The Block auction reserves have been revealed, but will it change the game this year?

In a Block first, the reserve prices have been revealed for the five Mt Eliza homes weeks ahead of auction, with the $3.45 million reserve equating to double the suburb’s median sales price.Contestants have faced a nervous wait ahead of the expected October 31 auction since the 12 weeks of filming for The Block's 2026 season wrapped some months ago in the Mornington Peninsula suburb.PropTrack data shows the coastal suburb, located an hour south of the Melbourne CBD, recorded a median house price of $1.72 million over the 12 months to September.New Victorian auction laws came into effect earlier this month which require real estate agents to publish the seller’s reserve price at least seven days before an auction, or fixed-date sale.Lisa and Rosco's house from The Block 2026. Picture:However, McEwing Partners director Quentin McEwing, who is the sales agent for Wyatt and Chantel’s House 2 told realestate.com.au, he was surprised the reserves were made public more than two weeks ahead of the auction day.“None of the agents knew it was going to happen …and all of a sudden, I got a text saying the reserves have been announced,” he said. “I don't know whether it was premeditated or not ...