The Trade Me Project free house drama is a total mess

What do you think about the Shay vs Trade Me Project free house TikTok drama?
Editing help from Connor McDowell (‪@connormcdowell2‬)
Second Channel: ‪@itsAntiAustin‬
Insta: / itsaustingreen
Twitter: / itsaustingreen
TikTok: / itsaustingreen

[@peanutbutterpandapuffss]

I get that Shay has had a hard life but it’s so weird and problematic that she made it sound like Demi deceived her and kicked her out of the house when she was the one who trashed it, left it to disrepair and never moved back in after saying she would repeatedly for months and months…I really don’t get what she was going for here. I hope the house actually goes to someone who will appreciate it

[@dismurrart6648]

Especially when she claimed they left it a little messy, when there was pee on the ground. Presumably that was the dog but come on. She wouldn't have included that bit if she didn't know how bad they left it

[@camdenhunt7565]

Especially leaving a house for FOUR MONTHS with zero communication like she would assume that she doesn't want to live there anymore

[@keekermojo]

It's called being a professional victim. Make yourself look weak/vulnerable at all times and usually someone will be gullible enough to always help

[@ismybodyonstraight]

I'm going to gently go against the louder voice here and just say this: she didn't lie. Not only was the house never transferred to her name, her use of the house was monitored the whole time. That doesn't make what she did okay, but I think it added a lot of pressure to the situation that would make it hard for a person going through mental issues to act. Personally I think the idea of giving a house to someone who needs it is wonderful but it also clearly wasn't thought through. This is another one of those situations where everyone is happy to talk about supporting mental health issues right up until the mental health issues aren't palatable for them anymore.

[@dismurrart6648]

@@ismybodyonstraight it wasn't monitored though. She had neighbors. That's completely different

[@ginger_nspice]

I think where this went wrong was selecting a 18/19 yo. She doesn't have a license or the life experience needed to organize a cross-country move like this.

[@ginger_nspice]

Especially since she doesn't have an adult support system. Just unfortunate :(

[@sari9645]

I agree 100%

[@Binstabih]

I agree but i think she understands that, is bummed, and never would’ve exposed it if she wasn’t being cancelled😬 i do wish she didn’t include the “fucking stupid” part tho, i get it but it’s mean lol

[@SaintAvangeline]

Exactly what I was thinking :( unfortunate all around.

[@dismurrart6648]

She was filmed in the house though

[@theboneater]

If she feels bad, why would she try and expose trademe in the first place? That's what's confusing me the most

[@rs-mt6kl]

Truly 🤔🤨 that part makes me think she's not as honest/good intentioned of a person she wants people to think she is

[@colinofay7237]

Clout

[@camdenhunt7565]

Trying to shift the blame 100 percent. If that girl wanted to live in the house she could have used greyhound, megabus, etc etc there were a lot of different ways to get there to a FREE HOUSE. Like A FREE HOUSE GODDAMN.

[@MsTinkerbelle87]

Shes trailer trash.

[@realities_boring]

Seriously why would you post about it? Did she think she was gonna get the house back? Nobody would’ve known how badly she messed up if she didn’t bring it back up!

[@Monti-ko]

Shay was absolutely the wrong person to pick for this house. Not because she didn't deserve it or anything, but because what she needed wasn't the massive responsibility of a house but therapy and several years of safety and normalcy to grow into adulthood. I don't understand what the idea here even was. Figuratively throwing money (i.e. a house) at years of trauma and an unstable home life was never going to go well. I get wanting a fairytale ending to a fairytale story but this wasn't it.

[@dismurrart6648]

I think that's the fault of optimism. If I were doing this, I think I'd look for someone with a good story, who also has something to show they can take care of a place. Like let's say you have a poor construction worker with a kid. He may not have ever owned a home but he's more likely to know how to maintain a place. A lot of people don't understand the workload a house is. Shay seems like she can't be bothered to take her dog to the bathroom, but I know full adults more responsible than me who didn't buy a house because roofs or furnaces fail. I bought a house and immediately put 20 grand into it and most of that was unplanned.

[@averydeering3649]

FINALLY someone in these comments that understands

[@cyanidecherrypie]

@@dismurrart6648I think you flipped construction worker with kid lol

[@Aesos3429]

@@averydeering3649 this would imply that you also do not understand lol

[@Alexandra_K_]

I didn't say anything years ago when I saw the story and giveaway but this is kinda how I expected this to go down.. Horrible life story aside, this girl was not a good candidate. This is not a person who grew into a healthy, functioning adult by 18/19 which is hardly surprising considering her upbringing. I feel for the girl and I hope she gets the help she REALLY needs to grow up but that text being like “I'm scared of adulting” was just🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️. She was not ready for the responsibility and didn't have the maturity to appreciate what a blessing it it to be gifted a HOUSE. A WHOLE HOUSE. Hopefully Demi can get the house fixed up again with minimal trouble so a slightly older, more mature, hardworking and capable person can benefit from such generosity.

[@rigby.walabee]

The fact that Demi messaged her and Shay ACKNOWLEDGED she would not be allowed back because of the damage and Shay STILL tried to make it seem like Demi just kicked her out for no reason. Wild....

[@ashleyduckworthyt3224]

No accountability 😢

[@koryngalen6228]

This is so frustrating. I feel for Demi. The fact that Shay tried to stir this back up on tiktok for sympathy is shameful.

[@star7communicator434]

Even when she was clearly distraught by the state of the house, Demi maintained her professionalism and communicated with Shay. It's unfortunate that Shay wasn't ready for the responsibility, but moving to a new house in a completely different area takes a lot of thought and preparation that hadn't been put into the decision. Given that Shay is only 19, I hope she can learn from all of this and find a home that suits her someday.

[@colinofay7237]

Only 19? Come on

[@star7communicator434]

@@colinofay7237 Not everyone is a full grown adult by 18. People who go through intense trauma or are neurodivergent often reach important milestones later in life.

[@fauxclaws]

She doesn't deserve a home, so many people would kill to have what she threw away. 19 is an adult old enough to understand trashing a house and leaving pee on the floor, then slandering the person who helped her isn't ok

[@star7communicator434]

Idk why my previous comment hasnt shown up here, but expecting someone to act like a full-grown adult the minute they hit 18 is absurd. Especially when the authority figures in their lives haven't been there to show them how to be a proper adult. People who are neurodivergent and/or have complex trauma often tend to meet certain milestones later than their peers. I am in no way trying to justify the situation, but given Shay's background you have to take many things into consideration. Not everyone is completely independent and mature by the time they legally become an adult. I think it's fine to have at least some compassion for both sides here.

[@fauxclaws]

@@star7communicator434 you don't need to be an adult to understand what she did was wrong though. A 15 year old would understand leaving pee on the floor and trying to trash the person that helped them is wrong. If shay hadn't trashed the house so badly and apologized afterwards, it'd be one thing, but this goes way beyond that

[@lance.7124]

... i dont know any of these guys, i dont even live in america, but it hurts seeing such a house given for Free basically just trashed like that. especially in this economy.

[@rigby.walabee]

I'm 21 and I wish i could get a free house. I wouldn't be safe in Tennessee but still...

