Ben Lee Properties — June 2026 Newsletter
This Month's Article
Happy June! I’ve been thinking a lot about dads and grads lately and this is the one month out of the year to celebrate both. My eldest son Mason, the one who made me a dad, will be graduating from UCLA this month. Technically, he was done in March, a quarter early. I’d like to say he’s been early at everything in life but that hasn’t always been the case.
He was a week past his due date when he came into this world 21 years ago and slept through many morning alarm clocks ever since. But from an early age we recognized he was learning things a bit quicker than what we figured was normal. I’m sure every new parent thinks his first child is the most amazing kid in the world but when ours passed the 5th grade math exitexam while still in 2nd grade, teachers confirmed he had somewhat of a gift in the subject. In the astounding flash of time that flew by in mere moments, this precocious young boy grew up to be a fabulous young man and is now a UCLA grad.
He remained faithful to his natural born talent and graduated with a double major: math and economics. The question that instinctually seems to face new graduates is, “What’s next?” Our son is lucky that he has found a job and is diligently learning to work at something that doesn’t always come easily to him. He’s also learning how to transition from being a relatively care-free undergrad to a responsible adult. While in school he was autonomous; he could sleep as late as he wanted, skip classes if he felt like it and stay out all night if the party kept going strong.
No doubt punching a proverbial clock every day, having a boss, paying taxes, and seeing first-hand how quickly a paycheck gets spent is quite an adjustment. It makes one wonder what’s so great about graduating early! But he was insistent that this was what he wanted to do and I couldn’t be prouder of his ambition and tenacity. I have three amazing sons and I am often asked, “Do you think any of them will go into real estate?” I’d like to think at least one or two might be interested in eventually joining the family business.
They’ve been on the inside since they’ve been born and have seen first-hand that it’s not always easy but can be incredibly gratifying. They’ve witnessed what it takes to be a real estate broker, warts and all. The nights when I’ve had to take important calls during dinner or times I’ve needed to delicately untangle the gnarled threads keeping stressful deals together, like MacGyver detonating a bomb. However, they’ve also seen the fun and extremely rewarding sides, too.
They recognize how nice it is to know so many residents within a neighborhood and see how many former clients have become very good friends. They’ve manned booths at block parties, helped at Open Houses, passed out Ben Lee Properties merch to passersby and kept the lines moving at ice cream parties. In fact, you might see them in action at the ice-cream party later this month when my listing at 10359 Monte Mar Drive is open from 2-5! My boys have had their lives written about in this newsletter for nearly two decades.
You might say this business is really in their blood. But while I think it would be great if one of my sons decides to join the team, to take what I’ve built and make it their own, I hope they don’t feel undue pressure from me. I’m reminded of my own professional path—I graduated from Loyola Law School in 2003 and that was a special day because both of my parents, former graduates, were invited to hand me my diploma. At that time, my mother was a judge and my father, a lawyer.
I was encouraged to go into the family business after college but never felt an enormous pressure to join either one of them in their daily practice. When it came time for my job search, I probably could’ve called any number of their lawyer friends, all of whom they met while at Loyola and felt like extended family, but it was important to me to forge this career path on my own. I didn’t want to rely on my nepo-baby status. So, after passing the bar, I got a job at a medium-sized firm that eventually folded but it led me to my next job at a much larger practice.
It’s safe to say that even though the law provided both of my parents and most of their friends with professional joy and fulfillment, it was not the case with me. I don’t want to say I hated the work, but I knew it wasn’t something for which I felt a great passion. It was an invaluable gift knowing from early on that the ‘family business,’ was not the right choice for me. But it was far from a negative experience because I could leverage what I learned from the law and use it in real estate, a profession that ended up being much better suited to my talents and interests.
Maybe one day my three sons will try real estate and if it resonates with them, that would be great! If it doesn’t, that’s OK too. As long as they learn something before becoming titans in their chosen industries where they’ll make kajillions of dollars which will keep their parents comfy in our old age—well, that’s good enough for me. To all the graduates this season, I hope you don’t get too many wellmeaning friends asking, ‘What’s next?’ because NOT knowing exactly what’s next is the exciting part of this phase of life.
Be open to where the road takes you and try to learn everything along the way. As they say: getting there is half the fun and I have faith you’ll succeed in whatever you do. And, to all the dads: you’ve worked hard all year and raised your kids up right. Throw an extra burger on the grill and have a fun Father’s Day.
