The 29-year-old mom tells PEOPLE she entered the contest twice a day every day in 2018, and would bug her husband to get his two entries in each day as well. Still, Muniz, who lives in Nashville and works as the executive producer on a local morning show, never thought she would actually win the grand prize valued at over $1.8 million. Last year, it included a custom-built home in Gig Harbor, Washington, $250,000 cash to help with property and income taxes, and a Honda Accord.
Courtesy Emily Muniz
“It was completely surreal,” Muniz tells PEOPLE. “I couldn’t believe I won. It felt like something I could have only dreamt.”
Emily Muniz and Designer Brian Patrick Flynn.Courtesy Emily Muniz
“It’s not that the homes are just beautiful and in great locations, but it’s the design and craftsmanship that goes into each one that’s impressive,” Muniz says. “I’m also a huge design fan and like seeing how the designers finish out each project to see if there’s ideas I can steal for my own home.”
However, Muniz and her husband, who share a three-year-old daughter, ultimately opted to take the cash prize alternative instead of the grand prize that included the home in Gig Harbor. Muniz says she consulted a financial adviser in Tennessee because they wanted to make the best move for their family.
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“Of the 21 people who’ve won Dream Homes over the years, only six, or about 28 percent, actually lived in their home for more than a year,” the publication reports. “The vast majority either took the cash alternative or sold the house back to the developer within a year of winning.”
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However, Muniz says that taking the cash prize has provided incredible opportunities for her family, including establishing a college fund for their daughter, owning a new Honda, anddonating to charitiesand causes that are close to their hearts.
“No, it’s not the dream home, but this prize has helped us achieve other dreams of ours,” Muniz says.
Currently, the home that Muniz turned down is on the market for $1.9 million, and she says she cannot wait to for someone to purchase it, because she believes anyone would be blessed to live there.
“I’m extremely excited for the lucky family that gets to call it home,” she says. “The floor plan is amazing, the finishes are top notch and the designer,Bryan Patrick Flynn,decked the whole house out with unique designs that I could never replicate. It’s an incredible property and I can’t wait for the new owners to enjoy and love it.”
As for whether Muniz would enter the contest again? Absolutely, she says.
source: people.com
