Some Final Words …
Good morning, bloggers!
Whew, what a night. Wasn’t the HGTV Dream Home 2009 Giveaway special great? I am thrilled for our HGTV Dream Home winner. My whole family was glued to the TV for the entire show. I have a few closing thoughts to share. First of all, THANK YOU to my HGTV Dream Home blogging family. It’s funny, but I really do think of you all as friends. I hope the last few months have inspired you to keep dreaming. In many ways, I feel as though I won the HGTV Dream Home because this whole experience has been a dream come true for me. I won’t be active on this blog anymore, but stick around because Mary will be posting updates about the 2010 location.
Second, I hope you will join me on the HGTV Green Home blog as we dream about the gorgeous eco-friendly home in Port St. Lucie, Fla. I am so excited to go behind the scenes and share the inside scoop with you.
Thank you for visiting the blog and posting your inspirational thoughts and questions. Keep dreaming!!
Your Super Fan,
Gail
PS: You did see the call for Super Fan 2010 video submissions, right? Send in those videos — next year it could be you 
Mary Alvarado- I completely agree! I grew up and still live in Western PA, specifically in the Ligonier Valley. I am just 40 miles away from Pittsburgh, and I have both the beautiful countryside and the Laurel Highlands surrounding me. I always considered Ligonier to be a little piece of Virginia in PA. This town is such a quaint, historic town. HGTV. . I think you’ll find that Western PA is a hidden gem!
p.s. Congrats to the Smith’s!
Thank you, HGTV, for giving us Gail as the HGTV Dream home super fan. I am one of her fans. Gail, I really hope you go on to bigger and better things, you deserve it!!
Thank you, also, HGTV for the whole Dream Home experience…though I must say I was a little obsessed this year. I live in Sacramento…so close and yet so far.
Congratulations to you Cheryl Smith! Enjoy your windfall!
Just saw my tape of last nite’s show. Wish I was moving to Sonoma, but so happy for the winner. Thanks for a great show, and just wanted to say I love what the Super Fan Gail Fenton brought to the show. I’m a real fan of the Super Fan! (Is there a contest for that?) Seriously, I hope we still get to see more of her. She has a wonderful ability to make us feel part of the whole thing, keeping us in the know, while entertaining us at the same time. She drew myself and many of my friends and co workers in. Thank you for that! Kay
Anne…I apologize for omitting Linda Woodrum’s name. Although Jack T. introduced us, I only saw her at the DH09 once.(out of sight/out of mind). There were so many people that made this Sonoma home so special,I really should name them ALL in alphabetical order…but I won’t!
It will be nice though to meet the Smiths when they visit our town. My guess is they won’t live in the home(too far from their children and grandkids),but they’ll walk away with a big chunk of change. Sonoma is a very friendly place, and when they arrive here,everyone will already know who they are…how weird would that be? Ingrid from Sonoma
Congrats to the winner!
I for one plan to keep on dreamin!!
Happy continued retirement, and thank you Gail for your hard work!
Thanks Gail, you did a great job! And thanks for keeping us abreast of as much as was possible during the entry time! Much obliged and loved all the videos
I’ve already tried to see your video on the Green Home, but it keeps hanging on me while it’s buffering. I’ll have to try it at a not so busy time or maybe when all the hoopla has died down.
Keep up the good work and thanks again HGTV for giving us hope and allowing us to dream away our worries, even temporarily – heck it’s less expensive than playing the lottery – wait a minute, it’s free! So no loss there!
On to the Green Home and looking forward to the hints/tips for the 2010 Dream Home!
Ciao
Gail is amazing, and I can’t believe she won’t be on this anymore. I think Gail should do the show. Gail is the reason I watch this period. I am a fan of this years super fan. Thank you Gail. Yeah
My sincere congratulations to the Smith family. Enjoy it all as you want to enjoy it and ignore those who are negative and hateful. I do have to admit I wish it had been me!
SO —– now I will dream about the Green Home. That part of Florida is so beautiful – I was born and raised in Florida. I sure wouldn’t mind winning a nice home there.
I see there is another Victoria blogging here now so I will have to change my blogging name to “Victoria from San Francisco”. I’m the blogger who posted photos I took from the tour of the DH on Flickr.
