Patrick (61) from Ekeren wins 57,000 euros with living competition Gazet van Antwerpen: “I thought the editor-in-chief was coming to make” (Ekeren)
Patrick Laenen (61) from Ekeren is the lucky winner of the living competition of Gazet van Antwerpen. He wins 57,000 euros as a kickstart for his living dream. “My wife passed away about ten years ago. I’m in a new relationship now. We want to make a new start together.”
Rebecca Van Remoortere
Because to buy a house or apartment you must be able to put an average of 57,000 euros on the table to borrow from the bank, monthly Gazette of Antwerp a competition to help someone with that amount of money. That was the 61-year-old Patrick Laenen from Ekeren.
“I had already half forgotten that I had diagnosed,” says Patrick after receiving a check for 57,000 euros from GVA editor-in-chief Frederik De Swaef. “I have also never won anything in my life, so I had no expectations. When the editor-in-chief showed up at my door, I thought it was to advertise the newspaper.”
Patrick lives in a terraced house in Ekeren. “My daughter Eva (26) is graduating and will soon be looking for a place for herself. My son Tibo (23) is also studying and probably won’t be living at home for years either. My wife passed away a little over ten years ago. Meanwhile, I can meet someone new and soon we will live together. That is why we are looking for a house with which we can make a new start. Preferably in the Bonheiden region.”
Looking for a move-in ready home
Patrick’s family used to live in Sint-Job-in-‘t-Goor (Brecht). “The children then went to school in Ekeren. When my wife died, we moved to Ekeren. As a single dad, it was difficult living so far from the children’s school. We are also moving to live closer to the grandparents.”
The pennies are very welcome for Patrick and his girlfriend. “It is not easy to find a home today. Houses that are ready to move in are sold within two or three days. Houses that still need work and have a poor EPC value will remain on the market longer. I am 61 and have already renovated a house in my life, I will not start again. We look for a ready-to-move-in home as much as possible. That 57,000 euros can now help to have a new kitchen or bathroom installed if necessary.”
Children start giving well
And if the couple finds a home within their own budget, the money can only help to give the children a good start. “My daughter is in the last year of her dental studies. She is still in a room, but will live with her boyfriend as soon as possible. My son wants to find an apartment in the center of Antwerp after his studies. That won’t be easy. There are people who have to make do with much less than we do, but it is also a hidden housing market for us. We are very happy with this unexpected extra.”