Mar
15
Are You Watching?
Hi, it’s Mary here. Tell me what you’re thinking right now. I’m sitting in my living room watching the giveaway show. So exciting!
Hi, it’s Mary here. Tell me what you’re thinking right now. I’m sitting in my living room watching the giveaway show. So exciting!
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Are these contests really fair – are you sure they are not rigged???
I think its a trend, it’s middle aged and retired prople who usually win except for the lady last year who seem like she wasn’t that happy, sp maybe next time will be either a black, hispanic or legal immigrant. Got to sleep It was a good thing I didnt quit my job yet
Happy 4 the winner even though it wasn’t me!
I too have a complaint that this is really not a “LIVE” broadcast. So even though I live not a 4 hour drive from the new Dream home, I had to find out through the internet before the TV broadcast that the winner was another East Coast person! And with the 3 hour delay this is truly not a live broadcast!
Why I don’t know…. It’s not that hard to do with the modern technology that is available. So next year HGTV please make it a live broadcast!
See I’m not complaining that I didn’t win, I don’t win anything, so this is nothing new. My only complaint is that its not LIVE but a 3 hour delay…
Thank you HGTV for doing the Dream home giveaway, at least for 12 months I can dream about “What If”
ChrisW
This was easily the best give away episode ever. I like how it was kept calm and simple, unlike past years. Thanks!
DO people really win no matter how they spin it. That’s why they don’t do the Publishers game anymore. The people that won always had nice homes, cars etc.
I live in Sonoma it’s a great place and we will try and welcome “outsiders”. Congratulations to the winners, your taxes on the property is due in April and we need the revenue.
first off, congrats to the winner! That is so awesome! But I will never enter into a sweepstakes with HGTV again, every year my husband and I have entered. And its always an older couple that wins or someone on the east coast with it always being set up and fake circumstances (cheesy), HGTV you are jerks for leading us all on like this every year on the west coast. Truly unfair and a retarded sweepstakes! Just one big lie to get people to tune in and make money off all our broken dreams. They do background checks and screen the winners, so this is obviously a setup. such CRAP! I am done with HGTV, and the media’s lies. Although I am very very happy for the winners, and I admit to being very envious, of course. It was obviously meant for them. Mainly perturbed at the producers and show ethics. I hope they know how expensive it is to live in California especially the wine country, its not cheap along with the huge tax payouts! They will probably sell it back to HGTV anyways. congrats to HGTV another disappointing year with a cheesy sweepstakes.
Hey there Gary I just wanted to let you know why I responded the way I did with my first blog even though I know I really don’t have to. I wasn’t necessarily speaking just to you, but to all of the people that were complaining about the winners and you were actually one of the people so I can understand your being offended by what I wrote. If you had just said about the HGTV thing than I think I can understand your frustration a little bit. I also thought it was going to be live and I was disappointed that it wasn’t, but oh well I figured their a business and they gotta do what they gotta do..won’t stop me from watching my shows…lol.
This is what you wrote:
I cannot believe that HGTV keeps deceiving all of us by telling us that the show is live when it is NOT! Thank you to the persons who discovered that it was taped last week.
By the way, how many winners does that make for Florida now? The 2009 winners don’t appear to be in need of another home, but who knows. I wonder what is in that BIG storage building of theirs???
I’m not sure how many winners Florida has had in the 13 years they’ve been doing this, but when I’m done eating my late dinner I will research for you and let you know unless you already do (even though you didn’t mention the number). Also…..who really needs another home? Nobody really unless they choose to by one or by the grace of GOD WIN ONE!!! These people were just like everyone else…they wanted to win and they entered and they did. Do you own your home? If you do would you be telling yourself that you didn’t need to win and give it to someone that was maybe renting? I’m not mad at you at all just curious. Sometimes we are so quick to judge the blessings of others’ because we want them for ourselves and than we spend our whole lives wondering why we always got the short end of the stick. I believe it’s because we’re never satisfied with what we have and we’re always looking at what other people have and judging them and than we just miss a world of opportunity. I don’t want this for anyone!! I bet your blessing is right around the corner you just need to keep your eyes open and look for it:) I really thought I was going to win and I actually cried like a dork because I didn’t, but you know what??? I know there’s a blessing for me and that just wasn’t it (though I dreamed about it). Let’s not worry about what people have in their storage units, let’s worry about what they have in their hearts and wish them all the best……they really do deserve it! God Bless you Mr. C and I hope you keep your head up!
