The Alberta housing market is pretty rough. Alla Wagner is sitting on a $1.7 million home she just can't seem to sell.

"We love our home and would never consider putting it on the market, especially in the current turmoil that Alberta is experiencing," Wagner wrote in a note on Facebook.


Despite loving her home and it's surrounding area, Wager has made the difficult decision to list her home after getting in an accident that makes it difficult for her to move around her large home.

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As a result, Wagner has decided to run a letter-writing contest to help her find a new owner for her home. The idea came to her after she recalled a 2015 contest to win an Inn in Maine.

"It was such an exciting idea that for a long time the story and the event was the subject of my admiration," Wagner revealed.

To enter Wagner's contest, participants must answer the question “Why would moving to this lakefront dream home change your life?” and include the $25 entrance fee in their submission. Contestants can send the letter and fee via mail to P.O. Box 74 Millarville AB, Canada T0L 1K0 or via email at sioni@telus.net.

The format is up to the participants but Wagner insists that “the story should be about you and why you should win this contest.”

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To encourage people to enter the contest, Wagner kept the entrance fee low. "Because of the slow economy, I have established the entry fee at $25 Canadian compared to other contests asking $100 US and up. This way it will not be difficult for very creative and truly deserving people to come up with the fee," she explained.

The $25 fee will also help Wagner recoup some of her losses on the home.

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The contest, which ends on April 5, 2019, has a few conditions. If, by the 5th the contest reaches 68,000 entries, the home will be awarded. If 68,000 entries are not achieved but is close to being achieved, the contest may be extended. If 68,000 entries are nowhere close to being achieved the contest will be cancelled and participants will receive their money back.

At $25 per entry, 68,000 entries would equate to the home's original listing price $1.7 million. Sounds like a win-win situation!

Toronto