"The Block’s Original Homes: 20-Year Transformation and Their Surprising Current Value"

This title maintains the core elements of the original while streamlining the structure and emphasizing the passage of time and unexpected financial appraisal.

The Block’s 2025 Auction Nears: A Look Back at Its Earliest Renovations

As The Block 2025 auction approaches, fans eagerly await the climax of Nine’s hit renovation show. While contestants hope for million-dollar wins, the series’ 20-year history reveals a rollercoaster of real estate fortunes. Let’s revisit the show’s humble beginnings and how its first renovated properties fare today.

Season 1: Bondi’s “Renovator’s Delight” (2003)

Hosted by Jamie Durie, The Block debuted in 2003 with a dilapidated four-unit apartment block in Bondi. Each unit was a blank canvas for contestants, with producers ensuring a “level playing field” through initial repairs.

Unit 1: Winners Adam Thorn and Fiona Mills scored a $156,000 profit when their two-bedroom flat sold for $751,000. In 2023, it resold for $1.45 million. Listing photos showcased a modern interior but a weathered courtyard.
(Image: Unit 1’s 2023 listing, featuring updated interiors and a grey privacy screen.)

Unit 2: After selling for $670,000 in 2003, it plummeted to $560,500 in 2005. By 2024, its listing revealed a dated kitchen and worn deck, struggling to attract buyers.
(Image: Unit 2’s 2024 kitchen with outdated decor.)

Unit 3: Initially sold for $655,000, it crashed to $555,000 in 2005 but rebounded to $1.76 million in 2021. Photos highlighted polished floors and a cozy balcony nook.
(Image: Unit 3’s 2021 listing with a sunlit breakfast area.)

Unit 4: The most-traded property, it sold three times post-show. After a 2019 sale for $1.41 million, it remains a stylish pad with a sleek kitchen.
(Image: Unit 4’s 2019 listing, showcasing a contemporary open-plan design.)

The Bondi block’s façade remains intact today, though its front fence needs TLC.

Season 2: Manly’s Mixed Fortunes (2004)

Season 2 shifted to Manly, featuring another rundown apartment block. Controversy struck when contestants Dani and Monique Bacha exited due to a criminal scandal.

Unit 2: Winners Andrew Rochford and Jamie Nicholson netted $178,000 profit with an $868,000 sale. It last sold for $890,000 in 2009, boasting a chic outdoor dining area.
(Image: Unit 2’s 2009 listing with decorative patio lighting.)

Unit 3: A standout, this property traded four times. After a dismal $720,000 sale in 2007, it soared to $2.5 million in 2021, thanks to skylights and open-plan living.
(Image: Unit 3’s 2021 listing, highlighting spacious interiors.)

Unit 1: Sold for $872,000 in 2004 but dipped to $828,000 in 2008. Its 2014 sale at $1.14 million revealed a modern kitchen and timber deck.
(Image: Unit 1’s 2014 patio with stylish decking.)

Unit 4: Consistently underperformed, matching its 2004 auction price ($800,000) in a 2009 resale.

The Manly block’s 2025 photos show peeling window frames, hinting at neglect.

Legacy of The Block

While some properties flourished, others faltered in volatile markets. The Bondi and Manly units exemplify the risks and rewards of renovation TV fame. As The Block 2025 crowns its winners, these early seasons remind us that long-term success hinges on more than just prime location and camera-ready designs.

(Featured images: Original Bondi block façade; Manly unit exteriors in 2025.)

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