My Lottery Dream Home - General Discussion

[Yeah No]

10 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

Every once in a while we'll get a massive house purchase but for the most part, it is a bit disappointing.

I think the thing about HH and HHI budgets is that they're based on the annual earnings of the shoppers, usually.  When people win the lottery, it's a one time payment that a lot of the winners will want to spread out.  If they spend all their money on a big house, they might not have the annual income to maintain it/keep it.

That's how a lot of lottery winners go into debt.  So when we have an inheritance episode when they were buying a vacation home with most of the money, it makes me suspect that they were already rather well off. 

I agree, it is disappointing and misleading to advertise the show like it's about people blowing huge wads on mansions when it is often just the opposite.  I too thought the inheritance couple was probably well off to begin with, but lottery winners can be too, it's just that this show tends not to feature them.  

[Kiddvideo]

The Holiday Extravaganza -- I really liked a lot of it including his trains, spin tops, wooden houses, the elves climbing up with lights, and the polar bears on the white rugs. I think the garland oranges worked because it's Florida. David admitting he was overwhelmed (literally ping ponging deciding what to do net) was funny, and I liked that he kept the outside of the house in classic decorations.

I was trying to find if this was a repeat or when it was filmed, and HGTV's promotional materials describe it as "David Bromstad will show fans how to deck the halls like a lottery winner—but on a realistic budget—in My Lottery Dream Home: Holiday Extravaganza." (Emphasis mine.) That didn't seem like it was done on a budget. Did he ever mention one? Regardless, I thought it was a nice episode.

[Grizzly]

David talked about the prices of the houses that he painted and how cheaply the nutmeg ornaments and orange garland could be made. Prices popped up on the screen.

[Dehumidifier]

The fact that these winners buy modestly priced homes is illustrative of the theory that lotteries are basically an additional tax on the poor and working class. You don't see well-off winners very often because people who are well off don't buy lottery tickets.

[Kiddvideo]

On 12/12/2020 at 6:50 PM, Grizzly said:

David talked about the prices of the houses that he painted and how cheaply the nutmeg ornaments and orange garland could be made. Prices popped up on the screen.

Thanks! I always have captioning on that might've hid the prices. (I even watched it twice b/c I missed the first bit when he explained where he'd gotten the house. I remember his apt from lockdown and thought he'd moved.)

[CrazyInAlabama]

I love tonight's new episode.   The couple were so cute, and I loved the first two houses.    I hated the third one, and thought it was way too small, and I thought it was over priced.    I love they chose the first one, but the second one was very nice too. I know they already own one of the houses, but I still like looking at all of the houses. 

Edited December 19, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[ByaNose]

If I win the $300 million lottery this weekend I will have request a new host. I haven’t watched this probably in 2 years.  I can’t even look at David on tv let alone in person anymore.  So I will need to request either Carter Oosterhouse (is he even on HGTV?) or Scott McGillivray. Otherwise, I will just use my local realtor. LOL!!! Actually, I don’t think I would do the show. I don’t think I need to show the whole world my new house or even a fake house. Also, we know David doesn’t actually find these houses let alone the work. 

[chessiegal]

6 minutes ago, ByaNose said:

Also, we know David doesn’t actually find these houses let alone the work. 

David and the show never say he finds the houses. They show him at the beginning working with a local real estate agent. But since the people have already bought a house, even showing a local agent is a ruse.

[ByaNose]

2 hours ago, chessiegal said:

David and the show never say he finds the houses. They show him at the beginning working with a local real estate agent. But since the people have already bought a house, even showing a local agent is a ruse.

That’s true. I keep forgetting they’ve already purchased the house. Now, I’m really not going on. LOL!!!!

[Yeah No]

On 12/13/2020 at 3:02 PM, Dehumidifier said:

The fact that these winners buy modestly priced homes is illustrative of the theory that lotteries are basically an additional tax on the poor and working class. You don't see well-off winners very often because people who are well off don't buy lottery tickets.

I guess I worked too long at a gas station in Greenwich, CT.

15 hours ago, ByaNose said:

If I win the $300 million lottery this weekend I will have request a new host. I haven’t watched this probably in 2 years.  I can’t even look at David on tv let alone in person anymore.  So I will need to request either Carter Oosterhouse (is he even on HGTV?) or Scott McGillivray. Otherwise, I will just use my local realtor. LOL!!! Actually, I don’t think I would do the show. I don’t think I need to show the whole world my new house or even a fake house. Also, we know David doesn’t actually find these houses let alone the work. 

