Asking price for this cute house is only $150 —and 200 words

Listen up, house hunters, this might just be your chance to buy an adorable 1920s bungalow for $150. Of course, you’ll have to pony up 200 words about why you want it, but that’s a small price to pay.

Michael Sachs and his wife are moving from their Houston neighborhood, The Heights, to an area closer to their daughter’s school, and found a clever way to sell their home and do a little good in the process. Instead of listing the house the old-fashioned way, Michael created a contest, open to anybody, that would allow the winner to own his home.

All you have to do is pay the entry fee of $150 and submit an essay explaining why you deserve the home. Sure, it’s a gamble and not all of us have $150 bucks to spare for an essay contest. But think of the possibilities if you win. The 2-bedroom house has a two-garage and all-new kitchen appliances. Take a look:

Michael, who is also a realtor, told the Houston ABC affiliate, KTRK, “This is the only method we can think of that we could get our money back and also give a chance to someone to start a new life or build a home right in the city.” He is taking applications at the website he created,  www.150house.com and has already received so many entries the site crashed moments after it went live.

Michael estimates he needs to collect 3,000 entries before the June 13 deadline. This will get him close to the estimated $400,000 value of the house. If he doesn’t meet his goal, even though it’s looking like he will, he’ll be forced to list the house in the usual way.

Michael’s sales tactics are not only helping people get a house for $150, he’s also using the site—and all the traffic—to draw attention to a cause close to his heart, the bill HB 2979. Michael’s young son is hard of hearing and this bill, which is in the Texas House now, “would change hearing aids from being considered ‘cosmetic devices’ to medically necessary.” You can learn more about it here.

If you are feeling like Houston might be a good choice for you and have $150 lying around, you have until the middle of June to submit your essay. Good luck and let us know if you win. We want to come to your housewarming party.

(Images via 150House)