@properties Christie’s International Real Estate has always been on the cutting edge of the brokerage industry, and winning “Brokerage of the Year” at this summer’s Inman Innovator Awards only affirms the company’s status as a trailblazer more than 20 years since its founding. Innovation has taken many forms during @properties Christie’s International Real Estate’s journey to becoming the #1 real estate brokerage in Chicago and a top 10 firm in the country. Following are ten innovations that @properties’ co-founders and co-CEOs Mike Golden and Thad Wong consider the most important in the company’s history:
1. What’s in a Name
According to Wong, the name “@properties” was meant to position the firm as a forward-thinking company founded on the cusp of the internet age. The name came to Wong as he rode a department store escalator past a Christmas tree adorned with ornaments bearing the “@” symbol.