Whatever inspiration you’re after…. a new recipe to wow the family, a little bit of help making the perfect bed, styling a sideboard, some lifestyle articles or what’s new at Provincial, our Journal will bring you stories to brighten your day.
After all the dramas and surprises during this season of The Block – we did not expect everything to run smoothly on auction day but we were not prepared for what unfolded! Of course, the usual suspects, serial bidders – Adrian Portelli, aka “Mr Lambo”, Danny Wallis, and Frank Valentic turned up with bidding paddles in their hands, so expectations were high.
The Block 2023 auction results:
Steph and Gian, House 4: Reserve of $3.35 million, sold for $5.000 million = $1.65 million profit + $100,000 prize money = $1.75 million (a Block record)
Eliza and Liberty, House 5: Reserve of $3.25 million, sold for $4.3 million = $1.05 million profit
Kyle and Leslie, House 1: Reserve of $2.97 million, sold for $3.1 million = $130,000 profit
Kristy and Brett, House 3: Reserve of $2.97 million, sold for $3.035 million = $65,000 profit
Leah and Ash, House 2: Reserve of $2.97 million not met, passed in at auction.
THE BLOCK 2023 WINNER - STEPH & GIAN
With the reserves revealed and the auction order decided earlier in the week, Steph & Gian’s House Number 5 was first. With a reserve of $3.35 million, they were very nervous about making any money at all.
The auction was fast and exciting.
The auction started and within seconds, an opening bid was made by Danny in his usual bidding style – of $3,999,999.99. In the first bid, Steph and Gian made a $649,999.99 profit!
After the auctioneer, Tom Panos declared the property on the market, Panos called the property once, twice – and then buyer’s advocate Frank Valentic put in a bid of $4 million, raising the bid by 1 cent.
Before any other bidding, there was a commotion, and someone in the crowd had fainted, so a halt was called to the proceedings whilst an ambulance was called.
When the auction recommenced, Adrian Poretelli made a heart-stopping bid of $5 million – shocking Steph and Gian and all the other contestants.
They were overjoyed, stunned, and almost speechless by their result, saying they never expected to win.
A life-changing win for Steph & Gian, of $1.75 million ($1.65 million over the reserve plus an extra $100 for being the winners of The Block 2023) was exciting. Did this set the scene and high prices for the rest of the homes?
ELIZA & LIBERTY
Sisters, novice renovators and self-confessed husband hunters, Eliza and Liberty, were second in auction order and came second, with a massive $1.05 million in profit. Their house (Number 5) also sold to Adrian Portelli for $4.3 million, which was $1.05 million above their reserve of $3.25 million.
The girls were very excited and overcome with emotion, saying how proud they were of themselves and their hard work and would be rewarding themselves with an expensive handbag each and enjoying a holiday.
KRISTY & BRETT
The emotions of the teams waiting for their auction turn were running high, vacillating between excitement and fear.
Controversial couple of the season, Kristy & Brett were the third auction of the day. The price guide for House 3 had been $2.7 million to $2.9 million. The opening bid was the lower end of the guide at $2.7 million, which shocked Kristy & Brett, and it moved to $2.9 million. The buyer’s advocate asked if it was on the market, to which the auctioneer legally has to answer truthfully, said “yes”.
A local family won the keys to the house, paying $3,035,000 giving Kristy & Brett $65,000 which did not make them at all happy. Kristy was livid that their auctioneer did not stick to the discussed game plan, as they would have rather passed the house in and negotiated later.
Adrian Portelli and Danny Wallis kept their paddles by their sides and did not bid on this house.
KYLE & LESLIE
The fourth auction of the day brought Kyle and Leslie with House 1 into the spotlight. After the previous result, they were extremely nervous. Were the smaller homes, doomed for failure?
Their house was the third one bought by Adrian Portelli for $3.1 million, which was $130,000 above their reserve.
Kyle and Leslie were gracious and happy saying they were grateful for their result, saying they were thankful for the opportunity and the experience.
Leslie said there was a “huge discrepancy” between the results for different houses, after wanting everyone to walk away with something. “It doesn’t make you ungrateful for the number that you’ve got – but it’s a lot.“
LEAH & ASH
Lucky last? After the highs and lows of the four previous auctions, House 2 completed by Leah and Ash was passed in, with a single bid from Frank Valentic of $2.9 million, which was the top of the price guide range of $2.7 million to $2.9 million.
Leah and Ash Milton knew the person who earlier left in an ambulance was going to bid, and with little interest at the auction, decided not to risk continuing. They were left disappointed and frustrated but hopeful that a successful deal can be negotiated in the coming days. At this point, no deal has been signed, so they have no prize money.
A fact of this year’s show is that the reserve prices were set above the advertised price guides, which although legal in Victoria, can be confusing and off-putting for the buyers. Did this impact the sale prices of the last three auctions of the day?
Well, that’s The Block 2023 over – with winners and big winners.
Who says, “Nice guys finish last?” That’s not the case with The Block with the fan favourites Steph & Gian and sisters Eliza and Liberty walking away with life-changing prize money.
What are we going to discuss at work on a Monday morning now?
Photography by David Cook. All products available through The Block Shop.
