Extreme Home Makeover, Foreclosure Edition

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So, I've always enjoyed the show "Extreme Home Makeover." It was a fun, feel good show. I guess it still is, but I'm hopeful that after all these years, they've finally learned something. The houses they have been building are simply "too much" for the families. Many losing them to foreclosure or sale.

While the show is on Sunday nights on (another network,) I often catch the re-runs on CMT, like I just got through doing minutes ago, watching the Kirkwood family. Their daughter Jael begged and pleaded for the crew to come and get them out of their "mold-infested" home that had chased the family to a hotel. They came, they sent the family to Disney world, they worked hundreds of people to near exhaustion in the rain to give them what looks like a really really nice house.

Go ahead, take a look.

I've gotten into the habit of "checking out" how the family is doing by going to the web and snooping around. The last time I did this, a young girl with a rare blood disease was selling bracelets to help fund medical research. See, since these are re-runs, these shows are 4 or 5 years old, and it gives me a chance to see how their stories have played out, long after the carpenters have left the area. The girl with the medical problems, their house sold in foreclosure just months ago.

The "Kirkwood Family"... well, the last I could find was Oct 2008. The house was done in 2005, so in the 3 short years since they handed them the keys, and PAYED OFF their mortgage, the house is up for sale, down from the 650K asking price to 550K. I wonder if they ever sold it, share with me a link if you find something new.

Tears flowed, thank you thank... guess what. Divorce. Washington law says they have to split the property. So here is this little girl, who wrote a book, had Disney illustrate it for her, and now, she gets to pack up and move from her fairy tale ending. Thanks Mom, Thanks Dad, for sucking it up and showing some real concern for your family.

Dawne also told the newspaper that because of 'back property taxes, money owed to lawyers, and life's expenses, selling the home has become their only option.' Dawne currently shares the home with her five children. Her ex-husband has since moved to Tennessee. (2008)

How does that happen after someone comes in a "pays off your mortgage?" What happened to "living within your means?" You get this incredible gift and then go and, well, you know. Many of these "paid off mortgage" homes, get re-financed to the breaking point, and then it's over. All with in a matter of years. Just sad.

Apparently, this has happened too much, I have notice on recent shows talk of a "5-years worth" of financial planning that goes along with the home. I sure hope so.

I think we all want to believe that they live "happily ever after" in their new home. Otherwise, instead of crying along with the family in the last 15-20 minutes of the show, we'll now ask: "So, how long do you think they'll be able to hold on to it?"