Julian Foley

If America really is the land of opportunity, then a bold Virginia accountant knows how to take advantage of it. With nothing short of an iron will and $ 1.415 million, New Delhi native Surinder Singh Raheja won himself a big house and a little bit of fame recently.

The coveted property was one of 10, seized by the Immigration and Naturalization Service, from bookie Pak Ching 'William' Wu, in connection with his sports gambling enterprise. He and his brother, Pakchuen 'Paul' Wu, both face federal charges after pleading guilty to an illegal gambling scheme. Their wives are currently serving jail time for federal tax charges.

In a fast-paced, high stakes bidding war on January 18, Raheja, owner of SR Associates, beat out Washington Redskin cornerback Deion Sanders and fellow Indian, Mahendra Chudasama, for a five-and-a-half acre parcel at Fairfax Station, Virginia. The trophy comes complete, with a six-bedroom red brick mansion, a basketball court, a tennis court and a pool house (for a non-existent pool). His family moved into their new digs last weekend.

The bid was one game Sanders was willing to concede. He told reporters that $ 1.1 million was the highest he was willing to go, saying, "We wanted it, but we aren't crazy."

In the final home stretch, Raheja locked wallets with Chudasama for the dream home. The 39-year-old, Alexandria hotel owner nipped at Raheja's heels, but just wouldn't go beyond $ 1.4 million.

The bidding war over the Wu home drew press coverage from national newspapers, including the The Washington Post. This 8,100 square foot, 19-room house, may seem modest by football star standards, but for anyone else, it is a piece of the American dream. And a large one at that.

"My family is proud, my friends are proud. In the big fight, I won the bid," said Raheja. "I got a lot of respect from the community for that."

Of course, Raheja did not plan on spending quite so much. The house is only worth a tad over $ 883,000, in an area where the average house runs between $ 350,000 and $ 500,000, reckons real estate agent Danny Parson. At the time, Raheja told reporters that he would not have showed up to bid, had he known what the outcome would be.

But time, and anticipation of the move, has changed his perspective. "I was not expecting (to spend) $ 1.4 million. I was sure that it would go to 1.1 or 1.2. But it doesn't matter," he said. "I made up my mind in December that I would buy it, and I was lucky that I got it."

In any event, he was determined from the outset. He was the first person to arrive for an open house, that brought out over 1,000 people. Later, he would offer the opening-and closing-bid at the auction. The competition was fierce. Potential buyers had to bring a cashier's check for $ 50,000 just to make a bid. Of the 500 who showed up, about 60 were ready to go all the way -- or, so they thought.

"The bidding opened at $ 500,000, and I was the first to bid. But within five seconds it jumped to $ 1 million. And then to 1.18 and then to 1.2. I was a bit confused. The price was just jumping and jumping," Raheja recalled.

"My (elder) sister told me, 'You are my brother. Don't lose this bid.' I have to respect my elders," he joked. And his sister, Balwant Kaur Badwal, had a vested interest in the outcome: She and her husband, Joga Singh Badwal, will join Raheja, his wife, Himani (who is aptly nicknamed 'Lucky') and his two daughters Priyanka, 17, and Hershita, 10 in their new abode. They are all ecstatic.

As for Mahendra Chudasama, he isn't exactly unhappy. He saved himself a considerable sum, buying instead an empty lot to build on.

And Deion Sanders? "He liked the house," said Raheja chuckling, "but you cannot get it for free, right?"

Maybe money really can buy happiness.

Design: Dominic Xavier

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