Recession makes cave-dwellers sell on eBay

Curt Sleeper is a man ahead of the curve. The curve that begins the downward spiral.

Understanding that humanity is regressing to its cave-dweller roots, he and his wife Deborah bought their own cave in Festus, Mo., back when most people were tossing their home equity down a cavernous hole.

The Sleepers even sold their DVD collection to buy the 17,000 square foot cave. I don't even want to think what their heating bills must be. However, I know they are now experiencing a deep chill.

The cave cost $160,000, of which the Sleepers put down half. The other half they borrowed from the people who sold them the cave. (No, they were not called the Crusoes or the Robinsons from Switzerland.) It was a five-year loan with one so-called balloon payment at the end, which would be this May.

This, apparently, is a bedroom.

(Credit: Curt Sleeper)

Sadly, with the banks in a self-induced coma of convenience, the Sleepers are unable to refinance. Mr. Sleeper, a computer consultant, told ABC News: "Right now, banks are not interested in anything odd." There is, indeed, nothing odd about taking taxpayers' money to cover for decisions made in large echoing heads.

So Mr. Sleeper has gone Web 2.0 to achieve his required zeros. He has requested bids on eBay.

He and his family have spent five years turning the cave, which was once an ice rink and also a concert venue (Yes, Bob Seger played there. Ted Nugent's hair performed there, too.), into something Ali Baba and his 40 thieves would have loved.

"The goal is not notoriety," he said. "The goal is either to finance or sell my house."

10,000 people have already shown some interest in cave-dwelling. 70 have declared their pre-registered interest in bidding.

The delight of it all is that the Sleepers actually found their cavernous dream on eBay too. So I am sure there must be someone who appreciates that cave-dwelling is the future. Just think of the number of hairy roommates you could fit into 17,000 square feet.

[rapier1]

Why did they go with seller financing with a 5 year balloon payment? If they couldn't get traditional financing 5 years ago are they really that surprised they can't find anything now?

[pigmond]

3 years ago, the banks would've financed a card board box. I can see why they thought things might have worked out...on the other hand, they bought a /cave/. Maybe they can give tours...

[rapier1]

Well, the problem is that even if banks were financing cardboard boxes 3 years ago they couldn't find anyone to finance a cave 5 years ago. I mean, its a *cave* after all. They had no reason to think it would be easier to find financing.

[leopardology]

Ah, but you SHOULD think about their heating bill--they say, on their E-bay listing, that it's about the same as their old 800-sq-ft house! The temp. inside remains fairly constant, between 65 & 72F (62 & 75???) , I think they said. All part of the fun of it. NOT TO MAKE IT MORE APPEALING TO ANYBODY--I want my friends to KEEP their awesome living space!

Also, it's a mining cave, not a natural cave.

They're just trying to cover all the bases--they don't really want to leave, of course!

[Penguinisto]

leopardology is right - caves do have one big fat advantage: the temps are almost constant. In the winter, heating is cheap because you're only fighting 65-degree (F) temps (which you can just wear a sweater for and not even use the heaters if you want). In the summer, you don't have to A/C the thing.

[ChrisMatyszczyk]

@Penguinisto,

Have you ever lived in one? You sound very, very knowledgeable.

Chris