Home Giveaway Essay Contest Goes Bust

"Plain old $100-a-ticket lottery might have worked better."

What are the posted odds of the standard lottery? 1 in millions. (posted on the ticket, I think)

What are the odds of winning an essay contest to win a home? 1 in a few thousand.

Which is more attractive?

writergrrrl of CO 7:46PM December 11, 2008

Hi Scott, I woluld love to know how your contest is going. Do you still have to be judged on your coloring skills? Please give me a call 954-600-6987.

donna of FL 2:21PM September 24, 2008

Kathy, we are wondering the same thing. We will be adding some contests to our site www.perfectplacecontest.com with lower entry fees. Of course, the odds of winning decrease, howver, if the fee is $10.00 or $25.00 the odds can be cut by entering more than once. Our contest doesn't require writing, so entering more times is easy.

donna kalman of FL 11:15PM September 04, 2008

I have been reading about these contests and thought the concept was good , but the means to get there needed improvement. The lottery, as sugested above, is illegal. The entry to the contest must be based on a skilled game.I read all the negative comments on the blogs about this contest and other before it.eventuallt, I came up with a contest that works for all. It is fair, fun and quick.It isn't based on anyone judging and it doesn't require lengthy writing skills. You know your standing immediatley after completeing the game. The best part of it is that anyone, can use the site to place their property up for a contest.

Winning a Florida Dream Home is Just a Click Away

The PerfectPlaceContest.com home giveaway solves the real estate puzzle for buyers and sellers

August 29, 2008/Coral Springs, FL/-- Got game? For those who excel at word-jumble games, their skills may just win them a new home in South Florida.

Donna Kalman, president of The Perfect Place, a provider of short- and long-term housing in South Florida, had several properties available for sale. In this challenging economy, she devised the concept for The Perfect Place Contest.

“A group of Florida homeowners and I wanted to find a creative way to get these homes sold. Through a contest of skill, prospective home-seekers and investors now have the chance to win a new home, and sellers have a new way to sell their property,” said Kalman. “We wanted to find a fair, unique, and fun way to turn these properties into someone else's dream home and have both the buyer and seller benefit.”

Unlike other home-giveaways where contestants are required to write lengthy and subjective essays, The Perfect Place Contest requires players to earn the highest score on a skill-based, puzzle-based online game, similar to the word jumble games in the newspaper. “More people are capable of playing the game and everyone is on equal terms. You either have the highest score or you don’t,” says Kalman.

The contests are up and running and properties currently available include:

l A $250,000 Coconut Creek 2-bedroom/2-bath condo with vaulted ceilings, playground and tennis court, right next to the excitement and glamour of the future home of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

l An amazing $400,000, 1-bedroom condo in Delray Beach with full upgrades and great amenities, within walking distance of the ocean.

l A gorgeous $400,000 high-rise, upscale condo in Fort Lauderdale, with all the amenities of a 5-star hotel located right in the heart of trendy Las Olas area.

To enter, players visit www.PerfectPlaceContest.com, choose the property they want to win and pay the corresponding entrée fee which ranges from $50 to $200, depending on the property. Players will have the opportunity to try a few practice games before playing. The goal is to unscramble the letters as quickly as possible to form a specific word. Immediately following play, the home-seekers’ scores and the highest score will be displayed, allowing contestants to keep track of their placement. At the end of 30 days, the player who unscrambled the word correctly the fastest will be declared the winner of the property. Players may enter as often as they wish but must pay separate entrees fees for each game, and players must be 18 years old or older.

“Whether these prospective homeowners want an opportunity to win a vacation home, a primary home in Florida, or use it as an investment property, it’s really a unique opportunity to win a great home at a nominal fee. People play the lottery all the time against millions of odds, or pay $50 for a hand of black jack. With our game, you have even better odds of winning a real home that is fully furnished in prime South Florida locations,” said Kalman. “And because the number of entrees are capped equivalent to the fair market value of each property, no one is taking advantage of a down market. No one is price gouging. We just wanted to find a solution to the real estate situation. This way, a seller has the chance to get out of their home in a very difficult real estate market while the buyer is able to own a home for little investment. Everyone wins.”

Eric Weldon, owner of Menu Realty Group in Fort Lauderdale, is the first realty office to utilize the website for his client. He has an oversized studio apartment in the The Q-Club in Ft. Lauderdale, just north of A1A. “This is a condo hotel that overlooks the beach. Amenities include a 24 hour fitness center and pool along with a lobby restaurant. If I were to put it on the market it would list for $550 - $600,000.”

Weldon found out about the contest a few months ago and was eager to get his listing on there. “I’m looking to put a lot of my properties on the contest,” said Weldon. “What’s nice about the contest is that it is global. People from all over the world have an incredible opportunity to win a property in a great location.”

Realtors or homeowners interested in listing their properties as a prize on the Perfect Place Contest website may contact Donna Kalman by visiting www.PerfectPlaceContest.com.

donna kalman of FL 11:02AM August 29, 2008