Alife4sale.com - Ian Usher is selling his life: car, bike, jetski... as well as his house and everything inside. Buy it and he will walk away with only the clothes on his back

ALife4Sale
is now
SOLD!

So, what
happens
next?

Click here for the answer:

General
Is this a hoax or is it real?
Has this been done before?
Why are you doing this?
What about Baxter? Is he being sold with the house?
What happened in your marriage, why did you separate?

House and Contents
Do you have downloadable pictures and details of eveything that is included in the auction?
Can I come and see the house?

The Auction
How will the auction work?
Can you give me some eBay tips?
What happens if I win the auction?
Why is there a 100 day period before the auction starts?

Friends
How can you sell your friends?

The Job
How does the job offer work?
What if I don't want the job?
How much does the job pay?
Can your current lifestyle be paid for by the wages earned in the job at the rug shop?

Financial Matters
Are there any mortgages or debt outstanding on the house, or any outstanding finance on any of the vehicles?
What if I want to buy, but do not live in Australia?
When is settlement expected to take place?
Further information on the settlement process.

Immigration Issues
What if I am from outside Australia?
Migration agents

General

Q:	Is this a hoax or is it real?
A:	It's completely genuine! My whole life is on offer in one single eBay auction! It's a pretty good life to have too. Read more about it by clicking here.

Has this been done before?

I have searched the internet for anything like "ALife4Sale.com" and have only found two items that are even vaguely similar.

The first is a project undertaken by John D Freyer back in 2001, when he moved from Iowa back to New York. He advertised everything he had one item at a time on eBay, and eventually when he sold most of what he had, he went on a road trip to visit some of his items in their new homes. His experiences are documented in his book, "All My Life For Sale", which I bought myself when I started thinking about my own project. His website, www.allmylifeforsale.com is still online here.

This format now seems to have been copied a couple of times. There is another website at www.allmylifeforsale.net, which references the original project, and intends once again to sell single items one at a time. This page links to a blog, where at the time of writing, the last blog entry was August 25, 2007, so there doesn't seem to be much happening there!

The second project I found was much more like mine. In January 2007, Australian John Holt, based in Woolongong, NSW, listed his life for sale on eBay. I found an article about him in the online version of the Sydney Morning Herald. Take a look by clicking here. His offer included "name, friends, phone number and all his possessions including clothes, about 300 CDs, and a 'nice lamp which your ex-girlfriend bought you'".

His stated reasons for his sale are somewhat different to mine:-
"It was a protest against mass consumerism, saturation advertising and the obsession with money", Mr Holt said.

Q:	Why are you doing this?
A:	There is a brief outline for my reasons for offering my whole life for sale in the "Why" section, so I won't repeat all of that here. Click here to see the #Why# section.

What about Baxter? Is he being sold with the house?

I have been asked a few times about Baxter, and am not sure why people assume he is my dao, as in the text that accompanies the "Baxter" video, I make it clear that Baxter belongs to my friend Marty, and I expect to remain good friends with both of them long after this auction is over. I do not have a dog at all, or any pets for that matter, and if I did I would not be so insensitive as to include them in this auction.

What happened in your marriage, why did you separate?

I would like to make it clear that I have no intention of discussing details of my marriage, or reasons for our separation. I regulary get asked about this, and always say that although the separation was the initial trigger for doing this, I am not doing any of this for revenge, or out of spite. It is over two years since we parted, so I have had plenty to think about my motivations for this. I am doing this looking forward to an exciting new future, not looking backwards with regret. Laura has refused to comment on any of this, and I respect her decision in that. She is a person of great integrity, and I only hope that I can show as much integrity throughout the rest of this auction as she has. So, please don't ask, I don't intend to answer, and it really is not at all relevant. Thanks.

Q:	Do you have downloadable pictures and details of eveything that is included in the auction?
A:	Yes, all the images on this website were available to download as a ZIP file. However, due to the overwhelming amounts of visits my site has had in the last few days, my website hosting company has requested that download be kept to a minimum and I had to remove the direct link to the ZIP file. If you still require this file, please contact me via the contact page and I will send it to you.

Q:	Can I come and see the house?
A:	Yes! However, visits to the property are on a strictly "By Appointment Only" basis. If you wish to see the property in person, please contact me through the Contact Me page.

Q:	How will the auction work?
A:	My life will be auctioned on eBay, auction end time will be Noon 29th June 2008. If you are not registered with eBay you can do so by clicking here, and then keep an eye on the Bid page, which will link to the auction from Noon 22nd June 2008.

Can you give me some eBay tips?

Firstly, decide what your absolute purchase limit will be. It is all too easy to get carried away in the heat of an auction.

You can enter this as your maximum bid with eBay, and eBay will place bids for you automatically, until your maximum bid is reached. Automatic bids are only made to increase your bid over another bid, so you will not necesarily pay your maximum ammount. It simply depends on what others are prepared to bid too.

Do not leave your bidding until the last moment! A common technique is to try to get the last bid in during the last seconds of the auction, but it is very possible to be outbid at the last second, and miss out. To avoid this pitfall, make sure you make a realistic maximum bid. If you try to go too low, you will lose out!

What happens if I win the auction?

The winning bidder will be expected to pay a $1,000 deposit upon completion of the auction to confirm their serious nature. I will provide bank deposit details at the end of the auction, or this could be done by online payment, such as through PayPal.

