WEIRD WEDNESDAY: Cave Foreclosure Averted

A family in Festus, MO facing foreclosure on its cave home recently found a way to keep it. In February, Curt and Deborah Sleeper had plans to auction their 17,000-square-foot home (built inside a former limestone and sandstone cave) on eBay with an opening bid of $300,000. But, early this month, the founder/owner of Logical Source, Inc., a New Jersey-based document management company, made the couple an offer that will allow them to stay in their cave. John Demarest offered the Sleepers a private mortgage contract for a 15 year loan.

Now that they can stay in their dwelling, the Sleepers are planning a party to celebrate; that event will be held in another cave home, however. A family friend will host the party in his cave home, which is 5 million square feet.

“I do not wish to forget or make light of all of the people still suffering similar and sometimes worse plights in the housing market,” Curt Sleeper wrote on eBay. “Our celebration is a release for my family and our friends who have shown such concern for our situation. I would encourage everyone to take a break from the stress that is our current reality and relax for a night or a day with one story that has a happy ending.”

Tickets were being sold on eBay (search “Missouri cave house” in Tickets category) for the party, which is taking place this Friday, March 27. Proceeds from the party will be donated to families that have lost their homes to foreclosure.

ABC News has pictures of the Sleepers’ home