A Family Legacy Moves Forward
- Sydney Zoehrer
- 4 days ago
- 6 min read
The Olga Stevens Group Starts a New Chapter
By Sydney Zoehrer
For over 34 years, Coronado has entrusted Olga Minvielle Stevens with finding our friends and family properties to call home on the island — a legacy now entering a new chapter as her son, Patricio Lavalle, steps into a more active leadership role as the new face of the Olga Stevens Group (OSG). Adopting the tagline “Specializing in the Shores,” Olga made a name for herself with sales comprising a significant proportion of Coronado Shores units sold year after year, owing to her unmatched expertise in local markets. Olga has shaped a real estate career not only impressive for its success — she’s a top-producing San Diego realtor — but also for its commitment to values: steeped in a gratitude for and pride in Coronado, which she and her family have now called home for decades.
In 2024, Patricio joined his mother, Olga, in forming the Olga Stevens Group (OSG), affiliated with Compass Real Estate. Over the past two years, Olga has led the full-service team with more than three decades of industry experience, while Patricio has worked closely with her, steadily increasing his involvement and playing a crucial role in shaping OSG’s growth as he prepared to assume day-to-day leadership of the company. Patricio brings a strong command of the real estate industry, shaped by his experience in real estate development and professional training as a practicing architect with PLM Arquitectos. The team is further supported by Claudia Turchin, who oversees operations as office and real estate sales manager, bringing extensive experience in resale, pre-sale, and new construction, along with a deep knowledge of both national and international markets. While Olga is not retiring, this year represents a landmark moment for Olga Stevens Group as she steps back and Patricio takes the reins, building on the group’s strong foundation and leading the company into its next phase of development.
Hailing from Mexico, Stevens purchased her first Shores unit in the mid-1970s. She spent her summers in Coronado with her children, eventually moving to the island where she enrolled them in local schools. She began specializing in Coronado real estate in 1991, quickly becoming a mainstay in local transactions, her “Complete List of Units for Sale at the ‘Shores’” advertisements dotting the papers. Over the past three decades, Olga has built a legacy as a skilled negotiator and accomplished businesswoman who always puts clients first, whether in purchases, sales, or rentals. She has led her business with a reputation for integrity and hard work that has enabled her to maintain both local relationships and global real estate partnerships, all with an indefatigable energy and passion for Coronado living. This legacy forms the bedrock Patricio now builds upon as he leads the Olga Stevens Group forward.
We often see the faces of realtors in print or at open houses, but it’s not often we get to know the people behind the company. With Olga passing the torch to her son, Patricio Lavalle, it felt like the perfect time for Crown City Magazine to sit down with the business partners to hear more about the company’s transition and future as the OSG finds their stride with Patricio at the helm.
Olga, what values have led you in real estate and helped you build your business from the ground up?
OS: After my children grew up, I was able to focus more fully on my career. Thanks to the many connections I had developed, I became one of the founders of an Exclusive Tennis Club, a natural extension of my passion for the sport. This experience introduced me to the world of sales, where I specialized in forming investment groups and securing land for the development of several tennis country clubs.
Navigating different environments and opportunities pushed me to think resourcefully and work with determination — qualities that became essential as I transitioned into sports, sales, and eventually real estate.
What has it meant to you to grow the business alongside family?
OS: I was born in Mexico City, but my family roots trace back to Veracruz, the main port of Mexico. I grew up in a large, close-knit family. Through the years, we have learned from one another, and each of us has been able to forge our own path and develop our own business.
Patricio Lavalle Minvielle has been our addition to join me in starting the Olga Stevens Group. Laura Lavalle Minvielle, with many relationships from Mexico City and other foreign destinations, will be joining us in 2026.
What sets OSG apart from other real estate groups in Coronado?
OS: My connection to Coronado is long-standing, built over decades of meaningful relationships. Our deep love for Coronado and its unique lifestyle has allowed us to connect naturally with the many people who are fortunate to call this community home and many of our clients who return to us again and again.
Patricio, can you tell me a little bit about what the transition from architecture to real estate has been like? What has translated well?
PL: I have been practicing architecture and real estate development in Mexico for 30 years with great success (www.plmarquitectos.com) and was very involved in the community I lived in. I did a project for 296 apartments in Mexico City and I stayed and lived there, forming part of the community and experiencing the result of my architectural design and construction. This helped me greatly in understanding how communities work and feel and the basic needs for people in a dwelling. I decided to come and work with Olga 3 years ago and last year [2024] we formed the Olga Stevens Group.
How does your background in architecture influence your approach to real estate?
PL: I can see benefits and sometimes errors in properties that most people don’t see. I am familiar with orientation, noise sources, structural properties, construction systems, construction procedures, architectural finishes, and possibilities and potential for remodeling or transforming to add value to a property. This can be transferred to the clients so they have a broader view when purchasing or selling real estate.
What have you learned from Olga about the real estate business in your time working together?
PL: Her experience is very extensive. How to approach clients and be empathic with them have been the most valuable attributes I have learned from her.
What will this passing of the torch look like at OSG? What can clients expect from your leadership through this transition?
PL: I see it more as a transformation. We have formed a specialized group and developed a system so that we can approach new listings and client service that, in the past, was often handled on an individual, agent-by-agent basis. Now, we can offer a standardized relationship with our clients, as well as a standardized approach to handling properties, without losing the individual focus that our clients need. Every transaction is different, and we are committed to understanding and addressing each unique difference.
Having said that, our clients can expect the same level of professionalism and service that has always identified Olga, and now her team.
What is your vision for OSG moving forward? What will stay the same, and what’s on the horizon?
PL: This is a very dynamic and changing industry. My vision addresses this through innovation and human connection. We are actively implementing new technologies for handling clients and promoting properties that will maximize the service we offer. Specifically, we are developing a robust, integrated system that is designed to deliver the best possible experience to the client.
What will be new is the emphasis on empathy and clarity. Having recently experienced the transition from being a client to now being on the brokerage side, I want to emphasize this greatly. Most agents are very familiar with the procedures and paperwork involved in a real estate transaction, and often forget how complicated and intimidating the process sounds and feels for clients. My goal is to make sure our clients understand the whole procedure of buying or selling as easily and transparently as possible.
What will stay the same is our fundamental commitment to procedural competence. However, I never will forget that agents sometimes take for granted the fear and uncertainty that a selling or buying client can feel, and we will actively address that emotional side of the transaction.
Is there anything else you would like to add about the business?
PL: Olga Stevens Group is committed to offering clients an objective and enriching description of the properties and accompanying them through the process.
The Olga Stevens Group would love the opportunity to earn your business. Our team brings strong market knowledge, exceptional client care, and a proven record of results. We’re confident we can be a great fit for your real estate needs and would be honored to be considered.
Countless clients have made the choice to “Call Olga” over the years. Now, when calling Olga Stevens Group, know that you’re receiving the same quality service — just backed by multiple generations of support, expertise, and connection to the community whose properties the group represents.
• Sydney Zoehrer, a CHS graduate who recently earned a B.A. in Urban Studies from Yale University, is a writer and senior copy editor for Crown City Magazine. Currently living in New York City, she enjoys covering stories about Coronado’s changing community, small businesses, and architectural history to stay connected with her hometown from afar.
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