When you’re getting a divorce, there may be many things that you find difficult to do. Separating from someone you loved and being single, moving to a new home or staying with family, and rearranging your finances can all be major changes. On top of that, trying to negotiate a divorce agreement with an estranged spouse who is angered or doesn’t want to cooperate can add to the stress. What is the hardest part for most couples? Legal and real estate experts agree that it’s the home that is the hardest to part ways with.
Sometimes, one spouse wants to sell, or both want to sell and get on with life. That’s fine, but sometimes, people want to move so quickly that they underprice their home. That means that the profit they make will be hurt, and they could be missing out on a large payday.
Other times, one spouse may not want to sell or the other could feel that the person who doesn’t want to sell is sabotaging the potential for a sale. In those cases, the frustration and anger mixing with the selling of the home can put a sale in jeopardy when a real estate agent can’t get the information needed in a timely manner.
The truth is that selling a home can bring closure, and it’s in both parties’ interest to sell the home for as much as possible. A home is likely the largest financial asset, so that means that both parties are likely to want their fair share from the sale. Taking less than the home is worth or damaging the property isn’t helpful.
Source: The Washington Post, “The hardest part for parting couples: What to do with the house,” Allison Klein, accessed Nov. 10, 2015
