Option Premier Million-Dollar Sales Club: July 2026 Top Producers
The Option Premier Million-Dollar Sales Club recognizes agents who close over $1,000,000 in real estate sales volume within a single month. For July 2026, three standout producers at Option Premier earned their place on this prestigious list, led by Cory Tanzer at the top with over $2.5 million in closed volume.
Key Takeaways
Cory Tanzer led the July 2026 rankings with $2,525,044 in closed sales volume, the highest of any agent at Option Premier that month.
Brian Caron followed with $1,581,525 in closed volume, representing another strong performance from the Cory Tanzer Group at Option Premier.
Gretchen Ashley, an Option Premier agent, rounded out the club with $1,439,000 in closed volume for July 2026.
All three agents represent a mix of residential condos, single-family homes, and urban properties across Chicago and the suburbs.
The Million-Dollar Sales Club is a monthly recognition that reflects closing activity, not just listings or contracts pending.
Who Made the July 2026 Cut and What Their Numbers Mean
Hitting seven figures in closed volume in a single month is no small feat in any market. In the Chicago metro area, where median home prices vary widely by neighborhood, from the $200,000s in some South Side zip codes to well over $600,000 in the Gold Coast and Lincoln Park, compiling that kind of volume requires a high transaction count, high-value properties, or typically both.
Here is a breakdown of the three agents who earned their spot in the Option Premier Million-Dollar Sales Club for July 2026:
| Agent | Affiliation | July 2026 Closed Volume |
|---|---|---|
| Cory Tanzer | Cory Tanzer Group at Option Premier | $2,525,044 |
| Brian Caron | Cory Tanzer Group at Option Premier | $1,581,525 |
| Gretchen Ashley | Option Premier Agent | $1,439,000 |
Cory Tanzer's $2,525,044 puts him more than $943,000 ahead of the second-place finisher. That kind of lead in a single month signals a concentrated closing push, likely the result of several transactions reaching the finish line simultaneously. Brian Caron's $1,581,525 represents a strong independent performance within the same team, showing that the Cory Tanzer Group at Option Premier operates with multiple high-producing contributors rather than relying solely on its founder. Gretchen Ashley's $1,439,000 is particularly notable because she achieves this as an individual Option Premier agent, not part of a named group structure.
According to the National Association of Realtors, the median gross income for Realtors in the U.S. varies dramatically by production level, with top producers consistently separating themselves through volume, referrals, and neighborhood expertise. All three of these agents reflect that pattern.
Cory Tanzer: The Numbers Behind the Lead
Cory Tanzer, CEO, Owner, Broker, and Founder of The Cory Tanzer Group at Option Premier, has built his reputation on deep neighborhood knowledge, responsiveness, and a client-first approach honed through years in marketing and retail leadership before his career in real estate. His $2,525,044 in July 2026 closed volume is the clearest expression of what consistent deal-making looks like over time.
Cory is closely associated with University Village and University Commons on Chicago's Near West Side. He has earned the informal title of "Mayor of University Village" for his long-standing presence and community involvement in that neighborhood. A significant share of his transaction history reflects that concentration.
Cory’s closing include:
Cory Tanzer can be reached directly at (312) 218-4483 or cory@optionpremier.com.
Brian Caron's $1.58 Million Month: What It Takes to Perform at This Level
Brian Caron operates as part of the Cory Tanzer Group at Option Premier, and his July 2026 number of $1,581,525 in closed volume illustrates that the team model at Option Premier is genuinely collaborative. High-performing real estate teams often struggle to replicate top-of-funnel production across multiple agents, but Caron's result shows that the Cory Tanzer Group has the systems and client relationships to generate seven-figure months from more than one producer simultaneously.
Real estate teams structured this way tend to outperform solo agent models in competitive urban markets, according to research highlighted by Inman News, which has tracked team-based production trends across major U.S. metro markets. The Chicago market, with its diverse mix of high-rise condos, two-flats, and single-family homes across dozens of distinct neighborhoods, rewards agents who can specialize while still operating within a larger support structure.
