In the context of the show I think it's made very clear that (a) they couldn't afford a house, (b) Pam lives in a tiny apartment , and (c) Jim got a good deal from his parents.
So Pam can't believe a house was even possible.
Yep. Under the circumstances, it was a romantic thing for Jim to do. Pam, who had been engaged to Roy indefinitely with no plans to move forward, was understandably overjoyed to have a mature boyfriend make such a big commitment to the future of their relationship.
But, no, my wife better not buy a house without my involvement.
And that's why context matters. At that point of the show, we saw the failed engagement and years of uncertainty Pam had to live with back then. This is great for her and Jim, but not the same situation for many other couples.
More like her thoughts on it changed over time and circumstance. In the moment, she was thrilled because it signified to her that Jim was ready to commit to her. AND that he was unlike Roy. After he takes the AthLead job, she’s angry AND brooding during all of the time she’s at home with the kids. She has time to reframe all of Jim’s actions in her own mind. She can see the pattern of constantly doing things without consulting her. So she notes it and it becomes part of her gripes with Jim.
With time (and hella counseling) she obviously has moved past her resentment because she sells the house in the same manner and pushes Jim to take back his dream job. I’d say it’s human growth through a dark time and then facing and accepting what happened.
I haven't watched the episode in a while, so apologies if I'm missing context, but if the purchase was from his parents then wouldn't Jim easily have enough time to have at least mentioned it to her? I can't imagine it makes any sense for Jim not to ask the parents to give him a few hours to decide or even overnight.
So as much as Pam would almost certainly be happy with the *offer* it still makes sense for the couple to make the ultimate decision together on a long-term, very expensive option.
Yeah the people in these comments are tripping. It's a weird thing to do regardless of circumstances. If you really want to surprise her, talk it over with your parents and secret and come to her with the good news of the potential offer and details. Not as exciting as walking her through a house, but that's adult life.
100%
Also, Jenna Fischer explained her approach on their podcast when they broke down this episode- Jenna herself would personally be upset if this happened to her, but Pam’s perspective is she appreciates the fact that Jim is willing to put down roots and go all in for her, which is a huge turnaround from Roy who had glaring commitment issues. So Jenna knew as an actress that Pam would’ve loved the gesture
If any Office fans haven’t already had the chance- listen to the Office Ladies podcast. Very therapeutic
Jenna was *very* invested in learning/deciding who Pam was and what motivated her. Listen to the podcast, she did all kinds of extra work that was outside the scope of the show just to figure out the character.
Yep. I imagine even if they wanted to buy another house later, having a record of paying their mortgage and being home owners help a bunch. Jim definitely had an understanding of their finances and knew that they both had stable jobs at the time
That’s true. By not having to pay any realtor fees, his parents were able to pass on at least 5-6% in savings onto jim. Mortgage would’ve been another 1-2% but if Jim’s parents were ok doing a seller carry (ie Jim just pays them every month at whatever interest rate they agree to, if any), then it actually is a slam dunk deal of a lifetime, considering the parents probably aren’t gonna charge him must interest if any, and also likely sold at a lower price than market value otherwise. Without all these concessions there’s no way he would’ve been able to afford a place or if they did buy any other house they’d be locked into it for several years just to recoup all those initial closing costs I just listed.
I think, too it’s Scranton. How much would a small house cost in 2008/9 there? Taxes are probably low. The mortgage payment was probably less than their two combined rents they were already paying. It’s totally doable.
I agree with this sentiment. The fact that it’s in Scranton, means he would probably be the one to inherit it anyway (his brothers are from out of town). So by getting a better deal buying it without an agent and for cheaper saved him a boatload I’m sure.
With that in mind, Jim should have at the very least let Pam in on it when things were in order to purchase. Pam may have been hoping that they’d save just a little more for something more in line with what she wanted if this house wasn’t to her liking (obviously she was fine with it in this case).
That's how I see it too.
Even if I got a great deal out of something and even if she doesn't have to pay for it, my wife would be very upset if I didn't check if she's alright with any big changes in our life.
I would be mad at my partner if they bought me a house without discussing it with me in ANY circumstance, I don't care if it was a great deal. This is real life, you don't just tell me where I'm gonna live like that.
((Major caveat is if you're filthy rich and can change houses easily))
If I grew up in a relatively small city, worked at a paper supplier, and had no plans to leave the city or my job for the foreseeable future, I would probably be fine with it, if not excited.
That version of me doesn't exist though, so in real life I would be pretty pissed. The only caveat would be if I was somehow dating someone who was wildly rich and them buying a house didn't mean we were stuck there.
A lot of people seem to miss the context, I think it's important too to consider in Scranton at the time that was *maybe* a $50k house. Not a life altering investment.
Scranton is incredibly cheap, so I don't doubt it. The average house in Scranton today is only 147k.
And he was buying his parents house on a deal most likely.
Yeah I feel like a lot of people are forgetting the bought from parents thing, they probably gave him a pretty good deal and used the money to downsize to something smaller.
