Just a few things I'd like to clarify from the article. Nicole and I paid a bit more than $7,000.00 as we WERE responsible for the taxes on labor and gratis as mentioned by the HGTV rep later in the article, although in the end we still made out like bandits considering the end result and where our financial responsibilieies ended. Secondly, while we are both writers, only Nicole works in Marketing. I work in logistics, though technically dabble in promotions and PR for Shadowline Comics. Finally, we had to be present for filming over five days, not three. Aside from that, our experience with HGTV was wonderful and I hope anyone who is considering auditioning should try out. Just don't expect everything for free like FourSisters thinks.
Foursisters: I don't know about you, but I think it's exciting to pay 1/4 of the value for something you get to keep. As for the surprised part, sometimes it's genuine and sometimes it's acting and more often than not it's a little bit of both. Don't believe EVERYTHING you see on TV.
And F
Affording Your Dream Kitchen
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In the episode the couple comes across well. They filmed so much material, Nicole says, that she was worried about what pieces might be used. For instance, to play up the couple's Italian roots, the producers had them mugging bad Italian accents ("fuggedaboutit"). Thankfully, those clips didn't air.
HGTV says that because production companies control the homeowner selection process, it's impossible to say how many people apply every month, or to estimate any applicant's odds of showing up in an episode. In an e-mail, HGTV senior VP Melissa Sykes also points out that the Lombardis' financial windfall isn't necessarily typical. Each show's producers have their own policies about who pays the renovation costs. On some shows homeowners pay full freight; in other cases, such as the Lombardis', the homeowners and the production company share the costs. "We're pleased the production company in this case provided a high-end makeover and stretched the couple's budget … [but] homeowners appearing on HGTV should not expect to receive free products," Sykes says. Homeowners should also be aware that in some cases they'll need to pay income taxes on the gratis products or labor—no different than if they'd won cash outright in a lottery.
Still, there are 27 HGTV shows currently soliciting guests on the network's Web site, and while some make it clear that they don't provide financial help on the projects, others are mum, suggesting they might. Even as the housing bust leads many families to pull back on renovations, your star turn may be just a few clicks away.
Daniel McGinn is a national correspondent at NEWSWEEK and the author of " House Lust: Americas Obsession With Our Homes ," published by Currency/Doubleday. For more information on the book, click here .
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