Marketing begins in earnest for The Block cottages

The advertising campaigns for all four of the properties featured on Channel 9 hit The Block have begun, with the first open for inspection occurring Thursday, July 28.

The property at 39 Cameron Street (pictured above), in the inner-Melbourne suburb of Richmond, which was the first to appear on real estate websites, was open for inspection yesterday at noon. The property is being marketed by Biggin Scott agents Russell Cambridge and Sam Davenport has price hopes of $800,000 plus.

“We had exactly 100 groups through the property in the hour, of which 25 I’d rung up and specifically invited,” Cambridge says.

“The rest were either from the internet or were passing by, as happens in the area.”

A Thursday noon inspection that draws 100 groups is a “very good open for inspection,” as Cambridge says, and news crews from both Channel 9 news and Channel 9’s A Current Affair also turned up to watch the action.

He says the 25 invitees were known to be looking for property in the area, so although he acknowledges it is too early to accurately gauge buyer interest in the property, he has high hopes for its August 20 auction.

The four agencies representing the four houses have taken different tacks in regards to their properties’ reality stardom. Jellis Craig agents Clayton Smith and Allan Cove, who are marketing 43 Cameron Street (pictured above), make no mention whatsoever of the TV show on the property’s advertisements. Jellis Craig is also keeping mum on price hopes for the property.

Woodards, on the other hand, which is marketing next-door 37 Cameron Street (pictured above), features several pictures of contestants Josh and Jenna admiring their handiwork and the banner “Winner!” splashed across numerous photos of rooms. Woodards’ homepage also features the new tagline “If you want the best result and you don’t use Woodards, you’reyou’re your block.” Woodards agent Ruth Roberts has listed the double-fronted Victorian, the largest of the four cottages on the show, with $900,000 plus hopes.

The other two properties sit somewhere in between. Biggin Scott’s marketing cheekily suggests 39 Cameron Street has “the only views on The Block” but makes no other reference to the renovation reality show, while Hocking Stuart mentions that 41 Cameron Street (pictured above) is “the star of The Block” and offers one promotional shot of renovators Katrina and Amie, but none in situ. Hocking Stuart’s Glen Coutinho and Jodie McCarthy have listed the property with $800,000 hopes.

All four renovation teams were given $100,000 to make over their decrepit Richmond cottages, which Channel 9 bought for a combined price of $3,025,000. Teams win prize money for the best room renovation or renovation challenges, and the winning team will be the one that gets the best auction result above an undisclosed reserve.

The four properties will go to auction at Fitzroy Town Hall on August 20 at 5pm.