Trusts
TRUST
How trusts can help you control your assets and build a legacy.
If you haven’t stopped to consider how a trust may help you pass on your legacy, you could be making a critical estate planning mistake. For individuals with substantial assets, I believe protecting wealth for future generations should be top of mind.
There are many types of trusts available, each designed to help achieve specific goals. A financial adviser can help you determine which type (or types) of trust is most appropriate for you. First, though, consider the estate planning goals that a trust may help you realize.
The estate planning benefits of a trust
An effective trust begins with documentation carefully drafted by a qualified attorney with knowledge of your specific situation. Without the appropriate documentation, you and your beneficiaries may not reap the benefits of a trust, described below.
1. Pass wealth efficiently and privately to your heirs. Perhaps the most powerful and straightforward way to use a trust is to ensure that your heirs have timely access to your wealth. When you transfer your assets to your beneficiaries through a will, your estate is settled through probate in the state courts. However, probate is a public legal process that can create several problems for your heirs, including:
· Delays: The probate process can take a year or more, during which time assets may not be easily accessible to pay for funeral arrangements and other expenses.
· Costs: Probate can cost up to 5% of the estate’s value, depending on the state you live in.
· Publicity: When your will is admitted to probate, it becomes a public record and your assets become known to the public. Such transparency can create unwanted scrutiny. It may make your beneficiaries a target for unwanted solicitation, either by individuals or by companies that may be looking to provide a cash advance on an inheritance in exchange for an egregiously high interest rate.
In addition, an unoccupied residence listed as an asset of probate may become an easy target for vandals.
You can avoid probate and gain greater control over how your estate is settled by establishing and funding a revocable trust during your lifetime. Because the trust is revocable, it can be altered or amended during your lifetime. After your death, the trust acts as a will substitute and enables the trustee to privately and quickly settle your estate without going through the probate process. You also can give the trustee the power to take immediate control of your assets in the event that you become incapacitated, a provision that can save your heirs the trouble and time of going to court for a conservatorship. Finally, revocable trusts are dis-solvable, meaning you can pull your assets out or change the terms of the trust at any point during your lifetime.
2. Preserve assets for heirs and favorite charities. If you have substantial assets, then you may want to consider creating and funding an irrevocable trust during your lifetime. Because the trust is irrevocable, you cannot amend the trust once it has been established. You would gift assets into the trust and the trustee would administer the trust for the trust beneficiaries based on the terms you determine. Significantly, while the value of the gift could use some or all of your lifetime gift tax exemption, any growth on these assets will not be subject to federal estate taxes at the grantor’s death. The individual lifetime federal gift tax exemption is set at $5.25 million in 2013.
Irrevocable trusts also can serve several specialized functions, including:
· Holding life insurance proceeds outside your estate. The death benefit from a life insurance policy ordinarily would be considered part of your estate—but not if the policy is purchased by an independent trustee and held in an irrevocable life insurance trust that is created and funded during your lifetime. Despite not being subject to estate taxes at your death, the life insurance proceeds received by your irrevocable life insurance trust can nevertheless be made available to pay any estate taxes due by having the insurance trust make loans to, or purchase assets from, your estate. Such loans or purchases can provide needed liquidity to your estate without either increasing your estate tax liability or changing the ultimate disposition of your assets, so long as the life insurance trust benefits the same beneficiaries as your estate does. In particular, this means that illiquid or tax-inefficient assets, such as real estate or taxable retirement accounts, may not have to be sold or distributed quickly to meet the tax obligation.
· Ensuring protection from creditors, including a divorcing spouse. An irrevocable trust, whether created during your lifetime or at your death, can include language that protects the trust’s assets from creditors of, or a legal judgment against, a trust beneficiary. In particular, assets that remain in a properly established irrevocable trust are generally not considered marital property. As such, they generally won’t be subject to division in a divorce settlement if one of the trust’s beneficiaries gets divorced. However, a divorce court judge may consider the beneficiary's interest in the trust when making decisions as to what is an equitable division of the marital property that is subject to the court's jurisdiction.
Keep in mind, though, that irrevocable trusts are permanent. The trust dictates how the funds are distributed, so you want to fund this type of trust only with assets that you are certain you want to pass to the trust beneficiaries, as specified by the terms of the trust.
3. Reduce estate taxes for married couples. For a married couple, it may make sense to use a revocable trust to take full advantage of both spouses’ federal and/or state estate tax exemptions. Upon the death of the first spouse, the assets in a revocable trust can be used to fund a family trust—also known as a credit shelter or B trust—up to the amount of that spouse’s federal or state estate tax exemption. These assets held in the family trust can then grow free from further estate taxation at the death of the surviving spouse. Meanwhile, the balance of the assets in the revocable trust can be transferred into a marital trust for the benefit of the surviving spouse or transferred outright to the surviving spouse, thereby avoiding estate taxes at the death of the first spouse on these assets as well.
