The Block 2024: Adrian Portelli raffle winner faces choice $8m cash or five Phillip Island houses — experts explain what to pick

Adrian Portelli bought up every house on The Block in Phillip Island. And now someone might win all of them in his raffle. But what should you do if you win? Photo: The Block/Nine

A massive decision looms for the lucky winner of billionaire Adrian Portelli’s controversial The Block 2024 raffle.

Should you take the $8m in cash, or take ownership of five homes that were built on Phillip Island as part of this season’s show.

PropTrack data reveals Cowes house prices have had a four per cent dip in the last 12 months, underscoring how Victoria’s new tax policies are provoking sell-offs among holiday home owners.

So what is the better option: should you take the cash or take ownership of all the houses? We spoke to a number of financial experts to get their insights.

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OPTION 1: Take the homes and sell them

House 1, renovated Maddy and Charlotte, sold for $3.5m

If you decide to take possession of all the houses, but then try to sell them off yourself with the ‘celebrity’ appeal of owning a TV property, you could in theory sell them all for more than the $8m cash prize on offer.

But will buyers be clamouring to get them?

The “glamour” of owning The Block’s Phillip Island homes was questioned by Property Home Base founding director and buyers agent Julie DeBondt-Barker.

Property Home Base founding director and buyers agent Julie DeBondt-Barker

“They don’t accurately reflect investment-worthy properties, it’s a constructed reality to serve entertainment,” Ms DeBondt-Barker said.

“There is often-disconnected realities between television narratives and the grounded demands of real estate investment.

“Proper financial planning through trust funds and ensuring the correct ownership structure are essential to managing any tax implications effectively.”

Eview Real Estate executive and Phillip Island expert Teresa Young said over the years homes on The Block have been criticised for being overpriced.

The youngest ever winners of The Block Maddy and Charlotte Photo: The Block/Nine

“Although they showcase impressive designs and modern amenities, their price tags often exceed what many consider reasonable in the current market,” Ms Young said.

“Phillip Island is home to countless beautiful beaches, each offering unique experiences – there are numerous tourist attractions, including various pubs that cater to the influx of visitors looking for relaxation and entertainment.

“Considering property purchases of The Block homes, if I were to invest, my approach would involve ensuring the properties are strata-titled — this means dividing the property into separate units which can be sold individually — thus potentially increasing the financial return rather than maintaining it as a single asset.”

Ms Young also said capital gains taxes would also apply to the sale and there likely wouldn’t be a return of $8m on the homes if they were to be sold individually.

“I can’t comment on what they would sell for individually but they likely wouldn’t sell for what they did on The Block,” she said.

OPTION 2: Take the homes and rent them out

If you decided to keep the homes and rent them out would there be a worthwhile return?

According to PropTrack data the median price of a four-bedroom rental home in Cowes is $540 per week.

Using that assumption, in total the properties could fetch, $140,400 a year from rental income.

Industry Insider Property buyers agent Andrew Date said the decision depends on broader economic, legislative, and personal factors.

“When advising someone on whether to take the cash or the homes, it really depends on their level of financial literacy and understanding of business, profit, and loss,” Mr Date said.

“The potential to offset tax bills by structuring property ownership through family trusts offers another layer of strategic complexity – structuring property ownership within a family trust can indeed be a more tax-efficient way to avoid hefty land tax bills, by allocating properties to family members.”

Mr Date said the reflection on the broader economic politics encapsulates a reality faced by the potential winner.

“I think if we’re to see the market improve next year it may require a change of government and housing policy, as current policies lead investors to liquidate their assets. Interest rates would also need to decrease successively to boost buyers’ confidence,” he said.

But even if you structure ownership of the properties well, will they make money?

Serial Block bidder Danny Wallis highlighted his concerns about attempting to rent these particular properties out individually.

Danny Wallis has purchased a number of homes on The Block in the past.

Mr Wallis previously told The Herald Sun that he hadn’t seen much point in bidding for the homes on the auction day against Portelli.

While he said the homes were good quality, he thought they had clearly been built as holiday homes and were best suited to be listed for short-term rentals.

“I did like the Phillip Island houses, but one of the reasons that I didn’t bid fiercely was there’s too much uncertainty about Airbnbs with the taxes and all that,” he said.

“And if you were to rent them as a holiday home for the whole year, you wouldn’t get a great return. They aren’t really near the beaches.”

Industry Insider Property buyers agent Andrew Date

“They don’t accurately reflect investment-worthy properties, it’s a constructed reality to serve entertainment,” Ms DeBondt-Barker said.

“There is often-disconnected realities between television narratives and the grounded demands of real estate investment.

“Proper financial planning through trust funds and ensuring the correct ownership structure are essential to managing any tax implications effectively.

OPTION 3: Take the cash

Your Australian Property buyer’s agent Zac Newbold said choosing the cash seemed to align with current economic uncertainties.

“In today’s market, where the property prices are predominantly influenced by current trends rather than intrinsic value, the certainty of cash is very attractive,” Mr Newbold said.

“I’d probably take the $8m cash instead of the home – I think this sentiment reflects the growing caution in a market pressured by volatile legislative changes.”

Your Australian Property buyer’s agent Zac Newbold.

But, for those eyeing the opportunity to harness these properties into a profitable business, particularly through platforms like Airbnb, he has some words of warning.

Mr Newbold said that the idea of taking the Phillip Island homes and creating a business was deterred by the Victorian government’s taxes such as the Airbnb tax and land tax.

“Coupled with legislative shifts like a looming 7.5 per cent levy, it doesn’t seem viable to me,” he said.

Adrian Portelli with The Block 2024 winners Maddy and Charlotte. Photo: The Block/Nine

“One of my clients owns an unencumbered property in Sorrento and is already spending about $80,000 a year on taxes alone.

“Many of my investor clients are now considering buying properties in other states, reflecting a trend towards lower tax burden and better investor climates elsewhere.”

Anyone keen on creating a property portfolio would be better positioned taking the cash and investing in states other than Victoria where the new taxes aren’t an issue.

VERDICT

Adrian Portelli has attended the Channel 9 program’s auctions for the last three seasons but wont be returning in 2025.

Eview Real Estate executive’s Teresa Young said it was the best financial decision to take the cash.

“If given the opportunity, I would opt to take the $8m in a context where a significant financial decision needs to be made” Ms Young said.

“The property market has a lot of activity due in part to various financial pressures – there are other homes in Phillip Island where you could make a more sound investment.”

“The residential property market showcases a variety of opportunities.

“There’s a broad selection of homes priced at $600,000 and below, which are appealing to buyers.”

Eview Real Estate executive Teresa Young said she would opt to take the $8m.

Ms Young said the properties that are sub $600,000 and below can also capture the interest of those looking for an entry-level holiday home.

However, properties in higher price brackets present more selling challenges, as the pool of buyers is smaller and more selective, often requiring more persuasive sales tactics or pricing incentives.

Industry Insider Property buyers agent Andrew Date agreed.

“I’d prefer to take the cash, hedge my bets by putting half into fixed income, and use the other half to purchase a principal place of residence,” Mr Date said.

“This strategy is rooted in the pragmatism of exploiting capital gains tax exemptions, which can carve out substantial financial benefits over time.”

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david.bonaddio@news.com.au

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