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025’s The Block, starring Shelley Craft and Scott Cam, finished with weak auction results. Two of five teams failed to sell, and the winners, WA police officers Taz and Britt, earned less than the lowest‑placed pair from 2024. Insider reports say producers are again selecting a quiet Victorian market for 2026, risking another flop.

    Agents confirm filming will occur on the Mornington Peninsula, echoing this year’s Daylesford run where prices are about 11 % below 2022 levels. Auctioneer Tom Panos blamed the lack of celebrity buyers—most notably Adrian Portelli—on the low sales. Without high‑profile investors, local buyers made more rational offers, exposing the market’s sluggishness.

    Panos warned that Mount Eliza, the planned 2026 site, mirrors Daylesford: house prices still roughly 10 % below 2022 peaks. Producers tend to choose remote Victorian locations with lower values, limiting upside. Renovating in more competitive markets outside regional Victoria could yield higher profits, as labour and material costs are similar across sites.

    Victoria, including Melbourne, remains a weaker market, and typical investors are less inclined to flip houses there. The 2024 season on Phillip Island would have suffered similarly if not for Portelli’s premium purchases. Panos identified two buyer types: celebrity investors seeking exposure and ordinary buyers who attend weekly auctions. The absence of the former in 2025 caused a stark price gap.

    Producers balance upfront land costs against expected returns. Higher‑demand markets justify higher purchase prices and offer greater upside. Panos suggested that the show’s history of choosing slower markets may be strategic but risks repeating the low‑profit pattern seen recently.