Friday, October 4, 2013

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Where Are They Now? HGTV Dream Homes

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A rendering of the 2014 HGTV Dream Home

Although the contest hasn't officially opened, HGTV has announced the location of its 2014 Dream Home: Lake Tahoe, California. The 3,200-square-foot cabin is being built in Schaffer's Mill, a golf, ski, and lake community, with lots starting at $275,000. This is the 18th Dream Home giveaway, which most likely means the 18th home HGTV builds, and then either has the builder sell (if the winner takes cash) or watches the new owner sell after the reality of outrageous property taxes sets in. 

The winner will be granted access to a 48-foot yacht (owned by the Schaffer's Mill community) and door-to-door service to a nearby ski resort. In addition to the home, the winner will receive $250,000 and a new vehicle from GMC, but is responsible for real estate transfer taxes, deed recording costs, and closing costs (ack!). The IRS will, of course, take a cut. 

The design features two wings, one with entertainment space, the other with three bedrooms. The wings are separated by an outdoor living space. 



Alternately, the lucky winner can take a cash prize, effectively giving the property back to the builder to sell. "Sometimes, it's not even a matter of whether or not they can afford the house," says Jack Thomasson, the HGTV house planner. "Sometimes, it's a matter of geography, and if you and your family are very settled in a certain area in another part of the country, it's not really practical to move to another location." 

Somehow, I have trouble believing this, as even winners who have tried to claim the properties have ultimately sold them, usually for financial reasons. 

2013 Dream Home | Kiawah Island, South Carolina



Carole Simpson, a resident of rural Columbia, Tennessee, won this Kiawah Island property, not too far from Parris Island, where she was formerly stationed as a Marine. An avid baker, Carole was especially excited about the well-appointed kitchen, as well as the gas fireplace (so she'd no longer have to haul wood). She planned to use part of the $500,000 cash prize to visit her son in Australia. 

Alas, Carole listed the home in June for $2,395,000. (See the listing here.) Features include an aluminum roof, hurricane-proof windows, a great room with 22-foot ceilings, a 600-square-foot deck, a plunge pool, and easy access to the beach. 

2012 Dream Home | Midway, Utah



Vicki Naggy, a hairdresser from a small town in Pennsylvania, won this 4,321-square-foot showplace after entering online twice a day, every day. The home was built for outdoor living, with five decks (connected via boardwalk), mountain views on all sides, and a 2.4-acre lot. Vicki had never been to Utah before, and her husband had never flown in a plane. 

Ultimately, the couple decided to take the cash prize, so the house was listed for sale, fully furnished, for $1,495,000. The home sold in 2012, but lots are still available in the development. 

2011 Dream Home | Stowe, Vermont



Winners Eric and Katie Makstenieks had never been to Vermont. But after they won the 3,400-square-foot, ski-in, ski-out lodge, the Illinois couple decided to use it as a vacation home, then rent the property the rest of the time. They only managed to stay there five times. 

Which is why they put it up for sale. The selling price: $2.7 million, down from nearly $3.8 million (with annual taxes of $27,720). A family of seven from Boston bought the place, with plans to add a fourth bedroom over the garage. The home boasts two giant gathering rooms, a chef's kitchen, and fantastic views of the ski slopes, and was sold with all of the furnishings and artwork from HGTV. 

2010 Dream Home | Sandia Park, New Mexico 


A New Orleans woman whose home was destroyed during Katrina won this New Mexico masterpiece. She later listed the 4,208-square-foot home, located between Santa Fe and Albuquerque on a 3-acre plot, for $1,195,000, and eventually reduced the price to $899,000. It has since sold. (See the former listing here.)

2009 Dream Home | Sonoma, California



Cheryl Smith, a Florida retiree, was another winner who'd never visited the state where her prize home was waiting. As she told a Florida newspaper, "We've never been to California. We don't know what's going to happen." She also noted that she didn't have a dog to live in the matching doggy dream home. Then bigger concerns set in: The sales taxes on the 3,700-square-foot home were half a million dollars, and annual property taxes totaled $25,000 a year, which would have forced Smith's husband out of retirement.

The couple sold the home 3 months later for $2.2 million to the man who built it. (He turned around and listed it again for 10 percent more than that.) The charming part of the story: The couple donated the contents of the home, valued at $187,000, to a California charity for needy children and schools. They did, however, keep the wine from the fully stocked cellar for themselves. 

