Who Will Win?
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Good afternoon, bloggers!
Whew — it seems like you all just finished a marathon and now you have to wait to see who won. I am so excited, I can hardly stand it. Will the winner be someone from our blogger “family” who enters every day (and sends in postcards)? Or, do you think it will be the lucky person who happened to enter once? I want to know, I want to know!
Now that you’re free from entering daily, I hope you will spend your time taking the virtual tours and coming up with more questions. I’m ready to answer them.
And just to answer some recent questions:
•The ottoman in the study is a Lewis ottoman by Ethan Allen in a houndstooth fabric. It sits below the clock pictures.
•Also, there is a big storage area in the study and lots of closets and cabinets throughout the house and in the garage.
•Finally, there is no basement in this home. Most of the homes in California do not have basements.
Good luck everyone!
Your Super Fan,
Gail
Gail! Please, I'm super-curious to know how they will mix the online entries & mail in entries.
I REALLY hope that the home goes to a person who is PASSIONATE about the dream home (and we know that all the bloggers are!), and not someone who just entered on a whim. Although it's amazing how someone who enters just once can win the home, I think it would be GREAT if it can go to someone who entered online, mailed in entries, watched for their ValPak entry so they could enter that way too, viewed all the video, stared at all the photos, has watched the dream home special PLUS has dreamed of the Dream Home every day! In short, I hope it's me. ha!ha! I know all the bloggers are passionate about the home, and it would be wonderful to see it go to someone in the blogger family.
Thanks, Gail, for keeping us psyched up! You're helping to keep our dreams afloat and helping to keep us going until we can find out who the winner is!!!
Thank you!!!
Dreaming BIG in PA,
Janet R
Cherise, they don't pre notify the winner by mail. You've already signed enough for the winner ambush process by entering the sweepstakes, thus agreeing to the official rules….
Last year on blogs Franklin told us the day they held the official drawing. Not who won, at that time, but that it had occurred.
How do you think they go about finding the winner without spoiling the surprise?
This home reminds me of my Grandmothers home that was very similar but built in the late 1800′s. Whomever wins this home will be blessed! All the work that has gone into this home is just awesome! I won’t lie though, I hope it’s me!
Gail, are they flying you to Knoxville for the official drawing?
Hi Gail,
I’m just as excited about finding out who has won. Will you be present when the winner is ambushed? If not, will you be there when the winner tours the home on the 16th?
Are bloggers allowed to be present when the winner tours the home with the HGTV staff?
What are your plans afterwards? Will you continue to blog?
I’m wondering how the on line entries are added with the sent in entries.
Hi Gail,
I am on my seat, right at the very edge waiting for March 15th.
QUESTION: Can you help with a way in which we can start donating money to the winner?
Iam setting up a website and need some support as to making the process safe and reliable. I subsribe to homestead.com
I am setting up a store front advertising a few products, I would love to be able to do this long term if bloggers will contribute.
The winner of this DH2009 and DH to come can get help from the proceeds. It is my way of helping.
The site is already on the web but I need a way for people to send their donation.
I can do paypal, but I will rather that all donation be sent to HGTV So, I would like to know if You Guys can Set up an account for this purpose. I think this is a workable plan.
Gail if that’s not feasable, what other method can be used? Could we send check or money order to HGTV?
I will post The site info soon, I had to change a few things first. anyone willing to join me is welcome, I’ll need a few dedicated members.
Gosh Got to run to pick my daughter up from school. will touch base later.
Ta ta
Esla Sinclair
Good Afternoon Gail: Yep, things are heating up & we are all getting stir-crazy wondering who the next HGTV Dream Home winner will be!!
Will the blogger family be allowed to be present when the winner first opens the door to that little piece of heaven in Sonoma? We’re trying to coordinate a SISBP between the blogger family & the winner, so do you think HGTV might want to get involved with that event?? Thank you for answering so many questions, and also thank you for being such a wonderful Super Fan!! You have certainly held our hands throughout the previous months, and kept us motivated!! I do have one other question, will HGTV continue paying for the gardener once the winner is announced (at least for a year)? And, one other really important question I keep forgetting to ask you, is there a maintenance fee paid by each owner in the Armstrong Estates??
Thanks again Gail!!
