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00:13This season, as we celebrate our 200th episode, the house has literally soiled itself.
00:21You're really very rude.
00:23It takes years of practice, Lynn.
00:24Even the agent has given up.
00:26Look, these homeowners really need our help.
00:30We're a bit lost.
00:33Can we just stop this?
00:35This is pretty exciting.
00:37We will tackle our toughest challenges yet.
00:40It is crazy.
00:42I need more.
00:43You always want more.
00:44And with them.
00:45This is amazing.
00:47Will come our greatest rewards.
00:49Oh, my.
00:52Stunning.
00:53Just incredible.
00:54This is insane.
00:57To see all this kindness and generosity, we're just really grateful.
01:06Most people think selling a house is all about building up momentum and an easy sale will follow.
01:13Great agent and marketing and you're home and hosed.
01:17But when that momentum comes to a grinding halt, it's back to the beginning.
01:26You get to a new agent, revamp the styling, try new photographs, see if that changes things.
01:35But before you know it, that hasn't worked either.
01:41So, you try a new direction.
01:45Again.
01:46And again.
01:47And again.
01:48What are we going to do next?
01:51It's like you are reliving some sort of cursed Groundhog Day.
01:57And all you are getting is very, very dizzy.
02:02I've had enough of this.
02:09Meet Elton and Belinda.
02:11Over 20 years ago, Elton bought himself a bachelor pad in the leafy suburb of Carina Heights, just 10 kilometres
02:19from Brisbane CBD.
02:22Bought the property in 2005, paid $285,000 for it.
02:27It was actually the worst house in the street.
02:31For over a decade, he chipped away at fixing it up.
02:35Did the kitchen, laundry, barley hut out the back, the artificial grass, aquaponics, chicken coops, the aviary.
02:44Those sort of things.
02:45Then, along came Belinda.
02:47We met on an online dating site, and it was just, we had an instant connection.
02:51She had that sort of pin-up-y sort of look.
02:54And a sucker for tattoos as well, so.
02:57Sorry.
02:58Watch out, sonny.
03:00As their love grew, so did their family.
03:03With a teenager and a four-year-old, Elton's beloved old batch pad just isn't cutting it.
03:11Can you pass me the toothpaste, please, Leo?
03:14We've definitely outgrown this place.
03:15It's time to move.
03:17That's what they said three years ago, when they first put it on the market.
03:21But not even a nibble.
03:23I think the marketing wasn't right.
03:25They tried another agent.
03:28Then torrential rain three weekends in a row.
03:31And another.
03:32Get interest rates rose.
03:33It was taking an emotional toll on Elton, who thought the house was cursed.
03:39He tried to tackle it head on.
03:41I spoke to the house.
03:43I was like, you've got to let me go, sort of thing.
03:46Then came agent number four.
03:48And with him, a buyer.
03:51Until.
03:52The curse.
03:56Three or four days before the full settlement, a buyer was pulled out for an unknown reason.
04:02It was a tough pill to swallow.
04:05It was really hard at that time.
04:07Just, yeah, just seeing Elton, just so heartbroken.
04:10When his heart broke, my heart broke too.
04:17Leo, you got your homework?
04:18No.
04:19As the kids get bigger, Elton and Belinda can feel the walls closing in around them.
04:25They desperately need more space.
04:28And, as they say, desperate times call for desperate measures.
04:32I mean, why else would they have called us?
04:35If this doesn't work, I'm stuck here forever.
04:39We're here for life.
04:40The curse is real.
04:41Yeah, the curse is real.
04:49Karina Heights is a suburb originally built in the 1950s.
04:53Small houses, big blocks.
04:55But you can feel the landscape shifting.
05:02Where did that house come from?
05:04It's a long time since I've seen a suburb with such an obvious change going on.
05:10Old, new, old, new.
05:12Not far to Elton and Belinda's now.
05:14Here we go.
05:16I bet money on which side of the old, new divide their place sits on.
05:23If only I could see it.
05:26And what's the other side?
05:30Hello there.
05:31Hello.
05:31Andrew, how are you?
05:33Look at that.
05:35Wow.
05:35They're definitely the old side.
05:38Nice to meet you.
05:39Nice to meet you.
05:39Welcome to our home.
05:42Don't look too close.
05:43Ah, well, there you go.
05:45You see, now that's just what I've started to do.
05:48But there's a hole in that.
05:50Yeah.
05:51A matching hole the other end.
05:52Okay.
05:53Head in?
05:54Yeah.
05:54After you.
05:55Oh, thank you.
05:56Now you've got me nervous.
05:59Okay.
05:59Is the screen door open?
06:00It is.
06:01Oh, yes.
06:02There we go.
06:04Ah.
06:05Oh.
06:08So, straight in to the living area.
06:12Yep.
06:13And you've added multi-function to the room by adding a gym.
06:18Two of geniuses.
06:20Winning combination.
06:21Yeah.
06:21Clearly not, though, is it?
06:22How many agents now?
06:23Four, is it?
06:24Oh, yeah.
06:24Yeah.
06:26Well, what's the next room that we're going to see?
06:28You lead the way.
06:29Well, if you come in through here, Andrew, and there's a perfect little spot, you can see
06:34pretty much every room in the house.
