I Want to Wish You a Happy Thanksgiving!

I Want to Wish You a Happy Thanksgiving!

The season of giving is upon us and I wanted to give thanks to you and everyone else that has touched our lives this year. I hope you also take this time to offer thanks to the people who have helped you through this past year. I wish you a safe and Happy Thanksgiving and you can watch my latest video to hear my holiday message!

If you or anyone you know is looking to buy or sell, keep Team Diaz in mind because remember MONICA MAKES IT HAPPEN!

Will a Foreclosure or Short Sale Stop You From Purchasing a Home?

Will a Foreclosure or Short Sale Stop You From Purchasing a Home?

We are fully aware of the trend from years past of foreclosures and short sales, but what does it mean for you and your credit? Today, I wanted to talk to you about how you can improve your credit score if those blemishes are present and also what your options may be. To help with this, I have Adrian Enriquez and Lauren Lazalde of American Financial Network here to educate you on how to move forward in the event of foreclosure, short sale and even medical collections you haven’t been made aware of.

“Our goal when getting you prequalified is to point you in the right direction and tell you the exact steps you need to take in order to close escrow and to be put in the position to purchase a home,” Lauren stated. When we look at your credit, our main objective is to improve it so you are able to obtain a better interest rate and be in the best position possible to purchase your next home.

“We to make sure we address all issues before you open escrow so we do not drag you through a ten day process and you find out that you have these collections on your credit report that are randomly popping up,” Adrian added. “With FHA and conventional, there are a couple different ways you can go about it and they are each going to have their own seasoning,” Lauren continued. She also explained that if you were current on your payments with your short sale, you can immediately move towards an FHA purchase.

It is also phenomenal that with a 20% down payment on a conventional loan and a foreclosure from the past year, you are still able to move forward. In regards to an FHA purchase, the underwriters will compare purchasing scenarios in order to prevent people from taking advantage of the market. Do keep in mind that FHA requires three years from your most recent short sale or foreclosure and Adrian outlined that you have to be current with your trade lines, reestablish your credit and have a minimum FICO score of 620 to move forward. We will be there for you beforehand to address any of these issues.

For example, if a first-time buyer was to enter the market with a credit score of 630, there is a limit of investors we can sell the loan to as their credit score needs to be above 640. If the buyer is in the 620-639 range, there is a FICO hit because it is considered “risk-based pricing.” Adrian explained that as direct lenders, they will work to raise your credit score and ultimately achieve the customer a lower interest rate. This may be in the form of paying down debt and addressing any derogatory comments on your credit report by identifying whether they are valid or not.

“Even more specifically, we are going to look at your trade lines where you have a high credit limit and the balance is very close to that high credit limit, those are the triggers that those are the accounts when paid down, they will yield the most points to your credit score,” Lauren added. The lenders are able to run scenarios and obtain the specific number of FICO points that will raise your credit score to be done in preparation to ensure you are able to make offers right away. This process can be completed within 3 business days, the points will show on your credit score.

If you have questions pertaining to your FICO score, I strongly suggest contacting Adrian Enriquez or Lauren Lazalde. Discover how you can proceed in purchasing your next home and live in a way you never deemed possible. And Remember, when looking to buy or sell a home, Monica makes it happen!

Why a Trust?

Why a Trust?

Hey, everyone! Welcome back to my video blog! Today, I wanted to talk about trusts and why they are preferred over wills.

So, what is a trust? A trust divides ownership of a property into two parts.
1.    Trustee. The trustee holds ownership and control of the property.
2.    Beneficiary. The beneficiary holds the soul right of the enjoyment of the property.

Did you know that often trusts are preferred over wills when ensuring the orderly transfer of property in case of a death? Trusts can be executed immediately and can handle a variety of different circumstances. If you are injured or become incapacitated, a trustee can take over your finances.

Another great thing about trusts is the assets such as personal property are not subject to probate proceedings. This is a HUGE relief in avoiding expensive fees from both attorneys and probate court.

Trusts can also be changed much easier than a will. One simple notarized page from both the trustee and beneficiary is all it takes!

The BEST part about a trust, though, is getting favorable tax treatment! If you have a personal net worth of $100,000 or more, a trust will maximize your estate tax exemptions. It will also ensure at the time of your death, your heirs can inherit the estate and avoid any penalties and fees from our good friends, the IRS.

Take it from me. You don’t want your loved one to lose their home at the time of death to the state due to lack of estate preparation.