[@camdenhunt7565]

The way I would live there immediately after it being given to me for FREE FOR FREEEEEE. To trash it and then abandon it, I'm---

[@cheycheyfriend247]

@@camdenhunt7565 i am almost 100% sure drugs are involved in this story. either that or she has severe mental issues

[@spoons250]

@@camdenhunt7565 She wanted to sell it. She was trying to wait out the owner to get the paperwork, she never planned on moving across state. I guarantee you every single person she knows said "you can always just sell it!" and promise you the local Zillow market was checked, regularly... AND she won it right in the middle of the housing boom where EVERYONE was buying and homes were selling like hotcakes. It also dosant look "trashed". TrashY maybe, nothing looks permanently damaged. Just trash everywhere. Nothing that would hurt resell.

[@pandat581]

I agree. I'm 23 and I also grew up with abuse, was kicked out at 17, and had to make my way in life with little support. To see someone squander thus opportunity makes me feel so angry

[@dragonetafireball]

Most people aren’t mentally prepared for windfalls, it’s why you gotta be careful with the lottery or inheritance

[@rurubelle2920]

Yes. This is literally why legal trustees exist.

[@cheycheyfriend247]

its wild most of the commenters dont understand this

[@spoons250]

@@cheycheyfriend247 No, this isnt true. The lottery curse isnt real... we know of about 10 people who won big and blew it... 187,000 have won over a million in the last 5 years alone. This wasnt a "winfall", not was it "all expenses paid". The owner is a idi0t for thinking a 18 year old girl in deep poverty with 0 support system could move CROSS COUNTRY away from the few people she does know, and stay there, and PAY FOR UPKEEP when she literally was working part time minimum wage when chosen. That house could have kept a family off the streets. Like, a working father and mother who live in the actual state. That girl was trying to stress wait out the owner so she could get the deed in her name, flip it and pocket the coin. It it looks like a debbie gallagher, and talks like a debbie gallagher...

[@toiletfrog]

I used to be a caregiver for an 88y/o lady. She got a new car and GAVE ME her old car (I was driving a broken down 1998 Honda accord, putting chains on the tires to drive in the mountains where I live). I tried to offer to pay for the car or have her take out of my paycheck for it but she insisted. She said she has given away cars and houses before. I really cared for her and have love for her and knew I deserved to have a safe car, but i had a really hard time accepting something so huge. That someone could really give me a car for $0 and not ask anything in return? I dragged my feet getting the title officially changed at the DMV for like 3 weeks because it just freaked me out so much. It felt strange at first, like I was driving someone else’s car or a stolen car. Maybe Shay felt similarly. This car was truly life-changing for me. I don’t know what I would’ve done or how I could’ve gone to work when my accord broke down. I don’t know how I could’ve survived another mountain winter in a front-wheel drive little car. I truly needed a new vehicle, and yet it was still uncomfortable to be given one. I really take care of my car though. Any maintenance I do for it doesn’t feel as expensive since i don’t owe anything on the car. It feels like I’m just making a car payment. I still get in the seat and think of how grateful and lucky I am to have a friend like my 88y/o lady. I owe it to her to keep the car nice anyway!!!

[@TM-np5lq]

​@@toiletfrog Bless you for being a caregiver, for being grateful and responsible. You earned that car by helping A woman in her final years who needed you, And was happy to say thank you with a car she no longer needed. It takes a special gift to be a caretaker. Wishing you continued happiness, strength, health, wisdom and peace.

[@Sniff_Jenkem]

The black mold was there from all the shit that she left there. That's not an excuse to leave a house. You bring that up immediately, especially if the house isn't even in your name.

[@rs-mt6kl]

Nah dude. There's literally no excuse for just leaving the house like that, completely trashed, without being at least somewhat honest about the state you left it in. Honestly disgusting. Shay should be ashamed of herself.

[@Mooseinclusivity]

Literally!! Its so disgusting

[@WelfareChrist]

I used to work with troubled youths and they definitely don’t just magically know how to take care of a home, nine times out of ten if you give a troubled kid a big house they’re gonna trash it, I remember one of the girls I took shopping for cleaning supplies for the house and she started crying saying she’s never bought cleaning supplies before and she was nearly 20. Taking care of a full stand alone house takes a lot of time, energy, and money - all things troubled kids don’t have a ton of.

[@red_mcapples]

This is so true. It takes time to learn these things, and when all your senses are focused on being safe and alive, learning life skills without ongoing support is next to impossible. The TradeMe project approach was lovely, but it needed to go to someone older and prepared to look after it.

[@keydavis4894]

@@red_mcapplesShay could of said no then instead of saying yes to the house and trashing it

[@em84c]

​@@keydavis4894she applied for it so she probably thought she could look after it I don't know why they didn't choose someone who lives in the area

[@JudgeyJudgeyable]

When looking at the walk through of the trashed house, I was just thinking, is garbage pick up service set up? I feel like there's just a lot of nitty gritty details that can be very hard to manage if you're not used to it

[@keydavis4894]

@@em84c yeah that could be true but even then she had the option to say no when it was offered to her… she definitely should of choose someone in state I can understand that

[@OpposumParty87]

Not only did she get the house but she got a check for 10k

[@stabbybastard464]

😮 this girl is garbage then.

[@cheycheyfriend247]

@@stabbybastard464 no she just was nowhere near ready for this. a lot of people in poverty cannot handle money or real responsibility well. its like with lottery winners or inheritances. jeez you guys are silly..

[@slimkt]

@@cheycheyfriend247That’s usually applicable in that people who come from poverty end up spending their money on things that people would consider frivolous or ‘a waste of money’ not trashing a house and then trying to go viral dumping on the one person who was trying to help her.

[@cheycheyfriend247]

@@slimkt bad decision making from being young and growing up in poverty and trauma isnt surprising either. all her behaviors can be explained, not excused but explained. it also happens with homeless people i am curious about her boyfriend and his influence or who she surrounds herself with

[@kasumigrl]

I just cannot get over shoving garbage in closets. I have a lot of compassion for this whole situation, I was a hot mess at 19, but she had so many chances to come clean! 14 months! I had never heard of trade me project until this situation but I’m excited for her book now

[@Tazzie1312]

I just googled it and in the city the house is in, it seems like you have to individually contract a company to come pick up your trash. It's around 50 bucks every 4 months, which is not an impossible amount of money, but it's a lot for a 18 year old. It's also a lot to figure that out when you're 18.

[@squirrall]

@@Tazzie1312Shay was given 10k with the house. I think 50$ would have been okay for the garbage for 4 months (150$ for a 12) while she finds a job would have been okay

[@Tazzie1312]

@@squirrall It's not just the money, it's knowing you have to contract a service, knowing how to do it, knowing how to pick one. That's just stuff that you don't know automatically

[@kasumigrl]

@@Tazzie1312 excellent point!

[@squirrall]

@@Tazzie1312 but if you’re able to look it up that easy and google is free to where anyone can type in “Tennessee waste/garbage disposal (area)” than how far of a bar is it to lower for someone that’s trying to apply for a home Demi was giving away.

[@pnwlady]

She may not be old enough to take care of a house, but she is old enough to know not to lie online. I could give Shay a pass on the house, but going after the insanely patient and generous person who gave it to her, nope.

[@furuyawn]

i think what this situation boils down to is that young adults are often really impulsive and don't fully grasp the long-term ramifications of things because they lack life experience. in shay's case, i think she didn't grasp the long-term ramifications of suddenly becoming a homeowner in another state, didn't grasp the long-term ramifications of abandoning a house that she was given for free, and didn't grasp the long-term ramifications of calling out the person that gave her that home for problems with it that she caused for herself. sad all around and my heart goes out to demi for being put in this situation for trying to do something good for a stranger.