06:36Oh, my God.
06:37You're right.
06:37You can see the whole house.
06:39A teenager's dream?
06:41Not.
06:43This is your classic 50s layout.
06:46Living up front, kitchen out the back, and three bedrooms and a bathroom boxed in wherever
06:51they're fit.
06:53With all the walls blocking any kind of flow, this 110 square meter area feels even tinier
07:00than it is.
07:02So, what have we got in here?
07:03Oh, is this one of your children's bedrooms?
07:07Yep.
07:08Youngest.
07:08Okay.
07:09Bedroom two.
07:09All right.
07:11Main bedroom through here?
07:12Main bedroom.
07:12Master.
07:13Sorry, sorry.
07:14Main suite.
07:15Sorry.
07:17Oh, look at this.
07:19I'm beautifully accessorised with a selection of skulls.
07:24I must congratulate you.
07:26You've actually got built-ins in here.
07:28We do.
07:28You also installed those.
07:30What's going on with these two doors?
07:33Cork, so you can stick the...
07:34Stick photos.
07:35Oh, right.
07:36Oh, it's designed to be like that.
07:38Yeah.
07:38Sorry, just thought it was unfinished.
07:40No.
07:40Okay, whatever would give me that impression.
07:42I'd rather stick pins in my eyes than have a cork board for a wardrobe.
07:47But that's just me.
07:48Okay, let's carry on this tour.
07:50It's not going to take long, is it?
07:51Let's be honest.
07:51No.
07:52Yes.
07:54And, Andrew, here's the spacious bathroom.
07:58Oh, okay.
07:59The only bathroom, isn't it?
08:01It is.
08:03A bathroom this size for a family of four?
08:06I can't imagine why they want to move.
08:11So, you've done a kitchen at some point.
08:14How recently was this done?
08:16Around 12 years ago.
08:17This is the only meals area you've got.
08:21Yeah, we rarely consider it.
08:22Makes entertaining hard.
08:24Yeah, it's not ideal.
08:29This is bigger than the house.
08:33So, what's this bit?
08:36I mean...
08:37Barbecue area slash entertaining area.
08:39Barbecue, pool table, darts.
08:41Right.
08:42And you sit where?
08:44Oh, yeah, no, there's no...
08:45You don't sit.
08:46It's not level.
08:49What do we have here?
08:51Oh.
08:54So many things.
08:59And what's that?
09:00That's our tiki bar.
09:02Obviously a tiki bar.
09:03And a cubby house.
09:05Yep.
09:06And...
09:06Oh, another outdoor entertaining area with two seats.
09:10Two seats.
09:10Oh, fire pit with more seating.
09:13Again, only two seats.
09:14Yeah.
09:15You don't have friends, do you?
09:17No.
09:17No.
09:17I know.
09:18I should be horrified.
09:20But I'm thinking about Dennis' reaction.
09:22And all I'm feeling is pure delight.
09:25Doesn't get any better than this.
09:29Part of me, Andrew, thinks that the house hasn't sold.
09:33Around 20 years ago, I dug up this creepy little statue in the backyard.
09:40Oh.
09:41I feel like it's a little bit of a curse.
09:43I stand corrected.
09:46You found that in the garden?
09:47Too scared to get rid of me.
09:48He's looking at me.
09:49Yeah.
09:50It's a very creepy.
09:51Yeah.
09:51We might move away from here.
09:53Yeah.
09:53Right.
09:54Good idea.
09:55Let's go and have a chat.
10:00First place to discuss serious business is a tiki bar.
10:04Right.
10:04So we've had three failed campaigns and you actually got a bar, signed, agreed a price.
10:101.1.
10:11And they walked away.
10:12Yep.
10:13Pretty heartbreaking for all of us.
10:14Would be.
10:15So you've been through all those campaigns, three years of time.
10:18What price are you chasing?
10:19Looking around the 1.1 million to 1.2 million.
10:23Right.
10:23Okay.
10:24All right.
10:24Well, come on.
10:25Yeah.
10:31With every crevice of this property occupied by something, it's easy to see why Elton and
10:38Belinda have outgrown it.
10:40They're literally going around in circles.
10:42A bit like the buyers who come in one way and go straight back out the other.
10:52Carina Heights has the best of both worlds.
10:54An easy 10-kilometre commute to Brisbane CBD, close to amenities and cafes, parks and reserves
11:02everywhere you look.
11:07So you've got to ask, why have Elton and Belinda had so much trouble selling?
11:13Apart from the dreaded curse, of course.
11:17I suppose it's time to speak to their agent.
11:19We'll call him agent number four.
11:27I'm looking at Brisbane there in all its magnificence.
11:31And it has been booming in the last three years that Belinda and Elton have been trying
11:35to sell.
11:37I've got to ask you about Carina Heights, though.
11:40It's a place to look.
11:40Very low density, very family-friendly.
11:42So if you're a family and you want to still live in an area with bigger blocks, Carina Heights
11:47could be for you.
11:47It's a place to look.
11:48All right.
11:48So on that basis, then, sum up what's wrong in your eyes.
11:53Look, there's a couple of issues.
11:54There's the flow of the house.
11:55It's very disconnected.