Caron's closings reflect the kind of varied inventory that makes Chicago real estate unique. His closings includes:
Brian Caron can be reached directly at (312) 802 8095 or briancaron@optionpremier.com.
Gretchen Ashley: Solo Agent, Seven-Figure Month
Gretchen Ashley's $1,439,000 in July 2026 closed volume is an achievement worth examining on its own terms. As an individual Option Premier agent rather than part of the Cory Tanzer Group, she reached the Million-Dollar Sales Club through her own client relationships and transaction pipeline. In a market where Zillow Research shows that Chicago-area home prices have held steady with modest appreciation through recent years, hitting $1.4 million in a single month requires closing multiple transactions or working with higher-priced inventory.
Ashley's result also signals something important about Option Premier as a brokerage: the production culture extends beyond the flagship team. Option Premier serves buyers, sellers, investors, and relocation clients across Downtown Chicago, the Western Suburbs, the North Shore, the South Side, and other parts of the metro area. Gretchen's performance reflects that wider coverage.
Gretchen Ashley can be reached directly at (708) 539-7124 or gretchen@optionpremier.com
What the Million-Dollar Sales Club Tells You About Option Premier
The Option Premier Million-Dollar Sales Club is a monthly internal recognition that reflects real closing activity. It is not based on listing volume, pending contracts, or projected earnings. Only finalized closings count. That distinction matters because it makes the ranking an accurate snapshot of which agents are actually producing results for their clients.
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation licenses and regulates real estate brokers in Illinois, and the state's standards require that all transaction records be accurately maintained. Closings are verifiable events tied to recorded deeds and title transfers, which means the numbers behind the Million-Dollar Sales Club are grounded in real, documented activity.
For prospective clients, the club serves as a meaningful signal. When you work with an agent who has consistently qualified for million-dollar monthly production, you are working with someone who has demonstrated the ability to negotiate, manage timelines, coordinate with lenders and title companies, and close transactions on schedule. These are not skills that show up in marketing copy alone. They show up in closed volume.
According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, buyers navigating mortgage financing and closing processes benefit most from agents who are experienced with coordinating lenders, inspectors, and title companies simultaneously. The kind of volume these agents produce each month reflects exactly that kind of coordination at scale.
Things to Know
The Million-Dollar Sales Club is based on closed volume only, not active listings or contracts pending.
Cory Tanzer leads the Cory Tanzer Group at Option Premier, which is a specialized team within the broader Option Premier brokerage. The two are related but distinct brands.
Option Premier LLC is an independent brokerage, not affiliated with a national franchise, giving its agents more flexibility in how they serve clients.
Chicago's real estate market includes significant price variation by neighborhood, which means million-dollar monthly volume can reflect several mid-range closings or a smaller number of luxury transactions.
Gretchen Ashley's performance as a solo agent qualifying for the club demonstrates that top production at Option Premier is not limited to the flagship team structure.
Option Premier's office is located at 1021 W Adams St, Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607. They can be reached by phone at (312) 500-5808 or by email at info@optionpremier.com.
Work With the Agents Who Actually Close
If you are buying, selling, or investing in Chicago or the surrounding suburbs, the July 2026 Option Premier Million-Dollar Sales Club results give you a concrete starting point for choosing your representation. Cory Tanzer, Brian Caron, and Gretchen Ashley have each demonstrated the ability to take transactions from contract to closing at high volume within a single month. That track record is the most honest measure of agent performance available. Reach out to Option Premier today at (312) 500-5808 or visit optionpremier.com to connect with the team that closed millions in July alone.
The Bottom Line on the Option Premier Million-Dollar Sales Club
The July 2026 Option Premier Million-Dollar Sales Club results reflect something straightforward: three agents closed real transactions, for real clients, at real volume. Cory Tanzer's $2,525,044, Brian Caron's $1,581,525, and Gretchen Ashley's $1,439,000 are not projections. They are closed deals recorded in the public record and verified through the closing process.
If you are ready to work with a brokerage where top production is documented monthly and not just claimed in marketing materials, Option Premier LLC is the place to start. Call (312) 500-5808, email info@optionpremier.com, or stop by the office at 1021 W Adams St, Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607 to begin the conversation.
