U.S. Air Force Veteran Wins $250K Veterans Day Home Giveaway

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Nov. 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Realtor.com^® and Veterans United Home Loans today announced that recently retired United States Air Force Veteran Master Sergeant Tony Waddell of Syracuse, N.Y. has won the $250,000 prize (less tax withholding) for the Veterans United Home Loans and Realtor.com® Home Giveaway Sweepstakes.

"We are so thrilled to present this prize to Tony," said Kris Farmer, chief marketing officer at Veterans United, the nation's top VA purchase lender. "We were amazed to see the level of participation we had from our nation's heroes. Our goal is getting Veterans and service members into homes, so we couldn't be more excited that Tony and his family can now build their dream home."

In his 21 years of service, Waddell was stationed around the world, including deployments to Qatar, Iraq, United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan and Turkey. Waddell retired from the United States Air Force this summer and now works in a Syracuse area hospital.

"This prize truly means the world to us," Waddell said. "It shows the appreciation that Veterans United and realtor.com^® have for those who have served in the military and it gives my family the opportunity to pursue building our forever home in the city we love so much already. We are more than grateful."

Waddell, along with his wife Rhiannon and their two children, have lived in Syracuse for the last four years and plan to now build a new home in the Syracuse area this spring.

"It is incredibly rewarding for us to share in such an exciting moment with Tony," said Raymond Picard, executive vice president of sales for realtor.com^®, a leading online real estate destination offering the most MLS-listed for-sale homes*. "Tony has devoted more than two decades to the American people through his career in the Air Force. He represents all who serve, and have served, to protect and defend our great nation. Their work makes the American Dream possible for all of us."

* Among competing national portals

About realtor.com^®
Realtor.com^® is a leading online real estate destination operated by News Corp [NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA]; [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] subsidiary Move, Inc. Realtor.com^®, a trusted resource for home buyers, sellers and dreamers, offers the most comprehensive source of for-sale properties, among competing national sites, and the information, tools and professional expertise to help people move confidently through every step of their home journey. It pioneered the world of digital real estate 20 years ago, and today helps make all things home simple, efficient and enjoyable. Realtor.com^® is operated by Move under a perpetual license from the National Association of REALTORS^®. For more information, visit realtor.com^®.

About Veterans United Home Loans
Based in Columbia, Mo., Veterans United Home Loans is a full-service national lender that financed more than $10.3 billion in loans in 2016. Its mission is to help Veterans and service members take advantage of the home loan benefits earned by their service. In 2017, Veterans United was named No. 27 of the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For, according to Great Place to Work® and Fortune Magazine The company's employee-driven charitable arm, Veterans United Foundation, is committed to enhancing the lives of Veterans and military families nationwide by supporting military families and nonprofit organizations that strengthen local communities. Veterans United Home Loans and its employees have raised more than $30 million for the Foundation since its founding in November 2011. Learn more at EnhanceLives.com. 

Media Contacts:
realtor.com^® 
Tammy Lee ? [email protected]

Veterans United
Chris Cline ? [email protected]

VeteransUnited.com | 1-800-884-5560 | 1400 Veterans United Drive, Columbia, MO 65203 | NMLS ID #1907 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). A VA approved lender; Not endorsed or sponsored by the Dept. of Veterans Affairs or any government agency. Equal Opportunity Lender. Mortgage Research Center, LLC

SOURCE realtor.com