Own a House for $10?

It is possible. Here on the Treasure Coast of Florida, the Treasure Coast YMCA has an annual fund raising raffle for a BRAND NEW HOUSE. Unlike house raffles elsewhere, where ticket prices can cost $100 each (and more), the YMCA Easter House tickets are only $10 each. Imagine a simple $10 CHARITABLE donation and you could be the owner of a House in Florida.

The location of this is what’s so great. From the “directions” to the house page (and I’m assuming this is the ACTUAL house being given & not just a “model” of the house), I can tell you that it’s a great, convenient location in Port St. Lucie, FL. If you haven’t heard, the next HGTV Green Home is being built in Port St Lucie, in TRADITION (win either of these & we’ll be neighbors). So, it’s definitely the place to be! Port St.Lucie is a couple of hours from Orlando (so it’s an easy visit to see Mickey & Minnie) and an hour to Fort Lauderdale (where you can strut your stuff on the most beautiful beaches). Located WITHIN Port St. Lucie is the Club Med Sandpiper, and PSL is also the home of the PGA (so you’d be in GOLF heaven) and Tradition Field (Spring Training home of the NY Mets). Oh, I can’t forget the beaches. The beaches on Hutchinson Island are just a stone’s throw away and have that Cape Cod sort of quiet charm. I was able to walk around last years’ Easter House and let me tell you, it was GORGEOUS.

The Grand Prize winner of this raffle will get a 2,637 Sq. Ft., 3 bedroom, 2 bath home with a covered porch and a 2-car garage. There’s a Virtual Tour of the house online. The value is about $203,800. When I look at “winning” larger prizes like this, I always look at the tax liability and this one wouldn’t be a problem….it’s not a MILLION DOLLAR mansion. The YMCA is also offering early bird, second and internet prizes as well. The Grand Prize prize will be drawn on April 9, 2009, with the Early Bird cash drawing happening on December 17, 2008 (just in time for a little extra holiday money).

Of course, my curiousity got the best of me and I wanted to know if this kind of raffle is common. So, I googled my way to Naperville Rotary Charities and found that they are offering a similar raffle beginning in January, 2009. I suppose as charitable donation are WAY DOWN due to the economy, we should be seeing a lot more of these types of raffles.

If there are any being held in YOUR area, please feel free to leave them in the “COMMENTS” as I’d love to know about them.

I’m going to go tour the house some time this week and then go look at the HGTV Green Home…WHAT FUN!