The Block 2022: Rachel and Ryan win the Domain Listings Challenge

They’ve come a long way since first arriving on The Block in Gisborne, where five relocated homes sat on a sprawling 20-hectare site.

Over the past 10 weeks, we’ve seen the five teams tackle massive renovations on what are the biggest properties ever seen in The Block’s history. 

They’ve battled with atrocious weather, supply delays and budget woes but now it’s getting to the pointy end of the season, and the teams need to think seriously about their potential buyers. 

As well as working on another guest bedroom and their redo rooms, this week the contestants were given a challenge – the all-important Domain Listings Challenge.

The teams had to create a listing on Domain, write their own copy spruiking their home’s best features, and welcome 100 potential buyers to inspect the properties. 

This was possibly the most important challenge of the season, as it was a market indicator for auction day.

These potential buyers voted for their favourite house and the one that best lived up to the listing presented by the teams.

Click the listing to see what each team presented for the challenge:

House 1: Tom and Sarah-Jane

SOLD - $4,100,000

191 McGeorge Road, Gisborne VIC 3437

5

3

4

View property

Tom and Sarah-Jane have been consistently strong throughout the season, often impressing the judges and taking home the win at the weekly room reveals.

Their 528-square-metre home on four hectares has five bedrooms, three bathrooms, a home office and a media room. 

Outside, they’re planning an in-ground pool, basketball court and a par-three golf course.

House 2: Rachel and Ryan

SOLD - $4,249,000

197 McGeorge Road, Gisborne VIC 3437

5

3

4

View property

Rachel and Ryan scored the second-largest house on The Block, at 528 square metres. Their point of difference is the vineyard they’re planning for the almost four-hectare site – a first in Block history.

House 3: Sharon and Ankur

Contact Agent

223 McGeorge Road, Gisborne VIC 3437

5

3

6

View property

Their 542-square-metre home makes Sharon and Ankur’s the biggest on The Block, which means they’ve got plenty of space for their five bedrooms, three bathrooms, two living areas and a gym. Outside, they’re planning a heated pool and edible garden.

House 4: Dylan and Jenny

SOLD - $3,900,000

225 McGeorge Road, Gisborne VIC 3437

5

3

4

View property

After the judges’ feedback, Dylan and Jenny made their redo room the living zone and they spent time swapping furniture and creating the space they’d originally intended, ready for the Domain Listings Challenge. The move paid off, with plenty of buyers loving what they’d done in the open-plan kitchen-living-dining zone.

House 5: Omar and Oz

SOLD - $5,666,666

241 McGeorge Road, Gisborne VIC 3437

5

3

4

View property

The boys may have the smallest house on The Block, but they more than make up for that with their luxe inclusions. Boasting a kitchen that is fitted out with $250,000 worth of appliances, they’re also planning a helipad, a solar-heated pool, a par-three golf course and a multifunctional court for tennis, basketball and soccer.

After a day of cleaning, styling, primping and preening, and an evening of mingling and schmoozing, it was time to count the votes.

With 27 votes, Rachel and Ryan took home the win and scored a $10,000 prize.

It’s a positive sign for the pair, who were reminded that last year’s winners of The Block, Mitch and Mark, also won the same challenge. 

“The cash is one thing, [but] the fact that 27 of the people that came and voted, voted for our house, that’s the best,” Rachel said. “We’re going to win it.”

With 26 votes, Tom and Sarah-Jane were just pipped at the post, but they didn’t go home empty-handed. Prolific Block property buyer Danny Wallis was also on-site inspecting the homes, giving out a gnome for the property he liked the most.

Coming in third were Omar and Oz with 19 votes, while Dylan and Jenny scored 16 votes and Sharon and Ankur, 12 votes.

Despite being beaten, Omar and Oz could see a positive side: “On auction day you don’t have 27 people bidding against each other; you have two,” Oz said.

Scoring the least amount of votes, Sharon and Ankur were feeling defeated: “Our feedback did not translate to the results of the challenge,” Ankur said. “I’m over it,” Sharon added.

But only time will tell how the teams fare come auction day.