If there’s one clear message from this year’s Ellie Awards, Douglas Elliman’s annual list of top agents, it’s this: in the Hamptons, the established order isn’t loosening—it’s reinforcing.
The 2026 awards, which cover production from 2025, feel less like a shuffle of roles and more like confirmation of who currently holds the reins over the market’s most significant deals.
Erica Grossman. Courtesy of Douglas Elliman
Martha Gundersen. Courtesy of Douglas Elliman
Paul Brennan. Courtesy of Douglas EllimanErica Grossman again took the lead in the Hamptons, topping both sales volume and gross commission income—a strong indication of her dominance in a market where a single sale can overshadow many smaller transactions combined. Close behind her were Martha Gundersen and Paul Brennan, regular partners on some of the East End’s priciest deals, maintaining their steady positions near the summit.
If Grossman embodies the high-end, trophy property side of the business, Kristy Naddell’s top spot by transaction count tells another story: one defined by steady activity, speed, and an influence over the North Fork market, where the number of deals, not just their price, marks success.
The Atlantic Team. Courtesy of Douglas Elliman
The Connelly Team. Courtesy of Douglas EllimanAmong teams, The Atlantic Team held onto the top position for both sales volume and gross commissions, while The Connelly Team led in the quantity of deals—again highlighting the familiar distinction between commanding high-value sales and handling a high deal count.
Then there are the deals themselves.
370 & 372 Further Lane. Courtesy of Douglas Elliman
Mid Ocean Fall. Courtesy of Douglas Elliman
33 Lily Pond Land. Courtesy of Douglas EllimanDouglas Elliman agents were involved in several of the Hamptons’ headline transactions this year, including the $70 million oceanfront property on Further Lane in Amagansett, one of the largest East End sales in 2025. Brennan and Gundersen represented the buyer in that sale, which was followed by a $57 million oceanfront transaction on Mid Ocean Drive in Bridgehampton—where Gundersen, Brennan, and Grossman represented the seller—and a $31.5 million deal on Lily Pond Lane in East Hampton, co-handled by The Atlantic Team and Grossman.
On the North Fork, Naddell closed an $11.2 million waterfront sale in Cutchogue, setting a new high for the area and emphasizing upward pricing trends in the region.
Looking more broadly, a clear pattern emerges: the same agents are not only involved in the largest transactions but are also frequently on both sides of these deals.
This concentration also shows up in Elliman’s overall market standing. According to The Real Deal, the firm ranked first in the Hamptons by transaction volume and led across all major metrics on the North Fork, including sales volume and market share.
Fredrik Eklund, John Gomes, Julia Spillman. Courtesy of Douglas Elliman
The Lorber Team. Courtesy of Douglas EllimanThe Atlantic Team. Courtesy of Douglas EllimanNationally, the Hamptons segment punches above its weight within the brokerage. Grossman, Gundersen, and Brennan placed among the firm’s top agents, while The Atlantic Team and The Michael Lorber Team ranked among the highest-performing groups. The Eklund | Gomes Team, a consistent powerhouse, once again secured its spot at the top, earning entry into the company’s Billion Dollar Club.
Beyond the numbers, however, the Ellie Awards offer a clearer picture of how the Hamptons market really works.
Despite years of new entrants—agents, teams, and entire brokerages trying to establish themselves in the post-pandemic market—the upper tier remains notably close-knit. The biggest deals tend to circulate within a tight circle of agents who not only know the listings well but often control access to them.
In that sense, the awards don’t just highlight success—they reveal where the real influence lies.
And for now, that influence looks very familiar.
