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Ohh. That's nice.
NARRATOR: This NASA administrator
is looking for a large home in Houston
to create the ultimate bachelor pad.
This is a huge game room.
I could put a pool table.
Oh, yeah.
This is like an actual movie theater.
I could probably fit a 10-foot screen there.
NARRATOR: He also wants a huge yard for his fruit trees.
OMAR: Oh, wow.
SANDRA: All of your land that you wanted.
NARRATOR: But his sister and his agent are pushing their own tastes.
I don't know about the safari print.
Ooh, I like the animal print.
NARRATOR: And that's not all they're pushing.
Your future wife, I'm sure, would love to have this kitchen.
You get married -- your wife can have...
[ Sighs ]
[ Doorbell rings ]
-- Captions by VITAC --
Closed Captions provided by Scripps Networks, LLC.
OMAR: I'm Omar Collier.
I work as a contract specialist
at the NASA Johnson Space Center.
Currently, I'm responsible for purchasing
spare parts for the International Space Station.
The most exciting part about my job
is to see what's actually going up into orbit
that's gonna be added to the space station.
WOMAN: Hey, Omar.
Oh, oh!
Good job.
Right.
I've been in Houston now for a little over four years.
I was born in Hawaii.
My parents were in the Air Force,
so I moved all around from there,
and I came to Houston for grad school,
and I've been here ever since.
NARRATOR: He's currently renting an apartment near his job
in the suburb of League City.
My apartment right now is kind of basic.
It's a small space.
Can't really do too much with it.
It's an apartment.
You've got a lot of neighbors,
and you hear a lot of little noises
that aren't yours.
And I don't like sharing.
[ Laughs ]
I am ready to buy a house.
I'm ready to have my own space.
I just feel like settling in here in Houston.
You do make a good sauce when your sister is here,
telling you what ingredients to put in it.
NARRATOR: His sister, Aisha, who lives two hours away in San Marcos,
will be house-hunting with him.
If there's anything that's wrong with the house,
I'm sure she'll let me know.
It's good to have that second opinion,
and she has quite a big one.
Okay, so, what's your maximum?
Max is $240,000.
Definitely need at least 3,000 square feet,
four bedrooms.
What?
That is humongous.
Four bedrooms just for you?
I'm single.
I have no kids,
but I spend a lot of time at home,
so I really want to be able
to have as much in there as possible.
I don't want to go house shopping again
in five years,
so I want something I can grow into.
Because you may have three, four, five kids one day --
a wife, a dog.
I don't know about all that.
I would like for it to be a two-story brick home --
stone front.
Most of the houses around here are brick.
Wow.
You would like high ceilings, right?
Yeah.
I want a house that everyone else is gonna like,
and when you look at it, you fall in love with it.
A large kitchen would be great because I cook all the time.
I rarely ever go out to eat.
I need a large game room
so that I can fit in a pool table
and something in there.
I would like a large closet.
I have a lot of clothes, and I need space for it.
NARRATOR: He's limiting his search to the League City area.
I'd like to be less than 20 minutes away from work.
That way, I can get in there fairly quickly.
I can't stand traffic.
If I can skip the traffic altogether,
that would be perfect.
I would like something with a nice-sized yard
because I like my plants,
and I like growing my fruit trees.
I have three little trees --
a blackberry bush, a lemon tree, and an orange tree.
So if I have a larger yard,
I can actually put
some of these trees into the ground
and get a lot more.
I think the biggest challenge will be, here in Houston,
the plan neighborhoods don't really have large backyards.
Getting that is gonna be an issue, I'm sure.
NARRATOR: First up is a home in League City.
I'm showing this house to Omar
because I think it has a lot of the features that he wants.
It's not far from where he works.
Probably 15 minutes.
And this house has over 4,000 square feet.
It's $240,000, though.
That's kind of the top of my budget.
But it has five bedrooms with 3 1/2 baths.
That's a lot of space.
It is a lot of space.
Okay, come right on in.
Ohh. That's nice.
As soon as you walk in, you see the marble.
Two-story.
AISHA: I like the two-story entrance.
