Your friend is a Realtor. You like her. You trust her. She sold your neighbor’s house in three days, she sold your book club members house, you play golf with them. So when you and your spouse decide to divorce and the house needs to be sold, calling her seems like the obvious choice.
Maybe not and I say that as a Realtor. Selling a house during a divorce is not a normal real estate transaction. There are more people involved, more emotions involved, more financial consequences and sometimes court orders, attorneys and deadlines that have to be considered. This is not the time for someone to figure it out as they go.
The House Is Usually One of the Biggest Pieces of the Divorce. For many couples, the marital home is one of their largest assets.
But here's the thing...
The question isn't always simply, "What can we sell the house for?"
It may also be:
How much equity is actually there?
Can one spouse afford to keep the house?
What repairs should be made before selling?
Who pays for those repairs?
Who stays in the house until it sells?
How are showings handled?
What happens if one person wants to accept an offer and the other doesn't? I have seen this happen many times.
And what exactly does the divorce agreement say about the house? Suddenly, sticking a sign in the yard is the easy part.
Your Realtor Needs to Be Neutral
This is a big one! A divorce listing has two sellers and many times people don't see it that way. Even when one spouse originally calls me, my job in the sale isn't to become Team Husband or Team Wife. I am working for the wife and the husband and I basically have 2 clients and my job is the house.
I need to communicate clearly with both parties, document what's happening and keep the real estate transaction moving forward without getting pulled into the divorce itself. And yes...sometimes that takes a little more patience than your average Tuesday afternoon listing appointment but that is where my 20 years of real estate experience comes into play. I know how to be a neutral party.
Communication Can Get Complicated Fast
I've been in real estate long enough to know that communication can make or break a transaction under completely normal circumstances.
Now add a divorce. One spouse may still be living in the house. The other may have moved out. They may communicate just fine. Or they may not communicate at all. I need to know at the start of the transaction on how I am expected to communicate with both the wife and husband. I never want either party to feel as if I am taking sides. Remember, I work for the house.
There may be two attorneys involved. There could be a mediator, financial professionals or other people who need information about the property.
Someone needs to keep the real estate side organized and moving forward. That's a very different job than simply scheduling pictures and putting the home in the MLS.
Pricing Matters Even More
Here's where my listing-agent expertise side comes out. A divorce does not change what a buyer is willing to pay for your house.
Buyers don't care what each spouse needs to walk away with. They care about the house, its condition, the location, the competition and what similar homes are selling for. That's why I believe both spouses need clear information about the home's value and the market before making decisions. I will never inflate a price just to make someone happy or win a listing especially in a divorce. You need real numbers so you can make real decisions.
Your Divorce Doesn't Need to Be Part of the Marketing
Buyers do not need the story. They don't need to know why you're selling. They don't need to know who's angry with whom.
And we certainly don't need buyers thinking, "They're getting divorced. Let's throw them a lowball offer because they have to sell." or " the house is jinxed, I am not buying a house that the couple is getting divorced" I have heard that so many times over the years!
The property should be positioned and marketed based on the house, not what's happening in the sellers' personal lives.
Your privacy matters.
This Is Why I Became an RCS-D™
I am an RCS-D™, Real Estate Collaboration Specialist - Divorce.
That means I've completed specialized training focused specifically on real estate when divorce is involved.
I'm still your Realtor. I'm not your attorney, CPA or divorce financial advisor.
But I understand that selling a home during a divorce can involve issues that simply don't come up in a typical home sale. I have gone through a divorce myself and I understand. And I know when the real estate question needs to go back to your attorney or another professional.
That distinction matters.
Sometimes the Best First Step Isn't Listing the House
This surprises people.
Calling me does not automatically mean we're putting your house on the market next week. We are starting with a conversation and so I can fact find and gather information that I will need.
What's the house worth? What might you net if you sell? What needs to be done before it could go on the market? What would selling realistically look like?
Those answers can help you and your attorney make better decisions about what happens next.
And I'd much rather have that conversation before decisions about the house are finalized than after.
Going Through a Divorce in Knoxville?
If you own a home in Knoxville or the surrounding East Tennessee area and divorce may mean selling it, let's talk.
No pressure. No drama. And I'm not taking sides.
We'll start with the house, look at the numbers and figure out what the real estate side of this situation actually looks like.
Sometimes knowing your options makes the next decision a whole lot easier.
Remember I am working for the house and I am a neutral party
