Small town reels when 'Extreme Makover' home put on the market

[Liberal_in_LA]

wouldn't it be better to renovate the modest homes of the owners. Maybe put 50K into them. That other family (the Harpers), took out a 450K equity loan and burnt thru the 200K in donations before losing the home in foreclosures. Everyone is mad at the Harpers also...they got death threats. They'd be better off today if their modest home has been fixed up for them

'Extreme' home now on the market

CYNTHIANA, Ky. — It was the true story of how small-town people really do know their neighbors and really will do anything for them. And it played beautifully on TV on a Sunday night in spring of 2006.

Three years later, it's a test of the meaning of generosity and, maybe, its limits.

In 2006, ABC's Emmy-winning feel-good show, "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," challenged a Cincinnati homebuilder, a handful of Cynthiana, Ky., contractors and every one of that town's subcontractors, churches, painters, drywallers, carpenters, restaurateurs and good-hearted others to donate tons of materials, labor and time to help build a house for the Hassall family of Sunrise, Ohio.

--------------------------------------

With all the accompanying fanfare that ABC and an excited town of 6,272 and the Harrison County High School choir could manage, the family was given the keys to their brand-new home. The tears shed that day were real. The camaraderie of that day has lingered.

That is, until recently, when the Hassall family announced that they have put the house up for sale.

They have tried explaining themselves. Many of Michelle's medical problems, she says, are exacerbated by stress, which will be eased when their household debt is erased.

They would also like to be closer to the center of downtown Cynthiana, to their families and a little closer to Lexington and to their medical providers.

They are not leaving the area. They are downsizing. Their goal is to become debt-free, they say. It is a goal they began to embrace only six months after the house was built, when they attended syndicated talk-radio-show host Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University workshop at their church.

Before the announcement, the Hassalls said, they prayed extensively about the decision and did not make it lightly. They then notified the production company, their church and the construction companies that handled the load back in 2006.

-------------------------

The small town that built the house out of a genuine desire to provide a safe haven for this particular family is reeling from the news of the proposed sale.

Most have accepted the decision and understand it. Others are not so sympathetic.

-------------------------

"But, that said, I am concerned about what others feel. A lot of people gave time, product and services. Some are very angry. Some I've run into have asked, 'Why do they deserve it?' "

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/realestate/2009449905_gifthome12.html

[Mythsaje]

1. If they deserved it enough to have been given it in the first place

don't they deserve it enough to be able to use it to secure a more stable future?

I don't understand the controversy, I guess.

[dkf]

2. I guess its like giving $20 bucks to the homeless person and

watching them go to the liquor store.

[Fumesucker]

4. At least it's an escape...

I can totally understand someone homeless wanting to escape that life, even just for the length of time of a $20 drunk.

I understand the owners of the EM house wanting to escape debt, but there are a great many people out there who would do almost anything for a big fancy house and just don't understand someone wanting to be out of debt rather than having the house.

[ashling]

5. Maybe like winning a new home and realizing that you

can't pay the taxes, so you sell the home, pay the taxes and rent a smaller home with what is left.

[Fumesucker]

3. If it was anything like the EM shows I have seen..

The house was a ridiculous McMansion.

I don't watch these shows on my own, I completely fail to share the fascination with bigger and fancier houses.

But a lot of people seem to be utterly enthralled with large fancy houses they can't afford to pay for or maintain.

[Liberal_in_LA]

6. The house was 3,300 square feet. pretty large

[SoCalDem]

8. Perhaps the town could cut a deal with them.. swap a foreclosed home (free & clear)

and turn the "McMansion" into a shelter for homeless women & children:)..like a group home, for some respite until they could save enough to get their own place.. Everyone "wins".:)

[OneGrassRoot]

12. That is a GREAT idea! n/t

[dysfunctional press]

16. two things:

there may not be any foreclosed homes in that town, and if there were- they would belong to a bank or mortgage company, not the town.

[SoCalDem]

17. Surely they could buy one, and give it in an even exchange

that way the family would not profit ,but would have a home free & clear, and the town could probably run that McMansion for less than it would cost to build/subsidize housing for the people that couls live there.. and later when and if housing rebounds a bit, maybe the town could sell it.

[dysfunctional press]

20. for a small town, that could be a big budget item.

nt

[Mythsaje]

7. My wife likes those...

She enters contests for them from time to time. As I've told her--we'd sell the damn thing. Or, given the kinds of houses she tends to like, lease it out for "retreats." But I sure as hell wouldn't want to LIVE there. My ideal house is a modest three bedroom that wasn't remodeled by a bunch of drunk gorillas.

[CrispyQ]

10. Some of those flipping shows have had such extreme fuckups doing the work -

Holy shit! I wouldn't want to buy that house! It shows how out of whack the housing market was that they could fuck up so badly & still make profit.

