On the auction Block: Our faves for the finale
After months of watching the four teams of The Block: Fans v Faves battle it out to produce the best apartment, viewers will tomorrow night finally get to see which property beats the rest.
Closure will come a little earlier for the contestants themselves, with the Albert Park apartments going up for auction at 5pm tonight. While there will be plenty of spectators, Property Observer guesses that self-represented buyers won’t be the major bidders of tonight’s auction.
The big players are likely to be the usual suspects of Melbourne’s buyers’ agent scene. Frank Valentic of Advantage Property Consulting will be there; the buyers’ agent has been busy on Twitter, posting pictures of himself and his kids with contestant Dale and host Scott Cam on his tour of the apartments.
Viewers may remember Frank from last year’s The Block: Sky High, where he bid on all five apartments, successfully securing the final apartment renovated by Matt and Kim for a single woman from GLEN IRIS.
As for which team will win, the final result will be anyone’s guess.
KYAL AND KARA
Kyal and Kara's- First impressions count, and this might not cut it.
While Kyal and Kara’s apartment at 2/47 O’Grady Street (pictured below) has the best upstairs terrace by far, with high quality finishings, their living area feels the smallest of all the four apartments. While we noted after the open for inspection that this wasn’t such a bad thing, first impressions do count with buyers – and two storeys up is a long way to travel for the eventual return.
ALISA AND LYSANDRA
Alisa and Lysandra's- Light-filled but perhaps not one for emotional buyers.
The twins’ apartment at 3/47 (pictured below) makes itself known immediately upon entering, with its huge light filled kitchen. However, the void is compensating for the apartment’s south-west aspect, and eats up space from the bedrooms. While the finishings in their apartment are high quality, the bedroom spaces in particular do feel quite cold, which may turn off emotional buyers.
STEVE AND CHANTELLE
Steve and Chantelle's- Despite teething problems, there's value to be had.
While Steve and Chantelle’s struggles were well documented on-screen, in reality their apartment (pictured below) has a great northerly aspect and is well planned. While some of the furnishings and styling choices may read a little tacky, a smart buyer with value in mind will disregard the superficial details of 1/47 and recognise its underlying value.
BRAD AND DALE
Brad and Dale's- Leaves a strong impression and is a strong contender.
Brad and Dale’s apartment at 4/47 (pictured below) is clean, bright, and makes a strong impression. In particular, its living room and kitchen area feels expansive, with high ceilings and bright décor. The boys have been smart to accentuate the size of their kitchen and living areas and their master bedroom.
At Property Observer, our money is on Brad and Dale, on the strength of their living and kitchen spaces and terrace views, with Steve and Chantelle's bright apartment coming in second.
Before tomorrow's finale, brush up on The Block with our highlights from the season:
Kyal Demmrich on the trials and triumphs of The Block
The Block on show at this weekend's open for inspection
Open for inspection: The Block Fans v Faves doors open to the public this weekend
Raw timber and red brick: Industrial design on The Block
Art styles for apartment décor: Lessons from The Block
Creating the perfect New York style loft: Lessons from The Block
Five renovation lessons from last night's The Block: Fans v Faves