Clare Sells Homes, Inc.

Clare is AWESOME!! In a challenging market, Clare put in the work to sell our home and guide us through the process. She conducted numerous showings and always followed up with prospective buyers. She also staged our home to deliver the right amount of "Clare-Flair" that put us above and beyond any competing properties. We recommend Clare 1000%!!!

Clare is a Broker’s Broker! Literally! We hired Clare to sell our personal residence several years ago just prior to my retirement as a real estate broker and she skillfully worked to get us a price much higher than I anticipated. She staged our home, listed it, and received several offers very quickly. Fast forward to 2024, we hired Clare once again to work her magic on a family condominium. She updated and refreshed the unit with her painters/contractors and staged the unit with selections from her extensive inventory of furnishings. Her vision was impressive! She quickly got us the highest offer for any unit in the building to date! I highly recommend Clare for any of your real estate needs.

Hire Clare!!! In 2014 & 2024 Clare staged and sold homes for une and she not only gets the top price for your home by making it look better than it ever has before but she also helps with the emotional parts of the process as well. Moving is stressful but with Clare on your team you will walk away knowing you made the best outcome possible. Our buyers asked both times if they could buy the furniture in our homes because it was just that perfect.

Clare and her team were amazing! Clare’s knowledge and understanding of the housing market in our neighborhood was spot on. She was thorough and detailed helping us understand the selling process for first-time sellers. Her and her team made the staging and selling process smooth and effortless. In addition to selling our condo, found us our dream home just in time to welcome our newest addition to our family. She worked around our schedule and made sure our daughter always had snacks during our search for a new home. Overall, Clare was amazing! We highly recommend her for anyone looking to sell or buy a new home!

I am a licensed real estate broker and have referred Clare to clients for her extraordinary sales and staging skills when I am not available. This review is for a single-family home that needed her vision and her sales skills to lead the transformation of this rather plain house into an exciting, trendy home. She knows what the buying public wants and then gives it to them. She's a natural seller with a great design sense. You get two professionals in one when you hire Clare.

My wife and I hired Clare Spartz to help us sell our condo. She was fantastic! We met with her early on in the process to tour our home. Clare gave us respectful but frank advice and (wisely) encouraged us to remove clutter and furniture that didn’t make our condo look its best. Clare then partially staged the condo with pieces of furniture and accessories which made the space bright, open, and beautiful. This drew potential buyers to our condo and helped it outshine other similar units in the neighborhood which were also on the market. When we did get an offer, Clare offered sound advice and wise recommendations to secure the best terms possible, and saw the transaction through to the end. We have every intention of working with her again in the future and would recommend her without qualification.

Clare is better than the best. I am confident that our condo would not have sold without the beautiful staging and Clare's vision. When we considered listing we were nervous. Our condo was in a building with all renters and another more desirable unit was going to hit the market at the same time. Clare took one look at our condo and had a vision of how beautiful it could be. That vision gave us a contract for more than listing price in ONE DAY and the other unit that went for sale never sold, even after dropping the price below our original listing. The other unit was slightly larger and had a view of the city. The difference between the two listings was CLARE! Staging sold our condo and we could not be happier. Five stars is not enough for the experience we had.

Clare is awesome and her staging skill sells homes!. Clare is a Realtor, but also does staging. Ordinarily, she does not do staging for other agents, however, she did it as a special favor for my seller and me. The home was totally transformed and I am confident it would still be on the market without her assistance. The furnishings she provided were lovely and well coordinated. I would recommend her for any home in need of some sophisticated styling and especially vacant homes begging for great furnishings!

Clare was so amazing in helping me purchase a house and selling my house. Clare and her team made my home so warm and inviting with the updates and staging that we were quickly able to sell I will highly recommend her and will be using her in the future.

Clare was recommended to us when we sold our condo in the city (UK Village / Humboldt Park neighborhood). She was amazing to work with! At our initial meeting, she presented information about our market and options for selling, while also having an amazing demeanor! She took such personal steps to maximize the appeal of our place. We already liked our condo, but she really helped us fall in love with it again, as well as detailing how she could help potential buyers fall in love with it, as well. Clare did a great job staging our home, and even provided pieces from her personal collection to help with the process. Overall, she was an absolute pleasure to work with and we couldn't recommend her enough!!

