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Emma and Ben from The Block have snapped up a $920,000 Mount Martha fixer-upper as they launch their next renovation chapter. Picture: Nine<\/p>\n
The Block fan favourites Emma and Ben have snapped up a $920,000 Mount Martha fixer-upper, launching a fresh renovation chapter after their auction heartbreak.<\/p>\n
The couple, who built a loyal following on the 2025 season of the hit renovation show, revealed on Instagram they had secured the three-bedroom Mornington Peninsula property.<\/p>\n
\u201cChapter 5 locked in,\u201d they wrote, posting photos in front of the sold board with their young son. Inside Celeb Block\u2019s wild judge shake-up<\/a><\/p>\n The Block\u2019s Daylesford duds get huge price cut<\/a><\/p>\n The update quickly drew support from fans and fellow Block contestants Sonny and Alicia, with followers celebrating the buy as the couple\u2019s next big family chapter.<\/p>\n The purchase comes just months after their Daylesford Block home was passed in at auction, despite the pair being seen as one of the season\u2019s most consistent teams.<\/p>\n Emma and Ben had finally made it onto the show on their seventh attempt and quickly emerged as contenders, winning fans with their polished style and steady performances across the build.<\/p>\n Emma and Ben celebrate their $920,000 Mount Martha purchase with their young son.Picture: Instagram\/emmaandben<\/p>\n But their Block dream ended with a brutal auction-day blow when their home failed to sell under the hammer in a subdued regional market.<\/p>\n The setback was followed by the sale of their own Mornington home<\/a>, forcing a reset as they looked to their next move.<\/p>\n Now they are back in familiar territory.<\/p>\n The Mount Martha home sits on a 957sq m block in a quiet court backing onto a treed reserve, giving the pair plenty of room to create their next transformation.<\/p>\n The Mount Martha home Emma and Ben bought for $920,000 offers renovation potential on a 957sq m block.<\/p>\n Emma and Ben during their 2025 season on The Block, where they built one of the competition\u2019s most consistent homes. Picture: Nine<\/p>\n It features two living zones, a covered alfresco and a large backyard with a fire pit and play area, with subdivision potential subject to council approval adding to its appeal. \u201cThis is exactly the right move post-Block \u2014 they are not buying comfort, they are buying upside,\u201d Mr Fox said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe skillset they have built is renovation, so leaning into a property with margin to manufacture makes far more sense than overpaying for someone else\u2019s finish.\u201d<\/p>\n Block judge Marty Fox says Emma and Ben\u2019s Mount Martha buy is a smart play on renovation upside and land value. Picture: Instagram\/benrobinson_flint<\/p>\n Mr Fox said land size was a major part of the appeal in Mount Martha.<\/p>\n \u201cOn the Peninsula right now, a near-1000sqm block is the play,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is where the long-term value sits, especially in Mount Martha, and buyers are starting to reprice that scarcity again after a couple of years chasing turnkey.\u201d<\/p>\n He said the project had clear upside if the couple managed costs carefully.<\/p>\n \u201cIf they get it right, this is a classic 15-20 per cent uplift project,\u201d Mr Fox said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe risk in 2026 is not demand, it is build cost blowouts and overcapitalising. But experienced renovators who control the spend will still outperform the market.\u201d<\/p>\n Belle Property Rosebud\/Dromana\u2019s Jarrod Eastwood said homes with renovation upside were continuing to attract strong interest from buyers who could see long-term value.<\/p>\n \u201cProperties that are a little older or need some work tend to attract buyers who can see the upside,\u201d Mr Eastwood said.<\/p>\n The Mount Martha property provides a blank canvas for Emma and Ben\u2019s next renovation project.<\/p>\n The backyard features a fire pit and large outdoor space ideal for a future renovation transformation.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re the types of homes families are looking at where they can come in, renovate and add value over time.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr Eastwood said the wider Mornington Peninsula continued to draw strong attention from a broad mix of buyers chasing lifestyle and opportunity.<\/p>\n \u201cSince Covid, we\u2019ve seen more people wanting to come down to the Peninsula, whether that\u2019s families, retirees or lifestyle buyers,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople are really recognising what the area offers, not just from a lifestyle point of view, but as a strong long-term place to buy and live.\u201d<\/p>\n The existing kitchen is set to be a key focus in Emma and Ben\u2019s next renovation.<\/p>\n He said buyers were increasingly targeting properties where they could manufacture value themselves.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of buyers feel this is where the opportunity is,\u201d Mr Eastwood said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you buy well and improve the property, that\u2019s often where the strongest gains can be made.\u201d<\/p>\n Emma and Ben have already hinted the property will become their next major project.<\/p>\n Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here <\/a>to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox.<\/p>\n MORE: AFL great\u2019s plan to help mate sell $1.5m Melb home<\/a><\/p>\n Oscar Piastri\u2019s Brighton childhood home gears up for sale<\/a><\/p>\n
RELATED: The Block 2026 cast revealed<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Block judge and WHITEFOX chief executive Marty Fox said the move made sense for a couple with Emma and Ben\u2019s background.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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