Or maybe the show's were lying? :shrug: I do think they tend to make it look like the owner has made hardly any progress until the very end. And some of the shows don't say if the owner's carrying costs are included in the final tally. Very deceptive & I wonder how many got into flipping cuz TV made it look like easy money.

[CrispyQ]

9. I've seen "My Big Amazing Renovation" two times now.

:puke:

Both times I've had to switch to another station. The profligacy is disgraceful. Families taking huge houses & doubling their size, budgeting half a million to do so. "Oops, we weren't careful! The budget went over by almost $250k. Our bad!"

I don't have a problem with this kind of wealth if everyone had a roof over their head, three meals a day, free health care & free education. But for the rich to live the way they do when so many do without? What kind of a society are we, that we accept this selfish behavior?

[Liberal_in_LA]

19. last night... 850 square feet bungalow to 4000+ square feet granite and hardwood

floor monstrosity that totally dwarfed the neighbors. Small lot.

[mikeytherat]

24. The "before" house is almost always some cool, reasonably-sized gem

that is turned into a monstrosity.

mikey_the_rat

[Liberal_in_LA]

27. The 'new' house so dwarfs the old, I can't figure out why they didn't just tear it down first.

[GreenPartyVoter]

28. I have read that many recipients of these homes cannot afford their upkeep.

[Stevenmarc]

11. Quite honestly I'm surprised that most families that are on EM aren't in the same situation

[supernova]

25. A couple of times EM has paid off the mortgage

along with the ultra large reno.

I wish they would do that for everyone. Life is much easier salary wise if your house is paid off.

[Stevenmarc]

33. They're not off the hook that easily

from what I understand of the process they rent the home from the owner so that the improvements are not considered income however if they pay off a mortgage then that would be considered income but they have a hell of a lot more equity in the new home and the loan they probably would have to get to pay the tax hit would be considerably less than the original mortgage

[gauguin57]

13. I've always thought Extreme Makeover could do more good building a larger number of smaller homes.

They build these McMansions because they look great on camera, but then the families have to run this massive home (and heat it and cool it and pay taxes on it, etc.).

EHM should help two families per week, and just build the homes smaller. Then this kind of stuff wouldn't happen.

[tabbycat31]

14. it would make sense but in their mind it would not make good tv

[gauguin57]

15. Of course. Ty has to be able to scream and jump up and down as the family runs through Versailles.

... or it just doesn't cut it for the boob tube.

[Franzia]

23. If that asshole stood in my yard and yelled at me through a megaphone...

he wouldn't be carrying it home.

:evilgrin:

[chrisa]

21. God I hate McMansions.

This is OT, but they have absolutely no character. I wouldn't want to live in a neighborhood where everybody's house is exactly the same, but different colors.

[KatyaR]

29. I agree--I used to love that show until it just got ridiculous.

I remember where one house and property renovation was so large that the family couldn't work full-time jobs and take care of it. Who needs that? It's nice and all, but really? These families would be so much better off if they were given a smaller home and a paid-off mortgage.

Early on there was one family, all children, the parents had died within days of each other and the older children were taking care of the younger ones. The girls' bathroom had seven sinks--SEVEN. How in the world would they ever be able to sell that home in the future?

Don't get me wrong--I'd LOVE for someone to give me a beautiful home like that, but there's no way I could take care of by myself and with my salary.

[csziggy]

32. Or work up more enthusiasm for Habitat for Humanity

Think of how many houses could be built for the most needy if there were a weekly reality show that induced communities to become involved locally. The Habitat home recipients are need tested and required to put in labor to earn their place in line for a house.

There would be plenty of chances for corporations to donate products, though they might not be the top of the line expensive crap they want all the consumers to buy. But that would probably be better for the country to look at practical over flashy.

[KittyWampus]

18. Giving a gift, really GIVING, means strings free.

[XemaSab]

22. Last year's HGTV Dream Home is up for sale

Winning a $2,000,000 house sounds great, until you realize that the taxes are going to be in the hundreds of thousands EVERY YEAR. x(

[Liberal_in_LA]

26. I wondered about those house giveaways... 1. you would have to live in THAT location,

2. You have to pay the prop taxes.

[Stevenmarc]

31. Actually

Property taxes are the least of your problems, you have to pay income taxes on the value of the prize.

[Vinca]

30. The show is ridiculous. They exploit a family in need,

have a good hour of television and move on. Next thing you know the family is socked with either a giant tax bill or repairs to a hastily built home or both. They built a house for a family about 20 miles away and after they moved on the septic system failed. If the builder hadn't stepped up to the plate and fixed it - an expensive proposition - the place would have been uninhabitable.