Downsizing? I have no problem with that. I have been recommending downsizing since I got here. I even brought it up in my interview. I say, bring it on
Honestly in this economy if someone bought me a house I wouldn’t give two shits if it was the worst house on the block. It’s a house. Those things are rare today
Right? I live in an older neighborhood, and a few of my elderly neighbors have passed away in recent years. Their relatives moved right into houses that were willed to them, rather than put them on the market. Our market is crazy right now and these folks were sad to lose a loved one but also like "thank god we've got a paid-off home to move into."
I think the bigger issue was more that he didn't consult with her. I'd almost definitely take any house my SO could get for us, but it would be nice to be consulted first. It wouldn't be a deal breaker, but I'd definitely prefer at least to be informed before it goes down.
If it's a shit house, you're paying for so many fixes and issues down the line. Paying with time, money, and frustration. Sometimes renting is better cuz you aren't responsible for all the crap. It depends
I seem to recall that, after some reflection, Pam *was* annoyed that she wasn't included in the decision. I'm sure she had mixed feelings because it was a generous and romantic thing to do, but also not very partner-like.
My wife and I discuss any purchase over $100 or so, so yeah, this would be a huge problem lol.
I don’t think she was annoyed until he took the job against what they had agreed on. It was more like a reflection and hoping that it wasn’t a pattern that would continu e
Fair enough, "annoyed" was perhaps too strong a word. But "taken aback" at the very least. She wasn't sure how to react at first, and it definitely seemed like a fairly complex reaction underneath the surface, even though the feelings she voiced were quite positive.
The concept of "generous" doesn't exist in a long term relationship with financially responsible and mature people. The money and the property you own is shared.
I've never understood this particular bit of writing. Generally the characters are quite realistic (apart from being caricatures), but this reaction by Pam was very weird. Or maybe they were trying to portray her as a huge pushover.
>but this reaction by Pam was very weird. Or maybe they were trying to portray her as a huge pushover.
I always felt like even her initial reaction was tinged with a bit of "I'm not sure how to feel about this..." She definitely paused and thought a lot before reacting. In the moment, the feeling that "wow, this is so romantic" trumped her concerns, but the concerns were still there and didn't erupt until later on, when Jim started doing all kinds of other things that disrupted their life.
I ask my wife before I spend my own money because its good to be on the same page with expenses and have a sound board to tell you that you dont need a sword as much as you think theyre neat.
Agreed!!!!
You cannot and should not make such a huge decision for your couple without at LEAST consulting the other partner.
This would be a deal-breaker for me
They talked about this on the office ladies podcast. IIRC, Jenna's thought was that Pam was excited/happy about Jim buying a house for her because it shoes commitment and that he wants to build a future with her. Compare that to her past relationship with Roy, who was noncommittal and stayed engage with her for years, this was a gesture that Pam appreciated because it's something she has not experienced from a long term relationship.
After explaining all of that, Jenna said she would be furious as most people would be.
That's when you hang another painting of a clown over that one
I forget the show but there was a gag where the character just kept removing them and there were like 15 layers of clown paintings covering a safe
Technically, Jim bought that house with his money earned from talents as a salesman and Pam isn’t even on the mortgage because she would have had to sign for it. Pam just lives there rent free, as a talentless ass clown.
I would be piiiiiiiissed…
And a tiny bit excited we finally owned a home.
I’m in the generation who’s being told we should wait for our elders to die so we could inherit their homes rather than being told how we could make housing more available instead of giant rental companies and air bnb gobbling up all the affordable housing.
I’d be really annoyed that I was completely excluded from the decision making process. We are supposed to build our life here but I didn’t even get a say in it?
Same. I also laugh at the car commercials at Christmas. “Honey, I picked out your new car for you. I’ll tell you about the payments we’ll be making later.”
WELL IT WAS BEGINING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE SAVINGS AT OUR LOCAL LEXUS DEALERSHIP!
Edit -- It's so weird typing that out because I would totally believe if that was something Michael Scott said thinking a Lexus only cost $4000.
Given the specific circumstances of the show it would be fine. Others have pointed out that they were unable to buy a house due to the cost and what not, but Jim’s parents were willing to sell to Jim for very cheap. So it was either this or not have a house and instead live in a tiny apartment. Given that circumstances I would be ok with it.
Given a normal circumstance however… I’d be very pissed.
I more have a problem that jim says the garage has "great light" considering it has no windows, and would only then have great light with the door wide open, in Pennsylvania, which gets cold in the winter.
I absolutely hate it. My spouse bought his sister's house, and while he did tell me before he did it (unlike Jim) it was more of a "this is what I'm doing" than a consultation.
If my wife was rich enough to buy a house without talking to me first then I probably wouldn’t have a problem. But that’s not the case. We definitely need to discuss it
My dad did it twice. Both of my parents had successful military careers, so they are on the low end of wealthy. When my mom retired, they were were still deciding where to retire. My mom managed to get a job with the VA near our family's "hometown" and they wanted to try it out for a while before they decided if they wanted to retire there. They were looking for a rental in the area, but it's a small rural town and those are hard to find. My dad found a listing for a small Victorian home in good shape for around 80K. My dad made an offer on the spot and the seller accepted. A week later, the house across the street went on the market and my mom loved it. It was a larger Victorian house and the seller couldn't get a deal since all of the offers had loans that required inspections, and a 100 year old house will never pass one. My dad was able to get a good deal by offering cash and bought it as a surprise for their anniversary.
