Page 10 - Selling your home during divorce
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5. CONT…



          A spouse who wants to price too low                  of you has any connection with to give
          is usually the one who just wants to                 an independent opinion on the value
          get away from the situation and start                of your home.

          their “new life.” Whatever that may
          be for him or her and for whatever                   A home that’s properly priced within

          reasons he or she has. But it could also             the market should sell as quickly as
          be a form of revenge (trying to hurt                 possible. “Quickly” is a relative term.

          the other spouse financially by selling              In some price ranges and
          for less than they could).                           neighbourhoods, that may be a few
                                                               weeks. In others it may be months or
          But more often than not, it’s a matter               even years. How quickly your well-

          of one spouse insisting on overpricing               priced home should sell in your price
          and refusing to reduce the price as                  range and market is something a
          time moves on. This is often because                 skilled real estate agent should be

          they need a certain amount of money                  able to give you a pretty good handle
          in order to afford the lifestyle and                 on.

          living arrangement they want or
          envision. (Not that a person’s wants or              Your goal, no matter how you feel or

          needs have any bearing on how much                   what your motivations are, should be
          a house can or will ever sell for.)                  to sell your home as quickly as
                                                               possible. And, of course, for as much
          Overpricing can also be a means of                   as possible.

          revenge. It can be a way in which to
          hold up the progress of the sale or get              It’s not a game. The house is not a tool

          in the way of the other spouse from                  or weapon to be used against one’s
          moving on.                                           spouse. It’s an asset and/or a liability
                                                               that needs to be dealt with due to the
          Pro tip: You will probably both choose  divorce, one way or another.

          your own real estate agent to give you
          an opinion on the value of the home.                 Too often, people simply prolong the

          It’s not unheard of for a spouse to ask              inevitable and hurt themselves
          his or her real estate agent to come in              financially and emotionally by

          with either a value that’s too high or               dragging it out longer than what is
          too low. While that should never                     necessary.
          happen, it can and does. The best
                                                               Which goes hand in hand with the
          solution is to ask an agent neither one
                                                               next topic…

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