Two years ago, the price tag for an Ontario couple’s three-bedroom house was roughly $300,000. Today, it’s just $100.
No, it isn’t the site of a toxic waste spill. And no, there wasn't a real estate listing glitch.
After trying unsuccessfully to sell their home for two years, Calvin and Diana Brydges have forgone real estate agents and are giving away their cozy, Aylmer, Ont. home in an essay-writing contest.
To win, entrants must fork over $100 and explain, in essay form, why they deserve the house. But fear not, grammar-haters: this isn’t all about perfection. All mistakes will be lovingly overlooked.
If the couple gets a minimum of 3,000 essays by the end of August, they’ll award the house to their favourite author. If they don’t get enough applications, they’ll return all of the money collected – minus the postage, of course.
It might sound crazy but for anyone having trouble breaking into the housing market, it just could be the chance of a lifetime. The three-bedroom brick bungalow is located on three quarters of an acre of land and has a backyard swimming pool.
As generous as the offer might seem, the couple wants to make one thing clear: they’re not just looking for “tear-jerker” stories.
“Everyone has a story on how this house will benefit them,” the couple wrote on the Essay House Facebook page. “All submissions are read and compared against each other entries and the best story wins.”
Seriously thinking about packing up and moving to Aylmer? The small town is located just southeast of London, Ont. and has a population of about 7,000.
The contest currently has about 200 applicants and almost 900 likes on Facebook.
