MERRITT ISLAND, Fla. — After the winner of HGTV's 2016 Dream Home said no to the luxury property, the cable-TV network put the waterfront house on the market for $1.53 million.
Initially, the network valued the three-bedroom, 3,150-square-foot home at $1.3 million and threw in $250,000 in cash, a 2016 GMC Acadia Denali and 2016 Bryant Sperenza boat. But officials raised the price because it's far more than bare walls and hardwood floors.
"It's a fully furnished house," said P.J. McLoughlin, a real-estate agent with National Realty of Brevard. "And it's a one-of-a-kind."
Last week sweepstakes winner David Rennie of Shelton, Conn., decided to take a $1.2 million cash option — $900,000, the car and the boat — instead of his $1.7 million grand prize. He had been chosen from 127 million entries.
Homes next door to the HGTV have a median listing of $699,000, according to realtor.com. Nearby neighborhoods' medians range from $282,000 to $4 million.
McLoughlin doesn't think the house will be on the market for long.
"It's not every day an HGTV giveaway house is in your backyard," he said.
The two-story home features water views, a grand staircase, luxury dog house, pool and private dock. It has outdoor lounging areas, Florida-inspired decor, bold colors, three bathrooms and two half-bathrooms.
"Because it's an HGTV house, it's attracting national attention," McLoughlin said. "For families coming from California and the Northeast, $1.5 million buys them a three-bedroom, 2-bath house (in their home state), not on the water, not sunset facing. So my guess is it will be gone quickly."
The HGTV Dream Home 2016 episode, hosted by Tiffany Brooks, will air at 1 p.m. ET May 27.
Even though Rennie took the cash option, "he is still the HGTV Dream Home 2016 winner, and people get to share in his joy as he receives the keys and looks around the house for the first time," HGTV officials said.
Follow Jennifer Sangalang on Twitter: @byjensangalang
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