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Exclusive: How did Marty Fox's Auction Day predictions hold up?

November 8, 2023 - 3.01am

Ahead of the Block Auctions, Marty Fox had a very specific idea of how he believed the market would respond to the five homes.

Stream the latest episodes of The Block for free on 9Now.

And on the day itself, Marty said he couldn't resist turning up as both an "auctioneer and auction enthusiast."

"Pretty confident, very excited," was how he was feeling ahead of the hammer falling.

The Block's newest judge arrived at Charming Street looking suave and stylish in a pink shirt and navy jacket, cream pants paired with black loafers and a classic pair of shades.

He stayed his usual unflappable self, as he surveyed the bidders arriving for the day.

In our exclusive video, he ranked how he felt the results would fall on the day... which turned out to be eerily accurate.

Watch the video to discover exactly what he predicted.

Marty used his real estate expertise all season, advising the five teams on how potential buyers would see their properties and suggesting all-important tweaks to make them even more valuable.

The week before auction, Marty predicted the result perfectly.

The Block Auction 2023 Charming Street Marty Fox — Marty Fox is pictured on Auction Day. Nine

"Based on their land size, I think House 4 or 5 will sell for the highest amount," he shared. "And they have also won the rooms that really sell houses: being master bedrooms and kitchens."

In fact, eventual buyer Adrian Portelli made specific mention of the master bedroom to 9Entertainment, admitting the space was stunning.

Marty also pondered in advance whether a potentially high reserve could have led to House 4 not winning. When Steph and Gian eventually learned of their reserve – the highest of the group, at $3.35 million – they shared Marty's concern.

But a record-breaking bid of $5 million by billionaire businessman Adrian Portelli meant that was not an issue.

"I predict very aggressive bidding this year across all houses, particularly 4 and 5.," Marty had speculated.

That was definitely the case, as Adrian and investor Danny Wallis traded bids at both homes, with Buyer Agent Frank Valentic also in the mix.

During Backyard and Pool week, Scotty told Steph and Gian at Block HQ that, "Marty Fox believes you are on the way to possibly breaking the price record for a house price in Hampton East."

"Talking about this suburb, in the financial markets that we're in and what we're seeing in the real estate market... we are in such an interesting price bracket with The Block this year," Marty explained.

The Block 2023 Marty Fox Darren Palmer Shaynna Blaze — Marty Fox is pictured with Shaynna Blaze and Darren Palmer. Nine

"This will set a precedent. This is transformative for the suburb."

There were mixed reactions by the contestants to their reserve prices. Both Houses 4 and 5 fretted they wouldn't sell their homes at all, a fear that proved to be completely dismissed when their auctions delivered huge profits for both couples.

Exclusive: Adrian Portelli explains his strategy in buying three out of five houses on this season of The Block

Watch Marty's pre-auction predictions in the video at the top of this article.

See all the auction results below: