Shelley Craft reveals The Block 2026 reserve prices live on-air in spur of the moment move
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Shelley Craft has revealed the reserve prices for this year’s The Block houses a week early in a spur-of-the-moment confession on Today.
Craft was speaking to hosts Tom Steinfort and Sylvia Jeffreys about Victoria’s new reserve price laws, when she decided to reveal the highly anticipated reserves of this year’s Mount Eliza Block homes.
The moment Shelley Craft revealed the reserves live on air. Nine
“This is unknown territory of us to know what the reserves are, I do know what they are… keeping tight-lipped about that is really difficult,” she began.
Jeffreys then asked Craft to rip the bandaid off, with Craft responding hesitantly, “Should I reveal them now?”
She then made the confession, revealing all five homes will have the same reserve price of $3.45 million with a sale guideline of $3.6 million to $3.9 million.
The reserve prices are usually revealed on the show, but it seems like Craft figured there was no harm in revealing them now, adding “We have to tell you next week anyway!”
She then joked The Block executives were going to come downstairs and get her in trouble for revealing the reserve prices early.
The new laws in Victoria mean homeowners must publicly list their reserve price at least one week before an auction.
“The whole legislation change is to create transparency within the industry,” Craft told nine.com.au shortly after the announcement.
“What I would love to see on Auction Day is families that have done their due diligence, seen the homes and know they’re in the ballpark for purchase.
“I want our contestants to reap the rewards of their hard work, and that takes dedicated buyers in the room ready to fight for their property.”
The Block homes are now live with their reserve prices listed on Domain.
The position of the five Block houses on site. Nine
“They will have to reveal their reserves, it’ll be printed on Domain you’ll see that below the listing for the world to see,” Craft said on Today.
The legislation comes into effect today, with Craft adding The Block homes will be “guinea pigs” of the new laws.
This year’s homes are in Victoria’s Mount Eliza, marking the first time The Block houses have had waterfront views.
All five two-storey homes boast sweeping views of Port Phillip Bay and the Melbourne city skyline.
Houses 1, 2, and 3 are set high on site. They are elevated, with incredible views, each set on about 1000 square metres of land.
Houses 1, 2 and 3 have an identical floor space of four bedrooms, four bathrooms, an open kitchen, living and dining that flow onto the alfresco terrace. Plus a rumpus room, elevator and pool.
The reserve prices would have to be made public next week anyway, she said. Nine
House 5 sits on the largest block with a whopping 1435 square metres.
Houses 4 and 5 have the same number of rooms as the others, however have an additional 50 square metres each with only partial water views. Houses 4 and 5 do have a larger deck that leads out to a backyard pool.
Contestants were given a total of $790,000 to complete their homes at the start of the season.
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