And this is --
A study.
All right.
So, what room is this?
This is the formal living room,
and then this is the formal dining room
when you come in here.
What's this for?
OMAR: Well, it separates the rooms.
Wow!
This is the kitchen.
That's a real kitchen.
Yeah, it has granite countertops.
I like how it's open to the entire, like, area.
It's not separated from the family room.
Your future wife, I'm sure,
would love to have this kitchen.
This is it. This is a nice kitchen.
Well, don't bring her here first.
Date her for a while 'cause once she sees the house,
you don't know what she really wants --
if she wants this or you.
[ Laughs ] Whoever she is.
Yeah. [ Laughs ]
Come on. Let me show you the backyard.
Oh, wow.
This is really not what I was hoping for.
I mean, at the top of my budget,
and this is the backyard I'm getting.
I really can't do what I would like to do.
SANDRA: What did you want to do?
I mean, I have all my fruit trees
I want to put in the ground.
I want to have a garden.
The backyard concerns me.
It's just not as big as I would like.
And this is your living area.
I do like the two-story,
where you got the windows going all the way up.
And it's gonna bring in a lot of light.
SANDRA: Yeah, it does.
How you gonna clean those windows?
Put on...
Hire someone.
Yeah.
[ Laughter ]
Well, let me show you the master.
Okay.
Uh, it's pretty basic.
I mean, it's not that big.
There's nothing really exciting about it.
I mean, the carpet is a little worn.
Let's take a look at the bathroom.
You might have a different view about it.
AISHA: Wow!
This is a real bathroom.
SANDRA: It has a separate tub and shower.
This is very nice.
This is a good-sized closet.
Yeah, a lot of storage space.
Oh, wow.
This is a good-sized closet for just you
and your shoe collection and clothes.
But if someone else were to need space in here,
it would be a tight squeeze.
We're gonna get you married off sooner or later.
NARRATOR: Upstairs are four more bedrooms,
two full baths, and a game room.
Oh, this is a good-sized game room.
It's a huge space.
I could put a pool table and chairs and a few couches.
And all your friends.
I could see all of y'all up here, hanging out.
Yeah.
And look.
There's a wet bar,
and that's great for a game room.
SANDRA: We're not done. There's more entertainment.
You have one more room, which is the media room.
This is gonna blow you away.
AISHA: Oh, yeah.
Oh, this is like an actual movie theater.
It is. It is.
I could probably fit, like, a 10-foot screen there.
I wasn't expecting this.
Yeah, this is a bonus. This is a bonus.
Party at Omar's house.
That's right.
AISHA: For a first house, this is, like, awesome.
For him to have this as a first house,
I would be able to say that I'm a proud big sister.
OMAR: It is a great-looking house.
The kitchen -- I mean, that kitchen's great.
The media room and the game room --
it's perfect entertaining space.
The master bedroom is --
I mean, it's fairly small for a house this size.
And this is at the top of your budget.
It is. It's at the very top.
Right.
And I don't have
the large backyard that I wanted.
NARRATOR: So now his agent, Sandra,
has lined up a custom home on a larger lot.
SANDRA: These are not subdivision lots.
They got a lot of land.
OMAR: That's good.
And carpet here in the dining room --
that doesn't make any sense.
'Cause one day, you'll have kids,
and they'll drop things.
It'll be a mess.
NARRATOR: 27-year-old Omar is looking for his first home
in the Houston suburbs.
Helping him on the search are his older sister, Aisha,
and his agent, Sandra.
Aisha and I are pretty opinionated --
Aisha more than I.
With me, now it's like he has two older sisters.
He has a lot to think about.
NARRATOR: So far, they've seen a place
with the square footage Omar wants,
but the yard's too small for planting fruit trees.
So today, they're taking him to see a home
in League City on a larger lot.
Quite a lot of green space.
I mean, none of the houses are too close to each other, so...
These are not subdivision lots.
They got a lot of land.
That's good.
The house I'm gonna show you
is gonna be about 15 minutes from your job.
It has five bedrooms.
It's slightly over your budget amount, though.
