Ben Lee Properties — March 2025 Newsletter
This Month's Article
By Ben Lee I ’m not sure if you caught the newsletter issue number this month and it actually came as a bit of a shock to me when I realized that this marks the 144th edition of this newsletter.
For a dozen years, or 144 months to be exact, I’ve taken the liberty to share stories about me, my family, various events, school news, new restaurants and charitable endeavors around town.
In essence, for these past dozen years, I’ve been writing about our community and why living here is the best real estate decision you can make because there’s nowhere quite like it anywhere in the world.
I don’t even remember how we came up with the cover caption: The Greatest Neighborhood in the World.
It’s a bold statement, declaring where we live gets the #1 spot, especially when you factor in all the neighborhoods in the entire world.
But I believe it because if you’re like me and saved money to buy a home and settle here, to put down roots, raise a family, send your kids to the local schools and make friends with new neighbors, then you should feel like you made the right decision and have picked the greatest neighborhood in the world to call home.
I didn’t consider the cover caption last month when I published the photo of the smoke emanating from the Palisades fires.
I received a few angry emails from offended Palisades residents who thought I was being sarcastic melding the image with the caption, as if I was trying to make a statement to the contrary.
The cover got shared in chatrooms, I was told that I was vilified for being insensitive, accused of trying to market off a tragedy and probably even worse things than that.
I explained to the few that contacted me directly that the caption accompanies every newsletter and it was all a miscommunication and misinterpretation.
I reiterated that as the accompanying article stated: I was devastated by the fires, not to the same extent as those who lost homes of course, but shaken all the same.
I asked that my message be taken back to the chatrooms to try and assuage those who were upset but just in case my mia culpa wasn’t strongly articulated, let me say it here: to anyone who saw the photo and was angry, especially Palisadians who are now living in this neighborhood, I am truly sorry.
Further upsetting you after what you’ve been through was not my intention.
As far as current real estate conditions go, I think March will continue to see a busy exchange of properties.
While the buying and renting frenzy has slowed down, the energy of the market is still healthy, mimicking what we saw pre-holiday season of 2024.
Some properties sell in a day, others take a bit longer but competition for properties is still strong and everything is going at a competitive price point.
That’s the good news! The bad news, however, is: there has been a concerning uptick in neighborhood crime lately, specifically in Cheviot Hills.
Thankfully, no residents have been hurt because at least the gutless criminals have (usually) attempted their robberies when no one is home.
But something must be done about the increase of criminal activity.
There has been a grassroots push among community leaders to mobilize and select one monitoring service moving forward to protect us all most effectively.
The committee vetted a handful of companies and determined Post Security is the way to go.
The more houses that sign up, the more patrol cars and personal attention our area can get.
The crime rate in Beverlywood was slashed in half when those residents banded together and I encourage Cheviot homeowners to do the same.
Over 400 have signed the interest form but we need at least 100 more to make an impact; so perhaps you’ll consider signing the interest form before making your decision to make the switch to Post Security by signing up here: tinyurl.com/90064Post To read more about why this is important, see the back page of this newsletter and if you want to join one of the neighborhood Whatsapp groups, please send me an email: ben@ benleeproperties.com.
It’s an incredibly useful way to stay informed about what’s going on around town.
And back to some happier news to share: we adopted a new puppy.
His name is Roger and he’s from the kind folks over at Much Love Animal Rescue.
I’m not exactly sure of his genetic makeup, possibly a Shepherd/ Doberman mix, but what I do know is he’s slowly learning where to do his business, he’s getting along well with his new brothers (both canine and human alike) and his sweet disposition reminds us of our beautiful dog Rocco that passed away just before the holidays.
If you see us taking a walk around the neighborhood, I hope you’ll stop and say hello!
Thanks for reading this newsletter over the past dozen years.
It’s been an absolute honor to share this wonderful community, the best neighborhood in the world, with you all.
Featured Listings
Cheviot Hills – COMING SOON! 2856 Forrester Dr. - $8,495,000 UNDER CONSTRUCTION Disclaimer: image is used for illustrative purposes only and may not be exact representation of the final product.
Santa Monica – COMING SOON! 664 Kingman Ave. - $9,995,000 UNDER CONSTRUCTION Disclaimer: image is used for illustrative purposes only and may not be exact representation of the final product.
Culver City – IN ESCROW! 10760 Lawler Street #4 - $749,000 2 Beds / 2.5 Bath 1179 Sq. Ft.
