Another Extreme Makeover House Owner in Financial Trouble

Date:October 6, 2008 | Author:Diane Tuman | Category:Extreme Home Makeover

Sorry to trot out another story about an Extreme Makeover owner who is financial trouble, but the Orlando Sentinel reports that Sadie Holmes of Altamonte Springs, FL is facing some money problems, including a $29,000 lien by the county against her house for code violations, $6,600 in property taxes, and $3,000 a month to rent a storage warehouse for her nonprofit business.

Holmes received her Extreme Home Makeover two years ago, turning her 900-square-foot home into a 7,000-square-foot home and office so she could continue her Sadie Holmes Help Services charity out of the home. What Sadie is doing is heroic: She is a former drug addict who created a charity to give out food, clothing, furniture, and whatever people need — all this from her 900-sq-ft home. The Extreme Makeover folks were kind enough to build her a bigger home so she can do bigger things, but evidently, she can’t keep up with bills — especially the bill for the code violations. Mercedes Homes, the builder of Sadie’s Extreme home, is helping to collect funds on Sadie’s behalf.

We are all for the Extreme Makeover idea, as long as the replacement house is not such a huge burden on the family or the neighborhood. Sadie’s home now has a Zestimate of $587,500 (at this writing), while homes around hers are in the $110K-$185K range (see Zindex chart on right). Already one Extreme Makeover home is in foreclosure (that we know of), and you can be sure if the EMH team keeps building outsized homes that can’t be supported, we will see many more problems.

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Responses (21)

2 tweets 6 likes 13 comments

Florida Home Guy 1:45 PM - Nov 3,2008

Having worked on the home, this is sad…but predictable….the problems keeping that house up started early. Her sister was doing hair out of the non-profit part and the church bus sat in the lawn (as well as donations) hence the liens.
gman 5:35 PM - Dec 9,2008

http://www.topix.com/forum/tv/reality/TFFL3RA1FVANO0ODG

MORE EXTREME HOMEMAKEOVER PROBLEMS ON THE WAY SEE ALL IN ABOVE LINK:

Finally i’ve seen a comment from someone else that knows this family very well. I worked with this family for a year and a half. Particularily with their two sons Donnie and Nathan through my company. I must say that the parents DO NOT DESERVE this house, but the boys do. Mom calls off work all the time becuase she wants to stay home with dad who doesn’t even want to work. 13 jobs in one year. They almost lost their house twice because they couldn’t pay the 1,ooo dollar taxes on it. They waste moms paycheck on eating out for 3 days, dvds, video games, and action figures for the boys and have nothing left over to pay bills or buy food with. They have never maintained anything they’ve received, in at least suitable condition and have immense numbers of stray animals comming in to the house infesting it with fleas, disease, and waste that they seem to always “forget” to clean up. Heck, they can’t even afford to buy dog or cat food for the animals they so “graciously” take in and have been known to feed them pancakes, that being the only food they had. Mom and Dad are ungreatful people, always complaining, even about those that have given them help. Extreme Makeover Home Edition, SHAME ON YOU, you should have really taken a better look at these people you build homes for. This home won’t even make it 3 months until it’s damaged, tore up, and unkept let alone next year when they have to pay taxes on the property. And for all of you that say they deserve this, rethink your statement. The children DESERVE this, not the parents, but you had better believe in this case, the parents will be the only ones benefiting from this
Matt gayman 8:25 PM - Dec 23,2008

Drumm pays $445 in old fines
By VICKY TAYLOR Staff writer

Matthew Drumm, the South Mountain man whose family was given a new home in November by the ABC-TV show Extreme Makeover, Home Edition, paid $445.90 in old fines to Magisterial District Judge Larry Pentz’ office last week.
The money cleared fines Drumm owed to Pentz’ office for old dog law violations dating between 1995 and 2000, and laid to rest rumors that Drumm was about to be arrested on warrants related to those unpaid fines.

Pentz confirmed today that Constable Ron Larson brought Drumm to his office either Thursday or Friday to pay the fines. He said the fines were paid in full.

Other than the dog violations and a variety of old parking and traffic tickets and two bad check charges dating back to 2000, no other charges are on record for Drumm.

Drumm told Public Opinion over the weekend that his family could not give interviews before the Extreme Makeover show airs on Jan. 18 because of an agreement with the show and its network.

He said once the show has aired, he and his family would be free to talk about their new home and how they are handling the publicity they have received since Chambersburg’s Ryan Builders constructed a new 2,500 sq.-ft. four-bedroom home for them on ABC’s instructions.