Super excited for that sweet lady and her husband! They looked like nice people who lived a clean, hard-working life- just enjoying their retirement. She was gracious and appreciative. So happy for her and her husband!!
Read the blogs while watching on TV. (West coast) Cheryl seems truly happy and I’m happy for her and her husband. They have until April 15th of next year to come up with the income taxes. Don’t know when the property taxes will be due.
I hope they and their family have an opportunity to stay in the house a few times before they have to put it on the market. I also hope that Steve Ledson would still be willing to purchase it if they have used it for awhile.
I’m very happy for them. I am in the same category as the winners, retired, fairly affluent, and white and I find the
comments of many of the bloggers appalling. Jealousy is a tool of the devil.
Congratulations to the winners and to the sore losers, that’s what you are, losers.
jerry
The dream home as we all know is beautiful…but my opinon is that to all those that are complaining and feel the need to state how the winner should have been chosen, you can’t be too upset. God has a plan for all of us and for the over 39million of us that didnt win we can only look forward to and continue to dream of what is in store for our futures. The greatest blessings of all are not material things, regardless to how expspensive and gorgeous they may be. True blessings are family, friends, our health and the way we positively live our lives. Let’s remember that. I am a 22 year old single mother of two who entered the contest daily and of course was dissappointed when i realized that i hadn’t won, but with that being said I’ll be darned if i get on here gripeing about not winning. I am happy for the couple that did win and I hope that they enjoy living in California just as much as I do. God Bless everyone.
Did you guys see the videos of the winners answering the bloggers questions? They mentioned you Marie Miller in the second part!!!! Wohoo! I haven’t seen all the videos because the buffering is taking forever!
They have been entering daily for the past 10 years!!!!!! WOW!!! It sounds to me like it was their turn to win! I just hope I don;t have to wait another 9 years to win my dream home!!!!
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv-dream-home-2009-giveaway-enter/package/index.html
Well said again Stephanie!
Hi All…I watched it again, and was disappointed that Cheryl Smith never said “thank-you”. I’ve been reading this blog forever, and most of the bloggers have said,”thank you for the chance to win”…and yet the actual winner doesn’t thank HGTV???
Oh well, let’s hope she was tongue-tied and meant to. Ingrid from Sonoma
Dear hgdtv (all of you)
I am so very happy for the lady who won that beautiful dream home!:) I don’t know how many times I wrote hoping it would be me. However there is always next year! I love that you won this beautiful home! It is truly the most beautiful home I have seen although anything hdgtv does is outstanding and they have the most talented people on the planet. My best to you and enjoy every moment of this gift from God. I am truly happy for you and your family! God Bless You.
I have learned through this process that wishing is never enough! I am goiong to get a house like that through working! My husband and I are in school, and we are really poor right now, but I have learned to be happy where I am at while keeping my ambition alive. you don’t have to have a dream house to have a happy home!!!!!!
Cheryl,
You seem like such a nice bubbly person and I am really very happy that you won the house and the car! It is beautiful and that area is exceptional! May God bless you and your family and enjoy every moment that you are winner and all that goes with it! I am happy for you and your family.
Congrats to Cheryl and her family for winning the DH09! I had to tuck my son in, so I missed the show, but I will watch the re-run (I knew the bloggers would fill me in).
It was wonderful to dream of living in Sonoma and the house was truly my taste and style. Kudos to HGTV for a classy project, especially Gail, who was sincere, charming, and funny.
Now….when is the SISBP?????
So..I am guessing it was not live this evening since the tape they have of them with their family was shot in the daytime. Very confusing…Am I missing something? Did we all sit on the edge of our seats for nothing tonight?
