The Block NZ house that divided the critics won over the crowds last night when it sold under the hammer for $2.161 million.
The three-bedroom villa on Haig Avenue, in Sandringham, which appeared on season four of the reality TV contest, was snapped up by a family after heated bidding.
The sale price was $826,000 more than what the villa sold for in the 2015 finale of The Block and comfortably above its 2021 CV of $2.15m.
Harcourts agent Abbey Davis, who marketed the house with Richard Humphreys, told OneRoof that the buyers competed against two other bidders in the room.
Start your property search
“Bidding opened at $1.6m, and it was a really good auction, a lot of competition,” she said, noting that nearly 50 groups had looked at the property during the marketing campaign.
“There were a few happy people this morning. It’s nice to have people happy, but we now have to find something for our underbidders.”
Discover more:
- No address, no photos, no price - agent selling ‘mystery’ South Auckland house
- ‘Yuck’ South Auckland home back on the market after unbelievable transformation
- Overseas owners of quake-damaged home get $1m surprise
Davis said the buyers had two children and were moving from a neighbouring suburb.
It's not yet known if the villa's TV past helped close the deal. One of vendors told OneRoof last month they hadn't seen the show when they went to bid on it in 2015, so it's likely the house itself did the work.
The vendor told OneRoof he only gave the house a look after being urged to do so by his agent. He was surprised at the quality of the renovations. “If I’d had the money, I would have bought all four. I thought they were that great. They were modern, had good sections and were well-placed,” he said.
The vendors told OneRoof they loved the many stylish touches Block contestants Jamie and Hayden added to the three-bedroom home during the reality TV show, although they has refreshed curtains and paintwork in the intervening nine years.
The eye-catching kitchen with its graffiti splashback. Photo / Supplied
Apart from a fresh coat of paint, the villa is pretty much the same as it was when the owners bought it almost nine years ago. Photo / Supplied
What didn’t change is the black kitchen and graffiti splashback, which attracted the ire of the show's judges. The vendor did say their favourite part of the house was the backyard deck and entertaining space, which earned Jamie and Hayden their only win on the show.
Davis told OneRoof ahead of the auction that the property had come on at just the right time. “We haven’t had many homes in this area of this calibre to offer buyers, which makes me excited for this one to hit the market. Everyone loves a villa.”
The villa is the second property from season four of The Block to hit the market since the show ended. A neighbouring house sold in October 2020 for $1.925m – $653,000 more than contestants Sarah and Minnane got in 2015.
The outdoor entertaining space is the couple's favourite part of the house. Photo / Supplied
The penthouse from The Block NZ Fire Station, season eight, 5/516 New North Road, in Auckland's Kingsland, is still on the market. Photo / Supplied
With the future of The Block NZ uncertain, following the cancellation of the 11th season earlier this year, the sale of Haig Avenue could be the closest Kiwis get to a Block auction this year.
However, Block fans looking for something smaller can check out the penthouse from season eight of the show.
The two-bedroom pad on 516 Great North Road, in Auckland’s Kingsland, was renovated by Block contestants Sophia and Mikaere Gardiner in 2019. It has been on the market since April and is for sale by negotiation.
Davis said Wednesday night’s auction saw two other properties, a smart five-bedroom house on Dominion Road, Mount Roskill, and a three-bedroom bungalow, on the market for the first time in 33 years, on Taumata Road, Sandringham, also selling under the hammer. The Taumata Road house, which had four bidders, sold for $1.905m – under its $2.2m CV.
- Click here to find more houses for sale in Auckland
