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Nov. 06, 2009
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JOHN L. SMITH: 'Extreme Makeover' homeowners looking to sell house

JOHN L. SMITH
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    • With that, let the Boulevard stroll begin.

    MAKEOVER HOME: Locals will recall the heartwarming story of the Cerda family, who in May received a new house courtesy of ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."

    Well, now that house is up for sale.

    Terri and Chuck Cerda's daughters, Molly and Maggie, suffer from Combined Immune Deficiency Disease, according to published reports. As the story goes, their home on Royal Castle Lane was riddled with black mold that threatened the girls' delicate systems.

    The Cerdas' old home was replaced by a handsome new house. But, according to a family press release soliciting donations that was circulated in May, the Cerdas indicated they were having trouble making ends meet and risked losing the house.

    According to two real estate Web sites, the 2,076-square-foot house boasts custom hardwood and many other features. It's listed at $600,000, about three times the asking price of homes in the neighborhood.

    An attempt to reach the Cerdas Thursday at their home was unsuccessful.

    HAIR-RAISING: Friends of Nikki Krieger, the dedicated Clark County social worker who is fighting cancer, tell me their "Save or Shave" fundraiser is catching on. Donors can help decide whether to save or shave the heads of Krieger's four colleagues in the Clark County public defender's office.

    Deputy Public Defender Karen Brasier has set up accounts in Krieger's name at Wells Fargo Bank. One to "shave" and one to "save." The accounts are in Deputy Public Defender Kerri Maxey's name with Krieger as the beneficiary.

    The clip job is scheduled to take place Nov. 20.

    POETS SHOW IT: Downtown's First Friday takes on an 80-proof literary flavor starting at 6 p.m. with the kick off of "The Sin City Sonneteer Spectacle." In addition to the usual gathering of artists, community poets will be present.

    Names that caught my eye: Mayor Oscar Goodman and Davyid Figler. In addition to his lawyering gig, Figler is a published writer and poet. Goodman has been spinning yarns his whole adult life. Just ask the jurors he performed for during his decades as a mob lawyer.

    One question, your honor: What rhymes with Bombay Sapphire?

    NED'S VOLVO: Recent stories about the attempt to rig Harry Reid's automobile to explode back in 1981 have jogged the memories of a couple reliable street sources regarding another incident: the torching of Review-Journal columnist Ned Day's Volvo. Sources pin the job on the late Eddie DeLeo, who bragged about being responsible. DeLeo, who provided muscle for Tony Spilotro, eventually found his way into the state's casino Black Book.

    ON THE BOULEVARD: Former R-J reporter Glenn Puit is in Las Vegas signing copies of his latest true crime book, "In Her Prime," about the life and murder of politician Kathy Augustine. ... More changes and new faces on the way at KVBC-TV, Channel 3. ... Ad mavens Marla and Tom Letizia will be honored as "Menschen of the Year" Nov. 21 by Congregation Ner Tamid. Sorry, Tom, but we all know who the star of that family is.

    BOULEVARD II: Way out on the Boulevard, an historic marker will be placed in tiny Goodsprings at 9:30 a.m. Saturday. The community has existed since the early 1880s and was once the largest town in Clark County.

    BOULEVARD III: Don't forget the eighth annual Vegas Valley Book Festival this weekend at the Historic 5th Street School and the Clark County Public Library on Flamingo Road. This year's keynote speakers are novelist E.L. Doctorow and national Poet Laureate Kay Ryan. ... My cancer-fighting daughter, Amelia, will sign copies of "Amelia's Long Journey" at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Flamingo library with proceeds benefiting four children's cancer charities.

    Have an item for the Bard of the Boulevard? E-mail comments and contributions to Smith@reviewjournal.com or call (702) 383-0295. He also blogs at lvrj.com/blogs/smith.

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    Larry wrote on November 08, 2009 08:13 PM: To Daddyof2:
    The original house of question was supposedly "fraudulently" sold to the family. But watch the news in the next couple days and if I'm right...there is alot wrong about how they got that house and who sold it to them (if it was a sale at all).
    This is ugly on many levels. Hopefully the truth will be exposed.


    DaddyOf2 wrote on November 07, 2009 05:00 AM: I first thought this is a classic case of fraud but after thinking about it, Before the show, their house was valued at XXXX amount of dollars. The taxes on that were, i'm sure, affordable. They thought they were getting help with this new house that now is valued at a higher XXXXX amount of dollars. well taxes go up too. Isn't it a shame when things we donate actually can hurt the people you intended to help by taxing them for the donations they recieved? and this is America, Land of the free, Home of the Brave. I only wish our forfathers could have seen this. I'm ashamed of what this great country has evolved into.


    I wish that Deleo guy would torch my car wrote on November 06, 2009 10:12 PM: The payments on it are killing me. Heh..heh..


    Dan wrote on November 06, 2009 08:00 PM: That's right, take a couple sentences from a strong and say American Sucks. Typical comments from an idiot that doesn't even know the story. You know what, if you think America sucks get out! LEAVE! And if you're not in this country and complain about it, DON'T COME HERE!! We don't want you. We have plenty of lazy people, plenty of people that feel entitled to something even though they never gave anything, etc... I could go on and on. The lazy SOB's that don't give a damn about anyone but themselves are who is ruining this country. That is about 1/2. Why not just rid of them? To say America Sucks...I say you suck!!


    Typical America ! wrote on November 06, 2009 02:15 PM: I don't watch the show much but every time I happen to, the ending shot is dude telling the family that the home is mortgage free ! Is this not always the case ? Even so, where is this family going to find another suitable residence for the girls ? TOO MUCH ! Americans suck, suck, suck. When this country gets socked between the eyes they won't even see it coming because Americans are blind, fat cows !


    Larry Cruikshank wrote on November 06, 2009 01:00 PM: About Extreme Makeover house. It's actually supposed to have 2949 square feet and the $600,000 asking price is almost 4 times what my home acouple houses down can sell for today! Can the 'Malibu-type' beach house actually sell in my tract housing neighborhood? We'll see.
    But that isn't the real question. The real question is why? Why is the family who got a home built specifically for the medical, evironmental, and educational needs of their homebound ill children being sold?
    If they were my children, I would do everything in my power to keep the home, not quietly try to sell it and slip away just a short 7 months after it was built.


    John wrote on November 06, 2009 11:25 AM: Tales of financial and other problems with "home edition" homes are surprisingly common. Google "extreme makeover home edition problems."
    One family had a new home built to make space for all their foster kids, then ditched the kids! Others have been forclosed, etc.
    Like most reality tv, it's more fiction than fact.


    BW wrote on November 06, 2009 10:14 AM: I was alone in the channel 8 newsroom at about 5:30 a.m. when Ned Day came bursting in proclaiming "They burned my car! They burned my car!" He wasn't upset or frightened. In fact, he couldn't have been happier. He was the greatest.


    Thomas wrote on November 06, 2009 08:39 AM: Eddie DeLeo a Spilotro muscleman. Now I will need to research more info on this DeLeo guy.


    djones wrote on November 06, 2009 07:58 AM: Re: the Extreme Makeover home. I'll never understand why they insist on using high end materials and building houses twice the size for the neighborhood. What a waste of time, money and materials.

    How many times have we read that these people have to sell their homes because they can't afford the taxes, etc. Good luck to the Cerda's trying to sell this overpriced white elephant.


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