Steve Rooney, a 43-year-old father of four from County Wexford, Ireland, is raffling his three-bedroom cottage in an effort to raise funds for a children's cancer charity and to help his family relocate and pursue his education.
The raffle offers a chance to win the fully furnished home, valued at €200,000 (£171,000), for a ticket price as low as €10 (£9). The property, situated on half an acre with a large garden and a mobile home, is located approximately 10 kilometers (six miles) from Enniscorthy and described as being 15 minutes from the beach and surrounded by mountain views.
Rooney, who has been unable to work due to a chronic illness, stated that he chose to raffle the home to bypass traditional estate agents, whom he feels charge excessive fees for minimal services. "I'm sick of estate agents because we've moved two or three times in the past five years and I thought there must be a way to give to charity instead of paying estate agents €20,000 (£17,000) for doing nothing," he told the Daily Mail.
Five percent of the raffle sales will be donated to the Children and Young People's Cancer Association, a charity based in Leicester, England. Rooney aims to sell 120,000 tickets, with the goal of raising at least €70,000 (£60,000) to cover the charity's fuel costs for a year. He was motivated to support a charity assisting children facing end-of-life situations, citing his own four daughters.
The decision to raffle their home was described as "heartbreaking" by Rooney. The family plans to use the proceeds to establish a new life in Dublin and to fund Rooney's psychology degree, which he is studying from home. This degree, he hopes, will allow him to employ himself and assist others.
The home has undergone €90,000 (£77,000) in renovations in recent years, including updates to the kitchen, bathrooms, and flooring. The prize also includes a 60-inch smart television, a super king-sized bed, three double beds, an American-style fridge freezer, a dishwasher, an oven, a lawnmower, and garden furniture.