Marla Forbes is a real estate broker and consultant with over 30 years of solid business experience including; sales, marketing, economic development, and banking, in addition to real estate.
Marla's approach to real estate is thoughtful and analytical with an eye toward the future, in terms of resale value, potential interest rates, affordability, and general market conditions. Armed with an MBA from Kellogg in Marketing and Finance, you can rest assured that the purchase or sale of one of your largest assets, is in good hands.
If you are selling your home, Marla pours over numbers and market trends to provide you with a realistic and accurate competitive market analysis and will advise on property improvements that will bring you the highest return on your investment, once sold. Her many years of experience in negotiating deals provide you with the protection you need to secure the best price within the fastest timeframe possible. Making her client's interest first and foremost, Marla will often partner with other @properties Chrisite's International Real Estate brokers, to ensure responsiveness and maximum coverage for the sale of your home.
If you are working with Marla as a Buyer's agent, she will scour the market for a property that will fit your needs and wants, for the present and future. Her search techniques almost guarantee that you will have the first opportunity to view and bid on a property, which is critical in a competitive environment.
Because Marla wants her clients to be happy not only when they purchase, but also when they sell, knowing your timeline, projected income, and family plans, is extremely important as there is a big difference between buying your starter home, in which you might live three to five years and the home that you might keep for a lifetime
Marla Forbes sits on the Board of Directors of Wintrust's Lake Forest Bank and Trust, and the Executive Advisory Board of Wintrust Mortgage which keeps her up to date on mortgage and financing trends. Marla was the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at the State of Illinois' Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity where she negotiated millions of dollars in vendor and sponsorship contracts and advised on business attraction strategies for the State of Illinois. She was also a Commercial Real Estate Broker with Sperry Van Ness, helping small business owners lease, sell, and purchase real estate in the Chicagoland area.
As a lover of the Arts, Marla sits on the Board of Directors of A Red Orchid Theatre company, a Jeff-nominated and awarded company, located in Old Town. She is an accomplished pianist and enjoys, classical, jazz and opera.
Home Types:
Condo, House, Townhouse, Commercial
Languages Spoken:
English, French
Years of Experience:
14
Education:
Northwestern University
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
