About Lee The Founder

About Lee The Founder

Lee was born in London England in 1964 to Norman and Marion Appleby. He played in the streets of Ilford, Essex and attended school until he was 7 and his brother and two sisters along with mum and dad left England to settle in Sherman Oaks, California. In 1974 when Lee was 10 they all moved to Encino where Lee grew up going to Birmingham High where he lettered in Baseball and went on to Pierce College as a ballplayer.

After college Lee returned to Jolly Ole England for a few years, did some modeling, learned to play polo, fell in love with designer clothes and fine fabrics and the sewing from Saville Row, Turnbull & Asser and while in Italy looking at fine Italian clothing he decided to return to the United States and open a fine men store offering the best of European menswear. For 20 years Lee Appleby Menswear was a fixture in Southern California’s upscale community of Brentwood where he served athletes, coaches, Presidents, politicians, corporate leaders, entertainers and other people with fine taste.

While owning the store Lee’s involvement with real estate led him to become a loan originator because he couldn’t find a loan source who provided personal service, which was the cornerstone of Lee’s retail business and something he thought was essential when dealing in high-level financing. With the objective of providing the very best in service, the very best in rate and helping home buyers obtain the very best in terms in 1996 Lee joined Centurion Bancorp as Senior Vice President. Centurion was one of California’s top producing boutique mortgage banking firms.

Lee has the power and resources to meet the needs of all his valued clients. He is known as “the go-to guy” when loans become challenging. He enjoys repeat business from real estate agents and brokers, business managers, lawyers, and investment advisors and past clients and their family members. For more than 15 years Lee has enjoyed a reputation for one of the leading loan originators in the United States. Lee’s success and his sterling reputation are the result of a career based on honesty, integrity, and an uncompromising dedication by Lee and his team to his clients. Lee’s clients constantly applaud his virtual 24/7 availability which has not taken away from his ability to maintain a strong family life. Both personally and professionally, Lee enjoys success by adhering to a traditional code of ethics and always maintain strong core values.

Lee is much more than the owner and founder of a Mortgage Company.  His knowledge of the real estate business and the requirements for developing a successful business based on market focus, client service, relationship development, time management and an appreciation for the life cycle of a client, makes him a valuable resource to many real estate agents and brokers throughout the state.