This one really stuck with me. Arlene Nickless fought for nearly a decade to keep the home Extreme Makeover built for her family after husband Tim died in 2008. That’s what makes stories like hers particularly heartbreaking and endearing to us as viewers.
In September 2016, the Holt, Michigan home went to foreclosure sale for approximately $113,000. The six-month redemption period passed without Arlene finding the needed funds.
Listed on Auction Site
By 2017, the six-bedroom home appeared on auction website Hubzu for $176,000. The family had until Monday to vacate the property they had called home for nine years.
Utility companies and charities had helped with donations over the years, but it was never enough to overcome the increased property taxes and maintenance costs. As someone who has followed these families closely, I can say the Nickless case represents everything that went wrong with how the original show was structured.
Timeline verified: January 2026
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