Internet home auction fails

The family want to sell the house as quickly as they can

A Pembrokeshire family who hope to emigrate to Australia have failed to sell their home in an internet auction.

The Aults were trying to sell their house on the net auction site eBay, but it did not reach the reserve price.

The highest of the 57 bids for the property, near St David's, was £301,100 - the family had been hoping for around £350,000.

The Aults need to sell their home in time for their move to Perth at the end of September.

"It was a slight damp squib," Mr Ault said about the auction.

He said he had spent a lot of time on Thursday emailing surveys and information about the house to people.

"There was a lot of serious interest," he said.

"It is more exciting than the estate agents visiting and taking photographs - all the kids are involved."

"If it still doesn't sell, we will contact the people who have contacted us - I am sure there is some negotiating to do."

"If all else fails, I will do the raffle I promised to do, and I'll start selling tickets - they'll be about £5 each."

Mr Ault has to sell the four-bedroom house by the time his wife Caroline and their six children - including 15-month old twins - leave for Australia.

The 36-year-old financial consultant has already invested £40,000 in their move - a sum he stands to lose if he cannot sell the Grade 2 listed property in Fachelich.

The Ault family have organised their new life in Australia

He has a two-year lease on a family home in Australia, school places for his children, a nursing course for his wife and money invested in an English theme restaurant he hopes to run.

But the plans were put in jeopardy after a buyer pulled out.

"We have been meticulous in our plans - the only thing that could possibly go wrong was the house sale falling through," he said.

"That happened about a week ago."

The house, thought to have been built more than 200 years ago, has undergone extensive renovations, including a fitted kitchen and a walled garden containing a hot-tub.

Paul Phillips, of West Wales Properties estate agents, said the house was "really attractive".