Property dream begins for woman after winning $500,000 towards a bach
One of Tauranga’s newest residents has a $500,000 kick start on the local property ladder thanks to a chance win in one of the country’s largest promotions.
The ‘Long White Win a Bach’ campaign from Asahi Beverages NZ is thought to offer the largest single cash prize outside of the New Zealand Lotteries Commission and provided a contribution of $500,000 towards a holiday home.
Research shows holiday home ownership remains unattainable for the majority of New Zealanders - with only 15% of families currently owning a bach.
But for Grace Glover, who lost her job as a tour guide as a result of the pandemic, a bach dream is now a reality, with her name randomly chosen in an Instagram competition, which saw her entering a post a day for 120 consecutive days of her having fun with friends.
Glover, initially from Auckland, has chosen to relocate to Tauranga and will start a new job at a local branch of an insurance company this week.
“I love Tauranga, I wanted to be there because I love the beach, but also because the area is well-known for its horticulture, so I am really looking forward to gardening and getting outside,” she says.
Glover says she is still reeling from the win, and the enormity of the prize still hasn’t set in.
“To win a bach like this is what dreams are made of. I thought I would be years away from the property market, but this is just the best thing I could have ever hoped for.
“Spending time in a bach is all about creating memories, being with family, eating together, playing board games or card games. I can’t believe I will have my very own place to do this with friends,” she says.
Glover plans to take her time and conduct thorough research before buying her property and hopes one day to be able to provide a ‘home away from home’ for fruit pickers.
Oliver Downs, Asahi Beverages NZ’s GM Marketing, which produces Long White beverages, says the bach promotion was launched to celebrate the good times we have with friends, which have been significantly impacted by the pandemic.
“We wanted to be able to create a bach experience for one of our loyal customers, giving them the opportunity to have a place they could share with friends and create lasting memories,” he says.
Downs says time away at a bach makes us focus on what’s important, time with friends and family, away from the stresses of work and technology. He says the company wanted to make the entry mechanism as simple as possible with Kiwis able to submit their entries online or via Instagram.
