South Lake Tahoe real estate

Tahoe Keys Real Estate

The Tahoe Keys is widely regarded as the premier waterfront neighborhood in South Lake Tahoe—and for good reason. This master-planned, private marina community offers a true boat-from-your-backyard lifestyle, where residents can boat, fish, paddle board, and kayak directly from their own docks with easy access to the emerald waters of Lake Tahoe. It’s a rare combination of convenience, views, and amenities unmatched anywhere else on the South Shore. Tahoe Keys Homes for Sale

Waterfront Living at Its Best

Tahoe Keys real estate is centered around a 740-acre private marina community featuring approximately 11 miles of navigable inland waterways that connect directly to Lake Tahoe. The neighborhood includes roughly 1,250 single-family homes and 350 townhouses, with the majority of properties located directly on the water and equipped with private boat docks.

This design creates calm waterways ideal for paddling and fishing, while still allowing quick access to open-water boating on Lake Tahoe—an experience few communities can offer.

Views, Design & Infrastructure

Tahoe Keys homes enjoy some of the best water, mountain, and meadow views in Lake Tahoe. A key aesthetic advantage is the presence of underground utilities, which keep sightlines clean and uncluttered. In addition, strict building height restrictions help preserve views throughout the community, protecting long-term value and visual appeal.

Architectural styles range from classic Tahoe lake homes to extensively remodeled and newly constructed luxury residences, offering options across a wide spectrum of tastes and price points.

Private Amenities & HOA Services

Homeowners in the Tahoe Keys are members of the Tahoe Keys Property Owners Association, which provides an exceptional level of private amenities and services, including:

Indoor and outdoor swimming pools
Hot tubs and spa facilities
Tennis courts
Private parks and walking paths
A private beach
Community marina and launch ramp
On-site security
Waterway dredging and maintenance
A dedicated water company serving the community

HOA Fees (approximate):

Single-family homes: ~$1,510 per quarter
Townhouses: ~$1,000–$1,400 per month, depending on location within the Keys

These services help maintain property values and ensure the waterways and common areas remain in top condition year-round.

Home Values & Market Range

Tahoe Keys real estate spans a wide range of price points:

Single-family homes: Typically from the $1,000,000s to $8,000,000+, with occasional lower-priced opportunities and high-end luxury sales exceeding that range
Townhouses: Approximately $350,000 for a one-bedroom, to well over $1,000,000+ for premium lakefront units

Waterfront location, dock size, water depth, view orientation, and level of renovation all play a significant role in pricing.

Location & Lifestyle

In addition to its on-water advantages, Tahoe Keys is centrally located with quick access to:

Lake Tahoe beaches
Shopping, restaurants, and grocery stores
Bike paths and walking trails
Heavenly Mountain Resort and other ski areas
Highway 50 and Highway 89

This makes Tahoe Keys equally appealing as a primary residence, second home, or luxury waterfront retreat.

Why Buyers Choose Tahoe Keys

For buyers searching Tahoe Keys homes for sale, this neighborhood offers a lifestyle that simply can’t be replicated elsewhere in South Lake Tahoe. The ability to access your boat from your backyard, enjoy protected waterways, and still reach Lake Tahoe in minutes places Tahoe Keys in a class of its own.

Whether you’re looking for a waterfront primary residence, a luxury lake home, or a boating-focused second home, Tahoe Keys remains the gold standard for South Lake Tahoe real estate.

What Are Your Goals in the Tahoe Housing Market This Year?

If buying or selling a home in Lake Tahoe is part of your dreams for 2023, it’s essential for you to understand today’s Tahoe housing market, define your goals, and work with industry experts to bring your homeownership vision for the new year into focus.

539 Wintoon Drive is a luxurious newer home for sale in South Lake Tahoe offered for $1,349,000!

In the last year, high inflation had a big impact on the economy, the Lake Tahoe housing market, and likely on your wallet too. That’s why it’s critical to have a clear understanding of not just the market today, but also what you want out of it when you buy or sell a home. Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at realtor.com, explains:

“The key to making a good decision in this challenging housing market is to be laser focused on what you need now and in the years ahead, so that you can stay in your home long enough that buying is a sound financial decision.”

