TVCH FORUMS HOME . JOIN . FAN CLUBS . DONATE . CONTACT . CHAT  
                  Quick Links   TOPICS . TREE-VIEW . SEARCH . HELP! . NEWS . PROFILE
Archive through May 02, 2005

Reality TVClubHouse Discussions: Home Improvement Show ARCHIVES: Extreme Makeover: Home Edition ---with Ty - 2004-2007: Archive through May 02, 2005 users admin

Author Message
Roxip
Member

01-29-2004

Monday, April 11, 2005 - 8:39 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Roxip a private message Print Post    
I love the fact that they kept the integrity of the historic home, even while making it so beautiful. And I just love hearing the Cajun accent - great episode!

Twiggyish
Member

08-14-2000

Tuesday, April 19, 2005 - 2:44 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Twiggyish a private message Print Post    
I just read this article posted in another thread:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7320260/

They have a clever way of getting around taxes!



Mamie316
Member

07-08-2003

Monday, April 25, 2005 - 1:45 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mamie316 a private message Print Post    
I think that I loved the outside of this home last night, even more than the inside! It was just gorgeous!

Scout
Member

01-20-2005

Monday, April 25, 2005 - 1:56 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Scout a private message Print Post    
I think so, too, Mamie. I would just love to sit out on that porch. It was so inviting.

I really liked the little boy's space room. The ceiling was amazing.

Fruitbat
Member

08-07-2000

Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 9:20 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Fruitbat a private message Print Post    
I am not a fan of this show and have only seen an entire episode twice.

Last night they built a beautiful house in a town, so rundown, that it stunned me. The downtown appeared to be deserted.

The mother worked 3 jobs to support their life style in a tiny shelter with mimimal operating costs. Though her husband has epilepsy he could certainly be a janitor or dish washer or anything meanial to bring in some money if the town had a business that had that kind of work to offer.

Their house has NO resale value in the sea of crumbling shacks.

What happens to these families when the show pulls away and they are left with an expensive house to maintain?

Tabbyking
Member

03-11-2002

Friday, April 29, 2005 - 9:44 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Tabbyking a private message Print Post    
often they are energy efficient as far as solar for most everything. sometimes the mortgage is paid off. sometimes the kids are given college tuition money.
i only know of one couple who couldn't 'afford' the house when it was done. it was one of the first families and things have changed since then, probably because they ended up not being able to afford the house.
i do worry about the cars they give, though. do you know what insurance costs on a new vehicle, especially if you have teenage driver(s)?!! i pay over 4k a year for my son and 2k a year for my daughter. he is almost 20 and she is 17...

Tabbyking
Member

03-11-2002

Friday, April 29, 2005 - 9:49 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Tabbyking a private message Print Post    
as far as being epileptic, he would not able to drive in the state of california until he had been 2 straight years without a seizure. if he were operating any machinery, such as floor waxing equipment, he could be in trouble if he had a seizure during work.
it's too bad they can't find him something to do at home...stuffing envelopes for non-profit groups, recording books on tape, etc.
i agree that the town was not much, but they really did live in deplorable conditions. i expect they will stay in the house for many years. there is a codicil of some sort, i heard, (from the same man who is in production and told me one family lost their home) whereby they can't sell the house for so long a time.
if i got a gift like that, i would hang onto it forever!

anyway, they do usually give something major to help the families keep their new homes...

Fruitbat
Member

08-07-2000

Saturday, April 30, 2005 - 3:32 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Fruitbat a private message Print Post    
Thanks Tabby. What is the family who lost their house doing now and how did they lose it?

Twiggyish
Member

08-14-2000

Saturday, April 30, 2005 - 6:50 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Twiggyish a private message Print Post    
Here's how they take care of taxes.. this was posted from the article I placed above (you have to scroll the page to find it)

_______________________________________________

Q: Some (let’s be honest here - ALL) of the makeovers on “Extreme Makeover - Home Edition” cost big bucks to accomplish. Do the recipient families have to pay federal income taxes on these windfalls? —Jackie

A: Families who cried on camera when introduced to their newly renovated homes on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” and similar shows might have been crying again last week, when federal income taxes were due. That’s because the renovations done to the house — and paid for by producers and sponsors — are taxable.

