Most homes could use a little spring cleaning and organization. Some look like candidates for the next episode of Hoarders.

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As a local company, @properties is always focused on helping our communities thrive. That’s why you can always find us sponsoring local events around town, whether it’s a little league game or an annual bike race.

This spring, we are excited to sponsor a new exhibit at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum called “Our House: Rethinking Home in a Changing Climate.” The hands-on exhibit, which opened on March 25, explores the future of home design and invites families to walk through a wood block house, play touchscreen games and even build their own house equipped to withstand extreme weather events. For more information about the exhibit, click here and watch the video below!

Located at 2430 N. Cannon Dr. in Lincoln Park, the Nature Museum is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

@gives back recently presented a $150,000 check to Chicago Blackhawks star defenseman Duncan Keith in support of Keith Relief, a local organization founded by Keith that is dedicated to alleviating the financial and emotional burdens of those suffering from medical crises.

The presentation ceremony was held at the United Center and aired during the Blackhawks vs. Blue Jackets game on March 31. Attendees included Keith, @properties co-founders Thad Wong and Mike Golden and the @gives back board of directors.

To raise money for Keith Relief, @gives back held a number of fundraisers headlined by the “@gives a hoot” country jam, which featured a VIP reception and hockey shootout with Keith, a silent auction and live entertainment.

“It was an incredible experience presenting this check on the Blackhawks’ home ice. We’re big fans of Duncan and his commitment to making a positive impact on our communities, so it was great to work with his organization on such an important cause,” said Wong. Continue reading

Unseasonably warm doesn’t just describe the weather in Chicago the past few months. With transaction activity much stronger than it tends to be at this time of year, the real estate market has gotten off to a hot start in 2017. Let’s take a closer look at some key performance indicators: Continue reading

It seems like every day there is a new article or study about millennials…their attitudes on dating and marriage, what they value in the workplace, the way they use technology…and so on. But there’s a reason why there is so much buzz surrounding this age demographic. Millennials, those between the ages of 18 and 34, make up the largest generation in American history. That means they have the potential to influence everything from technology to (you guessed it!) housing. Continue reading

In less than a decade, @properties grew from a four-person boutique office to the #1 brokerage firm in the city of Chicago. In 2009, we expanded to the North Shore, where we opened an office in Evanston and quickly established ourselves as the fastest-growing real estate firm in the region. Today @properties is the #1 brokerage firm on the North Shore*, spanning the lakefront from Evanston to Lake Bluff. Continue reading

At @properties, we’re continually focused on raising the bar and delivering innovative resources that are valuable to our brokers, clients and communities. That’s why we have a number of new initiatives on tap for 2017, including an all-new website, now live at AtProperties.com. Continue reading

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.

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@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.

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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.