David is really getting on my nerves lately.  I didn't like the way he was prodding the German guy to wear pastel blue.  Like he didn't ask for your opinion on his choice of wardrobe, David, just like he didn't ask for your opinion about what wall he should put his bed.  Would any guy treat David like his wardrobe is too flamboyant and he should just tone it down and wear neutrals?  NO, and if they did, David would be offended.  But somehow because he's a "designer" he thinks he has license to give everyone his opinion.

Also, I don't know what he has against having a computer desk in one's bedroom.  My house isn't big enough for me to put one anywhere else.  So STFU, David.

[Dehumidifier]

4 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I guess I worked too long at a gas station in Greenwich, CT.

Well, I've seen people lined up at bodegas in Brooklyn who were definitely frequent buyers and who could afford tickets a lot less than the Greenwich folk. Were the Greenwich buyers regulars or only when a big jackpot was all over the news?

[Yeah No]

15 hours ago, Dehumidifier said:

Well, I've seen people lined up at bodegas in Brooklyn who were definitely frequent buyers and who could afford tickets a lot less than the Greenwich folk. Were the Greenwich buyers regulars or only when a big jackpot was all over the news?

There were definitely frequent local buyers.  There were always a lot of people that came out only for big jackpots, but actually most of them seemed to be poor people coming from other areas hoping to hit it big.  We had lines out the door during those times since our station was on the state line near NY.

[CrazyInAlabama]

Tonight's new episode was a fun lady who has been living in a tiny condo with her three daughters, and paid $3 for a ticket, and won $3 million.   They live in Palm Bay, FL (I hope I got that right, it's south of Cape Canaveral/Cocoa Beach, on Florida's East coast.      For less than $350k she bought a 4 bedroom, 3 bath, with a lovely screened pool.    The only thing the house needed was the cabinets refaced, and granite countertops, or rip out the cabinets and start over (the house was about $30k under budget, so the woman could afford to change the kitchen, if she's sensible about it).      The woman and her daughters were so hysterical. 

The oldest daughter said she was staying until she was 35, (David and the mom said the first choice of room would go to the daughter that was staying the longest, the 12 year old), and her mom and David told her a year from now, that he's going to come and help her find an apartment.   The mother is studying nursing, and I think about to graduate.     

The daughters said the mother (full time in school) only did the main entre for holidays, like the Turkey.  David mentioned they could pitch in and do the sides for their mother.    (The mother really does cook, but she's a full time nursing student, so doing a turkey is plenty for her to do, and there's always the ready made meals at restaurants so nobody would have to cook). 

Yes, I thought they would pick the third one also, but the second one is beautiful, and the pool was spectacular). 

Edited December 27, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[Grrarrggh]

I really enjoyed the mom and her daughters. That eldest daughter was hilarious. They did trick me on the house choice though. I thought they already owned the third place. 

[Vermicious Knid]

I thought it was the oldest daughter who actually won, not the mom?

[Irlandesa]

6 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

I really enjoyed the mom and her daughters. That eldest daughter was hilarious. They did trick me on the house choice though. I thought they already owned the third place. 

Same.  Usually I tend to fast forward to look at the houses and sometimes delete if the budget is only 150K or something like that but these women had me cracking up early so I watched every second. "Mom doesn't do sides."  Cracked. me. up.

54 minutes ago, Vermicious Knid said:

I thought it was the oldest daughter who actually won, not the mom?

The mom looked young but she was the one who won.  She was also a student which is why it might have been confusing.  David was telling the oldest daughter she had to move out in a year.

[CrazyInAlabama]

This Friday, 1 January 2021 (at last!), there is a new Dream Home U.S. edition at 8-8:30 pm Central (they changed back to the 8 pm premiere time), then another show (Self-Made Mansions, with Clinton Kelly and two people home shopping that made big money with their own companies, and I think both were on Shark Tank), and 9:30-10 p.m., and 10 to 10:30 p.m. are supposedly new episodes of Lottery Dream Home U.K., in Plymouth and Newcastle (they've had UK shows with those cities before, so I hope they're new). 

[Irlandesa]

I think we only got one UK lottery episode before.

[Grizzly]

Can't believe David didn't say anything about La La's fabulous contacts. I love the green ones. She is way out there but in a good way. All the homes were nice.

[CrazyInAlabama]

La La (Yolanda) was so much fun!     I've liked every one of the people that David's had on the show (except one person who seemed less than enthusiastic to go house hunting with his wife and David).      I loved her new car, and I love the house she bought.    I loved the mother's reaction to the house, and the gazebo was fantastic.     

