The Block auctions are less than two weeks away and the contestants will be watching the market closely to gauge what prices they could achieve under the hammer.
The sale of a four-bedroom new-build home in Hobsonville, west Auckland, last week may give them comfort.
The townhouse, at 61 Myland Drive, sold for $960,000 - more 100 percent above its 2017 CV - on September 13, and attracted strong buyer interest during the open homes.
The house was only built in the last 12 months, with the CV of $465,000 solely based on the value of the land.
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READ MORE: What The Block listing photos tell us about the contestants' chances
Barfoot and Thompson sales agent Dylan Tracey, who marketed Myland Drive along with Michael Zhang, said popularity of The Block had contributed to increased buyer interest in the suburb. "I think The Block has raised awareness of what Hobsonville has to offer. Many of the people looking to buy in the area like what they see in terms of community that's there and the amenities on offer.
"We've seen interest from existing home-owners who want to upsize and cut down on their commute into the city and are also looking to reap the benefits of a new-build."
The four Block homes at nearby Frances Bryers Road are similar in land size and build to 61 Myland Drive and are to be auctioned on September 30.
Sales data shows strong results for auctions in Auckland in the week to September 14, with 75 properties selling under the hammer, up 3 percentage points on the week before.
Auckland City had the highest clearance rate, at 52 percent, closely followed by Manukau City (48 percent clearance rate) and Waitakere City (45 percent). More than 50 percent of properties sold achieved a sale price of more than $1 million, and 10 percent of those went for more than $2 million.
The house that achieved the highest price at auction in Auckland last week was a five-bedroom villa on a 1021sqm section in Remuera.
18 Rangitoto Avenue sold under the hammer onsite for $4,555,000 on Wednesday September 12 - 23.11 percent above its 2017 CV.
The high-end street-facing house has an outdoor pool, two bathrooms, three living areas and double garaging, and is in the prized Double Grammar Zone.
The property, which was marketed by Harcourts agents Richard White and Julie Davies, attracted a lot interest during the open homes and achieved a sale price that exceeded vendor expectations.
Mr White said: "We had seven bidders at the auction, with strong competition between two bidders at the end. The fact that the auction was held onsite helped focus buyers on what the property had to offer and added to the emotion and excitement of the day."
Ms Davies added: "There is a shortage of good-quality properties on the market right now, which made this one standout to buyers. The vendors put money into a strong marketing campaign, which showed in the result they got."
