All eyes may be on Josh and Elyse in the lead up to the finale of The Block, but savvy property buyers say they are far from a shoo-in.

Despite being at the centre of much of this season’s drama, Sarah and Jason have emerged as strong contenders to take out the title; their house has been extraordinarily well received since it was listed for sale.

The Melbourne couple could again court controversy on our screens if they are crowned the winners, especially given they were almost disqualified midway through the season for failing to complete their master suite.

They also divided opinions when they charged Ronnie and Georgia thousands of dollars to access their backyard to install a pool, prompting a weeks-long dispute, and have been questioned about their work ethic.

But buyers’ advocate Nicole Jacobs, who bought three apartments on The Block last year on behalf of her clients, said prospective buyers did not care about the show’s politics.

“Most of the people that buy The Block are not Blockheads,” she said. “They are people that have an interest in what’s on the market.”

Ms Jacobs said the pair were in with a strong shot at winning because they had created a perfect “forever home” for a family.

“Jason and Sarah have really been under the radar through the whole series,” she said. “I think they are the dark horse.”

Listing agent Jeremy Rosens, from Gary Peer, said he had been inundated with inquiries over the last four weeks.

“I think the show has made Sarah and Jason a fairly polarising couple,” he said. “You either love them or hate them but you can’t really deny that the product they have put together is a serious contender for the winner.”

He added: “I think Sarah has been underestimated in her ability to understand styles and trends, and what goes on in housing markets.”

Mr Rosens said Sarah, a mother of three who lives near Elsternwick, had a strong grasp on what local families want out of a house.

Those who have inspected the house have complimented its continuity from room to room, and its large entrance hallway, he said.

“It’s really light and bright, and it’s got a sophisticated feel.”

“To me, when you walk through Josh and Elyse‘s, it’s a beautiful house but it’s like a beach shack that belongs in Portsea,” he said, “whereas ours has a sense of sophistication which I think has resonated with people.”

WBP Group buyers’ advocate Greville Pabst said the lack of a pool or spa had worked in Sarah and Jason’s favour.

“Some buyers just don’t want a pool, given that the backyard isn’t big anyway,” Mr Pabst said. “I think it was quite a clever move by them to differentiate themselves.”

“I definitely could see them winning.”

But he cautioned viewers not to forget about the reserve prices and the order the properties would be auctioned, two major factors that could affect who wins.

Mr Rosens said all of the parties involved in The Block were hyper-competitive.

“There is a bit of a mentality now that it’s us versus them,” he said. “If there was ever going to be a winner that would take great joy in winning and sticking it up everyone, it’ll be Jason and Sarah.”