That’s why Kody’s family and myself were skeptical when he suggested that Janelle buy Christine’s house after she left the family. On the surface, he made it seem like a logical, beneficial move for everyone involved. But Janelle rejected the idea, and to this day, many viewers wonder why Kody was so desperate to keep Christine’s house in the family. If Janelle had agreed, she may have remained in their polyamorous lifestyle longer instead of following Christine’s lead and leaving Kody soon after. She may have seen Kody’s true intentions before I could.
Kody’s Master Plan to Keep Christine’s Home in the Family
When Christine left Kody, she wasted no time putting her Flagstaff, Arizona home on the market. At the time, the family still owned Coyote Pass, the undeveloped land they had long planned to build multiple homes on. But construction had stalled due to financial struggles, which were affecting the whole family’s quality of life. While Janelle was still in a relationship with Kody, she didn’t have a stable living situation. She’d been renting and had recently downsized to an RV on Coyote Pass, a move that screamed financial desperation. That’s when I think Kody came up with his so-called brilliant idea: Janelle should buy Christine’s house.
At first glance to me, it seemed practical. It would provide Janelle and her kids with a stable home until Coyote Pass was ready and keep the house within the family. It would also inject some much-needed cash into the project, since Christine agreed profits from the home sale would help with construction. Plus, if Janelle purchased the home, the sale would be quick, so they could put money toward development sooner.
But Janelle wasn’t buying it – literally. She rejected Kody’s idea quickly, explaining she didn’t want the financial responsibility of another mortgage, especially if it wasn’t the long-promised Coyote Pass homes. Looking back, she clearly made the right call. Had Janelle bought Christine’s house, her eventual split from Kody would have been far more complicated.
Was Kody Trying to Help – or Was it About Control?
It’s possible that Kody wanted to keep Janelle financially tethered to him. Losing Christine was a major blow to his ego, and he was clearly struggling to maintain control over the rest of his wives. If Janelle had bought the house with Kody’s help, it would have tied her down financially, making it much harder for her to leave. I think Janelle saw right through this and made the smart choice to say no.
I think it’s also possible that Kody wanted to sabotage Christine’s financial independence to get back at her for leaving. Selling the house to Janelle may have ensured a fast sale, but it probably wouldn’t have been the most lucrative option. Christine ultimately sold to an outside buyer, which likely made more money than if she had kept the sale within the family. This extra cash helped her establish her post-polygamy life, and it’s doubtful Kody wanted to see her thrive as a single woman.
In the end I believe, Janelle and Christine both escaped Kody’s toxicity, and eventually, Meri followed suit. Now, Robyn is the only wife remaining, and she’s made it clear she has no interest in trying polygamy again. With Sister Wives no longer even about a polyamorous family, the show’s days may be numbered. But Kody’s antics and questionable decisions have been the backbone of the show for years. Even if Sister Wives comes to an end, he’s got the perfect personality for a spin-off (though definitely not for a Husband of the Year award).
