Sebastian Brévart - MOVING ON: AN EXPERT’S GUIDE TO SELLING YOUR HOME DURING A DIVORCE

labor-intensive than a standard real estate transaction. Not every real estate agent is equipped to handle the complexity of property issues that come with the division, and many who claim to be are in fact, not qualified in the least. Just because you have a real estate license does not in any way justify you being capable of navigating the complex emotions and nuances that arise during a divorce sale. Most of all, you have to like your agent. You might be spending a lot of time with him or her over the next few months. This has to be a person who is calm, cool, and collected, is sensitive to the circumstances, and can move your home, no matter the current market. He or she must relate well with both spouses and cannot show any bias or judgment. You want someone whom you feel listens to your priorities, is patient with the situation, and can be trusted to deal fairly and communicate fully with both parties. The best Realtor® is one who will work effectively with both parties, despite conflicts of interest and strong emotions coming from both sides. An experienced Realtor® won’t run at the first sign of an emotional outburst, shy away from awkward meetings between soon-to-be exes, or hold exclusive meetings with one party over the other and will instead provide a neutral ground for interactions. Be sure your Realtor® keeps the details of your divorce out of sales conversations, since some buyers equate divorce with “desperate to sell” and will attempt to leverage that information in negotiations to get a lower price. I once read a shocking statistic, that the average Realtor® sells "less than one house per year", and are doing real estate as a second job or "side hustle" This would imply that the majority of them are desperate for business and will say whatever they have to in order to get a listing. This is the last agent you want to hire to represent you, and the consequences of their inexperience may impact the rest of your life moving forward.

When you look for a Realtor®, don’t be shy about asking questions

26

Powered by