The estate tax—free growth potential for funds in a family trust can be significant. Say, for instance, that you and your spouse live in Florida, which has no state estate tax, and have a net worth of $12 million. If one of you dies in 2013, that spouse’s revocable trust can fund the family trust with $5.25 million without paying any federal estate tax. Over the next 20 years, this $5.25 million could grow to $17 million or more, based on a 6% growth rate, compounded monthly, all of which would remain outside the surviving spouse’s taxable estate. While the balance of the assets can be transferred into a marital trust or outright to your surviving spouse, these assets are included in the surviving spouse’s estate and are subject to estate taxation at the surviving spouse’s death.
4. Gain control over distribution of your assets. A properly drafted trust enables you to structure the way your assets are distributed to multiple beneficiaries through succeeding generations. These provisions can give you a great deal of comfort knowing that your wishes will be carried out after your death.
Some common provisions include:
· Distributions for specific purposes. For example, you can stipulate that a trust will make money available to your children or grandchildren only for college tuition or perhaps for future health care expenses.
· Age-based terminations, which stipulate that the trust’s assets be distributed to your children at periodic intervals—for example, 30% when they turn 40, 30% when they turn 50, and so on.
If you want to make gifts to charity, you may also want to consider establishing a charitable remainder trust during your lifetime, which allows you, and possibly your spouse and children, to receive an annual payment from the trust during your lifetime, with the balance transferring to the charity when the trust terminates. You may also receive an income tax charitable deduction based on the charity’s remainder interest when you contribute property to the charitable remainder trust.
5. Ensure that your retirement assets are distributed as you’ve planned. You may be concerned that a beneficiary will liquidate a retirement account and incur a large income-tax obligation in that year as a result. But if you name a properly created trust as the beneficiary of a retirement account at your death, the trustee can limit withdrawals to the retirement account’s minimum required distributions (MRDs), based on the life expectancy of the oldest named beneficiary in the trust document. The trustee can then make distributions to the beneficiaries according to your wishes, whether this might be to retain and reinvest the MRD in the trust or to distribute the MRD to the beneficiaries.
6. Keep assets in your family. You may be concerned that if your surviving spouse remarries, your assets could end up benefiting his or her new family rather than your own. A qualified terminable interest property (QTIP) trust provision can, in this case, be used to provide for your surviving spouse while also ensuring that the remainder of the trust’s assets are transferred to the beneficiaries you’ve chosen.
Building your legacy
The purpose of establishing a trust is to ultimately help you better realize a vision for your estate and, in turn, your legacy. Therefore, it’s important to let your goals for your estate guide your discussion with your attorney and financial adviser about the kind of trust and provisions that are right for you. It is vitally important that the trust be properly drafted and funded, so that you and your beneficiaries can reap the benefits you intend.
Name the Right Trustee
Selecting the right trustee can give you peace of mind that your vision for your estate will be realized. While you may choose to serve as trustee or co-trustee of your revocable trust, it may not make sense for you to serve as trustee or co-trustee of other trusts that you are considering.
You also must determine who will serve when you are no longer willing or able. You might be tempted to choose a friend or relative as trustee, based on the idea that this individual knows the beneficiaries and is best equipped to make distributions accordingly. However, in even the most loving families, relationships can sometimes become difficult and emotionally charged.
While your intentions and directions may be clear, it can be difficult for a trustee who is a friend or relative to act objectively. Moreover, the trustee must be investment savvy, someone who can effectively invest the trust assets in a manner best suited to benefit the trust's beneficiaries. Finally, the trustee is also responsible for preparing accounting and tax filings and keeping up with complex and ever-changing laws regarding trust administration.
An independent trustee with professional experience on both fronts, investment management and trust administration, may turn out to be the best choice. Or, perhaps having co-trustees, one independent and one related, could be the right answer for you. Be sure to discuss potential candidates, and the pros and cons of each, with your attorney or financial adviser.
Attorney
Jeffrey D. Cavin (562)862-1962 Fax (562)923-7884 Trusts*
Christina M. Stone (562)694-3821 (714)870-9972
Eugene (Gene) Gleason (562)943-5566 Fax (562)943-3421
Testimonials
"
He is great! Warren knows how to sell a house! He helps you out, gives advice, on getting your house ready and sold it in 3 days at Christmas time. Everything went smooth from start to finish. My family thanks you very much for everything!
