{"id":7407,"date":"2026-08-01T03:39:57","date_gmt":"2026-08-01T03:39:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=7407"},"modified":"2026-08-01T03:39:57","modified_gmt":"2026-08-01T03:39:57","slug":"an-iowa-couple-chose-cash-instead-of-the-2-2-million-hgtv-dream-home-in-2008-nearly-20-years-later-the-expanded-florida-estate-is-listed-for-11-5-million","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=7407","title":{"rendered":"An Iowa couple chose cash instead of the $2.2 million HGTV Dream Home in 2008; nearly 20 years later, the expanded Florida estate is listed for $11.5 million"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-132776619,imgsize-195082,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/an-iowa-couple-chose-cash-instead-of-the-22-million-hgtv-dream-home-in-2008-nearly-20-years-later-the-expanded-florida-estate-is-listed-for-115-million.jpg\" alt=\"An Iowa couple chose cash instead of the $2.2 million HGTV Dream Home in 2008; nearly 20 years later, the expanded Florida estate is listed for $11.5 million\" title=\"An Iowa couple chose cash instead of the $2.2 million HGTV Dream Home in 2008; nearly 20 years later, the expanded Florida estate is listed for $11.5 million (Photo: Ginger Monteleone)\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Ta7d_ img_cptn\"><span title=\"An Iowa couple chose cash instead of the $2.2 million HGTV Dream Home in 2008; nearly 20 years later, the expanded Florida estate is listed for $11.5 million (Photo: Ginger Monteleone)\">An Iowa couple chose cash instead of the $2.2 million HGTV Dream Home in 2008; nearly 20 years later, the expanded Florida estate is listed for $11.5 million (Photo: Ginger Monteleone)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Nearly two decades after it was awarded as the grand prize in HGTV&#8217;s popular Dream Home sweepstakes, the iconic 2008 HGTV Dream Home in the Florida Keys has returned to the market, this time with a $14.9 million price tag.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"2\"\/>Originally unveiled as the grand prize in the long-running annual competition, the 3,200-square-foot waterfront home was valued at $2.2 million in 2008. It was won by Iowa couple Stephanie and Tommy Dee, who chose to take the cash equivalent of the prize instead of moving into the property.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"4\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>From Dream Home to private resort<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div data-pos=\"0\" class=\"id-r-component iIpbx undefined  &#10;        \">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The 2008 HGTV Dream Home in the Florida Keys is back on the market for $14.9 million.\" msid=\"132776640\" width=\"\" title=\"The 2008 HGTV Dream Home in the Florida Keys is back on the market for $14.9 million. (Photo: Keys Property Visuals)\" placeholdersrc=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/83033472.cms\" imgsize=\"\" resizemode=\"4\" offsetvertical=\"0\" placeholdermsid=\"47529300\" type=\"thumb\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/msid-132776640\/the-2008-hgtv-dream-home-in-the-florida-keys-is-back-on-the-market-for-14-9-million.jpg\" data-api-prerender=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<p>The 2008 HGTV Dream Home in the Florida Keys is back on the market for $14.9 million. (Photo: Keys Property Visuals)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"7\"\/>Since the giveaway, the home has changed hands twice. It was first sold in 2009 before being purchased again in 2021 for $8 million. <!-- -->According to the current listing, the latest owner has transformed the estate into a luxurious &#8220;private resort.&#8221;<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"12\"\/>The sprawling waterfront property now features three separate buildings: a two-bedroom, two-bathroom main residence, a three-bedroom, three-bathroom guesthouse, and a one-bedroom, one-bathroom media house complete with a two-car garage.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"15\"\/><\/p>\n<div data-pos=\"0\" class=\"id-r-component iIpbx undefined  &#10;        \">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The former giveaway home has been transformed into a luxurious private resort.\" msid=\"132776646\" width=\"\" title=\"The former giveaway home has been transformed into a luxurious private resort. (Photo: Keys Property Visuals)\" placeholdersrc=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/83033472.cms\" imgsize=\"\" resizemode=\"4\" offsetvertical=\"0\" placeholdermsid=\"47529300\" type=\"thumb\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/msid-132776646\/the-former-giveaway-home-has-been-transformed-into-a-luxurious-private-resort.jpg\" data-api-prerender=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<p>The former giveaway home has been transformed into a luxurious private resort. (Photo: Keys Property Visuals)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"17\"\/>The estate also boasts a resort-style backyard with a 100-foot swimming pool, a cabana and panoramic views from all three structures, creating a private tropical retreat in the Florida Keys.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"20\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>A beloved HGTV tradition<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>The HGTV Dream Home giveaway has been held annually since 1997, with custom-built homes awarded in destinations across the United States, from Jackson, Wyoming, to Stowe, Vermont.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"23\"\/>The most recent 2026 HGTV Dream Home, built on the shores of Lake Wylie near Charlotte, North Carolina, was valued at $2.4 million and awarded to Atlanta resident Eileen Reimer.