2008 Dream Home | Islamorada, Florida 



Stephanie Dee, of Iowa, won this 3,500-square-foot Florida Keys stunner, which features a media room, gourmet kitchen, and a fishing room, complete with 18 rods. Dee entered the Dream Home giveaway four or five times a day, but after she won, said she wished the home was in Iowa, rather than the island location in the Keys.

Then there was the money issue: She and her husband would have to fork over $700,000 in sales taxes, another $20,000 in annual property taxes, and several thousand a year for wind insurance. The couple sold the home a few months later for $1,650,000. Then 14 months later, the new owners listed it for $1,599,000 million. The house sold approximately 700 days later for $850,000.

2007 Dream Home | Winter Park, Colorado



This one is close to my heart: The winner lived in Johnson City, Tennessee, where I was born! Bob O'Neill, a retired postmaster from Florida, and his new wife in Tennessee won the 4,000-square-foot Rocky Mountain chalet after they'd spent months hunting for a home together. He ended up selling the place to invest in a dream home closer to his Tennessee residence. 

2006 Dream Home | Lake Lure, North Carolina



The winner of this Blue Ridge Mountain mansion, Donald Cook, was from West Virginia. His plan: to live in the 5,700-square-foot home for a few weeks, then sell it to avoid shelling out nearly 20 grand a year in property taxes. He ultimately sold it back to the developer of the lake-view community, Grey Rock. 

The day the building site was announced, the Dream Home developers received 6,000 property inquiries. As of 2010, though, Grey Rock still only had one home: the HGTV Dream Home. It sold at foreclosure price in 2009. The new owners say they relish the solitude: "Being the only home on 4,500 acres is somewhat unique in that our 'neighbors' include black bears, deer, fox, bobcats, wolves, coyotes, plus too many turkeys to count...We still have a number of people who drive up to the electronic gate in hopes of getting in to see the Dream Home. We usually politely refuse their requests to visit." 

2005 Dream Home | Lake Tyler, Texas


Don Cruz of Ilinois won this Texas Dream Home, and in a rare move, opted to settle into the barn-inspired home for good, rather than immediately selling it as most winners do. At 6,000 square feet, the prize home, which includes a main building, separate master suite, and guest house, was seven times the size of his Chicago-area residence.

His first plan was to make the home a B&B, but then he found out he didn't actually own the land the behemoth was built on. He just had a 30-year lease on it, which, according to local rules, meant he couldn't open a business on the property. Then, he considered selling the guest cottage, but hit the same roadblock: Town regulations required that the property stay intact. He finally decided to make ends meet by simply living off of the then-$250,000 prize money.

But the expenses quickly piled up: $2,900 in monthly upkeep, $7,000 a year for homeowners' insurance, $1,000 a month for the mortgage on the family home back in Indiana, and thousands a month on electricity. Then there were the property taxes and the $672,000 he was expected to pay on his winnings. Oh, and the $11,000 he spent repairing his boat, $6,000 to install a dog run, $2,000 for scuba lessons, $1,800 for a go-kart, and $40,000 to charity. 

He finally faced reality after a year and listed the house for $5.5 million, even though local realtors said it was only worth $2.5 million. The final selling price after the home went into foreclosure: $1.43 million.

Did he regret not selling it from the start? Nope. "It's been a blessing. I'm going to miss all of our family and friends here," Cruz told a local reporter. "But no regrets, whatsover. I'd do it all over again." 

2004 Dream Home | St. Marys, Georgia

 

Californian Kathi Nakao claimed this coastal beauty, but with her background in accounting, immediately knew she wouldn't be able to keep the place for long. "I never let myself get where I thought I was going to stay there forever," she told reporters. After spending several long vacations at her Georgia Dream Home, she sold it in July 2005. How'd she spend the winnings? She paid her taxes on the home, renovated her house in Sacramento to resemble the Dream Home, donated money to charity, helped out her children, and bought a 1956 Chevrolet sports car.

The 3,900-square-foot home is now back on the market for $1.25 million, down from $1.5 million. (See the listing here.)

111 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Instead of a "Dream Home", seems more a nightmare! Perhaps it would be better if they built a "green" Dream Home, from cargo containers, trailers, dome, quonset hut etc. a house totally recycled and off the grid. Then perhaps the winner would have a chance to possibly use the property. In addition, instead of a a large SUV, why not a solar powered or electric vehicle.

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    2. If that is your dream, go dig a hole in the ground and live in it; let others aspire to their dreams.

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    3. I think HGTV should build houses that people can win and live in, without paying taxes.

