Real estate writer Beale leaves LA Times via buyout

Real estate reporter Lauren Beale, who penned the well-read Hot Property feature for six years and edited it for decades, has left the Los Angeles Times.

She is one of an estimated 90 newsroom staffers at the paper to have taken advantage of Tribune Publishing’s recent buyout offer.

Beale, who was The Times’ real estate editor from 2000 to 2008 and the deputy editor before that, left the popular celebrity real estate column in the hands of sports-savvy fellow writer Neal J. Leitereg.

Beale and Leitereg won an Times editorial award last year for Best Blog for their scoop-a-day reporting. The pair expanded the audience reach of the once print-only column to include a 24/7 national and international Internet following.

“Although I hadn’t planned on leaving now, the opportunity to strike out on my own was too good to pass up,” she said in an email to Talking Biz News. “And I think there’s something to be said for moving on while you’re still on top of your game.”

A Times veteran of nearly 36 years, Beale spent the bulk of those years covering real estate but also had stints in the travel, food, books, home and features sections. Under her leadership, the Sunday real estate section won several journalism awards from the National Association of Real Estate Editors, including best section.

She plans to continue writing on a variety of topics. She can be reached at beale.lauren@gmail.com.