After 35 years working in the clerical department at the Angliss Hospital and more than 12 months on the Covid-19 frontline in the emergency department, Rita Van Seters decided she would try her luck in the Royal Melbourne Hospital’s Home Lottery.
The major prize was a luxurious, ultra-modern four-bedroom house in Brighton East, complete with a pool and outdoor fireplace.
“I went, ‘you know what, we’ve done it really tough. I’m going to support the hospital – they’ve got a huge Covid ward – and buy a ticket’,” Ms Van Seters said.
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She then forgot all about it until one day in April, while camping in outback Queensland with husband Ed, when she received a call from Gold FM’s Christian O’Connell.
The popular radio host delivered the news she was now the lucky owner of the two-storey dream home.
“I said ‘you’ve got to be joking’,” Ms Van Seters said.
“Not in my wildest dreams did I think I would win. I was stunned.
“I was hoping more for the (minor prizes) car and the caravan. It just blew us away.”
They have now listed the indulgent 613sq m property at 3 Collis St for sale with a $3.7m-$4m price tag.
The buyer will be treated to a sleek Carrara marble-finished kitchen with V-Zug appliances, multiple indoor-outdoor living spaces and four bedrooms with their own ensuites.
And while they never even considered moving away from their grandkids and long-term home in the Dandenongs, Ms Van Seters said they were “lapping up and enjoying” the Melbourne haven before it went to auction at the end of the month.
“It’s a beautiful home and it deserves a beautiful family,” she said.
Ms Van Seters said that they had treated themselves to a brand new caravan to celebrate the winnings.
“We’ve spoiled ourselves a bit and bought the bigger caravan that we’ve never been able to justify,” she said.
She added that they intended to put the money from the impending sale towards a comfortable retirement and spend some of it helping their children, grandchildren and donating to charities.
Nick Johnstone director Nick Johnstone said the property “speaks for itself”.
“It’s a beautiful home, beautifully finished, with really high ceilings and all the best features money can buy,” he said.
“It’s certainly a family home, it’s in a family friendly part of Brighton East and it’s quite a substantial size home with a pool out the back.”
An A-grade line up of trades and creatives worked on the home, including Webster Architecture and Interiors and award-winning builders Mazzei, with curated gardens by Nathan Burkett.
The property also comes move-in ready with Italian-made furniture from Hub Furniture.
Mr Johnstone said the pad had already sparked interest from local families looking to upgrade, before Victoria’s sixth lockdown halted inspections.
Ms Van Seters dedicated their good fortune to all medical and frontline staff.
“To know they could be at risk of getting Covid and still doing their job, I don’t know how you put that in words,” she said.
The home is due to be auctioned on August 28.
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An emergency department worker was taking a well earned break when she became an overnight multi-millionaire. But she’s listing the lavish home lottery win for a much more modest purchase.
The post Royal Melbourne Hospital Home Lottery: Frontline worker’s surprise Brighton East windfall appeared first on realestate.com.au.