11:56The living areas, the kitchens.
11:58Yeah.
11:59And then I presume the outside.
12:01There's a lot going on in that backyard.
12:02There's a lot going on.
12:03If it was looking its best, the figures in the one-twos are achievable.
12:08There should be bars lining up, you know, for a big block in a great suburb that, as
12:12I said, is on the rise.
12:13Just not as it is.
12:14Not as it is.
12:16Well, we'll head off then.
12:17Quite happily.
12:21It's easy to blame agents and bad luck.
12:24But the truth is, Elton and Belinda's house hasn't sold in three years because, well,
12:30it's really quite awful.
12:32I just need to find a way to make them see that.
12:38This is the house that we've come to have a little look at.
12:41OK.
12:41The fact that this is on this main road and you're on the quiet position around the corner.
12:46Yeah.
12:46You're streets ahead in desirability and value immediately.
12:51Sorry, what was that?
12:52Come on, let's go and have a look.
12:55I'm supposed to be the funny one, you know that, don't you?
12:59Come on in.
13:01There you go.
13:05Definitely feels a little bit more open plan.
13:07Yeah, it's got that open plan feel.
13:11Why don't you go and explore, then I'll meet you out the back because we need to have some
13:15chats out there.
13:15Sure.
13:16Off you go, enjoy.
13:18As with most houses of the era, this would have been an almost exact replica of Elton and
13:24Belinda's.
13:25Three bedrooms.
13:26No cork board, I see.
13:27Yeah.
13:28One bathroom.
13:30Very sort of similar size, probably two hours.
13:32But this house, it's moved with the times.
13:36Oh, beautiful.
13:37Built-in barbecue, fridge.
13:40Love it.
13:40You could really entertain it.
13:41Yeah.
13:45Definitely a lot of similarities.
13:47In the sort of specification of the property, but then it all goes, oh.
13:52Yeah.
13:53The big difference, of course, is out here.
13:56Yeah.
13:57So many less going on.
13:59Yeah.
14:00Just the outdoor entertaining area with seating.
14:04Yeah.
14:05Look, yeah.
14:05They have friends.
14:06Well, obviously.
14:07How long do you think it took to sell them?
14:10Six weeks.
14:1227 days.
14:13Wow.
14:14Okay.
14:14What do you think it's sold for?
14:16One one.
14:17You are spot on.
14:19To get 1.1 for this in such a secondary position, it just shows what staging and renovations
14:26can do.
14:27The buyer's gone.
14:28They've ignored all that.
14:29They bought it and paid 1.1.
14:31Yeah.
14:31How does that make you feel?
14:33Certainly there's a bit of hope, but a lot of work ahead.
14:36So on that note, should we leave?
14:38Yeah.
14:38Let's go.
14:38It's a great backyard, isn't it?
14:41Seems Elton's conceded it might be more than bad luck.
14:45Their house hasn't sold.
14:48He's poured 20 years of blood, sweat and tears into a home that's turning buyers away.
14:57Until that changes, they are stuck in an overcrowded house with no way out.
15:17Elton and Belinda have been trying to sell their Carina Heights house for three years.
15:23Sunny, have you got everything?
15:25Bag on.
15:26There's been a revolving door of agents with no sign of stopping.
15:30They desperately want out, but their fear is they'll be stuck forever.
15:36Luckily, Wendy and Dennis are on their way.
15:40And with Dennis being a local, I'm sure they'll have no trouble finding the place.
15:46We are on your home turf.
15:48Ah, see what you did there?
15:52Turf and Dennis, hand in hand.
15:53Such a great spot to be, Queensland.
15:56Look at the sunshine.
16:01So if you turn left, you go up and around and then you can come back up this way.
16:07I don't know why, but you're bothering me.
16:11I just think I don't like you telling me what to do.
16:17So where do you want me to go?
16:20I'm not telling you what to do.
16:21Oh, I knew you were going to say that.
16:24Wherever I want.
16:29Really is.
16:29Turkey.
16:30There's Andrew.
16:36Hello, Mr. Min.
16:38Welcome to Carina Heights, you two.
16:40And this is our property.
16:44Look, Dennis, look.
16:46Look.
16:47Look, Dennis, what I give you.
16:49I know the grass needs a bit of attention.
16:51I understand that.
16:53Yeah, it's actually alarmingly OK.
16:57Yeah.
16:58Alarmingly OK.
17:00Dennis, you explore the front because I'd like to share the joy with you in the backyard.
17:05Wendy, after you, let's go inside.
17:06OK.
17:07The joy.
17:08Yeah.
17:09The joy.
17:10We're off to a very rocky start, Mr. Winder.
17:14Oh, my God.
17:15Too hard.
17:20So, living area.
17:22Wow, straight into it.
17:24Yeah, straight into it, Wendy.
17:25And some great news.
17:26Multi-purpose.
17:27No, the staging is already done.
17:29The throws and the cushions already on the sofa.
17:32Look.
17:36It's so cramped.
17:39Everything's just kind of jammed into all the corners and there's just an itty-bitty little
17:44space in the middle to connect it all.
17:48There's been a new kitchen put in here by Elton.
17:52I think about 12 years ago, he said.