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- Cheryl G.
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"I would like to take this opportunity to state how much we appreciated one of your Real Estate agents, Warren Nass.
We Just recently sold our condo and bought a home through your office in La Mirada. It was always amazing to me that throughout the rigorous process of buying and selling a home, how Warren always paid close attention to every detail of our wants and needs. I know that he had other clients that he was also working with but he continuously made my wife and I feel that we were his first priority. He always kept us well informed during the ordeal and when other agents or personnel involved in our business dealings dropped the ball, Warren was always there to pick it up and keep the process moving forward.
We sold our condo in 4 days and for more than we expected - yet Warren felt we could get our asking price. The home we purchased had 15 other bids besides our own and again, Warren was there with the sellers and their agent and through his people selling and personality skills, he succeeded in putting us in the home of our dreams.
In closing, although this was a business transaction, we feel Warren went above and beyond the call of duty in ALL instances and made my family and myself feel like he was our very own personal agent. He truly is an asset to your organization and we can and WILL recommend Warren Nass wholeheartedly to anyone who is interested in buying or selling a home."
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- Robert and Debra S.
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Exceptional!!
Warren͏ walked us through every step of the process of selling the family home after a death in the family. He came fully prepared to share his knowledge on the market, what was happening in the neighborhood and answer any questions we had and we had a lot. He shared his opinions and suggestions on what we could do to prepare the house for sale. He spent many hours right besides us with his sleeves rolled up moving things around and helping us clean things up. What he was able to accomplish was absolutely amazing. All throughout the open house/showing process he kept us in the loop and always upbeat. When dealing with Warren we always felt that he listened to us and gave us 110 percent of his time and energy. His easy going personality just gave you that comfortable feeling of dealing with a friend not just a realtor. He is a professional through and through. Warren made a tough situation more pleasurable.
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- Terry K.
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I had a wonderful experience working with Warren in selling my home. I recently lost my husband and found myself in a situation where I had to make decisions that I usually shared with him. Warren was able to guide me through this process with his vast experience and knowledge in the real estate market. He communicated with me regularly during all aspects of the transaction. He was extremely professional and displayed positive ethical values during this time. He went far above his responsibilities to me, as a client, to assure that I got “the best deal” possible. I will be forever grateful for his compassion and understanding during a time when I was feeling weak and vulnerable, and heart-broken.
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- Judy D.
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Dear Warren,
We just want to thank you for all your help in selling our La Mirada house! Your wisdom and professionalism was the key to its selling so quickly. We really appreciate all you did for us.
We moved in on June 12th and loving it - the Four Seasons Community is beautiful, the neighbors are great and our house is the best! We have features we never dreamed of. After many days in a Motel and a 3 week driving trip as far east as Little rock, Arkansas, Ames, Iowa and as far north as Johnstown, Colorado. We were so ready for our own bed in our own house and our own home-cooked food.
We hope things are continuing to go well for you. If you and Cathy Lee are ever by this way do stop and see us!
Thank you again for everything! we have both vehicles in the garage which prove we got rid of a LOT of stuff! Thank you for suggesting ways to de-clutter.
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- Carolyn and Stan P.
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Warren was excellent. I’ve worked with him 2 other times, so was confident he was the best man for
the job. We searched for almost a year and put in 12 offers. Warren was patient,
kind,knowledgeable, and jumped through many hoops for us with the seller when we finally got
into escrow. I can honestly say that if it wasn’t for Warren’s expertise and work ethic, the sale on
our home probably wouldn’t have happened. We are in our new home now, and owe him many
thanks. We couldn’t be happier!
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- Amanda P.
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Warren is a dedicated, knowledgeable, professional, and friendly agent. We appreciated his valuable input throughout our home selling process. With Warren's expert guidance, we were able to sell our home quickly and profitably.
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- Kathy B.
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Amazing knowledge and service. Took care of all details.
Very professional in all aspects of our relationship.
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- Anonymous
"
Warren walked us through every step of the process of selling the family home after a death in the family. He came fully prepared to share his knowledge on the market, what was happening in the neighborhood and answer any questions we had and we had a lot. He shared his opinions and suggestions on what we could do to prepare the house for sale. He spent many hours right besides us with his sleeves rolled up moving things around and helping us clean things up. What he was able to accomplish was absolutely amazing. All throughout the open house/showing process he kept us in the loop and always upbeat. When dealing with Warren we always felt that he listened to us and gave us 110 percent of his time and energy. His easy going personality just gave you that comfortable feeling of dealing with a friend not just a realtor. He is a professional through and through. Warren made a tough situation more pleasurable.
