The Block’s judging panel gets renovated

REALITY TV is getting a shake up. This year on The Block renovating goes beyond bricks and mortar as the judging panel gets a makeover.

IN what must be the biggest shake-up the award winning reality series has seen in its nine years, The Block is giving contestants a new perspective.

There are three new judges joining the stellar rating television show — and while they say they’re all about functionality, contestants hope they’re really all about achieveing bigger profits.

The Block Triple Threat will feature The Advocates Jury, comprised of three expert and professional buyers agents, experts in the business end of real estate. Each week they will add their opinions to those of the Style Jury; Shayna Blaze, Neale Whittaker and Darren Palmer.

Buyers advocates represent buyers’ interests in the purchasing of a property, unlike a seller’s agent who acts entirely in the vendors interest.

The Block Triple Threat buyers' advocates Greville Pabst, Nicole Jacobs, and Frank Valentic. Photo: Martin Philbey

As Block veteran ‘auction-bidder’ Advantage Property Consulting’s Frank Valentic, of who makes up one third of the new jury puts it, “It sort of levels the playing field.”

Rounding off the new jury is Greville Pabst, of WBP Property and Nicole Jacobs from Jacobs Buyer Advocates. Sitting across from the energetic trio you can see why the producers of The Block put these three together. Between them they have 50 years of buying experience, and the confidence to make calls on what works and what doesn’t, with an unbridled enthusiasm for the real estate game.

In this new regime The Block contestants will have their traditional Sunday night judging by the Style Jury (with the winner pocketing a $10k prize) followed by a second judging on Monday night by the Advocates, with another $5k on the line.

The triple threat continues with the popular design judges, Shaynna Blaze, Neale Whitaker and Darren Palmer.

There are differing sets of criteria; the Style Judges are looking for the emotional appeal, what makes people fall in love with a property, whereas the Advocates are looking for functionality. Is the kitchen in the right place? Have they considered the South Yarra, blue ribbon buyers’ desire for ‘name’ finishes?

It was during the second half of last year’s Glasshouse series that Frank Valentic became more involved in the show, coming on board half way through the run with potential buyers in tow.

It was at that point that producers of the show got a whiff of what buyers thought of the properties.

“Their (the buyers) views were not the same as the judges on the show,” says Frank.

During our interview the threesome espoused the potential value of smart renovations, but warned all renovators, whether on a successful television series or not, of hidden traps.

“Don’t over capitalise,” says Greville. He has seen many homeowners spend far more on a renovation than they can hope to recoup at auction day.

“Know your market,” advises Nicole who says you have to understand that an up-market property buyer will pay for extravagances in a renovation, but a middle class suburb attracts a buyer unlikely to see the value, or pay for it.

And from Frank, the vital advice to be super careful in the planning or layout phase, as fixing mistakes is prohibitive.

“It’s too late when you’ve already spent the $30,000 on the kitchen, you’re not going to be able to move that,” he says.

Their advice has been pivotal to contestants on the show, because they represent a fundamental element in the series, the people who at the end of the day, put their hands in their pockets and actually buy the properties.

Old favourites George and Bec, Matt and Kim, as well as Dea and Darren are the former contestants on The Block back to try for the prize a second time.

Block stars Deanne and Darren Jolly have backed up to appear in this new series. Casualties of the Glasshouse, and vocal opponents of last year’s judges, they are happy to see the inclusion of the property advocates opinions.

“They are coming at it from a different angle. They have very different viewpoints,” says Dee of the two panels. And according to Darren if you have to pick which advice to follow — the advocates hold sway.

“The feedback that they give of what they want is what we’re going to listen to,” says Darren.

“We know what the buyers want,” says Greville, who confidently predicts those contestants that listen to the Advocates will walk away with the best results.

The new judges will make their first appearance on February 22.

The Block Triple Threat can be seen on the Nine Network, almost every night of the week.