The Block NZ 2019 contestants (left to right) Stacey and Adam, Ethan and Sam, Lisa and Ribz, Sophia and Mikaere. Photo / Supplied
The Block NZ 2019 contestants (left to right) Stacey and Adam, Ethan and Sam, Lisa and Ribz, Sophia and Mikaere. Photo / Supplied
Fans have raised more than $27,000 for The Block NZ's Ethan Ordish and Sam Whatarangi after their renovated apartment failed to make money for the pair.
Ordish and Whatarangi, whose apartment reached its reserve price at $1.39 million leaving them without a profit, say they are "genuinely grateful and honoured" at the support from fans.
"It's been pretty crazy to see that people care enough about us and our future that they've gone out of their way, not only to set up the page, but to give their own money towards it," the Te Kuiti childhood friends said in a statement on the Givealittle page set up within hours of the show ending last night.
"Just feeling pretty overwhelmed and super grateful for all the support and love we've received throughout this entire season, right up until now with these donations coming in.
"We honestly have the best fans, it's crazy."
Three of the four couples competing in the 12-week show went home with nothing, as two apartments failed to sell at auction and Ordish and Whatarangi's barely met reserve.
The pair did win the People's Choice Award though, which included a Suzuki S-Cross Prestige.
The Givealittle page set up for them said: "The boys did their best and with Ethan having a baby soon they at least deserve to walk away from The Block with some funds.
"Bring a smile back to those happy boys from Te Kuiti who lit up your TV screens for weeks."
The page had raised more than $27,000 as of 8am Tuesday.
"The reserves were too high and you'd deserve more then nothing for the 12 weeks of blood, sweat and tears," one donor wrote.
"Love your kind hearts, fantastic humour and the fact you keep it real while remaining loyal and fair," said another donor.
The pair said they hadn't yet discussed what to do with the money
"By the looks of it the intention is for us to have some money to help us out, whether that be for our new baby coming along or just to set us up a bit for the future or even just to have made the three months worth of hard work worth it all in the end.
"Still trying to wrap our heads around the fact that people love and care enough about us to set the page up in the first place.
"We're just so genuinely grateful and honoured."
A third apartment sold today following negotiations after the on-air auction last night.
A late-night close saw Stacy Heyman and Adam Middleton's Apartment 1 sell for $1,480,000.
The sale price met reserve, but failed to make any profit - meaning the couple also walked away with nothing.
Wellington couple Lisa Ridout-Gordon and Christopher Gordon, from Apartment 2, were the only team to selling over the reserve price, banking $50,000, as well as $100,000 cash prize for the show win.
The fourth team of Mikaere and Sophia Gardiner had the penthouse Apartment 4 passed in at $1.455m and there is yet to be any news of a sale.
A property expert has claimed the apartments failed to generate a profit for contestants because the show's format demanded they sell at auction.
OneRoof property commentator Ashley Church told The AM Show the programme was "a metaphor for the housing market".
"If you go back to season one, which was in 2012, the combined profits between the contestants was about $232,000. That was early in the last cycle of the property market. That ratcheted right up to 2017 ... between the contestants, they made $981,000. That was the peak of the cycle - it's come back since then."
Church said auctions were a fantastic tool when the market was going well but, in this environment, that was much less likely to happen.
"You saw that last night with those four auctioneers pretty much extracting teeth trying to get offers out of people."
Church said the properties sold at good value but less than what he expected.
"These things are premium apartments overlooking Eden Park so I don't think there was too much of an issue with the reserve price. I think it was simply a reflection of the fact there just isn't the competition at the moment to be in an auction room prepared to pay the price and competing with other people."
Church advised contestants next year "to go in with the expectation that it's a life experience ... and you may make a little bit of money, but don't go in with that being your major expectation".