It's $260,000, so it's $20,000 over your budget.
Yeah.
AISHA: Wow.
Yeah, but with that price,
you get your yard and your square footage,
and I know that's what you wanted.
So this is one of the reasons
why I chose to show you this home.
Would you be able to afford that $260,000, you think?
If it has everything, then it might be worth it
to pay that extra $20,000.
Yeah, we'll have to see this house.
Ohh.
Okay, come right on in.
AISHA: Wow.
We have columns here with an arch, you know?
I like that.
Good curb appeal.
I mean, it's a brick house,
like I wanted, and I like this color, too.
It works well together.
Yeah.
Oh, wow. Look at that.
Isn't it nice?
It's a nice balcony.
It's a nice entry.
They have a study here to the left.
This is a formal dining area, as well.
So, let's look at the living room.
AISHA: It's very yellow.
You'll probably have to do some painting.
Yeah.
I like how the fireplace isn't, like,
in the center of the wall.
I still have this open wall over here to put the TV.
So I don't have to set the TV up above the fireplace.
Right.
This is a nice big yard,
and, Omar, you said you wanted a big yard.
I did, and this is a big yard.
Yeah, this is almost an acre.
Really?
Yeah.
AISHA: This is a backyard.
Wow.
That's so much space back there.
I mean, I could put 20 trees if I wanted to.
[ Laughs ] You can.
This is the backyard you need.
This is where you see your $20,000 more.
This is what you get for that amount.
But it's nice.
Yeah, it looks like it's worth it.
Nice.
It's a nice little area.
Yeah.
It's big.
I kind of wish
that it was more open to the family room.
I mean, it has the wall right here,
so it's closed off.
SANDRA: Yeah.
Just knock the wall down.
Then I wouldn't have cabinets right here.
It's nice the way it is.
I do like the cabinets. I like the glass-front cabinets.
You like the glass?
Yeah.
It means you got to keep your plates all organized
and your cups.
They're organized anyway.
[ Laughs ]
Okay.
They have the granite, and, look,
they have a countertop for you, Omar.
Look how high this is.
Look how tall this is.
And I do like having the stove top right here.
But who else would be able to cook up here
if it's this high?
It's my house. I'm gonna be cooking.
[ Laughs ]
Just make sure you don't get a short wife.
I can get a stepping stool. She'll be all right.
NARRATOR: The first-floor master's on the other side of the house.
More yellow.
SANDRA: Yes.
It's all right.
I do like all the windows and how it's curved
rather than being just a flat wall.
But where would you put your bed?
'Cause with a curve right there, if you put it here,
it's gonna come all the way out
into the middle of the floor.
That's a good question.
It's a funny shape.
It is.
It is.
There's a lot of space in here.
But I'm not sure what that's called,
but I don't like it.
It's kind of like, you know,
a hotel by the beach or something.
And then the white cabinets.
It's not very masculine.
At all.
And the master closet is not very big.
It's not very master.
Is this the only closet in here?
SANDRA: No, here's the other side.
Oh, okay.
OMAR: Okay.
So, like a his and hers.
Yes.
But for now, they can both be yours.
True.
[ Laughs ]
They have four bedrooms up here.
Okay.
Two baths.
And this is the game room/media room.
You can use it for either one.
AISHA: Wow.
With a balcony.
This would be perfect for your pool table.
Yeah, I'll set it right here in the middle.
Oh, wow.
AISHA: Look at this view.
Great view.
All of your land that you wanted.
[ Laughs ]
Put some lawn furniture, some nice chairs.
Lawn? It's not a lawn. It's got tile.
I know what you meant, yeah.
You can look out and enjoy the balcony.
I would definitely consider this house.
It has lots of amazing features.
The game room is excellent.
I mean, the yard really makes the house.
Overall, that's a great yard.
I mean, I could do so much out there.
It's a big house.
It's huge.
It's close to work.
I mean, the extra $20,000 --
it's -- I mean, that's a bit much.
Yeah, $20,000 is a lot.
NARRATOR: So now Sandra's lined up a lower-priced home.
It's 3,300 square feet, and it's $215,000.
