That “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” in 2006 involving a Sandpoint family has been spotlighted by the Wall Street Journal as one of the show’s all-time flops. Remember? The town celebrated and joined hands when Eric Hebert was picked as the worthy owner of a house that needed TLC. Hebert was raising his sister’s young twins after she died unexpectedly in 2004. The three were living in a house best described as a basement with a roof over it. Hebert’s original mortgage was for $110,000. After the mega-makeover by the popular show, Hebert refinanced it twice, for $250,000 and then for $382,500. And later became the first Extreme Makeover beneficiary to suffer foreclosure. Hebert wouldn’t comment for the WSJ article. But Century 21 RiverStone realtor Sydney Icardo did. Icardo, who cut down aspen trees used to decorate Hebert’s former bedroom, said: “It’s kind of like we have egg on our face. It cuts deep. We’re a tight community.” The Wall Street Journal offers four other tales of extreme makeovers gone wrong and this spin from a show spokeswoman: “Like many homeowners in the nation ‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’ families aren’t immune to the current state of the U.S. economy.” P’haps “Extreme Makeover” should offer some extreme financial counseling to ensure everyone lives happily ever after? Gringos, beware
