The Block finale; Winners and suburb records
The final of this year's The Block in Port Melbourne saw young Queenslanders Will and Karlie take the top prize.
Their ground floor garden apartment sold for $2.6 million, selling for $715,000 over its reserve on the Sunday night auction episode.
It was the biggest sale of an apartment The Block has ever seen, beating the $2.47 million paid in 2014 for a converted cinema apartment in Albert Park.
There appeared to be a limited pool of potential buyers, judging by what went to air, with the supply line coming via the close knit Block buyers' agent team who appear on the series.
Four of the five apartments were snapped up by buyers’ advocates — three by Nicole Jacobs, and one by Frank Valentic, none by Greville Pabst - who have all appeared as guest judges and have become prolific publicity seekers via purchasers for clients.
Will and Karlie's cool hallway and study nook
The total sales also broke a suburb record.
The price per square metre record for Port Melbourne was $7,000, however each of the five apartments fetched between $8,764 and $10,528 per sqm.
Melbourne's Julia and Sasha weren't far behind the winners in second, selling their penthouse apartment $660,000 over reserve at $2.59 million.
Perth couple, and the oldest competitors in The Block history Dan and Karleen, sold their apartment for $2.3 million, beating their reserve by $525,000.
Geelong best mates and heavy favourites Andy and Ben finished fourth when their apartment sold for $2.25 million, topping their reserve by $510,000.
Last and not least were New South Wales representatives Kim and Chris, who were some way off the pace, only going $425,000 over their reserve in their $2,305,000 sale.
Winners Will and Karlie admitted they were battling a mortgage when they applied for the reality program. The 25 year old novice renovators left $815,000 richer (extra $100,000 winners cheque).
“A few months ago we were struggling, we were at home and thought we would put in an entry to The Block, didn’t think anything of it,” Will said.
“Our emotions were ballistic.”
The couple will use the money to renovate their three bedroom home in Rochedale South that cost them $350,000 in January.
Channel Nine paid out $2,835,000 across the five couples, short of the record of $3,165,000 set last year in South Yarra.
The comedian Dave Hughes was among the interested parties in the crowd for the auction. Despite registering for the right to bid, Hughes never raised his hand.