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    4. Wasted space and debt may be most Americans dumb dream, but I would love a green home which takes a lot of money and effort to build but not a lot of money and effort to maintain. Go get an education redneck.

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    5. Yeah!! You tell Anonymous, Anonymous!!

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    6. I entered this years dream house located in Florida, because it truly encompasses what I would dream to have. A nice house next to the ocean is a dream, but sadly I'd take the cash option because there is no way I could afford to pay the taxes and live there.

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  2. The dream house winner for 2014 is only getting $250k, not $500k. Federal income taxes, alone, will be well over $500k. It's 39.6% of your taxable income (based on the 2013 tax table), which will have to include the entire ARV, since it will be reported to the IRS on a 1099, unless you prove that the FMV is less.

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  3. Only a fool would take the house and cash..Take the cash option, cash prze and car..1050000+250000+60000 = $1,360,000 - $538,560 (taxes) == $821,440 ..800k net would be nice:)

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    1. Snappy...if you're the winner, try to think big and not be short sighted. You are leaving $ on the table for the developer with the cash option. To keep the house & goodies, true enough, you would have approx 600k tax bill (once you transfer the 250k back to uncle Sam)...but an incredibly unique & publicized property in one of the more affluent parts of the country.

      Use it for a month, then hire a high flying international Realtor out of New York or San Franscisco and flog it. I can see 2.75 M including furnings are included...say 2.5 M after fees. Pay off the tax bill, and you are left with a cool 1.75 M in your pocket. Beats your Cash option math of 800k.

      I would argue only a fool would take the cash option. The key in the above plan is to offload the property within a month or two winning, and ride the "high". I believe this is where other winners have gone wrong...hard to get excited about a 12 year old dream home.

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    3. Everyone aren't fools for keeping the home if they really could use it. The cash option sounds good but I think the homes could be used for time-shares if its located outside their comfort zone. Me being a single parent of five kids (which two are disabled) would be a blessing in disguise! I strongly believe that the Lord will never put anything on you that you can't handle! That's why I still continue to keep entering in hopes to give me and my children some stability.

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    4. Keeping my hopes up that I too could win any of the HGTV 2014 home giveaways! :)

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  4. I've always wondered about the winners and how it all turned out for them. Great article, thanks!

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    1. I am hoping to win the 2015 house in Cape Cod/Martha's Vineyard. And I'd keep the house and use the cash to pay taxes in advance. But this is an excellent article because I always wondered what happened to the homes that people win. I think this happens with a lot of those homes… people just sell them for the cash and usually they aren't interested in moving to the location of the Dream Home.

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    2. Sorry. I'm winning that one.

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  5. I don't see the point of the dream home. no one can live in them. I always thought that I'd use one as a vacation home but that doesn't seem to work either. it seems more marketing than anything. a dream home is one you build, not win. I'd take the money and run.

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    1. I know... its a bit, well, a huge disappointment. Really, whats the point of winning? Or for that matter, the contest? Why cant they build realistic homes that everyday people would be able to afford? Or with a contest rule or disclamer, "Millionaires only. Middle class and below, need not apply".

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    2. I agree they need to downsize the houses

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    3. HGTV seems to do this for publicity. Unless you are independently wealthy there is no way the average person can keep it. They aren't building the homes for the average person to keep it. If they were, they would pick a winner and let them decide where they would like it built. ThAT would be novel wouldn't it?

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    4. I agree,it would be nice if they could build a home that normal people could afford. And that is undoubtedly 99% of the population. Also they could also have more than one dream home contest a hard. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

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    5. I agree. The Dream Home is unaffordable for most people but you can still sell it and use the money to buy a home or condo that you can afford to live in.
      What I'd be interested in would be the Urban Oasis homes. Some--not all--are valued at a price that allows you to keep them. My family owns property in West Virginia and once the estate is settled we've received very nice offers from hunting groups that would like to build a hunting lodge on our portion. We'd take that money to pay for the taxes on the home if we won. It really depends; I have a son at home who has just finished college and has not yet found the kind of job he'd like. If the prize home was in an area where it would be difficult for him to find work, we most likely would have to sell even the more modestly valued Urban Oasis prize.

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  6. Thank you for that slap in the face! I needed it to knock me out of my unrealistic daydreaming session! You just saved me valuable minutes that I would have spent on entering that sweepstake. Time to enter the REAL world again. :/

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    1. Really your comment is ridiculous because even if you won and sold it you'd be far better off than you are right now. So keep entering. Duh!

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    2. Yep, me too! Great article. Now, back to real life. Sigh...