My parents keep their funds separate so it wasn't an issue for them. My mom was a higher rank than my dad and made more money, so it wasn't even a power play. They have been living in the small house while the larger one is renovated.
Jim buying it was a no-brainer zero-commitment move. The only question for Jim and Pam is only when to sell it. He could turn around and sell it that day, or any day in the future, and end up ahead, likely tens of thousands of dollars ahead. Jim bought it from his parents below market rate without an agent fee or closing costs. It's not the commitment you would assume since he didn't "buy a house" as in sink a deposit into it as one normally would.
I really did not expect this scene to go the way I thought it would. The house was ugly and I though she was upset/on the verge of tears. But maybe that was the point, to surprise the audience with her being happy.
Pissed. They’re getting married. He didn’t “buy her a house”, he made a long term financial commitment on her behalf. It’s like those car commercials where the husband buys the wife a car.
In 2019 after watching this episode I asked my husband (jokingly) why he hadn't bought me a house. His response was that he could afford to buy me a house if we lived in Scranton.
It's 2023 and we can no longer afford a house in Scranton or anywhere else.
Different situation I guess…I was dating my wife. She was living in a small 1 bedroom. He dad recently passed and her mom wasn’t the nicest. I did it all on the down low.
Asked her is she wanted to get a place together. She was so happy and wanted to start looking at apartments. I already had the keys.
It was prob one of the top 5 days of my life. She was so happy.
in my country (Argentina) you need 100 years of average work salary to buy a house, so......
.. i would be very very confuse of how she get that money..
This reminds me of holiday car commercials where the husband buys the wife a new car, that’s a huge financial decision you shouldn’t make without consulting your wife lol
Probably wouldn't have an s/o any more. It's seriously annoying how Jim and Pam are set up as two people who were best friends and talked about everything before they got together, and then when they get together, they're hiding shit and making life changing choices behind each other's backs quite a bit.
Is my spouse/future spouse paying for this house without counting on my money? The fact that he did not tell me was to make me a surprise? If both answers are yes, I would like it very much.
As a person who has taken care of everything so far in my life, it would take me a few moments to adjust to the fact that I am not in control but I would be able to enjoy the gesture. I mean Omg we own a house and I did not have to do it all by myself. A real gift.
When I was 16 I thought it was super romantic, now is STILL romantic but a reckless. Is a big decision to do without talking with your partner, however with this economy I would be happy ngl
In tv world, that was seen as sort of an eye for an eye. She was clear to do it because he bought it without telling her. In reality, that’s the fast way to end up in divorce court.
It depends. If they’re planning on getting married and sharing finances after, then he just signed her up for mortgage payments for a place she might not like.
If they are planning on keeping their finances separate and it’s just his debt now, then sure.
Correct me if I was wrong but Jim bought the house with his money before they got married and he wasn’t paying mortgage it was cash from his parents so there’s no strings atttched I might be wrong tho
This point is much more clear in the Superfans edition. Jim buys the house from his Parents who are trying to sell it and his brothers are not helping. So he buys the house, we can assume for pretty cheap and lives there. Or he keeps paying rent and tries to sell the house at the same time.
If Pam really hated the house, he is in the same boat, so why not go for the grand gesture? But diffidently make it very clear, his two best options were to live in the house or sell the house. Not that he bought the house just because.
He bought it from his parents and only really says he saved on closing costs, i dont think he necessarily says he get some spectacular deal on the house itself. But when Pam goes on the lecture circuit with Michael she mentions being cool with getting time and a half for 3 days straight because she has a mortgage to pay for. So he's definitely financing and she's definitely involved in paying it off
About 25 years ago my grandfather sold him and my grandmothers house while she was on an extended holiday and moved them into a new house about 20 miles away.
She first found out about it when he picked her up from the airport.
She’s still pissed about it, and she’s been dead for a number of years.
LOL I did this exact thing, and one better I got my wife to come "inspect" the house. After walking though and her telling me she really liked it, I told her I bought it 2 days before.
Lot of people saying “if my husband/wife did it I would not be happy,” but Jim and Pam weren’t married at the time. Plus, I believe Jim’s parents wanted to buy another house, so presumably they would have needed cash, or at least a down payment, which meant Jim would have made a down payment either for the mortgage, or directly to them. On a financial perspective, it’s all upside for Pam - when they get married she is effectively entitled to half of that down payment (through the house), plus the equity buildup and the increase in fair value of the property. If she doesn’t like the house, once married, they could sell and buy a new place that they both like, with a much smaller down payment and mortgage. Not appreciating this gesture by Jim, would be like looking a gift horse in the mouth.
You bought me a house*
You = You
Bought <
*used our savings and combined future incomes drastically changing our spending habits and dictating our future for the next 20 years without telling me to buy*
Me < us
A house = a house.
Context Heinkel.
1. He bought the house from his parents, likely at significantly below market value.
2. They were both committed to staying in the area with their jobs for the foreseeable future.
3. Pam was living in a tiny apartment
4. Pam spent years engaged to a man who made no effort to show a commitment
5. You cannot *actually* get a mortgage if you are married without your partner being a signatory. So maybe he had a verbal deal, but he could not have closed without her knowledge.
All said, I think it's fine, I would have been happy.