Clare was with me through some truly big life transitions. After my children had all left home, her expert advice and discerning eye assured that I got the top price when selling my home in the suburbs. She joined me in my adventure into the city and helped me find the perfect condominium to rent for my trial run. She made sure I didn't compromise. When I was positive that I'd found the perfect neighborhood, she dropped everything to help me find the perfect home to purchase.

Clare did an incredible job staging and selling my beautiful downtown Chicago loft in record time! And for a record sale price! Her vision for updating and maximizing my space made all the difference. Clare did all the heavy lifting of the planning and organizing while I frantically decluttered my 20 years accumulation of ‘stuff’. With 150+ people coming through in less than 3 days and 10+ offers (and I wasn’t even in town!), I couldn’t have been happier!

I did not have an appt to tour Clare's listing, in fact she was on her way out to another appt, I asked if I could see the home, she graciously invited me in & allowed me to take my time to tour the property. She was not only knowledgeable about the property but also about the neighborhood. Clare's staging of the home spotlighted the home's layout that appealed to me. Her attention to detail increased natural light with updated finishes all while staying neutral for a broad appeal.

When we showed Clare our house, she was very excited by it's potential because the market was very hot in our neighborhood. She went through the house and made a list of improvements to make. She showed us the local comps and told us we could sell for much more than we expected if we fix it up first. We made the recommended repairs and she staged the house beautifully. We put the house on the market at the high end of her recommendation. In the end, the house was sold in less than a month at just slightly below our asking price! I don't think we would have made nearly as much off our sale if it wasn't for Clare.

Clare (w/ flair!) tackled my property sale with absolute aplomb! Her creativity, resourcefulness, energy, determination and knowledge of the market served me very well - several times over in the marketing, sale, lease and sale again of this property! We finally sold it in July 2017 - but after many unexpected twists and turns that Clare handled magnificently. In the toughest market (2009), I had listed the property for sale, droves came through but mistakenly thought it was a fire sale and were making bids on furniture that was not for sale. At Clare's suggestion, we staged it and Clare had it under contract within 3 weeks for the best $/sq ft in the building (ever!) and in the neighborhood at that time. When Buyer's financing fell through, after I had moved out, we pivoted and listed it for rent. Clare found fantastic renters for me (in Chicago as ex pats) that stayed nearly two years. After renting the property for another six years to the same tenants, I decided to sell. But over time the tenants had accumulated much and hadn't cleaned much. It didn't have quite the same sparkle it had in 2009. Clare bravely worked with my tenants to identify what they could move to a storage locker, (just for the interim, e.g. tents, camping coolers, volumes and volumes of books, extra chairs and desks, golf clubs, etc.) all of which tenants had been stacking in the bathtub and other places in make shift storage shelving. Tenants kindly allowed me to pay and move it to a storage facility two blocks away and I had the unit cleaned. Fortunately, Clare is organized and was able to re-purpose the pictures from 2009 of the staged home, which brought in droves of people ( who were not expecting the tenants clutter). So it stood a bit longer than anyone wanted, but not for want of showings or offers! Ultimately, working together, we were able to reduce the clutter further, clean again, and found the right buyer at the right price at the right time. Everyone was thrilled!

Clare took the home I had lived in (and loved) to a completely new level when we put it on the market. She brought in furniture, artwork, and an overall level of style that I'm positive helped our home sell... in 4 days! My husband and I were actually sad to sell the home after she staged it. We would work with her time and time again. Clare is a class act. Her positive energy and overall work ethic made the process fun and easy. We have now applied to be the presidents of her fan club!

Clare lived up to the hype. She was a referral that came to us from a lineage of referrals - as it goes with someone of her caliber and expertise. After our initial consultation, to which she came well prepared, we were sold and onboard to put our home into her hands. We may not have had her vision but we trusted her and it paid off in spades. We listed on a Tuesday evening, had 9 showings on that Thursday, 6 on Friday, 5 repeats on Saturday, 4 contracts in hand Saturday night and an executed contract on Sunday...at 5% over list price. It's with good reason that she lists herself as 'Real Estate Broker + Home Stager' - from day 1, she had a vision for what the final product should be, knew how to efficiently execute it, and delivered. She also seems to fit 25 hours into every day - you will never doubt her work ethic, drive or the value you receive with her as your Broker. I STRONGLY recommend her.