Hi everyone,
Hi Gail, I would like to know how big is the guest closet. Is it a walk-in style or very small closet? I have seen so many glimpes of hidden areas and have a little idea of whats inside but not the guest closet and whats behind the small door in the study?
Gail, can you provide me with the HGTV Dream Home Surprise Host’s cell phone number so I can reach her (him) in case my flight from Thailand is delayed for a day or two? Just forward the number to my email address so I’ll have it with me at all times….
Thank you all this is so much fun,STAY POSITIVE,DREAM BIG,Dream Dream
I really didn’t have much time blogging lately because of my job. I make parts for Mercedes and I have been working 7 days a week. I pray that I’m the one that wins this dream home this year. It will be a dream come true for me. I was wondering Gail, will that be knoxville, Tenn. Will they notify the winner in advance. I know some people that are entering are working. So will you all tell them in advance so that they will not go to work that day. If I be the winner my Lord in Saver will let me know not to work that day. I know he will not let me down. I have faith that i am going to win this home. All I can say to everyone is keep dreaming and praying to the Lord and one of our prayers will be answer soon. May GOD Bless everyone and I have a safe and wonderful day.
My badl, i mean have a safe and wonderful day.
Does the winner or potential winner have to fill out the documents before the 15th? Will the winner be notified by mail first?
Cherise
Hello Gail:
Happy Dreaming to all!
I have the same questions as all my fellow bloggers. However, I believe it will not be a surprise if the details of the ambush is given out. I feel you on that. Well, whomever the winner is, God will prick their spirit and let them know not to go to work that day and that they are the winner
I would have to agree, I can’t wait to find out who wins. I just wish I knew what day exactly they are going to pick the winner. That way I’m not feeling antsy all the time waiting to find out who wins. Even if its not me who wins, I still can’t wait to find out who does. Good luck to all of us. It has been a real joy entering this contest, reading and posting to these blogs, and getting to know some of you other bloggers. Best of wishes to all of you.
GAIL, I CAN’T WAIT TO FIND OUT WHO THE WINNER IS, I HOPE THAT IT IS ME AND MY FAMILY. IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE MY SON PLAY IN THE FRONT YARD. MY QUESTIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1) HOW MUCH DIVERSITY IS THERE IN THE CITY OF SONOMA? 2) WHAT KIND OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES WOULD THE WINNER HAVE IF THEY WON THE DREAM HOME. 3) HOW FAST WOULD THE WINNER HAVE TO PAY OFF THE TAXES FOR THE DREAM HOME 4) WOULD THE WINNER QUALIFY FOR THE NEW TAX WAIVER IF THEY ARE FIRST TIME HOME OWNERS.
THANKS AND I HOPE YOU CAN ANSWER AT LEAST SOME OF MY QUESTIONS
~ZACH
Gail -I love every room of the house including the children’s room and my husband & I would like to adobt 2 boys if we win, however, in the event that we change our minds, could we have an HGTV designer re-design the children’s room to maybe an Art Studio? Or, if we end up adopting, could we have the study or garage converted to an Art Studio by an HGTV Designer?
Tic-tock, tic-tock my iGoogle has the HGTV Dream Home wiki and the seconds turn into counted down minutes then hours and days. This is worse than the 1980(s) Heinz Ketchup commercial – anticip-a-a-tion, it’s making me wait; you know the parity to the Carly Simon tune. Nevertheless, it is exciting every time I hear the phone ring and think for a fleeting moment that it is the ambush team just making sure my wife and I are home, and then it vanishes as I answer and it is another phone survey.
Hey DBCoop, you are going to share that phone number, yeah right.
Keep on DREAMING BIG!
Good to see a new Blog from Gail.
Sorry to say our sweet Brenda is home sick with the flu
so hope she feels better soon. I had it, and it was awful!!
Katherine, I am no Gail, but I am pretty sure once you win the house, you get it as it is. If you want to HIRE a decorator to redo the rooms…well it’s your house.
But the designers from HGTV are pretty busy with their TV shows.
One of the winners from Sacramento, did HIRE Linda to come decorate her house in the style of the house she won, being that she was not able to keep the HGTV house.
And for the man who won the Lake Lure house, they were going to help make it handicapped accessable if he was to keep the house.
They did redo the van for him for free.
But any changes you want to make on the house is on your dime.
