Will and Karlie are winners of The Block0:33
Queenslanders Will and Karlie are winners of The Block for 2016 with their appartment selling for $2.6 million. Courtesy: Nine Network
Brisbane engaged couple Will and Karlie win The Block after apartment sells for $2.6 million
WILL Bethune and his fiancee Karlie Cicero have won The Block after frenzied bidding for their “indeco” apartment with its fusion of industrial, Scandinavian and art-deco design.
The Brisbane couple’s wedding plans are back on track after their apartment sold for $2.6 million, a massive $715,000 above reserve, at auction.
All five teams on the Channel 9 renovation show walked away with big money — nearly $3 million in total — after the auctions at a former soap factory in Ingles St, Port Melbourne.
Julia Treuel and Sasha Wright-Neville netted $660,000 over reserve, Dan and Carleen Foley (who labelled Shaynna Blaze ‘an absolute bogan’ in August) $525,000, Andy Sutherland and Ben Toyne 510,000 and Kim and Chris Elliott $425,000.
Will and Karlie, both 25, collected an extra $100,000 winners’ prize and now the high school sweethearts, together for nine years, have a wedding in their sights for next April.
“Wow, what an experience,” Karlie said of the result. “We are over the moon and just cannot believe what happened.
“When we applied to be on the show we didn’t think we’d get on. As a young couple struggling financially, winning The Block is going to set us up for the rest or our lives.”
Will, an electrician, and Karlie, a quantity surveyor, were one of the standout teams from the start, despite having little renovation experience.
They consistently scored high marks from Judges Shaynna Blaze, Darren Palmer and Neale Whitaker including a perfect 30 for their kitchen.
Their ground floor apartment, with its “indeco” styling, outdoor terrace, and small garden was the first to go under the hammer and drew rapid bids before hitting $2.6 million.
“We didn’t necessarily want to impress the judges with our styling but we did want to impress the buyers and that strategy paid off,” Karlie said.
Melbourne pair Julia & Sasha’s level-two apartment was next to auction and it topped out at $2.59 million after more fierce bidding.
The momentum continued when Perth’s Dan and Carleen’s apartment, on level one, went for $2.49 million.
After that, things stalled. Newcastle husband and wife team Kim and Chris waited anxiously as protracted bidding for their level-two apartment finally got to $2.305 million.
The couple, who have been married for four years, had renovated three properties prior to The Block. The fact that their apartment went for nearly $300,000 less than Julia and Sasha’s must be considered a disappointment. The buyer got a bargain.
Geelong teachers Andy and Ben, who went on The Block with no renovation experience, ended things on a more positive note. The underbidder from a previous auction bought their apartment for $2.25 million.
Will and Karlie had an extra reason to celebrate. The pair only got the ground floor apartment because they came last in The Block’s initial 48-hour challenge.
“Nobody wanted this apartment so to have a win is pretty crazy,” Karlie said.
PREVIOUS BLOCK WINNERS
2003 — BONDI — Adam & Fiona — $256,000
2004 — MANLY — Jamie & Andrew — $178,000
2010 — VAUCLUSE — John & Neisha — $305,000
2011 — RICHMOND — Polly & Waz — $115,000
2012 — SOUTH MELBOURNE — Brad & Lara — $606,000
2013 — ALL STARS (BONDI) — Phil & Amity — $395,000
2013 — SKY HIGH (SOUTH MELBOURNE) — Alisa & Lysandra — $395,000
2014 — FANS v FAVES (ALBERT PARK) — Steve & Chantelle — $736,000
2014 — GLASSHOUSE (PRAHRAN) — Shannon & Simon — $435,000
2015 — TRIPLE THREAT (SOUTH YARRA) — Darren & Deanne — $935,000
2015 — THE BLOCKTAGON (SOUTH YARRA) — Dean & Shay — $755,000
Originally published as Winning Block apartment tops $2.6m