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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