17:55Look, it's obviously dated.
17:58The biggest problem, really, is not the kitchen itself.
18:02It's how it relates to the rest of the house, which actually it just doesn't.
18:07You know, it just, there's no connection to any kind of living space.
18:10There's no connection to outside.
18:12No, it's not.
18:12It doesn't feel like a social space.
18:15It feels like a functional space and that's all.
18:18And that's not how people live these days.
18:19No, that was how it was built for that era because this hasn't changed.
18:23Well, why don't you go and investigate the remaining bedrooms?
18:25It's going to take you literally 10 to 20 seconds.
18:28And I'll go and find Dennis in the garden whilst he's looking for joy.
18:33Joy.
18:34Joy.
18:40I'm here to share the joy.
18:42Oh, the joy and there's so much of it.
18:44Yes.
18:44What do you think?
18:45Oh, I don't know what to think.
18:49Let's just take it all in, right?
18:50We have got.
18:51There's a lot to take in.
18:53A lot.
18:53Are you still feeling the joy?
18:54No, I'm feeling a little bit of resentment, a little bit of anger, frustration.
18:57And also, we have got a tiki bar.
19:02It's like they've read every landscape book in the world and gone, yep, I'll have a piece
19:08of that.
19:09Yes.
19:09I'll put that there and I'll have a piece of this.
19:12There's a lot going on.
19:14It actually just feels like there's some carnage happening here.
19:18Shall we go and see if Wendy's in the kitchen?
19:19Yeah, I'd actually love to see what Binside is.
19:21Wendy?
19:22Wendy John.
19:25Hi, here you are.
19:26Oh, I'm inside.
19:27I didn't think...
19:27Oh, where are you in?
19:29Andrew said I could.
19:32So how did you go?
19:33All the finishes are just old and there's no cohesion in the finishes, all the colours
19:39came.
19:40But your biggest issue...
19:41Claw plan.
19:42Without the layout being solved...
19:44There's no point doing the rest of it.
19:46There's no point, yes.
19:46Absolutely.
19:47So what's your problem?
19:48Yeah.
19:50Well, there's a tiki bar, there's a spa, there's a raised garden bed, there's an aquaponics.
19:55There's a lot.
19:56It actually feels chaotic and it doesn't feel functional.
19:59How long do you think they've been trying to sell this property for?
20:02Well, if it hasn't sold in four to six weeks, then we've got some problems.
20:06We have three years.
20:08Three years?
20:09Three years.
20:11Yes.
20:11Well, can we go and meet them?
20:12We should go and meet them, yes.
20:14Elton thinks it's the agents.
20:16You should throw your hat in the ring.
20:20I didn't want to mention the curse.
20:22I mean, they're going to have enough on their plates, depending on how much Elton and Belinda
20:27are willing to spend.
20:33I wonder what the going rate is these days for a curse buster.
20:40Belinda and Elton are the home owners.
20:42Hello.
20:44Now, a bit of a drum roll here, because sat at the end of the table here is Jack, their
20:50real estate agent number four.
20:52Congratulations.
20:55So who would like to start?
20:58I actually think we should start with the buying public and see what they say.
21:02Are you ready for this?
21:03Yes.
21:09There's no real street appeal.
21:11I've been with the fencing there.
21:13Yeah.
21:15You kind of feel like you're suddenly in the house before you're in the house.
21:19Is that board that you can actually put thumbtacks on?
21:22Not really seen as before?
21:25Not too, and this seems to be the only storage in the place.
21:31There's no real dining room space.
21:33I can't really get my head around the layout inside.
21:35It doesn't flow very well.
21:38But if you're buying this, do you want, like, three little crappy sheds in the back of your
21:44garden?
21:46Current house now, I'd be looking around $950.
21:51One million.
21:52Like, the amount of work that we would want to put into it.
21:54$800 would probably be tops.
21:59Well, I wouldn't buy it.
22:02That was harsh.
22:03Yeah.
22:04A little shopping on the prices on some of those.
22:06Jack, are they that off the mark?
22:08I think they're a little bit harsh, but the reality is the buyers are seeing all the problems.
22:13For me, the biggest problem is the floor plan.
22:16The way that the rooms are configured currently, just, it doesn't work for modern living.
22:23So, I really want to solve that and make the whole house feel like it flows better.
22:28I'd also like to update the kitchen.
22:30And then it's really about making the house feel more cohesive in style.
22:36Some furnishings that feel like they're the right scale for the spaces.
22:39He's throwing cushions in the lounge already.
22:42Well, I've done enough.
22:42I've tried.
22:43Yeah.
22:44I might keep that throw and one of those cushions.
22:50For me, it starts right from the front.
22:51Like, it almost feels fortified.
22:53A big fence and it just sort of blocks everything off.
22:56So, we need to give it some more presence from the street and make it feel a little bit softer.
23:01And in the back, we've got to try and remove a bit of chaos, mate.
23:06So, we need to try and clean that up and address that.
23:09And once we do that, we can then reclaim what is, like, a really great space.
23:14It's your biggest room.
23:15And I think that's going to make a huge difference.
23:19So, you've got a lot of things going on on your side,
23:21but there's going to have to be a certain amount of investment to get it market ready.
