Become Lord of the Manor for just TWO POUNDS! Father-of-two who is struggling to find a buyer for his 18th century six-bed mansion offers the £650,000 home as a RAFFLE prize

  • Dunstan Low spent £150,000 renovating the Lancashire mansion after buying it in 2011 for £435,000
  • But he's struggled to find a buyer, even knocking it down from £800,000 to £500,000 in recent months
  • Father-of-two is selling raffle tickets at £2 each for a prize draw for the home in desperate bid to pay it off
  • Winner could get on the property ladder for less than a cup of coffee in a high street chain and mortgage free

A sprawling six-bed country mansion could be yours, for just £2.

The dream of getting on to the property ladder for less than the price of a high street coffee could become a reality as a father-of-two looks to recoup the losses on a huge house.  

The owner of Melling Manor in Lancashire has fallen on hard times, and has struggled so much to find a buyer for his mansion that he has resorted to offering it as a prize in a raffle, with tickets for £2 each.  

The property has been renovated to a high standard throughout and could be ready to move in to for just £2. Dunstan said the renovation work cost much more than he initially thought of

The property has been renovated to a high standard throughout and could be ready to move in to for just £2. Dunstan said the renovation work cost much more than he initially thought of

Dunstan Low, 37, hopes to sell 500,000 tickets, in the hope of raising money equivalent to the value of the Georgian home to avoid repossession.

He fell in love with the grand property, which comes complete with a ballroom, in 2011 and moved into it with his wife Natasha, 32, and their two children Ozzy, five, and Dylan, 15.

Dunstan had the idea of running a raffle for the house but was wary of doing everything above board. The raffle would mean the buyer would get the home mortgage free

Dunstan had the idea of running a raffle for the house but was wary of doing everything above board. The raffle would mean the buyer would get the home mortgage free

Dunstan bought the six-bed property for £435,000 and said he and his family were blown away by the grandeur of the home

Dunstan bought the six-bed property for £435,000 and said he and his family were blown away by the grandeur of the home

Dunstan admitted the project had been hard work, but said it was enjoyable despite the graft. He believes it could have struggled to sell because people want to down size

Dunstan admitted the project had been hard work, but said it was enjoyable despite the graft. He believes it could have struggled to sell because people want to down size

The whole property also enjoys features like a ballroom, cinema room, wood burning stove and parking for six cars

The whole property also enjoys features like a ballroom, cinema room, wood burning stove and parking for six cars

But Dunstan, an internet marketer and graphic designer, says it has become increasingly difficult for him to find work in the area and he has seen his income dramatically reduced.

Unable to keep on top of his mortgage repayments Dunstan decided to put the property, a Grade II listed manor built in 1797, on the market.

But so far he has had very little interest and says that this is a unique chance for someone to get his property, in Melling, on the border of Lancashire and Cumbria, mortgage free for just £2.

Dunstan said: 'When we looked around it I fell in love with its grandeur and size. I don't think it would look out of place in London.

Dunstan said he has struggled to keep on top of the mortgage repayments as work in his industry has dried up so he is forced sell

Dunstan said he has struggled to keep on top of the mortgage repayments as work in his industry has dried up so he is forced sell

Dunstan Low has resorted to selling raffle tickets with the grand prize being his six-bedroom house he has found impossible to sell

Dunstan Low has resorted to selling raffle tickets with the grand prize being his six-bedroom house he has found impossible to sell

It has been a family home for him with his wife and two children

The home has been on the market for a few months but has only been viewed a handful of times. The price has been reduced dramatically, from a starting point of £800,000 to £500,000

As well as his initial investment, he has spent £150,000 doing the place up, after his assessment that it only needed a lick of paint turned out to be wrong

As well as his initial investment, he has spent £150,000 doing the place up, after his assessment that it only needed a lick of paint turned out to be wrong

'It's size is incredible, and I just knew I would be able to do so much with the space.

'After we moved in, it turned into a huge project. I thought it would just need a lick of paint, but there was so much that needed doing.

'It had been a hotel at one point, so there were en-suite bedrooms in every room, but no family bathroom. It was hard work but enjoyable.'

Within just 24 hours Dunstan has raised £1,500 through the raffle and has had interest from as far a field as Australia, Italy and America.

He says most people are spending up to £20 on tickets, but has heard from one man who is planning to buy £1,000 worth.

He added: 'After talking to many estate agents and quick buy companies, we believe it is in our best interest to take the sale of our property into our own hands, whilst offering someone else to the opportunity to own and enjoy the property as their own.

'I had been thinking about doing this on and off for a few years now but so far hadn't acted.

'I knew that people had done this before but had problems, and I needed to make sure everything was above board and legal.'

The property is Grade II listed and features grand open spaces for entertaining guests. It was once a hotel and every room has an en-suite, but there was no family bathroom

The property is Grade II listed and features grand open spaces for entertaining guests. It was once a hotel and every room has an en-suite, but there was no family bathroom

The property is still on the market and Dustan is accepting offers over £650,000. Otherwise, he hopes to sell 500,000 tickets at £2 each

The property is still on the market and Dustan is accepting offers over £650,000. Otherwise, he hopes to sell 500,000 tickets at £2 each

Dunstan has received plenty of entries, with some people keen to spend hundreds on raffle tickets in the hope of bagging the house for a cool £2

Dunstan has received plenty of entries, with some people keen to spend hundreds on raffle tickets in the hope of bagging the house for a cool £2

Dunstan originally bought the property for £435,000, and spent £150,000 on renovations, which included a new family bathroom and kitchen.

He also had the whole property, which has a cinema room, wood burning stove and parking for six cars, completely redecorated and believes the palatial semi-detached Georgian house would make the right family the perfect home.

He first put the manor on the market in 2014 at the price of £800,000 for six months but only a few people looked round and there were no offers.

The family decided to move out and rent the manor, but found tenants did not take as good as care of the property as they would like.

Last December, they put it up for sale again at £845,000, but have had only one viewing since. At one point they dropped the asking price as low as £500,000 but still no offers.

Dunstan said: 'I am not sure what the problem is. I think a lot of people are down sizing. The location could also have something to do with it.

'I know that I could easily find work in London, but cities stress me out. It's such a beautiful area and a fantastic opportunity for someone.'

The property is still on the market and Dustan is accepting offers over £650,000. He says that if he manages to sell he will instead offer money generated from the raffle as a cash prize.

The closing date in August 1. For tickets, visit www.winacountryhouse.com.

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