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 with in 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.
I think my passion for the business helped propel me to become the number one agent in the number one Coldwell Banker office (Beverly Hills North). 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!