Mar
4
Closer to a Winner?
 HGTV President Jim Samples chooses the winner of HGTV Dream Home 2009 |
On March 3, the bigwigs at HGTV, with help from our friends at a local fulfillment house, gathered to choose one winner from more than 39 million HGTV Dream Home 2009 Giveaway entries we’ve received since January. Our Super Fan was on site to watch as the excitement unfolded and even had the opportunity to choose a runner-up. Keep your eyes peeled for the Super Fan’s in-depth winner-selection video in the next few days. For now, we are happy to share a few cute photos.
And, no, your eyes don’t deceive you — we did make the Super Fan jump into a bin filled with thousands of entry forms.
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Kath: Right on with what you said about the house. My take is that you sell the home, pay the taxes with the proceedings from the home and you will have enough money left to buy your real dream home and you have a new car. Let me also emphasize here too, that you only have to pay INCOME TAXES. This $1M house is considered an income that is why you have to pay income taxes on it. Either way, you are coming out on the top. Whether you keep it, if you can afford it, or sell it.
On a previous blog: Someone said that HGTV does background checks to see if the winner can afford the house. I don’t think so. I believe they do the checks only for criminal history to protect their show. To do a financial background, they would have to have your SSN. Now, that would not be fair to people who entered the sweepstakes and disqualify them because they couldn’t afford the home. That is not in the rules of the sweepstakes and if you really think about it, in this economy, who could really afford a $1M home unless you are a millionaire? So with that being said, I think the only checks HGTV is doing is the criminal history. So we can relax and wait patiently to see who has won on the 15th Keep the dream alive!
Do you believe? For two months now, I’ve been refreshing our home for a new buyer to fall in love – new interior paint, curtains, fabric choices. Even sold entire rooms of furniture on craigslist! Still waiting for the snow to melt to refresh the exterior.
We’re ready on all levels to share the dream.
Dear HGTV,
This Victorian, Californian, Sonoma dream home, will bless a family.
Thanks
I’m a very unlucky person but I hope winning the Dream Home will break that unlucky streak. I will be waiting!!!!!!!! Please pick me!!!!
This is the first time I’ve posted on a blog but have been a fan of HGTV for years and have always entered the Dream Home sweepstake. I’ve enjoyed all the comments and the excitement surrounding this beautiful home. I hope it’s me! I have a grandson with autism and in Utah they do not mandate insurance companies to cover the cost of aba therapy. Winning this home would help me, help him. We also are doing a walk in Utah on May 2 to help raise awareness. My heart goes out to all the families who are affected by this disorder. These are very special children. 5 more days!
hello everyone,
I am new to this blog just wanted to tell everyone good luck!
This house is amazing!
Well, not to be a debbie downer but I’m pretty sure that none of us won because I’m sure they would need to notify the person to schedule the visit to their house. Also, the show is probably prerecorded so the winner already knows that they won. Anyway, just in case I am wrong, good luck to all of us!
I am soooo excited, I want this! Good luck guys! I want this soooo bad! I am sooo mad that they know and we don’t! Come on… at least tell us what state they are in! This suspense is killing me! I have to look at the reminder on my phone everyday!
Hey,
Has anybody googled Lake Lure? It isn’t such a dream home down there, its being run by a generator and the developer has stolen millions from people who invested with them. You should see what a mess is going on down there. All I can say is I’ll think twice about entering from now on. If it sounds too good to be true…. it probably is. More like a nightmare home if you ask me. Here’s a hearfelt congrats to all the losers, you guys don’t know how lucky you are.
Alli on March 10, 2009 at 5:34 am
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Alli, the winner of that house sold it back to the developer right away, and made a nice profit. So it is the deveoper’s problem not the winner of the house.
One more tax comment …
If you win, you will get a 1099-MISC for the full $2,052,450. See the Rules page. Yes, even the Doggie Dream Home is taxed as income. Selling items at less than their stated value will probably not allow you to write-off the difference if they are for your personal use. Example: You buy a car for $20,000 and sell it for $15,000; there is no write-off for your lost $5,000. State taxes can be expensive as well. You may have multiple states attempting to tax you based on your current domicile, the situs of the prizes (California), and location where title is actually transferred. There may be other local taxes, property taxes, and even taxes upon selling the property. It would be best to consult with a competent tax professional as quickly as possible should you be fortunate enough to win.
Not to be a total downer, but the winner should at least get a summer of fun in Sonoma and walk away with a decent chunk of change, provided that the winner can handle or finance the associated title transfer and carrying costs.