Lovelykitty,
How do you know so much about the dream home winners? You are a walking encyclopedia of dream home info!
Do you personally meet the winners? Obviously once you meet someone, you are forever friends. That’s great.
Thanks, Lovelykitty, I actually could re-design it myself – I’m sort of a designer – took a few classes and had my own business as a Home Stager. I just love what the HGTV designers have already done, but hate to be the one to change such a fine job. I’m an artist too and if someone wanted a change in one of my art pieces, I would want to be the one to alter it.
Gail,
Questions: Will the grape vines produce grapes this year? If not, how long will it be before the vines produce fruit?
Are there instructions for growing and nurturing grape vines?
When will the rosebuds appear and when do the roses stop blooming? What kind of roses are they?
Lessie-sad to say, but I just have been following the Dream Homes since the DH05.
I do have a life
but I keep in touch with the HGTV message board members year round.
The message board use to be FULL of information about the homes because someone from the board always lived in the area of the new Drean Home. Some of the members actually were tour guides for the homes.
But we would get information before HGTV posted it, and they didn’t like that, so they delete a lot of our post and also close down the DREAM HOME message board after the winner is announced, and re-open it again when the new Dream House is completed.
I have made many friends from the board, and we actually go on trips together.
I am very gratful to HGTV, because I have met, and still meeting some really great people.
Lessie, I can help with part of your question.
The tour guide said that the vines won’t start producing grapes for 4-5 years. And when it does, it will produce enough grapes for 5 cases of wine.
DbCoop do you think this could be the # DH0-9Wi-nner !!! have a great day,Good Luck To All. Dream Big.
Browsing through the past winner videos and articles I learned that one of them was ambushed at his work. He mentioned that they researched him through a local producer so they learned about the places he visited, work, etc. My guess is that it will be something similar so I don’t think that skipping work will be necessary, plus the drawing is on march 3 (or around the 3rd, according to the rules) so between the 3rd and the 15th they will be ambushing…I don’t know, and hopefully Gail can answer this question: Is the ambush LIVE on march 15th or is it pre-recorded? I keep thinking that is pre-recorded but I don’t have anything to base that theory on…it would be nice to know though. All this different ambush scenarios play in my head and maybe is really nice not to know. I guess it would take some of the excitement of watching the ambush on TV and trying to recognize your front door on TV as you hear a knock both at your door and on your TV screen (again, if the ambush is LIVE) But really, there is no nothing to worry about and now is just a matter of waiting (and a matter of looking descent each day until the 15th) I’m sure all the ladies out there agree with me…botox or no botox…he,he,he
I wish that the winner of the dream home can get to Keep the dream home. I read an article on here written by the winner of the dream home 2007, and the taxes are so high that they put the house on the market.
I wish HGTV would give away a home that a winner would be likely to be able to Keep and Adore for years to come. Maybe they can pay the taxes on it, or make it a less expensive prize that the winner can keep?
Good Luck to all, and I wish the winner stays in the home.
Hi, Everybody.I would be flaborgasted to win the G M C Acadia, let alone a Mansion on the hill . both are to die for.
Good luck to everybody, Especially ME I mever ask for anything, but this is for me. Thank you in advance. Carol
I am so excited to find out who the winner will be. I’ve been praying for the last 4 months that it would be me and my family. I had the privilege of living in beautiful Sonoma County for 11 yrs and due to unexpected circumstances including a house fire, two and a half years ago my family and i moved to Southern CA. Not a moment of every day passes that i don’t miss my sweet, secluded paradise. I miss my friends and the wineries, and the easy-going, friendly vibe you get from Northern CA. My husband and I miss having picnics downtown Sonoma and hanging out with Cami the camel. I can only pray that I’m able to take my family back to live in peaceful, spectacular Sonoma County. If it’s someone else who wins I wish them a happy, prosperous life there. God bless and good luck to everyone!!
Thanks Lovelykitty,
It sure will be nice to eat home-grown grapes. I didn’t know the message board had so much information. Will check it out later.
If I’m ever in your area, I’d like to meet you. I appreciate the links you’ve shared and the information you’ve provided.
Continue to be our eyes an ears for the 2009 Dream Home. Will you be at the Dream Home when the winner takes the tour (if it’s not you)?
