Photo: Alla Wagner ( Facebook

On the market for a new home? This one comes with a hefty discount.



This week, a homeowner in Alberta, Canada announced she’d sell her home, worth an estimated $1.7 million, in exchange for a $19 USD entry fee and a letter, explaining why they deserve it.


Despite the 5000-square foot home’s wine cellar, library, chef’s kitchen, and lake-side view, Alla Wagner, the homeowner in question, has had trouble selling the property, citing Alberta’s unsettled real estate market.

In a Facebook post, she described her health as the motivation for ultimately needing to sell it.


“We had to list our house because of my poor health, which has been especially bad the last 6 months or so,” she wrote in the post. “Being confined to only one (upper) floor is becoming unbearable and it is taking a toll on my work and life in too many ways.”

Photo: Alla Wagner ( Facebook

For the contest to work, there’s a minimum of 68,000 letters necessary (the equivalent of $1.7 million (Canadian) in entry fees, the estimated value of the home)—it’s essentially a crowd-funded home, except only one donor gets the prize. And if you’re wondering, yes, they will refund entry fees if the contest fails to meet its minimum letter number.


On her Facebook page, Wagner said she’d received 38 letters on a single day, though that number is likely to swell over the coming weeks. If you want your chance, you can send a letter by mail or email before April 5. They must come with a check or proof of electronic transfer for $25 Canadian dollars, or roughly $19 USD (hopefully, your letter will get there. I’d suggest using certified mail). Address information is listed on the contest’s Facebook page.

Photo: Alla Wagner ( Facebook

In order to apply, letters must be 350 words in total. A group of finalists will be selected and then voted upon through social media. It’s the American Idol of real estate.


Write a Letter, Win a House | Facebook