Dream Big and keep on dreamin'. I'm sorry to all that some people thrive on squashing other's dreams. They won't be able to stop us! I encourage you to search the website and read the interview with the previous winner (police officer/03?) who explains the process he went through. Yes there were a lot of taxes, but he was very appreciative of HGTV and all of the support they provided. I'll be dreamin' until Sunday night (when they knock on MY door). Just kidding, good luck to all, have fun and KEEP DREAMIN'!
In God do i trust.
I hope that the prize ambush is a bit more memorable than last years.
Good Day to everyone! I’m new to this blog and I’ve enjoyed reading everyone’s comments.
I got unemployed recently and my significant other took me to Sonoma,CA to see the HGTV Dream Home last Valentine’s Day weekend. The community where the dream home is located is beautiful and peaceful. How I wish I’ll be the one they will call (still dreaming though). I took a lot of pics in case I don’t win. Good Luck and Congrats to the lucky winner. I hope I get invited for the celebration party,I’ll bring the wine. Good luck and keep on dreaming to everyone.
I keep talking about winning the HGTV dream home and even had an intern at my job go, “Do you really think you’re going to win?” I told her that I am realistic but that there’s a chance. Hmmm, maybe I’m talking about this giveaway a little too much. haha
Some people really know how to put a damper on things!
I know a lot of people would like to win, but I need this sssssoooooooooo bad. Please, Please, PLEASE!!! And thank you for even letting me register.
I think we’re all right twacked!
I have had so much fun reading all the blogs. God bless all of us! I’m looking forward to watching the winner on the 15th!!
I”m holding my breathe for the 15th and practicing my reaction when HGTV team shows up on my doorstep. Good luck to everyone anyways.
Let it be me-e-e-e! I look at the dream house everyday! Wanna win, wanna win, wanna win, gonna win, gonna win, have to win! Have to win! Have to win, have to win, have to win! Pray to win, Pray to win, Pray to win!
Let it be me-e-e-e-e-ee-e-e! ha. Good luck everyone!
Everyone has been so positive. It was so wonderful to see. I made copies of each blog, and placed them in a folder. Each day I would print the new blogs and placed them under my pillow in order to dream a little dream. Good Look To Everyone.
I hope God blesses someone in need of this house. There are so many deserving people out there. I pray God’s will be done! Good luck to you ALL! We will be praying for you. Thanks HGTV for this awesome opportunity!!!!!!!
Way Cool SandyGirl for sharing the dreamtime, and thanks EB for the reality check on the numbers.
Were practicing breathing…..the agony of anticipation!
Stay positive and dream big!
I really happy for who be the winner special now in this dificult times, buy If I be the lucky winner .I really really be crying andr crying fro happiness congratulation to the winner always god bless you.
I'm not stepping on your dreams, it's just a reality check. If your dreams are properly calibrated, then you can avoid the sweepstakes hangover. One lesson from the police officer (http://www.hgtv.com/dream-home/a-winners-tale/ind… is that he wished that he could have spent at least one night in the house. With good planning, you may be able to take a leave of absence to enjoy an extended stay in Sonoma before converting the property into cash. Driving away in a new vehicle and potentially $700k+ in cash would still be considered a worthwhile dream for most people. If you believe that the house and prizes are yours free and clear of obligations, you may want to think twice before flipping off your boss or telling off your current neighbors on national/international television.
This website gives a reasonable analysis of the situation for the grand prize winner.
http://contests.about.com/od/taxesfinances/a/hgtv…
With 39 million entries, I wouldn't lose too much sleep over it. But somebody has to win.
I see only mailed enteries. If I entered the contest thru internet, how was this processed. So that I have better opportunity for next year. Please explain the process for internet entery for the 2009 dream home. I DID HAVE FUN ENTERING, THANKS
Is the winner chosen on the 15th on air? How is it done? I understood that the winner would get the “surprise visit” at their home a couple of weeks prior to the 15th give-away so that it could be taped and aired then.
Just noticed that :comments for this post will be closed on 12 March 2010..surely they mean March 12, 2009!! Anyone else notice this??!!
It makes sense to me that the winner would have to be contacted a least 1 week prior to the 15th…to set up filming crew, make sure they are around and so on…I doubt that they just walk up on the 15th…I mean there are people around the country taking spring breaks!
I’ hoping like the rest of you, But Of course I am.
Like the rest of you ;selfishly hoping it’s me that they pick.
I however hope that the one they choose will
greatly be deserving.
Linda
I’ve been wishing also. I never win anything, but this could be a dawning of a new day. Good luck everyone. However, I think the selection has already happened. My back hurts sitting here so long.
