Here’s the next location for reality renovation show The Block

Reality home renovation TV show The Block looks likely to return to Melbourne’s Bayside area next year after its production company snapped up five houses in Charming Street, Hampton East.

The homes, all fixer-uppers at 14, 16, 18, 20 and 22 Charming Street, sold to MicJoy Pty Ltd, public records show, in an off-market deal worth a total of $14.3 million earlier this year.

22 Charming Street was snapped up by the producers of The Block.

Number 20 Charming Street received the highest price, selling for $3.5 million in July, while number 14 sold for $3 million, number 16 for $2.3 million, and numbers 18 and 22 for $2.75 million about the same time.

The homes are expected to be used on The Block 2023 airing on Nine, owner of The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.

Next year’s season could be different to this year’s, in which contestants spent months renovating homes in the tree-change suburb of Gisborne South.

Agents who had heard of the sale, but could not be named because the deal was confidential, said it was a high price for property in that part of the suburb, known as the more affordable brother to Hampton.

Buyer’s advocate Frank Valentic, who has represented buyers on The Block, said the production company had paid a lot more than the median house price for the suburb, which was $1,462,500 in the June quarter, Domain data showed.

It was even higher than the median house price in Hampton of $2,325,000.

Valentic said producers would probably be forced to pay more to find five houses in the same street that would sell.

14 Charming Street sold for $3 million, well above Hampton East’s median house price.

“It’s a monumental challenge, so you would always have to pay a premium,” he said.

Charming Street was a family-friendly neighbourhood, Valentic said, and any newly renovated homes would be sure to attract upsizing families or those looking to downsize from much bigger homes.

16 Charming Street also sold to producers of The Block.

With interest rates on the rise, Valentic said, it was likely bidders would be owner-occupiers rather than the investors who had been interested in the past.

Nine representatives declined to comment when contacted, saying they would not comment on speculation about the next season.

The Block was last in the Bayside area, in Hampton, in 2021.

That year, the production company bought five homes in Bronte Court, including buyer’s advocate Nicole Jacobs’ former home, for a total of $11,572,500 before renovating and selling them at auction.

Bronte Court is two kilometres from the new destination in Charming Street.

Block favourites and returning contestants Mitch and Mark won the Hampton series, selling their home for more than $4 million and making more than $600,000 in profit.

The glamour couple, who first appeared on the 2019 season renovating a townhouse at The Oslo, now run their own homewares and home decor business.

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