Chris K. Pappas is the vice president of Compass Real Estate’s Commercial Division on Long Island, a boutique brokerage filling the gap between institutional commercial real estate firms and small one-man operations.
Having close to 20 years of experience in the real estate world, Chris has been able to carve out a niche and identify shortcomings in the business, which makes his partnership with Compass Real Estate so beneficial.
Since graduating from Hofstra University with a bachelor of business administration in finance, Chris managed a compliance division for a local wholesale mortgage bank in Melville.
Taking this experience, he began a wholesale lending career with Greenpoint Mortgage Bank and Capital One Bank handling both residential and commercial loans and taking them to the secondary markets.
As the markets shifted, Chris took his unparalleled banking experience and pivoted into real estate brokerage in 2008. Initially focused on building a residential real estate business, Chris’ interests and opportunities began steering his business toward commercial real estate.
Taking an opportunity created by the mortgage meltdown of 2008, a family-owned commercial strip center was due to be repositioned. Chris took the lead on this project and negotiated with tenants while taking on a complete interior and exterior redevelopment of the strip center.
Working hands on in the field, Chris directed and worked side by side with architects, zoning attorneys, structural engineers, electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians and carpenters to bring this center back to life with a service-oriented tenant base, safe from the impacts of e-retail commerce.
Adding commercial construction to his arsenal of experience, along with financial deal structuring, commercial brokerage became a natural fit.
These experiences helped guide and shape his brokerage business into a multi-year award-winning broker.
For almost a decade, Chris has been the recipient of multiple President and Gold awards and being recognized as the number three commercial broker in the state (2018) at his former brokerage.
Most recently, he was just awarded as “Best Nassau County Commercial Real Estate Broker for 2022” and honored with Long Islands prestigious 40 under 40 award.
Chris’ experience in the commercial real estate marketplace includes working with many international, national and regional tenants. Transacting in large multi-family sales in the boroughs, negotiate sales or leases within multiple asset classes such as retail, office & industrial. Commercial development (Roche Bobois, Roslyn) and residential small community single-family projects.
His ability to be a creative problem solver and expert negotiator help bring even the most complicated deals to the finish line.
Chris is also president of his local north Nassau AHEPA Chapter, Gold Coast 456. AHEPA brings the ideals of ancient Greece, which includes philanthropy, education, civic responsibility, and family and individual excellence to the community.
Taking presidency at the start of COVID, he has financially grown the chapter by creating a world-class golf tournament fundraiser, large raffle fundraiser and introducing an investment account to help generate additional income for charitable purposes.
