TOWN OF BETHEL, NY — Andrew Bares and Kelly Lavorgna tried in 2015 to sell their house in the Chapin Estate gated community, but no one wanted to pony up the $825,000 they were asking at the time.

Now Bares and Lavorgna are conducting an essay contest with the contestants answering in 2,300 words the question “How would owning the lakefront dream home change your life?” It will cost each essayist $149 to enter the contest, and the couple is hoping to attract 5,500 entries. If that happens, the couple will have some $819,500 in entry fees, and the winner of the contest will own a brand new home with taxes of about $11,000 a year.

If the number of entries does not reach 5,500, all of the contestants will receive a refund of $100 and the remainder will go to cover expenses, which so far have included legal fees and money for a publicist.

The couple is selling the property because they rarely use it. They own two bed and breakfasts in Cape May, NJ, and they lead an otherwise busy life. They have an interior design company and have appeared on HGTV and Flea Market Flip. If the contest goes well, they plan to start a business that will help other property owners pursue the same strategy.

But there’s no guarantee of success. The original deadline for the contest was January 31, and that has been pushed forward to April 30. The judging of the essays will not be performed by Bares and Lavorgna, but instead will be done by 10 independent judges. 

For information about how to enter, visit www.winlakefrontdreamhome.com. According to the contest rules, “There will be only one prize, The Grand Prize, which is a partially furnished two-bedroom, one-bathroom, luxury lodge home of approximately 1,443 square feet on 5.5 acres located at 391 Woodstone Trail, Bethel, NY, 12720.”