[@cheycheyfriend247]

i do think she may have been influenced to call her out, it also seems like maybe drugs are involved

[@furuyawn]

@@cheycheyfriend247 potentially; tho i won't speculate on that since idk anything about this situation beyond what's been described in this video. 😅 but whatever the case is, i hope she's learned something from this and can grow from it and move on with her life.

[@MsJaytee1975]

I think we often underestimate how much parents are still a safety net at that age and what teenagers lose when they don’t have it.

[@furuyawn]

@@MsJaytee1975 definitely. it's really difficult to know what kind of big life decisions are good to make when you don't have trusted adults to ask for advice or opinions

[@ceruleanwonder]

I’m 28 and routinely cry myself to sleep because I’m afraid I’ll never be able to own a home. I get that Shay is young and has had a troubled upbringing, but this is so heartbreaking for many reasons.

[@pandat581]

My partner and I have resigned ourselves to the fact that we'll never own a home or retire, yet there's people like Shay who take a free house and spit in the face of those that helped her

[@ceruleanwonder]

@@pandat581 I feel your pain and I totally understand. It’s very frustrating to watch someone be handed exactly what you want and then take it for granted. No disrespect to you, but I think we need to remind ourselves that Shay was raised in a tumultuous environment and probably suffers from mental health issues. I don’t think they meant to spit in people’s faces, but that is absolutely what it feels like to those of us who would die for our own home. That being said, well wishes to you and your partner! Times are tough but I hope you achieve all of your dreams and are able to find your own little slice of heaven. May we all be fed and housed adequately ❤️

[@soude85]

Most people will never own a house, there is no need to cry about that!

[@ceruleanwonder]

@@soude85 I get that but I want to own a house. I’m also allowed to cry if things upset me. Hope that helps!

[@papertape7911]

We should all just hope that when we have once-in-a-lifetime opportunities such as the one that girl had, we would not self-sabotage and ruin it for ourselves. How sad.

[@cheycheyfriend247]

one of the better comments on this video

[@QueenKunta]

20:05 100% disagree. She absolutely owes that woman a public apology since she tried to publicly shame her.

[@Sailrjup12nh]

This is definitely Shay’s fault. Demi tried to help her but I don’t think she is old enough to take responsibility for a house like this. What really pisses me off was the mess she left that house in.

[@stedydubdetroit]

18:58 “I didn’t k ow what to do?” She’s acting like she 5 years old. You clean it! That’s what you do with a mess, genius‼️

[@literallylondonn]

i think she was talking about the mold situation lol

[@Justapikachu577]

How the fuck does a 19yr safely clean black mold??? Genius

[@ember9361]

@@literallylondonn you clean it... also her reaction is normal for an 18 year old

[@blackdahlia42]

​@londonlaraee was there actual mold?? It seems if there was mold, she created it - which was preventable by her cleaning like a normal human being. You don't get to 19 years old, living on the internet, and not know houses need to be cleaned

[@dismurrart6648]

​@@Justapikachu577she said she thought there was black mold, not that there was. Plenty of molds are black but black mold is extremely rare. Assuming a mold was there, I doubt the person who left pee on the ground knew to call someone to test the bathroom mildew.

[@mxmissy]

I can understand and feel somewhat sympathetic towards Shay due to the hardships she's faced. And while yes an 18/19 year old is still figuring out adulthood, but come the fuck on. We shouldn't excuse what she did because of her age.

[@pandat581]

Thank you! So many people are making excuses because "she's just a teen! 🥺" and "she had a tough life!" As if countless other young adults who were abused DONT do shit like this. Ridiculous

[@jannaschindler6064]

The garbage in the closet? I mean come on 😂😂

[@NaluTattoo]

Yeah she probably should have vetted better and gave the house to someone who would have actually appreciated it, not a 18/19 year old. There are plenty of people who are in their late 20s to 30s who can not afford a house that may have family or respect and are responsible and can care for something free like that. Truly unfortunate that that little girl didnt realize the value of what she received and treated it like garbage. I rent so if this were to happen to me i would be crying at the opportunity to get a free house. She probably should have given it to someone who wouldnt have to relocate that far too. It crazy that she completely ruined this opportunity and that will never ever happen again. Just completely irresponsible and disrespectful and then to try to shift blame she probably feels super dumb for putting it out on social media like she was a victim when shes not.

[@registeredjopper]

I don't think her age is the issue - i know 18/19 year olds who would love to have a free house and would treat it well. hell, at that age I know i would've been that. but clearly, that girl has a compelling story and Demi was surely also persuaded to help by online support for Shay. Unfortunately, this whole thing probably made Demi a bit more cynical - who knows if she'll be as understanding of any issues for the next person.

[@squirrelgod598]

@@registeredjopper it is when shay never proved she was mature or responsible enough to be a home owner

[@rigby.walabee]

​@@registeredjopper but a young adult who has never had responsibility modeled for them and lives states away with their boyfriend??? Not the right choice.

[@lizek3515]

She completely got stuck on the sob story. A family in need would’ve been a way better choice

[@keydavis4894]

@@squirrelgod598it’s not though it’s a lot of 18 to 19 year olds who do know how to take care of a house. you can’t just blame age on everything. on top of that she could of easily said no to the house.

[@jessie-yz5vz]

In social work we are taught that trauma can show itself in many ways. As people we love to judge, but just from what this kid had told the lady that gave her the house, you can tell she hasn't had stability or a sense of 'being okay' for a long time. At least this case is pretty straightforward (shes apologetic and knows that this is not a way to treat something that was freely given to you, is aware that her actions were harmful, etc.) Others manifest in even more complicated ways. I truly hope that the girl gets the help she needs and deserves, maybe a bigger sibling sort of mentor who can help her learn what to do to be a successful adult. And i hope she finds healing.

[@defectiveaffect]

its so upsetting that out of all the submissions im sure there were similar ones to hers, many folks in desperate need of a home but ones who would actually care for the place. So many people I know who wouldve been on their hands and knees for being gifted a whole house, wouldve tried paying it back and thankin them for years..

[@MsTinkerbelle87]

Right? It pisses me off!!!

[@keydavis4894]

On top of that he doesn’t say it in the video but she did get gifted I think it was 10 thousand dollars if not that then something else but she definitely got gifted a lot of fucking money

[@pandat581]

It genuinely upsets me so much how someone could do this

[@amandalong112]

Yea that’s what is truly sad 😢

[@coolgirl312]

It sucked that Shay left the house in that condition and strung Demi on for so long. I'm sure she had a lot going on and likely wasn't in the best mental state the entire time. Demi could've easily put her on blast and exposed what Shay had done with her generosity. But still, Demi was nothing but sympathetic, kind, and professional to her and kept the whole situation private. Can't believe Shay had the audacity to try and twist the story and paint Demi as the bad guy. I really don't know what she thought she could've gotten out of that, clout? Anyways, glad the truth is out and hope Demi can find someone more deserving of the house. I'm sure a few years from now, Shay will be kicking herself for fumbling this badly.

[@cheycheyfriend247]

if im gonna be honest, i think either shay or someone she is close to that was with her in that house, was or is on drugs and has been influencing her. and i think she definitely had bees in her ear telling her to call out demi. shay seems immature and mentally ill and that excuses none of what she did, i just wish for her to get some therapy and treatment and find better friends.