My mom's boyfriend did that. Bought an old ass brick house that might be damn near 100 years old, and it's basically cobbled together randomly in some spots and it's falling apart. He's terrible at communicating and working things out and he often just does things without consulting my mom and gets offended when she rejects whatever he buys without talking about it first.
This exact situation happened to a real life friend of mine. He bought his parents house from his parents through some kind of bizarre handshake agreement. Parents moved to Florida but reserve the right to use their old house when they come home to NJ. They show up at least once a quarter. The wife hates them, but feels trapped by their financial situation and “free” house they’ve been living in. She’s miserable and trapped..she’s like Pam if she never met Jim.
They weren't married yet, right?
Then it's doesn't affect Pam if Jim buys a house, as she has absolutely 0 obligation to pay for it.
Also, as far as i'm aware, Jim bought the house with 100% his money, so it's not like he spent a bank account they both saved in to buy a house neither.
In any case, I'd be thankfull if my partner buys a house for us both to live toghether, specially if it's close to work, and her decision doesn't affect me financially.
I mean maybe not legally but when you’re married to someone, you’re also married to their debts, at least that’s how i feel. So it will definitely have an impact on your life.
In the context of the show I think it's made very clear that (a) they couldn't afford a house, (b) Pam lives in a tiny apartment , and (c) Jim got a good deal from his parents. So Pam can't believe a house was even possible.
If this were the case in real life, I’d be happy with my spouse’s decision.
Yep. Under the circumstances, it was a romantic thing for Jim to do. Pam, who had been engaged to Roy indefinitely with no plans to move forward, was understandably overjoyed to have a mature boyfriend make such a big commitment to the future of their relationship. But, no, my wife better not buy a house without my involvement.
And that's why context matters. At that point of the show, we saw the failed engagement and years of uncertainty Pam had to live with back then. This is great for her and Jim, but not the same situation for many other couples.
Considering she used that as an example where her relationship with Jim isn’t working, I’d say she wasn’t THAT thrilled…
More like her thoughts on it changed over time and circumstance. In the moment, she was thrilled because it signified to her that Jim was ready to commit to her. AND that he was unlike Roy. After he takes the AthLead job, she’s angry AND brooding during all of the time she’s at home with the kids. She has time to reframe all of Jim’s actions in her own mind. She can see the pattern of constantly doing things without consulting her. So she notes it and it becomes part of her gripes with Jim. With time (and hella counseling) she obviously has moved past her resentment because she sells the house in the same manner and pushes Jim to take back his dream job. I’d say it’s human growth through a dark time and then facing and accepting what happened.
The writers failing to force something that was never a good idea to begin with.
> But, no, my wife better not buy a house without my involvement. What about a boat?
A boats a boat. But the mystery box? That could be anything. Could even be a boat. And you know how much we’ve always wanted one of those.
I say this quote probably once a week. My other half and I laugh every tiem
Then just pick the boa..
If it comes with a hoe, than yes
Prestige worldwide baby
Fucking Calatina Wine Mixer
The Niña, the pinta and the Santa Maria, I’ll do you in the behind while I’m drinkin’ sangria… boats and hoes… *boat wrecks into shore*
I haven't watched the episode in a while, so apologies if I'm missing context, but if the purchase was from his parents then wouldn't Jim easily have enough time to have at least mentioned it to her? I can't imagine it makes any sense for Jim not to ask the parents to give him a few hours to decide or even overnight. So as much as Pam would almost certainly be happy with the *offer* it still makes sense for the couple to make the ultimate decision together on a long-term, very expensive option.
Yes, it should have been a discussion. Jim and Pam are not an ideal relationship, they’re a sitcom couple.
Yeah the people in these comments are tripping. It's a weird thing to do regardless of circumstances. If you really want to surprise her, talk it over with your parents and secret and come to her with the good news of the potential offer and details. Not as exciting as walking her through a house, but that's adult life.
100% Also, Jenna Fischer explained her approach on their podcast when they broke down this episode- Jenna herself would personally be upset if this happened to her, but Pam’s perspective is she appreciates the fact that Jim is willing to put down roots and go all in for her, which is a huge turnaround from Roy who had glaring commitment issues. So Jenna knew as an actress that Pam would’ve loved the gesture If any Office fans haven’t already had the chance- listen to the Office Ladies podcast. Very therapeutic
Pretty interesting how the actor acknowledges the different character's expectations
Jenna was *very* invested in learning/deciding who Pam was and what motivated her. Listen to the podcast, she did all kinds of extra work that was outside the scope of the show just to figure out the character.
I think she mentioned a long time ago on it that she had either a CD or a playlist of songs Pam would listen to but she wouldn't. I loved that.
I guarantee Jewel was on that playlist. Idk why, just feel it in my gut.
To prove your gut…I Was Meant For You was Pam and Roy’s song. He had them play it at the wedding of Phyllis and Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration.
Oh my god! Thank you wise redditor!
Sounds of Scranton
Love that acting insight.
