Ben Lee Properties — September 2026 Newsletter
This Month's Article
Happy September! I didn’t travel much over the summer, but that didn’t stop a part of me from feeling like I had been all over the world. This newsletter managed to stow away in luggage that went all the way to Finland, Greece, Viet Nam, Puerto Rico, and even Egypt! Other Ben Lee branded artifacts (and their handlers) seemed to have just as much fun staying closer to home, whether it was a duo of mugs keeping hot cocoa warm, a towel protecting a table during a neighborhood Ladies’ Wine Night or even a big hike in Culver City.
From the looks of things, my Ben Lee give-aways had some great adventures this summer. We had so many terrific photo—contest entries, it was impossible to pick our favorite one, so we turned to an impartial group of judges, asked them all to vote and let democracy do its job. After an impassioned debate and once each entry was picked apart from every angle, a winner was finally chosen by a panel of grandparents and friends. To find out who’s going to take home the grand $500 prize, flip to the back page.
Actually, I’ll save you the trouble of flipping to reveal that the winning photo was submitted by Craig Silvers and it was a picture of Craig holding the newsletter in front of the Pyramids in Egypt. Again, as mentioned, this was anything but an easy decision. However, judges determined that the majestic pyramids set against the perfectly timed sunset, combined with the sheer joy on Craig’s face made this picture edge just slightly ahead of the other extremely competitive candidates. I must admit feeling a humble sense of pride in seeing an issue of this little newsletter in the company of the only remaining Wonders of the Ancient World.
Not unlike the Pyramids, this newsletter has taken years of blood, sweat and tears to build its readership. And taking the correlation one step further, I’ve built my entire real estate business in similar fashion to the Pyramids: one measured brick at a time. So, congratulations to Craig for travelling with the newsletter all the way to Egypt and bringing back the grand prize. Everyone else who submitted (quite fabulous photos) will be getting a token of appreciation as a thank you for participating.
And, please be on the lookout for our next Ben Lee Properties useful gift-item that will be coming your way around Thanksgiving. It’s handy, it’s protective and slim enough to fit into a suitcase for next summer’s photo contest. What else is happening in September? I’m turning a year older and am looking forward to celebrating another trip around the sun.
Truth be told, I generally dread my birthday and the thought of turning a year older sends me into a low-key panic. But the gratitude of having my health and being surrounded by a big, loving family takes a bit of the sting out of hitting the lower rung of middle age. It’s a daily commitment to tell my brain to stay youthful despite the actual age my body is turning. With every morning’s ache and pain, I have to remind myself that I’ll never be as young as I am today.
So, in that vein, every day I try to stay active whether by going surfing or taking the dog on a walk around the park. My muscles and joints may suffer more today than they did in the past, but hopefully investing in physical activity now will help keep me from ever getting too ‘old.’ Staying active in business helps me stay young, too. No real estate deal is ever truly straightforward or simple. Most of them are a jumble of puzzle pieces that fall in and out of place until the last minute when everything comes together.
The tougher transactions, the ones that really tax my brain, are what keep me in totally locked in with what I do. My wife sometimes compares me to a Border Collie because I’m able to function best when I have a job to do and my mind is fully engaged. Or, to quote the needlepoint picture my grandma had hanging in her living room: “When I rest, I rust.” That grandma lived to be 102 so clearly she had a philosophy worth following. For many of us, especially in the Cheviot Hills, Rancho Park, Beverlywood neighborhoods, the month of September means celebrating the Jewish High Holy Days.
Even the less religious among us will usually find ourselves sitting in services on these two major holidays of the year (the equivalents to Christmas and Easter for Christians, if you will). But what sets our services apart is the sheer level of security one must pass through before being admitted inside. Armed guards, metal detectors, photo IDs, names on tickets for entry. Safety concerns facing the Jewish people have never been higher, and this time of year only intensifies the already hateful rhetoric.
If I can make one wish when blowing out my birthday candles this year it would be to see an end to the current level of intense global antisemitism. The world can be a sick, scary place and our kids (not to mention us adults) deserve better than what’s currently creeping toward being normalized. So, to everyone this September, I wish you the best of health, happiness, kindness and adventure. If you’re a Virgo like me, have a very happy birthday!
