Extreme Makeover destroys a decent house
geoffhazel
| Posted in General Discussion on
I’m watching Extreme Makeover Home Edition, “the Akers family” show now and they needed a house without stairs. EMHE totall destroyed a perfectly good house! I can understand when they bulldoze a place that’s falling apart, or has mildew or rot, but a sound house just destroyed and shredded.
Why not sell the house and use the money to buy a lot somewhere close to build a replacement home?
Don’t they stand for “green” principles? How “green” is it to destroy a functional house?
Sorry.. it’s making me nuts.
Replies
Some of the houses they tear down are better than mine.
That show bugs the heck out of me. Its like "Hey, you just won a brand new house, fully furnished, mortgage paid, and we'll throw in these brand new SUVs" Then everybody starts crying. Come to think of it, I'd probably cry too!
most.... maybe all of those makeovers have turned out bad... most of those people have borrowed money on the homes and lost them... same with habitat here... they changed it now by holding a second for a number of years but the first 20-30 habitat homes here all the folks that got em... went and got equity loans and lost em... some purchased escalades... some used the home to stand for bail.... they always blamed the lender.... no one ever asked "what did you do with the money"
no good deed goes unpunished.... seems to be the norm...
for years i adopted people... my wife use to tell people i had so many grown children because I'd take in anyone homes... vets... ect... ... find em jobs ...housing.... cars ... ect... not one or two... but maybe a dozen over time.... most came back to rob me... or steal from me... none were any better off after i stopped the support... none ever learned to care for themself... most are now in jail or dead i guess... when i stated have'n kids of my own i wound down on have'n kids that i didn't produce...
I'm sure there are success stories out there... I just have never been knowing a part of it... providing jobs to those that wish to work is now the best i can do... i STILL HAVE THE URGE ... to teach others how to have resources and show them the way... but i resist that urge ... and just try to raise my kids
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Just to give you the other side of the coin.
Town of Hempstead, Long Island, New York has had a housing program for 20 years or so.
They partner with Church's, business, habitat, etc. and build 20 homes and renovate / improve a few hundred more every year.
For the new homes they screen people, then hold a lottery. To get one you agree to own, maintain, and live in it for ten years. You also must be a citizen.
They get it for much less then market value, and get a very good mortgage rate. Once they take possession, they pay the bills. The Town follows up to see that the terms are maintained.
They say that they've yet to have a default in 20 years. buic
they build the big new house, the property tax goes up and they lose the house.
it's better here now also... before you get a home you have to attend courses in money management... home maint... you have to learn about loans and interest... and paying bills on time... how to balance a check book... simple things they should teach in HS... then they (habitat) hold a large second mortage... that is forgiven after 10yrs (i think)... this has helped alot... which is all good... hard to blame someone who never had a clue... and expecting them to educate themself on home ownership was a reach...
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Goes back to something I was told long ago, "you'll always have more appreciation for something you've earned as opposed to something you didn't".
I dont care what anyone says, some people were meant to be poor. Some just dont have the mentality to maintain wealth once they get it.
Ask the average person what they would do with lottery winnings. The majority will not say they will buy something to sustain the wealth, they'll tell you about the new house and car they'd buy.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
You have the wrong view of EHMO. Look at it as a TV show. To make money for the show and the company that does the onsite work.
The families are only vehicles to that end. What will get ratings? Family with a sad story? yep, you betcha. That'll pull ratings. They have a house on a big lot? Yep. That'l help with the production trailers and subs staging logistics.
It is only peripherally about the families. The families are a means to an end. The trades are a means to an end.
Make $$ for EHMO. That is the primary goal.
(can you tell I'm jaded by an experience with EHMO?)
The company I used to work for did one of the Philly ones.
I am glad I had resigned about 1 1/2 years prior.
I knew most all the trade contractors also.
The company got a lot of free advertizing but I am not sure they got much business out of it. They are super slow now, just like most everyone else and did not get a bump in their business.
It was cool for people to say they were involved but if you were to interview the contractors on the project, they all say pretty much the same thing.
It was really neat, it cost me a fortune that I will never get back (none of the trade contractors are allowed to have their own shirts or anything on, the excavation contractor had to block out all his lettering on his trucks and heavy equipment (real nice clean and lettered equipment) and there is not a single plug for all the people who did all the work)
And the contractors say they will never do it again.
I think it is a great gig for the tv show and am pretty sure that the only ones who come out ahead is the network.