How to Pick a Realtor While Getting Divorced

There are simple ways to ensure that selling your home while in the process of getting divorced doesn’t add to your stress levels. We already know that in can be beneficial to expedite a divorce settlement to sell the home before the settlement is finalized. The best way to accomplish this is to pick the right realtor. 

Here is what you need to know when picking a realtor while getting divorced:

Finding a Realtor Experienced Working With Divorcing Property Owners 

The reality is that homes are often the most valuable asset a couple owns. Even when it isn’t the most valuable, it is still high up on the list and commonly the most contested asset during divorce proceedings. In a bitter divorce, if one party always loved the home, the other side might use that leverage as a bargaining chip. 

Our job is to advocate for the interests of our clients – if you are in the process of a divorce, we have two clients for one transaction. When our clients’ goals and interests are different, we sit down with each party (and their attorneys) independently to fully grasp what a successful transaction would look like and how it would impact the entire divorce proceeding from their point of view. 

At the end of the day, our focus when selling a home is always on getting our clients the best offer on their property. When selling a property in the middle of a divorce proceeding, this means that concise communication is absolutely essential. 

Communication is Key

Each divorce is different, but the fundamental component of selling a property in the middle of a divorce is the same – as your Realtor, our job is to communicate information as quickly and concisely as possible so that our clients can make an informed decision and get the best result. 

Whether this is about setting a list price, staging the property, hosting an open house, or deciding between offers, every step has the potential to become an contentious issue. We always assume information is not shared between parties and we take painstaking efforts to deliver the exact same information at the exact same time to both parties and their attorneys (when necessary). 

We approach both parties as exactly what you are: two separate clients with equal interests in the property. Selling the home you shared as a relationship is ending may be emotional for you. This is a normal reaction – in fact sellers are often emotional about leaving memories behind for many reasons. While we are sensitive to that, our job is to remove the sentiment and focus on the transaction itself. 

If you have questions, or would like to schedule a time to meet with someone on The Kern Team to discuss your real estate needs.