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!

4 Bdrm-3.5 Bath Covina Hills Horse Property-Amazing Value @$798k

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4 Bedrooms, 3.5 Bath, with Attached Garage converted into Mother-in-Law Quarters. Fully Upgraded Kitchen with Granite, New Tile and Custom Cabinetry. Brand New Carpet throughout includes Upgraded Bathrooms. Never Run Out of Hot Water with a state of the art Tankless Hot Water Heater! 2 Zone AC System and Recessed Lighting throughout! Home is also Handicapped equipped.

Tranquil Resort Like Back Yard with Professionally Landscaped Grounds, Saltwater Pool and Slate Tile Decking!

You MUST SEE to appreciate! Motorized Wrought Iron Gate Entrance. Also offers HUGE Parking Area for RV or Trailer.

This UNIQUE PROPERTY will SELL FAST-especially at this LIST PRICE! Contact us for a Private Showing! — at 20580 East Via Verde Covina CA 91724.

There will be an exclusive open house preview showing Sunday August 18th from 1-4PM.  Don't Miss It!

Viva Escrow Part 2

Hi, everyone! Welcome to my video blog!

Today, I have part two of our interview with the wonderful Juliana Tu from Viva Escrow!

Thank you for watching!

Is there going to be a new loan on the property?

If there is a new loan on the property, the escrow company will be in constant communication with the loan program. We need to make sure we have all the documents needed to approve the loan; they need to have the correct property address, the owner’s name, etc.  Once we have all the documents, we bring the buyer in to sign. We then send the signed information to the bank for funding.

As well as getting the loan documents, we also get all the paperwork necessary for the buyer and the seller to close the contract including an estimated closing statement. This statement is very important because it tells you what the buyer needs to bring in and tells the seller what net proceeds he will get.  The estimated closing statement is one of the most important functions we will perform.

When the seller is ready to sign the deed to transfer ownership, we are coming to the close of escrow.  Once the deed is signed, it gets recorded along with the buyer’s loan information at the county recorder’s office. When that takes place, then we know the file is ready to close and it is time to balance that file.

What does balancing the file mean? We pay off the loans that the seller has, make sure the taxes are paid and we make sure the buyer’s new loan goes on to secure the property. Once the file is balanced, the checks are sent out to all the parties and the transaction is considered close.

Throughout this process, a good escrow agent should follow the three ‘Cs’.

1. Communication: We need to make sure we keep in constant communication with everyone involved in the process: the buyer, seller, listing agent, selling agent, loan broker and even the termite company! 
2. Calendar: We need to know the timing of everything such as when a termite inspection should be done by, when is a physical inspection supposed to be done or when are we going to order the seller’s payoff.
3. Customer Service: It is to our benefit that we provide the best customer service. When our sellers and buyers are happy, we are happy too!

Premier "TV Show Style Home"-Ultra Modern & Chic @$458k

The Diaz Team BACK AGAIN-with "The PREMIER San Gabriel Valley Re-Model on the Market!

If you watch those HGTV Shows about "perfect home remodels", then you will love what you find here!

3 Bedroom, 1 and 1/2 Bath with stunning Tile Floors, an AMAZING Kitchen with Island, Granite countertops and Stainless Steel Oven and appliances. You need to see this kitchen to fully appreciate it.  It also includes a fully refurbished Bathroom along with dark wood style laminate flooring in each bedroom.

This crib is an Entertainers Dream with it's Sparkling pool, HUGE BACKYARD with covered patio and a Gated RV Parking Area.

This property will be gone in a FLASH! Contact us Today for a Private Showing!

Selling a Home in a Seller’s Market – 4 Easy Steps That Will Get You More Money

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Google “selling a home” and you’ll end up with millions of hits with tips, tricks, to-dos and what not to-dos. But if you can see past all the fluff and get right down to the bottom line, you confirm that all you really want as a seller is top dollar and you want it fast.

Team Diaz knows the business of selling homes and we’ve been through it in all types of markets. Buyer-centric markets tend to make it necessary for sellers to pull out all stops while a sellers’ market like we are experiencing these days dictates something else altogether.

Here is our four-point strategy that we think you need to be doing to prepare your house for sale. Nothing else. It doesn’t need to be complicated. It doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. Being in the amazing market that we are in right now – you don’t have to do that much!

Bring It Up to Code
Read up online (or ask us) to find out the standard items that home inspectors look for – then go get it done in your house. Make sure the home complies with safety and building code and if not, hire a contractor to get it done. Some things are easily resolved yourself such as replacing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors or ensuring your water heater is properly strapped in place.

Let There Be Light (and Air)
One of the first things buyers look for is the flow of a house. Not only does this apply to the floor plan but also in terms of how much light and air flows through the space. The last thing you want to do is to have a buyer walk away because they were unable to see the potential in a home if it wasn’t set up right. Make sure you open windows, highlight open spaces and stage the house so buyers can see all that it has to offer.

