Home by Molly Marino. Real Estate & Home Staging.

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Introduction

I am one of the ONLY home stagers in the Chicagoland and suburban areas that is also a licensed real estate agent. Last year alone I sold over $20 million in real estate and staged dozens of homes -- both my own listings and listings of other agents or clients who contacted me directly for staging. I'm the real deal!. That means that I conduct business in real estate daily -- I don't just do design -- I do the whole thing. So I KNOW what buyers want and what makes a space sell -- whether a condo or single family. I will give you my honest opinion of how you need to stage to net a fast sale and the highest possible dollar amount. My job proposals are thorough and I have tons of photos and examples I share with potential clients. You can hire me as JUST a stager (I realize many home owners have a listing agent they love and that’s great! I’d love to work with them!) or I give discounts to clients who hire me to do staging and sell their listings (Check my Zillow and Yelp Reviews for all too!) and of course if you are a fellow agent needing staging for one of your listings, you have an expert partner in me. My opinion on the design it will take to sell is a huge benefit to the service you bring to your sellers too! 90% of my staged properties sold in under 7 days so far in 2022 and 75% of my listings sold for asking price or above this year. That says something about the power of my work. With over 20 years of executive experience in marketing, I bring my business know-how to my clients. I'm an insightful consultant. An honest one. And a creative soul with an eye for great design and sales technique.

Overview

Hired 14 times

Background checked

4 employees

15 years in business

Payment methods

This pro accepts payments via Apple Pay, Cash, Stripe, Venmo, and Zelle.

Social media

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter

Featured Projects

70 photos

North Center Condo Stage and Light Market Prep
Home Staging

Specialties

Home furnished

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Reviews

Customers rated this pro highly for work quality, professionalism, and responsiveness.

Exceptional 5.0

8 reviews

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Read reviews that mention:

Verna K.

May 20, 2023

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Hired on Thumbtack

Molly did a fantastic job in getting my condo ready for sale. She suggested that the kitchen cabinets be painted and also replace the bedroom carpet with laminated flooring. Molly also staged my place with her artwork, throw pillows and towels. She was successful in securing a cash sale close to asking price in a short period of time. I am currently working with her to purchase a home. Molly is an excellent agent that I would highly recommend to anyone who is either looking to buy or sell their property.

Details: Selling home • 5 rooms • 1,000 - 1,500 sq ft • Yes, my home is furnished

Home Staging

Sue K.

Apr 4, 2017

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Hired on Thumbtack

Molly did an amazing job. She was professional and talented. She came out promptly for an estimate and staged my condo within 2 days. I was apprehensive on using a staging service but it really made an impact. The furniture, design and decor gave the unit modern, cozy, live in and warm look. I highly recommend Molly Marino home staging service. She is a great choice!

Home Staging

Paula K.

Mar 23, 2019

Molly Marino is truly the best in in the business! She not only helped us find our first home but she was instrumental in helping us navigate a difficult foreclosure purchase with a selling agent that was incompetent and non-responsive. Having lived in multiple neighborhoods in Chicago and remodeling three houses herself, Molly brings incredible insight and experience, not only as a realtor but as a homeowner, contractor, and stager. She helped us to see possibilities in all the homes we visited and think creatively about the spaces. As first time homebuyers, we were new to the entire process. Molly was our best advocate and introduced us to a fantastic inspector and real estate attorney who made a confusing process easier. Molly is not your typical real estate agent. She goes above and beyond to ensure all your questions are answered and that you feel happy with your home. On top of her real estate and staging work, we love that she is involved in the dog rescue community through the Chicago English Bulldog Rescue. We can’t recommend her enough!

Home by Molly Marino. Real Estate & Home Staging.'s reply

Thank you for trusting me! I was honored to be part of your home buying experience!

Kim h.

Apr 7, 2019

Molly changed the way we think about buying and selling property. She staged our unit that we could not sell for three years. Once we hired Molly the deal closed within 6 months. Prior to Molly we had only one offer for 100K less than the selling price. Molly arrives on time and her workers are professional and courteous. We bought our 3 bedroom 3 bath condo in 2007 knowing that we would sell within 5 years. Then the housing market crashed in 2008. Five years became ten. We placed our unit on the market in 2015. It was on the market for a year and were offered 100K less than what we paid. Then we tried to sell on our own. We willing to take the 50K hit, but that deal fell through. From 2015 through 2016 and up to 2017 we did not change a thing in our unit, and we tried to sell it. No luck, no hits, no runs, just errors.……………and then along came MOLLY. She walked through our unit in the Spring of 2017 and we took notes. She told us what needed to be changed, added and/or removed. She told us the type of paint and the colors we should use and we went to work. We did not want to admit that the styles had changed so drastically in less than ten years of owning our unit. We had spent extra on custom fixtures, and the like, that we ordered at pre-construction, were now out dated. The Master bathroom was updated to Molly’s specifications. The powder room was completely remodeled. New light fixtures were placed in all three bathrooms and throughout the unit. WOW, I didn’t know our place could look so good. We moved out in the morning and Molly moved in later the same day. SMOOTH transition. She has an eye for style and her warehouse is complete with items from floor to ceiling and all in between. Our place looked great in photos but really wowed in person. Our place was ready to be listed (for the last time) in late September early October. We had one offer in October that fell through. At that time my husband and I thought, “nobody buys property in winter in Chicago" but boy we were wrong. We signed a contract in January, yes January. We got the price we wanted and the deal closed in March. Although other units were for sale in our building and our price was higher, our unit sold. We believe that it was due to the staging. Once Molly was on board our unit had multiple showing and the deal clothes in 6 months.

Emily P.

Jan 26, 2017

Molly did an awesome job staging my most recent Logan Square listing - and it sold in the first week! She was quick to respond, priced well and very easy to work with. Her eye for design is great - NOT your typical generic furniture - Molly has style! :) Photographed well and showed like a dream...highly recommend!

Credentials

Background Check

Molly Marino

FAQs

What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
Each job is different and price accordingly. Estimates take into account the overall size of the space, the amount of furnishings needed, the ease of entry/exit from the home, and the scope of the project (straight staging versus minor remodeling or touch up to major overhauls to prep for sale). Additionally I am an excellent real estate broker and am happy to offer those services to any client.
What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
The first step is to identify the scope of the project, the size of the rooms, and the existing design of the home. While many clients come to me for traditional staging services (furniture and design), we often find ways to improve the space through small projects like paint touch ups or window coverings. I'm flexible in how we approach the project and savvy when it comes to design ideas and what sells in today's market.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have my Masters degree in Business Administration from the University of Chicago, along with a BA and a BS. I am a licensed real estate broker with Baird & Warner and additional am an expert in interior design, renovation, rehab and space planning.

Home by Molly Marino. Real Estate & Home Staging.

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