Rumours have been swirling around social media that there may be a new judge on The Block this year. Paparazzi shots published by The Daily Mail have shown a fresh face walking alongside the regular judges - Neale Whitaker, Shaynna Blaze and Darren Palmer - as they do their rounds of the contestants' rooms each week.
If he looks vaguely familiar, it may be because he was at The Block auctions last year. The name behind the face is Marty Fox. He's a real estate agent and the CEO of Melbourne-based real estate agency WHITEFOX.
He was also the real estate agent and auctioneer for contestants Rachel and Ryan last year (along with Kim McQueen), and while the couple's luxury "contemporary lodge" style home didn't manage to pass reserve during The Block auction, he still managed to secure them $4,249,999.50 in a post-auction negotiation, which saw the couple walk away with $169,000.50 in prize money.
So, who is Marty Fox? We're sure you have questions. We do. And here's what we know so far.
Marty Fox reportedly entered the real estate game when he was just 21 years old, and hasn't left since. Back in 2017, he launched his own agency, WHITEFOX.
In its first three years, the agency represented over $1,000,000,000 in luxury properties. Much of Marty's success has been attributed to his knack for marketing properties across his social and digital platforms. In 2023, Marty expanded his business overseas, opening WHITEFOX in New Zealand.
According to his website, Marty has personally settled $600 million in sales, with an average sale price of $3.6 million and a record of $49.6 million.
When Marty Fox was first sighted at The Block 2023 location, he was walking alongside judges Shaynna Blaze and Darren Palmer. There were sudden fears - at least from within the Homes To Love team - that he may be replacing beloved judge and former magazine editor Neale Whitaker, who has also been off filming Love It Or List It Australia.
But as far as we can tell, whether Marty Fox will be a regular or guest judge on The Block, the real estate agent will be in addition to the the show's usual roster of judges. And to be honest, we're excited to see what different expertise and knowledge he will bring to judging the rooms each week.
Marty Fox is certainly no stranger to The Block. Not only did the Melbourne-based real estate agent sell Rachel and Ryan's home in the 2022 season, but he also auctioned Harry and Tash's home back on The Block 2020.
The father-daughter team came third in their season, walking away with $650,000 in prize money. (Or second if you count all the drama with winning team Jimmy and Tam's buyer.)
"He's foxy isn't he," Scotty Cam remarked while sitting on the couch watching the auction with a nervous Harry and Tash back in 2020. They both quickly agreed, and to be honest, so do we.