Clare did an amazing job helping us stage, list and sell our townhome. She was able to see the true potential of our home. We followed her suggestions and quickly transformed our well loved family home into a beautiful space that really resonated with buyers and allowed us to get top dollar for our home. I loved the finished product so much I have tried to implement some of her ideas in our new home! She made me a true believer in the power of staging a home and I highly recommend her.

Clare is the most professional, kindest, and all around best realtor in Chicago. Her attention to detail is unparalleled and she goes above and beyond what is common to help sell your house.

My experience with Clare exceeded my expectations and she receives my highest recommendation. Whereas other realtors we considered were happy to list my house as it was at a lower price, Clare saw the true potential in the property and got us top dollar. Clare prides herself on preparing and staging properties to present them in the best light. Her complete attention to detail, amazing eye and willingness to go above and beyond completely transformed my property from a run-of-the mill townhouse into a true gem. When I saw the photos of the staged house I barely recognized it. And everything was done within our budget constraints. She is truly a miracle worker! One of the most satisfying aspects of selling our house with Clare was how easy it was. She told us early on in the process to 'leave it with her' and that she would take care of the whole process. And she delivered. While we got involved when needed, for the most part Clare took the project and ran with it. When there were issues or roadblocks she helped us get past them with grace and confidence, and her hand holding made the whole thing a pleasure. Clare turned what I expected to be a chore and ultimately disappointing sale into a triumph. She is dedicated, hard working and a consummate professional. If you are considering selling your property look no further.

