We're almost at the end of the 2023 season of The Block, which means one thing — it's auction time, baby!
With the final auction airing on the 5th of November and houses finally revealed in their entirety, the endgame is nigh — and we're predicting it'll go off with a bang.
For the first time ever, price guides for the five houses being renovated (on Charming Street, in Melbourne's Hampton East), have been released by Domain long before the final weeks of the show. This means we know how the houses are likely to fare months before the auction airs.
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In addition to how much the houses will be worth, Channel 9 has also been dropping hints that there could be a few familiar faces at this year's auction. From return bidders to bonafide Aussie celebs, this year's auctions are set to be entertaining, to say the least.
Here's everything we know about The Block 2023 auctions.
Read More: Who Won The Block 2023?
Price Guides For The Block Auctions Have Been Revealed
For the first time ever, Domain has revealed the price guides for the five houses on Charming Street, long before the show's finale week. As for what the reserve prices will be (and, therefore, what the couples will pocket at the end of the show) is still very much up in the air.
House 1: Kyle & Leslie
House One's Kyle and Leslie applied for The Block five times before finally making it onto the home renovation show this year. The firefighter and teacher's aide from Perth are expected to bring in around $2.5 million to $2.75 million at the auction. How much money they make over reserve, though, is still anyone's guess!
House 2: Leah & Ash
In the real world, House Two's Leah and Ash have recently started their own building company and are renovating the home they share with their three children. On the show, their house has the same price guide as House One, between $2.5 million to $2.75 million.
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House 3: Kristy & Brett
House Three's Kristy and Brett chose the only corner block on the street, in the hopes that it will give them an edge when it comes to auction time. The husband-and-wife duo's house is also expected to sell for $2.5 million to $2.75 million.
House 4: Steph & Gian
House Four is where the house reserves get a bit more interesting. Steph and Gian, the youngest couple on The Block, got off to a bit of a shaky start on the show, missing the brief for the first challenge and then parting ways with their builder. Unfortunately for the NSW couple, agents are predicting that their house will sell for between $2.2 million to $2.4 million, so here's hoping the reserve price reflects this lower figure, too.
House 5: Eliza & Liberty
And finally, House Five sisters Eliza and Liberty have no renovation experience but they might just end up with the biggest payoff at the auction. Agents are expecting their house to sell for $2.7 million to $2.85 million at the auction, and if their reserve is similar to the other houses on The Block, they could be onto a winner.
When is The Block auction for 2023?
The Block auction will air on Sunday, 5th of November at 7pm. However, the actual auction will take place the day before on the 4th of November.
Who will win The Block 2023?
Steph and Gian are the clear favourites to take out the crown this year with the most room wins under their belt. Sportsbet is also placing Steph and Gian as the most likely to win at $1.75, with Kyle and Leslie trailing behind at $5.
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That said, the auction has not happened yet — so we could still be in for a few surprises.
How much do the contestants win?
The contestants will take home any money that's above the reserve price. Additionally, the team that has the greatest profit will take home an additional $100,000. Nice.
What if the house doesn't sell?
Let's hope and pray we don't see another re-run of Jenny and Dylan, who's house eventually sold three months after the auction for $180,000 under the reserve. Yikes.
If a house doesn't reach the reserve price during the auction, they are passed in and the agent can try and sell the house for a higher price at a later date.
What will happen at The Block 2023 auction?
The rumour mill has been in full swing for a while now with some wild theories as to what will go down at The Block 2023 auction.
Here are just some of the rumoured appearances and events we might be in store for:
Adrian 'Mr Lambo' Portelli Might Make Another Appearance At The Block Auction
Remember 'Mr Lambo' from last year's auctions? Well, he could be back in 2023.
Adrian Portelli gained notoriety last year when he bought Omar and Oz's house way above the reserve price. Now, he's planning to bid on every property at this year's auction.
In an interview with realestate.com.au, Portelli said he wants to cause "a bit of a ruckus" at the auction.
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"I'm happy to bid on all of [the houses] and I'm happy to buy all of them, but I'm not going to overpay on any of them," he told the publication. "At least people know I'm a serious bidder this time."
Portelli said he's even prepared to go up against serial Block bidder Danny Wallis if he also tries to sweep The Block like he has in previous years.
"I don't have competition against Danny Wallis. We're just in different leagues," he said. "It’s all fun and games. Everyone wins out of this. We don't hate each other, I like the bloke."
Hamish Blake & Zoe Foster-Blake Might Make An Appearance
It's rumoured that everyone's favourite Aussie celebrity couple, Hamish Blake and Zoe Foster-Blake, might bid on one of the properties this year.
According to Woman's Day, the couple, who currently live in Sydney, have already inspected one of the properties.
"They know what a good investment The Block houses are — and even though they've been living in Sydney for three years now, Melbourne will always be home for them," a source told the publication. "This would be just the perfect place to stay when they visit."
They wouldn't be the first celebrity to bag a Block house either, with Dave Hughes buying the winning house from Josh and Elise for $3.067 million in 2017.
Remember to keep checking back here as we continue updating what we know about The Block 2023 auction.
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