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Want a Free Mountain House and $50K? Enter This Contest by Sept. 26

Nicole Dow

by Nicole Dow

Senior Writer

Exterior of HGTV's Ultimate Retreat 2018 is a 2,500-square-foot home in Sapphire, North Carolina.
HGTV's Ultimate Retreat 2018 is a 2,500-square-foot home in Sapphire, North Carolina. Photo by David A. Land

I love a good home renovation project. Well, in theory.

I enjoy looking at before and after photos, walking through Home Depot and watching reruns of Chip and Jo transforming Waco, Texas, home by home.

Actually taking on a renovation project myself is a different story. I’ve been a renter all my adult life, so I haven’t had the opportunity to knock down walls or tile a floor. I wonder whether I really have the guts to take on a fixer upper — or the funds to afford to do so.

If I could just get the keys to a perfectly renovated home, I’d be elated. Anyone who has a similar dream needs to check out DIY Network’s 2018 Ultimate Retreat home giveaway.

The network is giving away a beautifully renovated 2,500-square-foot home in Sapphire, North Carolina. The three-bedroom, 2 1/2 bathroom residence is worth about $778,630.

The kitchen of the HGTV Ultimate Retreat 2018 is seen in Sapphire, NC. Photo by David A. Land

The home comes fully furnished and decorated. (You’ve got to check out the photos and videos!) The great room has a two-way fireplace that’s also accessible from the multilevel outdoor deck. The master bedroom opens up to a study. One of the other bedrooms is designed as a kids’ space with built-in double bunk beds and a paint-by-numbers-style mural.

Oh, and the grand prize winner will also get $50,000 in cash.

You must be a U.S. resident who is at least 21 years old to enter the sweepstakes. You can enter twice a day online — once on DIY Network’s website and once on HGTV’s website. You could also enter by mail as much as you want, (but you’d have to pay for postage each time). The network is accepting entries until September 26 at 5 p.m. Eastern Time.

DIY Network will select the winner by a random drawing on or about Oct. 8. The winner will be notified between Oct. 22 and Nov. 5.

Though the house is amazing, DIY Network recognizes that not all entrants will want to uproot their current lives to move to the mountains in North Carolina. The grand prize winner can choose to take $400,000 in lieu of getting the title to the house — plus the person will still get the $50,000 cash prize.

Nicole Dow is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder. She has way too many Pinterest boards dedicated to home decor ideas.