Contest to give away a house instead of selling?

Question

I've recently seen many people get pretty creative in unloading their homes by having a contest. For example, with one contest currently running in Oregon, you would write an essay why you want to live in the home and include an entry fee of $100. Have you or Would you enter a contest like this?

Answer 1

I would not, mainly because of personal experience with a contest several years ago.

I did not enter, but I was carefully watching the contest and the man ended up not selling, and had no obligation to return the "entry fees" because of a clause he had written in the rules.  It was very non-specific, so it basically gave him a way out and makes me think it was planned.

It IS a creative idea, however.

Answer 2

no wonder you have to give them 100 dollars,

they use that money, to buy the house (:, and at

the end, they enter their self, and say they win,

so they can have the house to their own.

....... and later you finally realized you got scammed !

Answer 3

possibily.   they require a number to essays and fees to cover the "cost" of giving the house away.  it is more or less like a lottery....this could also be a scam!

Answer 4

After reading an article about people doing this, we have been really thinking about trying this ourselves with our home too.

I have been to the website you are speaking of and its a great idea to pay off your home during these troubled times and help someone else get into a home.  You can tour the home every weekend.

This particular couple has all the legal issues covered.

Everything is being overseen by an attorney. There is an independent panel of judges deciding upon the winner. All entry fees go into an escrow account - so the current home owners do not have any access to the funds. The funds will go to pay off the home and eventual winner will have a home they purchased for only $100!

The only bummer is if you don't win and are out of $100, of course!

To answer your question, I would love to enter, but with the price of a tank of gas being $100 right now, I'd have to really be sure the contest was as well put together as this one and in an area I would want to relocate too.