The Lottery International episodes (U.K.) were reruns.   I don't know why there were called "New" by my cable guide, but they weren't.  Maybe they changed the opening of David passing the baton a little?   Either way they were run last year, or before,  I wish they showed more of this version of Lottery.  

Edited January 4, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[nb360]

I loved La La. It would be great if they do an update and see how she and the grandkids are liking the house.

Also, I would love to know the backstory to her tattoos, wigs, and contacts.

[Vermicious Knid]

I could totally see her and David hitting the town together. If such were possible right now. Maybe David could just become her new gay bestie.

[sue450]

20 hours ago, Vermicious Knid said:

I could totally see her and David hitting the town together. If such were possible right now. Maybe David could just become her new gay bestie.

did anyone notice they have expanded  who  can be on the show?? a lady was on and she inherited $900.000.00 from a distant relative

[Vermicious Knid]

They've also had a couple of professional poker players who won jackpots, and David even had to say "It's just like winning the lottery!"

Would not be surprised if they have several new shows filmed in Florida, like this one. Gov DeSantis lifted all restrictions several months ago, so no requirements for mask wearing or social distancing, restaurants can have 100% indoor dining if they want. Safe? Not at all, but does make filming easier.

[CrazyInAlabama]

From some of the additional information David and Lottery put out on their 100th show, the restaurant scenes are usually filmed in restaurants during closed periods, or they rent the place for a few hours for filming.   A lot of the background people are production or other staffers.    

[chessiegal]

That's similar to what they do on Diners, Drive ins, and Dives. Otherwise they'd be disrupting business. Plus have to get permission from everyone to be on camera. I was filmed at work once for a documentary, and had to sign a consent form.

[Grizzly]

Anyone watching Clinton's show? Some of these places are amazing and the buyers are so down to earth since they are self-made people. The budgets are what we want this show to have.

[Yeah No]

4 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Anyone watching Clinton's show? Some of these places are amazing and the buyers are so down to earth since they are self-made people. The budgets are what we want this show to have.

I'm watching it although I haven't watched the most recent episode yet.  I like Clinton in this role because I've been a fan of his for over 15 years since "What Not to Wear".  I read that this is a limited series so who knows if we'll see another season after this one?

I've loved the budgets compared to Lottery Dream home, but in the previous week's episode the people chose a vastly inferior house to the others they saw.  They have to find some way to make the show disappointing, don't they?  I'm hoping the latest episode isn't like that.

[Grizzly]

16 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I've loved the budgets compared to Lottery Dream home, but in the previous week's episode the people chose a vastly inferior house to the others they saw.

It's like they are afraid to spend money.

[buttersister]

That couple with the big jacket money lived paycheck to paycheck and were terrified of spending above their budget, which, too bad, that third house was great.

I liked Clinton back in the Stacy days, but when he says in the intro that he's combining his passion for design with his passion for real estate, I burst out laughing. Feels like a knock-off of David's show, down to the visit to the area realtor. But he's too young to retire, and I'm not entirely sure what his skill set is (besides having opinions, a dry sense of humor and the ability to keep a show with a bunch of egotists moving), so not a lot of options these days.

[Jeanne222]

I wondered why it seemed low budget millionaires!  Lol new show.  I'm really enjoying every episode.

I too wondered why their budget seemed a bit tight!  Lots of low middle class workers have bills that need to be paid off.  Plus on one million I'm just guessing $250,000 goes to the tax man.

I think they're smart to spend wisely!

[Yeah No]

35 minutes ago, buttersister said:

That couple with the big jacket money lived paycheck to paycheck and were terrified of spending above their budget, which, too bad, that third house was great.

I liked Clinton back in the Stacy days, but when he says in the intro that he's combining his passion for design with his passion for real estate, I burst out laughing. Feels like a knock-off of David's show, down to the visit to the area realtor. But he's too young to retire, and I'm not entirely sure what his skill set is (besides having opinions, a dry sense of humor and the ability to keep a show with a bunch of egotists moving), so not a lot of options these days.

I too liked Clinton back in the Stacy days and didn't really like him on "The Chew" even though he insisted that he was originally a "food writer" and not a fashion expert.  Whatever.  I think he wants to present himself as an expert on everything food, entertainment and design-related.  When he said, "pop of color" I was LOL.  He is everywhere these days even judging baking championships on FN.  I know, my mind is boggling, LOL.  This does feel like a knock off of David's show but it's really the show David's show should be or that some of us would rather it be.  Oh well.

27 minutes ago, Jeanne222 said:

I too wondered why their budget seemed a bit tight!  Lots of low middle class workers have bills that need to be paid off.  Plus on one million I'm just guessing $250,000 goes to the tax man.

