An 'Extreme' Warning for 'Makeover' Families
Big new house brings big new financial burdens
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A Dallas police officer is the latest recipient of an "Extreme Makeover," but his family is getting a big burden to go along with a big house -- higher taxes and utility bills. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images)
Last December, we covered the "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" build in Keller, which gave the Augustin family a new 4,000-square-foot home. Now, a Dallas police officer is the latest recipient of an "Extreme Makeover," but his family is getting a big burden to go along with a big house -- higher taxes and utility bills.
In a great article from the Dallas Morning News, Amber Augustin warns the latest family to plan on how they'll pay the "huge increases" in taxes -- their Keller house went from $1,800 to $8,000 this past year. Plus, the producers of the program put in extra lighting to enable better visuals -- Augustin warns the latest family to learn to "work the house" by shutting off lights when not in use.
We've driven by the Keller house multiple times since the bright lights left the area and the most striking part is just how much the new building stands out amongst the neighbors. We'd worry that having that nice, big target would also make it a nice, big target for thieves and vandals.
Still, given the chance, we'd take the house in a heart beat -- after all, we definitely need a basketball-themed room with actual NBA jerseys on the wall...