Clare Spartz was my realtor, guide and "house whisperer," as I prepared and sold (to the first people who saw it), my beautiful home this summer. I followed Clare's posts on social media for years, and knew when the time came to sell MY precious family home, she would be a good fit for us. It takes a special talent to be able to enter a homeowner's world, see possibility and guide them in the practical step-by-step process of prepping to sell, WHILE allowing for the complex emotions: fear, grief of letting go. Clare has that rare gift, and delivers for you in such a savvy, smart, thorough way, under her guidance, worry disappears and you move, eyes on the prize, toward the sale. I was told selling the family home is one of the four most intense life events, along with marriage, child-rearing, and divorce. I'd experienced three of the four already, how hard could it be? Well, say what you want about we baby boomers downsizing and planning for our Acts 3 and 4, transitioning from empty nest to low-maintenance condo living, a high rise on the lake, or a cottage by the sea, it is TOUGH to leave your home of twenty-plus years. The place that held my hopes and hearth. My refuge and retreat. I did everything to keep the green house in the middle of the block a go-to place since my girls left for college, and I became an empty nester. I remodeled and reimagined my vintage Chicago home every which way: hosting big family events and concerts in my living room. Seeing clients for my arts business in my ersatz office. Meeting local artists and showing their original work on the walls. I had the trees removed that we'd watch grow from saplings and took out the cedar fence, we'd put in just 18 years prior, to open the yard to light. My daughters and I built a new arbor for the growing grapevine we'd nurtured from a cutting, and made juice each fall. We collected paving stones, and made a rustic patio like the ones in the magazines. We remodeled the kitchen for easier entertaining, restoring the original cabinets and maple floor. Then came the long Chicago winter of 2014: snow. Snow. And more snow. Not easy on the back, shoveling that snow. Then I had a knee injury. Stairs were a challenge. Serious health issues in my extended, aging family made them less available to help me (or even attend) big parties. When my daughters married within a year of each others, we agreed, it was time for them to clear out their childhood things and set-up their own homes. Then my first grandchild was born. I wanted time with her unfettered by the never-ending tasks of homeownership of a three story home and yard. The green house became too much house for me. So I wrote to Clare and in mid-May and she did a walk through with my daughter and I. She complemented me on the art, and the charm of my "things." She commented on the gi-normous sunny living room, and on the remodeled kitchen I'd designed. She showed us comparable homes for sale in the area, homes with master suites and baths, finished basements, landscaped yards. She showed us what the sellers did to upgrade their properties, and forecast a scenario where I could get the best return on my 1995 investment, now in one of the city's hottest neighborhoods. Contingent - of course - on our being willing "partners" in the venture. NOT ONCE did Clare put down the home we loved. Judge the choices we'd made. Everything was presented with a positive, can-do spin. And I NEEDED that kind of counsel. She let me know It would take TIME. (it took 14 weeks). It would take FOCUS, (I virtually took the summer off from work). It would take FINANCIAL investment (I arranged for short-term loans.) And it would take ENERGY. (I increased my visits to the local pool.) We needed to: clean-out, sort, thrift, pack-away, give-away, repair, replace, paint, plaster, and PLAN. If we were willing to spend the time and money to get ready to sell, Clare would guide us. And so she did... I made and emailed lists of what I was doing with the repairmen and handyman, and she gave me feedback. The efforts resulted in our moving the sale price estimate up thousand of dollars in the process. When the time came to prep for HOME STAGING, (another fine talent of Clare's), she returned for a walk thru. We'd removed many of our personal items to storage, the floors were redone, and more. Then, Clare worked her magic. She focused on the wood, so integral to the personality of the 100 year old home: the original oak floors, now restained and finished with gleam and shine, set-off my one of-a kind antiques, and contemporary pieces, pillows and artwork of hers. She focused on the space: the first floor bedroom with a fireplace and queen bed, was changed into a bright, spacious family room. That queen bed moved upstairs, to a visually expanded, now "master bedroom", repainted in soft colors, with new casement windows bringing in afternoon sun, opened to the breeze. She focused on the light, hanging light curtains so the many windows in the house were displayed. She recommended replacing the 40 year old furnace, (and accompanying a/c unit with dismal circulation) with a new hv/av system, complete with a dehumidifier, to manage moisture issues so common in older Chicago homes. The photographs were taken on a sunny August day and by the time they were posted on social media, hundreds of our friends and friends of our friends, were commenting and sharing with others. The printed color brochure was passed around with friends and associates. Everyone was stunned and delighted by the transformation. Cool air, light and beauty greeted the people who came in the door the weekend the for sale sign went up. The FIRST couple to see the "green house" came back several hours later for a second look. And with an offer in 24 hours. Clare, again, guided me through the process of considering the offer. The house sold to the first people to see it, well over the initial amount we talked about in the spring. Clare made that happen. While I was stymied by the immense challenge in front of me, CLARE saw potential. She communicated every step of the way, offering positive, direct feedback. We worked together. We were successful. And my family and I leave knowing our loved family home did NOT go the way of a developer or tear-down. It was brought to its best. In the often difficult to navigate world of real estate, with SO much at stake, I needed someone to get me. To get "it". I needed Clare. How fortunate I am that I found her.

Clare did an outstanding job in all stages of her role as professional realtor & home stager during the sale of our condominium in Chicago. From staging, to listing, to showing, to contract-negotiating, to final sale, Clare's consultative approach proved valuable during each phase of the process. The results were a relatively quick sales period (less than 60 days from time of initial home review and capital improvements to closing of sale; condominium was actually listed in the market for only 5 days before receipt of multiple offers...final result was sale of condo at full ask price). All parties were pleased with the outcome. I would highly recommend Clare as a home stager and realtor, specifically in the downtown and surrounding Chicago suburban markets.

Clare was the best broker I have ever worked with. Her honesty and integrity stand out and exceeded all expectations. This sale was remote as I had already relocated across the country. Clare made everything so easy. She beautifully staged my unit, worked with my building to do the move in and out of her items. My condo sold in a matter of days on the market when other units in my building were stagnant. She even helped me find a new attorney after my initial closing attorney fell through. Soup to nuts! Easiest sale in the world. Would use her again in a heartbeat. I highly recommend Clare if you want to sell your home.

My wife and I are very happy with the job that Clare did representing us in the sale of our condo. Clare has great skill in making a property appeal to buyers and spends time upfront to make sure that the property gets the desired response from potential buyers. We listed our property at a price that we would have been very pleased with, and we ended up selling for more than our asking price! A great experience from start to finish.

