Mountain Luxury Properties Marks a Milestone in Lake Tahoe

Just over five years separates intention from execution. 

For Gregory Ochoa, Founder and Broker of Mountain Luxury Properties, this anniversary lands squarely in the second category: a moment that validates the leap, the risk, and the quiet conviction it takes to build something.

In just five years, Mountain Lux has surpassed $700 million in real estate sales across California and Nevada. The firm has closed 23 lakefront properties, completed seven sales over $15 million, including one at just under $18 million and another at $30 million, and achieved an average sales price of nearly $1.8 million. These are market-leading outcomes achieved by a firm that set out to be purposeful and precise in everything it does.

Mountain Lux proudly maintains office locations in South Lake Tahoe, Tahoe City, and Zephyr Cove, strategically positioned to serve clients throughout the region with local expertise and boots-on-the-ground support. With the groundwork firmly in place, Mountain Lux has shifted from establishing foundations to planning strategic growth, carefully and without losing what made it distinct in the first place.

When Ochoa launched Mountain Luxury Properties in 2020, he was not simply opening another brokerage. He was building the kind of brand he believed Lake Tahoe was missing: elevated but grounded, polished yet personal, and designed to reflect the caliber of the destination itself. 

“The story of Mountain Luxury Properties is one of the most enjoyable success stories to read in our 13+ year history of strengthening the marketing of top-producing agents around the world," said Leverage Global Partners CEO Eric Balog. "I can vividly recall my first conversation with Greg in the spring of 2020, shortly after Mountain Lux was founded. Greg's passion for giving his clients service is like no other, and his commitment to providing best-in-class tools for his agents. I'm impressed and not at all surprised by the consistent and remarkable growth, and I'm proud that our services played a small part.”

From Vision to Infrastructure

Like most successful businesses, Mountain Lux’s early years were defined by determination, resilience, and the hands-on effort that built a strong foundation for lasting success.

 

“In the beginning, there were plenty of opportunities to learn, adapt, and grow,” Ochoa says. “We had to implement systems that are now an integral part of our growth.” Those first years were about building foundations from scratch, like operational structure, internal processes, and a core group of agents and staff who shared the same standards and work ethic.

 

Launching a real estate brokerage in 2020 came with no guarantees. Ochoa admits he was unsure the timing was right. Then Tahoe began to change almost immediately.

Within months, the market accelerated as remote work expanded and lifestyle took priority for buyers nationwide. Over the last five years, Tahoe has remained strong and relatively stable, supported by low inventory and consistent demand. Prices have largely held, and in many areas, appreciated.

A Boutique Culture You Can Feel

Mountain Lux’s differentiator is not limited to its production. It lives in the culture.

That culture comes to life through shared experiences, from events like the Tahoe City Wine Walk and a South Lake Tahoe Tacos n’ Tequila gathering to a beloved annual holiday party that brings agents and families together. “It’s been really special to see,” he says. “Culture is paramount to success, especially in a boutique company.”

“Being an independent boutique brokerage gives us more control, plain and simple,” Ochoa says. “We’re not answering to a corporate playbook. We’re hyper-local, hands-on, and our clients get direct access to decision-makers. That allows us to be more flexible, more strategic, and ultimately deliver a better client experience.”

He credits much of that stewardship to his leadership team, including Managing Director Cassidy Jackson and Sales Manager Samantha Rodriguez, whom he calls “huge culture builders.” Together, they treat culture as an ongoing responsibility, not an afterthought.

“We’re always keeping spirits high,” he says. “We encourage agents to work on their own systems and set goals for the upcoming busy season.” It is a leadership approach built on preparation rather than pressure, ensuring performance follows when the market turns on.

As the firm has grown, it has attracted seasoned professionals who do not move lightly. Ochoa points to longtime leader Mark Moore, who joined Mountain Lux alongside his daughter, Kimberly Boyle, son-in-law Brendan Boyle, and Monica Smith, as a powerful example of earned trust.

Having built his career in Lake Tahoe real estate since 1978 and witnessed firsthand the value of staying independent and family-focused, Mark Moore shared, “Three years ago, we became impressed with Greg Ochoa and Mountain Lux. Most important to the Moore Team was Greg's integrity and his professional approach to real estate, which has made him well-respected within the Lake Tahoe basin. We decided Mountain Lux was the perfect fit and are pleased to return to the independent ownership and family status.”     

Looking Ahead

Mountain Lux currently operates with fewer than 20 agents, but growth is clearly on the horizon.

“Within the next few years, we’d like to come close to doubling that,” Ochoa says. The approach, however, is selective. Recruiting focuses on integrity, professionalism, and kindness, along with a shared belief in a high-touch, hands-on model.”

“We’re looking for quality, not quantity,” he says. The goal is sustainable momentum, growth that strengthens the culture rather than diluting it.

The first five years were about building a strong foundation. The next chapter is focused on thoughtful, sustainable growth, expanding in the right ways while preserving the culture and high-touch service that define the brand.

“This year’s motto is culture, sustainable growth, elevated marketing,” Ochoa says. The vision for the next three to five years is to grow intentionally, continue attracting like-minded agents, and ensure every client receives a concierge-level experience, supported by a leadership team that shares both the responsibility and the long-term vision.

Five years in, Mountain Luxury Properties feels exactly as it was meant to feel: elevated, boutique, and deeply human. And five years from now, it still will.

In an industry built on second homes and dream seasons, the firm has created something rarer. A brokerage that still feels like a family, and a definition of luxury rooted not in price point, but in intention.