Home contest fails, but attracts buyers

A Rosalia, Wash., man who dangled his home as the prize in an online contest said not enough entries came in to choose a winner.

Jim Hereford, who created a Web site for a contest called “Win Your Own Home,” needed 1,450 entries to generate enough money to meet his target figure to complete the contest.

The 36-year-old Spokane business executive said 990 people each paid $175 to enter the contest, which involved suggesting a catchy or striking name for the 10-acre spread.

The contest started in April and ended this past weekend. Hereford is returning all entry fees, he said Tuesday.

But the contest put him in touch with several entrants who’ve indicated they want to buy the property, Hereford said.

He intends to review the offers and sell the property within two weeks. “I’d like to move on it quickly, while there’s some momentum,” said Hereford, who bought the land from his grandfather several years ago.

He’s expecting to sell the spread for between $250,000 and $300,000. Hereford paid about $160,000 for the property, which a Whitman County appraisal said was worth about $270,000.

The property, in a scenic corner of the Palouse, includes a barn, work shed and garage. The two-story home was built in 1914, and remodeled a number of times.

Hereford works as chief operating officer for Spokane tech company Next IT. He and his family agreed to sell the property since they spend much of their time visiting and socializing in Spokane.

A friend suggested the contest after Hereford struggled to find a buyer last year.

To ensure an impartial jury for the contest, Hereford had arranged for a Davenport, Wash., women’s group to judge the entries and pick the final winner.

“I was a little disappointed we didn’t get more entries,” he said. The entries that did come in were from all over the United States, Hereford said. “That’s what was amazing. They came from every corner of the country,” he said.

The contest Web site is: www.winyourownhome.com.