Source : PERTHNOW NEWS
The Block is drawing to a close, with five luxury homes finally going under the hammer.
After 12 gruelling weeks of hard labour, major budget issues and behind-the-scenes drama, the five renovation teams are about to head to auction – but this year, there’s a surprise development.
Renovating a house on a national TV platform doesn’t guarantee a sale, with previous seasons delivering some woeful profit margins and homes remaining on the market for months after the show has ended.
And 2026 has presented a new challenge for contestants – the reserve prices of $3.45 million have already been revealed to the public.
Under new Victorian laws, it is illegal for real estate agents to underquote a property’s reserve price in the days before an auction.
This also means potential buyers have a clear idea of the price point these houses are expected to reach.
“Make no mistake, The Block contestants are facing headwinds from every angle,” Domain national managing editor Alice Stolz said.
“Over the past three months, while the teams have been building, house prices have been falling, recording their steepest quarterly decline on record.”
Making things even more difficult is “interest rates are at a 15-year high”.
However, Stolz has faith in the contestants, saying they have built some of the most beautiful homes in the show’s history.
“If anything can cut through this market it may well be high-quality, turnkey homes on Mt Eliza’s golden mile,” she said.
“The appeal of these houses runs deep, attracting both owner-occupiers and investors, with the potential for substantial depreciation benefits and negative gearing.”
The Block’s five homes each have something different to offer buyers.
Uptown, Houses 1, 2 and 3, renovated by Adam and Jolene, Chantel and Wyatt, and Lisa and Rosco, offer views across Port Phillip Bay to the city skyline, while Downtown’s Houses 4 and 5, belonging to Courtney and Sev, and Rick and Tayla, boast larger blocks of land.
With buyers weighing up the properties, Rick and Tayla head into the auction with an added advantage after winning the week 12 prize of $50,000 off their reserve price.
The homes have also been put to the test, with thousands of potential buyers getting the chance to inspect them at the Domain Open For Inspections for the first time in three years.
“Seeing thousands of people turn out gave our contestants a huge boost and let them see firsthand how much interest there is after so much hard work,” host Scott Cam said.
“As we close on auction day the nerves are setting in, not just for the contestants but for me too.
“You watch these teams work their guts out to build five extraordinary homes, and we just want every couple to walk away with a life-changing result.”
The finale airs at 7pm on Sunday on Nine and Nine Now.
