Lauren Keene, 24, won the six-bedroom Hollywood-style coastal home in December last year, but has now decided to sell the property after spending just a few nights there
The youngest Brit ever to win a multi-million pound Omaze pad has sold her luxury country estate for significantly less than its original valuation.
In December 2024, Lauren Keene, a 24 year old full-time nanny from Gloucester, bagged the glamorous six-bedroom Hollywood-style coastal home, valued at £3million, along with a cool £250,000 in prize money. After her win, she revealed that she was considering swapping her two-bed flat, which she shared with her dad, for her prize mansion with partner Ryan Mitchell – despite the property being over 200 miles away on the Wirral, Merseyside.
However, Lauren, who celebrated her win with a McDonalds meal, decided to put the house on the market instead, listing it for £2.5million – a whopping £500,000 less than the initial valuation.
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Her father Daniel disclosed that Lauren and Ryan only spent a few nights in the Wirral residence and that the pair may already have a potential buyer lined up.
Speaking to MailOnline, Daniel said: “It is a lovely house, but the associated costs are significant.”
“For example, although the pool is heated, it is outdoors and it is not thermally protected, so the heat from the water escapes very quickly.
“To keep it heated in winter would cost a fortune so they’ve turned it off, but we braved it anyway and I have to tell you that water is very, very, very cold.”
Daniel, a bathroom and kitchen fitter by trade, shared that his daughter is opting for a more humble abode with Ryan in Gloucester.
He expressed: “I think selling it is the sensible thing to do because at the end of the day they are a young couple with lives and jobs in Gloucester.
“Why would they want to saddle themselves with a massive, expensive property 200 miles away from where their lives are?”.
Daniel further revealed that the duo have decided to invest their savings in a semi-detached house, with the sale being “almost over the line”.
“Every week she tells me she is moving out and every week she is still living here, so I don’t know and I don’t ask too many questions!”, he quipped.
The devoted father emphasised that the most important thing was Lauren’s happiness and her “doing the right thing”.
According to Rightmove, semi-detached homes with three or four bedrooms in Gloucestershire city typically cost between £300,000 and £350,000.
Omaze winners are not obligated to keep the house for any specific duration, and can choose to live there, rent it out, or sell the property.
Upon winning, Lauren had said: “Thanks to the £250,000 we’ve pocket as part of the win we could afford to stay here for many years if we decided to, it’s a great position to be in.
“Only last week we were viewing houses we thought we could never afford, but now our first property is a £3m mansion. It’s crazy to think we’ll never have a mortgage.
“We’ve been saving for years so I still live with my dad in his 2-bedroom flat – he’s delighted that I’ll finally be moving out now.
“Winning this house has transformed our lives forever! Whatever we decide to do long-term, we’re made for life now.”
An Omaze spokesperson said: “All Omaze winners are free to live in their new house, rent it out for extra cash, or sell it the moment they get the keys to become a multi-millionaire – the choice is entirely theirs.
“Our Grand Prize winners also get £250,000 in cash to help them settle in and cover running costs – and our properties come mortgage-free, with no stamp duty or legal fees to pay. Full estimated running costs are available on our website, and with the settling-in money alone, winners could comfortably enjoy the home for many years.
“Each house comes with all the furnishings and essentials featured in our adverts – with a typical average value of £150,000.
“If winners are already paying rent or a mortgage elsewhere, those savings could go towards the running costs of their new home, or they could rent out either property for additional income.
“Whatever their circumstances, all Omaze winners have several fantastic, life-changing options available to them. Omaze is immensely proud to have created 40 millionaires while raising over £100 million for good causes in the UK.”
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