[@elenabloksberg212]

Ive absolutely been in that headspace when i get depressed and burnt out, where i just hide and reply late and make excuses like "ill be in tomorrow, i swear!" While just hiding behind my guilt and fear of consequences. Funny thing is that happened the most for me between the ages of 17 and 21. It's a normal but shitty headspace to be in, and the consequences for the people and things around you can be really detrimental. It sucks for Demi that the stakes were so high here, and it sucks for Shay that this was so public, that can't have helped. That still doesn't excuse the behavior though, it's definitely self destruction and can only be stopped by you yourself. I'm sorry for everybody in this situation, really.

[@MossTunic]

i'm 28 now but definitely with my own mental health struggles & neglectful lack of parenting, i have had similar struggles with getting caught in that nightmarish loop of being incapable of handling anything but desperately trying to keep up with what was wanted & needed from me. it's horrible, it's embarrassing, i wouldn't wish depression & neglectful parenting on anyone. it's so underrated how depression will complicate & ruin years of life if you have a major depressive disorder like me, where it is not just short episodes... knowing all the things you have to do but feeling like you're trapped within yourself & cannot will yourself into doing the things necessary for a situation nor being given the tools by the adults who raised me to compensate is an unending horror movie... knowing how much better life could've been but has been blocked for so many avoidable reasons... ugh. i'm sure shay felt extremely embarrassed too, & was obviously deflecting blame in a very immature way by doing a call out that distorted the situation. i wish people would be more empathetic that this situation sucks for everyone & shay should learn from this with the support of empathy, but i know for so many on the internet, they want blood where ever they can get it. i hope shay gets adult figures in her life that can guide her & help her understand herself & the world easier.

[@edelleaa]

ive been there myself at that age and even still kind of am so i have sympathy for the constant procrastination and the mess but at the same time... "sucks for Shay that this was so public" ... no, because SHE made it public... and by LYING and attacking a woman that seemingly did nothing but try to help for too long and kept her situation private. if she never posted that video and we found out about the rest of the situation somehow else...id get it, its very hard, but that video.. just makes her overall intentions look so bad and thats where she loses me.

[@ember9361]

@@edelleaa exactly! She made it public, and now is facing the consequences to her actions. She went offline and I hope she doesn't go public for a hot minute.

[@elenabloksberg212]

@@edelleaa that's a fair point. Yeah, there's a difference between self destruction where you hide and internally blame others, and self destruction where you outwardly blame others. Thanks for pointing t out

[@roramoya]

bruh a Chipotle card is only valuable to people who like the food there. As someone who doesn't, it's not worth much aside from novelty but I'd still trade for a fair enough price. Sending hate to her over that trade reeks of jealousy from people who wish they had the celebrity card but never will lmao

[@mari-wl6py]

no fr i was so aghast people were actually upset at her 💀 felt very American ngl..

[@PossessiveK]

Agreed, I've had it several times and can't see the hype people give to Chipotle. I didn't even know they had such cards.

[@neocores]

shay just seems like a young, traumarised and mentally unwell person who ended up in a situation that she didn't actually think through very well. and then of course a teenager who is used to seeing tiktok and twitter take everything to the internet would then. do that. i think she was a terrible person to pick, not through any fault of her own, but because she just so clearly was not actually prepared for such a big change like this. its very common for people in tough situations to not know how to manage a big change, even if it could be good for them. framing it as demi being unfair as well is clearly a symptom of being so traumarised that everything feels like youre being victimised. and then instead of communicating better she went and made jt worse by making demi out to be evil on tiktok, even though demi was just doing what she thought was necessary, and having been trying to help. what a shitty situation all around.

[@ThisJess]

Like fuck...it's a house! Does she not understand how difficult it is to get and have a house??? I'd take the house and take care of it, I'm 38, have kids and have been renting my whole adult life. A house freeand clear, even small, is life changing for most people!

[@cheycheyfriend247]

i mean youre 38

[@Tazzie1312]

I mean, no, she doesn't, because she's 19.

[@ThisJess]

@@Tazzie1312 I'm just frustrated, she's never going to have an opportunity like this again.

[@mayagarcia-hector2732]

@@Tazzie1312not to be a dick but like. Everyone’s acting like she’s 6. She’s not. She’s a legal adult. Plenty of people her age and even younger live alone. I’m shocked that everyone thinks trashing this house and then lying about it is like whoops she’s just a kid

[@codykelley4425]

I don't think a struggling teen needs to make a public apology for the house, but trying to manipulate the public for her own benefit after destroying it and leaving it abandoned. That's a little more in the grey, if she never tried garnering sympathy. Or getting it back? (Not sure why she made that video really) Then 100% she's fine, but she's the one who put it in the public's eye again, so I lost all sympathy, you can't expect privacy after walking on stage.

[@ember9361]

same here.

[@kicksomerocks]

will you be covering the watcher situation? edit: the watcher just posted their apology video so the timing couldn't be better

[@p-__]

My farts are better than Austin Green’s farts 💨

[@jeddmold]

there are like 10 vids about it already

[@valentine8767]

when theres more information probably. like theres nothing for him to cover rn

[@Small_Potato-u5b]

Honestly is it even worth a video? And I'm not saying that sarcastically, I'm a huge fan who's very dissapointed but there's no real drama? (in my opinion of course) They made a poor descision and also said something out of touch. Is there anything else??

[@kicksomerocks]

@@valentine8767 they just posted an apology video

[@JorgeQueue]

The kid deserved so much compassion and the benefit of the doubt up to the moment she tried to slander. All compassion goes out the window, and her age really isn’t an excuse for such disgusting behavior. If she hasn’t already, she’ll grow to learn that this was a series of the worst decisions she’ll ever make.

[@ember9361]

also dude? she was afraid of not being able to drive there??? I think Demi should just consider people who are willing and ready to move in. Maybe someone from the actual state the house is in.

[@kittytittiesRus]

Ya it's strange shay would apply for such a "contest" if she had no means to get there or stay out there

[@squirrall]

This is a good response, I’m wondering if the location for Shay wasn’t desirable to her. She’d be moving from PA to TN and maybe the state was an issue for her like it might be for others. Demi should have asked followers to consider the location of the house and further spoon feed to people to consider that move.

[@soude85]

⁠@@squirrall She said it herself-she wanted to move away! She knew where the house was, when she entered the competition with her sobstory… There is no excuse for her trying to damage Demi’s reputation after everything she has done. That’s so ungrateful.

[@squirrall]

@@soude85 absolutely, it’s why I felt the need to say ‘spoon-feed’ because I’m not sure how much more clear Demi had to be about the house.

[@PossessiveK]

As someone who still loathes driving, I get her fear. It doesn't excuse her actions, but I get it. She had to have known before entering the contest where the house would be, if she couldn't overcome her fears to get there then she should have either abdicated it or refrained from entering at all.

[@rs-mt6kl]

Why would you choose an 18/19 yr old lol

[@Springcocomuffin]

Thank you like that makes NO sense. It's okay to feel bad for a struggling 18 year old but you really thought that she coulda handle a HOUSE? Maybe an apartment..

[@mocchan5215]

Shay annoying asf for this 😭 theres so many more people who deserve a place to live. Hopefully it goes to someone more appreciative

[@Aldrastar]

don't give a house away to a teenager, or at least not that particular teenager.

