Kevin From the Block

Written by Acme Mag

ACME spoke to Kevin from his home in Melbourne about how he wound up on the show, highlights from his time working with Josh and Luke, advice to anyone thinking of becoming a contestant, his main takeaways from the experience and what comes next.

Acme: How did you come to be the auctioneer for Josh and Luke on the 2021 season of The Block?
Kevin: I got a call from a contact telling me my name got put forward to The Block to represent the boys, and I was like, “oh sick, yeah, that would be awesome”. Later that evening, I went to the site, took a 60 second video with one of my daughters, just introducing myself and telling them this is something I have been working towards and it would be great to work with the boys. I assured them I would get them top dollar etc. I sent that video clip to the contact who told me I got referred. Later that night the boys called me and told me that they loved my vibe and wanted me on their team. That was that! Possibly the easiest listing I have ever done. I think they loved the energy I gave off – they are young, energetic boys with heaps of creativity, and I think our vibes were just well matched.

Acme: What was the most rewarding part of your time on The Block?
Kevin: My day-to-day life in this line of work is spent making a significant difference to people’s lives. This experience was really no different. it’s someone making a lot of sacrifices, being away from their family, working 20 hour days to create this dream for someone to enjoy. It’s just super special to be a part of it. I already have a pretty solid resume, but adding something like this is just extra credibility, and it’s a great marketing opportunity.

Acme: What’s your advice to anyone going on The Block as a contestant?
Kevin: It’s hard work, high pressure, super competitive, and you need to go in with an open mind. One of the boys said the other night, which I thought was a great comment, “in the process of building the house, the house built me”. In regards to the casting, you just have to be yourself. I had a chat with some of the casting crew, and they said they’re just looking for people that take risks, are willing to speak their mind on TV and are not afraid to make some bold moves. I think it’s also important to actually do some research, watch old episodes and work out what resonated with the judges. What does and doesn’t get you points.

There really is never a better blank canvas than this – you are doing a renovation with someone else’s money. I think people do underestimate how hard this experience is. People don’t see the emotional side of things, people are away from their families for such a long time, and it’s not easy for them. It combines emotional management, financial management, creativity, high pressure, big decision making. It’s never quite showcased the same way on TV. Don’t be too scared to embarrass yourself.

Acme: Did you have to adjust your approach as an agent while on The Block?
Kevin: I think working out who the real buyers were, that weren’t just fans so this was tricky. It’s different in a sales aspect as each week only one new photo goes online, we usually have a shoot and release all the photos, but this is trying to sell a house with only one new photo a week. That part was super interesting, keeping the discretion in challenges and not revealing stuff to the contestants. I think also keeping my lips sealed was something of a challenge. You are on show for the whole country to see, so ensuring that everything is up to quality is important as Block listings get around three million views online – that’s three million people judging your brand. It can be very powerful but can also go the other way.

Acme: Is there anything completely new that you learnt during your time on The Block that you can take into your day-to-day work?
Kevin: One thing I learnt is that Sunday inspections work. Something else I learnt is that people love champagne! We got some incredible feedback! At 10 in the morning we were handing out champagne and croissants – and people bloody loved it. It creates a good atmosphere in the house. People will remember the experiences they had in it, and they can start seeing it translate into their typical day-to-day life. Another thing that I learnt is all these contestants are just like you and me. If you treat them as anything but, they probably won’t resonate with you – I think that’s why the boys chose to go with me. The first time we met, I asked them if they liked beer, so I bought a six-pack with me. Now it’s not so much of a business partnership – it’s more of a friendship.

Acme: You mentioned that going on The Block was a part of a career dream – when do you think your career dream started, and what do you think the next step is?
Kevin: I had comments in the past from people saying “you would suit being on The Block” or people saying, “I saw the auctioneer on The Block, and they were useless. When will we see you there?”, So it’s always been in the back of my mind. It wasn’t something I consciously chased – it kind of just fell into my lap. I think I just had enough confidence in myself to do it, and that self-belief made it happen. It was terrific to get a profit of $530,000 for the boys on The Block, and I can’t wait to see what they do next.

As for what’s next for me, I am just growing as a person and brand, opening more offices, hiring new agents and seeing where life takes me. I have recently talked to Barbie about them opening something up in Australia. They want to dress up some of the houses I am selling with some of the rooms as Barbie Houses. Nothing official yet, but that’s in the talks!