Potential buyers seemed few and far between as crowds thronged The Block 2012's open for inspections

Some 20,000 people turned up to Dorcas Street, South Melbourne on Saturday and Sunday for The Block 2012’s open for inspections, but potential buyers were possibly few and far between.

Only 2,000 managed to get to the front of the queue and walk through the four recently renovated terraces on each weekend day, but they seemed more interested in waving to the crowds from the rooftop terraces and cooing over the décor than requesting depreciation reports or researching the suburb. The listing agents are taking their actual likely buyers through the four terraces at quiet mid-week by appointment open for inspections far away from the milling Saturday crowds.

Most of the throng seemed content to jam to oldies music broadcast live by radio station Gold 104.3 and browse the food stalls and sausage sizzles set up in the street. Occasionally producers threw Block hats and T-shirts into the crowd, eliciting cheers of victory and boos of disappointment for those who missed out.

The contestants themselves made an appearance on Saturday, receiving a rockstar welcome from those waiting in the occasional drizzle. After the hard work of renovating a terrace house at breakneck speed it must have been a relief to have no duties more taxing than signing hats and T-shirts for adoring fans.