23:26I think around $50,000 was probably in our budget.
23:30Do you think that could work?
23:32It's a little tight.
23:35It's always tight.
23:36Yeah.
23:38My fix is, honestly, outside, there are a lot of them is hard labour.
23:42It's only labour.
23:43Maybe Andrew can help.
23:44Well, we know that Andrew's not going to help.
23:46If only I lived a little closer to...
23:49Let's get rid of it.
23:51All right, well, all I can do is wish you good luck.
23:54Because you won't be around.
23:56Well, I will be at the end.
23:57Yeah.
23:58And it could be a toast to Jack, who will be agent number four and the final agent.
24:03The glory and the money.
24:05The glory and the money.
24:05Yeah.
24:07After three years and four agents, Elton and Belinda have all but given up on any hope of escaping their
24:15hokey, overcrowded house.
24:17Fingers crossed, Wendy and Dennis can help get them the sale they are so desperately after before they go completely
24:24round the bend.
24:28Every property journey has its ups and downs, but if there's one tip I'd give to anyone thinking of selling,
24:34it's this.
24:35Choosing the right agent is absolutely key.
24:39There's a service called Aussie Seller Assist.
24:42It basically acts like a concierge and connects you to local agents and it's free to use.
24:49Aussie takes a deep dive on your property and selling needs and then looks at the local real estate agents
24:56based on their sale results for homes like yours.
24:59Aussie delivers you a curated shortlist for you to choose from and Aussie handles all the introductions.
25:06No hassle, less guesswork and you can be confident you've chosen the right agent from the start.
25:28It's reno day, or should I say demo day.
25:36We're at Elton and Belinda's in Brisbane's Carina Heights, where Wendy and I have got just $50,000 to turn
25:43this tired, cramped old property into a young family's dream home.
25:55The front's actually not too bad, so I'm focusing on a few jobs that'll give me maximum bang for minimal
26:02bucks.
26:04Lowering the existing fence for extra street appeal, freshening up the garden beds and making the path to the front
26:11door more inviting with a feature tile and a budget-friendly arbor.
26:18But our back's where most of my time and cash are going.
26:23A lot of the work here is in clearing out the chaos, so most of the cost is in labour.
26:29Good thing I don't mind getting my hands dirty, because with this budget, looks like I'll be doing most of
26:35it myself.
26:36The real handbrake of this backyard is the fact that there is no outdoor living space.
26:42I mean, let's face it, this is south-east Queensland, where all your living is done outdoors.
26:49So, we're going to start from scratch with a blank canvas.
26:53Fire pit, cubby house, tiki hut and just about everything else are all going.
26:59I'm replacing the old patio roof to bring light back into a refreshed outdoor barbecue dining area.
27:07The old spa zone will make way for a relaxing parents' cabana.
27:12And real turf will lay the groundwork for a huge kids' play area.
27:17Or anything a new family can imagine.
27:21It will be an incredible transformation.
27:29When you're buying a family home, you want it to feel light and spacious, but still warm and cosy, which
27:36this house doesn't.
27:38Colour and styling will do a lot, but the big problem here is the layout.
27:43But it's actually an easy fix and a lot cheaper than you'd think.
27:48The key is actually flipping the floor plan.
27:53Right now, there's a bedroom off the kitchen and the living room's way down the other end.
27:59It just doesn't work.
28:01So, I'm swapping them.
28:03I'll add a hallway at the entry and open the wall between the new living and kitchen dining to finally
28:09make this house flow.
28:12And what that does is bring the living space into the social zone, where it always needs to be.
28:31The hallway's up, the kitchen wall's down.
28:35Now, instead of walking directly into a living room, the hallway has created an opportunity for the bedroom to move
28:42to the front of the house.
28:43At the back of the house, a big open-plan space that has a beautiful view out onto all of
28:49that leafy outlook.
28:50For under $6,000, it will completely transform this entire house.
29:11This demo job is proving to be a little bit bigger than I expected.
29:15I don't have the cash for extra labour, but I do have a ute, and I do have a toba.
29:26And for under a grand, I can hire a big excavator and cut my work in half.
29:32This one looks perfect.
29:34Now, this is the bit where everyone cares whether you can pack up in a straight line or not.
29:46The Tasman can handle up to three and a half tonne without even breaking a sweat.
29:52Time to hit the road.
30:01The weight of a couple of cows back there, and it feels like a Sunday drive.
30:07That's how you do it.
30:08Now it's time to turn this backyard into rubble.
30:12Tiki Bar, be gone.
30:32Now the wall's down, we need a fresh, modern kitchen to go with the new layout.
30:38I can't afford to gut it, and to be honest, there's no need.
30:41I can leave all the plumbing and electricals exactly where they are, and simply replace
30:48the cabinetry with a low-cost option.
30:53This new layout has just got a few tweaks that make it function a little bit better,
30:57moving some appliances around, but the most important thing is the amount of storage that
31:02we're adding.
31:04Even with a few new appliances, I'm still well within budget, and the new colour works perfectly
31:12with the open floor plan.
31:14And all I'm going to do is add a dining table here, and that will make that connection work
31:19even harder.
31:33Thanks to the excavator, I've already tossed about 30 tonne from the backyard in record time.
