Selling a Home During Divorce
A sale where two people have to agree, handled neutrally, with clear communication to both parties.
One requirement above all others
In a divorce sale both parties get the same information at the same time, from someone who isn't taking a side.
That sounds obvious and it's where these transactions most often go wrong. An agent who was originally one person's agent, or who communicates through one party, turns every ordinary decision into a dispute about process rather than about the house.
How it's handled
Communication goes to both parties together, in writing where it matters. Showing feedback, offers, and recommendations arrive the same way at the same moment.
Decisions that need agreement are presented as clear options with the tradeoffs attached, so the conversation is about which option rather than about whether someone is being kept informed.
Where attorneys are involved, I coordinate with them rather than around them.
Confidentiality
Clients in this situation say a version of the same thing: "We need this handled confidentially."
That's treated as a requirement rather than a preference. Marketing sells the property without narrating the circumstances. Nothing about why the home is on the market belongs in the listing, in the campaign, or in a conversation with a buyer's agent.
Disclosure done properly
Disclosure obligations don't change because a sale is difficult, and getting them right is what protects both parties after closing rather than just through it.
My years around a contracting business and in a legal office matter here. The paperwork gets done correctly the first time, which is worth more in this kind of sale than in almost any other.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you represent both of us?
Yes. I represent the sale for both of you together, as the owners: the same information to both of you at the same time, and recommendations presented as options with tradeoffs rather than as decisions already made. How that representation is set up is confirmed in writing at the start, and where attorneys are involved they're part of that conversation.
Will people know why we're selling?
Not from the marketing. The property is sold on its merits and the circumstances aren't narrated to buyers, buyer agents, or anyone else. Confidentiality is treated as a requirement here.
What if we can't agree on price?
That's common and it's why three pricing strategies get presented rather than one number. Seeing the same options with the same tradeoffs laid out often turns a disagreement into a decision, because it stops being about who's right.
How will we both stay informed?
Communication goes to both of you together, in writing where it matters. Showing feedback, offers, and recommendations arrive the same way at the same moment.
Will you work with our attorneys?
Yes. Where attorneys are involved, I coordinate with them rather than around them.
Do disclosure rules change in a divorce sale?
No. Disclosure obligations stay the same, and getting them right is what protects both of you after closing. The paperwork gets done correctly the first time.
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