[@little-lady-trashcan]

Also people are forgetting she APPLIED to get this house!! like she wasn't just randomly chosen, she wrote in her life story and was like yo please give me the house. Like she cant be like well i didnt know what to do and couldnt move. Which, up to this point, i feel like you can be like "well she didnt know what she was getting into, a house is a lot of work yadda yadda yadda", but to then make Demi look like the bad person on TikTok its just criminal. Like she stuck her neck out for Shay and Shay legit spat in her face

[@edelleaa]

theres too many people defending her saying things like shes just 18 and its hard to move and she has trauma blalal... like yeah ok but as if that somehow excuses her posting a manipulative lying video "exposing" demi after all that SHE did?? lol people give her way too much grace. she showed her true colors imo.

[@pandat581]

​@@edelleaa10000% agree

[@Mooseinclusivity]

Free house, free Amazon packages and a check and the girl still left the place a mess??? Lmfao what a joke. This is why people don’t want to give to people in need. Bc they have no home training

[@perlyshell]

short of helping shay relocate, i don't really think that Demi can do anything more. i agree with other comments, her mistake is giving a teenager her own place. she's not equipped yet to handle such a big responsibility. but what I don't understand is: why did shay post a TikTok in the first place? Demi still seemed to be understanding of her situation despite seeing how trashed the place is.

[@averysspookshowspectacular6205]

So, I don't know who Demi's primary audience is, but if you're giving away a house a teenager living with a friend doesn't seem like the number one person who needs a house. Maybe someone with kids or something? I don't know, it just seems like the wrong person for multiple different reasons.

[@MsJaytee1975]

A teenager who is moving state as well. I suspect she went with the most moving story, and didn’t think about whether the recipient could cope. And maybe she didn’t understand what that would actually mean for Shay. I don’t know Demi’s back story, but if she’s had a stable life she might not understand why this wouldn’t be a good idea for Shay. I get why Shay wanted it and why Demi offered her the house. But I get why it went sideways too.

[@JamesLacroixx]

I've had a hard, traumatic life, and no safety net at all, and I would never have behaved like Shay at any step in the process. I'm so mentally ill that I'm legally disabled, and I was forced to leave my house as soon as I was legally able to live alone, so I could pay 200 dollars a month to live in a dilapidated roach-infested house in the projects with 3 other people, because it was better than the environment I was in. I had a teeny part time job that barely covered rent at the time because it was the best I could get. Yet I did not trash that house and responsibly communicated with the owner we were renting from at every stage... Nor did I randomly go slander him, EVEN THOUGH he did nothing to maintain the property, the floor was literally sinking and I could see into the basement from my bathroom, which by the way had a thriving mushroom colony growing out of the tile behind the toilet. (This was the state of the house when we moved in.) I also didn't put him on blast for trying to rent it out to me with no functioning appliances until I negotiated to get him to fix them so it was legally habitable. And I was 18 at the time... curious.

[@pandat581]

I'm sorry you experienced that. Thank you for sharing your experience though, because too many people are excusing her behaviour because she's "young and traumatized"

[@JamesLacroixx]

@@pandat581 Thanks for listening (reading). I sympathize with things like, executive dysfunction, and avoidant personality traits, truly I understand these things and suffer with them myself, but I think there is a point where that behavior is enabled in young people, rather than addressed. I'm so glad to see the kind of mental health awareness that I wish existed when I was younger and couldn't understand why I felt so broken, but it comes with the caveat that often people who identify with these issues are too ready to accept them in themselves rather than actually push through them and take accountability for how their own mental health affects others. Now, that can explain the poor condition she left the house in, but honestly I can't even fathom a reason to actually try to blame Demi for the situation when keeping your mouth shut costs nothing and no one would have ever known. It seems like maybe when her 'issues' were no longer being tolerated and coddled because the situation had grown too dire, she decided to lash out and retaliate. Just, so sad for Demi tbh.

[@jimmypad5501]

Yay for you do you want a cookie?

[@JamesLacroixx]

@@jimmypad5501 Sure, I'll take a cookie if you're offering.

[@Justinelucyyink]

There were probably so many actual full grown adutls who sent in emails, people with kids and emergency situations. I have no idea why she would choose a 18 year old out of everyone.

[@squirrall]

I don’t know why people are stating “she’s 19,” as a valid excuse? Not sure where you guys come from but I think that’s old enough not to leave piss on the floor. That should be bare minimum. Shay saw the 10k, took it, and ran back to PA most likely because she didn’t like the location of the TN house.

[@13realmusic]

My TL;DR is TradeMe picked the wrong candidate for home ownership, and Shay behaved poorly yet expectedly for a 19-year-old.

[@nina.robbs565]

especially a 19 year old that didn't grow up in a stable environment. so many young adults don't know life skills because they were focused on surviving as kids.

[@Fyndh3678]

Demi should have picked an older person that had the means and knowledge to acquire a whole ass house. All chaos could have been avoided by picking a good candidate with skills/resources/social supports. If Shay can’t rent a car in most states, how is she supposed to move states and own a new home without help?

[@lyndelllee7417]

I think it was irresponsible to give a house to someone who doesn’t have any life experience and had never owned anything prior. It’s hard enough for people 30 years and older to navigate house ownership. It is complicated and a tremendous responsibility. I’m not at all surprised this happened.

[@Partyhatpossum]

I can’t help but feel like she’s falling back on her age as an excuse far too much. At 19, even with her life experiences, you know that it’s wrong to take advantage of other people. Otherwise in her video of why she’d like the house she wouldn’t mention filing police reports about her uncle. She knows it’s wrong to destroy other peoples property. She should have had the decency at some point before so much time had passed to just say, “I’m afraid of making such a large move, I’m so appreciative of the offer; but I cannot see it being a healthy situation for me currently”. And then trying to “expose” trademe after responding nicely via text? That’s pure malice on her part. She wanted internet clout for getting “kicked out” when in reality she never moved into the house in the first place, and she destroyed the house. The only “I’m just 19” factor is she lacked the forethought of there being documentation of her admitting it was her fault that she left the place in disarray before she tried to expose someone.

[@MsJaytee1975]

I get making excuses again and again because you don’t know what to say and the truth is just too scary. I don’t think she did the video for clout. I think she thought the other girl would make nice and arrange to get her things back or let her into the house. If that sounds ridiculous, you’re right, but I think that’s where her age does make sense. She wouldn’t be thinking about Demi as a business woman who probably keeps receipts of everything.

[@lilymulligan8180]

Yeah, I dunno. Remember that soooooo many of her adult figures died before she even turned 18, and many of those adults also did drugs around her. To me, that says that a.) she probably DIDN'T have a consistent education of right vs. wrong, b.) she was never taught how to properly upkeep a home (since she was surrounded by depression and drug use), and c.) she was never taught how to take responsibility for her actions (again - drug use all around her). It wouldn't surprise me if she used drugs herself growing up, which would also impact her executive functions, on top of the fact that her brain isn't fully cooked yet at 19 anyway. Do some people grow up in a situation like that understanding responsibility and consequences, because they never want to be like that themselves? Sure, but that isn't the norm. You're acting like this girl should have all of these generational curses solved and healed at age 19. Generally speaking, we end up adopting the habits and behaviors of our caregivers. The fact that she called the police on her uncle doesn't automatically mean that she understands right and wrong when it comes to how she treats gifts and her home. Her internet call-out is definitely baffling, given how Demi had all the receipts. I wonder if maybe someone in her life convinced her to do it, or maybe she (once again) just didn't think through the consequences of her actions. Point is, I don't think she did this with malice, but rather, neglect and immaturity. I hope this experience will give her a much-needed lesson in responsibility, but I also hope we can treat her with Grace. You may have "known better" at 19, but you are not her. People don't always behave logically or consistently - especially when their childhoods were defined by consistency, like her. She messed up, badly, but that doesn't make her a bad person.