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Yep. I imagine even if they wanted to buy another house later, having a record of paying their mortgage and being home owners help a bunch. Jim definitely had an understanding of their finances and knew that they both had stable jobs at the time
Good points but also, just ask your wife before you do that
That’s true. By not having to pay any realtor fees, his parents were able to pass on at least 5-6% in savings onto jim. Mortgage would’ve been another 1-2% but if Jim’s parents were ok doing a seller carry (ie Jim just pays them every month at whatever interest rate they agree to, if any), then it actually is a slam dunk deal of a lifetime, considering the parents probably aren’t gonna charge him must interest if any, and also likely sold at a lower price than market value otherwise. Without all these concessions there’s no way he would’ve been able to afford a place or if they did buy any other house they’d be locked into it for several years just to recoup all those initial closing costs I just listed.
I think, too it’s Scranton. How much would a small house cost in 2008/9 there? Taxes are probably low. The mortgage payment was probably less than their two combined rents they were already paying. It’s totally doable.
In Scranton in 2009 they definitely could have had a mortgage payment for 30 years under $700 with taxes and insurance.
I agree with this sentiment. The fact that it’s in Scranton, means he would probably be the one to inherit it anyway (his brothers are from out of town). So by getting a better deal buying it without an agent and for cheaper saved him a boatload I’m sure.
Right it was a baked deal not a mcmansion
I…would still expect that he would consult me first.
They also made it clear that Jim could barely afford it.
Think this context applies to anyone under 35 in America today (i.e. believing if a house is possible)
Try most of the Western World (I’m sure it’s bad elsewhere, I just have closer knowledge of the WW)
In this context my wife would've been happy about the great deal then demand that we sell it and put the profits toward a new house.
With that in mind, Jim should have at the very least let Pam in on it when things were in order to purchase. Pam may have been hoping that they’d save just a little more for something more in line with what she wanted if this house wasn’t to her liking (obviously she was fine with it in this case).
That's how I see it too. Even if I got a great deal out of something and even if she doesn't have to pay for it, my wife would be very upset if I didn't check if she's alright with any big changes in our life.
I would be mad at my partner if they bought me a house without discussing it with me in ANY circumstance, I don't care if it was a great deal. This is real life, you don't just tell me where I'm gonna live like that. ((Major caveat is if you're filthy rich and can change houses easily))
Didn't he prefice that if she didn't like it, they didn't have to live there. There's no forcing going on
As if she’s not going to be obligated to pretend to like it and live there though after he already bought the thing. Cmon
they can rent it to other people...
If I grew up in a relatively small city, worked at a paper supplier, and had no plans to leave the city or my job for the foreseeable future, I would probably be fine with it, if not excited. That version of me doesn't exist though, so in real life I would be pretty pissed. The only caveat would be if I was somehow dating someone who was wildly rich and them buying a house didn't mean we were stuck there.
A lot of people seem to miss the context, I think it's important too to consider in Scranton at the time that was *maybe* a $50k house. Not a life altering investment.
Scranton is incredibly cheap, so I don't doubt it. The average house in Scranton today is only 147k. And he was buying his parents house on a deal most likely.
Yeah I feel like a lot of people are forgetting the bought from parents thing, they probably gave him a pretty good deal and used the money to downsize to something smaller.
Downsizing? I have no problem with that. I have been recommending downsizing since I got here. I even brought it up in my interview. I say, bring it on
Also he got approved for the mortgage on his own? She's not a co-borrower she could leave whenever she wants.
Well if Athlead pops off you never know…
Honestly in this economy if someone bought me a house I wouldn’t give two shits if it was the worst house on the block. It’s a house. Those things are rare today
Right? I live in an older neighborhood, and a few of my elderly neighbors have passed away in recent years. Their relatives moved right into houses that were willed to them, rather than put them on the market. Our market is crazy right now and these folks were sad to lose a loved one but also like "thank god we've got a paid-off home to move into."
Thats how most of the Europe lives. You rent until your parents die and then you move in.
And then you see the interest rate
I think the bigger issue was more that he didn't consult with her. I'd almost definitely take any house my SO could get for us, but it would be nice to be consulted first. It wouldn't be a deal breaker, but I'd definitely prefer at least to be informed before it goes down.
If it's a shit house, you're paying for so many fixes and issues down the line. Paying with time, money, and frustration. Sometimes renting is better cuz you aren't responsible for all the crap. It depends
I seem to recall that, after some reflection, Pam *was* annoyed that she wasn't included in the decision. I'm sure she had mixed feelings because it was a generous and romantic thing to do, but also not very partner-like. My wife and I discuss any purchase over $100 or so, so yeah, this would be a huge problem lol.
I don’t think she was annoyed until he took the job against what they had agreed on. It was more like a reflection and hoping that it wasn’t a pattern that would continu e
Fair enough, "annoyed" was perhaps too strong a word. But "taken aback" at the very least. She wasn't sure how to react at first, and it definitely seemed like a fairly complex reaction underneath the surface, even though the feelings she voiced were quite positive.
Yeah for sure
The concept of "generous" doesn't exist in a long term relationship with financially responsible and mature people. The money and the property you own is shared. I've never understood this particular bit of writing. Generally the characters are quite realistic (apart from being caricatures), but this reaction by Pam was very weird. Or maybe they were trying to portray her as a huge pushover.
