Australian woman inherits $13 million home from neighbor

It can pay to be a good neighbor. A 95-year-old Australian woman left her nearly $13 million (U.S. dollars) home to a neighbor who brought her food and helped her around the house, according to a report in The Daily Telegraph. Betty Harris, who died in 2009, left her home to neighbor Beatrice Gray and a bitter legal battle ensued with Harris’ niece.
According to the Telegraph, Harris had planned to leave the four-bedroom home to her niece until 2005, when she felt that she was being pushed into a nursing home. "The Grays would be surprised, (while) my family are waiting for me to die," said Harris, according to the Telegraph. "I am determined that my relatives after what they have put me through will not get one cent." A judge upheld Harris’ 2005 will Friday, saying that while there were signs Harris was suffering some cognitive impairment she was capable of signing a will. In her previous will, from 1996, she left her niece, Corrie Hart, as her only benefactor. Court proceedings painted Harris as a lonely woman who was estranged from her family and had no close friends. Beatrice Gray, and her late husband, helped Harris organize her finances as well as helped with daily chores such as taking out the recycling and changing light bulbs, according to the Telegraph. The home has been available as a vacation rental. On a listing with Belle Property Double Bay, the 1960s home is described as having a James Bond vibe, with direct harbor views, a swimming pool, and six-car garage. It’s unclear what future plans are for the property, but when reached by the Telegraph, Gray told them, "I'm extremely grateful to Betty Harris."

Source: NY Daily News