The Block 2023 saw a record breaking auction with some contestants walking away with life-changing prize money from their gorgeous builds.
But Daily Mail Australia can now reveal that all is not as it seems as sources lift the veil on what those homes in the Melbourne suburb of Hampton East are actually like a year on from their million dollar sales.
With the 2024 Block properties now listed with price guides far exceeding the local market on Phillip Island, insiders say some of last year’s builds are already empty and in disrepair.
House One, built by Kyle and Leslie Cottone, became ‘a running joke’ during the 2023 season, one source said.
‘Kyle and Leslie were building “the house that no one would want”. Which was how builders referred to their efforts throughout last year,’ they added.
‘Maybe the judges were on the money about House One? Not one of the last year’s judges gave them good scores.’
Kyle, 36, and Leslie, 34, from WA struggled to make it onto the leader board each week during their run, and their house still remains empty to this day.
The parents auctioned off their home for $3.1million to entrepreneurial business owner Adrian Portelli who attempted to raffle the property off.
The Block 2023 saw a record-breaking auction with some contestants walking away with life-changing prize money from their gorgeous builds. Pictured: winners Steph and Gian Ottavio
While Kyle and Leslie walked away with $130,000 in profits, the winner of Adrian’s raffle chose to take the prize money rather than the eyesore property.
Neighbours have since levelled complaints at the decaying home, saying the empty property now looks like it has a roof covered in mould.
‘I know where they can do The Block next year! Forget Daylesford! They could come back here,’ another irate neighbour added, referencing The Block 2025 location which is set to take place in the picturesque town of Daylesford.
It seems their home isn’t the only one struggling post-sale, with House Four and Five, both purchased by Adrian, 34, failing to find their happily ever afters.
Steph and Gian Ottavio, who built House Four, were considered the darlings of The Block last year and will make a guest appearance on the show this week.
Daily Mail Australia can now reveal that all is not as it seems as sources lift the veil on what those homes are actually like a year on from their million dollar sales. Pictured: host Scott Cam
The married couple, both 27, also sold their fan-favourite property to Adrian for $5million, walking away with a record-breaking $1.75million in prize money.
However, one insider said: ‘Surprisingly the road to happily ever after was a tad complicated.’
They went on to say that Adrian ‘struggled to get anyone to actually take the residence’ after he bought it and put it in a raffle, with the home eventually selling at a $1 auction.
‘There was a lot of buzz around this particular home and everyone, including Steph and Gian, were baffled to see the first winner of the raffle pass in the option for a cash prize over the house,’ they revealed.
‘The home is currently leased out to a family who won a later raffle. While Steph and Gian haven’t really looked back as they haven’t had time, reportedly being onto bigger and better things.’
Insiders say some of last year’s builds are already empty and in disrepair, with Eliza and Liberty’s House Five being among those that billionaire Adrian Portelli struggled to raffle off
Meanwhile, House Five, built by fan-favourites Eliza, 37, and Liberty Paschke, 34, was another property said by estate agents to be ‘bought for way too much money’.
Adrian purchased the house for $4.3million, sending the sisters home with $1.05million in profit, but again struggled to raffle it off.
The sources claimed there may have been some short cuts that were missed in the build, adding: ‘You can tell these houses get rushed.’
Adrian eventually off-loaded the home to a private owner during a $1 auction after his first raffle with it saw the winners take the prize money instead.
Adrian, 34, (pictured) purchased three properties from last season and was forced to sell two of them in $1 auctions when he struggled to sell them off. The third remains empty
The two houses that had the most positive performances following The Block were House Two and House Three, notably owned by the season’s ‘villains’.
Despite making ‘some risky decisions’ and ‘alienating buyers by trying to be quite unique’, Leah, 31, and Ash Milton, 36, managed to sell their House Two to a private buyer who continues to live in it as a family home.
Meanwhile, Kristy and Brett Beames, both 34, have had no complaints from neighbours about their House Three, with the property currently boasting very happy tenants.
Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Nine for comment.
It comes as Domain revealed the homes built by this year’s contestants are currently listed with price guides between $1.7million and $1.85million
It comes as Domain revealed the shocking million dollar price guides for the homes on The Block 2024 season, with contestants renovating a resort on Phillip Island.
Nine bought up Island Cove Villas for almost $9million late last year, with contestants transforming the nine rundown shacks on the property into five modern townhouses.
Now, the listings have been set live on the Domain website with price guides landing between $1.7million and $1.85million.
‘The properties are set to exceed the suburb’s median price of $774,000,’ a Domain spokesperson said on Monday.