Hope the GH blog is as positive as this blog used to be. Green dreamin’!
To HGTV, their sponsors, and everyone involved in any way in designing, promoting, planning and building the Dream Home 2009:
THANK YOU! This year was my first time to enter, follow the progress, and dream about what might happen. It was so much FUN!
Congratulations to Cheryl Smith. Happiness is a wonderful feeling–enjoy!
Oh, and this is my first ever time to blog, but I wanted HGTV to know what a great time I had!
Thanks Gail, I can’t imagine anyone doing a better job!
I guess I don’t understand if the giveaway was live on Sunday night, how did you have footage of Cheryl, her family, and interviews with them in daylight that was posted on the website already the next morning at 6:00 am?
HEY Mcorallo you are one of those small bitter people! That was very mean to say
Gail, Awesome job being the first Super Fan, you set the bar high, we will always remember you.
BoBo – aka HGTV Super Dog, Gracee barks out a greeting and sends you a doggie kiss.
Continue to DREAM BIG! Never lose site of your dreams.
I need to respond to the person who said I was ignorant because I generalized that most wealthy people who could afford this house were probably not even watching HGTV or even aware of this show. I stand by my words. While there has been one (1) post of a person who lives in a million dollar house and her opinion about the dream house most people who have posted here have commented that HGTV needs to build a more realistic dream home that most of the United States residents can dream about and hopefully can live in if they were to win.
While I have never contended this Dream House is not beautiful, it is not realistic for the thousands of people who entered to win this house to be able to live in and enjoy. Most bloggers would have had to sell this house. Not to say doing that would still have set them up financially, if handled correctly, is that what this show intended??
We live in a country where our opinions are valid and not everyone agrees. With that being said, I do not in anyway consider myself a racist against any group of people anywhere in the world. And for someone who does not even know me to say such a thing, if even on a blog, is very disturbing.
I do have first-hand knowledge of the ‘wealthy’ lifestyle I commented about. The people I know and have talked with about their after-work habits and have spent time with them after work, had no knowledge of this show because mostly what they watch is news–if anything at all. Never intended to imply this was all wealthy people, just the ones I knew.
Happy Tuesday, Bloggers and other California dreamers (present and past). Congratulations again to Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
Unfortunately, there were a lot of negative and even profane comments (which proves our comments are not screened or censored)– some of which were so bad that they became comical
, but many of us wish you well. I believe “The List” joins me in that sentiment. I believe that it was Bonnie and Lovelykitty who warned us in December that comments turn brutal after the winner is announced.
I believe this quote by Robert Kiyosaki who says, “The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire, the size of your dream, and how you handle disappointment along the way.”
My only regret is that a North Bay California resident didn’t win (namely jealous me), which would have probably increased the chances of them staying in the house. But, it’s the Smith’s house to do however they choose. If they don’t want to stay there, I’ve got my eye on some items in the house that I would LOVE to purchase, but I’m sure that they’ll spend SOME time in that lovely house.
Gail,I loved you as Superfan and feel that you’ve done a great job.
Lovelykitty, JandVsmom, Jenny D, Bonnie B, Ingrid and Bobo, Katydid, are you all up for the SISBP? Lovelykitty, the date you gave April 12th is a Sunday not a Saturday – is that the date you’re suggesting to go play again in Sonoma? Please clarify.
So, who’s planning on auditioning for the 2010 DH Superfan? Mary, I’d love to see Gail’s initial auditioning video as well as her sharing any tips for success in that area.
Marie Miller and DBCoop, are you joining Gail on the Green House blog? Happy Dreaming, everyone – there’s always next year!
Big thank you to HGTV in hosting and making the sweepstakes available for all of us to enter. Allowing us to get caught up in the madness of the big dream. College basketball has its March madness and we have our sweeps March madness. It’s been fun. I so much appreciate the opportunity to win something grand. I sure hope during these economic times you’ll be able continue offering this event as a lot of us look forward to it each and every year. It’s a great way to get through those cold winter months (more wet out here in washington state), knowing the big giveaway means spring is around the corner! Look forward to 2010, please be in Sedona Arizo!!!!!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you
Belinda
Gail!! You did an amazing job as the Super Fan! My husband and I will certainly be tracking your updates on the HGTV Green Home Blog- looking forward to seeing you there! You really made us feel like we were part of the excitement- thank you
Please come do a show in Illinois!!