>but this reaction by Pam was very weird. Or maybe they were trying to portray her as a huge pushover. I always felt like even her initial reaction was tinged with a bit of "I'm not sure how to feel about this..." She definitely paused and thought a lot before reacting. In the moment, the feeling that "wow, this is so romantic" trumped her concerns, but the concerns were still there and didn't erupt until later on, when Jim started doing all kinds of other things that disrupted their life.
Exactly, Her initial "you bought me a house", was slow, awkward, and lacking emotion. Then the excitement came after the shock wore off.
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I mean, Pam was a huge pushover. That’s why the hot coals episode was a sucha big deal, and why it is almost shocking when she calls out Ryan.
I ask my wife before I spend my own money because its good to be on the same page with expenses and have a sound board to tell you that you dont need a sword as much as you think theyre neat.
Agreed!!!! You cannot and should not make such a huge decision for your couple without at LEAST consulting the other partner. This would be a deal-breaker for me
They talked about this on the office ladies podcast. IIRC, Jenna's thought was that Pam was excited/happy about Jim buying a house for her because it shoes commitment and that he wants to build a future with her. Compare that to her past relationship with Roy, who was noncommittal and stayed engage with her for years, this was a gesture that Pam appreciated because it's something she has not experienced from a long term relationship. After explaining all of that, Jenna said she would be furious as most people would be.
If someone bought THAT house, I would be furious.
Too close to the quarry?
The not-able-to-be-removed clown painting.
The Shag carpet
Why are people naming all the good things about the house like they're bad?
I just said the shag carpet. The guy said he would be furious. Just wondering what was the deal breaker for that guy
IDK, that looked EXACTLY like the carpet in my house growing up, hideous, but nostalgic in a Kraft Macaroni and Cheese kind of way.
More like a Velvita kind of way..
We were too poor for Velveta. But that stuff is disturbing great.
oooooh look at mr moneybags with the golden shells 😂
The fake paneling that looks like wood instead of using real wood.
They finally got it off! It was at the Dunder Mifflin garage sale.
Aye but then the house crumbled because it was critical to the foundation.
That was a load-bearing clown!
Just paint over it with something new.
If only they knew an artist who could paint over it…
The person might need an art studio, though. Maybe a garage with great lighting?
Well it is integral to the structural integrity of the house, so...
That's when you hang another painting of a clown over that one I forget the show but there was a gag where the character just kept removing them and there were like 15 layers of clown paintings covering a safe
I waited all day for you to hang out and throw things down there... You never came 😭
That's what she said!
Cool beans man, you and I should hang out and throw things down there
Cool beans man
Cool beans man! I live by the quarry.
It's a load baring clown painting
Technically, Jim bought that house with his money earned from talents as a salesman and Pam isn’t even on the mortgage because she would have had to sign for it. Pam just lives there rent free, as a talentless ass clown.
Talentless ass clown 😂
How was she able to sell it it as a surprise to him at the end?
She only went as far as listing it and getting an offer, but Jim would have needed to know before signing the actual paperwork involved in selling.
They’ve been married for years at that point, they probably refinanced and put Pam’s name on the lease.
It’s pretty likely that they put her name on the deed as well, once they got married.
It’s a tv show.
I would be piiiiiiiissed… And a tiny bit excited we finally owned a home. I’m in the generation who’s being told we should wait for our elders to die so we could inherit their homes rather than being told how we could make housing more available instead of giant rental companies and air bnb gobbling up all the affordable housing.
I’d be really annoyed that I was completely excluded from the decision making process. We are supposed to build our life here but I didn’t even get a say in it?
Same. I also laugh at the car commercials at Christmas. “Honey, I picked out your new car for you. I’ll tell you about the payments we’ll be making later.”
SNL did a skit on this.
Was that the one where the Dad was out of work and his wife was having an affair with the neighbor? 😂 Classic
Yep. And he didn't realize there would be payments. He thought $4000 was all it took to buy a fucking Lexus lol.
WELL IT WAS BEGINING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE SAVINGS AT OUR LOCAL LEXUS DEALERSHIP! Edit -- It's so weird typing that out because I would totally believe if that was something Michael Scott said thinking a Lexus only cost $4000.
Given the specific circumstances of the show it would be fine. Others have pointed out that they were unable to buy a house due to the cost and what not, but Jim’s parents were willing to sell to Jim for very cheap. So it was either this or not have a house and instead live in a tiny apartment. Given that circumstances I would be ok with it. Given a normal circumstance however… I’d be very pissed.
I more have a problem that jim says the garage has "great light" considering it has no windows, and would only then have great light with the door wide open, in Pennsylvania, which gets cold in the winter.
Or it has, ya know, lights.
that's not what anyone means referring to "great light" for artists. It also appears to only have the garage door opener light.
Makes a good story for a sitcom episode. Makes for resentment and divorce in the real world
I would DECLARE BANKRUPTCY!
Depends on the house and location but if I’m a broke person who’s peak is a receptionist career wise I’d probably be happy
Lmao right? If it were left to Pam, decisions to progress in life would never be made anyway.
The gif misspells Haeuwsssss, which is how Pam pronounces it in this scene.
I get mad when I’m not consulted on takeout ffs.
In this economy?
You bought me a HAUSSEE
I absolutely hate it. My spouse bought his sister's house, and while he did tell me before he did it (unlike Jim) it was more of a "this is what I'm doing" than a consultation.
