ABC's hit reality show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is notable not just for keeping drunk Ty Pennington employed, but also for changing people's lives. Down and out poor folks, who broke off the short end of the wishbone in life, get tossed the bigger end of the turkey carcass — and given a completely new home, gratis.
As cameras rolled and the coach bus pulled away, the overjoyed family toured their new home, thanked Sears and Home Depot, and cried in all the right places. Then, after neighbors were done looking on in envy, the show's crew left town, and the family was left to enjoy the spoils of their good fortune. Right?
Actually, no. In this housing market, even the lucky receivers of freebies are getting screwed. And sometimes, it's totally their fault. [AP]
More than 1,800 people showed up to help ABC's "Extreme Makeover" team demolish a family's decrepit home and replace it with a sparkling, four-bedroom mini-mansion in 2005.
Three years later, the reality TV show's most ambitious project at the time has become the latest victim of the foreclosure crisis.
After the Harper family used the two-story home as collateral for a $450,000 loan, it's set to go to auction on the steps of the Clayton County Courthouse Aug. 5. The couple did not return phone calls Monday, but told WSB-TV they received the loan for a construction business that failed.
The house was built in January 2005, after Atlanta-based Beazer Homes USA and ABC's "Extreme Makeover" demolished their old home and its faulty septic system. Within six days, construction crews and hoards of volunteers had completed work on the largest home that the television program had yet built.
The finished product was a four-bedroom house with decorative rock walls and a three-car garage that towered over ranch and split-level homes in their Clayton County neighborhood. The home's door opened into a lobby that featured four fireplaces, a solarium, a music room and a plush new office.
Materials and labor were donated for the home, which would have cost about $450,000 to build. Beazer Homes' employees and company partners also raised $250,000 in contributions for the family, including scholarships for the couple's three children and a home maintenance fund.
ABC said in a statement that it advises each family to consult a financial planner after they get their new home. "Ultimately, financial matters are personal, and we work to respect the privacy of the families," the network said.
Some of the volunteers who helped build the home were less than thrilled about the family's financial decisions.
Know what this situation calls for? A videotaped appeal to Oprah — or, better yet, Dr. Phil &mdsah; to rescue the Harpers from their financial woes, who will promptly forgive their debts and throw in a new Pontiac.
Editorial Director
These people were extremely stupid for putting a free home up for collateral to pursue a business path that obviously was not researched before pursuing it. Good for them on losing their home. Someone else who would have appreciated a new home with little or no issues should have had a house built by Extreme Home Makeovers.
They probably lived off the money for the last three years, and now it's gone. Why did they get such a fancy house for free in the first place? You'd think they would have gotten a very practical house, not a "mansion".
Wow…after everything that was done to help them out, this is how they repay kindness. Just goes to show you how often people act before thinking or researching. Oh well!
You can't fix stupid!!! Thanks Ron White.
What kind of an idiot puts up a house like that as collateral for a loan! If you ask me, they deserve to lose the house. Morons…
Very irresponsible! It must be nice to live "high on the hog" like that. They were acting and living as though they had won the lottery!
These houses although great are too much for people. It is like not knowing when to stop drinking a bottle of wine. Now look what happen. What a bunch of idiots - putting your children's shelter a risk. What a great mom and dad! Where is ne next welfare office and don't forget the food stamps
Guess they'll be heading back off to the projects now.
I never understood why "Extreme Makeover" has go to the most "Extreme" when building new homes for people in need! Oh I do get it… it makes for TV. Note, I rarely watch the show.
This family should have educated themselves about the construction business and started out small. That's alot of money to start a business; I hope they bounce back from this mess.
I've always thought that the homes they build people are too extreme. For the cost of helping one family in need they could help a lot of other people. I know it makes good tv but it doesn't make much sense.
An aside to the author of this article…how mean spirited and unneccessary the derogatory remark about Ty Pennington- tell me, because I have Never Understood - what is the point of Meanness? just what does it accomplish? Is it that it makes You feel Superior??? I do not drink alcohol, but I do know every human being struggles with that "one thing" in their lives…God forbid Mr/Ms Perfect you should ever come face to face with your own personal "one thing" and have to join the human race like ALL of the rest of us.
As for the Harper parents…hopefully they will suffer the guilt and consequences the rest of their lives for what they have done to the futures of their children - and it is to their children that I direct my compassion and concern…may they not suffer.
As for the homes Extreme builds - I just spent a week in the end of June volunteering on the build for the Season 6 Premiere on September 28, 2008…and I saw first hand that the cast of that show go to Great Lengths to know the family and build them a fitting home accordingly…so keep in mind: You can extend your hand and lead someone to a better life, but - you can't make them live it. ~LL
I am sorry but that is the RUDEST most ungrateful thing a family could do….what a slap in the face to america and ABC.
These people definitely shouldn't be bailed out again! They had their chance and blew it! America offers everyone an opportunity for a better life, but it doesn't offer a guarantee. Everyone still should be held accountable for their own actions.
