Pair land helicopter house
Nelson’s helicopter house has sold for $276,000 at auction, the culmination of months of work for the volunteers and donors who made it happen.
General manager of the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter Trust Paula Muddle said she was very happy with the result.
‘‘This has pushed us into our first million, we’re planning to raise $10 million in the next 10 years, so we’re right on target,’’ she said.
The proceeds from the house, that was built in six weeks using volunteer labour and thousands of dollars in donations and materials, go towards the rescue helicopter endowment trust.
Mitre10 Mega marketing coordinator Murray Leaning said he was nervous at the outset of the auction on Saturday.
But he said the winning bid got a fair price on the house and he was happy with the result.
The new owners of the threebedroom home are Emma and Dean McCashin, owners of McCashin’s Brewery, known for Stoke beer, Rochdale cider and Paleo water.
The couple have been living in a shipping container house with their three children, after plans to build their own home were delayed.
‘‘We’re very excited,’’ Emma said.
‘‘We had planned to have our house built by now, but things kept getting delayed.
‘‘When we heard about this place we just thought it was a great opportunity.’’
The two had been following the build on Facebook and in the news, and had set their hearts on it after coming to one of the open home events.
‘‘We’ve had one winter in the container house, so it’ll be exciting to live in a real place again,’’ Emma said.
Having never been in an auction before, Emma said she found it ‘‘nerve-wracking’’.
She went into it ‘‘optimistic and hopeful, but you never know who’s going to be there or what their budget is’’.
Dean McCashin said ‘‘it’s not about us, it’s about the cause’’.
‘‘It’s fantastic, what Murray [Leaning] is doing with the community is amazing,’’ Emma said.