"
- Klenk Family Trust
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Warren is a dedicated, knowledgeable, professional, and friendly agent. We appreciated his valuable input throughout our home selling process. With Warren's expert guidance, we were able to sell our home quickly and profitably.
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- Dan and Kathy B.
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Working with Warren was very easy. Warren was great with everything. His expertise in prepping my home for the sale, to the end of the sale, he made things easy for me. Warren was professional, knowledgeable and friendly. Everything was easy, quick and successful.
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- Judy L.
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excellent!
warren is very easy to work with and helped me close on my home few days early with no issues. very sharp and intelligent guy. highly recommend warren nass!
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- neil
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Best Realtor Ever .
Warren Nass was the best I don’t think I could have asked for a better realtor! I was nervous about selling my mom’s property! The home needed a lot of work. Warren was so helpful with preparing the property for sale, his negotiation skills were awesome also! I received a great price for the property all do to Warren Nass! I would recommend him any day! Even my mom’s neighbors were highly impressed with him.
Thank Warren
Tammy B
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- Anonymous
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The best you can find in the area!
When I started my home search, I had no idea what I was getting into. Warren Nass turned what could have been an overwhelming experience into one of the most educational and empowering decisions of my life.
From day one Warren took the time to genuinely understand what I was looking for; not just the square footage and price range, but my lifestyle, my long-term goals, and what kind of community I wanted to be part of. He never pushed me toward something that didn't fit. When properties didn't check the right boxes he said so clearly and moved on, which saved me enormous time and emotional energy.
What sets Warren apart is his strategic thinking. When we found the right property in San Pedro, he didn't just submit a number; he helped me frame the offer in a way that spoke to the seller's situation. Instead of fighting over credits in escrow, he advised me to position the offer as a buyer willing to take on the property as-is, which resonated with the trust sale seller in a way a higher competing offer might not have. That approach worked.
He also fought for me in ways I didn't expect. When the seller's agent called Warren directly about a previous deal falling through on another property I had interest in, he moved immediately and strategically while protecting my position without creating unnecessary friction.
Warren is responsive, honest, and genuinely in your corner. He never made me feel like a transaction. If you're buying in the South Bay or Southern California area, I cannot recommend him highly enough. He helped me find not just a house but a home with real long-term potential; and I'll be working with him again should the time ever call for it.
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- Rudy Arvizu
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Wow, Very knowledgeable, fantastic communication, very professional from start to finish. Our agent, Warren Nass, What an amazing experience it was to work with such a knowledgeable realestate professional. Right from the start Warren prepared us for the entire process, walked us thru each step and stayed with us all the way to the very end. Warren was totally invested in our goals and our property, preparing comps, looking at market trends and current inventory, arranging all the appointments and open houses, meeting with us when it was convenient for us, he helped with ideas on how to prepare our home so it showcased all its amenities and curb appeal. Warren even changed out light bulbs so they all matched .... when selling a property, I think details matter and Warren was all about the details. In the end our home sold for over listing and allot faster than others in the area on the market at that time. If you're considering purchasing or selling a home, do yourself a favor and make Warren Nass your first call, I promise you won't regret it!! Thank you, Warren, job well done!!
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- Jim & Jill R.
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Dear Warren,
Words cannot express how grateful I am that I called Sam to get your info. I know that aside from God's divine intervention, you played a HUGE role in us getting our first home. We would love to have you and your wife over once we get settled in. We also have a little something that we think you'll get a kick out of :). Looking forward to getting together. Again - thank you so much for your diligence, your work ethic and most of all your professionalism. You are awesome! Just wanted to say thanks so much. You Rock.
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- Chad & Michelle G.
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Warren is an extremely knowledgeable agent. This was the second time we used Warren as an
agent. Warren is very detailed oriented. He provided helpful advice that made the sale of our home
smoother. I appreciated his availability when my wife and I had questions. He responded very
quickly to our questions. Because of his efforts and professionalism, we sold our house quickly.
Anyone who is thinking of selling their home or purchasing a home should use Warren as their
agent if they want it done right.
"
- Brian & Deanna L.
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WARREN NASS RECOGNIZED FOR INTERNET MARKETING EXCELLENCE
La Mirada, CA - Nationally renowned real estate marketing and technology speaker and REALTOR.com® Vice President, Max Pigman, has presented to Warren Nass of Century 21 Westworld Realty the “Real Estate Online Marketing Award of Excellence”. The Award of Excellence recognizes top agents who consistently provide great marketing services on behalf of their buyers and sellers.