But don’t worry too much about the families, at least those who’ve participated in the two big renovation shows. The producers who changed their lives do their best to shield them from an unbearable tax burden. Variety reported last week that producers for “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” have “an innovative scheme” for getting around the tax burden. Basically, the show leases the house for two weeks. That makes all of the changes and improvements tax-exempt. That sounded sketchy to tax professionals who talked to Newsweek. But a year later, Endemol exec David Goldberg told Variety, “we haven’t had any issues with it.”

FOX’s copycat show, “Renovate My Family,” also deals with the same issue. But instead of sidestepping taxes, they send a 1099 form to the families. One family found out that their renovations were worth $529,148 — income they’d have to pay taxes on. But Rocket Science isn’t leaving them hanging; the company is paying the taxes, “offering $215,000 to cover their tax liabilities,” Variety reported. —A.D.


Fruitbat
Member

08-07-2000

Saturday, April 30, 2005 - 2:01 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Fruitbat a private message Print Post    
That little sidestep they do comes out of our pockets I see. Ok, now I hate this show for yet another reason!

What is wrong with a modest, but beautifully designed 2,000 sq ft house? That is what I live in and it works beautifully.

Teachmichigan
Member

07-22-2001

Saturday, April 30, 2005 - 8:11 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Teachmichigan a private message Print Post    
How does it affect us, Fruitbat? The homeowners don't pay taxes on the "gift" -- but they wouldn't have paid them WITHOUT the house either. They probably still have to pay their property taxes, etc. which I'm sure will go up with the MAJOR improvements that are made.

I don't mind the beautiful houses - -those people with 5 or 6 kids would still be pressed for space in a 2000 sq. ft. house. JMHO of course. :-)

Gen
Member

08-22-2003

Saturday, April 30, 2005 - 8:15 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Gen a private message Print Post    
An article about tomorrow's show:

Full article

Tabbyking
Member

03-11-2002

Sunday, May 01, 2005 - 5:34 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Tabbyking a private message Print Post    
he won't tell me which family lost their home, but it was early on in the series, probably one of the first 4 or 5 people to have their homes redone because he told me several months back when they had only had a half dozen or so air.
if he does let me know, i'll pass it on!

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Sunday, May 01, 2005 - 6:00 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    

quote:

FOX’s copycat show, “Renovate My Family,” also deals with the same issue. But instead of sidestepping taxes, they send a 1099 form to the families. One family found out that their renovations were worth $529,148 — income they’d have to pay taxes on. But Rocket Science isn’t leaving them hanging; the company is paying the taxes, “offering $215,000 to cover their tax liabilities,” Variety reported. —A.D.


But then the $215,000 is a monetary gift to the family. Gotta pay income tax on that. Ultimately, family has to pay the income tax? That was Oprah's problem with giving away the cars. Recipient had to pay income tax on value of the car. Of course less than a new car, but some still had a problem paying it.

Kep421
Member

08-11-2001

Monday, May 02, 2005 - 4:00 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Kep421 a private message Print Post    
That's true Colordeagua, but if I'm remembering correctly, Oprah also ended up paying the taxes for her car winners....



Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Monday, May 02, 2005 - 5:38 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
Kep, unless there's something I don't know -- she could not pay the income tax. If Oprah paid the income tax, that payment would then be a monetary gift to the recipient of the car. And income tax would then be due on that. I believe only the recipient can pay the income tax.