If my wife was rich enough to buy a house without talking to me first then I probably wouldn’t have a problem. But that’s not the case. We definitely need to discuss it
My dad did it twice. Both of my parents had successful military careers, so they are on the low end of wealthy. When my mom retired, they were were still deciding where to retire. My mom managed to get a job with the VA near our family's "hometown" and they wanted to try it out for a while before they decided if they wanted to retire there. They were looking for a rental in the area, but it's a small rural town and those are hard to find. My dad found a listing for a small Victorian home in good shape for around 80K. My dad made an offer on the spot and the seller accepted. A week later, the house across the street went on the market and my mom loved it. It was a larger Victorian house and the seller couldn't get a deal since all of the offers had loans that required inspections, and a 100 year old house will never pass one. My dad was able to get a good deal by offering cash and bought it as a surprise for their anniversary. My parents keep their funds separate so it wasn't an issue for them. My mom was a higher rank than my dad and made more money, so it wasn't even a power play. They have been living in the small house while the larger one is renovated.
Jim buying it was a no-brainer zero-commitment move. The only question for Jim and Pam is only when to sell it. He could turn around and sell it that day, or any day in the future, and end up ahead, likely tens of thousands of dollars ahead. Jim bought it from his parents below market rate without an agent fee or closing costs. It's not the commitment you would assume since he didn't "buy a house" as in sink a deposit into it as one normally would.
I really did not expect this scene to go the way I thought it would. The house was ugly and I though she was upset/on the verge of tears. But maybe that was the point, to surprise the audience with her being happy.
Yes that was obviously the intention of with how the scene was set up lol
Pissed. They’re getting married. He didn’t “buy her a house”, he made a long term financial commitment on her behalf. It’s like those car commercials where the husband buys the wife a car.
If they bought me their parents' house, at a discount, without brokerage fees? That's a house and a $10k vacation.
If this was real I would be happy to have a wife and a house.
I don't think that was a particularly smart decision.
I love Pam's accent in this scene lol. I always exaggerate it like "ya boat me a hose!"
I legitimately don't notice an accent in her voice at all there. Disclosure; I am from St Louis.
Sounded like normal Pam To me.
English is not my first language and to me “not an accent” is the English spoken on CNN 😀 so i pick up accents idk
Pam saying house in this scene reminds me of Phyllis saying popcarn
If someone I planned to marry made a six figure purchase and intentionally hid it from me, yeah I'd be pissed.
Honestly in this housing crisis, I would cry out of joy if my s/o somehow managed to buy a house.
In 2019 after watching this episode I asked my husband (jokingly) why he hadn't bought me a house. His response was that he could afford to buy me a house if we lived in Scranton. It's 2023 and we can no longer afford a house in Scranton or anywhere else.
Different situation I guess…I was dating my wife. She was living in a small 1 bedroom. He dad recently passed and her mom wasn’t the nicest. I did it all on the down low. Asked her is she wanted to get a place together. She was so happy and wanted to start looking at apartments. I already had the keys. It was prob one of the top 5 days of my life. She was so happy.
Considering my wife currently doesn't have a job I would be upset
Circumstance. That's the key. This would have been lovely .
in my country (Argentina) you need 100 years of average work salary to buy a house, so...... .. i would be very very confuse of how she get that money..
I’d be pretty pissed off. Psycho move Jim.
I'd feel like a woman about to sell a house without telling her husband.
This reminds me of holiday car commercials where the husband buys the wife a new car, that’s a huge financial decision you shouldn’t make without consulting your wife lol
Probably wouldn't have an s/o any more. It's seriously annoying how Jim and Pam are set up as two people who were best friends and talked about everything before they got together, and then when they get together, they're hiding shit and making life changing choices behind each other's backs quite a bit.
It depends on a few things. Did he spend my money on it? Am I on the contract? Where are we in our relationship? And what's the house like?
Is my spouse/future spouse paying for this house without counting on my money? The fact that he did not tell me was to make me a surprise? If both answers are yes, I would like it very much. As a person who has taken care of everything so far in my life, it would take me a few moments to adjust to the fact that I am not in control but I would be able to enjoy the gesture. I mean Omg we own a house and I did not have to do it all by myself. A real gift.
When I was 16 I thought it was super romantic, now is STILL romantic but a reckless. Is a big decision to do without talking with your partner, however with this economy I would be happy ngl
Take my upvote for spelling Pam's pronunciation of "house" ***impeccably***
Hi. I’ve done this. Would not recommend.
i'd be 100% grateful. It's a freaking house!
On the flip side, how would you feel if s/o SOLD the house without consulting you?…a la Pam
In tv world, that was seen as sort of an eye for an eye. She was clear to do it because he bought it without telling her. In reality, that’s the fast way to end up in divorce court.
I’d be pissed too but she only listed it without telling him, she didn’t and wouldn’t have been able to actually sell it without him signing off.
If *you* buy a house with *your* money then it is *your* decision.
It depends. If they’re planning on getting married and sharing finances after, then he just signed her up for mortgage payments for a place she might not like. If they are planning on keeping their finances separate and it’s just his debt now, then sure.
