Ben Lee Properties — January 2020 Newsletter
This Month's Article
By Ben Lee I ’ve worn glasses for as long as I can remember but I have a feeling that my vision this year will be perfect.
That’s right. It’s 2020 and there’s nothing like that first month of a new year of a brand new decade to bring goals, resolutions, hopes and dreams into razor sharp focus.
But this month in particular feels extra clear and not just because it’s officially 2020!
Regardless of the optical innuendos, I feel like being able to see both near and far into the future falls right in line with this year of “perfect vision.” In other words: Happy 2020.
Hope you had a wonderful holiday season and are enjoying January so far.
There’s something about the beginning of the year that lends itself to a bit of a (re)introduction; a few brief words about who I am and what I do just in case you have never seen or read this newsletter before.
Amazingly, this marks our 84th issue. Once a month for nearly seven years, I’ve shared stories and insights into my family, hobbies and interests.
Through fun monthly raffles, I’ve given away thousands of dollars in gift cards to local restaurants and businesses within the neighborhood.
My father in law, a former resident of Cheviot Hills and proud graduate of Overland, Louis Pasteur Jr.
High and Hamilton High has written a monthly column that offers a historical perspective on a variety of local landmarks.
And within all that cool content, I’ve included information about all my current real estate listings.
Over 10,000 homes receive this newsletter so it’s fair to say at least double that number, maybe 20,000 or more people take a look at the properties I have for sale in any given month.
If we’ve never had the pleasure of meeting, here’s a little bit about who I am, what I do and how I got here.
My name is Benjamin Sigmund Lee and am a second generation native Los Angeleno.
I was born in Malibu and moved to Santa Monica when I was 12 attending Crossroads for middle school and then graduated second in my class from Santa Monica High (I missed being Valedictorian by earning just one “B.” It was in chorus and still burns.) I left sunny Southern California for Wesleyan University in snowy Middletown, Connecticut and four years later came back to L.A. for good.
I graduated from Loyola Law School, met and married Lilli Harris, also a native of Los Angeles, and together we live in Cheviot Hills with our three boys: Mason (15), Spencer (13) and Vincent (10).
After working as a real estate attorney for a few years, I made the decision to leave behind the grind of a large law firm and go into business for myself.
I took the vast real estate knowledge I had working as a lawyer and shifted my focus towards what I really liked but never had time for before: working directly with people.
Helping individuals navigate the intricate and often complicated processes associated with buying and selling real estate is something I am very proud to do.
I know that my legal background gives my clients an added bonus because they are getting someone who knows how to negotiate, knows the ins and outs of contracts and knows how to put a deal together in a smart, experienced and professional way.
Real estate is still considered the largest and most substantive investment one can make and I do feel it’s an honor to assist and counsel my clients throughout the process.
Another contributing factor to this achievement, though, is the fact that I’m the indisputable neighborhood expert.
I live in the neighborhood in which the bulk of my real estate focus lies.
When I sell a property for the highest price per square foot in the area, that’s as good for my investment as it is for my neighbors.
I can sell an enormous amount of houses here because buyers know I’m sincere when I say it really is the greatest place to live.
My boys have attended the local elementary school and I faithfully contribute money to various school fundraisers around town because I know that good neighborhood schools help everyone’s property values, including my own.
I also dabble in real estate development.
Whether it’s building homes for my family to inhabit or as investments to sell off market, it’s been a really fulfilling creative outlet that combines my interest in architecture as well as interior and landscape design.
To see a project through from beginning to end and feel as though I’m contributing to the beautification of my community has been equally satisfying.
So, there you have it: a bit about me. If you are a new reader, now you know who I am and what I do.
If you’ve been a faithful follower of this newsletter for nearly seven years, then apologies for the unintentional redundancy and be sure to read next month’s issue which will hopefully be back on track with brand new material.
In the meantime, may your New Year’s vision stay perfect and bifocal free throughout all these months that make up 2020.
I look forward to seeing you around the neighborhood!
Featured Listings
Hollywood Hills - NEW LISTING! 8527 Hedges Way – $14,999,000 6 Bed / 6 Bath 5,055 Sq. Ft., 25,790 Sq. Ft. Lot P rime Sunset Strip, completely rebuilt Villa with unobstructed views of city, downtown, mountains & ocean. Sited up a private, gated 200 ft drive lined with approx. 50 palm trees. Incredible quality & details throughout. Hardwood floors, endless French doors & windows for exceptional views from the inside/out. Gourmet granite kitchen with imported Italian cabinetry. Fantastic flow for entertaining. Sparkling pool, spa, gorgeous terraces & 5-car parking. High tech video surveillance & security system.
