A record-breaking auction was held during Block 2023, with some participants taking home life-changing prizes thanks to their beautiful creations.
But Ny Breaking Australia can now reveal that all is not as it seems, with sources revealing what the homes in the Melbourne suburb of Hampton East actually look like a year after they sold for $1 million.
Now that the properties in the 2024 block are up for sale, they are well above the local market price on Phillip Island. According to insiders, some of the properties from last year are already vacant and in disrepair.
According to a source, House One, built by Kyle and Leslie Cottone, became “a running joke” during the 2023 season.
“Kyle and Leslie built ‘the house no one would want,’ is what builders have called their efforts over the past year,” they added.
‘Maybe the judges were right about House One? None of the judges from last year gave them a good score.’
Kyle, 36, and Leslie, 34, from Western Australia struggled to get on the scoreboard each week during their race and their house still stands empty.
The parents auctioned their home for $3.1 million to enterprising entrepreneur Adrian Portelli, who then attempted to raffle the property.
The Block 2023 saw a record-breaking auction with some participants walking away with life-changing prize money from their stunning builds. Pictured: winners Steph and Gian Ottavio
Kyle and Leslie walked away with $130,000 in winnings, but Adrian’s lottery winner chose to take the prize money instead of the ugly possession.
Neighbors have complained about the dilapidated house, saying it now looks like the roof is covered in mold.
“I know where they can do The Block next year! Forget Daylesford! They can come back here,” added another angry neighbour, referring to the location of The Block 2025, which will be held in the picturesque town of Daylesford.
It seems their home isn’t the only one struggling after the sale. Houses Four and Five, both bought by Adrian, 34, have also found no luck.
Steph and Gian Ottavio, who built House Four, were seen as the darlings of The Block last year and will be guests on the show this week.
Ny Breaking Australia can now reveal that all is not as it seems, as sources lift the veil on what the homes actually look like a year after their million-dollar sale. Pictured: Presenter Scott Cam
The couple, both 27, also sold their favorite estate to Adrian for $5 million, walking away with a record $1.75 million in prize money.
But an insider said: ‘Surprisingly, the road to happiness was a bit complicated.’
They also said that Adrian “had trouble finding someone to actually buy the property” after he bought it and put it in a lottery, which eventually auctioned off for a dollar.
‘There was a lot of buzz around this particular house and everyone, including Steph and Gian, were stunned to see the first lottery winner lose the chance to win a cash prize over the house,’ they revealed.
‘The house is currently being rented out to a family who won a lottery later on. While Steph and Gian haven’t really looked back as they haven’t had the time, and are reportedly moving on to bigger and better things.’
Insiders say some of last year’s properties are already empty and in disrepair, with Eliza and Liberty’s House Five among the homes billionaire Adrian Portelli struggled to sell
Meanwhile, House Five, built by fan favorites Eliza, 37, and Liberty Paschke, 34, was another property that realtors say was “bought for way too much money.”
Adrian bought the house for $4.3 million and sent the sisters home with $1.05 million in profit. But again, he had trouble selling the house.
According to the sources, there may have been some overlooked shortcuts in the construction. They added: ‘You can see that there was a rush to build these houses.’
Adrian eventually sold the house to a private owner at a $1 auction after the winners of his first lottery took home the prize money.
Adrian, 34, (pictured) bought three properties last season and was forced to sell two in $1 auctions when he struggled to sell them. The third is still empty
The two houses that performed most positively after The Block were House Two and House Three, particularly in the hands of the season’s ‘bad guys’.
Despite making ‘some risky decisions’ and ‘alienating buyers by trying to be unique’, Leah, 31, and Ash Milton, 36, managed to sell their House Two to a private buyer who still lives there as a family home.
Meanwhile, Kristy and Brett Beames, both 34, have had no complaints from neighbors about their House Three. They currently have very satisfied tenants.
Ny Breaking Australia has reached out to Nine for comment.
It comes as Domain revealed that homes built by this year’s contestants are currently listed with guide prices between $1.7 million and $1.85 million
It comes as Domain revealed the shocking multimillion-dollar price guides for the homes on the 2024 season of The Block, which saw contestants renovate a Phillip Island resort.
Late last year, nine parties purchased Island Cove Villas for nearly $9 million. The participants transformed the nine dilapidated cabins on the property into five modern homes.
The listings are now live on Domain’s website, with guide prices ranging from $1.7 million to $1.85 million.
“Home prices are expected to be higher than the neighborhood’s median price of $774,000,” a Domain spokesperson said Monday.