“There are always some real estate agents who distinguish themselves from other agents by doing a little more for their sellers. In particular; when the home they are selling is placed on a well trafficked site such as the 1st ranked REALTOR.com®,1 even simple efforts like having more photos displayed, crafting better descriptions or adding a full motion video, can make a home stand out from competing properties,” says Max Pigman, Vice President of REALTOR.com®.
The excellence award was presented to Warren at a recent real estate marketing and technology seminar that demonstrated cutting edge techniques for leveraging the Internet and technology in real estate marketing.
Warren says, “My seller clients appreciate how I can help bring more attention to the unique selling attributes of a their home and ultimately help attract more qualified buyers. Buyers are also appreciative of a well presented home that has a better description and more ways to learn about the property before arranging an appointment. While it’s certainly an honor to receive this award, I think ultimately it would be a disservice not to make REALTOR.com® and the Internet part of your standard home marketing plan. Some day soon most agents will see it as a must have requirement instead of something special. We’re already seeing that change”
“The extra steps agents like Warren are taking on behalf of their clients is the reason we thought it worthwhile to call out the effort we have seen these agents make online and to recognize them for providing these added value services,” says Mr. Pigman.
REALTOR.com® is just one of the many ways Warren Nass is leveraging recent trends in home buyer online behavior to his clients benefit.
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- Max P. - REALTOR.com
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With Warren's vast experience in our market. He was able to come in and help stage our home in
order to get us top dollar for our property. Then he worked with us on how to best aquire our future
home and what to look for and what to stay away from. It was a pleasure to work with such an
honest and trust worthy partner. Yes I said partner we felt that Warren always told us the Truth. He
is now a trusted member of our Family. We the Gallop"s highly recommend him and will us him in
the future.
"
- Brian G.
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Thanks for all you did to help my client turn a house into a home for her family. May the entire holiday season bring you to you and yours.
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- Jeanine D. - Keller Williams Realty
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Simply fantastic! .
Warren is a very knowledgeable professional that listened, provided answers to our questions and offered great suggestions enabling us to maximize the sale of our home! He went above and beyond and would recommend him 100%. He has been our realtor previously and will remain our only realtor!
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- Bartholomew Rodriguez
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We had the best times with Warren selling two of our homes. One in 2003 and the other in 2021.
Seriously, when you meet Warren, you feel you have known him forever. He's very personable and
just comfortable to talk with. We were very successful in making our moves, thanks to Warrens
knowledge of Real Estate. Just felt right. The transition went smoothly. That's why we called him 18
years after selling our first house. We received a great deal extra for our home with other offers. You
feel like moving, give him a call!
"
- Bill and Julie A.
"
When my mom and I had to sell my brother’s house in La Mirada, I knew just who to turn to. Warren was the first person I thought of. This transaction had so many challenges since my brother was not easily accessible and time was of the essence as the market was declining during that time. Thanks to his utmost professionalism, his network of resources and his creativity we were able to sell the house at a price we didn’t think possible in this market. His calm and confident attitude helped keep my family at ease during a very difficult time. He kept us informed and was always honest with us. Even when he had to deliver not-so-promising news, he always had a solution or an idea on how to get around the issue. Thank you Warren for selling my brother’s house, and for doing so with such grace. You are a true professional.
"
- Amy Dorsett-A.
"
When it comes to selling your home no one presents it better than Warren! He is very in tune and
up to date with what people look for and want to see when buying a house. His expertise in staging
homes inside and out will impress you and really make the difference when presenting your house
to potential buyers. His vision is like no other. Put all your trust in him!
"
- James and Mary V.
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Smooth Easy Selling Experience.
Warren was our buyer's agent when we purchased our home in La Mirada, and we decided to go with him when we sold that same house. We had done a fair amount of work to the house, but he pointed out some easy fixes to make before selling the house that were very beneficial. We moved out of state so Warren helped take care of the house while it was on the market. The house ended up looking and showing great, and we ended up with an offer well over list price. Overall we were pleased with the experience!
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- Anonymous
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Amazing Agent! Came back to sell 15 years after buying from him!
Warren and Cathy Nass are amazing! Fifteen years ago, I bought my condo through them. It was a wonderful experience. Both were upfront, honest, and did their best to make my experience as a buyer comfortable. I told them then, when I was ready to sell, I would reach out. I was so glad I did.
Having an agent you can trust is paramount! During my selling experience, I had emergency surgery, they were on the spot, working with my sister as I was relocating out of state, to ensure my condo would be empty, presentable, and the paperwork was completed. As we went through the selling process, Warren and Cathy were in contact with me. Anytime I had a question, or they needed an answer. The sale went smoothly as it could, with my health issues, and relocation out of state. We were on the market for two days and had our first offer, day three brought a backup offer.