Brentwood - GREAT NEW PRICE! 1845 Mandeville Canyon Rd – $3,195,000 3 Bed / 4 Bath 2,650 Sq. Ft. 17,218 Sq. Ft. Lot A stately manor in the heart of Brentwood’s Mandeville Canyon. Built in 1940, the overall structure of the home is solid, however surface areas and fixtures could use updating and cosmetic attention. With that in mind, a multitude of authentic design details abound such as stained glass windows in the den, exquisite bay window in the formal dining room, and colorful Spanish tile adorning the living room’s fireplace. Coveted Kenter Canyon/Paul Revere/Palisades High school district. #1 in total sales volume for buyers and sellers in 90064 #1 in total listing value in 90064 #1 in listings sold in 90064 #1 agent in the #1 Coldwell Banker office in the world #6 Coldwell Banker agent out of 92,000 agents worldwide *All statistics per the mls The results are in for 2018 and Ben Lee is topping the charts!*
Beverlywood - IN ESCROW 9022 Monte Mar Dr – $3,795,000 6 Bed / 7 Bath 6,458 Sq. Ft., 7,593 Sq. Ft. Lot
Westwood - SOLD! 217 S Bentley Ave – $4,325,000 5 Bed / 6 Bath 4,700 Sq. Ft., 8,303 Sq. Ft. Lot
Palms - IN ESCROW 1728 Tabor St – $1,799,000 4 Bed / 3 Bath 2,006 Sq. Ft., 4,935 Sq. Ft. Lot
Wilshire Corridor - SOLD! 10724 Wilshire Blvd #702 – $1,795,000 2 Bed / 3 Bath 2,345 Sq. Ft.
Beverlywood - SOLD! 2213 S Beverly Dr – $1,995,000 3 Bed / 2 Bath 2,550 Sq. Ft., 7,993 Sq. Ft. Lot
Beverlywood - SOLD! 9139 Hargis St – $2,149,000 4 Bed / 4 Bath 2,500 Sq. Ft., 4,989 Sq. Ft. Lot
Cheviot Hills - SOLD! 3001 Cavendish Dr – $5,999,000 6 Bed / 8 Bath 7,858 Sq. Ft., 8,756 Sq. Ft. Lot
Community & More
Beverlywood happenings By Ben Lee I t’s hard to believe that now is the time to start thinking about summer plans for your kids and there’s no one better to help navigate the variety of options than Cheviot resident and Tips on Trips director Jill Levin.
There are so many interesting and creative camps out there that you probably don’t even know about.
Is your son or daughter interested in studying sea turtles in Greece?
Elephants in Sri Lanka? Rock Climbing in Croatia?
Perhaps he/she wants to study theater, architecture or human rights law closer to home.
The opportunities are unlimited and Jill can help (free of charge) create an unforgettable summer experience for your children.
Tips and Trips will be holding an Open House on February 2 at the Skirball Center from 11-2 (so you’ll be home in plenty of time to watch the Superbowl!).
There you’ll find a whole slew of information pertaining to all sorts of camps.
It’s a great chance to see what interests your children most.
I’ll be taking my boys on the 2nd so hope to see you there!
Tips on Trips and Camps Open House Westside Stories If you enjoy reading these vignettes each month, you may want to check out my father-in-law’s book, Westside Stories.
It’s a memoir/history of growing up on the Westside of Los Angeles in the 1940s and 1950s with great photos, anecdotes and stories.
Perfect for the history buff/enthusiast in your family!
It’s available for purchase at http://www.americasgroup.com/Westside-Stories-Book.html By Ben Lee T hank you to all who entered our Factor’s Deli raffle.
Congratulations to Lynda Chankin. You are the lucky winner of a $50 gift card!
To everyone who entered but didn’t win, don’t be sad as there is always another raffle right around the corner.
This month we’re raffling off a $50 gift card to Zooies Cookies!
If you haven’t tried Zooies yet, you’re really missing out.
No one can believe that the best cookies in Los Angeles are sold right in our own backyard, or specifically: at the gas station on the corner of National and Castle Heights but it’s true.
They really are sold at the gas station and they really are that delicious.
To enter the raffle, simply send me an email: ben@benleeproperties.com and write COOKIE in the subject line.
That’s it! We’ll pick a winner at random at the end of the month and let you know via email.
Good luck! Raffle By Michael Harris T he Pacific Design Center consists of 3 separate buildings designed by the Yale scholar and designer Cesar Pelli.
The first was the Blue building in 1975 often called the blue whale.
Then the green building followed in 1988 and finally the red building in 2012.
The buildings are on a 14 acre site that for many years had to contend with a metal plating company that would not move from its small building on Melrose Ave which inhibited the design concept of the three integrated buildings.
One wonders how much that plating company held out for before it was finally removed so that the front of the campus on Melrose could be completed.
Down the street on San Vicente is the Beverly Center which is now having an expensive redesign to accommodate the newest concept in malls and better to compete with the Beverly Grove development of Rick Caruso just to the East.
Does one remember when the Beverly Center design was disparaged by saying its building was the box that the Blue Whale came in?
