Lotto jackpot set to fund lifetime dreams

This weekend’s $34million Lotto jackpot could well be making the dreams of one – or more – lucky New Zealanders come true beyond their wildest imaginations.

Thoughts of a flash new palatial home, a new luxury European sports car, or living in peace and solitude away from the ‘madding crowds’ are running through the minds of hundreds of New Zealanders in the lead-up to Saturday night’s mega Lotto draw.

So just what could $34million buy you?

Well, quite a lot according to leading real estate agency Bayleys…. in fact everything from your very own church or wild west town, through to your very own tropical island.

Among the dream properties throughout New Zealand that Bayleys has listed on its books are:
 

• A wild west themed township near National Park in the Central North Island – complete with bank, blacksmith, saloon, bathhouse and corral... a bargain at $4.5million.
• An uninhabited tropical island in Fiji, aptly named the romantic Honeymoon Island – complete with gold sand beach and swaying palm trees… available with a price tag of $1.88million.
• One of Central Otago’s original pinot noir producing wineries…. the award-winning Black Ridge Vineyard, ripe for the picking with negotiations over $1.95million.
• One of Auckland’s most expensive homes – 533 square metres of luxury living, with five bedrooms/five bathrooms, temperature-controlled wine cellar, pool and sauna complex…. all for just $7.5million.
• or even….
• A former church in Invercargill – suitable for conversion into a character-filled home – complete with bell tower and pews up for sale at an incredible $65,000.

And even with all of these pieces of real estate added to the personal portfolio, there would still be cash in the bank for the latest 2011 Lamborghini Aventador (top speed 350kmh with a V-12 engine) at a mere $675,000 through Independent Prestige LMVD; a six carat princess-cut diamond set in platinum for $259,000 from Partridge Jewellers in Auckland... and even a corporate hospitality package (including Champagne and canapés) to the Rugby World Cup semi-finals and finals with category-A seats at Eden Park – a snip at just $10,995.

Bayleys Real Estate’s number one salesperson for the year, Gary Wallace, said that New Zealanders’ deep-rooted passion of owning their own property meant that the first thing most big-time Lotto winners would do is pay off their mortgage.

Next step, aside from dishing the dollars to family, friends and charities, would be fulfilling personal dreams and ambitions, Mr Wallace said.

“For some, that could be moving to a bigger home with more bedrooms, more luxuries, more land, or a better part of town. For others, it could mean having the financial freedom to pursue their life’s dreams – whether it’s making wine, relaxing on a Pacific atoll beach and getting away from the Kiwi winter, or role playing childhood fantasies of being a cowboy or cowgirl,” he said.

“The wonderful thing about Lotto is the ability it provides us all to dream – if only for a few days. And who knows, on Saturday night, whatever numbers roll out, with Powerball having to go off, there will be a number of very rich New Zealanders waking up on Sunday morning whose lives will never be the same.”