Kumbaya is restored, I repeat, kumbaya is restored.

After a swerve into mild drama involving shopping trip standups, budget suspicions, stolen logs and some light copying, The Block 2025 has reverted to its default setting of reasonably nice people behaving reasonably nicely to one another.

It doesn’t start out that way in this episode though.

After neglecting their guest bedrooms and ensuite at the start of the week in favour of trying to impress 100 prospective buyers to win $50,000, three teams are in absolute struggle town trying to get them finished.

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At the absolute bottom of the pack are Britt and Taz, who barely have plaster on their walls, let alone waterproofing, as this episode begins.

Having been refused when they asked Alicia if she would let her tilers provide some magic quick drying waterproofing material the day before, Taz had managed to source some himself, but it was two hours away in Melbourne and they never really caught up.

To make matters worse, their tilers had never used the product, and their work failed to pass inspection, twice.

Before Alicia had arrived on site this morning, Britt and Taz’s tiler had again asked her tilers – the legendary Cursio brothers – for help and advice. When Alicia finds out it looks like she’s once again going on the warpath, but in the 30 seconds between telling a producer she was going to keep playing hardball, and arriving in her house, she’s changed her mind.

“Do whatever you have to do for them,” she tells the brothers, whose natural inclination to help anyone in need had been stymied by Alicia the day before.

“We decided we are more mature; we are the older people. We are the ones who can nip this in the bud. We can continue on like this or we can make the first move,” Sonny later told a producer.

Britt and Taz immediately walked over to their former best mates’ place to say thank you in person and it was hugs, then tears all round.

Praise the Lord, because it felt like we were one step away from a Netflix true crime documentary on the failed trip to Kmart.

The relief Britt and Taz feel about their restored friendship with Sonny and Alicia isn’t enough to drag them fully out of their hole though.

Not even the Cursio brothers can fix their mess, and it becomes clear they won’t be finishing their guest ensuite this week.

Taz can barely choke any words out during a producer interview, he’s so upset.

“I felt like I was letting people down all day. Anything I did just didn’t seem to helping. We let ourselves down, let our guys down as well,” he said.

“Then I started thinking about our kids and letting them down.”

It probably wasn’t much consolation, but Britt and Taz were very much not alone.

Mat and Robby’s tiler headed off to play footy on Saturday, but assured them he’d be back to finish their bathroom straight after the game. And that was the last they saw of him.

“They’ve left us high and dry,” Mat said. “If we knew hours ago we could have organised something but now because of the time it’s too late.”

To round out the horror week, Han and Can won’t be finishing their bathroom either.

“We shouldn’t be in week eight not finishing,” Han says.

“I’m embarrassed and just don’t want to face the feedback,” Can says, with a little extra salt being rubbed into the wound by the fact judgement day is also her birthday.

With Sonny and Alicia and Ben and Emma the only teams to finish this week, the stage is set for some eviscerating judge feedback… that doesn’t come.

First up is Ben and Emma’s guest suite with galley-style kitchenette with green gloss square tiles and open shelving leading to a cosy bedroom with thick drapes, sage occasional chairs and velour bedhead.

Then it’s into the bathroom with another curved tile wall.

Darren Palmer declares “it’s just like a little gem” while Shaynna Blaze calls it a “boutique hotel suite”. Marty Fox says the kitchenette will immediately add value to the house.

The judges even overlook the execution issues which include a glass shower screen not being the right height and some slapdash cutting in.

“It’s so close to perfect, it’s perfect,” Shaynna says as they all agree the degree of difficulty this week with the inspection challenge coupled with the delivery of a bathroom plus bedroom deserves some more generous scoring.

Han and Can don’t have a kitchenette, which Marty says will cost them on auction day, but the judges all love their trademark curved bed niche and their bold brown and burgundy colour scheme, as well as a TV hidden behind a curtain.

Shaynna seems inordinately offended by the presence of a small study nook in a guest suite for some reason, even though Darren points out plenty of people still have to join online meetings when they’re away.

Marty suggests the nook would be better repurposed with a mini-fridge and bar set up.

Then it’s into the unfinished bathroom, where the judges love the red fluted resin vanity basin and the layout. Then it’s time for Shaynna to be horrified again, this time by a red towel.