I don’t want to burst anybody’s bubble, but this probably wouldn’t be the best prize for a retired couple to accept. First of all, if they are on Medicare or are recieving anything from Social Security they will lose those benefits. Then at the first of 2010 they will have to pay 35% Federal Income tax and 10.3% CA state income tax on the ARV of $2,052,450 for a total of $929,760 in taxes, not including the $25,000 anual property taxes; half due next month and the other half due in December. And if they can’t afford that and wish to take out a mortgage to pay for the taxes the monthly payment on that would be $8,792 per month, or so. And if they decide to sell the house within the first two years of owning it there would be a 35% federal capitol gains tax + 10.3% state capitol gains tax on the sales price of the house (assuming it’s $1,800,000) for a total of $815,400 in taxes. Leaving them with $307,290 minus any other taxes and fees they may need to pay after its all said and done. The reason I know all of this is because of the career I have. I help people get the most out of their assets.
I was in tears watching the excitement of Cheryl Smith and her husband. It was wonderful to see an older couple receive this home. I’m a loyal fan, and this location and home is beautiful! It is such an impact on a family the home the memories are made in. This home will produce beautiful memories to there family and friends.
Bonnie thanks so much for posting the tax implications of winning this fools-sweepstakes. I seriously doubt these poor people will ever set foot in the “dream house”.. pretty sad. It all comes down to advertising dollars, 39 million entries?? how many add sales dollar via the internet did hgtv make I wonder?
rather Kevin.. sorry
I was in tears watching the excitement of Cheryl Smith and her husband. It was wonderful to see an older couple receive this home. I’m a loyal fan, and this location and home is beautiful! It is such an impact on a family the home the memories are made in. This home will produce beautiful life long memories to their family and friends.
LOL…Wow Kevin you need to be my tax guy!!!! Thanks for the awesome breakdown! It’s like we all knew we’d have to pay taxes on it if we’d won, but I think the guessitmate was like $700k. You sound like you know what your talking about..thanks for the reality check!
Please, PLEASE, do not take this contest too seriously!! Do not get upset because you will need all of your marbles for what’s coming this week. IMO, this is all about MARKETING. Here are some questions I have. Why was the sweet lady wearing a red shirt advertising “Coca Cola”? and the red perfectly matched the presenter’s red dress? Instead of millions (zillions?) of entries (as they graphically showed this time) why not have everybody just enter “once” to give everybody better possibilities of winning?
By the way, we are blessed with a large home and grounds (paid off)in Southern CA by following what’s in the B.I.B.L.E. (Best Instruction Before Leaving Earth). Blessings to you all!
My, how this fun happy Blog has changed
. Every year!! 
Ingrid, it was fun to see you on the give-away! Did you know you were going to be on it?
The only reason I knew that the winner was from Florida and had already been ambushed, is because her next door neighbor came on the message board and told us.
He was probably banned for doing that.
I thought it was a pretty good show. Short and sweet.
I am just so happy that we finally had a Dream Home in California and I got to go see it some many times
. What a lot of fun it has been.
I would love to be able to be there when the winner is presented with the Keys to the house.
Oh, want to let some of you know that there has been a winner from California.
But more people live on the East coast then the West coast, so of course there will be more people from that part of the country entering.
And PLEASEEEEE people..let’s not go there with the “race” thing.
I guess I am not really dissapointed because I have met so many FUN people here, and it has been grrrreat!!
And I live in California, and there are so many great little towns here.
Now time to plan the SISBP
!!
My last comment is “awaiting moderation”. (This blog closes tomorrow!)I’ll try again but my last one was more meaningful. I pray that you will all have your “Dream Homes” soon. We have a large dream home and land in So. CA (paid for) by following what’s in the B. I. B. L. E. (Best Instructions Before Leaving Earth). Blessings to you all!
Ingrid, It was you for a few seconds, did you have to sign a release to have your 3 seconds of fame? I really hope that the original SISBP does happen, I saw some new blogs from Santa Rosa, and Marin. Thank you for telling people about it. I hope it turns out to be the exciting party everyone was talking about, and not a “Whine tasting Party” like the blog looks like tonight. If people could just have felt the love in that hotel that day, I am sure a lot of people would make the journey to attend. I hope you will get to attend the official party hosted by HGTV at the DH. Now that your famous and all, I didn’t see, was BoBo in the shot? If you do get an invite, please tell us all about your new neighbors. I hope to be returning soon to visit with Lovelykitty, Brenda and hubbies. I will most likely be going with just Bitts, so I will probably make 2 trips, 1 with and 1 alone. I know Bitts would Love to meet BoBo. I hope to see you soon, and I saw that Brenda is starting talk about the Where and Whens of making the party happen. Good Night
You are only half right, Kevin. The income tax is only paid on the winnings. The real estate tax is going to be deferred for one year. And the mortgage payment would be closer to 5,000 or 6,000 a month. Capital gains tax is ONLY paid on an investment, not in this situation.
why is it that it is always a person that already has a nice home that wins, when there are people that really need a home never win, and I agree that it is also always the people on the east coas that win never us on the west coast or pacific coast.
