Taylor Morrison Homes gives away dream house to a Valley family

AVONDALE - A Valley family won their dream house in Avondale as part of a national contest by Taylor Morrison Homes.

They beat the odds and won a $200,000 house.

With the snip of some scissors, the Bernardo family took their first steps in their new home.

"Even though I know that we won the house, it's still sinking in," Michael Bernardo said.

They won the contest even though the odds were stacked against them.

Michael Bernardo entered every day he could, for a total of 119 times.

"I knew I was going to put those entrees in every single day no matter what. Kids were on the computer, I would kick them off," Bernardo said.

They were randomly selected out of 70,000 total entrees.

"I think somebody was looking over me," Bernardo said.

In January, when the contest began, Bernardo was unemployed and just trying to get by.

His 92-year-old mother, wife and four kids were sharing a four-bedroom house.

The new house has six bedrooms and everyone gets their own room.

"Nobody wins a house and we won a house, its a good thing," Bernardo said.

It's the third year of the house giveaway, something Taylor Morrison Homes says they'll keep doing.

"We get so excited to do this every year because you're giving it to a winner who really needs it," said Taylor Morrison's Arizona Division President Charlie Enochs.

"I can't wait to move in, I want to get the furniture in, I want to get the family in, get everything in and start living in this beautiful home," Bernardo said.

With keys in hand, no mortgage payment and four kids, they'll live in all 3,433 square feet of it.

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