They are the agents, I wish I could bring with me, when I buy a home up here in Washington!
Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart Warren and Cathy, we appreciate you, your expertise, and help!
"
- Christine Mislang
"
Working with Warren was very easy.
Warren was great with everything. His expertise in prepping my home for the sale, to the end of the sale, he made things easy for me. Warren was professional, knowledgeable and friendly. Everything was easy, quick and successful.
"
- Judy Leyn
"
Wow, Very knowledgeable, fantastic communication, very professional from start to finish.
Our agent, Warren Nass,
What an amazing experience it was to work with such a knowledgeable realestate professional. Right from the start Warren prepared us for the entire process, walked us thru each step and stayed with us all the way to the very end. Warren was totally invested in our goals and our property, preparing comps, looking at market trends and current inventory, arranging all the appointments and open houses, meeting with us when it was convenient for us, he helped with ideas on how to prepare our home so it showcased all its amenities and curb appeal. Warren even changed out light bulbs so they all matched .... when selling a property, I think details matter and Warren was all about the details.
In the end our home sold for over listing and allot faster than others in the area on the market at that time.
If you're considering purchasing or selling a home, do yourself a favor and make Warren Nass your first call, I promise you won't regret it!!
Thank you, Warren, job well done!!
"
- Jill and Jim Ries
"
Excellent job.
Warren went above and beyond in guiding and directing the preparation of the house for sale. He get me updated at all times of what was going on and if there were any issues I needed to resolve. All parties are happy with the end results.
"
- Estate of Gloria J Morse
"
Warren was very knowledgeable and patient throughout the entire process. He took the time to point out the positives and the negatives of each home. Really felt like he wanted us to get everything we were looking for and not settle for anything less. It was a great experience and look forward to working with him in the future.
1
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- Halim K.
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Warren Nass made our buying experience wonderful .
Warren Nass was amazing to work with. We gave him a detailed list of things we wanted in a new home & he found the perfect house for us. Warren took the time to understand our preferences. Warren was always available for home tours. If we had a question, he had the answer & if he didn't have the answer, he would get back to us right away. The amount of time Warren put into working with us is so appreciated. We also appreciated the communication. We always knew what was going on with the sale of the new home. His professionalism & knowledge for the market was amazing! We really appreciated how Warren went above and beyond to help us during every stage of this process. We will recommend Warren to all our family & friends. We will not hesitate to call Warren on our next purchase. It was a great experience!
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- Tu and Christi Vu
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Dear Warren Nass,
We would like to thank you for your exceptional service in helping us purchase our home.
Since our first contact with you, you have demonstrated the up most professionalism. You have addressed our concerns and answered our questions with expertise rarely encountered by a real estate professional. One of your best qualities as a person as well as a professional is your ability to truly listen. You have understood our desires and concerns and have found solutions to suggest. To say that your input during this process has been helpful, beneficial and appreciated is an understatement.
Your level of "customer service" is to be commended and truly cannot be spoken highly enough of. You have treated us as though we were your only clients. You have made extraordinary efforts to meet with us when it was convenient for us and have met with us several times on short notice, all with a persistently friendly and professional demeanor.
Your professionalism and rapport have pushed our home buying process along through the persistently occurring challenges that have cropped up. Your rapport with other professionals throughout this process has enabled us to purchase our home with the best possible knowledge, awareness and a much higher level of comfort with the process as well as with the property itself.
As a professional, I feel that the greatest form of appreciation is a referral. Needless to say, you may feel free to use this letter of appreciation in any way you wish. As well, please feel free to refer anyone to us for a personal recommendation.
Lastly, you know where we live so feel free to swing by and say hello the next time you're in the neighborhood, we are glad to now have you as a neighborhood friend.
"
- Kyle and Michelle C.
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Warren's knowledge of real estate market was intuitive.
His responsiveness and communication skills are impeccable.
He is honest, I will use him again when needed, and would highly recommend him.
"
- Dan O.
"
Warren is the most knowledgeable, most work oriented, consistent agent you could ever be lucky
enough to represent you. We have used Warren's services over the last 21 years, whatever the other
agent drops Warren will pick it up and run with it and make sure your deal gets done
EXCELLENT AGENT DON'T ACCEPT 2ND BEST!!!
ONLY WARREN WILL DO!!
"
- Robert S.
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Excellent Agent.
Excellent market knowledge, always ready to answer questions. His interior decorating skills resulted to a very successful open house.
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- Roberto Balagot
"
Warren and Cathy did an excellent job selling my home. They are kind, professional, and
experienced. I would highly recommend using them to sell your business or home.