A pure stupidity! All they have to do is put food on the table for the kids and live free.
I do think that its sad that they lost everything, but let this be a lesson. When you give a person a free home valued at half a million, its hard for them to truely appreciate it. You have to work for what you have, otherwise it means nothing and it will be lost, as the value isn't in the fruits of your labour, its in the hard work of vollunteers. The people should have to help build the house. I understand that these people are in dire need, if thats the case then they should be willing to do anything to help.
I would like to agree with building more homes for more people, I am very surprised at how cheap these giant houses are in the States. A small condo costs about $400,000.00 here. It would be better to build a condo complex, for a bunch of people, but at the same time have routine maintenance checks, so that if they don't take care of the place they lose it, like homes for humanity. As well I think it would be more feasable to help these people get work/education, so that they can benifit the community they are in and take care of thier family and home.
All of you below who had something to say negative about this family, should rethink your opinions before speaking. NO one knows exactly why they did what they did..It's their fault and their business..There is a time and a season for everything that happens in everybodies life..Their time came for a beautiful homw, and now it is up. Who knows something good may come through for them before auction time..
typical niggers,
they'll be looking for another free handout at the welfare office or homeless shelted soon.
what was the name of the construction company? Nigger rigged enterprises? Only a fool would think you could give that kind of home and money to a bunch of yard apes and have results any different than what turned out. Christ, how many times have we all heard about some nig nog athlete who is broke squandering away tens of millions of dollars.
I can understand why the construction company went belly up. Blacks only have a capacity to build primitive mud huts, something a beaver could accomplish. I myself would never let a nigger into my home for any reason. The chances of having my family murdered and tortured by these jungle savages would be far greater than having any quality work done in the home.
Honestly, abc and the people involved in this project are the bigger morons thinking that blacks would act respsonsibly when given a beautiful home and cash.
I'm offended by some of the comments here.
Especially those made regarding beavers
I was disturbed by what happened to this family. I don't understand how or why this could happen. There is simply no excuse for it. But what I really don't understand is the comments left from Bud No. 20. I am a white female, living in a small country town where there are a lot of black people. Granted, a lot of them have attitudes, and do crime. But, most of their attitude comes from people like Bud. You talk about them and call them disgusting names, you talked about family being murdered by them. Did you know that most serial killers are white? Not black? I've had a car stolen, my house robbed, and my best friend raped and brutalized, and they were all by WHITE men. Every race has it's BAD people, and they all have GOOD people. I have never dated a black man, and never would, but that doesn't mean that they are vicious and cruel people. It's people like BUD that keep the racism and the rapes, robberies and murders going. It's simply RACISM, and that's a vicious and murderous thing. The hate will keep on and bad things will keep happening because of attitudes like BUDs. I feel sad for him, he must lead a very depressed and lowly life with that much hate in him. Maybe one day something will happen where it all ends. I wish the Harpers the best of luck and better financial wisdom in the future.
It's a bit ironic that this is about a "stupid family" with people spewing stupid comments out of general ignorance. But go ahead sit at your computer with your indignation and bad mouth a family you know little about.
I'm sure the same could not be done for you or any of your less than wise decisions you've made over the course of your life.
Lets judge.
Bud is inbred!
Bud has statistics on his side
No. 22 Mel says: "Did you know that most serial killers are white? Not black?"
Mel, did you know that you are quite misinformed about serial killers? The likely reason that you wrongly believe that most serial killers are white is because of jews who control the mainstream media - they always under report black crime committed against whites. Ever heard of Coral Watts? He was a black serial killer - he killed more women than Ted Bundy, but you have likely heard of Ted Bundy, because Ted Bundy is white. You can thank the jewish-controlled media for that.
"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" has been a regular television series since 2003 for five continuous seasons. In all of that time, and of all the families which the show has helped, there have only been two which have had any significant problems afterward, including the one mentioned above. What did these two families have in common?
They were both niggers.
Instead of a mcmansion, Ty Pennington and his lackeys should have just built a big enough boat for this family of simian hybrid creatures and then launched them back towards Africa.
Mel wrote: "Did you know that most serial killers are white?"
Whites are a majority of the population, so what does that prove? Then again, serial killers tend to be more intelligent than average, so I guess your typical murderous black just doesn't have the requisite gray matter to hit the big time.
BTW, "by stander" is spot on. Bud has the stats on his side.
All of these comments regarding BLACK AMERICANS, I assume are coming from a bunch of uneducated, ignorant, white trash, hillbilly inbred, disgusting scum of the earth, sick , twisted, serial killing, inferior( yeah, inferior)beer guzzling, incestuous, baby raping, sister and brother f#$%#$g, neo nazi,low lifes, son of a b%$#hes. My God, are you people that much afraid of us that you still constantly in this day and age feel so threaten by us. You felt threaten by us 800 years ago, and you feel even more threaten now. Always remember white people, BLACK AMERICANS ARE HERE TO STAY!!!!! WE TOLERATE YOU WHITE PEOPLE JUST AS MUCH AS YOU TOLERATE US. Don't get it twisted you racist pigs. Your just jealous anyway because they couldn't give your nasty smelly, pissy, trailer an EXTREME MAKEOVER.NOW! HOLD THAT!!!!!!
