Free Home in Crestwood, Florida

For most people, the idea of a free home is often associated with winning a game show or a hospital raffle.  Not in Crestwood Florida though, where one man is offering a house for free.  The catch: You’ve got to remove the house from the property! 

The owner of the house, Bryan Rogers have put up a sign on the property saying, “Free House 682-4021, You Move”.  In an interview with Northwest Florida Daily News, Rogers proclaimed, “First come, first serve!”  Rogers, a general contractor, has another purpose for the land, but requires the house to be cleared first.  He figured that giving the house away could potential help someone in need of adequate shelter.  He continued, “They (anyone) can just take it as far as I'm concerned.”    

The house is located at 637 Industrial Drive and shows some visible signs of wear and tear, although Rogers claim that the house is still fine and functional, despite being a little ragged around the edges.  The exterior shows some age and a window has been broken. “I was trying to get rid of the house, and I thought someone might be able to use it,” Rogers said.  “It's not in that bad of shape. I've seen worse.  The interior is livable but needs some work,” Rogers added. 

Rogers has rented the 1,400 square-foot, 3-bedroom, 1-bathroom home in the past, but it has remained vacant for the past six months.  The house sits on a lot that is slightly more than a one-tenth of an acre and is zoned for commercial use.  Interestingly, there is no record of it on the Okaloosa County Property Appraiser's Web site.

Rogers originally purchased the property in 1988, and the house was already there.  In fact, there was a second house on the property, which Rogers had to demolish because it was falling apart.  In addition, Rogers owns an adjacent 1.23-acre parcel of land that has several buildings on it.  “I don't know what I'll do with it,” Rogers said of the land he hopes will soon be vacant.  “I'm in the building business. I'm always up to something.”

Crestwood, also known as the “Hub City”, is located in Northwest Florida where real estate activity has been sizzling, making the area a seller’s market.  Rogers offer presents a unique opportunity for those willing and appropriately equipped to move the house.  The house has already been on the free market for two months and Rogers has received a steady stream of inquiries about the house, but finding someone who has the equipment to move it has been a challenge.

“Nobody can line someone up to move it,” Rogers said.  “Some people wanted to tear it down and use it for lumber. I want someone to use it as a house.”  Rogers said he knows of only one local person with the equipment to move the house, and that person has been booked. But once he has an opening, Rogers said the job shouldn't be that tough.  “It's not too bad,” Rogers said.  “It's not like a mobile home. You've got to call somebody with a license. They'll jack it up and take it wherever.”