Here are a few questions you can start thinking through as you fine tune your goals for 2023.

1. What’s Motivating You?

You’re dreaming about making a move for a reason – what is it? No matter what’s happening in the Tahoe real estate market, there are still many compelling reasons to buy a home in Tahoe today. Your needs may have changed in a way your current house can’t address, or you could be ready to step into homeownership for the first time and have a space that’s truly your own. Use what’s motivating you as a guidepost in partnership with an expert advisor to help make sure your move will give you a lasting sense of accomplishment.

2. What Does Your Next Home Look Like?

You know you want to move, but how would you describe your dream home? The available supply of homes for sale has grown, and that could mean more options to choose from when you buy. Just be sure to keep your budget in mind and work with a trusted real estate professional to balance your wants and needs. The better you understand what’s essential and where you can be flexible, the easier it can be to find the home that’s right for you.

3. How Ready Are You To Buy?

Getting clear on your budget and savings is essential before you get too far into the process. Working with a local agent and a lender early is the best way to make sure you’re in a good position to buy. This could include planning how much to save for a down payment, getting pre-approved for a home loan, and assessing your current home equity if your move involves selling your existing house.

A Professional Will Guide You Through Every Step of the Process

Buying or selling a home in Tahoe is a big process that takes expertise to navigate. If that feels a bit overwhelming, you aren’t alone. According to a recent Harris Poll survey, one in five respondents see a lack of information or knowledge about the homebuying process as a barrier from owning a home. Don’t let uncertainty hold you back from your goals this year. A trusted expert can bridge that gap and give you the best advice and information about today’s market.

Bottom Line

Let’s connect to plan how your dreams for 2023 can become a reality.

Top Real Estate Agent in South Lake Tahoe!

Brent Johnson was just named the top real estate agent in South Lake Tahoe for the 7th consecutive year for units listed/sold and buyer side sales! Brent was also the top agent in volume with $122,226,532 in sales on the South Lake Tahoe MLS. 2021 was also the 9th consecutive year as the top realtor in South Lake Tahoe for buyer side units sold.

According to the South Lake Tahoe MLS, in 2020 Brent Johnson closed a total of 154 units sold with a total sales volume of $122,226,532 which included 86 listing sales and 68 buy side transactions. The next closest agent had 69 sales.

In 2019 Brent Johnson was also the top real estate agent in South Lake Tahoe for units sold with a total of 94 units sold for $56,109,277 in sales volume which included 55 listing sales and 39 buy side transactions. The next closest agent had 24 total sales and $31,830,000 in total volume.

In 2018 Brent had 110 total transactions with over $59,258,110 in volume and 68 sales with over $30,000,000 in volume in 2015.

Brent Johnson is one of the few realtors in South Lake Tahoe that has built his business with a foundation based on hard work, ethics, and cutting edge technology.

“I believe that I have been able to consistently position myself as the top realtor in South Lake Tahoe by creating a business model that no one else in Tahoe has. I believe in working hard for my clients, doing what I say that I am going to do, and utilizing the power of the internet. My background is also a huge asset for me. I was born and raised here in South Tahoe and I started here as a developer/general contractor. I know this town like the back of my hand and I know how to evaluate properties well because of my background.”

Having a full-time assistant has enabled Brent to focus on what he does best, selling homes and working with customers. “Janine has been a crucial part of my team and is a valuable asset that allows me to stay efficient and organized. When I am out on an appointment or out showing property Janine is there to respond to emails, take phone calls, and to make sure that no showings or leads slip through the cracks.” This has been a big reason that Brent Johnson has been the top real estate agent in South Lake Tahoe.

Working for Chase International is another key to Brent Johnson’s success as the top realtor in South Lake Tahoe. Chase International South Tahoe Realty is the top producing brokerage in South Lake Tahoe with 530 total units sold and a total sales volume of $411,394,740. The nearest competitor to Chase had only 217 total sales with a total volume of $183,192,554. “When listing your home with Chase International, you hire an entire team of Realtors and brokers. With my brokers and I working for you, a combined 55 years of experience in the South Lake Tahoe real estate market is on your side. From the pricing of your property through negations and closing, be assured that you will have hired the highest level of expertise and experience.”