I’m pretty sure I saw that the surprise ambush will occur on March 15th, which is a Sunday, so there shouldn’t be too much worry about being at work when they award the wiiner. Also, I watched the ambush from the 2008 house on You Tube, and it looked like it occured in the evening. So a live ambush show Sunday evening is my bet. In the video though, there was a weird comment that the husband made about a phone call he may have received previously to make sure his wife was home to win. Has anyone else seen this clip? What do you think?
I hope and pray everyday that I will win! I moved to Washington from the SF Bay Area a couple years ago and things didn’t turn out like they were planned. It would be a dream come true to get back to California and in such a beautiful place and home.
Wow!! I thought I was the only one praying to the Lord. That is my dream home. I wouldn’t even think about redesigning the home. The designers from HGTV are all wonderful and their creations are phenomenal. If I happen to be the lucky winner that is wonderful and of course a dream come true;I think just owning your own home is the american dream but if someone else out there wins the home then it was meant for him or her. The Lord works miracles in his own ways and there is always a reason behind it. I was becoming obssessed with winning the home and feeling depressed at the same time up until I prayed. May the Lord bless the winner and appreciate the beautiful home especially the geographical location. Sonoma is a beautiful city and just it’s nature in general, wow!!!! Thanks to HGTV and sponsors for giving us that opportunity. These are the times when we all need to recognize there are wonderful human beings in this world and the Lord is always with us. God bless you all. Can’t wait to see who the winner is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here’s what I copied from the rules and would answer a lot of questions:
Grand Prize Winner Notification: Main Sponsor anticipates that the potential Grand Prize Winner will be contacted in person on or about March 15, 2009 (subject to change) in the form of a “ambush style” visit by Main Sponsor representatives and such potential Grand Prize Winner may be filmed during such visit by Main Sponsor. Main Sponsor also reserves the right to randomly select an unspecified number of potential finalists for the Grand Prize and require them to travel at Main Sponsor’s expense to a location in the United States where the Grand Prize Winner will be selected in a random drawing that may be televised. Potential Grand Prize Winner will be required to execute an affidavit of eligibility and release of liability and publicity (where permitted by law), and return same, fully-executed, within five (5) days of date of issuance of prize notification. Main Sponsor may require the potential Grand Prize Winner to travel at Main Sponsor’s expense to the 2009 HGTV Dream Home for publicity purposes on or about April 16, 2009 (date subject to change). If Main Sponsor is unable to contact the potential Grand Prize Winner within five (5) days of date of the initial attempt, if the potential Grand Prize Winner fails to return all requested forms fully-executed by the specified date, or if the potential Grand Prize Winner fails to comply with these Official Rules, including traveling on the dates and times required by Main Sponsor, his/her place as a Grand Prize Winner will be forfeited at Main Sponsor’s discretion and an alternate Grand Prize Winner may be selected, at Main Sponsor’s sole discretion. Main Sponsor reserves the right to notify the potential Grand Prize Winner by overnight courier and/or telephone.
I ‘m thank God for a mircale home for my family.This is my blessing, watch out folks.I’m looking forward for you yo call me and informed me of my winner.
Thank God for my special mircale home. I’m looking forward to met you Gail. Redell
I just grabbed someone’s pot pie out of the office fridge, it is after 5, & i am here getting caught up on our blogs. i am addicted now. so, there will be 3 million families (i should say women) cleaning their homes this weekend. i wish i owned stock in cleaning supply & utitility companies!
Thanks again Gail for keeping the lines of communication open – and answering some questions too!
Thanks Lovelykitty for all your vital and informative tips – I’m not familiar with the message board, how do you access that? Loved the pics too.
Thank you Katherine for pasting the official rules to help those with questions. So it seems like they may pick a winner or potential winners on or about the 3rd of March but said winner or potential winners won’t be notified until March 15th.
I guess we’ll just have to keep blogging away to help time fly by until that magical date arrives.
Gail, a question for you, in Marie’s pictures (Thanks Marie – great pics and bravo on getting them posted!) taken during the landscaping a different tree is shown where the palm tree now stands – what led to the decision to change it after, not that I don’t like the Palm, just curious.
I too am waiting for answers to some of the questions posted by other bloggers. I love HGTV for bringing so much light and happiness into so many people’s lives and giving me a way to relax every evening after a day at work! I love watching all the mini videos on decorating tips and remodeling ideas.
