The Block 2023 saw a record-breaking auction, with some contestants taking home life-changing cash prizes for their magnificent creations.
But Daily Mail Australia can now reveal that all is not as it seems, as sources have lifted the veil on what the homes in Melbourne’s Hampton East suburb are really like, a year after their multi-million-dollar sales.
Now that Block 2024 properties are listed with price guides that far exceed the local market on Phillip Island, experts say some of last year’s developments are already vacant and in disrepair.
House One, built by Kyle and Leslie Cottone, became “a running joke” during the 2023 season, a source said.
“Kyle and Leslie were building ‘the house no one wanted.’ That’s how the builders referred to their efforts throughout the past year,” they added.
“Maybe the judges were right about House One? None of the judges last year gave them good marks.”
Kyle, 36, and Leslie, 34, from WA, battled their way onto the leaderboard every week during their run, and their house still remains empty to this day.
The parents auctioned off their home for $3.1 million to businessman Adrian Portelli, who attempted to raffle off the property.
The Block 2023 saw a record-breaking auction, with some contestants taking home life-changing cash prizes for their gorgeous creations. Pictured: winners Steph and Gian Ottavio
While Kyle and Leslie walked away with $130,000 in winnings, Adrian’s raffle winner chose to keep the prize money instead of the unsightly property.
Neighbours have since complained about the house’s state of disrepair, saying the vacant property now appears to have a mould-covered ceiling.
“I know where they can do The Block next year. Forget Daylesford! They could come back here,” added another furious local, referring to the location of The Block 2025, which will take place in the picturesque town of Daylesford.
It seems her house isn’t the only one having problems after the sale: houses four and five, both bought by Adrian, 34, failed to find their happy ending.
Steph and Gian Ottavio, who built House Four, were considered The Block favourites last year and will be making a guest appearance on the show this week.
Daily Mail Australia can now reveal that not everything is as it seems as sources reveal what the homes are really like a year after they sold for millions of dollars. Pictured: Presenter Scott Cam
The married couple, both 27, also sold their fan-favorite property to Adrian for $5 million and walked away with a record $1.75 million in prize money.
However, a source said: “Surprisingly, the road to happily ever after was a bit rocky.”
They went on to say that Adrian “had a hard time getting someone to take the residence” after purchasing it and putting it up for auction, and that the home was eventually sold at auction for $1.
‘There was a lot of hype surrounding this particular house and everyone, including Steph and Gian, was baffled to see the first raffle winner move on to the cash prize option over the house,’ they revealed.
‘The house is currently rented to a family who won a subsequent raffle. Steph and Gian haven’t looked back because they haven’t had time, and are apparently thinking about bigger and better things.’
Experts say some of last year’s developments are already empty and in disrepair, with Eliza and Liberty’s House Five among those that billionaire Adrian Portelli struggled to get rid of.
Meanwhile, House Five, built by fan favourites Eliza, 37, and Liberty Paschke, 34, was another property that estate agents said was “bought for too much money”.
Adrian bought the house for $4.3 million, sending the sisters home with a $1.05 million profit, but again had a hard time getting around it.
Sources said some shortcuts may have been overlooked in the construction, adding: “You can tell these houses were built in a hurry.”
Adrian eventually sold the house to a private owner at a $1 auction after his first raffle went to the winners and pocketed the prize money.
Adrian, 34 (pictured), bought three properties last season and was forced to sell two of them at $1 auctions when he had difficulty selling them. The third remains empty.
The two houses that performed the most positively after The Block were House Two and House Three, notably owned by the season’s “villains.”
Despite making “some risky decisions” and “pushing buyers away 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 received no complaints from neighbors about their House Three, and the property currently has very happy tenants.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Nine for comment.
This comes as Domain revealed that homes built by this year’s contestants are currently listed with price guides between $1.7 million and $1.85 million.
It comes as Domain revealed the shocking million-dollar price guides for homes on the 2024 season of The Block, with contestants renovating a resort on Phillip Island.
Last year, nine companies purchased Island Cove Villas for nearly $9 million, and contestants transformed the property’s nine abandoned shacks into five modern townhomes.
Listings have now gone live on Domain’s website with price guides ranging from $1.7 million to $1.85 million.
“Properties are expected to exceed the suburb’s median price of $774,000,” a Domain spokesman said on Monday.