Widow who received £4.5m dream house in Omaze draw says the ‘better part’ was promoting the mansion – because it allowed her to set her youngsters and grandchildren up for all times
A widow who scooped a £4.5million Cornish mansion in an Omaze property draw says selling the home was the ‘best part’ about winning as her family are now financially set for life.
The win was a ‘dream come true’ for Ms Smith, from Essex, who had lost her husband Ron only one year prior and lived on a single pension.
However, despite falling in love with the property instantly, Ms Smith said she always knew selling the house would unlock a life-changing sum for her three children and six grandchildren.
And after spending an ‘unforgettable’ family summer in the home, Ms Smith sold it to bank millions – securing the financial futures of her three children and six grandchildren by getting them on the property ladder, clearing mortgages and supporting their business ventures.
The decision to sell up and help her family, she said, was ‘the best part of winning with Omaze’.
She said: ‘I went from living on a single pension to owning a mansion. It still sounds mad when I say those words out loud.
‘I honestly thought it was a wind-up. I was just settling down for a quiet Friday night in front of the telly when suddenly Omaze was at the door telling me I’d won a £4.5million house, I was gobsmacked.
June Smith bagged the £4.5million luxury waterfront property (pictured) in 2023 as part of the Omaze Million Pound House Draw
Ms Smith (pictured) lost her husband, Ron, one year prior to the win. She said he was ‘smiling down’ at the family
‘I always thought people like me don’t win things like that. I remember just standing there thinking, this can’t be real. The first thing I did was call my children to share the good news.
‘The second thing I did was open a nice bottle of red. I’ll never forget that night, it changed our lives forever.
‘My husband Ron died the year before I won, and I really do feel like he played a part in the win. He always wanted our family to be safe and secure.
‘Winning with Omaze meant that dream came true, in a way we could never have imagined. I know he’s smiling down on all of us.’
Before selling the property, Ms Smith spent several months in the home with her children and grandchildren in what she described as the ‘ultimate family holiday’.
She even flew her eldest son and his family over from Australia for an extended stay.
She said: ‘My six grandchildren absolutely made the most of it. They ran wild around the house and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. It was the ultimate family holiday.
‘The last time we holidayed in Cornwall we were all in a caravan. So to suddenly be together in a £4.5million house was just mind-boggling. Those months together are memories we’ll cherish forever.
‘I knew I wanted to release the huge amount of money by selling the house, but I also knew I wanted one big, proper family summer there before we did anything.’
After that summer, Ms Smith went on to sell the property for millions of pounds – following a similar pattern to many Omaze property winners who choose to cash in on their luxurious homes.
This is often due to the cost of upkeeping the properties, as well as their locations being hundreds of miles away from family, friends and familiar surroundings.
However, for Ms Smith, ensuring her family were taken care of in the long-run was her primary motivation for selling up.
She said: ‘Thanks to the money I also got with the house I could’ve easily kept it without a worry in the world.
‘But selling the house meant I could help all my children with the next chapter of their lives. I’ve been able to help them get on the property ladder, clear mortgages and take away all the everyday money worries.
June (left) spent an ‘unforgettable’ summer in the Cornwall property with her family (pictured)
The three-storey luxury home features six-bedrooms (pictured) and overlooks the Fowey Estuary
After selling the property, (pictured) Ms Smith has been able to clear her family’s mortgages, help them onto the property ladder and help their money worries
‘They’re all in such a fantastic position now, especially at their age – it’s a world away from where I was at that stage in life.
‘I’ve also been able to help start businesses for my children, which are now thriving, and that means they and my grandchildren have previously unimaginable financial security.
‘Seeing the difference it’s made to them has been the best part of winning with Omaze, and I’ve still got plenty left for a rainy day!’
Ms Smith has since purchased another home in Fowey, as she loved Cornwall so much she wanted to stay.
She said: ‘After that summer, I’d fallen in love with Fowey and knew I didn’t want to leave, so I used some of the money from the sale to buy a lovely place down here.
‘We all love popping to the local pubs, tea and scones the Cornish way, walking along the harbour with fish and chips.
‘I’ve also grown fond of the odd Cornish pasty, although they just call them pasties here of course. Everyone has been so welcoming, it really does feel like home.’
The win, she added, has also given her lasting peace of mind.
She said: ‘I still wake up and think it was all a dream some days. It’s taken away all my worries – that’s a priceless gift in itself. Omaze didn’t just change my life, it changed all my family’s lives.
‘Winning with Omaze was one of the most special days of our lives, but it’s what it’s allowed me to do for my family that’s made every day since, so special.’
James Oakes, President of Omaze, said: ‘June’s story shows the true impact of winning with Omaze. Life-changing prizes that can transform an entire family’s future, while raising millions for vital causes.’