I think they're smart to spend wisely!

Yeah, I get it that most of these lottery winners didn't have much money to begin with so they have to hold on to as much as they can for the future.  I'm sure some of them don't have much money put away for retirement nor have much in medical coverage either.  I am sort-of experiencing something similar myself right now.  My Dad died in April of last year from Covid and I just sold his apartment in NYC (it was not worth an astronomical amount because it was in the Bronx and needed renovation, but it still sold for a decent price by the rest of the country's standards).  The closing hasn't happened yet but I know I will be on the hook for taxes and fees which will lob a chunk off, plus I am only a few years away from retirement and could benefit from adding to my 401ks.  Plus of course there are some bills to pay.  So yeah, I get it.  I still would rather see mansions anyway, LOL.

[Vermicious Knid]

I had to stop watching WNTW because 1) I was sick of them literally ambushing the clients by jumping out from behind a clothing rack, and 2) Clinton. He just got too annoying. Not terribly interested in seeing him host anything else.

[GrannySmith]

I always liked Clinton, but he really looks like he’s had too much work done. It was distracting. 

[Yeah No]

6 hours ago, Vermicious Knid said:

I had to stop watching WNTW because 1) I was sick of them literally ambushing the clients by jumping out from behind a clothing rack, and 2) Clinton. He just got too annoying. Not terribly interested in seeing him host anything else.

About 12 years ago I won a shopping spree with Clinton at my local Macy's as the door prize after a small fashion show he led there (I know, what happened to that world?).  Up until that point I was a big fan but I was really kind of let down by his blasé attitude.  He spent more time on the phone with his agent than on me, and some of what he said to them was frankly a little snotty and self-centered.  I didn't think that was appropriate to do in front of me, plus I left feeling rushed and like he was only half-way invested in it.  I gave him some slack because it was late on a weekday evening and I think we were both exhausted by the time it was over.  Plus he did pick out some beautiful clothes for me that I'll never get rid of.  I only wish I could still fit them!

P.S.  They did stop the ambushing in later seasons of WNTW.

[debraran]

1 hour ago, Yeah No said:

About 12 years ago I won a shopping spree with Clinton at my local Macy's as the door prize after a small fashion show he led there (I know, what happened to that world?).  Up until that point I was a big fan but I was really kind of let down by his blasé attitude.  He spent more time on the phone with his agent than on me, and some of what he said to them was frankly a little snotty and self-centered.  I didn't think that was appropriate to do in front of me, plus I left feeling rushed and like he was only half-way invested in it.  I gave him some slack because it was late on a weekday evening and I think we were both exhausted by the time it was over.  Plus he did pick out some beautiful clothes for me that I'll never get rid of.  I only wish I could still fit them!

P.S.  They did stop the ambushing in later seasons of WNTW.

Yeah, he could have hid it more but probably was told he was doing this as part of his job and didn't want too as much as someone else might. (like the lunches some have to do as prizes) Glad you got some nice clothes and maybe a few photos.

[DanaMB]

This show seems to make it easy to pick which house is the owner’s.  A show with a couple with a baby that show three homes, one with a nursery. Hmmm, not hard to guess which is theirs. Oh well, I still enjoy seeing all the homes and dreaming. 

[NYGirl]

Last night was 2 shows where they won $5 million!  One budget was $500,000 and the other was under $200,000.  This is worse than House Hunters some times.

[Yeah No]

4 hours ago, NYGirl said:

Last night was 2 shows where they won $5 million!  One budget was $500,000 and the other was under $200,000.  This is worse than House Hunters some times.

At least the one with the $500,000 budget got a pretty decent house.  But wasn't that a rerun?  I saw one today in Missouri from 3 years ago with a budget of around $300,000 and they got a decent house for that money.  I feel like the budgets in the more recent seasons keep getting lower.  Some of the houses in the newer episodes are embarrassingly bad.  And it's hard for me to watch the "old" David before his appearance got so out there because I miss that David.

[debraran]

6 hours ago, Yeah No said:

At least the one with the $500,000 budget got a pretty decent house.  But wasn't that a rerun?  I saw one today in Missouri from 3 years ago with a budget of around $300,000 and they got a decent house for that money.  I feel like the budgets in the more recent seasons keep getting lower.  Some of the houses in the newer episodes are embarrassingly bad.  And it's hard for me to watch the "old" David before his appearance got so out there because I miss that David.

I don't have cable anymore, so I miss many, but I found it a little boring when the homes were not just small, but kind of sad looking. A million after taxes isn't a lot if you aren't rich and have other debts and family but it wasn't what most would like with a show with that title. I like smart buyers but for TV, not as full of glam.