[@edelleaa]

exactly.... and every comment defending her is talking mostly about but her age...it crazy what 2-3 years (which is not really all that much) wouldve done for the perspective of this story. im sorry but no. your age doesn't make you a manipulative liar.... i think she just wanted to keep the property without having to do the hard part of taking care of it and move there. maybe she wanted to sell it who knows, but she didn't act the way she did just because of her age or trauma imo and its giving her too much of a pass to keep saying "she was just a teenager". she exposed her true self and intentions. it absolutely looks like malice, not simply immaturity to post a video like that to me.

[@pandat581]

​@@edelleaaexactly!!

[@sari9645]

20:46 I’d love a video on the whole Watcher situation!!

[@Shift_Salt]

God damn that house was trashed 💀

[@aislinnthelion]

As a kid we played this it was called, “bigger or better” and honestly my neighbours thought it was the funniest thing in the world- we got a REALLY nice vacuum that someone had in their garage bc his wife didn’t want it anymore- we traded him a paper clip for it 😂😭 my mum was really excited for the vacuum!

[@uribove]

Here in Belgium it was (or still is) a staple for boy and girl scouts starting with an egg. Every duo gets an egg and go to a random city and need to trade up as much as possible before the day is over

[@Mooseinclusivity]

No I’m sorry you can have the worst life ever. When someone GIVES you something that valuable and with kindness you take care of it and you make it work. There are so many homeless people or someone who just needs a chance and this girl wasted it

[@JudgeyJudgeyable]

I don't live in the States but I can absolutely imagine how overwhelming Shay must have felt about moving out of state.

[@haleymist09]

I just moved states and it's a BIG DEAL. There's so many little details and the cost. I was overwhelmed and it wasn't even my first time, I can't imagine for a teenager with no support

[@sarahathearn1013]

You don’t think a struggling teenager needs to apologize? That’s the entire problem. A struggling teenager is not encouraged to take accountability for what they’ve done and what ruins humanity in a way because there is not consideration for anyone else. This could have been a great learning lesson for someone but they shouldn’t be expected to apologize because they are struggling? Absolutely no excuse whatsoever. She needs to learn some basic manners. She completely took advantage of someone who was trying to help someone who was struggling. Shame on her.

[@ember9361]

if her backstory is true, she didn't get raised well because of the unfortunate events in her life, losing so much at such a young age

[@AmberTurdsShittyBedsheet]

​@@ember9361 Many others shared the same childhood and actively worked to better themselves; she clearly kept the hamsterwheel going.

[@Mooseinclusivity]

No excuses to leave the house like that. Honestly so disgusting and she’s ungrateful

[@likeaboxofchocolates]

The fact that Shay trashed the house, left food and garbage to rot, and then tried to blame Demi, I do not feel bad for Shay. She has had a hard life, but that doesn’t mean she gets a free pass. I hope the house goes to someone older, who can appreciate and handle such an amazing gift.

[@edge0fheaven690]

"i didn't have the deed there for i didnt own the property" right there says it all

[@mattyrolph8429]

Makes me happy to know there's still people like Demi out there. As for the other onr, I hope she can get out of the place she's in. It's a good lesson for not being prepared when opportunity comes a knocking.

[@paucalderon8326]

I thought Shay was at least 23 years old. When I heard she was 18 years old I understood everything. You can't just give away a whole house to somebody who is just starting to become an adult. I believe there are very responsible 18-year-olds who would take care of a house if given the opportunity, but they're not the majority. I think Shay not moving in was the best outcome. If she trashed the house like that in so little time, I don't want to imagine the way the house would have turned out after 2 years of Shay and her bf living in it. And I bet Shay would have found a way of blaming Demi for that too. People can go through a lot but still feel entitled and even resentful towards the people who are offering help.

[@kingchloris2]

Idk why I was so surprised that the person who gave away a house for free was a good person. With retrospect, should’ve been obvious lol.

[@MsTinkerbelle87]

It seemed like she was doing it for clout at first, it was giving virtue signaling so you’re not the only one lol

[@edelleaa]

yeah i was so pleasantly surprised when reading the chats between them... like with every delay and excuse i expected this woman to have had enough of this girl... but no.. she kept being so understanding and patient basically to a fault. but a lot of people do "charity" for clout so yeah... unfortunately not weird to expect that.

[@squirrall]

This perspective is exactly why it was so easy for people to flood Demi with backlash after what Shay said. Speculation: but it would explain why Shay probably thought she could “call out” Demi in her favor. People would be already willing to believe someone who did this project would be clout chasing with no redeeming qualities if cameras weren’t rolling.

[@kingchloris2]

@@edelleaa yeah, I even ended up finding it hard to read, seeing how she kept on being so understanding after such a prolonged amount of time. Really shows why you should get the facts straight before you judge.

[@kingchloris2]

@@squirrall yeah, this really emphasised the idea of checking the facts before taking things at face value for me.

[@ssharkbait]

Shay really shouldn’t have been chosen. She’s essentially still a child. The way she responded and handled the situation is what a child would do. This isn’t an insult but just a fact. Her age paired with a lack of parental figure is what made her ill equipped to deal with moving to a different state and owning a home. It’s completely understandable that she was overwhelmed by it all. What was not understandable was turning around and making it seem like Demi was the bad guy and he was innocent in everything. Demi had been nothing but kind and patient with her through the entire thing. It was ungrateful of Shay to do that to Demi. I can’t even imagine why Shay did what she did but it wasn’t justified and the excuses of mental health or being naive only goes so far.

[@SOOKIE42069]

I just discovered your channel and I really appreciate your even-tempered approach. Too many channels that talk about internet drama try to hype things up too much and it gets stupid.

[@Kimberpls]

imagine being a GIVEN A HOUSE AND THEN TRASHING IT, MAKING YOURSELF OUT AS THE VICTIM, ONLY TO TRY AND START INTERNET DRAMA. it's honestly pathetic. There are lots of people that have been through hard times and don't act like this. Get some therapy, Shay.

[@sari9645]

I was just looking for a video to watch! Thank you Austin!

[@hstrange6033]

As a single mother, I would love to be given a house my daughter asks for a yard all the time. Its sad when someone doesnt love and care for such an amazing gift especially because it is so hard for some of us to afford to even rent a house. 😢 Sad

[@JordanStar7]

Demi is in the right besides choosing a literal teenager to win a house

[@leeludallas]

I'm sorry but she gave a whole house to a teenager that hasnt had any experience with anything and expected her to take good care of it?? 😅😂 So silly

[@Borbsii]

She submitted an application for the home.

[@Tazzie1312]

@@Borbsii Yeah, and teenagers make dumb decisions. Like applying to own a house.

[@edelleaa]

@@Tazzie1312 is it also a teenager thing to be manipulative and lie and try to ruin someones reputation when you know you were in the wrong? because to me thats just a personality trait and she sure seems to have it.

[@Tazzie1312]

@@edelleaa It is indeed a very 18 year old thing to do to see yourself as a victim in every situation.

[@edelleaa]

@@Tazzie1312 seeing yourself as a victim is not the same as deliberately being deceitful and manipulative. youre just changing the narrative to fit your argument better.