You deserve it! Dads and Grads
Featured Listings
Cheviot Hills - FOR SALE! 10359 Monte Mar Drive – $8,995,000 6 Bed / 7.5 Bath 6,635 Sq. Ft. S et on coveted West Monte Mar Drive in Cheviot Hills, this newly built 6-bedroom, 7.5-bath estate offers sweeping golf course views and exceptional luxury at every turn. Thoughtfully designed in tranquil earth tones, the approximately 6,635-squarefoot residence blends warmth and sophistication with soaring ceilings, skylights, and disappearing floor-to-ceiling glass sliders that open seamlessly to the backyard. Built by B Homes Design & Development, the home evokes a serene, spa-like retreat filled with natural light and effortless indoor-outdoor flow. A light-filled foyer welcomes you into expansive living spaces that include a private office, elegant formal living room with fireplace, formal dining room, guest suite, and an impressive great room anchored by a custom state-of-the-art kitchen and breakfast nook with banquette seating crafted from rift white oak millwork. Designed for both daily living and entertaining, the kitchen features a marble-topped eat-in island, dual sinks, abundant prep and storage space, SubZero refrigerator/freezer, and Wolf range. Glass sliders fully pocket open to a resort-style backyard with a swimming pool, spa, built-in barbecue, multiple lounge and dining areas, droughttolerant landscaping, and uninterrupted fairway vistas stretching as far as the eye can see. The basement is designed for leisure and entertaining, featuring a spacious recreation area, wet bar, home theater, and two additional bedrooms, one currently configured as a gym. An elevator conveniently services all levels. Upstairs, the primary suite and secondary bedrooms each offer en-suite baths, including a lavish primary retreat with panoramic views spanning the backyard, golf course, and skyline of Century City. The spainspired primary bath includes an oversized shower, soaking tub, dual vanities, private water closet, and expansive walk-in closet. Additional highlights include two laundry rooms, attached two-car garage, privacy fencing, sound and security systems, smart home wiring, and placement within the highly sought-after Overland Avenue Elementary School district. A rare offering of modern elegance, scale, and location in one of Los Angeles’ most desirable neighborhoods.
Cheviot Hills - SOLD OVER ASKING! 3388 Manning Ct. – $2,595,000 4 Bed / 3 Bath 2,388 Sq. Ft., 7,204 Sq. Ft. Lot
Beverlywood - SOLD OVER ASKING! 9124 Beverlywood St. - $1,795,000 3 Beds / 2 Bath, 1,513 Sq. Ft.
Cheviot Hills - FOR LEASE! 2890 Forrester Drive – $21,000 p/mo. 4 Bed / 5 Bath 4,438 Sq. Ft., 7,204 Sq. Ft. Lot
Pacific Palisades - SOLD OVER ASKING! 16485 El Hito Place – $2,895,000 4 Beds + Office/Den / 3.5 Bath 2,733 Sq. Ft., 0.62-
Beverlywood - FOR SALE! 9015 Beverlywood St. – $1,270,000 2 Bed / 1 Bath
Community & More
Cheviot Hills happenings By Ben Lee Grab a newsletter, pair of Ben Lee Properties sunglasses, beach ball, spatula, guitar-shaped cheese grater… any Ben Lee Properties thing… take a picture of it with you, your kids, your pets or even the item by itself and enter to win $500! Whether you’re traveling this summer or staying home, take a photo with any Ben Lee Properties item and send it to me: with PHOTO in the subject line: ben@benleeproperties.com We’ll pick a winner at the end of the grand prize is $500! Have fun, good luck and happy travels! PHOTO CONTEST Thank a Teacher Abig Thank You to Shelly Greenwald for hosting our last Neighborhood Ladies’ Wine Night in her beautiful backyard.
The lovely Diana Zollicoffer has generously offered to host our next gathering however we have already reached guest-list capacity as the space (a rooftop pool which should be gorgeous!) is limited. With that said, please reach out and get on the waitlist: lillijlee@ yahoo.com. Also, you’ll be first to know about the August Wine Night which will be at Jackie Shulman’s house in Cheviot Hills. Hope to see you at one of these get-togethers soon!
Wine Night With the academic school year coming to a close, why not take a unique and creative way to thank your child’s favorite teachers while helping those in need? Turnaround Arts California raises money to bring arts education to schools that might not otherwise have the resources to provide such vital (and fun!) curriculum to its students. Rancho Park neighbor Barbara Palley is the nonprofit’s Executive Director and says 100% of donations go toward providing training/resources for underserved kids throughout California. If you’d like to make a donation, head to the website: https:// turnaroundartsca.org/inspiringteachers/ and publicly thank a teacher for making an important difference in your family’s life!
Ihope you had the chance to visit our local safety fair last month. It was a beautiful day in the Triangle Park and thanks to Cindy Kane and her team of volunteers, residents had the chance to have a chat with our neighborhood’s lead police officer Chris Baker as well as learn life-saving lessons such as CPR, operating gas shutoff valves, fire extinguisher tips and more. Post Security Patrol was also on hand to provide important ways to keep our home secure, especially with the summer months approaching. It was a wonderful event, one that makes us feel especially grateful for living in such a safe and thoughtful neighborhood.
Successful Safety Fair
