The Kamstra family is the new face of homelessness. They are white collar parents with three children who have lost their home due to catastrophic events and job loss. Sharon Osbourne featured the Kamstras in a segment on her new television show "The Sharon Osbourne Show," proving to the world that she is more than a personality -- she's a sympathetic listener with a heart.

When Realty Times got a call from her producers looking for ideas on how to help the Kamstras, Realty Times couldn't say no.

"I had followed the plight of the Kamstras," said Jody Lane, founder of Realty Times. "We suggested leasing them a home for a year to help them get back on their feet."

The producers loved the idea, and brought John Giaimo, Realty Times vice president of business development on the show to present the Kamstras with the proposal. The Kamstras were delighted and Realty Times is currently working with the Kamstras and Chris Baumann, broker/owner of Red Carpet Heritage Realty and agent Griselda Ceballos to find the Kamstras a home.

To view the clip of Sharon Osbourne, The Kamstras and John Giaimo, please click here.

"The response to the show has been overwhelming," says Lane. "We've had many calls and letters. I didn't realize that Realty Times and Sharon Osbourne shared so many fans!"

Here are a few notes to Realty Times about the Sharon Osbourne Show and the plight of the Kamstras.

I just saw the "Sharon Osbourne Show" where you guys put the homeless family into a nice home in So. California and paid their rent for a year. I thought that was the nicest thing in the world for an organization to do. In a world where everything is about the "bottom line", it is SO nice and refreshing to see a company like yourself doing something like this. Thank you so much for reaffirming my belief that there are still "good guys" out there who care about the down and out and people who cannot help themselves. If I needed I house in one of your markets, I GUARANTEE you that you would be the ones I would call!

I was just watching the "Sharon Osbourne Show", and I would like to commend you and your staff on helping the homeless family. As a Realtor, I know many families run into hard times and end up in foreclosure. Many companies will not even rent to families due to credit issues. It is nice to see such charity.

I am not a real estate agent. I do scour the internet regularly looking for homes. (a hobby I guess) I was online and watching TV when a rep from your company presented a homeless family with a home rental for a year. I just wanted to commend you on this compassionate gesture. I am recently partially disabled and it brought tears to my eyes to see the family react to such a wonderful gift. Most of America lives above their means, It could have just as easily been me.

Feel compelled to say, “Thank-you” for showing your generosity to the couple on the "Sharon Osbourne Show" that I saw on Monday afternoon. It is refreshing to see a corporation like yours actually do something for a family in need. What you did will be rewarded someday.

Hi, I just wanted to tell you that today (9/22/03) is saw the "Sharon Osbourne Show" and I saw that your wonderful company gave a family that was down and out a second chance at rebuilding their lives. I found it amazing because my fiance and I are going through some hard times like that family except we're in college and have no kids. It just proved to us again that there are good people like you in the world and things do get better. There are so many big companies out there that just don't care and it's obvious yours does. We just wanted to thank you for restoring faith in us. Thank you for your time.

Hi, I just watched the "Sharon Osbourne Show" where your company gave a Southern California family a home rent-free for a year and I just wanted to say how touching it was to see that there really are people out there that care about people like them and me that can't afford to jump into a home without getting some sort of help. BIG PROPS TO YOU AND THE COMPANY!

Just wanted to congratulate you on the wonderful thing you did for the family on the "Sharon Osbourne Show". It really made me feel proud that there is a company that would be so generous and help a family in need. Thanks again for your generosity.

Very cool. Very kind. I dig kindness.

I saw the show and was so very deeply touched by your company's compassion and humanitarian efforts. God bless you all, I know you have made such a huge impact in that family. What a great example. Kudos to Realty Times!!!

Published: September 26, 2003

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Blanche Evans is the award-winning senior editor of Realty Times, the Internet's leading independent real estate news service. She is featured daily on the Realty Times Video Network in the "Realty Viewpoint" segment. Blanche has been named one of the "25 Most Influential People In Real Estate" by REALTOR Magazine, and has been twice recognized as a "notable." In 2005, she was named "Top Reporter Covering the NAR" by Delahaye-Bacon's. Blanche is a renowned author of five real estate books. Her newest, Bubbles, Booms and Busts: Make Money In Any Real Estate Market, McGraw-Hill, was rave-reviewed by The New York Times. She was also selected from hundreds of real estate experts to contribute to Donald Trump's book, Trump: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received: 100 Top Experts Share Their Strategies, Rutledge Hill Press, and is featured on page 68. Order Now Review - Honors In 2006, Blanche was selected among scores of candidates to author two consumer real estate guidebooks for the National Association of Realtors: The NAR Guide to Home Buying, and The NAR Guide to Home Selling, Wiley & Sons. She is currently planning two new books for the NAR and its members.       Known for her keen insight into real estate industry issues and for her ability to make complex subjects easy to understand, Blanche is a sought-after keynote and continuing education speaker. Real estate organizations from MLSs, to brokerages, to franchisors, to associations hire her to provide up-to-the-minute analysis of real estate industry news and advice on how to improve revenues. Her passionate delivery, peppered with stinging wit, is a huge hit with audiences and fans. Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors, Blanche Evans, Richard Courtney, president 2007, GRAR "The GNAR membership meeting last week featured Blanche Evans as the keynote speaker. Her comments and insights resonated extremely well with those in attendance and we have had many requests for copies of her PowerPoint Presentation. She was a terrific part of the membership meeting and convention program!" - Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors Coverage from WSMV, Nashville - 8-14-2007 That Interview Guy - Get Inside The Head Of Today's Generation 2007 AE Institute Session - To purchase 2006 AE Institute Session - Parts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 HouseValues Mastermind call - Parts 1 2 Blanche's fireside chat with Jeremy Conaway, HAR - Click here. To contact Blanche, email her at . For more articles by Blanche, click here.