Break Out the Broom
Have you ever walked into a dirty or cluttered space and felt good? Of course not! So when you’re selling your home keep buyers’ impressions in mind as walk through the house. Are there piles of stuff lying around everywhere? Make your home inviting and welcoming with the simple step of cleaning it up, making it fresh and allowing buyers to visualize their own lives in the space.

Don’t Go Into Overdrive
One of the biggest mistakes sellers make is to renovate, rebuild and remodel before selling their home. The problem with that is that buyers may or may not like your choices. Rather than the money being recovered in your sale price as you would have wanted, renovating often backfires and turns buyers off. No need for overkill – just sprucing up the place with some simple decorating and staging changes will do the trick. And if there is a serious need for updating – reflect it in the price so buyers can make their own design choices.


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Aside from the obvious steps to take when preparing your home for sale – the most important thing you can do is to align yourself with a really strong real estate team that will get the job done! Contact us today for a free home value report and for a walk-through with some more suggestions for your home. Remember – Monica makes it happen!

Check Out Our Newest Listing Before It's Gone!

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This 4 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom House in the Charter Oak area of Covina has the decor and design of a Martha Stewart Dream Home.  It's over 2200 Square Feet and sits on a HUGE 19,000 sq ft plus lot.  Immaculately maintained with almost everything upgraded. There is nothing in Los Angeles County in this condition @$525k!  Showings begin Friday May 24th!  Contact Team Diaz today for your private viewing

How To Get the Home of Your Dreams – Even In a Frustrating Market

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We understand how difficult it is to decide you want to buy a home, venture out into the real estate market, find out how few choices there are these days and then discover that so many others are going through the same thing. So we wanted to share with you some of the strategies that we impart to help our buyers actually WIN their bids.

First, it’s important to understand just why there are so many buyers lurking the marketplace nowadays. For starters, interest rates are at their lowest they have been for years – in fact, they are still hovering at historic low levels and we all know they will eventually climb back up again. Second, there is a lot of pent up demand given last year’s Presidential election followed by the fiscal cliff crisis. Before all that was years of economic strain that went hand in hand with our housing market crash in 2007.

So that explains why so many buyers are eager to lock in the low rates and home prices are still affordable. How can you be sure to win your bid as you compete against a sea of other buyers? Here are a few ideas that Team Diaz implements to make it happen for you:

• Get a prequalification or preapproval from your lender
• Remove some contingencies to make it as easy as possible on the seller
• Make your highest and best offer in the first place
• Be realistic and don’t expect lowball offers to be taken seriously

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The bottom line is that we want to see our clients happy and we make it happen by getting them the homes they want. If you allow Team Diaz to negotiate every step of the process, and to move quickly and strategically on your behalf – we WILL make it happen!

Meet the Monica Diaz Team – Up Close and Personal

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Nothing brings us more satisfaction, both professional and personal, than to see our friends, neighbors, clients and friends enjoy their successes in life. And real estate is a huge part of that success, whether buying your very first home, moving up into your dream home or selling to move on to new things.

Many Years of Combined Industry Experience

The Monica Diaz Team is proud to share an introduction of our team; starting with Monica herself. A long-time real estate industry professional doing appraisals as a certified home appraiser for 14 years and a 10-year real estate licensee, Monica brings a strong commitment backed by lots of experience to the table.

Working in Today’s World With Tomorrow’s Technology

Jay Campbell takes care of all the cool stuff, with a strong role as the team’s Digital Market and Social Media Strategist. The title is a mouthful but the job behind it is as important as ever with today’s fast-paced, technologically savvy and “now” world. Gone are the days of pencil pushing and waiting around for communications. Jay sees to it that we engage all our clients through an extensive network of social media platforms that work for you.

Dedicated Buyers’ Agents for All Purchase Transactions

We recognize that a lot goes into a selling a home and equally as important is the time when you might be seeking the perfect home. So we’ve set up an exclusive system where our buyer’s agent is dedicated solely to our buyers’ needs – whether single-family homes or condos or investment properties.

Strong Marketing Techniques With “Wow!” Factor

Similarly, we focus heavily on marketing your property when you decide it’s time to sell so that the process is easy, hassle-free and you get the most money for your home. Our thorough research process ensures that you are pricing your home well and we utilize today’s hot marketing tools that truly “wow!” the crowd.

Full In-House Team that Keeps It All Together

We employ a unique digital market collaborative that involves everyone on our team, including our in-house lending group that consists of five very talented and hardworking team members. To keep things running smoothly, we have a transaction coordinator who is well versed in contracts, documentation and all the not-so-small stuff that needs to keep happening in order to make it to the closing table with no roadblocks.
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Our team’s number one focus is on building and enjoying long-term relationships. When you work with a group of individuals that are driven by your happiness rather than their checks at the end of a transaction, you know you’re in good hands! Contact us today!