I wish and hope for an actual suprise “ambush.” I was a bit selfish this year and didn’t pass along any invites for friends or family to enter, I do wonder if HGTV’s uses these as a way of contacting the winner and setting the ‘stage’. Oh well, I along with many others will continue to watch for that unusual car/van/truck to come motoring down the street followed by a camo’d camera crew on Sunday!! Good luck to all.
I hope they are considering me forhave not yet picked the winner
pick me… pick me….. pick me….puhleez pick me… I love you HgTv, really- thanks for the nitelite every night!
I would never sell this home, no matter what the taxes. If you want it bad enough, you WILL find a way to keep it. Dreams do come true, but sometimes extra action is required from you to turn that dream into a reality. (I know, I sound like a self help book, but it is true!)
I would like to know if there is a website or a place to go for information on how many people actually were able to keep the homes they won? I know a lot of the homes were sold, but I would like updates on all of the past winners, I think HGTV would do us a favor letting us know how happy these people were.
I know this question has been probably more than a million times. But in noticing the baskets full of envelopes. If I entered the 2009 dream home contest thru interent, how was my entry entered into the contest, what process was taken to ensure that my entery was entered into the large baskets in which I only see enveoples entries. Thanks so very much for this contest I enjoyed entereing and look forward to next year.
I have 3 days left to dream about the 2009 dream home. Can’t wait to start dreaming for 2010 dream home
I am use to taking care home likes these, I can only dream of living in a home like this. I believe dreams come true, Some one dreams is about to come true. Thanks HGTV for dreams
This is truly my DREAM HOME!!! I want to win.
ahhhh 15th is so near can’t wait any more… I wanna wish good luck to everyone out there who dreamt big and myself as well
whoever wins must be the most deserving one and i really hope its me 
please !!! let’s all sit tight by the door on the 15th 
pick me ppleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
hgtv would not notify the winner too early to risk it getting out and hurting ratings for the reveal show. besides in this day and age nothing is secret for long and if they notified the winner it would be out somewhere. they hire private investigators and local producers to find info on the winner and help plan the reveal so if you are going out of town chances are they already know. so just keep hoping and dont give up until sunday.
Boy! I sure hope a cleaning service comes with the house..it looks huge! I’m worried about all the taxes due on winning! The Publishers’ clearinghouse guy couldn’t find me, so hope HGTV will!! Meet him at the door with a cup of coffee in hand…and a smile you won’t believe!LOL
since we are all on this blog, waiting to see who wins the dream home? what is your fav. HGTV show? i like HOUSE HUNTER, also like HIDDEN POTENTAL. I post a comment on march 6th, and i am still waiting for the procedure’s to see if i have the cancer, or not. i am a hard working man, with a wife and kids. and to win this dream home would give releaf knowing my family have a home if anything bad happens to me. i pray and ask for something good to happen for my family for once, twice. no cancer, win home. if you read my other blog you will have a small idea of what my family has been through. i am sure i won’t win but i do wish the person that wins needs the home as much as we do. good luck to all.
My favorite show is “Finding Your Style” . . . what a great approach for decorators to take with clients. I would love to work with someone whose goal was to foster that kind of learning and discovery with me in my home!
I LOVE HGTV S??????? MUCHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! I CAN’T WAIT TILL MARCH 15TH, THIS SUNDAY COMING-UP. PLEASE, GOD BLESS YOU, LET ME THE WINNER OF HGTV!!!!!!!!! I REALLY REALLY NÊED THIS DREAM HOME!!!! G?OD LUCK EVERYONE, I LOVE YALLLLLL!!!!!!!!!
I haven’t done any spring cleaning or anything like that in preparation for any video cameras, no jinxing or something..My granddaughter has her toys everywhere and my youngest daughter and her friends have their crap all over the place too. and I look a mess… just hoping that thy will be surprised with me looking like I have the flu.. oh wait.. I do..lol…
Oh, thank you, HGTV, for the opportunity to dream big! Love the house, and would love to live there in my birth state! Good luck to everyone from this Virginia resident!
Thank You HGTV for the opportunity to join in with so many of your fans to possibly win this dream home. I usually enter at least once a year, but there was somthing special about this home and its community. I knew this was not for myself exactly, but for my soon to be 80 year old mother who needs to get out of Los Angeles and live in a senior friendly environment. Naturally this would be my house along with my husband and children. My mother has raised five children,thirteen grandchildren and for some reason is trying to raise four great grand- children. Hoping for the best for everyone. GOOD LUCK!