As, always if you ever know of a friend, a coworker, relative or even a Facebook friend that is interested in buying or selling a property, connect with us today!

And remember, MONICA MAKES IT HAPPEN!

Viva Escrow Part 3

Hi everyone! Welcome to the third and final part of our interview with Juliana Tu from Viva Escrow and the author of “The Art of Escrow.”

We truly hope you found this informative and if you have any questions, please call me at 626.890.7187 or even Juliana; we’d love to help! Thanks for watching!

Juliana Tu

Like any other industry, we have a lot of competition. There are a lot of escrow companies out there. We like to differentiate ourselves from other companies in that we provide the great service.  We have staff members that speak a vast amount of different languages to help our different clientele. I have had over 37 years of experience and am a senior certified escrow officer; I feel experience is important when you are looking for a good escrow company.

Your transaction is important to you, so it becomes important to us. So all these years in the industry, I realized there wasn’t any type of book to explain the escrow process. When clients enter the escrow process, they find it’s like being dropped into a hole.

So, with all the information I had, I decided I was going to write a book. The book is call “The Art of Escrow” and it came out December 24^th, 2012. The book actually goes through what happens before, during and after the transaction. A good transaction starts with the buyer and seller both doing their homework before they initiate the process.  My book is written to educate and help my clients understand the process and what they can do to alleviate the stress that will come to them during the process.

The book is available on Amazon and I recommend buyers and sellers read it. It is not geared toward real estate agents; the real estate agents know the process. The book tells ‘war stories’, things that can happen during escrow.

If there is knowledge, there is less stress and everyone will be happier!

Viva Escrow Part 1

Today, we have an absolute treat for you! As you know we’ve been partnering up with many people in this whole real estate process and in doing so we’ve actually chosen an amazing escrow company to work with. We strongly recommend working with Juliana Tu.

She has years of experience. People on her team can speak many languages. Trust me, once you hear her speak, you’ll know why we’ve chosen her. We want only the best for our clients.

Juliana has so much knowledge to share that she actually wrote a book called ‘The Art of Escrow’ We hope you enjoy this informative interview!

Interview with Juliana Tu

So what is the purpose of having an escrow?

The escrow holder is an impartial third party who handles the transfers of the property and funds between a buyer and a seller. The reason for having this is because there’s usually a lack of trust between the buyer and seller. Because of this, there might be a necessity for having a binding contract, especially when there is a For Sale by Owner.

An escrow also handles the payoff; so we are a clearinghouse for all leans and debts against the seller before the property is transferred to the buyer.

What are the basic characteristics of having this third party?

1. Confidentiality: we need to be confidential with personal information from both parties.
2. Impartial: We do not take sides.
3. No legal or financial advice: When there is a question that concerns something that is of legal or financial nature, we ask the parties to contact their legal and financial advisors.
When the purchase contract is accepted by both parties, the contract is given to the escrow holder and that becomes the map for which the escrow holder is going to follow in order to complete the transaction.

There are a few things we look for in the purchase contract:
1. Is there a new loan?
2. Are there certain things that need to be confirmed before closing such as termite inspection or repair work?

One of the other things an escrow holder does is open up a preliminary title search. We need to make sure the seller is that actual owner of the property and we need to find out what kind of leans and debts are against him. All of these things need to be paid off before escrow is closed.

The #1 Income/Rental Opportunity of the Year from Team Diaz!

 Two Units-each 3 Bedroom and 2 Bath. Nearly 2000 Square Feet per unit. 1 Unit Upstairs and 1 Unit Downstairs. Almost everything is completely redone. 2 Car Garage-Lots of Storage Space and a Large Backyard.

You will not FIND ANYTHING THIS SIZE OR QUALITY in LA at this price. Perfect Owner Occupy where live in one and rent out the other. This property is SIGNIFICANTLY UNDER MARKET. Get your offers into us ASAP!

Pricing in the Southern California Real Estate Market

Hello everyone! I’m with my beautiful assistant, Alana! Welcome to our video blog!

Today I wanted to discuss the importance of price in this wonderful Southern California real estate market!

Now, in a previous blog I discussed how being in an equity position is a huge advantage due to the restricted inventory of available homes for sale. But today, I want to emphasize the importance of properly pricing even in a limited supply market.

Did you know that it is still very easy to overprice if you don’t employ the services of a trained expert? I was a certified residential home appraiser for 14 years before I became a licensed real estate professional! My expertise will help ensure that we will price your property properly, ensuring that you will receive the maximum value on that sale!