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  7. I really want to live in the Truckee house, but after I see all those tax numbers, I am not so sure

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  8. Be nice if HGTV was more practical... build a more modest home and take care of all the taxes etc for like 5 yrs, allow the winner to actually live in the place.

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    Replies
    1. Excellent idea!

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    2. But if they paid the taxes, you'd be taxed on that too! They'd view it as income!

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  9. dont know why they dont build it where you want it,instead of some forlorn place...

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  10. Wouldn't it be so much more amazing if HGTV changed their game plan and instead built about 10 modest homes, energy efficient with modest conveniences and located either scattered around the US or maybe a whole subdivision in a decent area. I think so many more people would want and would USE such a prize. These extravagant houses are wasted money - They don't show how you can efficiently live in a smaller dwelling and be happy. Instead they play on the over-sized and over-priced ways of Americans. Such a shame!

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    1. I really love this idea! Heck, forget the new house, give away a full home remodel of your current home, and I will enter to win everyday.

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    2. Oh, yeah! Either of those would be fabulous!
      HGTV execs, are you listening? --- I would MUCH rather have my own home remodeled.
      They could remodel my home PLUS give me a modest winter home somewhere warm for much less than the Dream Home costs!

      PLUS --- the owner could CO-design the remodel. Not one of the Dream Homes is exactly as I would want it. So many have features/colors/furnishings that I don't like. HGTV needs input from real people.

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    3. They already have remodeling contest.
      check the hgtv and did and frontdoor...

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    4. You are right so many of us want to live the dream but are living well beyond our affordability level.

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    5. well said...well said!

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    6. Not everyone has a home to remodel - in fact there are millions of people who don't own a home. Even if you win and take cash, you are ending up with hundereds of thousands of dollars plus the thrill of winning and visiting the home. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me any way you slice it.

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  11. Interesting article, thank you.



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  12. great post! i have entered every year for the hgtv dream homes and have envied all the winners. i really wanted the one in truckee since i live in california but after reading that all the dream homes have ultimately been sold seems like more of a burden to win the house unless you take the money. thanks for the wake up call.

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  13. I was wondering what happened to all the dream homes past but one thing about the property in Truckee they do allow you to rent as a vacation home. In peak seasons you can rent for $500-$2000 per night. Or you can think of a long term rental....it is California people pay crazy prices for rent, as a native of So Cal I know. If I were to win I am not sure what I would do. Probably take the cash prize...although I would love to empty the home of all it's contents first.

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  14. HGTV is really only selling a "dream"... an impossible dream for middle class people. They are all so cold looking, and so far away from owners homes it is sad. To have 3 beautiful homes under 3000 sq. ft. would be a dream we might be able to live with!

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  15. I really appreciate this post. I've wondered about this every time I enter the contest, so I googled it today and got your post. Excellent to know... it could still be an exciting step up, but at least my head is out of the clouds as far as settling in the Truckee house.

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    1. Amen to that! My feelings exactly.

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  16. I will keep entering but thanks for the reality check and again, the wake up call. Trying to figure out why they do this. Seems like regular advertising would be more efficient. Probably to sell you personal info.

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  17. I kind of figured it was only a dream. Those taxes are a nightmare! But I entered in today for the first last and only time. If it's for me I'm sure I'll win. I would definitely take the money.

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  18. It is still a life changing event and if you opt immediately to take the cash then you avoid a lot of the hassle with closing costs, etc.

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  19. Thanks so much for the terrific post! I've always wondered about the winners... and the winnings ♥

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  20. It's a shame that they cant build a "dream house" that we could afford. A 2,000 to 2,500 sq. foot house, decorated the same way.

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  21. Thanks for your great information, the contents are quiet interesting.
    Foreclosure Guide College Park

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  22. Well I will get my head out of the clouds always dreamed of living in one, but after reading about the high taxes I guess that's why it's called a dream home.

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  23. In Lake Tahoe you could rent it weekly, year round with a potential income of 105,000-120,000 per year. If I wont it,. it would be my retirement and the cash would go to an investment firm to help with the taxes.

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  24. Never heard such a lack of gratitude from people. You win no matter what happens so Thank you to HGTV !

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    1. Yes, thank you HGTV for giving us the opportunity to dream...but I do like the idea of offering sweepstakes with 3 home choices to give the winners a chance of affording to keep the home; offer a family size home, a vacation home, and a smaller size for empty nesters with handicap features.

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    2. No complaints here...I would gladly take the cash!!

