With almost 10,000 auctions under his belt, seasoned auctioneer David Holmes is well equipped on the unpredictably of an auction day but admits running The Block’s House 2 auction was a whirlwind.
One of key missing ingredients, he says, was mum and dad buyers.
The Block’s highly anticipated auction day fell flat this season with two homes failing to sell and two others barely reaching a six-figure profit.
Han and Can's House 2 failed to attract any bids. Picture: Channel 9
With the auction reserves set at $2.99m, the odds were against them. PropTrack data shows the median house price in Daylesford - a small regional town with a population of less than 3,000 - was $810,000 in September. Homes there rarely exchange via auction, and never five on the same day.
Leading up to auction day, Belle property's head of Queensland, David Holmes had a sense Han and Can's House 2 - a stunning spa-inspired retreat with some polarising design choices - may be passed in.
“I really feel as though the supply and the demand scenario, it wasn't looked at as efficiently or as accurately as it should have been,” he said.
“You are looking at five properties that they're asking essentially $3 million to $3.5 million in a market where $2.7 million is a really high price for a very stunning architectural home.”
Belle property's head of Queensland, David Holmes. Picture: Supplied
For that price, buyers could look to Byron Bay or the Yarra Valley, he said.
Han and Can’s House 2 home failed to attract a single bid, while Emma and Ben's House 1 was also passed in.
Mr Holmes said the girls are gutted by the outcome.
“They're so lovely. I met with the mums and the families – they’re absolutely beautiful girls," he said.
“Danny [Wallis] was literally offering $2.1 million. I think he was being really, really hard and that was hard to work with,” he said.
Does The Block auction need a shakeup?
After drawing the short straw on the auction order, Han and Can watched on as every other house went under the hammer before theirs. It was a strong start, with Britt and Taz's House 3 selling for $420,000 above reserve, but things quickly went downhill from there.
A disappointing auction day for the girls from House 2. Picture: Channel 9
A decision was made to kick off House 2's auction with a vendor bid of $3.1 million to avoid sneaking over the reserve price and being forced to sell for a minuscule profit.
The home was passed in with no buyer activity.
Now listed for sale on the open market, Mr Holmes said homes passed in at auction often sold within seven to 14 days after failing to sell under the hammer.
As an investment, he noted House 2 was a good prospect for its phenomenal tax depreciation schedule, in addition to its potential of bringing in a solid income as an Airbnb.
“Who wouldn't want to stay in a Block property?” he said.
Han and Can delivered some polarising choices, like this giant Japanese-inspired Torii gate. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
With the 2026 season of The Block confirmed for Mt Eliza where contestants will transform an Old Mornington Road property into five multimillion-dollar family homes, Mr Holmes said he would not hesitate taking part in a Block auction again but said the show needed to make some changes for a life beyond next year.
That includes more “organic” buyers – mum and dad buyers - were needed in the room, he said.
“I think next year, break it down and look at going, ‘Hey, how do we re-engage Mum and Dad, blue collar entry-level investors into this sort of program?
“How do we get the mum and dad buyers back because without [Adrian] Portelli, without Danny [Wallis], who is there really? And without [buyer’s agent] Frank Valentic - who is buying this property?
“It needs to appeal more to most of Australia.”
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