What do you do when you have a spare house lying around and you need to get rid of it? Give it away to the author of a great essay, of course! At least, that’s what the owners of the “River House” in Vevay, Ind. have decided to do with their 4,284-square-foot property. And they’re not the first to test the house-as-contest-prize waters. As the family explains on the contest website, they were inspired by two other recent examples of people who gifted property via contest, one in Alabama and one in Maine.
The property is a good sell. Located on the bank of the Ohio River in the southern part of Indiana, it’s an hour from both Cincinnati and Louisville, Ky. And the house boasts tons of great features: fourteen rooms, two jetted tubs, vaulted ceilings, and a giant wrap-around deck, to name just a few. Want to see more? The family offers public open houses, with the next one coming up on Saturday, September 19.
There is a kicker, though, in the form of a $199 entry fee. Also, there is a 2,000-entry minimum — meaning the family will at the bare minimum get $398,000 for the property and potentially a lot more. So…they aren’t exactly altruists, but it’s still cool.
The essays (200 words or less) will be judged by a panel of anonymous readers from Hanover College, homeowner Rhonda Pennington’s alma mater. “The essay should be persuasive, telling your story,” RiverHouseContest.com advises. “It should tell why you would like to own the ‘River House’.” Judges will evaluate each essay for following the topic, being grammatically correct, showing creativity, and providing inspiration/vision.
If it sounds like an easy win to you, go forth and write. The contest closes on September 29, and the winner will be notified by Halloween.
**If you’d like to warm up for your essay in the comments, we won’t charge you a penny.**
