Home-selling contests BUYING A HOME FOR A SONG CAN GET TRICKY
(MONEY Magazine) – How are you at jingles? Or 250-words-or-less contests? If you have talent, you may be able to pick up a home literally for a song -- with a catch. Homeowners in lackluster markets are sponsoring all kinds of money-raising contests to unload their houses. For example, in February, Arthur and Shirley Leach (below) of Kennebunkport, Maine created a jingle contest for their $300,000 three-bedroom house. To win, you must pay a $50 entry fee and write the best lyrics explaining "Why I Would Love to Live on the Coast of Maine." Says Arthur, 63, a contractor: ''I just want to get on with my life.'' But before you start writing, consider the fine print: The contest winner will owe taxes on the house's value -- which could lift you into the new 39.6% bracket. And there's no guarantee you'll get the house even if you write the best jingle. Generally, if the homeowner doesn't get a specified number of entries by a certain date, he simply refunds the entry fees. If you decide to set up a contest, it won't come cheap: Sellers typically incur legal and accounting fees, plus the costs of an appraiser and promotion. The Leaches expect to spend $10,000. |
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