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  25. I'm going to win that house and I'll tell you what I'm going to do: I'm going to go there for a nice long vacation for a few weeks--- then I'm going to rent it out for vacationers to supply an income to keep it up--- and I'm going to use it once or twice a year for my own family vacations--- sell it at the peek of the housing market (about 2020) and get 6.8 M from it. You're welcome to quote me on this ;) -Emily

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    1. Remember, you can't use the land for income.

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  26. I'm going to win the Dream Home and I hope to go there for vacation once or twice a year and rent it out to vacationers the remaining time. I'm not sure what exactly to expect as far as costs and such, but I'm sure when there's a will, there's a way. Whether I can sell it for a good chunk of money that I don't already have, or be patient and hold on to it for a better profit later, I'm sure it's going to be a wonderful blessing!! :D--- You can quote me on that!

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  27. They should have a new contest where you enter and then they build YOUR dream home where you want it and they make a show around the process - but knowing most people's tastes the thing would be just another McMansion.

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  28. I, too, agree, it would be much nicer and more financially bearable to give away a "dream" remodel of one's existing home and include complete landscaping package as well to their liking. People cannot just pick up and move to a new location, and also cannot afford the huge tax liability that comes with winning these absolutely over the top dream homes. I would enter every day to have my home upgraded and outdoor landscaped and maybe include a few new pieces of furniture.

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    1. Like your idea....but would want them to pay off any mortgage as part of the sweapstakes prizes.

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  29. Thanks for this very useful info you have provided us. I will bookmark this for future reference and refer it to my friends. More power to your blog.
    Property for sale

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  30. It would be MY dream if they built me a 3 bedroom ALL BRICK home with attached 2 car garage where I wanted it built. Forget the granite countertops and fancy stove and whirlpool bath. I would be happy even if the design was very simple. But I do love my all brick. Maybe I could actually afford to stay in the home if it were worth $300,000 and they still gave me the cash for taxes.

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  31. Thanks for you’re giving out such fantastic information; it is awfully much interesting. Please keep it up!
    Sell my house for cash

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  32. Why not have a contest to do home renovations ? I would love that

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    1. its nice of hgtv to build these houses of course. But people think that they're really going to be able to afford to, that's the problem I have with all of it. Until I read what happened to all the winners I honestly didn't think about the taxes and all that stuff. Yes you can cash out and never stay in it at all but that's a bummer. I really would like the house. There are sweepstakes all over the internet that are legitimate to win cash. I just like the idea of living in a home no one has ever lived in. What can I tell you?

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  34. You done a superb job!
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  40. Like winning the lottery some people mishandle their new found fortune! I think its a great problem to have and I would sell the house immediately and enhance my own personal situation. Thank you HGTV! I hope to be one of the winners in this article!

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  41. Great post I must say. Simple but yet entertaining and engaging... Keep up the good work.


    Sell Your House For CASH

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  42. This is a fascinating read. I've always wondered who actually gets away with living in the Dream Homes. I'd have to take the cash option, but it's still a lottery ticket win, and I could buy my dream home and land closer to where I want to settle, instead. I love these contests, for the opportunity. I would keep a lot of the furnishings, though! those are always gorgeous!

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    1. In total agreement. Cash option. However, keep a few furnishings. Would at least need to stay for a week vacation, however.

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  43. Ok, all of you whose dreams have been dashed here just quit entering. More chances for me...lol
    I will take one month long vacation there, then I will take the cash option and run.
    Thanks for the info. ..I've always wondered about the winners. ...I knew I could never afford to keep it....

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  44. I think it would be great if they could either renovate your home or renovate a home in an area that you choose and i agree the price should be more realistic

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  45. good luck to everybody who enters this contest! :)

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  46. The sad part for my husband and I is we have been in the Army for 26 years with no home at all. We pray daily that God will give us a home this year when we retire. Let us put down roots and know our neighbors. We want all those things that my husband fights for. Maybe one day!

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  47. I just wanted to say thank you to HGTV for making so many families a dream come true. It's very thoughtful to create and build such beautiful homes. I have and will continue to enter every day twice a day till I win my family and I a dream home.

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  48. Keep up the good work HGTV!! I enter every year and hopefully you will be ambushing me and my family really soon. Lovey Love

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  49. Keep up the good work HGTV! I enter the HGTV Home Giveaway every year! Hopefully, you will be ambushing me and my family this year. Lovey Love.