If you want to sell your home quickly and effortlessly, hire Clare. I would do this a million times over, if I hadn't just moved into my dream home! Clare is honest and hardworking. She will help you get your home ready to sell in a heartbeat. And she knows exactly what makes your home special, to stand out to potential buyers. When purchasing your new home, she helps you honestly consider all the facts so you end up in your forever home, with no buyer's remorse. She truly does want you to love where you live. The icing on the cake with Clare is her sparkling personality. Her positive attitude and ability to see the bright side can help you get through even the toughest times, when preparing to move. Clare has revolutionized the real estate process for me. I recommend her highly!

Clare helped us sell our condo in 2013. Her attention to detail in staging and listing our place was greatly appreciated; I believe it to be the main factor in our successful, quick (4 days to contract!) sale over list price. I would highly recommend Clare.

Clare was referred to us by a friend who had recently sold his condo. He had it listed for a year with someone else, then hired her and after changes and staging sold it in weeks. When we hired Clare to help sell our condo it was for her ability to stage the empty unit with her furniture, making it look like a home out of a magazine. Without a doubt the staging made a ton of difference and enabled us to sell our place quickly as well, but it was supplemented by an unexpected energy level. She worked very hard to find the right buyers and brought me two offers on within hours of each other, creating an ideal selling position. Clare's high energy and positive attitude were a nice compliment to her staging skills and her furniture which she made available.

Clare is a breathe of fresh air. We collected recommendations from our network and met with three agents prior to deciding to work with Clare, and ultimately she won us over with her professionalism, research and vision she had for our special condo. She believed in our home, at times more than we did as much as we did and saw that we had a special place. She outlined what she was going to do and what we needed to do in order to get the place ready for listing. She gave us a project list room by room making it super easy. We listened to everything she told us to do and we have her to thank for our success. We built out a larger closet in the master, installed new lighting and outdoor screening for mechanicals on the deck. She staged our home beautifully, working around the fact that we had a baby and required flexiblity. The process of selling a home is not easy but Clare makes it as painless as possible and is pleasant to work with to boot!

Clare was fantastic from start to finish in staging and selling my Lincoln Park home. She has a tremendous work ethic, treats people with utmost respect and exudes positivity and enthusiasm at each step in the process. Clare is not only a first-rate realtor, she also has considerable home staging expertise that sets her apart from the vast majority of realtors. I contacted Clare initially for a staging consult, and, after meeting with her, was immediately impressed by her energy, knowledge of the market and engaging personality. She kept me fully informed, not just by electronic means, but also on a real-time personal basis to provide ongoing feedback and encouragement. She also continually updated/refreshed her staging efforts, for example, by bringing in uplifting art, mirrors and other accessories as well as removing items to eliminate any sign of clutter or ostentatiousness. In sum, Clare is the consummate professional whose passion and focus is to give her clients the best in real estate services with minimal stress and great success, which she regularly achieves. I highly recommend her for any of your real estate needs. Thanks Clare for an awesome experience!

Words cannot describe our appreciation for Clare! Not only did she sell our house in a heartbeat, she made the whole process stress free and enjoyable. In preparation for the sale of our home, Clare walked us through each room of our house and gave us efficient and effective ways to attract buyers. Then she came in with art, pillows, furniture, you name it to truly add appeal. When our house hit the market, Clare had prospective buyers ready and eager to see our house. Since we put our house on the market when our youngest son was two months old, we couldn't have been more thankful for Clare's continued efforts going above and beyond to ensure our house was ready for each showing. Clare is the full package and then some - whenever we buy or sell in the future, she will be the first person we call. She is a genuine person and professional who will work extremely hard to meet your needs.

Clare has been a friend for a number of years so the decision to choose her was easy. She was committed to helping ensure that I kept my relocation timeline but keeping my property in front of the right buyers and sites.

Clare is fabulous! She was with me every step of the way providing expert advice. She helped me determine the best time to put my place on the market, what improvements I needed to make in order to get top price, and even helped stage my place with her own supply of furniture. I know my place would have never sold at the price it did unless Clare had helped me.

Clare Spartz is a bold, opinionated realtor who knows her stuff. She walks into your home and makes an honest assessment of what work must be done in order to sell quickly. Staging is her middle name. In fact, she has a storage unit full of furniture and accessories you can borrow! Clare showed our home herself every time and always provided timely feedback. We sold our condo in a dreadful market, but sold in decent time for a fair value. I wouldn't hesitate to work with Clare again. She's a consumate professional.

