Who will win The Block 2022? Five experts predict a winner
With auction day fast approaching for the biggest houses ever seen on The Block, the jury – of five Block experts – is in with their predictions.
Will the winners of the Domain listing challenge claim glory on auction day? Or does having the biggest house on The Block give you an edge?
Here, the experts weigh in on the finished houses, who they think will win this season, and why.
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Virtual tours of The Block properties are now live on Domain. Take your own private tour of each house.
Alice Stolz
For Domain’s national managing editor, Alice Stolz, the main appeal of this season’s houses is the tree-change lifestyle on offer.
“Part of the appeal is the allure of someone thinking, ‘This is just going to be a circuit breaker for the treadmill life I’m on and will allow me to have a beautiful home in an amazing location, while still being close enough to the city to not give up the convenience of city-living,’ ” she says.
While her pick for the winner is House 1, with House 5 as a dark horse, her personal favourite is House 2. “It’s set up as a really functional yet stylish house, and I also love that they’ve created a really contemporary, luxury house,” she says.
“What I love about these houses is that they really celebrate what was a hard time and they have created absolutely exceptional homes that I would imagine are a dream to most Australian families.”
Greville Pabst
House 1 is the real stand-out for buyer’s advocate Greville Pabst, who points to the floor plan, functionality, layout, and the quality of the finishings and fittings as being a step above the rest.
“House 1 has all of the functionality and the elements that mean it should win … it feels really good when you walk in,” he says, highlighting its appeal for young families.
House 3 is his second pick based on its sheer size. Pabst notes that while there is some risk that comes with its “eclectic” styling, “it does have a wow factor when you walk into the kitchen and living” – the spaces where families spend the most time – which Sharon and Ankur have amplified through the clever placement of their large mirror.
Ultimately, though, auction day is unpredictable, with this year offering even more uncertainty given it is “untested territory”, Pabst says.
“There’s nothing else like these properties in the Macedon Ranges,” he says. “They’re very unique, but then again, in that area those price points haven’t been tested much. It’s going to be interesting to see whether there’s depth in the buyer’s pool.”
Frank Valentic
Buyer’s advocate Frank Valentic says that having two living zones, opportunities for a dual-purpose property, a functional floor plan and privacy are all key factors that buyers are looking for this year.
“A lot of our buyers are looking for lifestyle facilities and amenities because they’re not going to travel as much due to the high airfare costs,” he says.
House 1 also has the edge for Valentic. “The style and the quality finishes really resonated with a lot of my buyers … the flow and consistency throughout the house feel really high-end,” he says, adding that its position on the end of the row of houses lends itself to exclusive privacy and views.
With Tom and Sarah-Jane landing at the top of the Domain Superpower Leaderboard, Valentic predicts that they will be “very hard to beat” if they choose the second or third auction slot.
He also points to the influence of the so-called “Danny nuisance factor” come auction day, noting that House 1 was tipped as the favourite of big-wig Block buyer Danny Wallis, who awarded Tom and Sarah-Jane the bonus point gnome after the listing challenge.
Nicole Jacobs
Buyer’s advocate Nicole Jacobs believes that, despite the attractive depreciation schedules for investors, the lifestyle opportunities associated with the houses mean that most buyers will be looking to live in them.
“Buyers don’t look at these just to grab one; they really are looking at them and how they’re going to work for them as a family long-term … it’s all about buying the right house,” she says.
While her dark horse is House 4, Jacobs is personally drawn to Houses 1 and 2, “I just like the layout; they’ve been very smart with their tones and their overall interpretation of the spaces.”
She points to aspects, views, and the overall useability of the land as the key factors buyers will be looking at, adding that “it’ll be interesting to see whether the reserves reflect that”.
Shelley Craft
As a long-time co-host and mentor of The Block, Shelley Craft has a seasoned approach to sussing out a winner.
“Interiors can be altered and changed to suit your personality, what you can’t change is the aspect and outlook,” she says.
That said, her favourite house has been House 2. Craft says she could “imagine [herself] living there as opposed to living in someone else’s home”.
“House 2, I believe will have the most bidders but perhaps someone has fallen in love with 1 or 3 and will outbid anyone for the win,” she adds.
Whichever house and pair it comes down to, the real winner will be the lucky buyers. “To raise a family in that environment, in that location, in any one of these homes would be a dream.”
Who do you think will win?
House 1: Tom and Sarah-Jane
House 2: Rachel and Ryan
House 3: Sharon and Ankur
House 4: Dylan and Jenny
House 5: Omar and Oz
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