"
- Teresa S.
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Extraordinary.
Warren and his real estate partner and wife, Cathy Lee represented us in the sale of our La Mirada home.
Their work was outstanding and highly professional. We believed that they were ideal for our needs and we were well rewarded for our choice. Without their extraordinary effort to ready our house and conduct its sale we could not have moved out of state with the trust we placed in their services.
We are grateful for all their time, generosity, persistence, and especially patience, on our behalf. Wonderful job.
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- Glenn Emigh
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Dear Warren & Cathy Lee,
It's our great pleasure to write you and express our thanks for your outstanding (and, of course, successful) effort in selling our La Mirada home. We believed that you were the ideal team to represent us and we were well rewarded for our choice. Without the extraordinary work you put in to ready our house and conduct its sale we could not have moved out of state with the trust we placed in your services. So, thanks so much for all your time, work, persistence, and especially patience, on our behalf. Wonderful job. We’re so grateful to Chris at Impact Escrow, and have cc’d her in this message. We must also commend her awesome work and patience. While we closed on December 8th, it wasn’t until this last week that we felt we could finally exhale. Because we also retired the note on our new home in Las Vegas. At last, no more payments! (except for association fees, gas, water, electricity, sewer, internet, cable, trash pickup, property tax, car insurance, HO insurance, softener salt ……) If you come to Las Vegas, please make time to call us; even better, stop by for a custom tour of our little patch of desert-scape.
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- Claire E.
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Great service, great communication, great sale!
We interviewed a few agents for our listing and right away Warren and his partner, wife Cathy Lee, stood out. They both had amazing energy, came over prepared to the meeting and with their knowledge and confidence, convinced us they would go above and beyond to sell our property. And they did! They helped us prepare the property for listing, helped with yard work, held open houses, helped take out trash cans, and within a week of our listing going live had, multiple offers for us. We were extremely satisfied with our transaction and you will not regret choosing Team Ness for your real estate transaction!
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- S.Yeager
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After my mother passed away warren handled everything for my family and I from beginning to end
flawlessly, we are so glad we had him take care of our family.
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- Hagan Trust
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We have worked with Warren in the past. He is an excellent realtor very patient and always gets the
job done. He has been a realtor for a long time and as far as we are concerned covers every base.
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- Laurie G.
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I was a first time home seller. Warren was very thorough, patient, and explained everything that
needed to be done. Went through all the paper work in detail. He was very helpful with every step
and offered to help me on any issues that popped up. He is a very seasoned and knowledgeable
agent and I would highly recommend him to any sellers or buyers.
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- Rachael M.
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To Whom It May Concern:
The purchase of a home was the largest investment we were going to undertake so we knew that we needed to align ourselves with the right real estate agent to ensure a successful transaction. This transaction would be slightly more complicated due to the fact that we were selling our home and looking for a new home concurrently.
We interviewed several candidates prior to meeting with Warren Nass. Upon our interview with Warren, we immediately signed a contract with him. We were impressed with his credentials but what sold us was his character. He was honest, straightforward, thorough, articulate and meticulous about every minute detail. We knew that he was going to worry about the particulars so we wouldn’t have to. He was the perfect real estate agent for us!
Warren conducted a thorough market analysis. He explained to us what the prices in our area were and where the analysts believed the market was going. Though no one can predict with certainty which way the housing prices will go in a year, it was reassuring to have a real estate agent who was familiar with the financial analysis of the market. In addition, as the neighborhood specialist, Warren made it his business to study the local conditions and advise us on how much to list our home.
Prior to putting our home on the market, Warren staged our home to stand out. Having Warren was like hiring a professional stager and interior designer. He evaluated each room and made adjustments to ensure that we were using the best use of space and natural light. He created a setting that inspired visitors to visualize themselves residing in our home.
In addition, Warren exercised his excellent marketing abilities to advertise our home. He utilized the internet, newspaper, mailings and open houses strategically to sell our home quickly. During a time when the average number of days on the market was on the rise to approximately 64 days, Warren was able to sell our home within 30 days. Warren navigated us through the complicated escrow process for both homes. With his guidance, the process was seamless and very smooth. We were able to close escrow on both homes within 2 days of each other.
As expected, Warren produced top results. We know that it was because of Warren’s expertise that we were able to receive top dollar. We received 99% of the asking price of our home. This was the highest sales price of our Plan at the time of sale. We were able to purchase our new home for under the asking price due to Warren’s excellent negotiation skills. With our best interests at heart, Warren was very patient during the home searching process. He took the time to get to know us and understand our priorities. With this knowledge, he was able to channel the search more productively.
