Adrian Portelli has snapped up two Bulleen homes for Channel 7’s My Reno Rules, with the suburb set to take centre stage in the TV property battle.
Two modest Bulleen homes worth $2.7m are set to become the battleground for TV’s next reno war, with Adrian Portelli backing Channel 7’s boldest strike yet against The Block.
Property documents confirm Portelli’s company, Xclusive Tech Pty Ltd, bought the neighbouring houses at 54-56 Pinnacle Crescent and will also step in as principal sponsor of My Reno Rules.
The LMCT+ founder, who in 2024 famously bought all five Block houses at auction for just over $15m, is expected to play a more hands-on role than ever, with Seven banking on the series to change lives and give audiences a more relatable alternative to Nine’s property juggernaut.
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Filming is due to start on September 26 and run until November 27, but sources told the Herald Sun the schedule had already been pushed back from early to late September after delays left the homes not “television-ready” and forced Endemol Shine to readvertise for producers when crew start filming for MasterChef Australia 2026.
“There’s been some real headaches behind the scenes,” the source said.
“The homes haven’t been television-ready on schedule, which put pressure on filming timelines and forced crew to juggle commitments.
Production delays saw My Reno Rules lose crew to the 2026 MasterChef Australia season, forcing a late recruitment drive before filming begins next month. Picture: Network 10
Belle Property and Hockingstaurt head of Victoria Anthony Webb says Bulleen is undervalued but primed for growth, making it the perfect testing ground for Portelli’s television gamble.
Belle Property/Hockingstuart Victorian director Anthony Webb said Bulleen was a clever choice for a show that wants to resonate with average Australians.
“Bulleen is a brilliant spot for a show like this,” Mr Webb said.
“It’s undervalued compared to its neighbours, with great freeway access and a strong community.
“Pinnacle Crescent is full of 1960s and ’70s homes ripe for clever renovations, the type of housing many Australians actually live in,”
Adrian Portelli purchased 54 Pinnacle Cres, Bulleen, for $1.38m, one of two neighbouring homes now set to feature on My Reno Rules.
Adrian Portelli also purchased neighbouring 56 Pinnacle Crescent for $1.375m, creating a side-by-side set for My Reno Rules renovations.
Mr Webb added that while suburbs like Bayside often steal headlines, Bulleen represented a more grounded backdrop.
“Sure, it doesn’t have the prestige price tags of Brighton or Toorak, but that’s what makes it fascinating,” he said.
“It’s relatable, it’s real, and it’s a market segment that everyday viewers can see themselves in.”
Prominent Melbourne buyers advocate Cate Bakos believes My Reno Rules will resonate more than The Block by choosing metropolitan Bulleen over volatile regional holiday spots like Daylesford and Phillip Island.
Built in the same 1960s-70s wave as much of Bulleen, 56 Pinnacle Crescent offers a retro foundation for a TV-ready transformation.
Melbourne buyers advocate Cate Bakos said the suburb gave Seven a safer play than prestige tourist spots like Daylesford and Phillip Island that have defined other reno formats.
“Bulleen is aspirational, but still very much metropolitan Melbourne,” Ms Bakos said.
“I’d much rather see a show focus here than a holiday destination where markets are volatile.”
Ms Bakos said the balance between television hype and property reality would be critical.
The home at 54 Pinnacle Crescent boasts classic 1960s-70s architecture, typical of the era Portelli’s teams will transform for the cameras.
Together with 54 Pinnacle Crescent, this Bulleen property forms the heart of Portelli’s bold new Channel 7 renovation gamble.
“If homes sell for more than they’re really worth, critics will be quick to point it out,” she said.
“That’s been The Block’s problem for years, over-inflated prices that don’t stack up once the cameras are gone.
“If My Reno Rules manages to stay closer to market value, it could be far more authentic and sustainable.”
The prominent buyers advocate said the local market fundamentals stacked up strongly in Bulleen.
“From a land value perspective, it’s a much safer bet,” Ms Bakos said.
Located on a quiet Bulleen street, 54 Pinnacle Crescent offers renovators a blank canvas for My Reno Rules’ first suburban showdown.
Property documents confirm 56 Pinnacle Cres was secured under Portelli’s Xclusive Tech Pty Ltd ahead of My Reno Rules filming.
“You’ve got long-term infrastructure like the North East Link that will improve connectivity, and a really loyal following of buyers.
“The only real drawback is the lack of a train station, but otherwise the suburb has enormous long-term appeal.”
The season will be hosted by Dr Chris Brown and judged by a new-look panel featuring former Block favourite Neale Whitaker, buyers’ agent Simon Cohen and interiors stylist Julia Green.
Yet the auction format looms as a gamble.
The $16bn North East Link project is tipped to reshape Melbourne’s northeast, with prominent Melbourne buyers advocate Cate Bakos saying the project will boost Bulleen’s appeal. Picture: Nearmap
Channel 7 has unveiled its My Reno Rules hosts and judging panel, who will guide contestants as the network challenges The Block’s dominance.
Unlike The Block, which films auctions on Saturday and airs them the next night, industry chatter suggests My Reno Rules auctions could be prerecorded and broadcast up to six months later.
“If Seven does go down that path, it will be catastrophic for leaks,” one insider said.
“The suspense is what makes The Block unmissable, and if the ending is known months in advance, that magic could be lost.”
My Reno Rules is slated to air Sunday to Tuesday nights in 2026, with Bulleen’s quiet streets set to play host to Seven’s boldest bid yet for renovation television supremacy.
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