Days after the controversial The Block NZ auction, runners-up Stace and Yanita have spoken of their shock and disappointment after losing out on the $100,000 prize.
In a dramatic live finale on Sunday, the besties from Palmerston North thought they had won the sixth season of The Block NZ after their house sold for $20,000 over reserve.
However, in a decision that has brought wide criticism from Block fans, Andy and Nate’s property was re-auctioned despite being passed in earlier in the evening.
The brothers-in-law from Hamilton then went on to sell their property for $1,250,000, which gave them a profit of $31,000 and the overall prizemoney.
“The live auction was a total rollercoaster,” Stace told the New Zealand Herald. “You just can’t prepare yourself. You think maybe the worst case scenario is the properties don’t sell.”
“But even worse than that would probably be thinking that you might win – and then you don’t.”
Stace and Yanita.
Her team mate Yanita said the mood among all the teams immediately after the live auction was low.
“The teams all commiserated as a group. We rallied together and supported each other,” she told stuff.co.nz. “That was one beautiful thing to come out of that night. Any animosity that may have built up during the series, due to the intense pressures, vanished. It was a very positive thing.”
“We have lots of fond memories and we got to meet lots of cool people,” Stace added. “And I love that the whole experience has brought Yanita and I closer together.”
The Block NZ teams ahead of the controversial live auction.
It was an equally emotional evening for Andy and Nate.
“It’s been pretty tough for everyone involved,” firefighter Andy told Block NZ challenge host Shelley Ferguson in an interview for Now To Love.
Andy and Nate walked away with $131,000 and a Honda Civic RS Sport Turbo Hatch after also winning the People’s Choice Award.
“We’re stoked we’ve come away with the win but… we’re just feeling bad for the other teams,” he added.
Final auction results:
Ling and Zing: Sold for $1,300,000 – Profit: $1000
Andy and Nate: Sold for $1,250,000 – Profit: $31,000
Julia and Ali: Sold for $1,242,000 – Profit: $13,000
Stace and Yanita: Sold for $1,271,000 – Profit: $20,000
Scroll down to see the teams’ completed houses.
Andy and Nate
Stace and Yanita
Stace and Yanita arrived on The Block NZ full of enthusiasm and positivity. The Palmy girls are from the glass-half-full school of life and throughout the season have tried to remain undaunted by any negative vibes.
However, several near-wins coupled with some strategic moves by other teams led to Stace and Yanita reaching the halfway point of the competition without a room reveal win. But their first victory, for ‘do-over week’, was just the lift they needed to push them through to the final reveal.
Sitting at the highest elevation, Stace and Yanita’s modern, colourful home sold at auction for $1,271,000, which gave them a $20,000 profit. Despite their profit beating Julia and Ali’s $13,000, Host Mark Richardson reminded them they had only ‘provisionally’ won. After being passed in, Andy and Nate’s house was offered back to the floor and the besties unfortunately lost out.
Ling and Zing
Christchurch lads Ling and Zing have laughed their way through The Block NZ. Their laid-back attitude has led to a few losses on the show, but they have proved their mettle with a winning living room and near wins for another three spaces. They have strategically kept spaces neutral to appeal to a range of buyers, aiming to create “a nice, cosy home for a big family”, says Ling.
The brothers were confident that their prime position at the front of the row gave then the upper hand in the competition. Their house sold for 1,300,000 but unfortunately their overspend only left them with $1000 profit.
Julia and Ali
“It’s been a turbulent old ride for Julia and Ali,” said Host Mark Richardson at the season finale, “but they got there in the end.” The twins have certainly been no stranger to drama this season but their strong sense of style and background in lighting design have served them well, as has their love of fine art.
The sisters have stuck to a formula of neutral tones, luxurious textures and functionality first and foremost. “We wanted our house to be really family-friendly at the same time as being luxurious and on-trend,” says Julia.
Their house sold for $1,242,000 but their profit of $13,000 was unfortunately not enough to take home the prize.
