The Block is feeling the heat! A rival could be trying to sabotage the auction

A dark cloud is brewing over the final week of The Block, with a perfect storm seemingly gathering over the show’s much-hyped finale, sending the already stressed contestants into a tailspin as they look set to lose big after months of hard work.

A rival real estate agent could be about to sabotage The Block’s big finale by using the series to promote its four-hectare block just across the road from the show’s houses in Victoria’s rural Gisborne South.

The listing for 206 McGeorge Road – which is being marketed at $3 million with an unrenovated house on it and was leased by The Block employees during filming and construction – dares prospective buyers to be a part of TV history.

“Why not challenge yourself to build a bigger and better home than your new neighbours across the road and rewrite history by in fact having the biggest and best home ever built on McGeorge Road – let it be a topic for discussion on an international level,” it reads.

It’s not the only disaster threatening to derail the show’s finale. The Block producers fear history could repeat – and some of the houses may fail to sell at auction again.

Indeed, the odds have never been more stacked against the reality hit. With house prices in freefall and tipped to drop across the country by another 15 per cent by the end of next year. Winners on The Block New Zealand walked away with a dismal $3046, while the couple who came second took home just $76, leaving fans calling for the show to be axed!

“We would be upset to walk away with nothing. The auction is the pinnacle of The Block. It’s what we’ve been planning for since day one. It’s the light at the end of the tunnel after the hardest slog of our life,” Rachel confides to Woman’s Day.

Making matters worse for some of the Blockheads is the fact that Sarah-Jane and husband Tom have secured the advantage of determining the all-important auction order.

With Sarah-Jane butting heads with embattled stars Sharon and Ankur, many fans are wondering if she’ll serve the pair a curveball and make them last on the auction order, which could put hamper their chances when it comes to securing the best profit.

Fans are also casting doubt over the homes’ huge $4 million price tags. “I’m dubious that there will be high bidding war drama with current financial conditions,” wrote one person. “I’d be surprised if all 5 sell in that price range.”

“There are some really nice lifestyle properties in rural Vic… $2m will get a very nice home on small acreage, well built…privacy from the neighbours and none of the garish toys that these guys are throwing at these places,” added another.

“Those houses are a blight on the environment and poorly constructed, complete vandalism,” says one commenter.

Even The Block’s resident foreman Keith says Ankur and Sharon’s house is “as bad as it gets”, and confesses, “I don’t think that house will sell.”

On-set sources say Sharon and Ankur’s house was savaged by the judges before the auction, and even more alarmingly, there are whispers the couple’s garage wasn’t completed ahead of final judging and the pair were told it may affect their reserve on auction day.

EXPERTS WEIGH IN

Real estate experts agree this year’s Block probably won’t see the big bucks of past seasons.

“I have no doubt that the interest rates will have an effect on the overall sale price, not because the buyers won’t be there to try their hands, but because they will be there with a much-reduced budget than they would have had six months ago,” Corie Sciberras, director of Sciberras Group RE, tells Woman’s Day.

“This being said, when you are spending this amount of money, I would be confident in saying they will still be showing up, cheque in hand, with a decent amount of money to spend. After all, how often can you say you purchased a home on The Block?!”

End of The Block?

With this season’s tumultuous show leaving loyal viewers disgruntled, many are speculating it could spell the end of the long-running show.

“There is a limit on how much is too much and they crossed the line with this season,” says an insider.

“They pushed the contestants to the breaking point by offering less room money and time, so they can make more profit per house. I hope they learn their lesson, otherwise I doubt people will be excited to participate or watch the show after the current chaos.”

A lot to lose!

This series’ contestants certainly may have regrets about appearing on the show, after they put their lives – and livelihoods – on hold to compete for the cash.

Sharon, 35, and Ankur, 41, told Woman’s Day they were relying on the show to “bring down that mortgage of ours and assist us financially”.

And the actress has called the build a “s–t show”, and the couple confessed they would “do everything differently” if they had their time over again.

“I don’t even feel comfortable having anyone walk through with the state of where we’re at.”

“It’s 12 weeks of not sleeping, constant relentless pressure – brutal,” Sharon says of the experience. “And it seems it may all be for nothing.”

Sharon also admitted she’s upset at producers for the hit they could take on their careers by appearing on the show.

“Quite clearly, we’re probably not going to be renovators after this. So don’t just cut off the only livelihood that my husband is going to have,” she says, after Ankur’s credentials as an accountant were questioned thanks to their budget blowout.

What happens remains to be seen but real estate agent Corie agrees all hope is not lost, if the reserves are set at the right price. “I am confident the homes will sell on the day.”