Britt and Taz’s room comes under some criticism for the rustic-looking wall panelling that takes up half of every wall in the bedroom and hallway, though they do score points for including a kitchenette complete with fridge, toaster, microwave and fluted cabinet doors.

The judges also love their oversized bedside tables but ping them for their less than generous wardrobes.

The unfinished bathroom also gets a big tick for its layout.

“If this was finished this would have been a contender, you can feel it,” Shaynna says.

Sonny and Alicia win kudos for theie unique wallpaper, designed by Alicia.

“I am blown away. It’s something I would buy as a designer,” Shaynna says.

Their colour-drenched eggplant tones all get the tick, along with their walk-in robe and their bathroom with double basins, walnut vanity and beige tiles.

The only criticism comes from the fact they have exposed glass-front drawers meaning unless the occupant has a violent neat streak, they’ll be seeing their bunched up undies from the bed.

Mat and Robby don’t have a kitchenette, but they do have a handpainted wall, grass cloth wallpaper and sage occasional chairs.

The judges like it but think it’s lacking amenity compared to some of the others.

“It’s lacking that suite element It’s a great bedroom, but if I had this square acreage I’d be fitting in a bar,” Marty noted.

Then it was on to the judging and after weeks of being also-rans Ben and Emma finally have a room win, including two perfect 10s (from Shaynna and Darren).

That means that on top of winning the $50,000 prize for being the favourite house of the prospective buyers, plus the $10,000 room win, they’ve also won $20,000 for their 10s.

FINAL SCORES

Emma and Ben 29.5

Sonny and Alicia 28.5

Han and Can 24

Robby and Mat 20.5

Britt and Taz 19

MISSED AN EPISODE? HERE’S ALL OUR RECAPS SO FAR

Episode 1: Why no NSW applicants were good enough for The Block

Episode 2: The worst day on The Block

Episode 3/4: ‘Tear them off’: teams forced to rip tiles from walls

Episode 5: Judges feedback leaves one contestant vomiting

Episode 6: Dan and Dani’s heartbreak

Episode 7: The big problem with the Block house designs

Episode 8: Robby and Mat’s drunken blunder

Episode 9: ‘An up-market nursing home’

Episode 10: Can faces the wrath of Han

Episode 11: Han micromanaging from her sick bed

Episode 12: Sonny cops a spray from Alicia

Episode 13: Brutal feedback leaves Block team confused

Episode 14: Han and Can are in trouble with Dan, and other contestants

Episode 15: Han explodes at Dan in shocking tirade

Episode 16: Defiant Han gets epic dressing down from Scott Cam

Episode 17: Two teams are smashed by hyperbolic judges

Episode 18: Two teams start the week devastated by judges’ feedback

Episode 19: Copying scandal erupts as Alicia and Sonny point the finger

Episode 20: Ben and Emma drop good news into tense Block week

Episode 21: Ben and Emma and Sonny and Alicia cop the wrath of the judges

Episode 22: As Sonny and Alicia despair, Mat summons his inner Mean Boy

Episode 23: Han and Can all but quit the spa room challenge

Episode 24: Ben and Emma finally crack after yet another loss

Episode 25: Britt and Taz make a major blunder

Episode 26: The girls fire their builder

Episode 27: Ben and Emma hatch a sneaky plan

Episode 28: Britt’s decision to freeze out her former bestie has Alicia on the warpath

Episode 29: ‘Basic’, ‘no heart’, ‘not elegant’ – judges pan some teams’ kitchens

Episode 30: Block stars ugly showdown

Episode 31: Greed and cheating accusations at body corp meeting

Episode 32: Team unleashes on ‘dog act’

The post The Block 2025 Episode 33 recap: Three teams fail to finish in bruising week appeared first on realestate.com.au.

After several years of searching and now an Adelaide musician believes he has found a solution to help ease South Australia’s housing crisis.

Jim Paterson, 63, of the band The Borderers, has recently purchased a tiny home for less than $30,000 from interstate after failing to find an affordable option in SA.

Living in it while he and his wife Alex rent out their own Ridleyton home as Airbnb accommodation, Mr Paterson said the housing form could be a viable option for those looking for an affordable rental, or for parents looking to give their children some independence, albeit in the backyard.