After that, the transfer of ownership has to go through a settlement agent here in Western Australia, and I will provide details of my agent to the buyer. Upon transfer of full funds, and exchange of documentation via settlement agent, you take possession of everything, and I walk out with a single set of clothes on, and my wallet and passport in my pocket - everything else is yours!

Why is there a 100 day period before the auction starts?

There are two parts to the answer to this question:
Firstly, I really thought it might take a couple of months to crank up a bit of publicity about this thing! I hoped I would get a couple of articles in local newspapers, and perhaps if I was lucky something featured on local radio. The plan was to then try to build some internet interest, perhaps via a FaceBook page, and a MySpace page.
Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, if anyone is really serious about making a bid for this, they will need time to sort out finances, perhaps a mortgage, and may also need to consider immigration matters, and the logistics of moving house. To start the auction in a much shorter timeframe would effectively exclude many people, and limit the auction to those who have disposable cash right now, which would not be fair.

How can you sell your friends?

I have never said that I am selling my friends! I have some friends here who have said that they will be willing to extend a welcome to the buyer. Moving to a new city, or even a new country, (assuming the buyer is not from WA) can be a challenging time, and to have some people here to extend a welcome is simply an offer to ease that transition. Friends are not a commodity to be bought or sold, and true friends are friends for life. My friends here are good people, and any mentioned here are simply offering to say hello.

How does the job offer work?

If you are interested there is a job being offered with my life. This is offered initially on a two week trial basis, if this is successful on both sides, the trial will be extended to three months, and all being well, onto a permanent position.

To take advantage of this, an overseas buyer would need a working visa for Australia.

The job is working in a rug store, and involves dealing with the public, as well as some physical activity when moving rugs, which can be quite heavy. Ideally, this position is suited to a physically fit male.

Q:	What if I don't want the job?
A:	No problem, the job is an offer, not an obligation. Perth is currently experiencing a boom and there are many other jobs available.

Q:	How much does the job pay?
A:	The pay for the job is an average Australian wage for a sales assistant. This type of income can pay for a good lifestyle in Australia.

Can your current lifestyle be paid for by the wages earned in the job at the rug shop?

In my current financial situation, yes, the wages from my job are able to fund the lifestyle I enjoy. I am unable to answer this question for you, as everybody's financial situation is different. The main factor would be the level of debt carried. For example, as some people have rightly pointed out, it would not be possible to take out a mortgage for the full value of the house, and service this with the income from the job. I have never claimed this to be so, and to make this purchase would need some form of capital input. To suggest otherwise would be misleading. The reality of the matter is that without some capital, this will not be a viable proposition for you, unless you have other income elsewhere too.

I started in Australia six years ago with very little, and have worked very hard to enjoy the life I have now. To suggest that anybody can be in a position to buy this would be wrong. If you intend to bid, please make sure that you have considered your own financial status very carefully before you do so.

Are there any mortgages or debt outstanding on the house, or any outstanding finance on any of the vehicles?

Yes, there is a mortgage on the house! However, this will be paid off from the proceeds of the auction. The buyer is not expected to assume any resposibility for this. There is no outstanding finance on any of the vehicles. Settlement of payment for the property will be handled by a Settlement Agent. The only financial liabilities a buyer takes on are ones that they arrange for themselves, and of course the usual liabilities taken on with any house, such as bills, rates, etc. which will all be changed over to the buyer at the time of settlement. I intend to contact my Settlement Agents shortly, and will start a new topic in the "Bulletin Board" where they will be able to answer any questions relating to such matters.

What if I want to buy, but do not live in Australia?

Any investment in property in Australia by people who are not Australian citizens is controlled by the Foreign Investment Review Board. If you are not an Australian Citizen, please consider this before making a bid.

You can find the Foreign Investment Review Board at:
http://www.firb.gov.au/content/default.asp

There are several companies that can assist overseas investors with this process, and Guardian Property Specialists website explains, in several different languages, how the process works.
http://www.gpsnetwork.com.au/Foreign-Investment-Review-Board.asp

I would like to make it clear that I have no business connection with Guardian Property Specialists, merely provide this link for your information. Please ensure you have considered your own situation very carefully before making a bid.

Q:	When is settlement expected to take place?
A:	Obviously after the end of the auction there will be a delay as paperwork and mortgages are dealt with by the relevant settlement agents or solicitors. I would expect settlement to take place within 30 days of the end of the auction, but there obviously will need to be some flexibility in this respect.

Q:	Further information on the settlement process.
A:	Settlement Agent Jackie Liley, of Personalised Settlements here in Perth can address any further general settlement questions by email at jml@iinet.net.au or contact your own legal representative. Please make sure you consider your own financial situation very carefully before making a bid.

Q:	What if I am from outside Australia?
A:	Advice and information on migrating to Australia can be found on the Australian Government's Immigration web pages, which can be reached by clicking here. Obviously I am unable to offer any guarantees in this matter, as every individual case is different. It is up to any buyer to ensure that they are in a position to make this purchase if they intend to bid.

Migration agents

If you do not have Australian Citizenship, or an Australian Residency I very strongly suggest that you talk to a migration specialist about this, and consider your situation carefully before making a bid.

If you have any general questions on migration, Migration Specialist Lloyd Kelbrick, of ACL Migration Agents, based here in Perth can be contacted by email at
info@australiavisa.com.au
He is able to answer general questions regarding migration or visas as this is something he does on a regular basis. However, please appreciate that in depth responses that require hours of research will not usually be addressed without some charge to the enquirer.

Please consider your situation carefully before making a bid.