My wife and I watch a lot of HGTV shows: House Hunters, House Hunters International, Tiny House Hunters, etc. We also like Property Brothers, Love It or List It, Flip or Flop, and Fixer Upper. We enjoy seeing the kinds of houses people look at and buy, especially when they have big budgets.

And we enjoy seeing the people who are being shown these properties. It’s always interesting when the realtor asked the prospective buys what they want.

He wants a two-to-three bedroom, two bathroom condo or townhouse in the city near his job, a low-to-no maintenance yard, a man cave, a three-car garage, great views, near a golf course, and an open concept design. He prefers the clean lines of a mid-century modern ranch-style house.

She wants a single-family home with at least four bedrooms and three bathrooms in the suburbs, a big backyard for the kids, preferably with a swimming pool, a large modern kitchen with new, stainless steel appliances, a master bedroom with an en-suite and a large walk-in closet, and near their kids’ school. She loves the classic craftsman-style home or a Victorian, with a grand staircase and vintage details.

The smiling realtor asks the couple what their budget is and he says “$199,000 max.” She says that she’s “willing to stretch for the perfect house for their family — up to $300 grand.” The still (always) smiling realtor says, “I’m sure we can find something that will meet all of your needs within your budget.”

Then the games begin. The realtor always shows them three homes. One for him, one for her, and one that “may require some compromise.”

And there are three catchphrases that these potential home buyers on the various shows frequently say that just drive me crazy.

The first and the worst, in my opinion, is the buyer, often the male, who sees something he likes and gleefully says, “Now that’s what I’m talking about.” Really? I never heard you talk about “that” before. And the way their spouse or significant other looks at them when they say it leads me to believe that no one else has either.

And then there are those who are looking at houses that are priced maybe between $200,000 to $300,000. One of them gazes out of the living room window or steps onto a deck or a patio in the backyard and says, “Now that is a million dollar view.” No, it isn’t. Because if it really was a million dollar view, the house would cost a million dollars.

Finally, there are the ones who go into the master bedroom of the house they’re considering, point out of the window, and say, “Wouldn’t you love to wake up to that every morning?” No, because when most people first wake up in the morning, their blinds, shades, curtains, drapes, or whatever other kinds of window coverings they have are usually closed.

But still, my wife and I do love to watch these HGTV shows. And when the realtor asks about their budget and they say “a million to 1.2,” I turn to my wife and say, “Now that’s what I’m talking about!”