From an NHS midwife who got three mortgage-free properties for the price of a Meal Deal, to a mum who went from emergency accommodation to home ownership
Getting on the property ladder can take years of scrimping and battling soaring house prices. As the average age of a first-time buyer rises to 34, home ownership is an increasingly distant dream for many people – but this group saw everything change with one competition entry.
From an NHS midwife who got three mortgage-free properties for the price of a Meal Deal, to a mum who went from emergency accommodation to London home ownership after spending just a fiver, they beat the odds thanks to competitions run by Tramway Path, who say they have now given away more than £7.5m worth of prizes, including 18 UK properties.
Here are the stories of eight of their most extraordinary winners…
1. NHS midwife who spent £3 and won THREE homes
Sade Oluwaleimu got considerably more than a Meal Deal for her £3. The NHS midwife and former A&E nurse, from London, ended up winning three renovated flats in Bristol worth a combined 500,000.
Her prize included two one-bedroom flats and a three-bedroom property. Sade later said the win gave her the freedom to travel and pursue missionary work overseas. She hopes to bring safer maternity care to Africa, and said “I can finally follow my dreams”.
2. Mum went from emergency housing to £500K after spending a fiver
Jade Pilgrim had found herself in emergency council accommodation with her son after losing the home they were renting. A friend suggested she enter a property competition.
Initially sceptical, Jade spent £5. She went on to win £500,000 towards buying a property mortgage-free. The west London mum later secured a two-bedroom house, with room to extend and add two further bedrooms, and said the win had given her the security she had dreamed of for her son, who was 11 at the time.
“It has always been my goal to give my son his own home, but I didn’t think I’d be able to do it so soon,” she said. “I’ve been renting for a very long time and wasn’t sure when I’d be able to get on the property ladder, I thought it would be many more years at least.”
3. Lad who discovered he’d won £450K during a pub quiz
James Manley’s night down the pub turned out to be far more lucrative than expected. The then 23-year-old was taking part in a pub quiz with colleagues when he discovered he had won a £450,000 property prize.
James had switched off his phone so nobody could accuse his team of cheating and only saw the missed calls at half-time. He said: “I turned my phone back on and saw a bunch of missed calls, and when it rang again, I finally answered. My legs turned to complete jelly when I heard the news.”
James had been living with his parents while trying to get onto the property ladder and later used his winnings to buy a two-bedroom flat near them in Elephant and Castle, south London. To top it off, his pub quiz team also won a £50 bar tab.
4. Previously ‘homeless’ mum spotted competition after the DENTIST – then won a five-bed home
For hairdresser Angelika Wisniewska, an ordinary journey home from the dentist ended up changing her life. The mum-of-two spotted the competition on Facebook while travelling with her daughters.
She entered and later won a £500,000 grand prize, which led to her owning a five-bedroom house in Carlisle. Angelika had previously described herself as “basically homeless” after splitting from her kids’ dad, and said the win gave her the chance to move from a council property to a secure home.
5. Dad thought he’d be ‘renting forever’ – then won £500K
Nathan Bayliss had owned a home before, but after relocating for work he spent years renting while watching property prices climb. The dad-of-two said he had started to believe he might never own again. Then he spotted a Tramway Path competition on Facebook. The 46-year-old entered and ended up winning £500,000 towards a property. Nathan later said: “I didn’t think we’d ever own again.”
6. Graduate, 22, bags £1.2k monthly income from £290k Essex flat
Most 22-year-olds would probably start packing immediately after winning their own flat. Prescila Massia had other ideas. The psychology graduate won a £290,000 two-bedroom apartment in Grays, Essex, but planned to stay living with her parents and siblings in east London.
The savvy youngster said she’d boost her graduate income by renting the flat out for £1,200 a month. Prescila had spent £70 on entries and admitted she never expected to win. “It’s been so overwhelming,” she said. “Usually someone so young wouldn’t win anything like this.”
7. Single mum thought owning a home was a ‘pipe dream’ – then won £425K apartment
NHS occupational therapist Cynthia Kanyua had been living in social housing with her son after leaving a toxic relationship. She said owning a property had felt like a “pipe dream”.
A friend persuaded her to enter a competition and she spent £10 on five tickets. Cynthia went on to win a three-bedroom apartment in Surrey worth around £425,000.
The win gave her and her son, then 10 years old, the security she had been working towards for years. She said: “When my marriage ended in 2016, I just left with my bags. The marriage ended badly and I was in a domestic shelter for a little bit.”
8. Mortgage rejected – then he became mortgage-free
George’s story came with perhaps the biggest irony of them all. He said: “The day I bought my Tramway Path ticket, I got my mortgage declined, now because of Tramway Path I am mortgage-free.”
The Londoner won a two-bedroom apartment in Essex.
Daniel Twenefour from Tramway Path said: “One of the best parts of what we do is seeing just how differently each winner’s life changes.
“For some, it’s the chance to finally own a home after years of renting or struggling to get a mortgage. For others, it means being able to clear debts, support their family or create an entirely new source of income.
“We’ve had winners from all walks of life, and every story is different, but the reaction when someone realises they’ve won never gets old. Looking back at our past winners really brings home the impact these prizes can have, and we’re incredibly proud to have played a small part in so many life-changing moments.”
This comes as Tramway launches its next competition, which closes on November 30 and features a five-bedroom property, worth £650,000, on the borders of Mitcham and Morden, offering off-street parking, 2.5 bathrooms and underfloor heating.