Welcome to the "John Deere" dining room aka The Green Room.
There’s a Green Room in the White House - and history suggests that the “Green Room” came about its name when President Jefferson, who used the room as dining space, would throw a green-colored canvas on the floor to protect it from crumbs.
There’s a Green Room in show business too. Wikipedia calls it that space in a theater, a studio or other venue which accommodates celebrities before they appear or perform. There are many theories as the origin of the room’s name, and one story claims that a London theater included a room behind the scenes - painted green of course. Modern day Green Rooms, such as the one where Hollywood gathers back stage at the Oscars, aren’t necessarily green at all.
There’s a "green room" in a lovely home on a hill in Camas, or at least there used to be. The home, one of my listings, was a sprawling one level with a big drawback - the dining room. It was painted a bright shade of Kelly green. Since the wife, who fancies herself a decorator, felt the color choice was sophisticated and appropriate, the idea of repainting it a more neutral color became a touchy issue. Long story short, the couple refused to repaint the room. Therefore, I was stuck marketing a great house, with a not-so-great dining room.
So, I decided to diffuse the situation by taking away the element of surprise. I forewarned buyers or agents, and encouraged them to give me feedback about the "John Deere" dining room. It soon became a fun story within the group of buyer’s agents in the area who were showing the house on a regular basis. Instead of being a negative, it turned into a whimsical focal point for discussion with buyers and their agents. Some of the agents would call me back giggling to share their reactions. The good news - the home's other amenities, such as a fabulous view and beautiful kitchen were the points most people remembered. And, that's the reason the house sold rather quickly (3 months) at close to full price.
Would the house have sold without full disclosure and a quirky name for the dining room? Certainly. But, in my opinion, it's generally best to fully disclose an issue you can't correct - thereby diffusing the "shock" factor. It also helped establish a good rapport with other agents in the market.
On closing day, there was a truck in the driveway when I went to remove the lockbox from the front door. The door was standing open and I could see a crew inside - they were hard at work, REPAINTING the "John Deere" dining room!
What do you think? Do you forewarn buyers or other agents about a listing's negatives ( or issues ) you can't resolve?
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