I think the winners sound and look like people who would love the SISBP and will fit in well with the local bloggers.
My daughter is 15 years old and have benn watching the HGTV home giveraway for the past five years. She ask me why black people don’t get picked for the giverway. I told her maybe they did not enter. She said it wasn’t fare for us to win an not them. This really got to me and I thought about and decided that I wasn’t going to allow her to pull the HGTV site any more plus I block all HGTV emails.
Brenda, how do we get together and start planning for the party? I emailed JennyD at her home email address but haven’t gotten a reply yet. Hope she’s okay.
Bonnie B, I believe you have my personal e-mail address as well as Lovelykitty and JandVsmom. I just we elect Lovelykitty as the party planner.
I’m wondering….doesn’t HGTV want to sponsor the SISBP? And,….do the winners want to be involved?
Kelly – to answer your question about why if the giveaway was live on Sunday night, how did you have footage of Cheryl, her family, and interviews with them in daylight that was posted on the website already the next morning at 6:00 am.
Well, It wasn’t “live”! It was “live on tape” from Monday (March 9th I think) and then shown to us on Sunday March 15th. Hope this helps.
My first Blog! I do like the HGTV Dream Home Message Board better though since the topics are categorized.
http://boards.hgtv.com/eve/forums/a/frm/f/4714002552
I’D LIKE TO TAKE BACK AN EARLIER SUGGESTION I MADE IN HASTE….about possibly doing a lesser priced house in each time zone…..I DO AGREE WITH MANY “LISTERS” WHO SAID “THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A “DREAMHOME” NOT JUST A HOUSE….I WAS JUST BRAINSTORMING WITH MYSELF LOL…GAIL, YOU HAVE DONE A PHENOMINAL JOB…AND WE THANK YOU…GLAD TO HEAR YOU WILL BE A PART OF THE GREEN HOME…..MY CONTINUED GOOD WISHES TO THE SMITHS….IT REALLY DOESN’T MATTER HOW “LIVE” the show was…there are technical and logistical matters involved in the production that we are not privy to…so let it go. I have. AGAIN….HATERS AND WHINERS….PLEASE LEAVE THE BLOG…..WE DON’T WANT TO HEAR IT…THIS IS A HAPPY PLACE AND IF YOU SPENT THE TIME TO READ ALL THE BLOGGING STILL POSTED YOU WOULD SEE HOW OUT OF PLACE THESE NEGATIVE COMMENTS ARE.!!!! I JUST WANT TO LET THOSE OF YOU OUT THERE UNDERSTAND THAT REAL ESTATE IN CALIFORNIA….LA, SF, AND MANY OTHER PLACES ARE MUCH MUCH HIGHER THAT MANY OTHER LOCATIONS IN THIS COUNTRY…SO IF SOMEONE HAS A HOUSE, SAY IN L.A. RIGHT NOW, EVEN WITH THE CURRENT ECONOMY, ONE MILLION DOLLARS CAN GET YOU A NICE THREE BEDROOM…NOT HUGE AND FANCY….THAT’S JUST THE WAY IT IS….FOR SOMEONE OWNING A MILLION DOLLAR HOME…CURRENTLY…..AND WANTING THE DREAM HOME IS PERFECTLY LOGICAL…AND AS SOMEONE MENTIONED THIS IS NOT A SHOW OR SWEEPSTAKES ABOUT FINDING A HOME FOR AN UNDERPRIVELEGED FAMILY….THAT DOESN’T MAKE IT BAD. OKAY…HGTV IS TO BE COMMENDED FOR WHAT THEY DO….AND YES…LIKE ANY SHOW THEY NEED SPONSORS TO DO THE SHOW…THAT’S SHOW BIZ FOLKS.. ((((hugs))) to my gals… Liz in L.A. (where houses cost a bundle)
Brenda, I didn’t get your email address that day (If I did, I’ve lost it!) nor Lovelykitty or JandV’sMom. The only one I had is for JennyD. I think making Lovelykitty the “chief” is good. I’m always happy being one of the “indians”!