When listing your property in with the top real estate agent in South Lake Tahoe there are some important marketing tools that he will use to sell your property. Below are just some of the features that are used by Brent and his team.

Professional Photography and Virtual Tours! With over 84% of today’s home buyers searching for homes on the Internet, professional pictures are a must. Not only will your property be one of the first that they see online, it will make the top of the “Must See” list with the high quality professional pictures and virtual tours.
Featured Listings! I pay for my listings to be featured on the top Real Estate websites including Zillow.com, Realtor.com, Trulia.com, www.JohnsonsTahoeRealEstate.com, and more.
Maximum Internet Exposure! My website www.JohnsonsTahoeRealEstate.com is one of the most active and user friendly real estate websites in Lake Tahoe. My blog is updated frequently and produces lots of business. My website is at the top of page one for many Google search phrases.
Listing Syndication! Your property listing and professional pictures will be syndicated to thousands of websites worldwide! Not only do I pay for featured listings, I manually upload your listing to Postlets.com, craigslist, facebook, youtube, and many others. With listing syndication your property gains maximum Internet exposure.
Homes and Land Magazine! Even though most home buyers are searching the Internet for properties, I still believe in print advertising. I publish my listings monthly in Homes and Land Magazine. This widely distributed and high quality magazine gives buyers and sellers something to flip through while away from their computer. The professional high resolution photo will insure that your listing stands out above the rest!
Just Listed Postcards! I mail out high quality, glossy, 8”x 5.5” “Just Listed” postcards to property owners in your neighborhood. Some of your neighbors may have friends or family looking to purchase a property and may have a buyer for your listing.
Open Houses! Open houses are a great way to show off your property to home buyers, neighbors, and other Realtors. If my sellers want open houses I give them open houses! Open houses will be advertised in the Tahoe Tribune, the South Lake Tahoe MLS, and Trulia.com.
MLS and Office Tour! Every week the South Lake Tahoe MLS has a caravan style tour of the new listings in South Tahoe. Chase International also has a monthly office tour for our agents to view our new office listings. I am a firm believer in hosting my listings on both tours so that I can market your listing to other local real estate agents.
Marketing Department! Chase International is the only local real estate company with our own marketing department. All of our advertising materials will adhere to Chase’s guidelines and will be second to none in quality and materials.

Whether you are a seller or a buyer and if you are interested in working with the top real estate agent in South Lake Tahoe please call Brent and his team at (530) 416-2625 today!

Click here to view recent reviews for Brent Johnson Real Estate

Click here to view recent Yelp! reviews for Brent Johnson Real Estate

April 2020 Real Estate Review

The South Lake Tahoe Real Estate market is seeing a decrease in the total number of listings from April 2019. This includes the Active Listings and those that are currently in Escrow. Out of the 201 Active Listings, none are Short Sale and there are 2 REO properties. Out of the 39 properties in Escrow, none are Short Sales and one is an REO. In April of 2019, there were 246 Total Listings, 189 Active Listings, and 57 Escrows.

The median sales price for a Single-Family Home in South Lake Tahoe as of April 2020 is $470,000.00 which is down 2.1% from April 2019. In April of 2019, the median sales price was $480,000. There are currently 39 properties in Escrow and represent 19.4% of the total inventory. Here is a breakdown by price range of the 39 Escrows:

Under $200,000- 0 0%
$201,000 to $300,000- 3 7.7%
$301,000 to $400,000- 9 30.8%
$401,000 to $500,000- 8
$501,000 to $600,000- 3
$601,000 to $700,000- 6
$701,000 to $800,000- 3
$801,000 to $999,000- 3
Over $1 Million- 4 (4 are Chase of which 0 are Zalanta)

From January 1, 2020 to April 27, 2020 there have been a total of 147 closings which is up slightly from the number of closings during the same time in 2019 when there were 133 closings.

Even though we have had more closings so far this year, I expect there to be less home sales in the first half of 2020 compared to 2019 judging by the lower number of pending sales. There has been an increase of activity over the last week which is quite encouraging despite the shelter in place requirements.

