Six-Bedroom NJ Home Being Given Away For Free — With a Catch

There may be no such thing as a free lunch, but apparently there is such a thing as a free house.

A house in Montclair, New Jersey, is being given away for free by the church next door that owns it, as they seek to expand with a new structure.

The six-bedroom home on North Willow Street may come at no cost, but there is a pretty big catch: Anyone who wants the house can’t keep it in its current location. The new structure planned for the Redeemer Montclair Church’s community activity will sit on the property the house currently occupies.

Moving the 3,000 square-foot house will come at a pretty hefty cost: Likely more than $100,000, according to the contractor on site, in addition to having to possibly buy a plot a land to move it to.

“I think it’s great if it can be done,” said project manager Tom Lapenter. “It just comes down to money … If it’s local, it may be feasible. If it’s far, I don’t see it happening.”

The house was built in 1910 and is in great condition, workers said. However there is another problem: Being three-stories high, it doesn’t clear the power lines right outside, adding another wrinkle into the plan.

“You would either have to lift them or disconnect them,” said Lapenter. “So you’d have to have the phone company, electric company everybody on site as it goes.”

The church said if they can’t find anyone willing to buy and move the house, they’ll have to demolish it. The Montclair Historic Preservation Committee asked the Church to at least try to find someone to take the house to save the structure.

There have been no serious offers yet, according to the church.

The house will be available for another month before they ultimately have to tear it down, unless someone comes forward before then to move it.

Photo Credit: NBC New York

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