I think it is funny to compare the comments before they select the winner with the ones here after they select the winner. A lot of people are just as sweet before as they are after, but there are a few sore losers out there.
I am so happy for the winner and her husband. They must be so excited right now.
I noticed that there were videos with answers to bloggers questions, but the last video about the green home won’t work for me. It freezes a third of the way through. PLEASE fix it HGTV!!! I am starting to get excited about the green home now, and I wanted to see that sneak peak.
Hi cheryl, This is Price and congladulations to you and your husband on your new HGTV Dream Home of this year and good luck with the taxes and everything there and enjoy life while you can and i’m so happy for you guy’s. Thanks Price Hallman
I am so happy for the couple!! I can not believe all the sour grapes about the winners. I wanted to win also, but it’s the
luck of the draw, and I am happy for them.
As far as people questioning how they could afford the taxes, I do not think most of us on this blog could afford the taxes.
CONGRATS TO THEM !!!
Thank you for the dose of reality, Kevin Potter! Detailed tax liability info should be included in the entry form, even if only in the fine print. Entrants should be made aware of their liability BEFORE deciding to enter what is seemingly otherwise a “DREAM” home, which, should they win,” could undoubtedly become their “Nightmare Home.”
Of course, even if HGTV did disclose the tax liability, some people will still continue to think they can “get something for nothing,” as is evidenced by the state of our current economy, wherein the “it’s all about me” attitude thrives and so many people continue to live so far beyond their means! Can you say “bailout”???
CONGRATULATIONS SMITH FAMILY,
I’m very happy for you. I know you were thrilled and overwhelmed by the surprise. I know I would have been. May the money from this house put you on “easy street” for a long time to come. May God bless your family.
For anyone who said they could afford the house, now is the time to step up and bid for it.
I’ll bet every one of you complaining about how it was done would not have cared one bit at all about the ambush not being live if you had won! Would you be calling HGTV liars and saying you hate them? You’re just upset that you didn’t win. Please don’t allow this negativity to eat away at you, it’s not healthy. We all had fun dreaming. No one is forced to enter. I think if you don’t like the way it is done that you shouldn’t enter, it will better my chances for next year!
How come no one has mentioned that it couldn’t have been a surprise because she was given a brand new COKE shirt to wear for the filming. It seemed like an obvious product placement to me. Otherwise, if she had just happened to have this brand new shirt on, the producers legally have to smudge the logo onscreen because logo shirts can’t be worn without the permission of the company in spots like this… If it had been live, it would have said LIVE on the bottom of the TV.
They specifically used wording, that sweepstakes promoters often use of “check to see if you’re a/the winner”, which misleads people into thinking the winner notification would be live (during the 8pm eastern time slot Sunday). Its often stated that way to drive web traffic for increased numbers, or this time to get higher ratings for the giveaway show. They never said it was a live event show, like when they had a studio audience with Clive and Joan doing the “ambush” live.
However if you read the blog this past week someone scooped an HGTV camera crew lady’s baby blog where she mentioned somewhere a few days ago, “we wrapped up the host part in Sonoma” (the part when Monica was filmed) and “I have to hop a plane Sunday to film the winner and I don’t know where I’m going yet”
I agree with the post Bob posted about building more affordable housing and letting more people win each year instead of a house that is so ridiculously expensive the winner is not going to be able to live in it. Let’s hope they can sell quickly or is going to bankrupt them anyway.
While a beautiful house not the type of house I would even think of as being a dream house for myself and my family because I know we could not afford to keep it. In this economy or any economy just because you can build a house and furnish it–doesn’t mean you can live in it comfortably for any length of time.