Good luck to all and keep the dream alive!
Donations can be arranged through http://www.myunclestan.com
The purpose of this Site is to pay the taxes…
2009 HGTV Dream Home (ARV- $2,052,450)
The property value is usually between $1 million to over $2 million. Expect extremely high taxes. The entry starts January 1, 2009 and ends February 19, 2009. This sweepstake pool is now available to members and ends February 27, 2009 at 12:00am Central Standard Time.
Hurry and join!!!!
Well, since the entry period is over, I don’t have any more decorated envelopes to handmake or postcards to fill out
I’ve been staying connected by surfing the HGTV site. I am currently composing Dream Home Songs for the Dream Home Forum (it’s listed under “remodeling” category in the message boards) Very awesome message board for any of the bloggers that haven’t been there yet. Check it out! I have had alot of fun conversing with all of you bloggers about my ” 1st Ever Sonoma Dream Home Wedding” Dreams… Thank you 
Happy Dreaming to All of you! Tamara
Hi Gail,
I’m so excited I can hardly contain myself!! I do think it is a great idea Gail for the bloggers to send in some money to help with the winner.
Someone the other day suggested 5.00 a piece. Not bad… which would add up quickly.
I love being able to blog with everyone who is just as anxious as I am..
Someone had asked how the entries mailed & by internet are combined? I was also wondering….
Marie Miller,
I wanted to thank you properly for posting your early pics of the landscaping to the DH as it showed flowering shrubs in the back yard whereas the current pics on the site show green shrubs, which enables those of us who love to garden a peek at what is actually planted back there. It was a different view and very much appreciated.
If anyone else is going to take the tour (I’m aiming for the last day myself), if you can take a picture of the hallway leading to the stairs and study and bathroom as no one has yet taken a picture of that.
Vejyanti, if you click on the 360 tour of the guest bedroom, you will see as it pans around that it shows the right side of the guest walk-in closet. Can’t answer the question of the size, but at least you can get an idea of it there.
Oh so exciting – really gets the adrenaline going – thank you bloggers for being here; you all feel like family! All warm and fuzzy!
Ciao.
Back up to speed on all the wonderful comments……Been out of town on business, and now the fun continues…..
First, I must say that I’m getting more and MORE “jumpy” EVERY time my phone rings….. wondering if its the “call”!
Like Chip said earlier – Anticipation….man, I can’t wait to find out who will win!
Glad to be back in Sonoma Dream Land!
I can’t stand the anticipation!!! I’m ready to find out who wins already!!
Ive watched WAY TOO much propety Virgins and im ready to be a home owner in SONOMA! Im going stir-crazy waiting here. When do they pick the winner? how long b4 the air date? The actual date? How are they going to “ambush” the person this year? I better take my anxiety meds im getting so excited and thinking VERY optimistically. GOOD LUCK TO ALL!
Ash
Great to read a new blog today. The waiting is just killing me!! I just want to know who the winner is. I just hope that it is a good deserving person with a good heart!!
Kay: ummm…Don’t you think thats rude to eat “someones” potpie??
I have a question for you Frankie! After reading your post I went to http://www.myunclestan.com website and joined. You didn;t say if you joined yourself so you might not be able to answer me. It sounds really great and all, I just didn’t like how they tell you it’s only about $5 to join and after you do join they ask you to select the sweepstakes you are participating in and you have to pay about $20 to do so. I sure hope is not a scam of some sort since I just spent my last $25 signing up for it and after clicking the link to go from paypall back to their site the link didn’t work and said the page didn’t exist. I went back to the website and there is no confirmation at all that I was enrolled in the HGTV sweepstakes at all, so how can you be certain of it? My only prove is my paypal receipt. Anyways, it might have been just me that had a glitch with it and is a trustworthy site, so I was wondering if you enrolled and if you knew how to get confirmation. I sent them an e-mail and I’ll wait on their response. I just wanted to share it we you bloggers in case someone went through the same thing as I did.
This could be the best American Dream come true for someone like ME!!!! I want to believe I did everything possible to win this prize!!!
“To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did… And You have to do everything you know you could have done” Good Luck to every one!!!! Good Luck to Me!!!!