House Rules judging with $545,000 Perth mortgage repayment reward possibility on the line

Jonathan ChancellorMay 19, 2013

There's a $545,000 mortgage repayment prize at stake as House Rules airs its first renovation points judging program tonight.

Its the Perth renovation of the newlyweds Jemma Blenkinsop, who runs a spray-tan business and builder, Ben Van Ryt.

They were first-home buyers in late 2011, but with the Perth property market the way it is, they couldn't afford to renovate their 1950s Melville home. 

Its the first featured renovation among the six contestant couples.

Property Observer previously noted the house cost $555,000.

The couple revealed their mortgage size during the first week's programs as $545,000.

The remaining couples have yet to reveal the size of their potential mortgage prize.

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The Channel 7 series prize is the payment of the winning couple's entire mortgage.

House Rules premiered last week competing for audience against the Channel 9 perennial, The Block.

The Block Sky High's first room reveal last night rated a 1.524 million audience, the top non-news and current affairs ratings for Sunday night.

The new state-versus-state renovation series, from the makers of My Kitchen Rules, aims to deliver true home renovations.

The contestant couples have put their entire home on the line promising an emotional return to their new homes after the seven-day renovation.

The teams have to work independently on their own zone within each house but they also have to work as a team to ensure each room complements the other when it's completed.

The six teams competing are:

Michelle & Steve (Collaroy Plateau, New South Wales)

Amy & Sean(Queensland)

Carly & Leighton (Warradale, South Australia)

Jemma & Ben (Melville, Western Australia)

Jane & Plinio (New Town, Tasmania)

Nick and Chris (Northern Suburbs, Victoria)

Each of the House Rules teams hand over the keys to their homes and allow their competitors free reign to transform their house, so the host Johanna Griggs expects lots of passion and pride in the way teams tackle the renovations.

"It's a bunch of likeable Australians with amazing back stories," Griggs said.

Apparently the teams have longed to be able to renovate, but not been able to accomplish it until now because of large mortgages.

The Tasmanian couple paid $355,000 in 2010 for a house initially listed at $380,000-plus.

The so-called Sydney battlers Steve and Michelle Ball who live at Collaroy Plateau on the northern beaches paid $650,000 for their house in March 2012. 

The South Australian couple paid $450,000 for the house which had been listed with $485,000 hopes in May 2012.

Johanna Griggs, the presenter of Better Homes and Gardens, is herself a keen home renovator, currently building her fourth home with husband, builder Todd Huggins.

“I’ve been in this industry for 20 years now and this is the first time I’ve had a go at this style of show.

"Because we are dealing with people’s own homes, I’m expecting the stakes to be high, the competition to be tough and the results incredible.

Chester Drife is the House Rules building supervisor.

House Rules airs Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7.30 pm on Seven.

Jonathan Chancellor

Jonathan Chancellor is one of Australia's most respected property journalists, having been at the top of the game since the early 1980s. Jonathan co-founded the property industry website Property Observer and has written for national and international publications.

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