A couple in North Central PA is conducting an essay contest and the winner recieves a 150 acre farm with house, barn and machinery sheds. The contest has been extended (apparently not enough entries yet) to June 30, 2001. Check out www.winthefarm.com Has this been well publisized (the contest or the extension)? Have you heard about it elsewhere ? We have entered and were just wondering how wide spread the exposure would be. The web site has over 20,000 hits, but they have less that the target 1200-1300 entries. The winner could write a great story/journal for Countryside.

-- Mike Pasterik (mike@pasterik.com), May 27, 2001

Answers

Response to Win the Farm Contest

How much does it cost to enter the contest. Sorry but I just get suspicious when someone wants to give away the farm. Would like to hear the details.

-- David (bluewaterfarm@mindspring.com), May 27, 2001.

Response to Win the Farm Contest

Ok here's the real deal on this. Don't enter, I don't want the competition. (smiile) Just kidding. From all indications, this is on the up and up. The farm is less than an hour away from me, if anyone would like me to check it out. From what I've heard, the owners are good Christian people. They have two farms. I think one was recently inherited from family. Anyhow, the family was going to try to run both farms on their own, but ran into problems. Don't quote me on this, but I seem to remember someone telling me they had a sick child, and with medical expenses and lack of help, they have decided to "give away" one of the farms. If I'm not mistaken, the entry fee is 100 dollars, and yes they want alot more entries, to reach the value of the property. If you want, I can go after more details. Let me know.

-- John D in Pa (zeke1@usachoice.net), May 27, 2001.

Don't know about PA, but this would be illegal in TN. Heck, can't even play church basement bingo or have ducky races as both are considered to be games of chance.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), May 28, 2001.

I read the info on the site. Apparently, they had to do a lot of work and hoop jumping to get this set up, due to legal problems, but also apparently have succeeded.

-- Joy F [in So. Wisconsin] (CatFlunky@excite.com), May 28, 2001.

can you share the original website address with me, i am interested in looking in to this

erik from upstate ny

-- erik miller (enricoestabar@yahoo.com), May 29, 2001.

The web address is www.winthefarm.com

I too entered back in April, but apparently they only have about half the entries they wanted. Maybe it will still go with a lower number. If it is cancelled, all entry fees are returned (and they eat the cost to date). I visited the farm in March, buildings are not much and the revised web site states that. I have talked with the owners several times on the phone and in person. I also talked with the Father who picked the judges. John D was generally accurate in the story, most can be read from the newspaper links from the site. I am a bit surprised this wasn;t mentioned in Countryside since it is the best way to get into homesteading at a low cost.

-- (mike@pasterik.com), May 29, 2001.

The instant I hear of this type of deal, it makes me wonder why they are offering it this way? Is there some kind of drawback to the farm, that would hinder it selling on the market the way farms are normally sold? Will someone get saddled with a farm that has large amounts of swampy wetlands, which cannot be drained or used in any way? Will there perhaps be really really bad neighbors? What about protected wildlife in the area, which makes farming hazardous to your potential legal protection funds? You dont want to happen to kill a protected rat, you know, when plowing. It could end up costing you far more than the farm is worth. Is the title owned free and clear, or is there a glitch somewhere in the past that could haunt you? Are there disputes with neighbors over property lines? Is the water in the area plentiful and good quality? Is there perhaps a county dump closeby?

Just go ask a lot of questions before you enter that contest. You could be in for the hassle of your life if you win a millstone around your neck.

-- daffodyllady (daffodyllady@yahoo.com), May 29, 2001.

Sounds like they have donated the property to their church and the church is running the "fund raiser". That way they get a huge charitable tax deduction, avoid the estate tax, and the church gets to conduct the ultimate rummage sale. If I was at all interested in living in PA, I might consider entering.

-- Skip Walton (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), May 30, 2001.

Don't worry - I can't move there, so I'm not entering.

For general info - this was all the rage not too long ago, and in several states houses were put up as little more than raffle items. It was thought that one could make more money on the sale if they got enough entries. You'd have to be careful, though. It is legal to hold a raffle in all states... and that is what this is... Just a larger ticket item than usual. They get into real trouble with wording - you have to make it a true raffle as opposed to a lottery, and the legal stuff can eat you up.

The purpose is usually to make more money than one would get in a particular market. In this case, it looks like the money will go to medical bills... Most times, its usually just pay the fee and get a ticket to be drawn by a third party. I like the idea of an essay - it shows that the people who are selling really are thinking about who will buy the land, and what will happen to it. But, that's probably why they had all the legal hassles. I've only heard of two other sales like this one... Unfortunately, I haven't heard of one here in ID....

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), May 30, 2001.

There was a movie like this... "Spitfire Grill" where they "gave" away a restaurant. Somewhat interesting that they can simply extend the contest due to lack of entries (i.e. lack of money)... not much risk on their part. Something seems a bit fishy in all of this and I can certainly understand why this is illegal in many parts. Where I'm at... it would have to be a raffle conducted by a charity or non- profit organization.

cheers,

-- Max (Maxel@inwindsor.com), May 30, 2001.

Who Won?

-- Sandy Pomerantz (sandytelling@earthlink.net), December 21, 2001.

Nobody won, the contest was cancelled since they only recieved about half the number of entries they wanted/needed. They refunded the full entry fee.

-- Mike Pasterik (mike@pasterik.com), December 21, 2001.

Actually the essay portion is what distinguishes this from a lottery. They are legal in some states, and usually you see them when selling Bed & Breakfasts and other hard to sell otherwise businesses.

I think the owners are not being realistic about what the market will bear at this time. If they own it outright they might be better off selling and taking back a balloon for 5 years, or just the entire mortgage themselves.

There is a book called "How to Sell Your Home in 5 Days" where you basically get people to bid against each other. That could work for them too.

When you sell your property yourself you basically want to save the real estate agent commission, which is justified or not by what they have done or not. I have seen houses (not mine) sell in 3 weeks and the agent get a full commission same as if it took 6 months or longer to sell. No open houses, no brochures, nada. Pure MLS. Is that fair?

In our area, the agents call around to every house within a half/mile to mile radius (which I think of as telemarketing and lower than dirt) of the for sale sign. I asked one how could anyone be so stupid as to let you do it when they could do it and save big bucks (she was speechless at that)? If I were doing it, I would probably send a postcard out to those addresses, and then if no takers, might hire an agent for their ability to bring in someone from outside through the MLS. Just my $.02.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), December 21, 2001.