This Craftsman bungalow, along with three other houses, will be demolished if no one moves it in the next few months. (City of Sarasota)

Want a free house? All you have to do is move it yourself.

A developer is giving away four historic houses in Sarasota, Fla., to anyone willing to relocate them. If there are no takers, developer Mark Pierce will demolish the two Craftsman bungalows, a frame vernacular, and a brick structure, built in 1910, 1925, and 1938.

"We want to move quickly and not lose this window of opportunity," says Clifford Smith, senior planner for historic preservation in the city's planning and redeveloping department. "If the houses are given away, the developer will save money by not having to pay demolition fees, the new owner will receive a free home, and the city of Sarasota will preserve its historical structures. Everyone wins."

Pierce, who could not be reached for comment, is working with the city of Sarasota and the nonprofit Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation. Together, they are trying to save the four houses that will be displaced by or lost to a new mixed-use retail development called Citrus Square.

"We are creating a list of potential owners and then it really depends on what role they or the developer want us to play," says Joyce Waterbury, the alliance's treasurer. "If they want to make a donation to us, we can facilitate the move, and they will get a tax break."

The price to move one of these houses varies, Smith says. A 1,000-square-foot house costs approximately $25,000 to relocate just a couple of blocks, but it truly depends on the size of the house, how far it is being moved, what route the house will take when it is moved, and what infrastructures will be impacted by the move.

There are strict criteria for contenders. First, the house must be moved within a close distance to the original site to make the move economically feasible. Second, the relocation site must be sufficient in terms of land size. Third, potential owners must possess the capital to afford all revamping and relocation fees. Those who promise the most reasonable move will have their information passed on to the alliance, which acts as a liaison between the developer and potential receiver.

This giveaway will end in about two or three months, Smith says. So far there is no date set for demolition.

For more information, call the city at (941) 954-4195.

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