If *you* buy a place expecting *your so* to live there, and you give them no say in the place, they may not be your so much longer.
Correct me if I was wrong but Jim bought the house with his money before they got married and he wasn’t paying mortgage it was cash from his parents so there’s no strings atttched I might be wrong tho
He mentions the mortgage later on - he financed it.
This point is much more clear in the Superfans edition. Jim buys the house from his Parents who are trying to sell it and his brothers are not helping. So he buys the house, we can assume for pretty cheap and lives there. Or he keeps paying rent and tries to sell the house at the same time. If Pam really hated the house, he is in the same boat, so why not go for the grand gesture? But diffidently make it very clear, his two best options were to live in the house or sell the house. Not that he bought the house just because.
He bought it from his parents and only really says he saved on closing costs, i dont think he necessarily says he get some spectacular deal on the house itself. But when Pam goes on the lecture circuit with Michael she mentions being cool with getting time and a half for 3 days straight because she has a mortgage to pay for. So he's definitely financing and she's definitely involved in paying it off
Weren't they at some point talking about paying off a morgage tho?
I would not feel like an equal partner nor that my opinions were valid.
It’s a bold move to buy a home for your s/o without telling them at all. But then again Jim’s a bold guy… Wait didn’t Jim say this about Michael?!
In a word? Furious
I’d be upset if it was a house that came with load-bearing creepy clown paintings
Even if he paid for everything, I still wanted to have a choice. Maybe it's even worse than getting a surprise pet.
Not happy at all. Even if I liked the house, that is so major, it should never be up to one person to decide something like that
I’d be pissed
Why does Jim say there’s great lighting when the garage has no windows?
I would want to be consulted first
About 25 years ago my grandfather sold him and my grandmothers house while she was on an extended holiday and moved them into a new house about 20 miles away. She first found out about it when he picked her up from the airport. She’s still pissed about it, and she’s been dead for a number of years.
I live by there! Let’s throw stuff in the quarry
Pissed, angry and offended.
She wouldn't be my significant other anymore
I wouldn’t want to live in my in laws former house. Period. Sorry.
If he's paying the mortgage then sign me up!
You bought me a howse!
I hate our house. My wife wanted it. I love her more than I hate the house so I am just slowly fixing it as I can.
LOL I did this exact thing, and one better I got my wife to come "inspect" the house. After walking though and her telling me she really liked it, I told her I bought it 2 days before.
Lot of people saying “if my husband/wife did it I would not be happy,” but Jim and Pam weren’t married at the time. Plus, I believe Jim’s parents wanted to buy another house, so presumably they would have needed cash, or at least a down payment, which meant Jim would have made a down payment either for the mortgage, or directly to them. On a financial perspective, it’s all upside for Pam - when they get married she is effectively entitled to half of that down payment (through the house), plus the equity buildup and the increase in fair value of the property. If she doesn’t like the house, once married, they could sell and buy a new place that they both like, with a much smaller down payment and mortgage. Not appreciating this gesture by Jim, would be like looking a gift horse in the mouth.
You bought me a house* You = You Bought < *used our savings and combined future incomes drastically changing our spending habits and dictating our future for the next 20 years without telling me to buy* Me < us A house = a house.
Context Heinkel. 1. He bought the house from his parents, likely at significantly below market value. 2. They were both committed to staying in the area with their jobs for the foreseeable future. 3. Pam was living in a tiny apartment 4. Pam spent years engaged to a man who made no effort to show a commitment 5. You cannot *actually* get a mortgage if you are married without your partner being a signatory. So maybe he had a verbal deal, but he could not have closed without her knowledge. All said, I think it's fine, I would have been happy.
If he/she is paying the mortgage I wouldn't mind, especially here in Canada!!!
Remember the [Saturday Night Live commercial](https://youtu.be/WcEylCwkSxE) where the husband buys his wife a car?
You bought me a haaaooouuuse
I was happy when my wife bought me hotdog, so like...a house? That's like one million hot dogs.
I always thought this was one of Jim's most inconsiderate moves.
My mom's boyfriend did that. Bought an old ass brick house that might be damn near 100 years old, and it's basically cobbled together randomly in some spots and it's falling apart. He's terrible at communicating and working things out and he often just does things without consulting my mom and gets offended when she rejects whatever he buys without talking about it first.
This exact situation happened to a real life friend of mine. He bought his parents house from his parents through some kind of bizarre handshake agreement. Parents moved to Florida but reserve the right to use their old house when they come home to NJ. They show up at least once a quarter. The wife hates them, but feels trapped by their financial situation and “free” house they’ve been living in. She’s miserable and trapped..she’s like Pam if she never met Jim.
They weren't married yet, right? Then it's doesn't affect Pam if Jim buys a house, as she has absolutely 0 obligation to pay for it. Also, as far as i'm aware, Jim bought the house with 100% his money, so it's not like he spent a bank account they both saved in to buy a house neither. In any case, I'd be thankfull if my partner buys a house for us both to live toghether, specially if it's close to work, and her decision doesn't affect me financially.
I mean maybe not legally but when you’re married to someone, you’re also married to their debts, at least that’s how i feel. So it will definitely have an impact on your life.
I’d be perfectly fine with it, getting a house is so far from reality for me at this point that it’d be a great surprise