HGTV's House Hunters International is a Treat for Armchair Travelers

Last week, I purchased a pied a terre in Paris, a beachfront house in Belize, and a cute condo in Turks and Caicos.

Did I just win New York State's Mega Millions lottery? Unfortunately, no such luck.

I simply watched HGTV's House Hunters International, a highly addictive show that lets viewers step into the shoes of aspiring homeowners looking to buy property abroad.

HGTV's House Hunters International is a Hit

House Hunters International is a spinoff of HGTV's House Hunters, which highlights the various aspects of shopping for property in the United States.

The format of the successful House Hunters is pretty straightforward and never varies from the established, tried and true formula that has made it such a sensation for HGTV.

First, House Hunters introduces the prospective homeowner and explains their reasons for purchasing a new home (for example, a single apartment dweller becomes a first time homebuyer, or a family or individual needs to relocate to a larger home in a different location.)

The homeowner meets the real estate agent and goes "house hunting"; three different properties are viewed, the pros and cons of each are discussed, and after a period of suspense and some deliberation, each thirty minute episode of House Hunters ends with a reveal of the property chosen by the homeowner.

A big part of the fun of House Hunters is the feeling of actually being there with the hopeful homeowners as they tour the properties in question and wrestle with their decision; trying to figure out which home will win the heart of the homeowners is also quite fun and addictive.

The reliable format of House Hunters, by now as familiar as a well worn pair of bedroom slippers, along with charismatic long time host Suzanne Whang, has made the program one of the most loved shows in HGTV's lineup (House Hunters airs most nights of the week at 10 p.m. EST on HGTV.)

House Hunters International grew out of the House Hunters phenomenon, and has become a smash hit in its own right. HGTV produced so many episodes of House Hunters International that this half hour show now airs many nights of the week at 10:30 p.m. EST, right after House Hunters.

House Hunters International Delights the Armchair Traveler

HGTV's House Hunters International follows the same format as the hugely popular House Hunters. At the beginning of each episode, an aspiring homeowner is introduced and we get some background information about their situation. The viewer then learns why the homeowner is relocating, what kind of property they would like to buy, how much they wish to spend and what is their desired location.

Then the real fun begins. House Hunters International gives a window into what it is like to live abroad in a variety of different countries. In a recent episode we meet a young Sao Paolo man, who is looking to buy his very first place in the city. This soon-to-be homeowner has lived with his sister for a few years, and we get a glimpse of what Brazilian apartment living is like.

As the episode of House Hunters International progresses, the young man tours three Sao Paolo properties: one that is barebones and priced in the very reasonable $50,000 range; another larger apartment in the $70,000 range; and a third that costs so much the young man laments he'd need three different jobs to pay for it all (he chooses the cheapest apartment and does some much needed renovations.)

House Hunters International highlights the intricacies of purchasing property in foreign countries (for example, St. Maarten has a Dutch side and a French side and the rules of house hunting can vary depending on the area.)

House Hunters International also shows a wide variety of different situations, from buying ruins in Portugal to acquiring an expensive apartment in pricey Paris, so every episode feels like a new adventure.

House Hunters International is a show about house hunting that is also a very fun travelogue. The program is filmed in a way that illustrates what each area looks like, so the wannabe traveler can really get a feel for each location.

And as a recent episode of House Hunters International in Edinburgh, Scotland demonstrates, it's a lot of fun to meet other homeowners in different countries and get a taste of many diverse cultures.

If you've ever wanted to live abroad, or just feel like armchair traveling through a variety of different countries, check out HGTV's House Hunters International: a very entertaining and informative mix of real estate and travel.

For more information on HGTV's House Hunters and House Hunters International, go to: hgtv.com/househunters and hgtv.com/househuntersinternational.