There’s a three-bedroom Victorian home for sale in Cheltenham, England, asking roughly $305,000 that, at first glance, wouldn’t attract any interest at all.
Sure, there’s a rear patio, an eat-in kitchen, plus separate living and dining spaces — all nice features. But a flip through the listing images shows the whole place is in desperate need of renovation. Certain walls appear to have been torn down and what remains of any decor — unattractive paint colors, outdated cabinetry and drab flooring — are just plain ugly.
But read the very first line of the listing and you’ll see why this property — even if it stays in such dismal shape — is actually a great get.
“A rare opportunity to acquire a . . . property with a genuine ‘Banksy’ on the gable wall!,” it says.
It’s true. The politically active street artist, who famously prefers anonymity, created a mural on this home’s exterior around April 2014, reports say. Called “Spy Booth,” the work depicts three men wearing sunglasses and trench coats, who hold recording devices up to an actual public phone booth.
You could call it a good deal. Banksy’s artwork alone, with no listed property attached, has fetched seven figures, according to reports.
But sadly, “Spy Booth” is not in its original state. In August 2014, only months after its creation, vandals completely defaced the artwork with talentless graffiti scrawls. Now, the piece has been restored and is surrounded by metal railings to prevent further damage.
The mural was painted in the wake of — and apparently in support of — Edward Snowden’s leak of National Security Agency documents, which revealed startling information about global surveillance.
But why is “Spy Booth” located in this English town, and not, say, in Washington, DC? Because Cheltenham is home to the UK Government Communications Headquarters, Britain’s intelligence and security agency, which actually uses this artwork on its website.
Peter Ball & Co. Estate Agents is repping this listing.