[@heartsforbrenda]

Ahh i was hoping you’d cover this !

[@p-__]

My farts are better than Austin Green’s farts 💨

[@Borbsii]

I’m sorry but how did she manage to throw so much shit around the house *she applied for* and not just clean a little? I’m severely depressed but even I clean a bit after 2 days of junk lying around (and piles of bird shit everywhere). She didn’t even consider the person’s feelings who gave it to her. As a 20 yr old hikikomori who hasn’t left the house in years I couldn’t even make that level of mess if I tried. Plus she has a boyfriend!! You’re telling me not even he wanted to clean?

[@futuristic.handgun]

Damn man, I'd fucking be so appreciative of a FREE house!! My ex and I lost our house 2 years ago and what made it worse was I got woken up by 3 guns in my face from the cops kicking us out. My ex didn't tell me about any of the foreclosure stuff so I was completely blindsided. He was too, he was lied to by the company that brought our house. Then the horrid subhumans they hired to empty the house destroyed so many of our belongings and stole some things of ours that were worth money. One of the most traumatic things that's ever happened to me. 💔 I even am from and still live in TN. This girl has no idea how fucking lucky she was and how badly she fucked up. 🥺

[@Algorithmicgeneratedwordsalad]

Just remember once you give something away or do an active charity it is no longer your obligation you are no longer obligated to keep helping people no matter how many times they ask and you are no longer responsible for something that you've given away

[@star0nyx]

You need to vet homeowners at least a little bit in every other context. I don't pity either party lol. Omg Shay, needs to learn to communicate sooner that she probably could not move. Demi needed to put up some boundary and say I have to pass the house to someone else. Being 'nice' isn't being kind or having your own boundaries upheld.

[@taivensnyder1804]

Love getting ready for school with some drama 😊

[@bbwbutt]

This is why people hire professionals for this sort of intervention irl, I work with homeless youth who we get housing, imagine if we just left them alone and provided no follow ups. She could of atleast hired a private social worker or something to assist her

[@cleoh666]

It's a shame she didn't have support to make it work out, but she is so young and it's a lot to go through. But I don't get why she brought it up publicly 😅

[@Fyndh3678]

@@cleoh666it was a bad decision to do so, but being reactive and telling others about perceived injustices is a common response for young adults. We are less reactive as we age. Her reaction isn’t weird for her background and cognitive development stage.

[@edelleaa]

id be a lot more sympathetic to this girl and her situation (since i also had to move out at 18 due to family alcoholism and a lot of trauma so i know just how hard it can be and how lost and afraid you are) but like... i think she exposed her true self with the video she made. because not being ready to move, being very afraid and having to deal with all that responsibility, postponing and procrastinating because its scary... even leaving the house nasty like that... could all get a pass had she not posted such a manipulative video when demi seemed to be so incredibly patient and understanding with her for suuuch a long time... she wanted to keep the house without having to do any of the hard things that came with it and when she finally didn't get that she decided to be vengeful on the internet... thats how i see it anyway. just because she was young and had a lot of trauma doesnt excuse such absurd behavior.

[@ember9361]

yup. It's not even the procrastinating that feels iffy. It's the state she knew she left the house in when she made the video.

[@sannyassi73]

Seems like there's maybe a reason that Ms. Shay is in the position She's in. Can't find a flight? It's so difficult getting a license/ID? How did She get a flight in the first place- you need an ID to do that, etc. All the excuses given are bad. That House needs to be given to someone who wants it. And that black mold excuse- I suspect she saw mold that was black and made an assumption, She didn't have it inspected judging by how irresponsible She is. If it wasn't that She would have found some other reason to not live there because: She didn't want to live there. I was much the same when I was younger, I'm just glad that now that I'm older I recognize how I used to be rather than just telling myself 'yup, it was the black mold- that's why I couldn't live there, gotta keep the animals safe' when in reality I was very uncomfortable and was just looking for a reason to not be where I was living. I'm still that way to an extent but I believe I recognize it and squash those behaviors when they pop up, take responsibility and be honest with myself, sometimes it's hard but it's not worth being in denial- it has far reaching consequences when you lie to yourself, you end up lying to others as a result and it just ends badly. It's too bad too, Shay was getting tons of free stuff from sympathetic supporters to help her. She could have even taken advantage and documented herself living there and gained supporters, maybe even lived off of it had it been done well. That won't happen again for her, that's like winning the lottery in a way, you don't usually win twice in life (ya, some have won more than once but that's not the point)

[@Tazzie1312]

Non-driver's ID exists, but you need to know how to drive to get a driver's ID.

[@sannyassi73]

@@Tazzie1312 Aye, I've had a regular ID before- that's why I said 'licence/ID' ;) Take care!

[@spacadet.]

you, by far, have some of the most informative and interesting videos covering these dramas EVER- would love to see you covering the watcher situation if you do

[@Arionlappy]

So here's my questions about the situation. 1) Who was paying for the utilities on the property, or were they shut off since Shay left? Demi said the lawn was being maintained, but what of everything else since the house hadn't been transferred, Demi knew Shay wasn't there, but Demi didn't know the state of the house? I really wish Shay had mentioned at any point she thought she had found mold, the whole conversation would have been different. But I'm sure with her life sounding like a Lemony Snickets episode, she didn't have the strength to address that. 2) The state of the house. The texts were cut off but Shay seemed like she knew a window was left open? Is there any chance (no one mentioned this) that Shay did not leave the house like that? Stay with me here, I kindof wonder if she left it messy but then squatters got in during the year she was gone? And since Shay wasn't there, she might not know what state Demi is referring to and only knows of whatever mess she had left? I don't know, I feel like there's more info we're missing and I kinda wish we had more. That being said, I feel like it could have gone differently even after that situation. Like Demi could have said "I'd like the house to be lived in, may I "rent it out" (for free) for a year while you work on moving into it?" Or something like that but the house was still Shay's when she was ready for it. I also wanna know if Demi actually found any black mold after Shay's concern. Idk, just sad all around.

[@LoveSierraAnastasia]

What were the terms/conditions of the giveaway? It's terrible the state she left it in but technically sounds like it's hers and she can do as she pleases with it without the house being taken back. This is also why we don't gift people that young houses, especially people without support systems and life experience to help them out. Totally understand that it was a lot for her

[@Pepper-sg5rc]

Wow, I had no idea all of that work went into it. I mean I assumed it was, but hearing it all laid out like that, I would be devastated to see it go to sht

[@connormcdowell2]

me when i fumble a free house 😞

[@ericevans5157]

Absolutely ZERO excuse for why someone who came from NOTHING, can be so negligent, deceitful, irresponsible and attention seeking. She needs a padded room and a stern talking to not a house or handouts. Its disgusting how she tried to snake and play with people who genuinely wanted to help her better her sad life. You'll stay homeless acting like that. No excuses for being 19. I've know more grateful 16 year olds that went through hell and back and still give back before they needlessly take and destroy. Its perspective and this girl ain't got shiiiiit for perspective or morals. Good on Demi for taking action, holding her somewhat accountable and being a good human and not trying to ruin the girls life when she easily could have.

