Adrian Portelli’s The Block giveaway hit by tech glitch

Aussie Billionaire Adrian Portelli’s historic The Block giveaway ended in a controversial result.

Australian billionaire Adrian Portelli’s plan to give away all five properties from the 2024 season of The Block has turned into a fizzer after technical issues postponed the announcement of a winner.

Portelli had planned to give all five properties or $8 million cash to one lucky winner as part of a raffle run by his company LMCT+.

The draw of the winner, scheduled for 8:30pm on Boxing Day, failed to deliver a result.

Portelli explained to 75,000 people watching live on Facebook the volume of traffic had caused the LMCT+ systems to crash.

Portelli, on the site of the development on Phillip Isand, was left to chew up time live on camera as his team worked to restore systems without success.

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Adrian Portelli watches on during one of The Block 2024 auctions. Pictures: Channel 9

The draw, Portelli said, will now take place on December 27.

The Block giveaway is one of the richest competitions in Australian history outside traditional lotteries.

Portelli launched the competition in November following the 2024 season finale of The Block in which he purchased all five properties for a staggering $15 million.

So, when the eventual winner is drawn, which is better: The houses or the cash?

We asked the experts and this is what they had to say.

OPTION 1: Take the homes and sell them

If you decide to take possession of all the houses, but then try to sell them off yourself with the ‘celebrity’ appeal of owning a TV property, you could in theory sell them all for more than the $8m cash prize on offer.

But will buyers be clamouring to get them?

The “glamour” of owning The Block’s Phillip Island homes was questioned by Property Home Base founding director and buyers agent Julie DeBondt-Barker.

“They don’t accurately reflect investment-worthy properties, it’s a constructed reality to serve entertainment,” Ms DeBondt-Barker said.

“There is often-disconnected realities between television narratives and the grounded demands of real estate investment.

“Proper financial planning through trust funds and ensuring the correct ownership structure are essential to managing any tax implications effectively.”

MORE: How Lambo Guy Adrian Portelli swept Block auctions

Adrian Portelli celebrates with The Block winners Maddy and Charlotte. Pictures: Channel 9

Eview Real Estate executive and Phillip Island expert Teresa Young said over the years homes on The Block have been criticised for being overpriced.

“Although they showcase impressive designs and modern amenities, their price tags often exceed what many consider reasonable in the current market,” Ms Young said. “Phillip Island is home to countless beautiful beaches, each offering unique experiences – there are numerous tourist attractions, including various pubs that cater to the influx of visitors looking for relaxation and entertainment.

“Considering property purchases of The Block homes, if I were to invest, my approach would involve ensuring the properties are strata-titled — this means dividing the property into separate units which can be sold individually — thus potentially increasing the financial return rather than maintaining it as a single asset.”

Ms Young also said capital gains taxes would also apply to the sale and there likely wouldn’t be a return of $8m on the homes if they were to be sold individually.

“I can’t comment on what they would sell for individually but they likely wouldn’t sell for what they did on The Block,” she said.

OPTION 2: Take the homes and rent them out

If you decided to keep the homes and rent them out would there be a worthwhile return?

According to PropTrack data the median price of a four-bedroom rental home in Cowes is $540 per week.

Using that assumption, in total the properties could fetch, $140,400 a year from rental income.

Industry Insider Property buyers agent Andrew Date said the decision depends on broader economic, legislative, and personal factors.

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Island Cove Villas on Phillip Island was bought by The Block for its 2024 season.

“When advising someone on whether to take the cash or the homes, it really depends on their level of financial literacy and understanding of business, profit, and loss,” Mr Date said.

“The potential to offset tax bills by structuring property ownership through family trusts offers another layer of strategic complexity – structuring property ownership within a family trust can indeed be a more tax-efficient way to avoid hefty land tax bills, by allocating properties to family members.”

Mr Date said the reflection on the broader economic politics encapsulates a reality faced by the potential winner.

