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OUR TEAM
John R. Ellis
President, Broker, Realtor®
DRE License Number: 01331716
John Ellis is the President, and CEO of LS Real Estate, Inc. John is a licensed Real Estate Broker and Realtor, with a CAM (Certified Apartment Manager) certification from the Apartment Association, California Southern Cities, in cooperation with the National Apartment Association. He established the company back in 2002 and has grown it into the corporation it is today. John has worked hard establishing the vision and charting the path of growth for LS Property Management. As acting Broker, John is meticulous about details and accuracy within clients’ accounts, and has a reputation for placing clients’ needs, goals, and objectives at the forefront of every transaction. As a property manager, John provides his clients with communication, negotiation, and management skills in combination with an in-depth knowledge of the surrounding areas, neighborhoods, and real estate markets. He is always looking for new ways of using current technology to provide a higher level of service to all his clients. For many years, John taught property management classes for the City of Whittier and the Apartment Association, California Southern Cities; including, emergency preparedness, tenant screening and fair housing issues. He has also served as chair of the Whittier Apartment Association of Owners and he is currently a member of the National Association of Residential Property Managers, and the Apartment Owners Association. John is a devoted husband and father of 2 grown children. He enjoys photography, shooting sports, traveling, and spending time with his lovely wife, Julie.
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Brenda Nuñez
Operations Manager, Licensed Agent, Notary Public
DRE License Number: 01808729
Brenda Nuñez is the Operations Manager for LS Property Management, and has been part of the team since 2013. Having started as the office bookkeeper, she is now a licensed real estate agent, notary public, and a true property management expert. Brenda manages the day-to-day goings on in the office and makes sure that everything runs smoothly and on schedule. She is the office problem-solver and a team player who is always committed to helping others. Bilingual in both English and Spanish, she is equally responsive and helpful in both languages. With her attention to detail, willingness to learn, and dedicated work ethic, she has become a true leader on the LS Team. She appreciates the fact that LS Real Estate, Inc. conducts all of its business with professionalism, integrity, and is committed to putting people first. Brenda is ready to answer any of your property management and real estate questions.
Silvia Jauregui
Office Coordinator
Silvia Jauregui is the LS Property Management Office Coordinator. She has been with the company since May 2020 and joined the team after many years of experience in education as a preschool and kindergarten teacher. Originally hired as a part-time office assistant, Silvia is now working fulltime and coordinating our maintenance department and property viewings. She helps process incoming maintenance requests and keeps residents and clients updated while collecting estimates and arranging appointments with the appropriate maintenance personnel. One of her favorite tasks is communicating with residents and property owners to assist them in any way she can, and being bilingual in English and Spanish makes that easy for her to accomplish. She can often be found hosting open houses and showing off the wonderful properties managed by LS.
Karen S. Toth
Realtor®, Notary
DRE License Number: 01777629
Karen S. Toth is a licensed Realtor and has been with LS Real Estate for several years working both the property management and real estate sales divisions of our company. She is also able to provide our clients with notary public services, and has served as a Whittier Chamber of Commerce ambassador. She has extensive experience in both property management and real estate sales and enjoys working with both buyers and sellers. Karen is a devoted wife and mother of 4 grown children, and grandmother of eight. She is a sports enthusiast, loves playing Spades, and enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandkids. Karen is definitely a “people person” and is enthusiastic about everything she does! Karen is available to assist you with any of your real estate needs.
Gladys Benavidez
Broker Associate, Realtor®
DRE License Number: 01742006
Gladys Benavidez is a licensed Broker Associate and Realtor® and has been part of the LS Real Estate, Inc. team since 2008. She was first hired as a part time office assistant, and now a full-time real estate agent. Growing in and out of all her roles, she is a seasoned real estate sales agent with a great amount of property management experience. Whether working with owners, residents, buyers, or sellers, Gladys has assisted many clients in their real estate adventures with her lively energy and top-notch customer service. Her most rewarding feeling is when a property owner recognizes that leasing a quality product, gets them quality rent and quality renters. She loves connecting with her clients, and will go the extra mile to make sure they have a satisfactory experience. Gladys is a big Dodgers fan, and in addition to attending many home games, she has traveled to Arizona, San Francisco, Miami, San Diego, and Seattle to watch them play.
Arianna Malhiot
Office Assistant
Arianna originally joined LS Property Management in 2019 and returned in 2022 as our part-time office assistant. She has previous experience in sales, marketing, and account management, and is now applying her skills in the field of property management. She has become an integral part of the team and helps with a variety of tasks around the office including organizing files, communicating with residents, processing applications, and more. Arianna hosts many of our open houses, and has become our social media marketing expert. With an A.S. degree in Business Management under her belt, she is also working on becoming a notary public. She looks forward to advancing her career in the real estate realm, with an ultimate goal of becoming a loan signing agent. In her spare time, Arianna enjoys a variety of outdoor activities and sports including hiking, golf, softball, and running marathons.
Cesar Gonzalez
Lead Maintenance Technician
Cesar has been a part of the LS Property Management team for many years, and serves as the Lead Maintenance Technician for the company. He has extensive experience in plumbing, electrical, and mechanical repairs. In his role as lead technician, Cesar responds to maintenance requests at properties, effectively diagnosing issues and making repairs. From installing smoke detectors to replacing water heaters, the team relies on Cesar to provide excellent customer service and to complete each project thoroughly. He also helps conduct annual inspections at properties, which allows him to catch small issues before they become larger problems. With his positive attitude and strong work ethic, Cesar is committed to providing safe, quality homes and properties for our residents and owners.
Paul Bonner
Move-In/Move-Out Coordinator
Paul Bonner is the Move-In/Move-Out Coordinator for LS Real Estate, Inc., and performs property inspections for the team.. Paul is proud to say that he has been with LS Real Estate, Inc. the longest. He is certified by the National Apartment Association, both as a Certified Apartment Manager (CAM) and a Certified Apartment Maintenance Technician (CAMT). Paul earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies from Cal State University, Dominguez Hills, and his Master’s Degree in School Management from the University of La Verne. Paul retired from teaching after 30 years as an elementary school teacher. Paul is a devoted husband, father of 2 grown children, and a grandfather of 3. Paul enjoys reading books, magazines, and newspapers, especially with a hot cup of cocoa with his morning paper!
Joy J. Ellis
Communications & Marketing Consultant
Having begun at LS Property Management long ago as “The Lowly Office Aid,” Joy has now been contributing her time and talents to the team as the Communications & Marketing Consultant. Joy earned her bachelor’s degree from UCLA having majored in psychology and minored in English. Using her skills in writing and design, she has helped with marketing campaigns and furthering the company’s reach on social media. Joy helps the team write important correspondence, craft presentations, and prepare the monthly newsletters and emails. She enjoys finding new ways to market properties and highlight the quality service LS provides. Joy also serves as the go-to techie, and helps her colleagues troubleshoot the occasional technology issue. In her spare time, Joy enjoys spending time reading, painting, and seeing musicals.