Culver City – SOLD! 2852 Motor Ave. - $2,995,000 4 Beds / 2.5 Bath, 3255 Sq. Ft., 7308 Sq. Ft. Lot
Cheviot Hills – NEW LISTING! 2768 Anchor Avenue - $3,495,000 4 Beds / 4 Bath, 2629 Sq. Ft., 8809 Sq. Ft. Lot R ecently remodeled! Open, spacious, and basked in natural light, this single-story Ranch style home is a breath of fresh air. High, peaked-ceilings, beachy-hued hardwood floors and artistic design details lend the beautiful home an updated and modern flair. An easy, effortless flow from living room to dining room to kitchen highlights unique elements such as a marble fireplace in the living room, multiple skylights with controllable shades/screens and a gorgeous kitchen that offers a large marble island, two sinks, a 6-range Thermador stainless oven, custom cabinetry with matching refrigerator that disappears into the hardscape. Located a stone’s throw from the local neighborhood park and walking distance to the award-winning Castle Heights elementary school, this lovely house would make any happy family feel right at home.
Cheviot Hills – IN ESCROW! 3211 Castle Heights Ave. - $3,095,000 5 Beds / 4 Bath, 2971 Sq. Ft., 8750 Sq. Ft. Lot
Beverlywood – NEW LISTING! 3354 S. Beverly Drive - $1,560,000 3 Beds / 2.5 Bath, 2394 Sq. Ft. T his centrally located home is as stylish as it is functional. Wholly private and safely ensconced behind security doors, the home sits upon a drought resistant rock garden and is surrounded by tall hedging and mature foliage. Step inside and see all hardwood floors, a sweeping open floor plan, cozy fireplace in the living room, a dining room and modern kitchen featuring stainless high-end appliances, designer backsplash, custom cabinetry, prep island and wine storage. Each of the other bedrooms have generous closets and are basked in natural light. Additional amenities include: Nest Temperature Control, alarm system, enormous back porch/ laundry room, a short jaunt nearby Culver City and to Cheviot Hills' local supermarket, Starbucks, beauty salons and more. A private oasis in the heart of the city!
Santa Monica – NEW LISTING! 1921 6th Street - $1,595,000 2 Beds / 2 Bath, 1215 Sq. Ft. A bright and delightful California cottage just a stone’s throw from the beach in Santa Monica. An upstairs loft perfect for studying, gaming or playtime, this classic clapboard home offers authenticity at its best. Fully gated and surrounded by privacy hedging around a drought-resistant garden, this home provides hardwood floors with a romantic fireplace in the living room, an abundance of natural light, and plenty of storage spaces. The cheerful kitchen offers iconic black/white square flooring, stainless appliances, a cozy breakfast nook and generous prep/counter space. Located near the fun shops and restaurants of Main Street, Santa Monica, and just a short stroll to the famous Santa Monica pier, 3rd Street Promenade, and the Pacific Ocean, this lovely home is an ideal setting for tranquil, seaside living. Open House 3/9 - 2-5pm
Santa Monica – SOLD! 740 24th St. - $3,995,000 4 Beds / 3 Bath, 2079 Sq. Ft., 8710 Sq. Ft. Lot
Community & More
Cheviot Hills happenings By Ben Lee …it’s the word that you heard and now you can hear ALL the words in this beloved musical because Grease is going to be performed at Hamilton High School starting Thursday, March 27 and going through the following/first weekend of April.
Support your local high school and the arts.
Many of these talented performers go on to work professionally, they are that good!
For showtimes and ticket information, head to the website: https://www.hamiltonmusic.org/events/ Grease is the Word!
By Ben Lee I hope everyone took advantage of getting a free appetizer at Vicini this past month.
We went there for Valentine’s Day and had a really good time.
For March, we are raffling off a $50 gift certificate to the new Thai restaurant that is taking Pico by storm: Sanook Soi 38!
Rumored to be the best Thai place in town, I hope you will go check it out.
To enter, send me an email: ben@benleeproperties.com and write ‘THAI’ in the subject line.
That’s it! We’ll pick a winner at random at the end of the month.
Good luck! Raffle By Ben Lee P lease take a look at this handy guide that was created by a Cheviot Hills safety committee who determined that Post Security is the best choice to combat crime in our neighborhood!
Why Post? By Lilli Lee T hanks to all of you who contacted me to be either set up on dates or be put into contact with others with similar hobbies and interests.
Do you have an extra seat at your low-stakes poker game?
Are you interested in a walking companion or joining a book club?
Please let me know and join the growing list of other community members just like you!
If you’re looking to go out with someone, send me a note and let me know the type of person you’re looking for and I’ll do the best I can to connect you.
Are you more interested in a Singles Party?
Let me know and if there’s enough interest, I can try to put that together, too.
Here’s my information- lillijlee@yahoo.com or 310-650-7735.