[@kodakoala]

I read someone said she probably wanted to sell the house, parties blew the 10k, figured it'd be too hard and went home.sounds about right

[@Yuuteimiya]

I feel so bad for Demi. The amount of trust you put towards people, especially when you know they are in a bad situation, and then they let you down this way, it's heartbreaking. I really hope Demi continues to be open-hearted and this situation wont tint her perception on helping others. I had a similar situation 2 years back when I was in Ukraine, I was helping a voluntary organisation helping to cook food, especially for people who might not have ability and/or access to drive around the city to find at least some small amount food. (At the time, right when the war started the food provision was so bad), and I still remember our guys were so brave driving around (random bombings everywhere) and some person in the village we helped just took a giant soup container we prepared and gave it to their pigs. It was quite large as well, could feed a big family.... It burned into my mind, and I still remember how heartbroken we all were.... thankfully it didn't stop us, we just refocused more on elderly and hospitals, but yes, it feels so bad, when you try your best, go out of your way knowing your help is needed and the person just spits in your face. Unfortunately there always will be people like this, you just need to stay strong and continue helping knowing there are also people who will fully appreciate it!

[@roberthernandez3902]

I think we all gotta learn no good deed goes unpunished at our own pace

[@Inki_Inc]

I don’t think it’s fair to blame Trademe for believing in a young adult. Ultimately when entering the giveaway it was Shay’s responsibility to evaluate whether she could maintain such a big undertaking. The skill of being able to be honest with ourselves and understand our limits is one that we all eventually must develop. Hopefully the house is able to be restored and passed on to someone able to handle the responsibility and finances involved with owning a house.

[@ericrobins5188]

I don't care how crazy of a sob story that a teenager has you do not give them a property. That girl was not competent enough to do anything. She had no true life skills and was completely directionless. She wasn't in therapy she wasn't doing all the right steps to get her mental state right. So why do you think giving a person of that caliber a house would make her life better? All's well that ends well I guess. Put 6 months in you should have cut the cord when she said she had cold feet and was scared to show up down there you should have rescinded the offer. And moved on.

[@Fyndh3678]

Exactly. Demi didn’t exercise good judgment when shit went downhill.

[@clairepettie]

That was an entire year that a family without a home could've had somewhere to live, though I know black mold is scary stuff, it's preferable to homelessness.

[@TuberoseKisser]

Never give a house to some random person on tiktok

[@tortilla3520]

If you do cover the watcher stuff, I’d like to see a deeper dive than other channels if possible. It seems like other channels don’t really read too far into what’s all happening. Especially the horrible money mismanagement. Apparently they take 4 of their employees on trips for the ghost files episodes, and then hire 5 contractors on site. Which is something they absolutely do not need lol. I would also recommend taking a look at the fan subreddit, and reading the megathreads for the announcement and update. A lot of insight into the fandom there. I don’t think this was all caused by greed, but by dudes who have no idea how to run a business and manage money, and don’t want to scale down. Not to mention Shane and Ryan are no longer CEOs, and there seems to be a disconnect from what production quality fans expect vs what Watcher thinks it needs. Like them thinking they need tv production quality vs fans who dont care about quality, but the personalities that are there. Like what the issue comes down to, is that they need an impartial CEO and a finance manager lol

[@avelynn5976]

outsiders who didn't know about watcher until that announcement video weighing in on the situation is absolutely maddening. i hate how quickly every youtuber jumped in to dogpile on them. not that they don't deserve it but it's quite ironic that all these low effort commentary channels are accusing them of greed when they all posted their videos on the situation the day after without waiting for any further developments.

[@13realmusic]

There is nothing within Shay's sad story that tells us that she would be a good home owner. The first mistake was giving a house to a young person who didn't have the money or experience to maintain it. The house should've gone to someone older and out of the early college days who was already unhoused. I would've prioritized it going to someone from a marginalized class which we know are more likely to experience homelessness and not come from generation wealth. As someone who grew up in poverty, I know what it's like to own a home where we couldn't afford to have running water or heat in the winter. It still was a privilege in my opinion because I had a roof over my head and my family was not on the street, but I share that to say my family was in similar situation as my parents were continuing their education which spread our money thin, but things were managed way better than what Shay did as my mother stayed at home to help out on top of having a baby to look after.

[@lilmorsecody]

all i'll say is i grew up in care, and when i turned 18 i got put in my own place and left to just get on with it. I became an alcoholic and basically the place went downhill bc my depression was so bad. I had no mental stability support or anything. Trauma does make this kind of thing hard without ongoing support!

[@srinblmlmlke]

This is just an all around sad situation

[@amylemcoauthor]

I get that choosing someone in need is likely to come with rough backstory, but I hope its a lesson to pick someone with references from employers and landlord. Lots of people in need that have shown thier ability to thrive during a struggle. And no bfs--ie., no o e whose own backstory was not part of the application. Ie., a family in struggle whould have a shared backstory and again, references. ....we all know, sometimes helping someone isn't helping them, it can even be dangerous psychologically, even physically (maybe not in this situation for the latter, but even kindness can have unforeseen consequences)

[@strawbemoji]

Demi was more than patient and understanding with this entire process. Shay should've presented her concerns the first time she left the property for an extended period; prolonging all of this just made everything worse. I agree with other commenters that she was too young to take on this responsibility; unfortunately, with everything she's gone through, she probably felt more adult than she is and ended up biting off more than she could chew. it's such an unfortunate situation, especially given the current housing market and how many people would die to have a free property.

[@lilkris3008]

I was a weekly volunteer at a homeless shelter in my area for about 4 years and this is 95% of what I dealt with. At the time I couldn’t understand why being given this amazing opportunity did so many sleep through the sure thing job interview or trash the free showers and washroom Then I realized everyone in life gets good and bad hands those that can’t make decisions and constantly fear committing are always going to struggle. At 19 everyone is either living in a dorm/apartment or living at home as an adult. You know how to take care of a house. Ultimately by the time I left to do anything long application processes were required just to weed out all the people that had no intention of doing anything with the help

[@gwenthompson9984]

does no one remember the red paper clip guy? bc he did the exact same thing like 10 years ago so i don’t know why it’s treated like a cool new project

[@kittytittiesRus]

It's not and nobody ever claimed she invented such a thing

[@kittytittiesRus]

Her pretending to miss her texts or replying late is totally something I'd do when I was heavy into my addiction, like to my friends and family... I'm still watching the vid but I think perhaps that's rhe reasoning behind this shay woman's responses or lack of responses and the whole mishandling of the situation on her part

[@HotEatTheFood]

Okay but why post the call out video?

[@rileymet9393]

love your content!

[@KuroNoUsagi]

I'm also young, not as much, but I just turned 26 like a week or so ago. My house was A COMPLETE MESS for more than a year, and only that because I had prople help me fix it before, but then it was just me on it. It is a small apartment but I had depression and was in a beyond horrid mental state. I didnt ask for help on that regard and it took a lot of effort from me and a lot of things turning around for me to finally beat depression after More than a full decade with it. My house is now clean and I am perfectly fine, but I was severely scared that at any moment the landlord could come in to check the apartment and see the mess and kick me out, but it would have never crossed my mind to slander him for doing so if he were to do it despite me paying for this apartment for more than 2 years. I understand being in a bad mental state, I understand having the house be upside down becaise you cant physically do anything about it, what I cannot get behind is trying to slander someone who did so much for you that they gave you a full house without strings attached. Having a hard life and having mental health issues and being young and confused doesnt excuse being an a*hole to someone who was no short from amazing to you.

[@applecrumble8625]

I 100% side with TradeMe project - how devastating when you’re trying to do a kind thing, to see the house ruined like that