The new home came with a well that replaced an old cistern that had to be filled twice a month and a large solar panel to supplement the home’s heating system.

The family told reporters after the unveiling of the home that those two features

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would help alleviate some of their financial problems connected with their own home.
The Drumms have three sons, two of whom are special-needs children with autism.

Balisa Drumm has said she hopes the new home will enable her to pursue her dream of caring for more special needs children.

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Vicky Taylor can be reached at 262-4753 or vtaylor@publicopinionnews.com
Gary malo 3:18 PM - Feb 3,2009

Home makeover winner charged with 5 violations of state dog law
Staff report

Walter Matthew Drumm, who with his wife, Blasia, was the recipient of a new home as part of a TV home makeover last fall, has been charged with five violations of Pennsylvania’s dog law.

The charges, filed by dog warden Georgia Martin with Magisterial District Judge Kelly Rock, include two counts of failure to license three dogs in 2008 and this year, two counts of failure to have the dogs vaccinated against rabies last year or so far this year and one count of failure to produce a valid certificate of vaccination within 48 hours of Martin’s request.

All are nontraffic summary offenses.

The Drumms own three dogs: a Lab mix, a sheep-type dog and a Chihuahua, according to the citations filed by Martin.

In the citation, she said she first requested license and rabies vaccination information from Drumm on Dec. 2, then sent a follow up request on Jan. 2. The charges were filed Jan. 17.

Drumm was cited for similar violations in 1999 and 2000. The fines for those charges were paid in December after a constable picked him up on warrants for nonpayment of the old fines.

The Drumms and their new home were featured this month on the television show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”
g man 4:58 PM - Feb 3,2009

Home makeover winner charged with 5 violations of state dog law
Staff report

Walter Matthew Drumm, who with his wife, Blasia, was the recipient of a new home as part of a TV home makeover last fall, has been charged with five violations of Pennsylvania’s dog law.

The charges, filed by dog warden Georgia Martin with Magisterial District Judge Kelly Rock, include two counts of failure to license three dogs in 2008 and this year, two counts of failure to have the dogs vaccinated against rabies last year or so far this year and one count of failure to produce a valid certificate of vaccination within 48 hours of Martin’s request.

All are nontraffic summary offenses.

The Drumms own three dogs: a Lab mix, a sheep-type dog and a Chihuahua, according to the citations filed by Martin.

In the citation, she said she first requested license and rabies vaccination information from Drumm on Dec. 2, then sent a follow up request on Jan. 2. The charges were filed Jan. 17.

Drumm was cited for similar violations in 1999 and 2000. The fines for those charges were paid in December after a constable picked him up on warrants for nonpayment of the old fines.

The Drumms and their new home were featured this month on the television show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”
San Diego Homes 10:49 PM - Jun 14,2009

This is a sad story. Is there any further news on whether they’ve been able to keep the home?
MELISSA 9:51 AM - Jun 29,2009

I WORK FOR THE HOTEL WERE THEY STAYED I AM A HOUSEKEEPER THERE AND LET ME TELL YOU I HOPE THEY KEEP THAT HOUSE NICER THAN THEY LEFT THE ROOM THEY STAYED IN. I HAD TO CLEAN UP AFTER THEIR MESS GRANTED ITS MY JOB BUT COME ON THAT ROOM WAS UDDERLY DISCUSTING. I PITY THEM POOR KIDS.
Home Builder 8:57 AM - Dec 9,2009

I have heard of problems with a lot of these “fix up” reality shows where the eventual owners have had issues with taxes on the upgrades….basically the tax on the new value versus the old value. That is truly sad because in most situations, families or individuals really do have extreme hardships and can use a break from them. Gossip aside, I hope the family can keep the house and live positive lives in it.
R.Bolchi 9:11 AM - Jan 2,2010

A couple of months ago I recieved a solicitation from a company calling itself Credit Card Services. They promised to reduce the intrest rate being charged on my credit cards and save me lots of money. After giving them information on my high interest rate cards I started noticing charges appearing that I did not authorize. One was to pay taxes through MYFLORIDACOUNTY.COM ($1009.95) then a phone bill ($529.14)and then the purchaseof a Notebook computer ($1029.00)that was shipped to 1280 amanda St. In Aldamanti Springs Florida. Looks to me that the folks at that address have been ripping me off for quite a lot.Looks like jail time is next!
orlando home builders 1:09 PM - Jul 26,2010

geez, that looks like an expensive mistake.. it’s a shame what has happened to home prices in some parts of the country.