The votes have been tallied, and once again @properties has been named a winner in Make It Better Magazine’s annual Best of survey! This is the second year in a row that we have earned the title of Best Real Estate Company.

From salons and spas to shops and restaurants, the Best of 2017 survey celebrates the best businesses and services from Chicago to the North Shore. Each year it draws thousands of votes from Make It Better readers and locals alike.

From all of us at @properties, thank you to Make It Better and to all of our supporters who voted! Be sure to check out the full Best of 2017 list here and in the July magazine.

The results are in: @properties has made Crain’s Chicago Business’ Fast Fifty list for the sixth time — and we’re excited.

The annual list recognizes the 50 fastest-growing companies in Chicago based on five-year revenue growth.

This year, @properties made the Crain’s Fast Fifty list at No. 39 with five-year revenue growth of 283.8%. @properties has had a steady presence on the list since 2007, clocking in last year at No. 42.

@properties continues to gain market share at the expense of its rivals, according to a new report from REAL Trends, the leading provider of sales data on residential brokerage firms in the U.S. The company posted a 10.2% increase in sales volume in 2016, the biggest increase among the Chicago area’s five largest brokerage firms. @properties also posted its highest annual sales volume in company history with nearly $8.1 billion in closed transactions. The data was published in the 2017 REAL Trends 500 Report, which ranks the nation’s largest real estate brokers.

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@properties’ internally-developed website earns top award at annual LeadingRE Conference

At @properties, we’re continually focused on improving our industry with innovative technology that enhances the real estate experience for brokers and clients alike. That’s why we are excited to announce that @properties won the award for Best Overall Website at the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® Conference Week! @properties also won the award for Best Interactivity.

Chicago real estate entrepreneurs Golden and Wong recognized for driving change in the industry

CHICAGO, January 9, 2017 –  Michael Golden and Thaddeus Wong, co-founders of Chicago-based real estate firm @properties, have been named to the 2017 Inman Influencers List. Inman, a national real estate information and media company, based in Emeryville, Calif., compiles the annual list to recognize real estate professionals who shape, change and influence the industry.

@properties, the largest independent real estate brokerage firm in Illinois, has been awarded the 2016 Top Workplaces honor by the Chicago Tribune for the fourth year in a row. The company ranked No. 3 among large companies, which are defined as companies with over 1,000 employees.

The Top Workplaces list is based solely on the results of an employee feedback survey administered by WorkplaceDynamics, LLC, a leading research firm that specializes in organizational health and workplace improvement. Several aspects of workplace culture were measured, including alignment, execution, and connection.

When it comes to the competitive world of real estate, differentiation is one of the keys to success. Differentiation comes naturally to @properties, and it shows in many ways – not the least of which is our advertising and marketing.  In fact, we’re proud to announce that @properties recently won two 2016 MarCom Awards for advertising including a platinum award for our “Rules For Better Living” print campaign and honorable mention for our “Love” outdoor advertising campaign.

The MarCom Awards recognize outstanding achievement by creative professionals involved in the concept, direction, design and production of marketing and communication materials and programs. Winners are selected from print, web, video and strategic communications categories. @properties’ ads were among 6,000 entries worldwide.

The “Rules For Better Living” campaign was conceived, designed and executed 100 percent by @properties’ in-house marketing team. The campaign launched earlier this year and includes a series of ads in local publications. The ads feature black and white photos of people in humorous situations, with encouraging headlines such as, “Eat well, laugh often, love much,” and “To achieve something you’ve never had before, you must do something you’ve never done before.”

By now, most Chicagoans are also familiar with the “Love” campaign. Inspired by @properties’ love where you’re @ tagline, the project is a collaboration with Matthew Hoffman, a Chicago-based artist and designer whose public works have been exhibited internationally. The campaign includes billboards and murals throughout the city with the word ‘love’ in Hoffman’s trademark lowercase script font.

Both the “Rules For Better Living” and “Love” campaigns have taken on a life of their own, with people posting photos on social media using the hashtags #RulesForBetterLiving and #ShareTheLove.

“As a local, independent company, @properties is all about bringing people together and strengthening our communities and neighborhoods,” said Thaddeus Wong, @properties’ co-founder and the architect of the firm’s marketing programs. “With these ads, our goal is to remind people to be present, to embrace opportunities for love and laughter, and to enjoy every moment as much as possible.”

For more information on the MarCom Awards, click here.

Earlier this month, @properties was the proud recipient of the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center’s 2016 Merrick Momentum Award. The prestigious award was presented by CEC and 1871 at the 9^th Annual Momentum Awards Dinner, held at the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel on Thursday, Oct. 6.

The Momentum Awards honor leading individuals and institutions that embody the unique and selfless spirit of entrepreneurship in Chicago. @properties was among seven finalists representing the city’s most innovative companies. 

George Schultz, vice president of brokerage services and managing broker for @properties, was recently named Managing Broker of the Year, in the 51+ licensees category, at the 2016 REALTOR® Awards. The awards were presented at the Chicago Association of REALTORS® (CAR) 133^rd Annual Inaugural Gala, held on Sept. 14 at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Chicago.

The Managing Broker of the Year Award recognizes business accomplishments, such as outstanding service to clients and licensees within the firm. Other criteria include a minimum of 5 years as a REALTOR® Managing Broker and high principles of faithfulness to good real estate practices.

Schultz joined @properties in 2002 as a licensed real estate agent, focusing on his private-client business and new-construction development sales. In 2008, he was promoted to managing broker of @properties’ then-new Bucktown office. Under Schultz’s leadership, @properties Bucktown has become the No. 1 top-producing office in Northern Illinois, generating 2,450 transaction sides and more than $1.124 billion in sales volume during the last 12 months. Schultz has grown the office from 40 licensed REALTORS® to more than 300.

Chicago-based @properties, the largest independent real estate brokerage firm in Illinois, has been named to Inc. magazine’s 35^th annual Inc. 5000 list of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies once again. This marks the tenth time in the past eleven years that @properties has appeared on the list.

@properties landed at No. 2569 based on three-year revenue growth of 138 percent.  With annual revenue of $200.2 million, @properties had the highest revenue of Illinois-based residential real estate brokerage firms on the list. The firm is the only real estate brokerage to make the list 10 times.