The Block: All the houses that failed to sell on auction night
Auction night on The Block is a glamorous affair where workboots and hoodies give way to suits and shimmering dresses as the contestants finally find out if their months of hard work will translate into sales, and, from that, prize money.
The show has an impressive sales record, with more than 67 properties sold across 18 series. But while there have been plenty of champagne corks popped, unfortunately on The Block, as in life, things don’t always go to plan and some properties fail to sell.
While history shows most houses sell for well above their reserve – and some have had absolutely monster results, netting contestants six-figure sums of prize money – others have seen all their hard work count for nothing, going home with no prize money after their properties failed to sell at auction.
Take a look back at the houses that failed to sell at auction across the past 20 years of The Block.
Season 3: Chez and Brenton
It took three seasons for The Block to stumble on auction day, and Melbourne couple Chez and Brenton have the unhappy distinction of being the first couple whose home failed to sell under the hammer.
Way back in 2010, season three took place in an apartment block in Vaucluse in Sydney’s exclusive eastern suburbs. But come auction day, the renovated three-bedroom unit on the top floor of the building failed to sell.
Passing in on a bid of $865,000 – which was $15,000 short of the $880,000 reserve – the couple were crushed at the auction result.
However, it all ended well for the pair, with the property selling a week after auction for $970,000 meaning Chez and Brenton took home $90,000.
The winning apartment from season three – renovated by Josh and Nisha – sold for $1.105 million.
Season 4: Failure to launch
The auction bad luck from season three carried over into the next year, when just one property sold at auction.
In 2011 The Block moved to Melbourne, with couples renovating whole houses for the first time in the series.
But the trendy inner-city Richmond location wasn’t enough to sway buyers, with only Polly and Waz’s single-fronter selling on auction day.
Josh and Jenna
The couple, who have since gone on to complete multiple renovation projects, had to wait until after auction day to secure a result for their property at 37 Cameron Street, Richmond.
While they eventually secured $1 million for their house – the biggest result of the season – they weren’t crowned winners because they hadn’t sold at auction.
Josh and Jenna returned for The Block: All Stars series in 2013 in Bondi, and came equal second for their renovation of 8 Tasman Street, Bondi.
The serial renovators are currently working on their latest project – restoring an 1800s homestead in Rutherglen in regional Victoria.
Amie and Katrina
The sisters didn’t mince words following their break-even auction result for 41 Cameron Street, Richmond, in 2011, describing their experience as a “waste of time”.
The property had a reserve price of $860,000, and was sold for exactly that amount post-auction, meaning Amie and Katrina walked away with no prize money following months of hard work.
Rod and Tania
It’s fair to say 2011 wasn’t a stellar season in terms of auction results for The Block, with buyers drying up on auction night.
Rod and Tania’s house at 43 Cameron Street, Richmond, didn’t reach its reserve price of $850,000 at auction, with bidding halting at $832,000.
The property eventually sold after auction for $922,000, netting them $72,000 to go with the Toyota Corolla they won in a challenge.
Season 13: Ronnie and Georgia
The Block enjoyed a purple patch of strong results after the nightmare of 2011, with six years passing before the next property failed to sell in 2017.
In a major upset on auction night, Perth couple Ronnie and Georgia’s Elsternwick house failed to reach its reserve of $2.62 million by just $20,000.
The property was passed in, with the agent going on to negotiate with buyer’s advocates Frank Valentic and Nicole Jacobs. Jacobs eventually secured the property on behalf of a family with an offer of $2.781 million.
The sale put the couple in third place behind fan favourites Josh and Elyse.
Ronnie and Georgia returned for The Block: Fans v Faves series in Bronte Court, Hampton, in 2021.
Season 18: Double disaster
The Block: Tree Change in 2022 saw the biggest-ever renovation projects in the show’s history, with five couples renovating homes on acreage in Gisborne in regional Victoria.
It was the first series to be set outside a metropolitan area, and set a prize-money record when best mates Omar and Oz won the series when their home sold for $5,666,666.66 to serial Block buyer Danny Wallis. The result was $1,586,666.66 above their reserve price and, coupled with $100,000 in prize money for first place, the pair took home more than $1.68 million.
But it wasn’t all champagne and celebrations on auction night. Fan favourites Tom and Sarah-Jane took home just $20,000 in prize money, Rachel and Ryan passed their home in – though it sold immediately after for above its reserve – and Sharon and Ankur and Dylan and Jenny had to wait longer for a result after also passing their houses in.
Sharon and Ankur
Sharon and Ankur had a roller-coaster experience on The Block, and auction night was no different.
After clashing with their builders, foremen Keith and Dan, and even host Scott Cam during the season, the married couple from Melbourne then failed to meet their reserve on auction night.
With bidding coming close to their reserve of $4.08 million, the couple decided to pass the property in to ensure they had a chance to negotiate a price above the reserve and secure prize money.
In a Block twist, Adrian Portelli, who sparked a bidding war with Danny Wallis for Omar and Oz’s property, returned to The Block a week later to buy Sharon and Ankur’s house.
The property was sold for $4.25 million, netting them a profit $170,000.
Dylan and Jenny
The last property to go to auction, Gold Coast couple Dylan and Jenny were feeling the nerves after seeing the other properties’ results.
After weeks of maintaining their positivity through a gruelling season hampered by constant rain and mud, and the sheer scale of the renovation projects, Dylan and Jenny weren’t able to celebrate a result.
Bidding came within $5000 of the reserve of $4.08 million, and the couple elected to pass it in rather than sell bang on the reserve price.
The house eventually sold for $3.9 million, $180,000 below its original reserve.
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