I don't know the number of lottery winners in the US but I imagine not to many and then from that pool you need people who want to be on the show and go through the trouble of sometimes emptying their house or pretending they don't live there etc. I looked up one from Boston once and besides the name change for TV, she won 3 years prior to the show. I understand changing the criteria because if I won I doubt I'd want to go through all that either.

[CrazyInAlabama]

On their 100th show behind the scenes, they said the production crew have a database of (at that time) just under 300 lottery winners.     

One of the crew is the daughter from the mother, and two daughters who bought a house on the cape or somewhere around there.   A few years later the daughters moved on, and mother sold the house at a great profit.   The mother went house hunting with David again, and bought another one.   She had reconnected with her high school boyfriend,  and was going to live with him, but she said she wasn't getting remarried.    They also said that often the scenes in restaurants, or other locations for the meeting or decision by the homeowner only has the production people sitting at the background tables.    You have to get releases from everyone on any kind of filming.   

(I know this from being in the background of one of the last Be All That You Can Be U.S. Army commercials, I had to sign a release.   I was the only staff member who didn't look at the camera during the filming, so I got to be a filler.   However, it never aired because they fired that ad agency, and went with another slogan, and company).   

[Vermicious Knid]

One my favorite episodes is the family that won $4 or $5 million and everybody was getting homes. The episode had the mother and daughter who got neighboring houses, and they paid like $218K and $175K (I'm too lazy to look up the specifics). They had a gate put in between their yards. I liked they just wanted homes big enough for their needs and not a mansion, and they were being sensible with the money. Also the woman who got a weekend, bare-bones cabin in the Adirondacks for practically nothing.

Then there's the family from the Buffalo area they got three episodes out of, the parents and both sons, and one son lived in Florida.

[CrazyInAlabama]

My view is that no matter how much the winner gets, with the annuity, or cash value, you never know what else they're doing with the money.   My guess is some are paying off past debts, child support, student loans, house mortgages, or other debts.   And I'm sure some are paying bills for older relatives, or other debts too (a friend's father is in memory care, and it's $8 to $10k a month, with only some paid by his retirement income).  Also, some don't want to live in some gated community, with everyone having the latest of everything, and just want a modest life with people that they fit in with.     

[Bronx Babe]

On 1/23/2021 at 7:46 PM, DanaMB said:

This show seems to make it easy to pick which house is the owner’s.  A show with a couple with a baby that show three homes, one with a nursery. Hmmm, not hard to guess which is theirs. Oh well, I still enjoy seeing all the homes and dreaming. 

A gated community home in Florida that one guy "picked" had a pool table.  During the tour he told David "Gee, this is great, since I've been playing pool all my life".   What a coincidence, lol.

 

Edited February 9, 2021 by Bronx Babe

[Vermicious Knid]

My DVR is showing a new episode at 7AM on Sunday the 28th. The heck?

[Twiz44]

My DVR picked this up and I’m actually watching this “new” episode now. Unless David had all his tats removed, this is a real old episode.

***Edited to add that I just got to the end of the episode and it’s from 2016.

Edited February 28, 2021 by Twiz44

[For Cereals]

I seem to remember this show from years ago where the houses and winnings were over the top, but I caught a marathon last weekend and today and I’m underwhelmed.  I hear lottery and I want to see crazy, not sensible 😊.  I like David, but I agree that this is like watching House Hunters.  I’m biased, though, as I prefer character homes in older neighborhoods with porches more than new construction, which is why I love Home Town (just don’t think I could do MS even though I fantasize about selling everything in and moving there and paying cash for a Craftsman mansion with brand new HVAC because of the heat and humidity).

[Vermicious Knid]

Yeah, this repeat was inexplicably tagged as 'new'.

[Yeah No]

At least this was a repeat I never saw before.  It made me sad to see David looking so healthy and acting normal in addition to fewer tattoos.  That David is gone.  And those exciting homes are gone too.  The weird thing is that usually when shows are tagged as "new" the episode isn't numbered like this one was.  

[buttersister]

16 hours ago, Yeah No said:

That David is gone.

Long gone! The tats turned me off for a long time. Now maybe this is a year inside talking, but in some of the newer episodes, I like the Not Millionaires looking for Not Mansions so much and how well David gets along with many of them that I don't mind anything. I did not see that coming.

Caveat: I think those are a minority of the eps, though. Did not enjoy the bunch from David's place in Florida. Well, didn't enjoy right away, so click, didn't watch.

Edited March 2, 2021 by buttersister