So far this year every property that I’ve sold has received multiple bids and many have sold above fair market value! I am confident that the Diaz Team will do the same for you!

As always, if you know someone who is interested in buying or selling, connect with me today 626.890.7187 or monica@monicdiaz.net

And remember, Monica Makes it Happen!!

Digital and Social Marketing with the Diaz Team

Hi everyone! Welcome back to my video blog! Today I have with me my business partner and the person who is behind all of the wonderful digital and social marketing tactics! His name is Jay Campbell, also known as the marketing expert.

Jay Campbell

It’s nice to meet all of you! Monica and I have been working together for about 10 months and in the limited time we’ve been partners, I’ve completely redesigned Monica’s brand! I’ve also tried to feature her as prominently as possible on most of the leading real estate websites and various marketing pathways!

We’ve partnered with an in-house lender, a title company and an escrow company. Essentially, what we have done is built an entire business platform where clients are able to have a seamless transaction. We’ve eliminated the frustrations that often come along with the business of real estate.

So, now is an exciting time to work with the Diaz Team and we look forward to the opportunity of working with you!

So if you or if you know of anyone who is looking to buy or sell give us a call now at 626.890.7187 or send me a quick email monica@monicadiaz.net!

Thanks for watching!

 

Beverly Hill Testimonial

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Today, I have one of our wonderful sellers with us, Beverly Hill. She wanted to share her experience with the Monica Diaz team with you!

Beverly Hill (Summary)

I knew I wanted to sell my home, but I had no idea where to begin or how to find a realtor. I called a friend of mine whom I greatly trusted and asked if he knew of anyone. He recommended Monica.

I knew from the first appointment she would get things done. She was so helpful in explaining the process to me. I had so many questions and felt so overwhelmed. I had been living in my home since 1978, selling it was like saying goodbye to a friend; it is an emotional situation.

I had a family contact me offering to pay $850,000 cash. I was so relieved to hand all the communication over to Monica.

Not only was Monica able to get $400,000 over the asking price, she did it in just two weeks. When Monica says she can get it done, she is telling the truth!

Check out this AMAZING INVESTOR OPPORTUNITY in PASADENA!

Watch on your mobile device >>

A 26,400 Foot Lot with a 2Bdrm-1Bath turn of the Century Craftsman Home located in the prestigious Michilinda Park Area.

You will not find an opportunity like this anywhere. There are multiple 3 Million Dollar Homes on smaller lots in this neighborhood. Think 300%+ ROI with a tear down and rebuild. All of this can happen in less than 8 months in this market!

The Bidding starts at a super low price of $948k!!! Contact Team Diaz ASAP.

It’s a Seller’s Market in Southern California and That Means You Get TOP Dollar!

Watch on your mobile device >> 

Have you been sitting around waiting patiently to sell your home? For years now, we’ve been waiting for a better time in the market, a time when sellers can expect to get top dollar for their home. Well folks – the time is NOW! The SoCal real estate market is brimming with buyer activity and that can mean only one thing for sellers that are eager to cash in on the opportunity. That’s right! The market is rife with opportunity for sellers to get the most for their home and with the market as it is right now, they are getting it done in an easy, hassle-free way.

Ninety Percent of Homes Sold Are Getting Multiple Offers
Believe it or not, nine out of ten homes sold in the month of March drew multiple bids. In some cases, especially for homes that are priced right, in good shape and in a great location – as many as 5, 10 or more buyers were vying for the same property. As a seller, the advantage of this kind of housing shortage is that YOU get to pocket a LOT more money than otherwise. Seems like yesterday when we had an overabundance of homes and not enough buyers out there looking.

Many Sellers These Days End Up Over Asking Price
Another benefit of a seller’s market that we’re seeing a lot of our clients enjoy is MORE MONEY! When you have multiple people interested in your home, of course you can expect them to drive the price up as they compete against each other. This is great for our clients because you can expect to yield a LOT more than you had expected in the first place!

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If you are in an equity position on a home in Southern California and selling may be something you are considering – it’s critical to align yourself with a top-notch, experienced, go-getter team to get the job done and get you the most money! Team Diaz is THE professional team to get it done. If you or anyone you know, whether a friend, family member, neighbor, or someone in your social community, is looking to sell or buy a home – let us know today.

Remember, Monica makes it happen!

626-890-7187
monica@monicadiaz.net