Who is the listing agent required to serve in cases of a short sale? Is the agent obligated to provide the highest offer to the bank? to the seller? Do they have to show all offers to anyone?
I've talked with 2 CPAs who've told me that as long as the debt is non-recourse, there are no tax implications with a short sale here in California. I think federally the mortgage forgiveness act protects everyone, but there are state tax implications for those with recourse debt.
Have you looked at condo rentals in Irvine? In the areas I've looked at (CM, FV, GG, Westminster, Irvine), it seems like there are far more condos listed in Irvine than these other neighborhoods and they seem to be priced reasonably.
Its always good to check craigslist:
<a href="http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/apa/1233608926.html">Avalon Craigslist Ad</a>
Looks like they are still offering the 2 months free, not sure how those prices compare to the website