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"25\"\/><span class=\"strong\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">Note &#8211;<\/span> <span class=\"em\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">The HGTV Dream Home giveaway offers the winner a choice between taking the fully furnished house package or a large cash alternative payout.<\/span><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/real-estate\/an-iowa-couple-chose-cash-instead-of-the-2-2-million-hgtv-dream-home-in-2008-nearly-20-years-later-the-expanded-florida-estate-is-listed-for-11-5-million\/articleshow\/132776613.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An Iowa couple chose cash instead of the $2.2 million HGTV Dream Home in 2008; nearly 20 years later, the expanded Florida estate is listed for $11.5 million (Photo: Ginger Monteleone) Nearly two decades after it was awarded as the grand prize in HGTV&#8217;s popular Dream Home sweepstakes, the iconic 2008 HGTV Dream Home in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7408,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7407","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-31"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/an-iowa-couple-chose-cash-instead-of-the-22-million-hgtv-dream-home-in-2008-nearly-20-years-later-th-150x150.avif","medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/an-iowa-couple-chose-cash-instead-of-the-22-million-hgtv-dream-home-in-2008-nearly-20-years-later-th-300x169.avif","medium_large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/an-iowa-couple-chose-cash-instead-of-the-22-million-hgtv-dream-home-in-2008-nearly-20-years-later-th.avif","large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/an-iowa-couple-chose-cash-instead-of-the-22-million-hgtv-dream-home-in-2008-nearly-20-years-later-th.avif","1536x1536":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/an-iowa-couple-chose-cash-instead-of-the-22-million-hgtv-dream-home-in-2008-nearly-20-years-later-th.avif","2048x2048":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/an-iowa-couple-chose-cash-instead-of-the-22-million-hgtv-dream-home-in-2008-nearly-20-years-later-th.avif","blogsy-small":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/an-iowa-couple-chose-cash-instead-of-the-22-million-hgtv-dream-home-in-2008-nearly-20-years-later-th.avif","blogsy-small-tall":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/an-iowa-couple-chose-cash-instead-of-the-22-million-hgtv-dream-home-in-2008-nearly-20-years-later-th.avif","blogsy-small-square":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/an-iowa-couple-chose-cash-instead-of-the-22-million-hgtv-dream-home-in-2008-nearly-20-years-later-th.avif","blogsy-small-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/an-iowa-couple-chose-cash-instead-of-the-22-million-hgtv-dream-home-in-2008-nearly-20-years-later-th.avif","blogsy-medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/an-iowa-couple-chose-cash-instead-of-the-22-million-hgtv-dream-home-in-2008-nearly-20-years-later-th.avif","blogsy-medium-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/an-iowa-couple-chose-cash-instead-of-the-22-million-hgtv-dream-home-in-2008-nearly-20-years-later-th.avif","blogsy-large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/an-iowa-couple-chose-cash-instead-of-the-22-million-hgtv-dream-home-in-2008-nearly-20-years-later-th.avif","blogsy-wide":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/an-iowa-couple-chose-cash-instead-of-the-22-million-hgtv-dream-home-in-2008-nearly-20-years-later-th.avif"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"admin","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"An Iowa couple chose cash instead of the $2.2 million HGTV Dream Home in 2008; nearly 20 years later, the expanded Florida estate is listed for $11.5 million (Photo: Ginger Monteleone) Nearly two decades after it was awarded as the grand prize in HGTV&#8217;s popular Dream Home sweepstakes, the iconic 2008 HGTV Dream Home in [&hellip;]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 \u0b2c\u0b3f\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36"],"magazineBlocksPostViewCount":1,"magazineBlocksPostReadTime":2,"magazine_blocks_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/an-iowa-couple-chose-cash-instead-of-the-22-million-hgtv-dream-home-in-2008-nearly-20-years-later-th.avif",400,225,false],"medium":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/an-iowa-couple-chose-cash-instead-of-the-22-million-hgtv-dream-home-in-2008-nearly-20-years-later-th-300x169.avif",300,169,true],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/an-iowa-couple-chose-cash-instead-of-the-22-million-hgtv-dream-home-in-2008-nearly-20-years-later-th-150x150.avif",150,150,true]},"magazine_blocks_author":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/author\/admin"},"magazine_blocks_comment":0,"magazine_blocks_author_image":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g","magazine_blocks_category":"<a href=\"#\" class=\"category-link category-link-31\">\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 \u0b2c\u0b3f\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36<\/a>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7407","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7407"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7407\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7408"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7407"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7407"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7407"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}