You don’t have to “scream’ Lily-Beth (using CAPS). Yea, I like to see the haters and whiners go away also but…they won’t. On the HGTV Dream Home Message Board we always say – SOB (Scroll On By). Just ignore them and they actually do go away.
Personally I don’t want the Dream Home to be “affordable” and there are just too many other variables; location, just don’t want to move, don’t want another house, etc. I like the multi-million DH’s so that after I sell it, I’ll have some “dream” money.
Well said Lily Beth Reilly! A million dollars will buy you a modest home (1700-1800 sq ft.) on a postage stamp sized lot in Silicon Valley. The real estate market in CA is very unique. The two other markets I’ve seen that compare are Manhattan and Hawaii.
Hi Everyone!
Happy St. Patrick’s day to all our irish bloggers!!!
I’m not irish, but I too am seeing Green these days. Soon Spring will be upon us – tulips and hyacinths sprouting everywhere – and we now have the HGTV Green Home Sweepstakes to drool over. It’s simply beautiful and I’m loving the spanish-style design and red roof!
I can’t wait to start entering and blogging with the regulars – see you on the HGTV Green Home blog….
My sincere congratulations to Cheryl Smith and her family. May you enjoy each day living your dreams in your new home, or wherever you choose to live.
For all the Irish in us if you are a CD purchaser, pick up ‘Celtic Thunder’s’ CD. Great music and one of the singers is a youngster of 11 years old. My sixteen year old purchased for me and we all love it.
Haven’t checked, but probably also can listen to on the Internet. Enjoy the day. Spring is around the corner.
Lakeland Woman Wins HGTV’s Dream Home
http://www.theledger.com/article/20090315/NEWS/903164996
I wonder who the nine other finalists were?
Well, what can I say? I am recovering from the initial shock and realization of “Hey, you didn’t win!” But I am okay now and up and running. What did I tell you guys (original bloggers), didn’t I also say that the posts on here would get nasty and ugly after the winner is revealed? Just ignore them my sweets, and they will go away.
On a lighter note, thank you Gail for being the “Greatest Super Fan” ever! Just one concern though, you live close to the 2009 Dream Home, but how will you handle being a Super Fan for the Green Home in Florida? Well, I think HGTV will pay for all your travel expenses, right? Congratulations on also being the Super Fan for the Green Home. May you enjoy that gig as much as you enjoyed this one.
Congratulations to Cheryl Smith and her family! I hope this experience greatly enriches your life, whether you decide to live in the home or sell it, either way, you have “Struck Gold”. I hope you enjoy every minute of it.
Good luck ladies that are planning the SISBP, I won’t be there as I live 5 to 6 hours away and is just not feasible for me. However, I hope you guys have a wonderful time and have a glass of wine for me
As for the 2009 Green Home, I don’t know. I am a die hard West Coaster and I don’t think I can ever give up one coast for the other. As lovelykitty stated, “the Sonoma home is close to my heart because it is in my home state” and I will never love another home like this one. So if I enter, I will only enter the Green Home Sweepstakes with the intent on selling it after and I don’t know if that is fair.
As for all those who are bummed out about not winning, cheer up because HGTV will give away more homes, Dream Homes, Green Homes, and DIY gives away the Log(Blog) Cabin. And even if we don’t win, there are so many other things to look forward to in life. As New Jersey Gal stated, Spring is upon us and so many other beautiful and miraculous things around us if we just stop and take a moment to “smell the roses” we will see them.
My 8 year old saw the Dream Home giveaway with me and said, “We didn’t win, right mom?” and I said, “No son.” And you know what the little guy told me? He said, “You know mom, we already live in a Dream Home.” And you know what fellow bloggers? He is absolutely correct. As long as we fill our homes with love, we truly live in a Dream Home.
So goodnight and good luck to all and much love your way.
Bonnie B, I don’t want to post my email here after seeing all the nuts that has been on here lately, but I will email Jenny D again, and ask her to please give it to you.
Brenda, I think we can all be together in the planning. Don’t need any “chiefs”
. And I had the dates all mixed up. The winner’s weekend is the Saturday the 18th of April, and that is when I would like some of us to meet out there to play and then go by the Dream Home. We might be able to even invite them to the SISBP.
What do you think about that Bonnie B, Ingrid, and some of the other local bloggers?
