Selling a home during a divorce
A neutral agent who tells you both the same thing, in writing, all the way to closing.
Neutral, from the first conversation to closing
Selling a home during a divorce is two sellers with one house and, often, very different feelings about it. What gets it to the closing table is an agent who stays completely neutral. I don't work for one of you. I work for both of you, equally, and I make sure you can both see that.
My goal is simple: sell the home, keep it business, and not turn it into World War III. A calm, fair process is better for both of you, and it's better for the sale.
How I communicate with both of you
I never talk to one of you and not the other about the sale. I don't put you in a group chat the way I would with a married couple. I text you separately, but everything I send goes to both of you. If I tell one of you something, I copy and paste it to the other. Every follow-up, by text or email, goes to both.
That way nobody wonders what the other one was told, and nobody has to relay a message they'd rather not.
Sometimes one person starts bad-mouthing the other. I don't engage. I listen, I don't add to it and I don't agree with it, and then I bring the conversation back to business. It's the only way to keep the sale moving.
The decree, the attorneys and the proceeds
From the start, I ask for the divorce decree. If the divorce isn't final yet, I ask to speak with your attorneys. Either way, the goal is to know exactly how the proceeds are supposed to be split, so I can guide the title company correctly at closing. That isn't something to guess at, and it isn't my decision to make. It comes from your decree or your attorneys.
I'm not an attorney, and nothing here is legal advice. My job is to make sure the sale follows what's been decided, with no surprises at the closing table.
Showings, and when one of you still lives there
If possible, I'd rather the house be vacant. It makes everything easier, from showings to photos to keeping the peace. That isn't always possible, and often one of you is still living in the home.
That can work, as long as the house can be shown. If the spouse living there keeps turning down showings, the sale stalls for both of you. When that happens, I involve the attorneys and tell them plainly: I can't do my job if the house can't be shown.
The rest of the sale runs like any other listing: three pricing strategies, full marketing and a call every Tuesday, going to both of you. See how I sell a home and what your home is worth. If you're also buying your next home, see buying a home. I work in Clarksville and across Middle Tennessee and southern Kentucky. Send me a message with any questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can one agent represent both spouses in a divorce sale?
Yes. Both of you are the sellers. I stay neutral, and everything I tell one of you, I tell the other, in writing.
How are the proceeds split when the house sells?
According to your divorce decree, or your attorneys if it isn't final. I ask for that up front so I can guide the title company correctly at closing.
What if my spouse still lives in the house and won't allow showings?
The sale can't move without showings. If showings keep getting turned down, I involve the attorneys so the process can continue.
Divorce Sale by neighborhood
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