$215,000?
Yes.
Wow.
Yeah.
[ Doorbell rings ]
WOMAN: Hey, Omar.
OMAR: Oh, oh.
Whoo! Good job, Omar!
NARRATOR: With a $240,000 budget, NASA administrator Omar
is looking for a home with at least 3,000 square feet,
and while large homes are common in Houston,
for his agent, Sandra, this isn't a typical search.
What's unusual is that
he's looking for such a large house,
and it's just him.
He is single,
and I just hope that he finds someone
that likes him for him
and not for the home that he's picking.
NARRATOR: So far, he and his sister, Aisha,
have seen two large homes near his job --
one with a small yard
and one with almost an acre of land
but a high price tag.
Today, they're seeing a lower-priced home,
but it's in Pearland, a half-hour from his job.
I like the landscaping.
AISHA: And nice, big trees.
It has really nice curb appeal.
You get a lot of shade.
SANDRA: It's very good curb appeal,
and it's $215,000.
$215,000?!
Yes.
Wow.
Yeah.
Might be a good deal.
Oh. Okay.
That's a nice, open entryway.
Got the balcony up there.
High ceilings.
Uh-huh. That's nice.
This is gonna be a study here...
Okay.
...and here is a formal dining room.
Dining room is real nice, as well.
I love the dining room.
I love that color.
The chair rail -- Do you like that?
I like the color.
I don't like the gold chandelier.
Oh, yeah. You could just switch that out -- update it.
Yeah, that's true.
That shouldn't be a hard change.
This is the butler's pantry.
Ooh!
You have more cabinets, yeah,
and you have drawers and cabinets.
So, there's extra storage and counter space.
Yes. Exactly.
Okay.
Okay.
Has a nice island.
AISHA: Oh, it's big.
It's a neutral color.
It looks a little dated.
Yeah.
I mean, the counters --
the island here -- I don't like this.
This is like bathroom tile.
It doesn't seem like it belongs in the kitchen.
But you could customize it, if you choose this one,
'cause we're under-budget,
and you could do whatever you want with it.
Right.
I'm just saying.
You can keep that in mind.
AISHA: Look how open it is.
You wanted an open kitchen to the family room...
It is true.
...and it's just --
It opens up to, like, one big area.
I do like the two-story living area.
This nook here I guess they made for the TV,
but I think I'd like to put a lot bigger TV.
I don't want to be limited to how big of a TV I can put.
Right.
You can always put a television over the fireplace.
And I really never would ever do that.
You don't want to do that?
No? Okay, I understand.
'Cause you would have to lift your neck all the way up
to watch the TV if you're down low.
[ Laughs ] Okay.
AISHA: I do think Omar needs to compromise.
I mean, you can't get everything that you want in a house,
and the house is only $215,000.
That's well below budget for him.
That's a half bath.
That's a good size.
I like the blue,
and I don't know about the safari print.
Ooh! I like the animal prints.
Yeah, it's like a crocodile...
Rawr!
[ Laughs ]
Okay, come right on in.
This is the master.
Oh, there's a lot of space in here.
This is a big room.
Wow, this is big.
OMAR: I like the color.
And you're gonna love this closet.
Oh, wow. Both sides.
AISHA: Oh, my gosh!
This is a closet.
[ Laughs ] How about that?
Look at all this space!
That's a huge closet.
It's like another room.
And then you have all these shelves already.
Your shoes would definitely fit in this closet.
Oh, you think I have that many shoes?
Put shoes on top if you want.
Yeah, you do have that many shoes.
This is just enough space for you.
You get married -- your wife can have...
NARRATOR: Upstairs, there's a game room,
a full bath, and three guest bedrooms.
OMAR: Uh-oh. [ Laughs ]
AISHA: Whoa.
Well, I'd definitely have to paint it.
I couldn't stand to look at this every day.
[ Laughter ]
SANDRA: And this is your oasis.
AISHA: Oh, wow.
Oh, a hot tub?!
Yes!
Now, that is nice.
But there's just not much else back here.