“There are people sleeping in their cars, and my daughter can’t afford to get her first home, so I started looking into affordable options and checked out tiny homes both here and in Queensland, but some cost up to $150,000,” Mr Paterson said.

“But an affordable one – if they’re $30,000 like mine, or even say $50,000 – that would be quite a small mortgage and allow them to get into the market and have a place that’s theirs.

“And these places aren’t that tiny, mine has 2.4m ceilings, a separate bathroom and shower, a main living room with a kitchen, and a sofa bed, so by day it’s a lounge and by night it’s a bed.

“For people who can’t afford a home, or can’t even afford a rental – at this pricepoint, it would create an opportunity and give them a chance they might not otherwise have.”

Mr Paterson, who sourced his tiny home from Tiny Homes 4 U, which also makes two-bedroom versions, said his home measures 6m x 2.2m and was easily craned into his backyard.

“People all around the world are living in places this size – for a lot of people it just makes sense,” he said.

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Real Estate Institute of South Australia legislation and industry adviser Paul Edwards said tiny homes could be a great addition to the housing stock, but said landlords and tenants should clearly understand their rights and responsibilities before committing.

“Provided the floor-to-ceiling height meets the minimum requirements under the building act, and each habitable room is adequately lit and ventilated, if it fits and it’s habitable then go for it,” he said.

“Provided the landlord doesn’t interfere with the tenant’s quiet enjoyment of the property, and if the tenant can be given privacy and access, then anything that can help ease the current housing crisis is helpful.”

The post Tiny homes: the big idea to help ease SA’s housing crisis appeared first on realestate.com.au.

A man’s home is his castle, just ask Darryl Kerrigan.

Around the country, Aussie homeowners have taken the saying to new heights, ditching the standard home for properties that are truly traditional — medieval castles.

With drawbridges for driveways and turrets over terraces, these eye-catching homes are straight from the set of Game of Thrones.

Versace Castle on Nippards Track in Woorarra West, Victoria, is the life’s work of Italian-Australian Fabio Versace.

The castle stands mightily atop a 68 acre block in Victoria’s south.

Swords, banners and a custom suit of armour — all handcrafted by Mr Versace — are among the home’s fantasy features. Even the arched window panes and embellished doorways were his creation.

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His wife, Louise Martin-Versace said the project took over 20 years to build.

“It’s been a labour of love,” she said.

“There was a drawing that he did when he was five years old of a castle.”

“I said, ‘Let’s make it happen’.”

The details of the home have been meticulously crafted by Mr Versace.

Ms Martin-Versace said their grandchildren used to love visiting the castle.

“When they were smaller they would tell everyone ‘my nonna owns a castle’,” she said.

“They would sit in the big king’s chair and get a photo holding a goblet.”

The couple are selling the home and looking to downsize as Mr Versace suffers from Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), a rare neurodegenerative disorder.

The property is listed for $1.15-1.25m.

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In Sydney’s southwest, Leumeah Castle is something of a local landmark.

The extraordinary medieval-style home in the city’s southwest is complete with turrets, arrowslits, a moat and knightly decor throughout.

While the owners were previously testing the water — of the market, not their moat — they have recently bolstered their attempt to sell with a new real estate agent and new renovations.

There is a $1.5m guidance for the medieval manor.

RE/MAX Prestige agent Devak Arutla said most interested buyers saw the property as an investment opportunity, particularly as an Airbnb.

“With the new airport coming next year … it’s going to be a good tourist spot,” he said.

According to Mr Arutla, the castle was also attracting interest as a retirement home.

“Living like this, in a castle, will be a good memory for the grandkids.”

Mr Arutla said there have been several owner-occupier inquiries as well.

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The sellers, Gopal and Sonita Ganda, bought the property for $480,000 in 2014.

The couple are regular attendees at medieval themed events, and even arrived at the open inspection in medieval garbs.

Leumeah Castle was originally built by Ron and Joan Farmer, an English couple, in the 1970s.

It took 10 years for them to build the three-bedroom, two-bathroom home.

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Seventeen Forsythia Dr, Tambourine Mountain captured the imagination of Queenslanders this past week, being the most viewed property of the week on realestate.com.au.

