Selling Your Home During A Divorce
Sellers decide to sell for many reasons - a job relocation, downsizing, lifestyle change, etc., and for many sellers, their reason for selling is due to a divorce. A divorce, in itself, is a big, life-changing event that requires patience and flexibility, and the same goes for selling a house. In both cases, there will always be unexpected twists and turns that pop up where having an experienced professional to walk you through the process, support your questions and concerns along the way, and understand the ins and outs of the details allows for the transaction to run as smoothly as possible.
Often, it can feel isolating and confusing when getting ready to list your house before hiring a real estate professional. Experienced Realtors will give you the comfort, support, and reassurance of knowing you can rely on their years of experience troubleshooting and problem-solving previous deals, which now gives them the tools to successfully handle your home. But before you start the process of listing your house, there are certain things we recommend you keep in mind, especially when handling divorce and selling your house.
10 Things Every Seller Should Keep In Mind…
Hire a Realtor That Has Experience With Divorce Deals
The best way to support yourself when selling your house during a divorce is to hire a Realtor with previous experience working with home sellers going through a divorce. Other than their expert knowledge of the process of a real estate transaction, they’ll have a firm understanding of how a divorce can impact or influence the details of the deal. Plus, they’ll already have experience collaborating with the courts, and attorneys, and understand the specific needs of the deal.
Pay Attention To The Pitch
During the listing presentation, make sure to pay attention to the kind of experience the Realtors you interview offer. How many years have they been practicing real estate? How much experience do they have navigating a divorce deal? As these Realtors go through their listing presentation (you’ll know if they’re experienced professionals by whether or not they even have a listing presentation), ask specific questions so that when you officially hire them to sell your house, you have confidence in their ability to list, market, and sell, especially while handling the nuances of a divorce.
Mutual Agreement on Sale Price & Showing Schedule
Before you list your house, confirm the best sale price based on the condition of the home and the current real estate market, and then come to an agreement on the showing schedule. What time can the showing begin and end every day? Are there any days that don’t work? What about the weekends? Do you work from home? Will you be able to step up during the showings? To proceed with listing the house and prevent any time wasted, discuss these items with all parties as soon as you hire your Realtor.
Maintain a Mutual Respect For One Another & Be Patient
This can be a very stressful time - balancing two life-changing events is a difficult thing for anyone to deal with, which is why it’s so important to remember to maintain mutual respect for all parties involved in the transaction. This includes your spouse, the process, your realtor, and any other people or services involved. Things do always go as planned, unexpected hiccups pop up, and tensions are high, so remember that your Realtor is hired to guide and support you during this difficult time, and do the best possible job for you.
Save Money Where You Can
Fixed Rate Real Estate is a full-service, flat-fee real estate company in Colorado that specializes in a flat-fee model. This means we sell houses for a flat fee of $5,000, only, saving our sellers over $16,000 on average. When it comes to real estate assets, we know that our sellers want to save as much money as possible. So not only do we have the experience and knowledge of working in the Colorado real estate market for the last 10+ years, many of our clients found us because of the need to sell their house due to a divorce, but purposely set out to hire a flat-fee realtor to save as much money as possible and work with an experienced, top-producing real estate company.
Communication Is Key
Whether that’s between spouses or with the Realtor, a lack of communication can halt, stop, or prevent a deal from moving forward if all parties are not on the same page. It’s essential for your Realtor to establish an open line of communication between all parties involved, but it’s even more important to remember to always communicate any sudden changes or needs that come up with your Realtor, and/or spouse, to ensure everyone is on the same page and no one feels like they’re missing vital information.
Choose a Realtor Both Spouses Trust
It’s important to choose someone you both can trust, can rely on, and is neutral. When interviewing potential Realtors, it’s recommended to interview these candidates together and choose someone you both agree on.
Stay In Touch With Your Attorney
Your Realtor’s job is to sell your house during your divorce, not give legal advice. So make sure to communicate any legal questions or concerns with a real estate attorney, not your realtor, if needed.
Establish Expectations & Guidelines Before Listing
The best, experienced Realtor should be guiding you with a list of questions to answer before they list your house for sale regarding price, timeline, condition of the home, etc. Some of those questions could be: What is the lowest offer you’ll accept? What is the showing schedule going to be? Is the house ready to sell? Is staging, cleaning, or repairs needed? Once you meet with the right Realtor, they will guide you to understand if your house is in ready condition to sell, help you understand how to find the right listing price, and any other matters that need to be addressed head-on before the process begins.
Pick Your Battles
It’s essential to maintain a level of patience and respect for all parties involved in the process, but, as in any high-stress environment, patience levels will be tested. When collaborating and decision-making with your spouse and the Realtor, choose to look at the big picture rather than getting consumed by small details. It’s very easy to get sidetracked or argue over small-ticket items, but with the help of your Realtor through decision-making and processing all options available, they’re there to help mediate and find the best possible outcome for you.
Do you need an experienced Realtor to help you sell your home after your divorce? Contact Fixed Rate today for a free, no obligation consultation with one of Denver’s most experienced agents.