Hey Ja in NYC:
My "inferior" ancestors used to own yours. It's too bad for us white people today that there was no return policy or warranty conditions on them back in 1865, otherwise, right now, you would probably still be in some mud hut over in Africa, with flies buzzing all around your head, instead of living in some housing project that whitey's tax money paid for, while you drink malt liquor, collect welfare checks, listen to jungle-beat(c)rap music, and dream of raping white women.
“I say then I am not, nor ever have been in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races, — that I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of Negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race.”
-A. Lincoln, Charleston, IL 9/18/1858
Some of the bloggers are forgetting the problem is the foreclosure of the house. Their race does not have anything to do with them losing their house. They made a mistake like all humans do.
For the ignortant people that wrote that black people do not deserve anything are wrong. Educate yourself about people of different races. all black people do not live in the projects, listen to jungle music(white children listen to rap music too) collect welfare, or live in huts. We did not ask to come to America
we where brought here to be sold as slave. Educate your brains white people. #20 Do not be scared of black people. there are white folks who get wfcs, live in the pj
According to http://www.zillowblog.com/extr.....s/2008/07/
It wasn't the Harpers but the Byers (white people) who were dumbasses and mortaged the house to open a construction company. In any case, financial irresponsibility is something that has little to do with race and everything to do with class.
One day, I was listening to a friend of a friend (sterotypical white, racist redneck type) complain about how quotas, affirmative action, and illegal immagrants are keeping him from getting a job. This guy lived in a trailer, counted on food stamps and government checks, and had several illegitimate children with various women.
Something occured to me while I was listening to him.
There's absolutely no difference between him, and a black man in the projects bitching about "the man keeping him down."
They both need to get off their ass and learn some marketable skills instead of living off my taxes while whining and bitching.
Both of them can kiss my ass.
Just a lil comment for everyone who says "it makes good tv,but its also a huge waste"…ALLL TV is a HUGE WASTE of money,TV has advertising revenue as its SOUL purpose,shows have NOTHING to do with it…So than,yes even though they COULD "help more" people "modestly",do you REALLY wanna bitch out this corporation when it actually FOR ONCE has to spend some cash to make someone else "king" :-P
Mel wrote: "Did you know that most serial killers are white?"
Mike in NYC says:
"Whites are a majority of the population,so what does that prove"…Welll,Mike,It proves one thing…That you know N-O-T-H-I-N-G about the world you live in…"Minority" is a nice little fairy tale land where "whites" like to believe because others have a skin color that is not like them,there must be less of them…WRONG…Indian and Chinese are ACTUALLY the majority…Glad i could be of help mike,too bad the school books were not ;-)…
…And as for the whole ignorant ass racial remarks being tossed around over ONE family…Tell me how many of the OTHER black family's have done fine and well to keep there houses perfectly fine?!…And what of "white" home forclosures?!,did they accidentally touch a black person,and it rubbed off on them or something?!
Your supposed to GROW A BRAIN on the top of your neck,NOT an ASS…
Just outta curiosity i counted around 150-200 "white" serial killers,and 40-60 black serial killers …Now for the person who said maybe whites were serial killers more often,because those white serial killers are more "intelligent"…I say to you just HOW "intelligent" ARE these people if they can't control there actions or hide there actions!?…How about we FLIP your own statement and say,maybe,just MAYBE,the reason there are seemingly less black serial killers is in fact because THEY are SMART and THEY know how to get away with it :-P… …No,thats just as ignorant…so maybe now you can see why YOUR arguments are just as asinine ;-)…
I find it SO VERY FUNNIE that EVERYONE says these homes are SOOO grand,that none of these people could ever possibly take care of them… …If that were true,than every second house built would already be GONE…out of the 100+ homes they built,3 families ran into trouble,mind you all DIFFERENT reasons for there trouble,defaulted loan,fines,second untold mortgage debt…NONE of these situations have resulted from ANY of the arguments people have put forth,and no one wants to say anything about the other 95% of people who ARE living in LOVELY homes,pain free…
…And why is no one bent out of shape about Habitat For Humanity having Corporate Sponsors!?…LOL
Rory28 said
I say to you just HOW "intelligent" ARE these people if they can't control there actions or hide there actions. Intelligence has nothing to do with actions. Some of the smartest people in the world have no ability when it comes to expressing their ideas. Why do you think "nerds" stay quite and off to themselves? Do their actions have anything to do with their intelligence? Lastly, do be a serial killer you've to be pretty good for a long time to be considered a serial killer.
I love how these people are the lazy "niggers" yet some of you actually feel the need to sit at your computer and express feelings that frankly, DON'T MATTER!
thats stupid that you say its a wast of money. if these people didnt do it who would?