“I think if we’re to see the market improve next year it may require a change of government and housing policy, as current policies lead investors to liquidate their assets. Interest rates would also need to decrease successively to boost buyers’ confidence,” he said.

But even if you structure ownership of the properties well, will they make money?

Serial Block bidder Danny Wallis highlighted his concerns about attempting to rent these particular properties out individually.

Mr Wallis previously told The Herald Sun that he hadn’t seen much point in bidding for the homes on the auction day against Portelli.

While he said the homes were good quality, he thought they had clearly been built as holiday homes and were best suited to be listed for short-term rentals.

MORE: Experts slam Portelli: Block is a dud investment

Maddy and Charlotte watch their auction unfold during the 2024 finale. Picture: Channel 9

“I did like the Phillip Island houses, but one of the reasons that I didn’t bid fiercely was there’s too much uncertainty about Airbnbs with the taxes and all that,” he said.

“And if you were to rent them as a holiday home for the whole year, you wouldn’t get a great return. They aren’t really near the beaches.”

“They don’t accurately reflect investment-worthy properties, it’s a constructed reality to serve entertainment,” Ms DeBondt-Barker said.

“There is often-disconnected realities between television narratives and the grounded demands of real estate investment.

“Proper financial planning through trust funds and ensuring the correct ownership structure are essential to managing any tax implications effectively.

“Proper financial planning through trust funds and ensuring the correct ownership structure are essential to managing any tax implications effectively.

OPTION 3: Take the cash

Your Australian Property buyer’s agent Zac Newbold said choosing the cash seemed to align with current economic uncertainties. “In today’s market, where the property prices are predominantly influenced by current trends rather than intrinsic value, the certainty of cash is very attractive,” Mr Newbold said.

“I’d probably take the $8m cash instead of the home – I think this sentiment reflects the growing caution in a market pressured by volatile legislative changes.”

But, for those eyeing the opportunity to harness these properties into a profitable business, particularly through platforms like Airbnb, he has some words of warning.

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Portelli’s love of luxury cars saw him dubbed ‘Lambo guy’ by the AUstralian public. Picture: Instagram

Mr Newbold said that the idea of taking the Phillip Island homes and creating a business was deterred by the Victorian government’s taxes such as the Airbnb tax and land tax.

“Coupled with legislative shifts like a looming 7.5 per cent levy, it doesn’t seem viable to me,” he said.

“One of my clients owns an unencumbered property in Sorrento and is already spending about $80,000 a year on taxes alone.

“Many of my investor clients are now considering buying properties in other states, reflecting a trend towards lower tax burden and better investor climates elsewhere.”

Anyone keen on creating a property portfolio would be better positioned taking the cash and investing in states other than Victoria where the new taxes aren’t an issue.

VERDICT

Eview Real Estate executive’s Teresa Young said it was the best financial decision to take the cash.

“If given the opportunity, I would opt to take the $8m in a context where a significant financial decision needs to be made” Ms Young said.

“The property market has a lot of activity due in part to various financial pressures – there are other homes in Phillip Island where you could make a more sound investment.”

“The residential property market showcases a variety of opportunities.

“There’s a broad selection of homes priced at $600,000 and below, which are appealing to buyers.”

Other bidders were stunned to learn Portelli had won every auction. Picture: Channel 9

Ms Young said the properties that are sub $600,000 and below can also capture the interest of those looking for an entry-level holiday home.

However, properties in higher price brackets present more selling challenges, as the pool of buyers is smaller and more selective, often requiring more persuasive sales tactics or pricing incentives.

Industry Insider Property buyers agent Andrew Date agreed.

“I’d prefer to take the cash, hedge my bets by putting half into fixed income, and use the other half to purchase a principal place of residence,” Mr Date said.

“This strategy is rooted in the pragmatism of exploiting capital gains tax exemptions, which can carve out substantial financial benefits over time.”