Tom Steenson, a 63 year old dad, is set to sell the £2million house in Devon he won in an Omaze draw. Tom, originally from Bolton but now living in Maidstone, plans to put the property on the market for £2.35million.
The luxurious four-bedroom home comes complete with a swimming pool and boasts stunning panoramic views of the landscape and coastline. It was handed over to Tom mortgage-free, with all stamp duty and legal fees covered. Tom lives with his wife Carole, 58, who has been his partner for 35 years and works part-time as a cleaner.
When Tom, who worked for 38 years in training and development within the motor industry, learned of his win at the beginning of November last year, he expressed no desire to leave his job, citing his love for staying active. He said: “This win means we’ll never have to worry about money ever again – it’s a dream come true. I could retire early, but my boss doesn’t have to worry as I’ll keep working for a while yet, I like to stay busy.”
In a post-win interview, Tom revealed that although his family will enjoy the house for a while, he plans to put it on the market. He explained: “We’ll definitely enjoy the house for a bit, but we’ll most likely sell it, maybe next year, as the money we’ll get is life-changing for the entire family. Thanks to £250,000 we’ve pocketed as part of the win, we could afford to stay here for 10 years if we wanted to.
“Selling and banking the cash would enable us to help all our children and grandchildren; it’s a generational legacy for our family. We could help our kids get on the property ladder now. It’s all very exciting!”
Tom became a multi-millionaire thanks to the Omaze Million Pound House Draw, which also raised a whopping £3.5 million for the suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). However, the couple, who have lived in their current two-bedroom house in Maidstone since 2021 with their son and daughter, two grandchildren, and a Cocker Spaniel named Dazzle, are opting to sell earlier than planned.
The newly built detached property, known as The Hideout, is on the market through Knight Frank with an asking price of £2,350,000. Among its standout features are up to five bedrooms, three bathrooms, a gym, cinema room, balcony, and a separate annexe.
The estate agent’s description of The Hideout reads: “The Hideout is a stunning modern detached home that offers circa than 4,200 square feet of immaculate luxury accommodation with plenty of natural light throughout, and magnificent views across the surrounding countryside.”
It goes on to say: “Nestled in the picturesque coastal town of Exmouth, this contemporary masterpiece showcases luxury and functionality at its finest. The main residence features sleek architectural lines, large windows, and an open-concept design that seamlessly merges indoor and outdoor living.”
A spokesperson from Omaze explained that winners have complete flexibility with their new property, saying: “All Omaze winners are free to decide if they live in their new house, rent it out for a supplementary income or sell it whenever they wish, to become a cash multi-millionaire. They can put it on the market the day they get the keys; the choice is entirely theirs.
“Omaze Grand Prize winners also receive £250,000 in cash to maintain their new property and help them settle in. Estimated running costs for each house are available for entrants to view on the Omaze website. If they decide to keep the house, they could afford to comfortably stay for many years using just the £250,000 settling in money.”
They added: “All Omaze properties come with no mortgage and no stamp duty or legal fees to pay. The properties also come with all the furniture featured in the adverts. Omaze styles each property with well over £100,000 worth of furnishings and essentials, so they are all ready for a winner to enjoy as soon as they get the keys.
“As well as the £250,000 they receive, it’s worth bearing in mind that if a winner was already paying rent or a mortgage for their previous property, the money saved could also go towards the running costs of their new home. Alternatively, if they do already own a property, they could choose to keep it and rent it out as a supplementary income.
“Should winners wish to rent out their new property, they can achieve long-term rental values of thousands of pounds a month. Whatever their circumstances, all Omaze winners have several fantastic life changing options available to them.
“Omaze is immensely proud to have created 33 millionaires whilst also raising more than £72 million for good causes in the UK since it launched here.”
All contents and furniture are included within the sale of The Hideout in Exmouth.