How to Sell My House after a Divorce Agreement

Can I sell my house during a divorce?

Yes, you can! Of course, it depends on how far along in the divorce agreement and process you are. Trying to sell your house during a divorce is possible, but it depends on where things are at. If your divorce is being finalized tomorrow, you typically cannot sell a house the following day. These two processes must be separate from each other. Have you ever thought about selling a house before starting the divorce process? There are several benefits that may make sense for you and your spouse to do.

Benefits of selling a house before a divorce

Timing is everything. Unfortunately, not everyone’s timeline is the same. If you decide to sell your house before getting divorced, you can avoid a ton of potential roadblocks later. For spouses that have shared ownership of a home, you can begin the process of selling the house as you normally would before getting a divorce.

The title and deed to the house are the same as they were prior to you considering a divorce. This means that you can sell your house as any other joint homeowners would. You do not have to decide who gets the primary owner of the property, or who gets to stay there with the kids. This is the cleanest way to sell a house when going through a divorce agreement. However, it’s important that you and your spouse are on the exact same page. What does this mean?

It is recommended that you put in writing whatever you agree upon. If you both decide to sell your house before starting the divorce process, you can draw up a small, written agreement stating that. This keeps everyone accountable and removes most miscommunication from happening.

Selecting a good Title Company

Another factor that can positively or negatively affect the process of selling a house quickly is the title company. A title company is the unbiased middle person that handles the transfer of money and deed between home buyers and sellers. There is a ton of correspondence between all parties and the title company. If they are slow, naturally, you will have trouble trying to sell your house fast. Give us a call if this is the case. Our experienced team of homebuyers can help!

Email threads are the death of many real estate transactions. If the title company takes multiple days to respond to emails, relay information, or forward documents, they are likely not the best choice for you and your spouse. Everyone involved in selling a house relies on the title company. It can be a blessing and a curse.

Where do I find a good title company? If it is your first time selling a house in a divorce, we recommend starting with referrals. Ask any friends or family in town that have sold a house quickly. See which title company they used, and determine how good their experience was. After you get you and your spouse both on board, the last thing you want to do is have the deal trudge on because the title company you selected is slow.

For homeowners that cannot find a good referral, a quick online search should do the trick. Your best bet is to use a title company that has worked with investors in the past. They are used to working fast and getting things done in a timely manner. Scan through their online reviews before selecting one. Here are several online sources where you can also find credible title companies:

• Google
• Yelp
• BiggerPockets

If you know for a fact that selling a house after the divorce is not an option, work with a trustworthy title company. This will ensure that the job gets done effectively.

Taking professional photos

Pictures tell 1000 words. This saying holds more truth as time goes on, and as people get nicer cell phones. Countless products and services are now purchased primarily online. Real estate is beginning to head in that direction. You can increase the odds of selling a house after a divorce agreement, or even before, by taking professional photos. It may seem like a chore initially, but once you have them, the rest is easy.

Whichever online platforms you decide to use to market your house for sale should include nice-looking pictures. Cash home buyers will occasionally purchase houses site unseen. For this to happen, there needs to be a ton of demand for your property, and the location must be stellar. Nevertheless, by showcasing your property and highlighting the great features through professional pictures, you increase the chances of your home selling.

Home buyers will be searching vigorously online for their next home through platforms like Zillow, Redfin, Craigslist, and Facebook. Don’t miss out on the eyeballs that matter most! If you have thought that I need to sell my house during a divorce, you must take all the proper marketing steps. Going fishing where the fish are.

Keeping the House

Are you still planning on selling your house after the divorce agreement? Things may have changed since you first made your decision. If one person, or both, wants to keep the house – you’ll need to figure out a few things:

• Who will be living there?
• Who is paying the bills?
• What’s the long-term plan?
• Who gets access, and when?
• Additional rules?

For people who have children involved, it obviously makes this decision more complicated. It’s difficult to say that I will sell my house after a divorce and not think twice about it. There are other people that will be affected by your decision. For parents that have children in schools, you’ll need to consider how it could change that. Would you need to move your child to a different school? Moving is not usually a kid’s favorite activity.

Who will be the primary caregiver of your child? They will likely be staying in the house if you do not plan to sell it. Try to coordinate as much as possible before going to divorce court so that it can be as productive as possible when making these determinations.

Existing Mortgage

If there is an existing mortgage, you must figure out who is taking over the payments. There’s a chance that it could be both of you. It makes more sense for the person who will be occupying the house to take over the payments. However, you must consider financial factors as well, which can help determine who should float the mortgage.

You may be wondering should I sell my house after divorce? Consider the financial situation, as that could be the answer. It might not make sense to continue owning the property because after splitting up with your spouse, financially it is difficult to manage. There could be a mortgage, along with other house expenses that will need to get paid. Selling a house after a divorce agreement means figuring all of this stuff out. Items such as taxes, insurance, and utilities will need to be covered to continue owning your home.

For homeowners that decide to have one spouse take full responsibility for the mortgage, it is best to remove the other from the loan. Work with your primary lender who you have the loan with to get this changed. There are documents and processes you must go through to finish this. They can restructure the names on the loan to suit your requests. It is helpful to separate things if you plan to fully separate the responsibility of paying the mortgage for your house.

Going through a divorce can be an incredibly challenging time. There are family members to consider, costs to think about, and logistics to plan. Take a deep breath, and know that you have options. If you wondered how to sell my house after a divorce agreement, look at your entire situation first. Determine your timeline, and what makes the most sense to do moving forward. Click here to learn how we buy houses and can help homeowners with any type of situation. Brotherly Love Real Estate is a family-owned company that buys houses for cash. We got our start helping people that needed to sell a home fast in Pittsburgh, PA. Since then, we have expanded to helping homeowners around the country with their real estate needs. Our team can help you sell your property after a divorce anywhere in United States. We forward to speaking with you (215) 769-9875.