11th November 2019 / Prue Fletcher: The Block Finale: Auction Results

In a surprise win for series underdogs, @tessandluke, The Block finale saw the youngest couple to have ever competed on the show take away the top prize from seasoned renovators, @mitchandmark.

As the biggest project seen in Block history, the start of the season saw contestants tasked with transforming the former Oslo hotel in St Kilda into five impressive houses over a period of 14 weeks.

In a first for the show, auction night saw each couple's house marked with the same reserve of $2.99 million. With a last minute decision to add an extra room paying off for the Cairns newlyweds, Tess and Luke took away an additional $100,000 on top of their prize money to win a whopping $730,000!

Here's how everyone ranked:

• Tess and Luke: 38B Grey Street, sold for $3,620,000 (total prize money $730,000, including $100,000 winner's cheque)
• Elise and Matt: 38D Grey Street, sold for $3,450,000 (prize money $460,000)
• Andy and Deb: 38C Grey Street, sold for $3,420,000 (prize money $430,000)
• Jesse and Mel: 38E Grey Street, sold for $3,378,000 (prize money $388,000)
• Mitch and Mark: 38A Grey Street, sold for $3,374,000 (prize money $384,000)

Block 'triple threat' Buyers Advocates; Nicole Jacobs, Frank Valentic and Greville Pabst were less active this year, only securing two properties between them.

Find out here who the new owners are:

• Labelled, 'The Block nuisance', Melbourne I.T Businessman, Danny Wallis, returned this season in his usual slow and distracting bidding manner, securing @mitchandmark's townhouse for $3,374,000. Early media reports had 'the party house' tipped to win The Block, so it begs to question whether the 'man with no cents' actually had the winning tactics?
• Two of the five homes sold were secured by Melbourne barristers and solicitors. One bought the winning home of @tessandluke for $3.62 million and the other was the final Block property to go under the hammer, @jessandmel's, where advocate Greville Pabst secures the home for $3.378 million.
• @Eliseandmat's was bought for $3.450 million by an Ex-Pat family with plans to retire in the home. The family had their friend fly down from Sydney to bid on their behalf.
• Valentic secured @andyanddeb's apartment for $3.42 million for a Caulfield North family who had previously been under bidders on last year's season; The Gatwick.

With paddle No.1 going to Nicole Jacob's, her buyers still remain homeless. A result that supports prospective buyers having a new found confidence to back themselves in the current market.

So, what will the next season of The Block look like? With auction results for The Block often at the mercy of an ever-changing real estate market, and with last night's finale showing an unlikely twist of fate, I for one, look forward to seeing where they take us next!

*Data sourced via @domain