I guess if I had to,
I could just do, like, the garden out here,
and then plant my own trees around the front,
since that's where most of the green space is.
Yeah.
But there's a hot tub.
Yeah.
I would come visit you just for the hot tub.
Aisha really likes this house.
If I did get this house, she would be over all the time.
I'm not sure if that's a good thing.
I kind of wanted my own space.
[ Laughs ]
So, what do you think, overall?
Well --
I love it. Sold.
Yeah. Good.
[ Laughs ]
Well, you know, it's a great house --
real open floor plan.
That master bedroom and the closet in there.
Yeah, the master suite is really nice -- open bathroom.
Yeah, and it's only $215,000.
Yeah.
I can see myself here.
The backyard is really not what I wanted.
I think he's crazy to walk away from $215,000,
but you want what you want.
He has his mind set on trees.
Okay, well, you have a decision to make.
I think I like...
NARRATOR: Omar, a contract specialist for NASA,
is looking for his first home in the Houston area
with a budget of $240,000.
He and his sister, Aisha, have seen several large homes.
Now it's decision time.
AISHA: What about that house that was over 4,000 square feet?
The one with the media room?
OMAR: Oh, that house was huge.
I can grow into that through the years,
and I'd never run out of space.
It's close to work.
It's like maybe less than a 20-minute drive.
But that house was
right at the top of your price range.
Right, it was at $240,000.
I mean, as big as the house is,
it kind of takes up the whole lot, though,
and doesn't leave too much for the backyard.
Yeah.
What about that house on the acre lot?
Oh, yeah.
I mean, that backyard was so huge,
I could probably plant 20 trees back there.
I can section off a space just for gardening.
But remember -- $260,000.
Right. But it was close to work.
And it had that nice game room upstairs
that you could walk out onto the balcony.
What do you think about that house in Pearland?
Oh, that house was really nice.
It had almost everything I wanted.
That red brick with the trees in the front --
I mean, it's just a nice-looking house.
The closet in the master bedroom --
Oh, yeah.
And it's only $215,000.
Exactly.
The only problem with that house is the backyard.
The hot tub that's in the back --
if I was back there,
I probably would be in that hot tub anyway, so...
Which one will he choose?
The one in Pearland...
I mean, it just looked really nice,
even from the outside.
But is that the one you want?
Actually, no.
I think I like the house with over 4,000 square feet.
I think I can give up some backyard space
for all of the interior space.
Well, when can I come visit?
I don't know. Let's call Sandra.
[ Both laugh ]
[ Doorbell rings ]
Hey, everybody.
Wow.
OMAR: I moved in about two weeks ago.
Really just starting to get settled in.
This house has far exceeded my expectations.
I keep finding different things that I like about the house,
so it just keeps getting better and better.
My initial budget was $240,000,
and I paid $240,000 for this house.
It was priced really well,
so there wasn't much room for negotiation.
Have you cooked anything in here yet?
Cooked some ribs, cooked some rice.
It was actually a pretty big meal
for just me, but [laughs]
Well, now we're here.
This house stood out
because of the over 4,000 square feet that it had.
A lot of the rooms aren't being used at all yet.
The rooms that I spend the most time in
are pretty much completed, except the master bedroom.
But I spend most of my time
in the kitchen and in the game room, anyways.
Oh, yeah.
It's a whole set.
First thing I got.
The pool table's in the game room.
Oh, yeah.
I got almost everything I wanted in the house.
The backyard is not huge, like I wanted,
but it's still a good size.
The space that I do have,
I'm gonna plant trees and a garden.
Get that started back there.
The location of the house is great.
12 minutes or less from work.
My commute before was about eight minutes,
so I've upped that about four minutes.
So it's perfect.
This your guitar so you can serenade us?
That's for later. That's for the wife.
[ Laughter ]
I really wanted a house that I can grow into,
and as much space is in this house,
I won't have a choice but to grow into it over time.
If I happen to get married and have kids,
like everyone's trying to make me do,
there's space for them.
This house is kind of like a new step in my life,
so I'm really looking forward
to seeing what the future will bring.
[ Baby cooing ]
[ Laughter ]