Tucked away in Tamborine Mount, west of Gold Coast, the home includes a cobblestone tower that adds a splash of medieval influence.

It was built by its long-time owner and sits on a private block right next to Tamborine Mountain’s Botanical Gardens.

Selling agent Louis Bartle, principal of Bartle Real Estate said 60 groups came through the property during the first open home.

“Buyers were a mix of people wanting to renovate the property and live in it themselves and others looking for an opportunity to get into the market,” he said.

According to Mr Bartle, renovation would likely be needed for the castle’s interior.

“It’s quite charming from the outside and there is a lot of craftsmanship that has gone into it, but internally it’s tired,” he said.

The home’s value is estimated by property.com.au to be $946,000.

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The post Inside Australia’s craziest castle homes appeared first on realestate.com.au.

The Victorian government is sitting on a more than $50m property portfolio including homes it’s been planning to sell for up to eight years as it grapples with a budget crisis.

Industry figures have urged the government to urgently offload the addresses to help fund social and affordable housing, infrastructure and programs to fast-track housing approvals.

The Jacinta Allan-led government has also come under fire for the length of time it is taking to prepare the sites for sale.

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And with the government’s budget documents showing Victoria’s debt is expected to balloon to $155.5bn this year, offloading the properties could also help its balance sheet.

More than 40 homes earmarked for sale are left over after being acquired in Carnegie, Murrumbeena and Hughesdale between 2016 and 2018, for the Caulfield-Dandenong sky rail project.

Digital estimates indicate the homes’ values vary from $382,000 for a one-bedroom unit in Carnegie to a six-bedroom house in the same suburb worth $2.12m.

While the addresses were declared surplus to the government’s needs many have not been sitting empty, with some rented out to tenants.

Other sites among the 60-plus properties designated for sale include vacant land, an ex-police station and former schools including two which closed in 2008.

An ex-school in Broadmeadows has been on the to-be-sold list since at least 2017.

Valuations for the residential sites are available from sources external to the government such as realestate.com.au, indicate there is at least $56m in property that could be sold.

Estimates for commercial sites and other locations are not available, suggesting the real figure could be substantially higher.

A Department of Transport and Planning spokesperson said the valuations were not available because they were commercial in confidence.

The Property Council’s Victorian executive director Cath Evans said well-located, strategic sites should not sit idle when Victoria was facing a housing crisis.

“Funds from these sales could be reinvested into local infrastructure delivery or programs that help cut red tape and fast-track housing approvals,” Ms Evans said.

She said the proceeds could also support social and affordable housing projects with the state government aiming to build 800,000 new homes across the next decade.

Ms Evans added several years was more than enough time to work through planning and consultation processes, particularly when sites were already in the government’s pipeline.

“With rising debt and interest repayments, it’s more important than ever for the state to use its balance sheet wisely,” she said.

Real Estate Institute of Victoria interim chief executive Jacob Caine said more needed to be done to shorten timelines for sales so “we can effectively use the properties and land that we have at our disposal today, rather than decades hence”.

“In the midst of perhaps the most acute housing affordability crisis that the state and the country’s ever faced, we need every single bit of land, property and home available to the community in order to help ease the pressures that buyers and renters across Victoria are facing,” Mr Caine said.

Surplus land sales sometimes cannot take place until a contaminated site is remediated or rezoned, which involves town planning activities and public consultation.

The land is also offered at a discount to local councils to purchase for community use, before being listed for public sale.

Currently, the state government has seven sites on the market with vacant blocks in Epping, Drysdale and Melton among them.

Since January 2023, the government’s coffers have been boosted by a combined $35m in Victorian land sales.

A government spokesperson said proceeds from land sales were reinvested into services and infrastructure such as schools, hospitals and public transport.

“We’re unlocking surplus government land across the state to deliver hundreds of new homes,” they said.

In March, the Minister for Housing and Building Harriet Shing announced an ex-VicRoads site in Kew had been rezoned with the aim of building up to 500 homes there including a minimum 10 per cent affordable housing component.

The government has also earmarked six other surplus sites to potentially deliver up to 350 new homes across Baxter, Bendigo, Carlton, Croydon South, Heidelberg West and Geelong.

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The post Revealed: Vic gov’s huge property portfolio amid housing crisis appeared first on realestate.com.au.