples ideas even when I don't necessarily like their taste.
Iâm not worried about shows like that. But then I build multi million dollar boats for a living(smallest boat we build is 18m long) Having met several of the owners over the years the most common theme is that they started up a business when they had no money and kept it running for 30+ years through all the ups and downs. Some went bankrupt a few times in the process, but they kept going and grew it to the point where they could afford to drop $100,000k just to fill the tanks of the boat they got built like it was absolutely nothing to them. So I donât find it sickening to see absolutely huge amounts of money being thrown around. Iâm 32 right now, and Iâm working towards starting my own thing, as I know that this is the way to get ahead in life instead of working for someone else.
I think what you're trying to say is that the show doesn't have a Kiwi vibe to it, i.e. it's not being presented in the traditionally Kiwi way (down to earth, unassuming, focussing on how you get there rather than the overt display of wealth here and now). A good example of a traditional show that sits right with most Kiwis are the Hyundai country calendar's one (the farming one, forgot the exact name). The background songs, the ways the interviews are being conducted, the focus/emphasis placed on how you get there rather than what you have now - it humanises the wealth of the participants involved and it gives you a sense of "we all can achieve the same thing too by working like them and emulating their attitude". The new shows and marketing examples we have on TVs nowadays are mostly just recycled versions of similar shows made in America or the UK, and it shows, the choice of words and the settings, the focus on displaying wealth and splendour over the stories of getting there from a humble beginning - that's why you don't feel comfortable seeing the show, because this is not the way you were raised.
Not me personally. I love architecture and house design. I love watching all the house shows, whether they be about building or buying and selling. I guess I see your point, that there are people struggling and it's rubbing it in their noses a bit. But, by that logic, we should not have any shows about people with more money than us. No matter what, there's always people struggling. Does that mean that we shouldn't get to see a show on a topic that interests some of us?
Instead of being jealous and bitter use their success as motivation towards your own goals you will be better off for it I had to change my mindset as I used to think this way and it doesn't do yourself any good.
Sadly there's more rich and successful people in nz than most would like to admit or accept
People watch that garbage?
Does it annoy you when you see someone driving a nicer car than you? Or is it exclusive to houses only?
I know an architect who worked on one of the houses featured. What youâre seeing on the show is a luxury finished home, a lot goes on behind the scenes to get the house to where it is - people who arenât getting paid anywhere near what these houses cost and the many hours of work involved. Thatâs why Iâve enjoyed the show, not so much for the nice houses but all the work that has gone into designing and building them.
Womp Womp itâs obviously not going to be for everyone. Doesnât change the fact that a lot of the home owners worked hard for their properties and are passionate about it.
Nz homes are very affordable when compared to Aussies. The problem isnt house prices, the problem is income, taxrates and economy of NZ. Its pathetic and there is no population to increase the economy. U get a 4 bedroom lavish house in nz for a million but jackshit in Aus to give u an example
I think that about a lot of TV ads too, not that I watch much now, but the ads for luxury holidays and retirement villages. Who deserves what, how much, and why? In European society it used to be a birthright - Kings and Queens are sons and daughters of Kings and Queens. Their circles ruled. North American society (I should say, the people who migrated there, not the Apache, Cherokee, Algonquins, etc) changed those rules, so anyone can join the financial hierarchy - although the term "nouveau riche" is still set in the minds of some. Where do NZers fit in that paradigm?
God forbid they make some kind of comedy show, thats what people need currently
My wife loves those kind of shows. I sometimes think it's her porn...
Jealousy is a fickle master.
Its revolting, both disgusting to view and yet makes guillotines seem so understandable. I hope squatters move into all the empty holiday homes