The Block 2020: What will the contestants do next? 

The Block auctions for 2020 will be remembered for high prices and big wins for all contestants. The staggering $3,332,002 in prizemoney is the highest amount won in The Block’s 16 season history.

Most of the contestants this year are in their 30s, at the stage of life when many people have big expenses – kids and, of course, the cost of housing. So just how do they plan to spend their cash? 

Jimmy and Tam Wilkins won the day with a record-breaking result, their 1950s-inspired home selling for $966,000 above their reserve price for a total of $4.256 million. With the $100,000 prize money on top, that makes them the first Block millionaires. 

“Taking out the win means a whole lot to us, but what means more is that everyone else did really well,” Jimmy said. 

And what will they do with their $1 million-plus win? 

“The answer to that is we have no idea! The end goal for us is to buy a house, because we rent at the moment,” Tam said. “That was one of the reasons we came on the show because of our daughter Frankie – we wanted to buy a house for her.”

They say they’re not sure if they’ll stay in the same neighbourhood as they live now or look elsewhere. 

Sydney couple Sarah and George Bragias came in second with their 1940s home – a favourite to win and the biggest house on The Block. They took home $650,002 after the house sold for $4,000,002. 

The couple had plans to start a family before the show, but put off their plans to take part. 

“We would love to start a family,” Sarah said. “We can literally have babies now.” 

Along with hearing the pitter patter of little feet, they plan to pay off the mortgage on their house they’ve had for two years. 

“Our biggest hurdle in life has been our mortgage, working our arses off to get it down,” George said. “Now it’s up to us to live life and do what we want.” 

Just behind them with winnings of $650,000 were Melbourne father-and-daughter team Harry and Tash Pavlou, whose 1920s-style home went for $4 million. 

Harry said he was pleased all contestants had a chance to set themselves up with the winnings from the sales. 

“All of them are paying off their mortgages, they’re going to be debt-free, they can start their families, they don’t have that stress of a mortgage and raising their kids that I went through,” Harry said. 

Tash said she and her boyfriend Brad would now be in the market to buy their first home – swapping their Richmond rental for a home somewhere bayside, close to Harry and his wife, Tash’s mum, Andrea. 

“We’ve kept it pretty wide open, but I think we’re thinking Elsternwick, or even closer to Mum and Dad – Brighton or Hampton,” she said. 

Paying off the mortgage is high on the priority list for WA couple Luke and Jasmin Neuwen, who have two young children. 

They took home prize money of $506,000 after a long-winded auction; the house eventually selling for $3.856 million. 

“I’m going straight to the bank to pay the mortgage,” Luke said. 

Jasmin said their other plan was to buy a caravan and show the kids more of Australia. 

South Australians Daniel and Jade Joyce were just hoping for $20,000 to give each of their parents for looking after their kids. 

“From the bottom of our hearts, we came for $20,000. We said ‘$10,000 to each of our parents’ to say thank you for looking after our kids for three or four months,” Jade said. 

They took home a bit more than that, racking up $460,000 after their property sold for $3.8 million. 

“This will take care of the housing mortgage – which I was always working extra jobs to make sure that was paid,” Daniel said. “Now I can relax and not have to work as much and spend more time with the kids at home.” 

Though none of the experts tipped Daniel and Jade’s house to win, they said they weren’t concerned with not being the favourites. 

“We came in as Daniel and Jade, the farmers from South Australia; parents, humble, willing with integrity and our heads held high knowing that we did The Block – we did it!”