Kep421
Member

08-11-2001

Monday, May 02, 2005 - 6:29 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Kep421 a private message Print Post    
That is also a true statement Colordeagua. But since the car was received in 2004, the tax is due to be paid in 2005. If I'm remembering correctly, the tax on the car could have been as much as $7,000. I believe I heard that Oprah was giving the contestant's the funds to pay whatever the taxes were for each individual contestant in 2005. Therefore taxes for additional income given to pay the taxes on the car won't be due until 2006, and will be MUCH LOWER than the taxes on the actual car, and was probably more inline with what was affordable.

In any event, the contestants got a nice car worth WAY more than what they ended up having to pay. And I remember that a lot of these women needed the cars so they could work, which probably raised their income level over the year. I do know that all the contestants were given the option to decline the car and owe nothing... I don't believe any of them declined.

Herckleperckle
Member

11-20-2003

Monday, May 02, 2005 - 7:17 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Herckleperckle a private message Print Post    
Miss Bat, I saw that show, but I also saw at the end that there was a hint that the crew renovated the entire town! So not sure if that is the topic of the next show or a special segment, but I guess the thought occurred to the producers, as well.

And, Tabby, they gave the father a garage with all the tools he needed (with the garage [and house] designed with wide corridor-like space to accommodate him should he have a seizure) so he could help support the family right on the premises with his car repair skills.

I give the show's producers their due; they ARE trying to address issues they might not have foreseen when the show was first introduced. And I think they've done a super job of picking deserving recipients.

Kep421
Member

08-11-2001

Monday, May 02, 2005 - 7:31 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Kep421 a private message Print Post    
I'm with you Herckleperckle... There will always be naysayers for any show like this, but I still believe in the good that comes from the efforts of this show. It does my heart good to see commercial money go to something good, and if the sponsor's do well because of it, then good for them too. I think this show has a win/win factor for the givers and the receivers...

Hypermom
Member

08-13-2001

Monday, May 02, 2005 - 10:19 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Hypermom a private message Print Post    
Kep, I don't think Oprah paid did that for the cars. Three women that live in my city got the free cars, but they ended up selling them because of tax.

I love this show. HP, you are right, they have renovated other homes by the ones that they are building, and they have also renovated the community centers. On one show, they renovated the Pediatric oncology ward too. I thought that was wonderful, because I know how depressing the Peds. floor was when my son was there.

On the show last Sunday, the family received a check for 100,000 to pay off their old mortgage or to use for the expenses with the house. That seems to happen for most of the families. Most of the shows, the kids get scholarships for college. So, I think the good outweighs the bad with what they do for these families.

Fruitbat
Member

08-07-2000

Monday, May 02, 2005 - 12:00 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Fruitbat a private message Print Post    
Mom, Kep called me a naysayer

Kep421
Member

08-11-2001

Monday, May 02, 2005 - 12:07 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Kep421 a private message Print Post    
elbows sister Bat, plasters on innocent face for mom

Roxip
Member

01-29-2004

Monday, May 02, 2005 - 1:03 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Roxip a private message Print Post    
The way I look at it, even of the people end up having to sell the house or the cars - they are going to make a huge profit on the transaction that they wouldn't have made in the first place. Most of the houses that have been featured have been falling apart and are rebuilt from the ground up.

Having said that, however, I too think this shows suffers from "big house overkill" sometimes. I think that there is a point where there can be too much house. I would love to have my home redone, and I would love to have a little more space, but I don't won't too much space - WHO'D CLEAN THE DARNED THING?

Kep421
Member

08-11-2001

Monday, May 02, 2005 - 1:11 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Kep421 a private message Print Post    
As much as I love this show, I had to question the sanity of giving a sweet 3 year old so many noise makers in his room...

I thought the jungle motif was great, but the sounds went a bit overboard... if that kid gets on a roll with those buttons, the parents are going to end up ripping that stuff out of the walls!!!

Mamie316
Member

07-08-2003

Monday, May 02, 2005 - 2:00 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mamie316 a private message Print Post    
The parents can always turn the boxes off, which I am sure it will come too!