What lead up to us selling my home were emotionally challenges. We had just lost my mother in law to be, we were getting married and blending families. I was intellectually ready but not emotionally. I was very attached to my home. When I met Claire, I received an immediate sense of professionalism, yet an amazing kindness that put me right at ease. She understood our challenges. My home’s living room acted as a dance studio. After assessing my home, Claire came to me with a marketing make-over plan that at first glance was hard to imagine. She turned the dance studio into an amazing living and reading area...and there was stil room to dance! Because of Claire's professionalism and kindness I trusted her and we made all her design changes except for one. It was not easy, but Claire was firm, kind and professional and the outcome was stunning! In fact the majority of the design changes I would have maintained had we not sold our house in two hours….YES two hours, we did not even have a lock box on. The house had been on the market previously twice with other realtors and never moved. What amazed me is that Claire stayed with us after the initial contract. I knew what was going to happen and every single detail before it happened so I could be prepared intellectually but most importantly emotionally. I will refer Claire forever. As a business woman, designer, realtor she is a professional and kind but most importantly she does what she says and never lets you down! She knows what she is doing and could make a living as a designer alone!

Clare did a great job from helping price the property, stage so presented in it's best light, creating competition for the propery which yielded a succesful offer at my asking price (above the number i anticipated). Fantastic customer service throughout the entire process.

I hired Clare Spartz in the Spring of 2012 to help me update my condo after living here for 9 years. I was not planning to sell which made it even more fun as I got to enjoy my refreshed home! Clare helped me to stage my home for better living. During the initial consultation, Clare went through every room of my home and we discussed what I liked, disliked, wanted to upgrade, etc. Clare developed a thorough proposal for me, including de-cluttering suggestions and links to products that I could buy on my own such as storage containers, clothing hooks, etc. Clare is budget-conscious and respected my desire to keep costs down. Clare suggested that I paint my living room, sun porch and hallway GRAY. I would never have thought to go with that color and it looks FANTASTIC!!!! I could not be happier. Clare served as my general contractor, hiring a handyman to do all the painting (including all the ceilings), install crown molding, install new light fixtures, door handles and build shelves in my storage locker. They got all the work done very quickly. Clare handled everything for me! I still get compliments on how great my home looks. I would HIGHLY recommend Clare Spartz to stage your home for selling OR living!

I had Clare Sells Homes stage and consult on two properties. One was a suburban home in a golf course community and the other was an urban condo. Both properties were located out of the Chicago area but Clare managed to be very effective using every means of media and communication tools available. It was evident that she memorized every inch of my homes because when I was given the staging diagram it was amazing how perfect they showed. It was all spelled out and no detail was left to my imagination. Both of my homes were sold in less than two weeks at listing price. I am closing on another home in a few weeks and I will absolutely hire her to stage my home to live in instead of to sell.

Clare is fabulous! She is extremely professional and pays attention to every detail to present your home in the best possible light. Clare gives great honest and practical advice that you start asking yourself "why didn't I think of that before?" She staged my home and the home was under contract in a day for approx. the asking price. Without a doubt, I will use her services again. I have already recommended her to all my friends.

Clare staged our condo for sale in Chicago. She did a walk through the unit and put together a plan for each room of the condo including determining what type of buyer the condo would attract. She then put together furniture, lighting and accessories to attract that type of buyer. Our condo went under contract within 3 days of the list date at a price exceeding the list, attesting to the great job that Clare did.

With an eye for detail and design, Clare was able to look at each room as an opportunity to bring people into the property. The objective was not about decorating the property. The goal was to increase the appeal of the property to a targeted buyer audience. By understanding the needs of the buyers in that market, Clare enhanced the overall experience by creating a more contemporary look to the property for the buyer demographic. The buyers were then able to visualize the property and see the space as it related to their needs. This was achieved by replacing furniture, changing the layout of the rooms, adding lighting, art work & mirrors to better present the rooms. By doing so, the visual flow of the rooms was improved, making the home even more inviting. Therefore, each prospective buyer walked through the property and could see their family living there. Clare enhanced the appeal of the property, allowing me to maximize the price received.