Family facing tough times gets big break from generous Realtor

If a stranger said you could live in his vacant condominium for six months, absolutely free, you might not believe it.

Right? Especially in Las Vegas. This isn't a town where people give something away without expecting something in return. That's why John and Jamie Names didn't quite believe it when they received such an offer from Realtor Craig Tann.

"We were wondering what the catch was," John says, sitting on the living room floor of that condominium. He, Jamie and their four children -- Jacob, 4; Emily, 3; Katrina, who is nearly 2; and Justin, 6 months -- moved in three weeks ago.

They had been living with a friend, John, 34, says. The six of them slept on the friend's couches and floor for three months, John looking for a job with no luck.

The Names family had a mobile home in Boulder City last year. And John had a job. They planned for a year to leave both to move to Elma, Wash., where the cost of living was much cheaper than Southern Nevada. The humid weather is better for the children, too. Jacob, Emily and Justin have severe eczema.

The deal to purchase the mobile home of a friend in Washington fell through, so at the urging of another friend in Florida, the Names family headed south. Work was hard to find in Florida, too, John says. After a few months, they returned to their home state and John got his old job back.

He worked for two weeks as a cook at the Nevada State Veterans Home in Boulder City, but cash was short, his first paycheck was delayed and the car ran out of gasoline. With no money to get to work, John lost his job. Finding a new one has proved difficult. He says he has applied at more than 50 places -- restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores and retailers, among others -- and not one offered him an interview.

It seems as though it has been one thing after another, says Jamie, 27. The family has been spiraling toward the bottom of something, with only a few possessions and a couple of good friends to rely on. Their living situation started putting a strain on the friends; the Names knew they would have to find a solution soon.

Enter Craig Tann. He is 25 years old. He started working in real estate when he was 17 and has done very well for himself, he says.

A Realtor with the Prudential Americana Group Realtors, Craig Tann Group in Las Vegas, Tann purchased two condos a few months ago. One, he rented out. The other, he decided he would use to help out. The deal: A family could live in the condo for six months with Tann paying electricity, water and homeowner's insurance. The family would work on getting back on its feet. After the six months, the family leaves to make way for another.

"You know, right now I don't need the extra money," Tann says of forgoing rent on his condo. "In the future it can be a rental property for me. But I just wanted to give back. I've been fortunate enough in my career that I can do something like this. I would like to think that others would do the same thing if they could."

Does he know how crazy the whole thing sounds? Surely Tann is getting something out of it. Right? A tax break? A little attention?

He says he can see why people might be skeptical. His name is in the paper attached to a good deed and, if ever Realtors needed some good press, now would be the time.

But Tann says those things never crossed his mind. He hasn't talked to his accountant about the fact that he is paying a mortgage and utilities for a family he doesn't know. Since he is not a nonprofit, he probably won't be able to take tax deductions. Besides, with the way the rental market is these days, it's possible his condo might be sitting empty, anyway.

Might as well help out people down on their luck, he says. Tann put the word out about the offer to all of his friends and contacts asking if they knew of someone he could help. The pastor at Living Water Seventh-day Adventist Church in Henderson got the message.

The Names had heard that they could get some diapers from the church, but when they went there the family got a lot more than they expected. They got a second chance.

"It's just a blessing," says John, who was never particularly religious. "It seems like it was meant to be. He had picked out another family but it fell through for some reason. I don't know what to think; it was a godsend."

Granted, they have an uphill journey ahead of them. The Names have only two weeks' worth of clothing, no furniture or other household goods because their belongings are sitting in a Washington storage facility. Right now, they have no way of getting their stuff back. The unemployment rate is high and everyone seems to be looking for a job.

But the Names, they know how lucky they are. They have each other. And they have a six-month reprieve where the couple doesn't have to worry about rent or the electricity or water bill.

"Hopefully, within six months, something will happen," John says. "You never know what life's going to throw at you. I mean, look at where we are now and where we were. Things can change in an instant."

Contact reporter Sonya Padgett at spadgett@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4564.