Everyone loves a happy ending, right? And Extreme Makeover, the popular ABC reality television show, always has a happy ending. The thing is, the troubles of those on the show don’t always end once the cameras shut off.
Consider Larry and Judy Vardon. The couple have a child who is blind and autistic; they are both deaf. The Vardons ran into financial troubles when insurance would not cover the cost of their son’s treatment. The spiraling cost of medical bills had made it impossible to make renovations to their home, including communications and safety features that were necessary in their case.
So in came Extreme Makeover and Ty Pennington to the rescue. The team improved the Vardons’ home, including adding assisted living technology. And as fast as they swooped in, they left.
The Vardons went back to their lives. They had an existing mortgage when the home was renovated by the show in 2004, which they refinanced after Larry Vardon was laid off. Their mortgage rate has subsequently reached 11%.
Adding to their woes? Increased property taxes. The improvements to their home also raised their assessment; their property taxes bumped up by $1,000 after the renovations.
Even worse? Larry Vardon is a welder for Chrysler. With lay offs looming, he’s worried about losing his home.
The show has dealt with similar issues before and claims to be upfront with folks who appear on the show about the potential for increased property taxes, as well as increased utility bills. At least one other “Extreme Makeover” home has fallen into foreclosure on a previous occasion; that home had been pledged against a family business.
Reactions to the news has been mixed. Many viewers are sympathetic towards to the Vardons, especially considering their disabilities. Others feel that the Vardons took on more than they could handle and “blew” their chance.
What folks do seem to agree on is that the show’s producers are making money on a concept that, while charitable in nature, may contribute to the homeowners’ woes. Increased property taxes and cost of living are challenging for even the most settled of homeowners; those in precarious positions to begin with may find it even more difficult to manage.
I’m not sure where I come down on this issue. I’m not a fan of the show (sorry). Income tax issues aside, I don’t know that this is the best way to make a real difference in the world (hey, I’m entitled to my opinion) – not to mention that, after years of watching Ty Pennington on Trading Spaces, I’m a little wary of the idea that he’s knocking down and rebuilding houses…
What do you think? Good TV, consequences be damned? Or exploitative TV at its worst?
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