WinThisHome.com A Major Hit

Released_By: USANews PR Network
Date: Friday, May 23, 2008
Time: 09:03:49 AM

For_Immediate_Release

(Yachats, Oregon May 22nd, 2008)
Contact Rick Schultze
541-961-0662 
yarick@pioneer.net 

*Featured in all major and regional newspapers in Oregon and KATU, CH 2 ABC News from Portland and AOL Cyberspace.*

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*Tight budget? How about a home on the Oregon Coast for $200? *

*Instead of waiting for the real estate market to come to them they are going after it! *

Owners Sharon and Ray Sinclair, tried selling their home at 900 Ocean View Drive in Yachats, Oregon for over a year and a half with no success. They tried the conventional methods of listing with realtors, listing on the Internet, FSBO (For Sale By Owner) and holding open house 5 days a week. Nothing worked as the real estate market slump of 2007 spread to Oregon.

Ray and Sharon found this “Gem of the Oregon Coast” location in 1995 after yearly RV trips to Oregon over a period of 3 years. They retired in California in 1996 and moved to the village of Yachats, Oregon to start another life.

All this began to unravel in 2006 when Ray experienced some life threatening medical problems.

During these dark days they decided they had to dispose of the RV and down size to a smaller home. This great home with the RV garage across the street from the ocean had to go on the market.

After showing the house to hundreds of people who loved it but could not afford the price

Ray sought a more creative method to put some of these potential owners in this house. After five months of research and a lot of sleepless nights the result was an essay contest and a website, “win-this-home.com”.

This where someone’s ability to express their dream of having this terrific white water view home can win it for them. The web site has links to the attributes of the Central Oregon Coast and Yachats.

The essay theme, “I/We want to win this house because…” in 100 words or less must be accompanied by a $200.00 entry fee. The contest started on January 2, 2008 and will close on May 31, 2008. The rules and forms for entry are available on their web site. Only 3000 entries will be accepted.

Sinclair found out that hosting this contest was not an easy task. He had to hire a law firm, an accountant, form a corporation, construct a process and provide financial support. He had to hire three highly reputable qualified judges and develop the web site prior to starting the contest. Ray said that the hiring of the judges was by far the most difficult part of the entire contest.

Ray and Sharon hold open house every weekend from 10 AM until 4 PM. Some of the open houses held during the winter weather with a surprising turn out. Several weekends had over 160 people each day and caused minor traffic jams on 900 Ocean View Drive in this small village. Most weekend traffic are potential entrants with repeat or previous entrants a close second. The contest has produced considerable number of multiple entrants.

The resultant interest from the web site has brought inquiries from as far away as Australia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Bermuda, Saudi Arabia and Canada. Entries have come from over 45 states. Most entries are from the West Coast but the story of this couple’s efforts is being spread rapidly by modern media technology.

Sinclair has stressed that this is contest is all about someone’s dream of winning the house and living in the village of Yachats. It is not an English exam. He meets regularly with the judges to fine tune the contest and keep the web site dynamic. The contest is structured so that the judges never know the identity of any entrant. None of the judges are residents of Yachats and are paid by win-this-home.com, Inc.

In addition to the first prize of the house; second prize is $5,000, third $3,500 and fourth is $1,500. More details are on the web site, “ win-this-home.com”.

Sinclair states that should the contest fail to draw the required number of entries all entry fees will be refunded from the escrowed account.

Ray and Sharon are looking forward to handing the keys their home to the happy winner in June of 2008.