@properties And Uber Form Partnership, Offer A Free Ride

Technology company Uber is changing the way @properties brokers and clients do business with the help of its innovative mobile app.

@properties, the largest independent real estate brokerage firm in Illinois, is celebrating a new partnership with technology firm Uber by offering clients in the Chicagoland area one free ride up to $25. @properties co-founders Thaddeus Wong and Michael Golden made the announcement.

Uber was founded in 2009 and currently operates in over 100 cities worldwide. Uber connects driver partners and riders through a mobile app, which sends a vehicle to the requested pick-up location in just minutes. Once riders have arrived at their destination, Uber seamlessly bills the rider’s credit card on file and emails a detailed receipt.

According to Wong, Uber not only is revolutionizing modern transportation but also is changing the way real estate brokers do business, as more and more brokers leave their cars at home and instead use Uber to get from showing to showing.

“With Uber, our agents and clients can get around Chicagoland much more easily, engage with one another and experience the city or the suburbs without the hassles and expenses of parking. It’s incredibly convenient, and just another example of how @properties is always looking for new and innovative ways to serve buyers and sellers.”

Wong believes that Uber is also indirectly benefitting Chicago’s real estate market by making neighborhoods and suburbs that don’t have convenient access to public transportation more accessible.

A recent Uber study found that 4 out of 10 Uber rides in Chicago either start or end in traditionally underserved neighborhoods.

“This partnership was a great opportunity for us to better serve Chicagoans, and connect with another industry that can benefit from our services,” said Chris Taylor, General Manager of Uber Technologies. “Uber is committed to providing more accessible transit for all areas of Chicago, and we look forward to continuing that effort with @properties, whose huge network of agents and brokers is constantly on the go, benefiting from the seamless, enjoyable Uber experience.”

Several @properties brokers, including Kevin Rocio, use Uber regularly for business.

“Working in Streeterville, parking can be a challenge and rather expensive. With Uber, I am able to jump in a car or SUV, conduct my showings and get back to the office without having to worry about finding parking, paying meters, or having cash to pay a taxi driver. Plus I can be productive that whole time,” said Rocio.

@properties broker Nathan Binkley added that Uber gives tech-savvy brokers and clients a time-saving advantage. “The car is the office, and in today’s competitive marketplace, you want to focus on doing business instead of driving and parking. With Uber, my buyers and I are able to jump in a car after a showing and immediately write and send an offer from an iPad. Uber just fits with that type of tech-savvy buyer.”

Established in 2000, @properties has 15 offices and more than 1,400 agents throughout the city of Chicago, surrounding suburbs and Southwest Michigan.

Current and prospective @properties clients can claim their free Uber ride by doing the following:

• Sign up at https://www.uber.com/go/@properties

• Download the app and enter the promo code @properties

• Request and ride

• New users only

• Valid for 1 free ride up to $25, valid on UberBLACK and UberSUV

• Expires 8/31/2014

About @properties

@properties is the No. 1 independent residential brokerage firm in Illinois and one of the top 25 residential brokers in the U.S. @properties has more than 1,400 licensed brokers in 15 offices throughout downtown Chicago, surrounding suburbs and southwest Michigan. For more information, visit www.atproperties.com.

About Uber

Founded in 2009, Uber is evolving the way the world moves. By seamlessly connecting riders to drivers through a mobile app, Uber make cities more accessible, opening up more possibilities for riders and more business for drivers. Now in over 100 cities worldwide, Uber’s rapidly expanding global presence continues to bring people and their cities closer together.