House Rules contestants hardly on struggle street, say critics
While Channel Seven’s House Rules would have us believe that the contestants are the typical Aussie battlers, some argue that their property portfolios say otherwise.
Doubts over the accuracy of the contestants’ portrayal on the show began after Woman’s Day reported that five of the six couples owned at least one other investment property.
Western Australian couple Russell and Carole have attracted the lion’s share of the criticism, with reports that the have a $2.3 million property portfolio. Among their assets is this three bedroom Halls Head home, selling through Harcourts Mandurah.
The canal front home is currently listed for $1.17 million, and is described as without doubt one of Mandurah's iconic waterfront homes,” by selling agent Clare Seamer, who notes that the “sellers are keen to sell as is with all of the furnishings included.”
The house has an outdoor woodfire pizza oven in its al fresco dining area, its own private jetty and a spa bath.
Russell and Carole, whose names both appear on the title documents, purchased the home in June 2012 for $1,100,000. It’s been on the market since early April, just before the couple made their television debut. The property was advertised to rent for $750 per week in August 2012, with a yield of 3.55%
According to Woman’s Day, the couple are also part-owners of a $650,000 “luxury apartment”, while The Daily Mail reports that Russell is also listed as the owner of properties in Western Australia’s Boya, Ascot and Woodvale.
But House Rules host Joanna Griggs has called comments that the contestants aren’t battlers “utter bollocks”.
The host took to radio station WSFM 107.1 to defend the teams, saying apartment identified by Woman’s Day was “the apartment Channel Seven put them in during the course of the filming when they’re not allowed in their homes”.
Woman’s Day also reports that Candy and Ryan don’t actually live in the house that was renovated for House Rules, according to neighbours. The show’s rules don’t require contestants to only own one property, but the property that is renovated must be their primary residence. Ryan, who has split from Candy since filming the show, also reportedly owns another house in the same Western Sydney suburb.
Townsville team Maddi and Lloyd also own two homes, according to the magazine, with their property portfolio valued at $940,000. South Australians Mel and Bomber reportedly have three homes between them. The magazine estimates that Bomber’s other home is worth around $400,000, while Mel also has a home in Adelaide.
Woman’s Day claims that Melbourne couple Lisa and Adam have a $520,000 four bedroom house outside Melbourne’s CBD, bringing their property holdings to $1.2 million. Griggs says that house was purchased by Adam with his father, but that Adam sold his share of the property when he purchased the house seen on the show.
Meanwhile, it seems that eliminated contestants Brooke and Grant, at times portrayed as the villains of the series, are the only couple without other property holdings. The farmstead that houses their seven children appears to be the couple’s only residence.
While Channel Seven has released the mortgages associated with the homes renovated on the show, it is unclear how much debt is attached to the contestant's other properties.
