The Block’s spectacular 2026 auction finale may have delivered the happy ending producers and contestants had been hoping for, but behind the celebrations, a last-minute decision has raised fresh questions about how the day’s events unfolded.

Veteran auctioneer Damien Cooley, who has worked on 14 seasons of the renovation series, has revealed he was disappointed after discovering that the auction order had been changed without consulting him.

The unexpected switch saw Courtney and Sev’s House 4 moved forward to second position, replacing House 2 in the running order. Cooley says he only discovered the change when he arrived at the site on auction day.

And now, after seeing how dramatically the properties performed, he believes the sequence could have made a difference to the way buyers approached the remaining homes.

The Last-Minute Decision That Took Him by Surprise

The five properties at Mackillop Place in Mount Eliza had been expected to go under the hammer in numerical order.

However, that arrangement changed at the eleventh hour on the morning of the auctions.

House 4, renovated by Courtney and Sev, was moved from fourth position to second, while Chantel and Wyatt’s House 2 was pushed back to fourth.

According to Domain, Nine made the adjustment after taking advice from House 4’s real estate agent. The strategy was to bring properties with strong buyer interest forward, potentially giving unsuccessful bidders another opportunity to compete for the homes still waiting to be sold.

But Cooley, who was responsible for Adam and Jolene’s House 1, was not informed in advance.

Speaking to realestate.com.au, he admitted that the lack of consultation had left him disappointed.

“Once they decide on an order of sale, that’s the decision, and all of the couples are consulted on where they want to be,” he explained.

He then revealed:

“I certainly was not consulted on any change. I only found out when I arrived at The Block on the day.”

It was not a complaint about the contestants’ eventual success, but an expression of frustration about being left out of a decision that could have influenced the dynamics of the auction day.

Why the Order of the Houses Mattered More Than Anyone Expected

The five properties were not identical, and their positions within the development created two distinct groups.

Houses 1, 2 and 3 were known as the Uptown homes. Positioned higher on the site, Houses 1 and 3 were elevated two-storey properties with ocean views — a feature that had helped make them particularly attractive during the series.

Houses 4 and 5, meanwhile, were located lower down and had more expansive ground-floor layouts and larger backyards.

Before auction day, there had been considerable discussion about whether the ocean views would give the Uptown properties an advantage.

But the results revealed something unexpected.

Buyers appeared willing to pay more for the additional land, larger outdoor areas and more functional layouts offered by the two Downtown properties.

House 4, in particular, attracted 17 registered bidders — the highest number recorded for any single property on the show.

That level of interest became a significant factor in Cooley’s reflections about the auction sequence.

The Scenario Damien Cooley Wishes Had Played Out

Looking back at the final results, Cooley suggested that a different sequence might have created stronger momentum for the remaining properties.

He believed that if House 4 had gone first and achieved the price it eventually secured, followed by House 5, the strong results could have raised buyers’ expectations for the three Uptown homes.

“If House 4 had have gone first and got the result that they got, and then House 5 went next, I think that it would have really lifted the expectation of the buyers for the top three uptown homes,” he said.

It is an intriguing possibility, particularly given that the final results showed buyers placing considerable value on land size and layout.

However, Cooley did not claim that the actual running order was responsible for lower prices elsewhere. His comments were a reflection on what might have happened under a different set of circumstances.

As he acknowledged, hindsight is always easier once the numbers are known.

“I guess I feel some disappointment for the houses up top now knowing the result,” he said, adding that those properties had been facing a disadvantage because of their land size.

Adam and Jolene’s House Had Nine Registered Bidders — But the Result Was Not What Cooley Expected

Cooley’s own auction began the day with Adam and Jolene’s House 1.

Before the bidding started, there had been considerable confidence surrounding the property. With nine registered bidders and impressive ocean views, it was considered one of the strongest contenders among the five homes.

The couple had also received positive attention from the judges throughout the competition, adding to expectations surrounding their eventual sale.

Their house ultimately sold for $3.905 million, comfortably exceeding its $3.45 million reserve and delivering a profit of $455,000.

For Adam and Jolene, it was still a substantial result, with the couple delighted to walk away with a life-changing sum.

But Cooley admitted he had mixed emotions.

“From a result point of view I am incredibly thrilled for all of the contestants, disappointed in some respects for Adam and Jolene not to have sold for more, and not to have won,” he said.

He also made clear that the couple themselves were over the moon with what they had achieved.

The buyers were a family from Mount Eliza who purchased the property for their brother. He had originally intended to build a new home but changed his mind after viewing House 1.

Cooley explained that the family believed they could not build a property of comparable quality and finish for the same amount of money.

After the auction, the buyer even described it as the best house on The Block.

It was an encouraging endorsement of Adam and Jolene’s work, even if the final price did not quite match Cooley’s expectations.

Courtney and Sev’s Gamble Paid Off in Spectacular Fashion

The biggest result of the day belonged to Courtney and Sev.

Their House 4, which had been moved forward to second position, sold for an extraordinary $4.72 million — $1.27 million above its $3.45 million reserve.

The pair also secured the $100,000 winners’ prize and the additional $500,000 Plungie prize package, making their overall reward the largest in the show’s history.

Their victory was particularly satisfying because their decision to choose House 4 over the more elevated properties had attracted criticism earlier in the series.

While many assumed the ocean views of the Uptown homes would prove decisive, Courtney and Sev had backed the layout and functionality of their chosen property.

That decision ultimately paid off.

The house attracted 17 registered bidders, and a fierce bidding battle helped push the final price well beyond expectations.

Their achievement also offered further evidence of the demand for properties with larger usable land and more practical layouts.

All Five Homes Sold — A Dramatic Turnaround for The Block

Despite the questions surrounding the auction order, the overall results were remarkably positive.

All five homes sold under the hammer, with every team securing a substantial profit above reserve.

The final figures were:

Together, the five teams generated approximately $3.547 million in profits above their reserves.

The outcome was a considerable improvement on the previous year’s Daylesford auctions, when two properties failed to sell under the hammer and eventually changed hands at a loss.

Cooley described the 2026 result as a major boost for the programme.

He also praised the producers for securing a strong location and delivering properties with impressive construction and finishes.

Having worked across 14 seasons, he said the size and quality of this year’s homes had been exceptional.

The Question That Still Remains After the Celebrations

For Cooley, the auction day was ultimately a success, and he was pleased that every contestant walked away with a significant financial result.

But his comments have drawn attention to a part of the finale that viewers may not have fully appreciated: the importance of the running order and how quickly a decision can change the atmosphere of a high-stakes auction.

The change was made at the last minute, the auctioneer says he was not consulted, and the final results have since given him reason to wonder whether a different sequence might have benefited some of the homes positioned higher on the site.

There is no evidence that the switch was responsible for any particular contestant receiving a lower price, and Cooley has not accused anyone of deliberately disadvantaging the teams.

Nevertheless, his revelation has added a fascinating behind-the-scenes dimension to what was otherwise a triumphant finale.

All five properties sold, the contestants celebrated life-changing profits, and Courtney and Sev walked away with a record-breaking victory.

But one question lingers: had the auctions unfolded in a different order, could the final results have looked very different?