The Block stars Mitch Edwards and Mark McKie are channelling their passion for property into helping a bunch of Aussie homebuyers secure their dream home for Ten’s new series, Location, Location, Location.
Here, TV favourites Mitch, 59, and Mark, 60, chat about their own adventures in real estate and their other passion – their grandkids!
The Block stars have teamed up to find the ultimate dream home.
(Image: Supplied)Was it fun house-shopping with other people’s money?
Mitch: I think we get so invested with the couples that we kind of feel quite responsible.
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Mark: They’re letting us in on their biggest purchase. We have fun with them, but it’s an emotional journey. So there are ups and downs. It’s a big responsibility.
Have your own property purchases with each other always gone smoothly?
Mark: There are always compromises for us with each other. And as Mitch would say, that compromise is we do what Mitch wants!
Are you in your dream house now?
Mitch: We’re in our dream location [Newport, on Sydney’s Northern Beaches] and our dream potential home. It’s a big, broken old beach house that needs a crazy big reno. Like The Block-type proportions!
Mark: From the beginning when we started looking at property and flipping, we’ve always taken the view that the dream home is where you’re happy with each other. So, if we were in a one-bedroom apartment, then we would make that our dream home.
What’s the most you’ve ever spent on something for your own home?
Mitch: I did spend $4000 on two coffee tables to make them into one once.
Mark: Yes, he did. I saw the credit card and walked out and said, “When did we spend this much money at that place?”
Mitch: Oh my gosh. I meant to buy them with cash…
“I think we get so invested with the couples that we kind of feel quite responsible.”
(Image: Supplied)Do you think Location, Location, Location is better than The Block?
Mitch: It’s very different. They call The Block reality TV and they call what we’re doing now lifestyle. There’s no producer trying to create drama!
Would you ever go back to The Block or do you think you’ve moved on now?
Mitch: We never say never to anything.
Mark: The British version of Location, Location, Location has been running for 20 years, so we have to do 20 seasons of this first! So when we’re 80, we’ll be ready to do The Block again. [Laughs]
Location, Location, Location airs on Ten.
(Image: Supplied)When you aren’t renovating or dabbling in real estate you’re spending time with your five grandkids, right?
Mitch: Yeah, we’re very lucky to have grandkids. We’re Poppy and Poppy Mark. When my daughter went back to work when my grandson was six months old, I cut back from five days in my corporate job to three days and spent two days with him a week for a couple of years. And then when her next one came along, she did say, “Hey dad, do you want to do it again?” And I said, “Uh, no thanks.” [Laughs] It was fun to do [though]. It was an amazing bonding time.
Mark:We spent time with the kids. The boys came over a few weeks back and they’re hilarious and full of energy.
Mitch: The funny thing with the kids, particularly the little ones, is they had to get their heads around, “What’s Pop doing in the TV?”