I just wrote a long post, but it is “awaiting moderation”, so don’t know if it will get posted.
Bonnie B, I will email Jenny D and ask her to send you my email. Don’t want to post it here with all the nuts that has been posting lately.
They won’t let my post through. i think they are mad at me.
I’ve been a “lurker” these past few months. Bummer we didn’t win *grin*. But I just wanted to say CONGRATS to the Smith family and wish them all the best as they decide how to manage their good fortune. I had soooo much fun entering daily, dreaming, and checking out the house in all it’s splendor. I look forward to DH2010. Oregon or Washington state sure would be beautiful places to consider for the next one! Yeah I’m not subtle
)
Thanks for the responsed to my question on the “live” taping. Good to know in the future. Won’t spend time that day worrying if I had showered or if the house was clean. LOL.
Congratulations to the winner and her family. It is indeed a Dream Home! And thank you to HGTV for the opportunity to win it and for all their wonderful shows that I enjoy watching.
Congratulations to the dream home winners, and many thanks to Gail for keeping all of us so well informed with pictures and interviews. Your contributions made the wait this year much more enjoyable.
Lovelykitty, Brenda, JennyD, Ingrid & BoBo, JandV’sMom, the blog entry above from -K- has a link to the Lakeland newspaper that says that the winners will be visiting the house “next month”. Wouldn’t it be cool if it was on the weekend of April 18th??
-K-, I think that there were not really nine other “finalists”. Telling the winners-to-be that they were one of 10 finalists was just a ruse to make sure they would be available for the ambush.
2Cherubs~what you said is so right! <3
Hi Bonnie B…
According to the HGTV Rules for the DH in the Grand Prize Winner Notification section, it will be “on or about April 16, 2009″.
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv-dream-home-2009-giveaway-rules/package/index.html
Thank you Mr.or Ms. Moderator
for removing the offensive comment of “H”
Now on with some clues as to where the dream home 2010 will be
All that you accomplish or fail to accomplish with your life is the direct result of your thoughts.
James Allen
Circumstances do not make the man, they reveal him.
James Allen
Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so you shall become. Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil.
James Allen
When I first saw the floor plans for the 2009 Dream Home I was so exited! I thought they were perfect and I could not wait for the finale results. Boy! Was I disappointed! I’m not a sore loser because I did not enter even once to win this home since it was so far away from where I call home. I am happy for the winner since all that really matters is they love the home but I do feel the disign team really dropped the ball this time! As for the winner being notified on LIVE t.v., It’s not live! I learned that last year!!!
Doesn’t anyone else think it a bit strange that the winner of this year’s Dream Home was not actually watching HGTV on Sunday night to see if they had won the house? When the door opened their TV was not on HGTV. That can only mean that they knew ahead of time & the whole “ambush at the door” is set up ahead of time. Too bad. A surprise needs to be a true surprise. Come on HGTV creative folks. . .you can do better than that!!!
Don’t forget friends, to come post on over to the “Dream Home message board” also. We would love to meet all of you! Not to used to the BLOG yet. The message boards have been here forever tho.
Please go to http://
boards.hgtv.com/eve/forums/a/frm/f/4714002552
See ya there!
Don’t forget friends, to come post on over to the “Dream Home message board” also. We would love to meet all of you! Not to used to the BLOG yet. The message boards have been here forever tho.
Please go to
ht tp://
boards.hgtv.com/eve/forums/a/frm/f/4714002552
See ya there!
Vote for how you like to post there.
Well the 2 million dollar home is won and the person says she can’t afford the car! Here is how it breaks down:
Federal tax on prize alone-$787,812
California state tax-$208,465
(these are must pay taxes)
If she doesn’t have that on Apr 15, 2010- capital gains tax after sale-$215,895 plus fed and state tax. Total tax bill: $1,212,172!!!
I am a California tax accountant.
Why don’t they make it affordable like say $350,000? Then everyone should be able to handle it without the incredible tax bills! Lets hope she can sell it for $1.2 Mil!!
To Winefan:
I am curious. If you are not a resident of CA at the time of the drawing nor do you establish residence in the current year, how can CA slap a CA income tax on the winner? Seems to me, you would pay income tax to your residental state. The dream home was not purchased so there should not be a “sales tax”. I can understand owing property taxes.