I currently have 17 active listings and most of the listings had showings over the last weekend. 6 of my listings received multiple showings and we received offers on 5 of the listings which is a big jump in activity from the previous weekend.

Be sure to check out my Virtual Showing Videos by accessing my YouTube Channel and you can access it by the link –Brent Johnson’s YouTube Channel Click “Subscribe” for upcoming Virtual Showing Videos!

You can also follow along on my Social Media pages for new listings!

Brent Johnson’s Instagram Page

Brent Johnson’s Facebook Page

March 2020 Real Estate Review

The South Lake Tahoe Real Estate market is seeing a slight decrease in the total number of listings from March 2019. This includes the Active Listings and those that are currently in Escrow. Out of the 216 Active Listings, none are Short Sale and there are 4 REO properties. Out of the 54 properties in Escrow, none are Short Sales and none are REO.

The median sales price for a Single-Family Home in South Lake Tahoe as of March 2020 is $470,000.00 which is down 1.3% from March 2019. There are currently 54 properties in Escrow and represent 37% of the total inventory. Here is a breakdown by price range of the 54 Escrows:

Under $200,000- 1 1.9%
$201,000 to $300,000- 2 5.6%
$301,000 to $400,000- 12 27.8%
$401,000 to $500,000- 14
$501,000 to $600,000- 4
$601,000 to $700,000- 6
$701,000 to $800,000- 6
$801,000 to $999,000- 4
Over $1 Million- 5 (4 are Chase of which 0 are Zalanta)

From January 1, 2020 to March 30, 2020 there have been a total of 123 closings which is about the same from the amount of closings during the same time in 2019 which was 121 closings.

We are currently operating during the “Shelter in Place” order that the State of California is under as we are an essential service. We are needing to be creative in order for our clients to be able to purchase homes virtually during this time. I offer Virtual Showings on all of our Active Listings this way people can watch the video first to make sure this is something they are interested in. Buyer’s much be Prequalified prior to looking at a property and must watch the Virtual Showing video prior to entering a property. I can also FaceTime or Zoom any of my clients through properties listed on the MLS if you are not able to come to South Lake Tahoe at this time.

You can access all of my Virtual Showings by visiting my YouTube Channel- Brent Johnson’s YouTube Channel

Please be sure to “Subscribe” to not miss out on future showings!

Stay home, stay safe, and be well!

February 2020 Real Estate Review

The South Lake Tahoe Real Estate market is seeing a slight increase in the total number of listings from February 2019. This includes the Active Listings and those that are currently in Escrow. Out of the 159 Active Listings, none are Short Sale and there are 4 REO properties. Out of the 72 properties in Escrow, none are Short Sales and 1 REO.

The median sales price for a Single-Family Home in South Lake Tahoe as of February 2020 is $475,000.00 which is the same as February of 2019. There are currently 72 properties in Escrow and represent 31.2% of the total inventory. Here is a breakdown by price range of the 72 Escrows:

Under $200,000- 1 1.4%
$201,000 to $300,000- 5 8.3%
$301,000 to $400,000- 12 25%
$401,000 to $500,000- 17
$501,000 to $600,000- 6
$601,000 to $700,000- 11
$701,000 to $800,000- 8
$801,000 to $999,000- 6
Over $1 Million- 6 (4 are Chase of which 0 are Zalanta)

Today, we are faced with several new challenges regarding how Real Estate will be affected due to the worldwide Coronavirus pandemic. We should expect that property showings will be slow since we are required to social distance and in some cases “Shelter in Place”. We will see our market get a later start to our Spring Listing Season as in years before, we would see that would have just begun.

We are still out showing properties, however, we are following strict guidelines to comply with social distancing. We are following our clients instead of riding in the same car to ensure the 6-foot rule, using hand sanitizer frequently before and after entering a property, refraining from touching surfaces, and staying home if we are not feeling well.

In South Lake Tahoe currently, the Casinos, restaurants and bars, some hotels, and other local business are closed until further notice. It will be interesting to see when our town will be back up and running!

Until then, wash your hands and stay well!