Auction order The Block 2012 revealed - 405, 407, 401, 403 Dorcas Street
The auction sequence has been set for the invitation only Saturday auctions at The Block 2012 on Dorcas Street, South Melbourne.
The running order is 405 Dorcas Street, then 407, 401, and lastly 403.
It puts Brad and Lara as first to be auctioned behind closed doors at 405 Dorcas Street at 2pm, ending up with the auction of the renovated terrace by Mike and Andrew.
The order ought not make much difference - unlike the unbridled corporate piggy-back marketing euphoria that fueled the auction crescendo of the first Bondi series.
It saw over the top bidding by owner occupiers, investors and corporate players like mobile phone retailer, Crazy John and John Fairfax's newspaper, The Sun Herald who were bidding in what was described as audacious marketing stunts that piggy-backed the successful debut of the television series. Crazy John's bidding was done by a 2.1 metre tall Crazy John's mascot that lent an air of a circus to proceedings.
Investors and owner occupiers have proved to be timid buyers in subsequent series.
"Buyer competition will be the challenge," the Melbourne buyers' agent Frank Valentic says.
Sophie and Dale have firmed to the shortest price of any couple since this season’s market on The Block opened, into $2.10 from $3.10 with online bookmaker sportsbet.com.au.The price change has come on the back of a lot of interest in the couple over the last 24 hours.
Dani and Dan are the next best backed couple, but have drifted from $3.30 to $3.50.
Brad and Lara have also drifted from $3.50 to $4.00, while Andrew and Mike continue to be outsiders and have moved from $4.00 to $5.50.
sportsbet.com.au’s Shaun Anderson, seemingly with unconfirmed inside knowledge, says Sophie and Dale "have the lowest reserve and given that the market isn’t exactly booming, that is a massive advantage for them.”
Valentic says the auction reserves have been advised to the four listing agents who are "happy."
"I predict they will be $1.1 million or less," Valentic who bought the only under the hammer property sold at the Richmond Block finale.
Dale and Sophie in 401 Dorcas won the competition which will see them knocked $10,000 off their publicly undisclosed auction reserve price.
Dan and Dani in 407 Dorcas have $8000 knocked off their reserve.
Brad and Lara have $6000 off and Mike and Andrew have $4000.