31:41Now it's back to the hard yakka out front, and I've managed to drag Wendy out to help
31:46pick up the pieces.
31:48You missed a bit over here, Dan.
31:50Yeah.
31:51I'm just not sure it's worth it.
31:56Not only did we have some broken tiles at this front entry, which was turning buyers off
32:00immediately as soon as you opened that gate, but it just had no personality or character.
32:06I'm going to liven this place up.
32:08I'm going to add a feature tile on this landing.
32:10Then, during this long boardwalk down towards the front entry, I'm going to have a nice arbor.
32:15That'll take your eye off what is a drab facade.
32:18Then right at the base of the stairs, I'm going to have my feature tiles again.
32:22This will inject a little bit of excitement and get the new buyers' blood pumping before
32:28they walk in and see inside.
32:34It's easy to underestimate how much time it takes to prep for painting, especially when
32:40the walls have got cracks and dints everywhere you look.
32:43So, anything that makes the job easier, I'm all for it.
32:47I've just got this really great tip from Jo, our painter, and it's if you're filling
32:52little holes around the place before you start painting, actually put dye in the filler and
32:57that allows you to really clearly see what you've filled and what needs to be sanded back.
33:02It's great for just little pieces because when you've got a pretty simple wall colour like
33:08this for a neutral, it's quite hard to see the filler.
33:11This way, you know where it's been, you know when it's been sanded back, and you can paint
33:15without worrying.
33:19The other key to opening this house right up is the colour palette.
33:23In a small home, light, neutral tones instantly make spaces feel larger.
33:29I've chosen half-strength drifting dune for all the walls, apart from a couple of warm green
33:36feature walls in the bedrooms.
33:38A subtle nod to that relaxed South East Queensland vibe.
33:44This is a really simple colour scheme, but it's going to make this house feel like a home.
33:59Oh, my God.
34:02This is the clear out of all clear out.
34:05I now have what is in essence a blank canvas.
34:10I've just somehow got to break the news to Elton.
34:15Oh, wow.
34:16Speaking of the devil.
34:18Well, look how big it is.
34:19Look how big the backyard is.
34:23Now, Elton, your name was mud the last couple of days.
34:27There's barely anything's happened out here.
34:29Seriously, the amount of stuff I've had to take out, I was cursing you.
34:34Yeah, look, it's amazing the difference.
34:36Yeah, it's pretty incredible.
34:37Yeah, it is.
34:38Wow.
34:38Still a bit to do, I'm not going to lie.
34:40Still a little bit to do.
34:42We've got some holes to dig.
34:43Sure.
34:43Yeah, come on.
34:44And the digging just quietly isn't much fun.
34:47The ground isn't the softest around here I've noticed over the years.
34:50No, it's not.
34:56The original floorboards in this house were in great need of repair, but to restore them
35:02was way out of my budget.
35:04Instead, I'll be laying new flooring on top of them.
35:09This high-density underlay floor prep covers up all of the imperfections and fills the gaps.
35:15That provides a really strong, stable base for us to install the new flooring on top.
35:19I'm using sovereign luxury vinyl planks in the colour store, which is a colour exclusively available
35:26in the flooring extra stores.
35:28I love it because it gives you that timber look, but a durable finish for busy households.
35:36The light colour works perfectly with that breezy Queensland vibe I'm after.
35:42And the extra-long planks flow seamlessly from one room to the next.
35:49A really nice way to bring it all into one open-plan living space.
35:59Amazing what a few small changes have done to the front of this place.
36:04The lower fence, lush plants and a tiled path.
36:09And for just a few hundred bucks in materials from your local hardware, a DIY arbor adds an
36:16inviting entry that really lifts the whole facade.
36:22Next, my backyard oasis.
36:31There's just one more thing we need to get rid of.
36:34And I'm not doing it alone.
36:39I don't really want to touch it, to be honest.
36:40Well, you know what?
36:41I have provided.
36:43So you're going to do it for him?
36:44No.
36:45You're just giving me gloves.
36:46Alright, okay, I think that'll work.
36:49Alright, let's do it.
36:50Let's go.
36:51I'll brave with you.
36:57Alright, let's go.
37:02Alright.
37:03Let's get into the skip and get it out of here.
37:05It's got to be done.
37:06Time's now.
37:07Correct.
37:10Gone.
37:14Right, time to build that true blue South East Queensland backyard, where less is more.
37:21Great news for my budget.
37:23A couple of grand and I've got some beautiful turf for the kids to play on.
37:30About the same amount gets me a new privacy fence down the side.
37:38Plants, $1,500.
37:42And my big ticket item, a new pergola, to bring that dark old barbecue area to life.
37:50Around $10,000, but I reckon it's worth every cent, especially since I've got mates rates.
37:59Finally, a barbie and some staging furniture and Bob's your uncle.
38:04Now that's Queensland living.
38:07Righto, keep digging.
38:16The new kitchen is looking fabulous.
38:20Even though we've actually added extra cabinetry, the lighter colours in this space make it feel much bigger.
38:30And once you've got that right, that's when you can start getting creative.
38:35And a splashback tile is a great statement opportunity.
