Owning and operating a luxury waterfront resort in Micronesia…it’s the pits, right? Probably not, but Doug and Sally Beitz, owners of the Kosrae Nautilus Resort, are ready to move on and retire to Australia after 24 years of hard work.
Retirement, of course, means that the Beitzes have to find something to do with that pesky resort. They could sell it off to a successor or they could give it away to a total stranger via raffle. You can probably guess what the Beitzes are opting for, in this case.
Giving away houses is nothing new, although in the past, essays have usually been involved. The Kosrae Nautilus Resort, though is open to anyone with $49 and the desire to run a profitable business resort on a remote island in the Pacific.
The Beitz family chose the raffle format over a traditional sale because they wanted to hand over the resort to someone who shared their passion for island life and respect for its ecosystem — not just to the person with the deepest pockets. “We wanted to make our resort affordable for everyone,” Doug Beitz explained in a statement. “While we are sad to part with it, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to make someone’s dreams come true.”
So what does the winner get? Namely, a well-rated, entirely debt-free resort with an accompanying scuba operation and a staff of 16 long-term employees. From the press release:
“The resort is popular with divers and tourists year round and boasts natural reefs teeming with exotic sea creatures, world class surfing, a business center, and historic 14th-century ruins.”
So essentially, a guarantee of ongoing income in one of the most beautiful spots on earth.
The best part: even the entrants into the raffle get something for the cost of their $49 ticket. Each person, whether they win or not, will receive an ocean-themed photograph from award-winning photographer Matt Shepard. A good deal, when you consider that prints of his work normally retail for around $300.
Ready to quit your day job and relocate to Micronesia? Or at least redecorate your guest bath in an island theme? You should probably purchase your ticket ASAP. Tickets are only available for to buy from WintheIslandEstates.com for the next six days, and the drawing will be held on the 26th of July. The good news is, only 42,000 tickets have been purchased so far. Which means that your odds of winning the resort are about sixteen thousand times better than winning a Powerball jackpot.
Check out more photos from around the island, below. We’re guessing they’ll be enough to convince you to enter the raffle.
