The £1.7m mansion you can buy for £25 (with a bit of luck!)
Businesswoman offers 6-bed home as raffle prize
THIS Georgian mansion sits in 32 acres of land and comes complete with its own nine-hole golf course.
But the £1.7million property could be handed over to its new owners for a mere £25 – if they are lucky enough to win it as a prize.
Donna Pirie is running a competition to snap up stunning Johnston Lodge, in Laurencekirk, Kincardineshire, partly in a bid to raise funds for charity.
The 54-year-old’s home, built in 1780, is being offered to the winner fully furnished, with everything from the Le Creuset pots and pans to the White Company bed linen thrown in.
A half-mile private drive leads to the house, which has tennis courts, a helicopter landing pad and boasts four reception rooms, six en suite bedrooms and a gym. There is also a snooker room, wine cellar and a hot tub.
For the first year the prize covers utility bills, a housekeeper and groundsmen. In addition, stamp duty and £2,000 towards solicitor’s fees will be paid.
Mrs Pirie bought the home eight years ago but decided it was too big after her
‘Do something for charity’
daughters Hollie, 31, and Lauren, 28, moved away.
She said: ‘I just thought that I have the chance to do something for charity here. If you get an opportunity to make a difference, then it makes life worthwhile. My kids had moved out and I obviously considered selling the place but I changed my mind.
‘I wasn’t really sure what to do. I then saw a story down in England about a man who raffled off his property.
‘I’ve been very fortunate to have lived here. Even now, after eight-and-a-half years, when I see the house I take an sharp intake of breath.
‘But it is just bricks and mortar. Family and friends are the most important thing not possessions.
‘I am a great believer in karma and hope someone wins who will truly love the house.’
Entrants need to complete a Christmas-themed crossword and pay £25 in the hope £1million can be raised for charity.
The Yard, which runs adventure play services for disabled youngsters and their families in the East of Scotland, will get £5 from every entry.
Once Mrs Pirie recoups the value of her home, any excess will be given away through donations.
The retired businesswoman added: ‘I had the idea that I could do a prize competition and also help out a charity.’
Mrs Pirie hopes for 150,000 entries before the competition closing date on December 1, meaning she will be able to hand at least £1million over to The Yard. If she gets fewer than 150,000 entries, she will then decide whether to offer only cash as prizes, rather than her home.
So far, the website – www.winamansionforchristmas.com – has had thousands of visitors.