And if you’re celebrating Rosh Hoshana or Yom Kippur, Happy New Year and I hope you have an easy fast. Stay safe and well, neighbors. The world may not be a perfect place but it’s comforting to know we’re all in it together. Picture Perfect September
Featured Listings
Pacific Palisades - FOR SALE! 14707 Sunset Blvd. – $2,795,000 4 Bed / 4 Bath 2,842 Sq. Ft. Koreatown - INCOME OPPORTUNITY! 3148 James M Wood Blvd – $2,300,000 Unit 1: 2 total units, 1 bedroom, 1.00 bath Unit 2: 6 total units, 2 bedrooms, 1.00 bath
Santa Monica - FOR SALE! 1921 6th Street – $1,399,000 2 Bed / 2 Bath 1,215 Sq. Ft.
Cheviot Hills - FOR LEASE! 2890 Forrester Drive – $18,000 p/mo. 4 Bed / 5 Bath 4,438 Sq. Ft., 7,204 Sq. Ft. Lot
Cheviot Hills - IN ESCROW! 2855 Club Dr. – $5,400,000 5 Bed / 4.5 Bath 4,100 Sq. Ft. Beverly Hills - INCOME OPPORTUNITY! 166 N Arnaz – $2,995,000 Unit 1: 1 total unit, 3 bedrooms, 2.50 bathrooms Unit 2: 1 total unit, 2 bedrooms, 2.00 bathrooms Unit 3: 1 total unit, 0 bedroom, 1.00 bathroom
Cheviot Hills - IN ESCROW! 10359 Monte Mar Drive – $8,995,000 6 Bed / 7.5 Bath 6,635 Sq. Ft.
Beverlywood - IN ESCROW! 9224 Monte Mar Dr. – $6,195,000 7 Bed / 7.5 Bath 5,532 Sq. Ft.
Cheviot Hills - SOLD! 3320 Patricia – $7,495,000 5 bed / 5 1/2 Bath 4,851 Sq. Ft., 9,275 Sq. Ft. Lot
Community & More
Beverlywood happenings Abig thank you to Jackie Shulman for opening your doors to so many fun ladies last month. On October 5th, we’ll be heading to Danielle Stark’s home in Rancho Park. New to the neighborhood, this is her first time hosting a Wine Night, so let’s show her all the love that makes our community so special. To get all the details, please send me an email: lillijlee@yahoo.com And, if you’d like to plan ahead, save that date of 12/17, as that’ll be the last Wine Night of the year.
Hope to see you soon! Wine Night My wife and I are excited to host an art show in Cheviot Hills on October 16 from 5-8pm, featuring the works of acclaimed Argentinian—born artist Rodolfo Buonocore. A student of philosophy before studying art, Rodolfo brings an emotional richness to his work that has brought joy to generations of devotees. John Walsh, Director Emeritus of the Getty Museum, has described him as “a confident painter who tackles challenging material with impressive assurance and gets beautiful results.” Having spent decades showing in galleries throughout America, Buonocore has returned to Los Angeles and has created a robust new body of work that will be making its debut this October.
If you would like to attend this special art show, we’d love to have you! There’ll be drinks, light bites, and the opportunity to view and purchase pieces should you be so inclined. It should be a lovely evening. To find out all the details, please contact me: ben@benleeproperties. com and write ‘ART SHOW’ in the subject line.
Looking forward to seeing you there! Art Show Congratulations to Craig Silvers! You are the lucky winner of this summer’s annual photo contest and a big $500 prize. Thank you to all those who participated in this activity—hope you had fun on all your summer adventures and I also hope you participate again next year!
If you’d like to see a handful of our favorite entries, go to my website: benleeproperties.com under the tab ‘Photo Contest.’ Now that it’s fall, we’re returning to our monthly raffles where we highlight new local businesses that deserve our support and patronage. This month, I’d like to call your attention to Diego’s Bakery on Pico. A familyrun, (delicious!) bakery that brings all the flavors of Europe directly to Rancho Park. To enter to win a $50 gift card, please send me an email: ben@benleeproperties.com and write ‘BAKERY’ in the subject line.
That’s it! We’ll pick a winner at the end of the month. Good luck! PHOTO CONTEST—NEW RAFFLE!