38:39It's a very gentle colour, but it's got some really nice pattern in there.
38:43The warmth in this kind of earthy apricot tones actually starts bringing out just the warm tones in the cabinetry.
38:51Just that little bit of pattern plays with the light and it makes the whole room just sing.
39:00Now it's time to complete the picture.
39:10My goal was to bring a cosy Queensland charm, using warm tones, soft textures and furnishings that calm instead of
39:19clutter.
39:23Lighting hung at just the right height, functional and fabulous.
39:32All the little touches that turned this now light and open Queenslander into a home a new family can enjoy.
39:42Inside and out.
39:50I'm pretty happy with this one.
39:51And this is the calmest I've felt in a very long time at the end of Arena.
39:56You're actually done and it's daylight.
39:59Yeah, actually, where's my wine?
40:00Yeah.
40:01I'm so sorry.
40:03I forgot it, Your Majesty.
40:22I'm back in Carina Heights, the up and coming Brisbane suburb that's had Elton and Belinda in a spin for
40:29the last three years, trying to sell their pokey 1950s house with no luck.
40:37I wonder if Wendy and Dennis have managed to break the curse.
40:49That fence line just looks lower.
40:53You can see more house.
40:58Welcome back.
41:02Wow.
41:04This looks great.
41:12I love what Dennis has done.
41:14So he's just tweaked a few new tasks to give it a bit of a lift.
41:17Yep.
41:21I love a pointless structure.
41:23No point to it whatsoever.
41:25But aesthetically, it just works.
41:28It sort of defines its entrance.
41:30Well, wait till you see what's inside.
41:32Yeah.
41:32I can't wait to get inside, but I'm also dying to see the backyard as well.
41:36Go on, off to you two.
41:37Lead the way.
41:41Welcome to our new hallway.
41:44Oh, look at this.
41:48Instead of a living room stroke gym, we now have a proper entrance.
41:53This is all it needed.
41:55Would have never pictured this.
41:56No.
41:57No, no, no.
41:58It's a really good design idea from Wendy.
42:00So how much room was left?
42:02Because obviously this was the living area.
42:04New bedroom.
42:05Oh, my goodness.
42:12This bedroom now looks like it's always been.
42:15Yeah.
42:15Yeah.
42:16And it feels like it's always been.
42:17Yeah, yeah, yeah.
42:18Gosh, that Wendy's quite good.
42:19Might keep her on after all.
42:21Right.
42:21Next space.
42:23A stroke of genius.
42:25By simply adding a wall, Wendy's brought all three bedrooms together.
42:31This is a lovely bedroom now, too.
42:33It's huge.
42:34It's still big.
42:34It doesn't look like a kid's room, though.
42:39And, of course, her choice of colour and styling is impeccable, as always.
42:46Absolutely love the room.
42:47Love the colours.
42:48Yeah.
42:49Love the staging.
42:51Although, there's no skulls.
42:53No, no, the skulls are gone.
42:56The master seems to have lost some of its more quirky features.
43:01Yeah.
43:02No cork.
43:02No cork.
43:03No more cork board.
43:04Probably for the best.
43:06Is that wallpaper?
43:07Yeah, it looks like it.
43:07Looks like it.
43:08Yeah.
43:08Huge difference.
43:09Yeah.
43:10Yeah.
43:10This is what will get a buyer excited.
43:12Yeah.
43:13Yeah.
43:13It's a perfect master bedroom.
43:14It's lovely, isn't it?
43:15Okay, right.
43:17Now, let's see that new living and kitchen.
43:20Ooh.
43:21Oh, look.
43:24This is the, well.
43:26Yeah, new living room.
43:27Was a bedroom.
43:28Yeah.
43:28It's your son's bedroom.
43:34Wendy has totally transformed the layout of the whole of this house with nothing more
43:40than a few tweaks with stud walls.
43:42Oh, look at the difference.
43:43And the, exactly.
43:45So, should we head into the kitchen area?
43:48Look at this.
43:54Wendy's used another clever trick, is to keep Kos down.
43:57She's kept the kitchen exactly where it was before.
44:01So, plumbing and wiring, nothing has to move.
44:03Everything can stay the same.
44:06She's amazing.
44:08These are really lovely tiles.
44:10You know what?
44:11It's like you get to see the beauty of your block from here, too.
44:14There's all these trees around it.
44:16Yeah.
44:17And talking about outside, great link there.
44:20Let's get out.
44:21This is the bit.
44:21Oh, my God.
44:22You lead the way out.
44:23Dennis has been busy.
44:24Oh, my God.
44:25I cannot.
44:25Ooh, I've got a sneaky peek.
44:27You've got a huge garden.
44:35I don't even know where to start.
44:37Actually, I do know where to start.
44:39You can have friends out.
44:41I mean, you're entertaining area with chairs, with a barbecue.
44:46Undercover.
44:46Yeah, hang on, though.
44:47This cover's changed, because suddenly I'm getting more volume.
44:57Dennis has put a lot of hard work into this Renault, which I'll no doubt hear all about.
45:04But I've got to hand it to him.
45:06In a matter of days, he's gotten rid of all that horrid clutter and absolutely transformed this backyard.
45:16Look at the space.
45:18Look at it.
