Calvin and Diana Bridges are hoping a creative contest will help them off-load their three-bedroom home in Aylmer, Ont.
The Bridges are asking people to write a story or essay on how winning the couple’s home would benefit them.
Contestants submit a $100 entry fee for consideration of their essay, and the Bridges will judge the entries and pick a winner after the contest closes on Aug. 31, 2013.
The couple wants to move to Barrie and had tried selling their home through a traditional real estate broker, but were unsuccessful.
“And we were sitting down one night and we were actually watching a movie called The Spitfire Grill where this old lady was trying to sell her inn and she had come up with the idea to do through an essay.” said Diane.
“We both looked at each other and the lights just went on and we thought ‘Why can’t we do that here?’ ”
Home appraised for $300,000
The couple assures the idea is perfectly legal. “We do have lawyers on board with us,” said Diane.
All entries are being accepted by a third party, who will log them numerically, remove all identifiying characteristics and friends and family aren’t eligible.
“We’re hoping for 3,000 essays, which equates to $300,000 — which is the value of the home.” said Calvin.
“If we do not achieve the 3,000 essays, money will returned to everybody who submits, minus a processing fee of a money order and a stamp — so they may lose approximately $7.”
If they get more than 3,000 entries, anything over the appraised value of their home will go to a charity the Bridges runs that supports families in Haiti.
Orriginally found on cbc.ca
