Maybe they just had to wait for Mom to die.

Ty Pennington < the dude from "Hometime" < [non-Kevin O'Connor "This Old House" pundit of your choice] < Andrew Dan Jumbo < Candice Olsen's hunky gay sewer < Carter Oosterhouse < Kevin O'Connor.

(I watch a lot of home improvement shows.)

The house they built for my dad's family didn't cure my Dad's rare form of cancer. And now he's dead. Suck it Pennington!

And Carter Oosterhouse is oh so much hotter.

But does anyone want a house in Jersey, anyway?

So are you trying to tell us that having lots of stuff doesn't solve your problems?

@contradicto: Heh. Great minds and whatnot.

@Clare: I love Kevin O'Connor too! I thought I was the only one.

I think it's the most subversive show on TV - where else on network TV do you see people struggling with poverty, disabilities, unemployment, etc. They show another America, and I am so fond of that.

Ty madeover my doghouse but Buster mauled a litter of kittens and we had to put him down.

@contradicto: He should wear only a toolbelt.

@Clare: So where does Jason Cameron fit in your continuum? "Also Receiving Votes", mayhaps?

This reminds me of every episode of Pimp My Ride when I would be left asking "how is that person going to be able to afford insurance and maintenance on that car now?"

As Miss Manners says: "Once you give a gift, it is theirs to do with what they'd like. So, suck it."

In this housing market they'll be lucky to get half that.

@scroll_lock: Whereas the toolbelt should wear Ty.

The better story is the family who had taken in all the kids who lost their parents. Within a year of getting their house, the kids were gone and they sold the house. The kids got nothing! Haha shitty kids.

Ty Pennignton seems like the guy you'd work with at a coffee shop who overxtends his way to assistant manager, and then one day you'd find out that he had a 10 year struggle with meth addiction, no longer has any taste buds, and is writing a rock opera about Thomas Edison in his spare time.

@JudgeFudge: And he'd "really like to hang out some time."

@JudgeFudge: I would totally pay to see that rock opera.

@JudgeFudge: Ha!

@bytememehard: Ty is a tool so I'd like to belt him.

@dummyfakeroller: truedat@EleanorRigby: and dat.

I just have to say that Ty Pennigton is a sanctimonious prick and this news and this post really made me smile.

Also I'm a bad person & very hungover.

Extreme Makeover usually pays off the mortgages on these properties, but the homeowners are still responsible for taxes. In this case, the home is located on property which is actually owned by a non profit organization, Urban Promise Ministries.

According to the Courier Post, there is apparently some dispute between the family and the non profit, which did not know the house had been put on the market, and the listing has now been pulled.

[www.courierpostonline.com]

They do suck entirely, but that doesn't stop my dad from wondering each week what he needs to do to get on the show.

I watched that show once, and it made me cry. But so did "Enchanted".

@contradicto: Oh man, I am really sorry to hear that.

This show makes me sick - "Let's build themed rooms for a six year old with something that'll make him look fruity three years from now!"

I don't mind the product tie ins, because that pays the bill, but it's the whole "personalize" thing that upsets me - they take ONE SMALL IDEA of something SMALL the kid or adult likes, and make it the whole concept...sickening!

Where's that GOKOR guy? He was looking for a nice house with a yard out on the fringes. He might want to give these folks a call.

@drjayphd: If he wanted to resurface my hardwood floors, I wouldn't say no.

@friend_of_a_friend: Dude. I. LOVE. HIM. I love how the others gently pick on him for being useless, and I think it is SO HOT how he touches everything--how he runs his hands over every window sash and door jamb, every marble countertop and stainless steel exhaust hood. HOT.

The other handymen can't compare to Designed to Sell's John Allen.

@drjayphd: He's got my vote.

Normally I find head-sized biceps kind of off-putting, but he's just so meefy and perfect.

@WackoJacko: Totally. You'd think of a million excuses, a million times, but eventually you'd HAVE to go to a staged reading or a housewarming party or something...

@Clare: My only beef with Kevin is that he wears "flyover state" dad jeans. C'mon, let's see that super cute butt in a pair of tight pants!

I've always like the things the show does for people except for one little thing...
They build these huge houses for people who may not be able to afford the utilities. They built houses that don't fit in with the surrounding neighborhood. And they build houses with no potential for resale. Who in god's name wants to buy the house with little Suzie's stage room or Bobby's tree house bed built in?

@dummyfakeroller: The market isn't half their problem. That house is in fucking Camden. They're probably sick of chasing away burglars and having the siding stolen for scrap.

@drjayphd: Jason Cameron is receiving something.

Good luck -- contrary to real estate wisdom, they now have the BEST house in the WORST neighborhood.

I bet the re-assessment was a shocker, too.

@Clare: Mmmm.... Andrew Dan Jumbo... had completely forgotten about his hotness.

Wasn't there a story a while back about various elements of a family's show-built house falling apart? Wish I could read that again.

@Clare: Ooh ooh! I have a theory. See if you agree.
I'm convinced that Candice beats her lighting guy. Whattaya think?

@pureblarney: Shit, they put them up, foundation and all, in 1 week. They must cut corners. Concrete (foundations) typically has to cure for 7 days before you can build on top of it.

I just can't get over the property tax thing when I watch this show. I mean, my taxes went from "how much?" to "omfg, HOW much?" when we added a single bathroom, so I can't even imagine the increase when you scrape your shitty plywood 600 sq foot shack and put up a 6 br, 3 ba McMansion in its place.

@DorothyMantooth: Hmm, you might have a point. Her other flunkies have a bit more personality, and aside from the flowing hair and motorcycle, Chico does seem awfully cowed by Candice.

@Clare: Not to mention that the dude is the size of, like, 1 of her legs.
I really think she has a temper on her. Loooove her designs. But she scares the crap out of me.