45:22Huge transformation.
45:23Oh, my gosh.
45:24It's absolutely beautiful.
45:27Yeah.
45:29We can't underestimate the amount of things that have left this space.
45:34This is just...
45:36But...
45:36The statue's gone.
45:38It's gone.
45:38It's gone.
45:39The curse is broken.
45:41Wow.
45:41Okay.
45:43Everything that's been done is, for selling purposes, is a game changer.
45:48Yeah.
45:48Every single thing that Wendy and Dennis have done.
45:52Can't wait to see what Jack, your agent, thinks of this.
45:56You'd be blown away, isn't you?
45:57Yeah.
45:58How could you not be?
45:59Oh, I know.
46:00World's biggest garden.
46:10So, before we start talking, I think we've got to look at Elton here a bit, because you've owned this
46:15for how long?
46:1621 years this year.
46:18So, how are you feeling, bear in mind, that Wendy and Dennis have come in and ripped this inside and
46:24outside?
46:25I feel like staying.
46:26No.
46:28Jack might want to hear that.
46:29You've signed the documents.
46:30Yeah, yeah, sure.
46:31Oh, I see already.
46:32Well done, Jack.
46:33Nice move.
46:34Jack, I've got to turn to you.
46:35In a very short space of time, this house has turned around.
46:37What do you think?
46:38Yeah, it's incredible.
46:39What a transformation, Wendy and Dennis have done an incredible job.
46:42It feels open, airy.
46:44It feels like acreage out there now.
46:46The backyard's huge.
46:47And then coming inside, as you know, Andrew, kitchens are, you know, big selling points, big ticket items.
46:52And I mean, wow.
46:53That's right.
46:54And the most important opening up part of the layout was the kitchen to living, which has been done.
47:00So, going right back to the beginning, your dream price was?
47:03$1.1 to $1.2 million, I think.
47:06So, problems have gone.
47:07The house is looking absolutely amazing.
47:10What do you think we can honestly get now?
47:12Look, I would think that, you know, we're well and truly over the 1.2 mark.
47:16Anything pushing up to that 1.3 mark, I think, would be a fantastic outcome, but not out of the
47:20question.
47:21Wow.
47:22I'd love to get that.
47:23I'm sorry, that would be great.
47:24We'd be happy with that.
47:25Oh, really?
47:25We'd be happy with that.
47:26Sure.
47:27Yeah.
47:27Yeah, definitely.
47:28That'll do us.
47:30Yeah.
47:37For three years, Belinda and Elton were stuck in a loop, convinced this place was cursed,
47:43and buyers were completely put off by so much clutter everywhere.
47:48But I don't reckon this place is going to be on the market for long.
47:54Something's telling me.
47:56Unless there's another statue hiding somewhere?
48:00No.
48:01With Wendy and Dennis' transformation, I've got complete faith Jack will be the fourth and
48:06final agent.
48:07Please, God.
48:10Oh, wow.
48:11They've changed this.
48:12It's a lot more welcoming.
48:14This looks way different.
48:16I like the floors.
48:17And now it's actually got a bit of a wow factor with the hallway walking in.
48:20It's actually not the living room anymore.
48:22It's a bedroom.
48:24This is a lot nicer.
48:26Oh, wow.
48:27This is awesome.
48:28Such a nice living area.
48:30I think the layout change is definitely the biggest game changer for the house, that's
48:35for sure.
48:36This looks so sleek.
48:38You can't even notice the range hood.
48:40Oh, wow.
48:41It's a lot higher, isn't it?
48:42A lot more space.
48:44Don't feel so closed in.
48:45It's beautiful.
48:46So much less clutter out here.
48:48That's such a good space for kids and pets to play.
48:51It has to be at least 1.2, 1.25, maybe even as high as 1.3.
48:58I'd probably say 1.2 to 1.2.50.
49:021.25, I'd say.
49:03Fair abouts, yeah.
49:04Yeah.
49:04Our kids could move in and be happy at this age.
49:07Yay.
49:09So have Belinda and Elton managed to escape their revolving door of disappointment?
49:15Five weeks later, oh, look at that.
49:19It seems they have.
49:23Hello, you guys.
49:24Hi, Andrew.
49:25Does this mean the curse has actually been broken?
49:28So it seems.
49:29We think so.
49:29Oh, my goodness.
49:31Okay.
49:31Now, I know your dream was sort of heading towards the 1.2.
49:34Dare I ask what the final selling figure was?
49:371.28.
49:37Right.
49:401.28 million for a three-bed, one-bath.
49:45Fantastic result.
49:46You must be over the moon.
49:47Yeah.
49:47Yeah, we've bought a property just down the road, actually.
49:50Two levels, lots more space.
49:52No yard.
49:52No yard.
49:53No room for a tiki bar.
49:57Oh, my goodness.
49:58We are, you know, it's still a bit of a dream, but, yeah.
50:02Settlement and move-in is a couple of weeks.
50:04Yeah.
50:04Hopefully nothing else will go wrong.
50:06Knock on wood.
50:08It's home, Jesus.
50:10To new beginnings.
50:11Cheers.
50:12And the end of the curse.
50:13Oh, ho, ho, ho, ho.
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