House seller has spring in her step after winning real estate prize

When Leith Waite sold her Napier house in September she decided to take a risk - and it turned out to be one well worth taking.

She and her partner were set to move to Hamilton where she had taken up a scholarship at Waikato Hospital so she decided the Greenmeadows house she bought five years earlier needed to go on the market.

The timing was good because Tremain Real Estate were staging a special spring promotion where anyone selling their property in September or October went in the draw to win a prize, from either of five categories.

There were marketing packages, reduced commissions and general appliance store vouchers as well as a special draw to recoup the full commission.

Of the more than 100 people who entered the promotion only six chose the full commission option.

One of them was Ms Waite.

"I thought I'd take the risk and go for it."

So she entered and never thought anything more of it.

"I actually forgot about it."

Until about a week ago when she was at work at Waikato Hospital and got a phone call from Tremains agent Jen Brownlie who had worked to sell the property.

"She called to say the draw was taking place that day."

A few hours later she got a second call to say her name had been drawn.

"I was so excited I had to leave the staffroom - I nearly cried."

Ms Brownlie was delighted also.

"She had to move and sold it reluctantly so she's absolutely rapt."

Ms Waite said getting the substantial commission back meant she could put some away, pay for a holiday and pay off some of her student loan.

A Bay girl, born in Wairoa, she said her plan was eventually to move back here.