Charities benefit from sale of house

Going once, going twice and the A1 Homes charity build has been sold.

The house was auctioned off by Andy Scott, of The Professionals, for $356,000 on Saturday afternoon.

Proceeds are going to Wairarapa Cancer Society and Carterton Fire Brigade.

The house sits in Walnut Lane, off Carterton's High St, which is also home to the charity house built by UCOL students - although this was not successfully auctioned off.

Both homes had been purchased by the Upper Hutt-based Dugdale Charitable Trust and the new owners of the house are Barry and Mary Jackson.

Chris Dugdale, of Dugdale Charitable Trust, said the afternoon went "really well".

"We are delighted with the outcome," she said.

"I think it was a fair price."

She said there was some strong bidding and it was a really exciting auction.

They were also running a competition for people to guess how much the house would sell for and the purchasers won; "that's the price they paid for it".

The UCOL charity home would remain on the market until a suitable offer was made.

"I feel if we just wait a little, somebody will come along who says 'this is the house for me," said Mrs Dugdale.

Other items up for auction, including a brand new Hyundai car from Eastwood Motor Group and a Harvey World Travel voucher, were also sold.

Proceeds from the UCOL home will go to Asthma Foundation New Zealand and Lifeflight Trust.