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The Block contestants Can and Han, as well as Ben and Emma are facing a long wait to see if they get a payout frrom their home’s sales.
The Block’s losing contestants could be facing a heartbreaking 140-day wait, as late as mid March, to find out if they’ll make a cent out of the auctions.
A disastrous finale for the popular TV show left four contestants in limbo: Can and Han (Hannah Thetford and Candace Wood) who worked on 4 Cedar Lane (House 2), as well as new parents Emma and Ben Cox who were the duo behind 5 Cedar Lane (House 1).
For contestants who do sell on The Block, every dollar above the reserve is treated as prize money — so it should be tax free.
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That is in addition to an about $16,800 salary paid to contestants during filming, about $100 a day over the 12 weeks.
But with their auction day behind them, the situation is much more bleak for the duos yet to notch a result.
PropTrack data shows the typical Daylesford house spends a whopping 139 days waiting for a buyer.
Agents working on the sales have also acknowledged homes in the area can take nine months to find a buyer.
Even starting from when the home’s prices were revealed 84 days ago, the PropTrack data suggests there’s still a 55 day, almost two month, wait.
The Daylesford house of The Block contestants Han and Can passed in at auction and might now be facing a substantial sales delay. Picture supplied: Channel 9.
The Block contestants Emma and Ben are being used to promote their renovation as it continues to wait for a buyer. Picture supplied: Channel 9.
And that’s assuming The Block’s auctions weren’t effectively the start of the sales effort for the two remaining homes, which most would have assumed would sell to Danny Wallis, Adrian Portelli or some other rich lister — based on recent seasons.
Even the show’s own history suggests it’s most likely they’ll now be waiting into the new year.
When Dylan and Jenny failed to lock in a bidder under the hammer during the show’s Gisborne season in 2022, they waited from early November until February the next year for closure.
In the end the home made $3.9m, considerably less than the $4.08m reserve set on auction day.
At the time of the sale, Channel 9 refused to confirm if the pair received any money — but it was $180,000 below their reserve, which in theory meant no payment.
Dylan and Jenny were unhappy with their auction result in 2022. Picture supplied: Channel 9.
Leah and Ash also watched their efforts on The Block passed over by buyers in 2023’s Hampton East season. Picture supplied: Channel 9.
In 2023, Leah and Ash Milton also spent months in limbo waiting for a sale of their 16 Charming St, Hampton East, renovation.
The pair wound up with a relatively happy ending, with the $3.125m eventual sale $155,000 above the reserve set for the home by Channel 9.
But it took until late February the following year for an expat returning to Melbourne to make the purchase.
In Daylesford, both agents still working to sell a home for contestants have warned it’s not clear how long it will take to lock in a buyer at the $3.1m level Channel 9 is looking for.
Ray White’s Aaron Hill said he’s had lots of inquiry for Ben and Emma’s home after the auction, with about 30 or 40 calls since the weekend.
The Block auctions delivered mixed results for contestants this year. Picture supplied: Channel 9.
While some contestants collected six figure sums, others are facing a long wait for closure to their time on the show: Picture supplied: Channel 9.
Mr Hill said while not selling hadn’t been ideal, it had been nice to see almost all of that interest coming from mum and dads — rather than just the usual high-net worth buyers.
“So we are not too far away, but we’re not at $3 million,” Mr Hill said.
“It will get there, it will just be a matter of time.
”I’m just hoping we can get a little bit of money for the contestants.”
Meanwhile, Belle Property Daylesford’s Natalie Fagan said her agency had also had a range of follow up conversations with buyers who showed interest while the show was still airing, as well as those coming forward in the aftermath of the auctions.
“It still presents a significant opportunity for someone to come in and enjoy a very unique proposition,” Ms Fagan said.
However, the agent conceded that home sales could take time in the regional town.
The Block 2025 winners Britt and Taz celebrate a $420,000 windfall. Picture supplied: Channel 9.
Two of this seasons biggest winners would have been highly paid hosts Scott Cam and Shelley Craft, with both reputedly bringing in bigger sallaries than any of the winning contestants earned for the season. Picture supplied: Channel 9.
“Days on market in Daylesford are longer, and there’s never been five auctions in one day before,” she said.
“It’s not unusual to have properties on the market for three, to six, to nine months.
“In Melbourne there can be a quick turn around, but it’s not necessarily the same in our market.”
She added that after discussing with other agents the home appeared to have had less overall inquiry, but those that had expressed interest were stronger prospects for purchasing than most.
Ms Fagan added that an interest-rate cut next week by the Reserve Bank could well boost demand for regional Victoria, as earlier cuts had, and prove enough to get additional sales over the line in the Daylesford area.
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