Watch What Crappens – Dwell Hello #523: Act Your Age

Hosts: Ben Mandelker & Ronnie Karam
Date: November 13, 2025

Episode Overview

In this penultimate episode of "Dwell Hello," Ben and Ronnie recap a recent episode of "House Hunters" entitled "Act Your Age." The storyline centers on Nathan, a 25-year-old lawyer looking to buy his first home in Austin, Texas, while navigating the conflicting advice of his strong-willed mother, a no-nonsense real estate agent, and his opinionated family. Ben and Ronnie dissect the house-hunting process, riff on family dynamics, critique Austin neighborhoods, and serve up their trademark humor and Bravo-style sass.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Dwell Hello Comes to an End

• The hosts announce this is the second-to-last "Dwell Hello" episode. They reminisce about three years of recapping "House Hunters" and ask listeners for outrageous finale suggestions (03:00).
  • “You've got two weeks. Those are your marching orders for the grand finale of Dwell Hello.” — Ben [02:25]
  • They dream aloud of covering a particularly wild "House Hunters" episode, like "the cheese farmer in Nepal."

2. Meet the House Hunter: Nathan and Family

• Nathan, 25, is seeking a home in Austin with help from his critical, “piss and vinegar” mother, Terry, and not-so-involved brother and sister-in-law.
  • Terry is described as embodying typical Texas "meemaw" energy (“It's like she's ready to go to the salon, she hasn't quite made it there yet.” — Allison [04:23])
  • Nathan is nicknamed the "oldest young man" for his low-key lifestyle (“I came out 30. Don’t you dare watch your goddamn mouth.” — Nathan via Ben [12:53])
• Family banter dominates, especially as Terry pushes Nathan towards city life and socializing:
  • “The normal twist is that the parent is saying, ‘It's time for you to grow up…’ And this one, she's like, ‘You're 25. Get back into the city and start partying more!’” — Ben [11:48]

3. Nathan's House Hunt: Requirements and Budget

• Nathan’s wish list is at odds with his actual needs and character:
  • Wants a 3 bed, 3 bath house for about $800k, despite saying he wants solitude and doesn’t entertain guests.
  • Explains: “I need one bathroom for when I shuffle out of bed and then I need one close to the PlayStation.” — Allison [14:08]
• Terry wants something reasonable, in the $650k range, and closer to downtown.

4. Austin Neighborhoods and Real Estate Realities

• Hosts and guest Allison (who suggested the episode) critique Austin neighborhoods, noting how shows misrepresent areas (“Sometimes you'll see an episode in Austin and they're… like, ‘Girl, that is NOT right by Downtown…’” — Allison [04:54])
• On the real estate market: “You're not getting anything for six [hundred thousand]. I can tell you. You can't even get a torn down condo that needs a complete remodel for six.” — Allison [15:01]

5. House #1: Midcentury Fixer in Allendale

Price: ~$699k | Distance: 20 miles from downtown

• This dilapidated, mid-century house needs serious work and “an exorcism.”
• Highlights:
  • Original wood floors, but terrible ceilings (“He touches it and the ceiling actually, like…it’s not attached.” — Ben [22:26])
  • Red hot tub in a wooden bathroom off the kitchen: “Very 70s, like, swinger…want to come into the hot tub in our bathroom?” — Allison [24:27]
  • Backyard is a “junkyard,” with unsafe sheds: “We could look at the shed, but you could die, loser.” — Allison [26:23]
• Hosts agree the house is too much work for Nathan:
  • “This was that kind of brick one with a bad roof and stuff. No.” — Allison [22:03]
  • “Needs to be destroyed, torn down, and never lived in again. But, you know, enjoy.” — Ben [20:44]

6. House #2: East Side Bungalow with Airstream

Price: Higher end, ~800 sq ft

• Charming, fully remodeled ’20s bungalow with an Airstream trailer in the backyard as a workspace or guest suite.
• Kitchen with open shelving; Nathan objects to displaying dishes.
• Backyard is small, more like a passage, but the Airstream catches everyone’s attention:
  • “I thought that was so cool. I felt like it was so Austiny.” — Ben [30:03]
  • “The agent is always like, you could have a barbecue here… Where? You're not going to have a barbecue out here.” — Allison [30:54]
• Hosts agree this is the clear "best buy": “This was the obvious choice, you know?” — Ben [31:08]

7. House #3: Modern New Build in North Loop

Price: $689k

• Suburban-feeling, newly redone “farmhouse modern” with parking but no garage, and a separate apartment in the back (“This beats the Airstream, although the Airstream is good to have. But this one is way cooler than the Airstream.” — Allison [35:11])
• Ben describes: “It's nice…If you wanted to have more character, well, that's where your project is.”
• Located on a noisy main street but roomy and resale-friendly.

8. The Decision and Aftermath

• Family and hosts debate each house. Terry pushes for House #2, while Nathan is lured by the need for “projects” in the fixer-upper.
• Nathan chooses House #1 (the major fixer), to universal surprise:
  • “I could not believe it…That, to me, was so by far the worst. It was terrible.” — Ben [38:28]
  • “That's just too much work. I'm sorry. He's not going to be able to do that by himself.” — Allison [38:48]
• Nathan claims he’ll fix it in “a couple months”; hosts predict years of work and hidden disasters.

9. Final Reflections

• The hosts note how episodes usually show house updates, but here, Nathan’s follow-up is just him drinking a beer in a cord-strewn kitchen:
  • “There’s still nothing filling in the floor where the island used to be. And he’s like, but I love it. No.” — Allison [39:55]
• They close out with thanks and urge listeners to send suggestions for the last-ever Dwell Hello.

Memorable Quotes

• “She’s got meemaw hair…This woman is full of two ingredients: piss and vinegar.” — Allison [04:23]
• “You are the oldest young man I’ve ever met.” — Nathan’s brother, via Allison [12:36]
• “He’s been an adult for as long as I remember. When he’s 30, he’s gonna be 60.” — Terry [12:53]
• “I tried to fix this squeaky chair… I was like, I’m calling someone. This is just not my ministry.” — Ben [16:40]
• “Put a pool there. Okay, let’s go inside. It’s like the laziest thing that realtors say.” — Allison [26:59]
• “We could look at the shed, but you could die, loser. You want to try it? I wouldn’t.” — Allison [26:23]
• “I came out 30. Don’t you dare watch your goddamn mouth.” — Nathan [13:01]

Important Timestamps

• Announcement of Series Hiatus: [01:40–03:00]
• Introduction of Nathan and Family: [04:05–10:00]
• Nathan’s Requirements and Budget: [14:05–15:37]
• Austin Neighborhoods Chat: [04:54–05:29]
• Review of House #1 (Allendale Fixer): [18:38–26:23]
• Review of House #2 (East Side Bungalow/Airstream): [28:05–31:19]
• Review of House #3 (North Loop New Build): [32:13–36:01]
• Decision and Reactions: [38:10–39:28]
• Closing & Call for Finale Suggestions: [40:05–40:23]

Tone & Style

Ben and Ronnie’s signature mix of sharp observations, pop culture riffs, and affectionate mockery is present throughout. They voice the show’s participants with exaggerated characterizations (especially Terry) and reference their own household struggles for comedic effect. Their review balances genuine property expertise with an irreverent, Bravo-inspired lens, which will be especially familiar and entertaining for long-time listeners and fans of reality TV commentary.

For the Grand Finale:
Email suggestions to watchwhatcrappens@gmail.com with “Dwell Hello Suggestion” in the subject.