Thad Wong

Co-founder, Co-CEO, @properties | Christie’s International Real Estate

In a move that shook up Chicago real estate, Wong in 2024 led the sale of his @properties to Compass for nearly half-a-billion dollars.

Wong launched @properties in Chicago in 2000 with Mike Golden and grew into one of the largest residential firms in the country. Wong’s early bet on prioritizing strong branding, in-house technology and agent services paid off, eventually becoming industry standards in brokerage firms.

“We each valued what the other person did more than we valued what our own accomplishments were,” Wong said of his partnership with Golden. “Because neither one would be able to exist without the other.” 

Their firm would become the dominant residential brokerage in Chicago and beyond. The apex of its national expansion came in 2021, when @properties acquired the global affiliate network of Christie’s International Real Estate. Private equity backing from Quad-C, which bought a stake in 2018, helped fuel the firm’s rapid growth.

Then, in late 2024, Wong and Golden sold @properties to Compass in a deal valued at $444 million, structured as cash and Compass stock. Wong and Golden stayed on to run the business, framing the sale as a way to preserve the @properties and Christie’s brands while accessing Compass’ scale. The deal marked an inflection point, effectively ending @properties’ run as an independent brokerage while locking in a major payday for its founders.