The process of selling a home and purchasing a new home will always be arduous and stressful because it is the largest expenditure most American households will ever make. However, as a buyer and/or seller you won’t feel lost in the hands of Warren as your real estate agent. We are now lifetime customers and friends of Warren and we recommend him to anyone and everyone. Thank you.
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- Scott & Heidi H.
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Warren helped us market our home to our distinct advantage. We appreciated his attention to
detail to attract the right type of buyer!
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- Mitzi M.
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He was great.
Warren knows how to sell a house! He is great. He helps out gives advice on getting your house ready and it sold in 3 day at Christmas time. Everything went smooth from start to finish. My
Family thanks you very much for everything 😁
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- Cheryl Gauthier
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"It is with pleasure and great confidence that we put to words our thoughts of the work of Warren Nass. As first time home buyers, Warren far surpassed our expectations with his knowledge and honesty. Warren provided us with a wide array of choices, was patient and virtually eliminated the stress and headaches of such a large purchase.
There were certain houses that we would have considered, however, with Warren's attention to detail and his integrity, he would point out potential problems, small or large, and let us make a decision.
Due to Warren's exemplary work ethic, we have truly found our dream house. Warren is a very talented individual and we highly recommend him to anyone without reservation."
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- Riki and Gayle R.
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Dear Warren,
I am delighted to congratulate you on achieving the prestigious 2009 CENTURION Producer Award. The CENTURION Award is a symbol of excellence earned by only an elite group of CENTURY 21 Producers. This elite group represents the depth of talent and experience found within the CENTURY 21 System.
You have proven your commitment and dedication to the CENTURY 21 organization over the past year. You have demonstrated exceptional professional standards and dedication to your clients. We salute your accomplishments and pledge to provide continuing support and encouragement to insure your personal and professional success.
On behalf of the entire organization, I commend you for your award winning efforts. Best wishes for another outstanding year.
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- Thomas R. Kunz
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Smooth Easy Selling Experience - Warren was our buyer's agent when we purchased our home in La Mirada, and we decided to go with him when we sold that same house. We had done a fair amount of work to the house, but he pointed out some easy fixes to make before selling the house that were very beneficial. We moved out of state so Warren helped take care of the house while it was on the market. The house ended up looking and showing great, and we ended up with an offer well over list price. Overall we were pleased with the experience!
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- Derek & Emily W.
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I have been a commercial RE Broker for + 30 years and when it came time to sell my Mom's home, I
saw the need to bring in an expert. Warren provided solid advice and a ton of specific experience in
the residential real estate market. My family was impressed with his input on issues regarding
staging the house for sale, status of the market, pricing expectations and handling of all the paper
work / disclosure forms / escrow documents. Thanks to Warren's efforts, our transactions went very
smooth and the results exceeded our expectations.
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- Michael H.
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Warren Nass made our buying experience wonderful. Warren was amazing to work with. We gave him a detailed list of things we wanted in a new home & he found the perfect house for us. Warren took the time to understand our preferences. Warren was always available for home tours. If we had a question, he had the answer & if he didn't have the answer, he would get back to us right away. The amount of time Warren put into working with us is so appreciated. We also appreciated the communication. We always knew what was going on with the sale of the new home. His professionalism & knowledge for the market was amazing! We really appreciated how Warren went above and beyond to help us during every stage of this process. We will recommend Warren to all our family & friends. We will not hesitate to call Warren on our next purchase. It was a great experience!
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- Christ V
Based on information from California Regional Multiple Listing Service, Inc. as of September 11, 2026 1:08 AM UTC This information is for your personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties you may be interested in purchasing. Display of MLS data is usually deemed reliable but is NOT guaranteed accurate by the MLS. Buyers are responsible for verifying the accuracy of all information and should investigate the data themselves or retain appropriate professionals. Information from sources other than the Listing Agent may have been included in the MLS data. Unless otherwise specified in writing, Broker/Agent has not and will not verify any information obtained from other sources. The Broker/Agent providing the information contained herein may or may not have been the Listing and/or Selling Agent.
Based on information from CRISNet MLS as of September 11, 2026 12:42 AM UTC All data, including all measurements and calculations of area, is obtained from various sources and has not been, and will not be, verified by broker or MLS. All information should be independently reviewed and verified for accuracy. Properties may or may not be listed by the office/agent presenting the information. The listing broker's offer of compensation is made only to participants of the MLS where the listing is filed.
The data relating to real estate for sale on this web site comes in whole or in part from the Victor Valley Internet Data Exchange program of the Victor Valley Multiple Listing Service. Information being provided is for consumers person, ie, non-commercial use and may NOT be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing.