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  50. Nice article as for me. It would be great to read more concerning that topic. Thanks for sharing this info. Beverly Hills Real Estate Broker
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  51. They could renovate/build several homes for the same costs to HGTV, in different areas of the U.S. and give those away with more affordable and realistic taxes and upkeep costs. Living in a mobile home, I would be thrilled to win a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home fully furnished. They would have more winners that could actually live in the homes and help many families. Thanks HGTV.

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  52. This is great. I wondered what I would do when i when the Asheville house. It's not like i can leave my job & current home. I'm definitely selling!

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  54. It’s refreshing to read a good quality article for a change. You’ve made many interesting points and I agree. This has made me think and for that I thank you.
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  55. Thank you for this article. I, too, was curious as to what happened to the dream home winners so I googled "hgtv dream home horror stories". I dreamed of owning the dream home in the Keys. Indeed, I actually thought we could rent it out as a B&B. lol Thanks for the dose of reality. Oh, I'll still enter the contests for the dream homes but it will be immediately sold in pristine and never lived in condition.

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  56. This is a very nicely written article which has taken into consideration different aspects of dream homes. Thanks!!!
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  57. I will continue to enter twice dailey. It would be a blessing for my family. I love the home on Merritt Island in Florida. I appreciate HGTV for giving us the chance to win. So much thought is put into each one of these homes. I use to live close to there and it is just so beautiful. I would find a way to keep it as that is what God would want me to do because it the gift of a life time. Thanks again HGTV for giving me a chance to win this home.

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  58. Instead of a dream home win, HGTV should do a "win a reno for their current home."

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  59. It's nice to know the full skinny on what happens afterwards. Well, if I can keep the cash, vehicle, and maybe some of the artwork and pieces, I suppose I would sell the house. I would love to see it in person and take lots of pictures! And see a sunrse and a sunset there on Merit Island. My home has $2,000 a year in property taxes. I couldn't afford the property taxes on that home BUT if a nice professional job came with the house, THEN I could keep it!!!!!!

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  60. They should give away 2 or 3 homes at 2,000 sq ft each that are built green to keep expenses low. It won't have as big an impact on TV but they would get good PR/Press for having a sweepstakes that is realistic for the average joe to win AND enjoy without the stress of the taxes and upkeep. It's also better for the environment. The prize vehicle should be hybrid as well.

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  61. I am grateful for the contest and will still enter every year (thanks HGTV!) but I agree with what most are saying. Why not a fantastic $500K home instead of one over a million dollars that most can't afford to keep? Or, better yet, 4 or 5 %250K homes that EVERYONE could afford to keep?

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  62. Yes, totally agree with many commenters. Seems viewers really want a custom home that is designed by the winner! The car brand will be sponsored but the winner gets to choose the model within the budget. Cash prize remains to assist with tax implications. Heres what I'd love HGTV producers do:

    1) first enter a HGTV sweepstakes to win your custom dream house at your chosen location all within the allotted budget
    2) film the whole process from working with an architecture to asking viewers to help you choose the design online via monthly surveys (which they are already doing) to involve fans

    I think ratings will increase and winners will actually feel empowered because they are part of the entire process and have a say.

    As for the style of home: I have my own style that I'd love the assistance of professional designers/carpenters to implement it, not impose or primarily choose their style which I'm stuck with.

    Here's my idea of winning my dream home: an eco-friendly, off grid, completely sustainable, efficiently built home in my desired location near family/work, designed by me with suggestions from designers and viewers. Love our sponsors cash prize, hybrid or fully electrical car (exp. 200 miles per charge), Green house for garden, nice private lot, etc.!

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  63. Oh BOY, the IRS has BOTH HANDS out...

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  64. If we win I will have our wedding at the dream home and sell it back to the developer so we can buy an affordable house for my son and my fiancé. What a dream!

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  65. So here's the question: With the smart home now, would you have to pay the taxes before they give it to you and for those great at the math of it, how much would the taxes be up front?

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  67. Why are the taxes more than half the home is worth? I agree with others would be better more affordable and self sustaining but they are obviously doing what gives them more benefit. I would probably take the.money, seems that usually ends up more because the houses are not selling at their worth

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  68. I was looking some best design for my new home hope that your photos and blogs will help me to finalize my home's design.Thanks for your beautiful pictures.
    Interior design adelaide

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  69. Even if you are independently wealthy you can build your own home where you want it. I always enter for the lack of any thing else to do, knowing what I would do with it if I did win(SURE-----haha)As they say on "Lets make a Deal" "TAKE THE THE MONEY,TAKE THE MONEY"

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