Omaze winners who bagged an incredible rainforest-inspired home are selling up the property for one very touching reason.
Chris Milnes landed the £2.5m luxury home in Poole, Dorset, after buying a £20 ticket on the Million Pound House Draw. The 60-year-old granddad-to-be entered the draw without telling wife Jules, 56, or his children, and was blindsided to win.
But Chris has decided not to keep the 5,000 sq ft property – which includes a rainforest-style garden with a hot tub and open shower – and is putting it back on the market to become a multi-millionaire. The luxury home was used by the family over Christmas, but is now listed with a £2.3m price tag.
The money would be better used giving his children and grandchildren “the start in life I never had”, said Chris who grew up on a council estate. Since the news of their windfall, Chris and Jules, from Pudsey, West Yorkshire, have discovered they would become grandparents, with Chris planning to use the proceeds to spend time in Australia when his grandchild arrives.
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Chris Milnes, 60, scooped the impressive 4,294 square foot new-build property after entering the Omaze Million Pound House Draw
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Omaze / SWNS)
“Winning a multi-million-pound house still feels like a dream,” he said. “It takes a while for something of that magnitude to sink in. Since winning, we’ve really enjoyed spending time as a family at the house particularly at Christmas, Dorset is such a lovely part of country and the house is a dream home on every level
“The money we also got as part of my big win means if we wanted to, we could stay here for years and never have to worry about any costs – but we love where we live now, so have decided to sell up and bank the cash. Selling means we can find our forever home where we currently live, and still have enough money left to retire on as well as give our kids the boost they all deserve, so the entire family has gained from this not just me.
“Since the win I’ve learned that I will become a grandad next year, but my son lives in Australia, so this also means we have the time and money to go spend time with our first grandchild which is absolutely wonderful.” He added: “Entering Omaze is the best decision we ever made – if it can happen to me, it really can happen to anyone!”
The home features a magnificent open-plan living room and an impressive feature fireplace wall. The kitchen is equipped with a large central island, banquette seating and a breakfast table facing out over the garden – which opens onto a hardwood deck.
The main bedroom suite has a central headboard and a fully fitted dressing room along with a spa-like bathroom with a freestanding bath. There are three further bedroom suites, each with built-in furniture and colour-themed shower rooms, as well as a cinema room.
Speaking at the time of his win in June last year, Chris, who grew up in a council house, said he had previously talked to his wife Jules about downsizing, but following their massive windfall had put their financial worries behind them. He added: “We’ve worked hard all our lives – and we’ve had to manage some challenging times over the years – but the future has never looked brighter after this win.
“This house is absolutely gorgeous – it’s like something out of Grand Designs – I keep expecting Kevin McCloud to pop his head around the corner and say hello.”