Inspiration

Inside the winning home of The Block NZ 2017

Article by Homes to Love

Twelve weeks of DIY, décor and drama finally came to a crescendo at the live auction of the houses on The Block NZ. We take a closer look at the bittersweet win

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Inside the winning home of The Block NZ 2017

It’s common knowledge that auctions can be nail biting stuff but it seems no one was prepared for what a shocking, roller coaster ride it would be at the live finale of The Block NZ.

Nerves were high as the bids trickled in and the auctioneers of Ray White Real Estate battled to push buyers past the reserves. Despite being passed in initially, brothers-in-law Andy and Nate were crowned The Block winners after selling their house for $1,250,000, which gave them a profit of $31,000.

Andy and Nate walk away with $131,000 and a Honda Civic RS Sport Turbo Hatch after also winning the People’s Choice Award.

The brothers-in-law from Hamilton nailed their time on The Block NZ, boasting the highest number of room wins this season. The two fathers went into the show with the aim of creating a “high-class, fun-loving, functional home”, says Andy.

Their win was bittersweet as Stace and Yanita provisionally won at auction before Andy and Nate’s house was taken back to the floor. “”We’re ecstatic but it’s hard to celebrate when everyone else is so devastated. It’s bittersweet.” says Andy. “We’re really stoked that all our hard work has paid off,” Nate added.

The auction results this season are on the light side compared to last year, which saw Wellington pair Sam and Emmett win a record breaking $480,000 after their house sold for $1,610,000 – $380,000 above its reserve price.

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Final auction results:
Ling and Zing: Sold for $1,300,000 – Profit: $1000
Andy and Nate: Sold for $1,250,000 – Profit: $31,000
Julia and Ali: Sold for $1,242,000- Profit: $13,000
Stace and Yanita: Sold for $1,271,000- Profit: $20,000

See Andy and Nate’s winning home above and scroll down to see the other team’s completed houses

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Stace and Yanita

Stace and Yanita arrived on The Block NZ full of enthusiasm and positivity. The Palmy girls are from the glass-half-full school of life and throughout the season have tried to remain undaunted by any negative vibes.

However, several near-wins coupled with some strategic moves by other teams led to Stace and Yanita reaching the halfway point of the competition without a room reveal win. But their first victory, for ‘do-over week’, was just the lift they needed to push them through to the final reveal.

Sitting at the highest elevation, Stace and Yanita’s modern, colourful home sold at auction for $1,271,000, which gave them a $20,000 profit. Despite their profit beating Julia and Ali’s $13,000, Host Mark Richardson reminded them they had only ‘provisionally’ won. After being passed in, Andy and Nate’s house was offered back to the floor and the besties unfortunately lost out.

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Ling and Zing

Christchurch lads Ling and Zing have laughed their way through The Block NZ. Their laid-back attitude has led to a few losses on the show, but they have proved their mettle with a winning living room and near wins for another three spaces. They have strategically kept spaces neutral to appeal to a range of buyers, aiming to create “a nice, cosy home for a big family”, says Ling.

The brothers were confident that their prime position at the front of the row gave then the upper hand in the competition. Their house sold for 1,300,000 but unfortunately their overspend only left them with $1000 profit.

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Julia and Ali

“It’s been a turbulent old ride for Julia and Ali,” said Host Mark Richardson at the season finale, “but they got there in the end.” The twins have certainly been no stranger to drama this season but their strong sense of style and background in lighting design have served them well, as has their love of fine art.

The sisters have stuck to a formula of neutral tones, luxurious textures and functionality first and foremost. “We wanted our house to be really family-friendly at the same time as being luxurious and on-trend,” says Julia.

Their house sold for $1,242,000 but their profit of $13,000 was unfortunately not enough to take home the prize.

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