Community involvement is a key factor in Marsha Schwartz’s success as a REALTOR®. Her dedication to enriching the lives of those around her has brought her to where she is today. 

Marsha ranks in the top 7 percent of Coldwell Banker agents internationally, and according to North Shore-Barrington Association of REALTORS® (NSBAR), she ranks in the top 5 percent of REALTORS® locally. She’s been named a real estate “legend” in Fortune magazine (October/November 2023), and she has been recognized in Chicago magazine as a Five Star Real Estate Professional thirteen years in a row.

Currently, Marsha serves as a commissioner on the Northbrook Arts Commission, as a member of the board of the Northbrook Symphony Orchestra, and as an ambassador of the Northbrook Chamber of Commerce and Industry. She is also a member of the Northbrook Woman’s Club as well as the North Shore chapter of the Women’s Council of REALTORS®, where she served as a past president and was named Member of the Year some years ago. 

This drive to know and be involved in her community comes from her years of moving around and experiencing what it’s like to be a newcomer. What sets Marsha apart is her desire to counsel her buyers and sellers about the process and help them throughout to achieve their desired results.

“I had owned so many homes in a relatively short period of time that I not only got to see what not to do from a variety of REALTORS®, but I also learned, as a transferee, that I needed to find out more about the communities I was looking at,” explains Marsha. “I realized It wasn’t just about looking for good schools or availability of shopping. It was also, importantly, about how certain communities would fit the lifestyle of my family.” 

When Marsha entered real estate, she was determined to be a North Shore community expert and liaison for her clients. While it was her personal experience of buying and selling real estate and moving to new places that prompted Marsha to become an agent, real estate was ingrained in her from a young age.

Born and raised in Ohio, where her father and grandfather ran a commercial construction business, Marsha grew up reading blueprints and loving every chance she had to rearrange furniture. Detail-oriented, she went on to become the editor of her high school’s student newspaper, which gave her multiple insights into media. In college, she pivoted to interior design. After earning her degree from Cleveland State University, she became a manager for a large housing complex and bought her first house when she was twenty-four years old. 

When her husband, Bob, was first transferred to Chicago, it sparked a series of moves that would lead Marsha straight into real estate. Soon after moving to an area of the North Shore, they built a home in a different North Shore suburb, which Marsha personally oversaw, choosing every detail. Her husband then took another job in Saint Louis, where they lived for two years before moving back. “We’ve called the North Shore our home ever since,” Marsha shares.

“My experience as a transferee has made me very aware of the needs of other transferees: it differs from someone just moving across town,” she explains. “I’m passionate about counseling all of my clients. I want to be their trusted advisor, guide them to make intelligent decisions, and keep in touch with them in case they need anything, whether it be the name of a contractor or to answer questions about making updates to the home to increase its value.”

One of the turning points in Marsha’s career was when she met Brian Buffini in 1999. Today, Buffini and Company is one of the largest, if not the largest, real estate coaching companies in North America. From the day Marsha and Brian first met, Marsha has received coaching from Buffini and Company. She even facilitates two small groups of Buffini-coached REALTORS® and lenders for them that meet monthly—one of which, Women in Real Estate, has members across North America. 

“When I first met Brian, I saw that he and I had similar beliefs. I also noticed he had more systems in place than I did,” Marsha shares. “Part of the reason for these systems was to create a balance in your life. I loved it so much that I wanted to help others achieve the same.”

Marsha measures success by the amount of people she can help and by developing relationships with her clients that go far beyond the transaction. With decades’ worth of clients that include referrals from other agents in North America that she networks with and know her reputation, Marsha operates her business on a nearly all-referral basis, and she makes it a point to take care of her past clients. One such example: every fall, she hosts her Pre-Thanksgiving Gratitude Gathering for her clients.

“This past year’s Gratitude Gathering was so rewarding,” she says. “I had a videographer take a video and interview past clients during the event. It was a great success for me and my clients.”

When Marsha isn’t working or giving back to the community or her clients, she relaxes by going to the lake, visiting the Chicago Botanic Garden with Bob, reading, doing yoga, going out to dinner with friends, or spending time with her family. She also enjoys gardening, gourmet cooking, going to concerts and plays, and listening to music. Marsha and Bob have two sons who have raised their children in the area. Marsha loves to watch the grandkids at their soccer games, cheerleading performances, and art shows.

As Marsha celebrates her decades of legendary dedication and success in real estate, her story is not just one of personal achievement, but a blueprint for future generations, showcasing that what lies at the heart of real estate is the unwavering commitment to serve, support, and guide. Her legacy is a testament to the belief that true success in real estate transcends numbers: it embodies the lives touched, the communities uplifted, and the heartfelt connections forged.