HGTV please get real and think of the ‘normal’ person out there. A home that is between $175-225,000 and even less than that is more in keeping with what a normal family MAY be able to afford.
My question is, why don’t they are pick single people? Do you have to be married to win a house? Well, I suppose you could just lump me in with the rest of the complainers- ‘why don’t they ever pick… fill in the blank– a black person, a young person, a poor person, a person from the west coast’ etc etc etc. OK- my Sonoma dreams are dashed– moving on!
Lovelykitty, Brenda, JandV’sMom, Ingrid and Bobo, (the missing)Jenny D and her mom Betty… well, we didn’t win but we’re able to be ecstatic for the winners! It’s sad to hear the bashing of HGTV and the winners from those who are unappreciative of all that this wonderful contest provided us. As JandV’sMom said, we who met in Sonoma because of this contest, felt the love. I have sent off my congratulatory card to the Smith’s with a “picture of a dead president” in it! I am ready to start planning the party with all of you. I hope the winners are interested in planning it with us. It would be great to have them at the party and be able to congratulate them in person. I look forward to hearing more about the plans soon.
Bonnie B
Congrats to the winner! When I saw that it wasn’t my state I still couldn’t turn it off because I was waiting to see if she was a Dream Home blogger but I don’t think she was. I don’t see anywhere where it says it is a LIVE recording. Could it be that they tape it live? I don’t know but I had a lot of fun getting to know everyone! I hope to see you guys Dreaming for the 2010 Dreamhome on the blog!
To the people who are complaining that this lady already had a beautiful home….well come on! I here that from my kids all day….( she got a bigger piece of cake…no I didn’t his is bigger!) It is CONTEST folks! Don’t be a sore loser! How do you know she doesn’t rent her home? Even if someone already had a million dollar house they have every right to enter and to win just as you and I are.
Love you!
Anita
To all the “Ladies of the Ledson Hotel”. No, I had NO idea that I would be on the give-away show last night! I was so surprised to see my(goofy)smile! Too bad cutie-pie BoBo didn’t make the final cut. Oh well, I think our “15″ minutes of fame have come to an end.
It’s been a kick, and I’ll keep everyone posted if there’s any changes at the DH once the Smith Family arrives. Do I see a garage sale outing in my future? Ingrid from Sonoma
i am jelous of the winner. i was thinking that iwas the winner
Dear HGTV – I am VERY ashamed to read some of the posts today on this blog. I cannot believe the (NO pun intended) “sour grapes” attitudes some folks have!!! It’s incredible. I just want everyone at HGTV to know that it is NOT a consensus here! Thank you HGTV, and sponsors, for the fabulous time you have given all of us. Keep up the GREAT work. Don’t mind the few people NO ONE can ever please!!
Did the other dream house get this kind of bad comments after the winner was announced? Just curious.
Who cares if it was a doctor, judge, CEO of a company that won this house, they won it because they entered a contest which was open to all to enter and meet the qualifications to win.
Congrats.
Congratulations to the Smiths! May you enjoy these coming days of constant excitement and whirlwind decisions!
I don’t understand how any one can afford this house. The taxes have to be ourageous. And as some one else commented on, how in the world will these people pay the taxes on this house? How will they be able to pay the taxes on the car they won???? Since you spend OVER $2 million on ONE house, why not build 4 houses for about $500,000? And in different parts of the country. I think is is terrible that only one person can win. How do you think some one who is poor is going to fit into a neighborhood like that? They will be shunned!!!! You people that run this aren’t very smart.
Kevin Potter – I need an advisor like you is there anyway I can get your contact info? I’m in So Cal. Are you a member of myspace, facebook, etc? Thanks
I been given such inspiration because of the graciousness of this years winner to continue my quest to enter every contest HGTV wants to give away.New hopes and dreams forever. So happy for the winners I truely beleive they were the right ones. Keep up the good work HGTV. I would like to know when we see them visit their dream home in Sonoma? Got my calender marked for the contest to start on the GREEN DREAM. My life is far from dull, most times there is not enough time in a day for work, family, HGTV, housework, laundry, yard work, and on and on. But I’m not going to miss out on the HGTV DREAM and enter and have a good time with it. Love you all!! BIG DREAMER