Las Vegas NowI-Team: Extreme Homes Makeover Budgets; Go Up for Sale

I-Team: Extreme Homes Makeover Budgets; Go Up for Sale

LAS VEGAS -- He likes the house, in a way. More for what it stood for then than for what it could sell for now. “It’s a Malibu beach house in the middle of tract housing,” said Larry Cruikshank.

His target is the home on Royal Castle, two houses down from his own. It is currently on the housing market for $600,000.A house right across the street has a large red sign on the garage door. Opening bid: $72,000.

Such is the life in the neighborhoods after “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” comes to town.

Cruikshank questions what happened at Royal Castle. Terri and Chuck Cerda were on the show in May of 2009, asking for help for their two daughters. They face a debilitating immune disorder and required extra care and a clean home.

The popular ABC program corralled volunteers, sponsors and even a cheerleading team to erect the 3,000 square foot home in a matter of days. “Thousands of wonderful volunteers marched right up this street and made a right to go to the house,” Cruikshank said from his front yard.

Since then, Chuck Cerda had been relocated in his job with the Department of Homeland Security. The house quietly went on the market. The listing agent refused to comment on the record for this story and he also would not allow the Cerdas to speak to the media about the sale.

In a weakened housing market, with a $72,000 home across the street, Cruikshank worries the Cerda home will not sell -- not at $600,000 or anywhere near that price.

In his mind, the “freak home,” is just a beautiful eyesore. “I don't like the fact that I have to live with it and look up and see it all the time from my backyard,” he said.

Extreme Makeover has supporters, however. Patricia Broadbent has seen the darkness fate can bring. Sitting on her couch with respirator tubes wrapped around her ears, she says any criticism of her North Las Vegas home is just petty.

“Do I think it's jealously? Uh, yeah. Because their house didn't get built,” she said.

Broadbent has survived cancer while one of her foster daughters, Hydeia, achieved international fame after coping with AIDS.

The family was featured on Extreme Makeover in 2004. Their one-story home on a cul-de-sac was torn down and replaced. Since then, the rest of Broadbent’s children have grown up and moved out. One daughter graduates this year.“Someone's coming to do something for you. You're grateful they even thought you were worthy of having it done,” he said.

The house was free, but bills jumped. A private propane gas tank had to be built. High ceilings added to cooling and heating costs. Property taxes skyrocketed. Patricia said she budgeted for those increases, but it was still challenging.

She is mostly upset that people would criticize her or the Cerdas for trying to sell the homes. “I always had the option from the day they built this home to sell it. There's no stipulations that you have to live in this house and starve,” she said. Broadbent wants to get a condo. “Do I plan on selling this house? Yes. Am I going to get what it's worth? No,” she said.

Selling the homes could be problematic. Realtor Sue Naumann says despite the celebrity, the houses could become “an albatross.” The homes may sit for months, ravaged by the poor housing climate. That could hurt the existing neighbors. “It doesn't necessarily bring the values of the neighborhood up. The neighborhood values bring it down,” she said.

Hydeia Broadbent agrees. Now in her 20's and thriving, she says the cost of owning a larger home also caused friction. “So when you're dealing with a fixed income, you can't have your bills shoot up sporadically,” she said.

Endemol USA, the production company for Extreme Makeover, said in a statement: “The show advises each family to consult a financial planner to help them understand and budget for any expenses that they may occur as a result of their new home. Often times cities and counties have helped the families locate counselors to assist them with this transition. Ultimately, financial matters are personal, and we work to respect the privacy of the families.”